INGALLS, Ind. — The Town Council fired its town administrator for the second time in a matter of weeks Monday.
Bill Rhodes, the former town administrator, was originally fired on Jan. 28 when the council voted 3-0 to eliminate Rhodes’ position after he was unable to explain discrepancies in town accounts.
On Monday, council member Rick Corbin questioned whether the firing was legal since he’d not seen notice of the meeting in the newspaper as required by the Open Meetings Act.
Town attorney Randy Sorrell said the votes would have to be taken again if the meeting notice did not appear in the local newspaper 48 hours prior to the meeting.
“We can do it all over again if you’d like,” council member Tim Green told Corbin. “Just do it again.”
Green then proceeded to tell the council and the audience of 20 or so residents about discrepancies he discovered in some of Rhodes’ accounting.
Green said he was alerted to alleged missing funds in the fire association’s checking account. He asked town Clerk-Treasurer Kip Golden to dig up receipts detailing the span of Rhodes’ 1 1/2-years as town administrator.
“I found irregularities not reported,” Green said. “I found several lunch and breakfast expenses that were not authorized.”
Green said he also found a receipt for the $200 purchase of ink toner for a printer that the town doesn’t own.
“There was checks he wrote to himself by himself,” Green said.
He also found town checks Rhodes’ allegedly wrote to a bank as payment for a personal loan.
“I turned it all over to the town marshal,” Green said. “I asked the person (Rhodes) to explain what happened. He had no explanation.”
Board members Corbin and Doug Dowden walked out on the Jan. 28 vote to fire Rhodes, refusing to take part.
On Monday, the men confronted Green and stood up for Rhodes.
“I believe this was a witch hunt from day one,” Corbin said.
Corbin argued that no one has ever proven that the money in question actually belonged to the town.
Dowden agreed, saying that the money in question was part of the fire department’s fund collected through donations.
“I would honestly have to say right now things are as bad as they can get,” Dowden said, frustrated with the firing he voted against.
Dowden said Rhodes made numerous donations to the town.
“If the man’s a thief, he’s a fool, because he donated $1,000 to get $130 back,” Dowden said.
Council members did not disclose the amount of funds missing from town accounts.
Both Corbin and Dowden voted against firing Rhodes on Monday, but the three other council votes were enough to pass the motion.
“I hope each and every one of you remembers this,” Green said to the audience. “To justify it in any way, shape or form is wrong.”
Contact Brandi Watters, 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com
Local News
Related Photos
-
Aaron Piper
Discussion
Ingalls fires town administrator... again
Council members clash over missing funds
- Local News
-
-
Anderson man dies at Monroe Reservoir; 3 others arrested
Memorial Day weekend took a tragic turn Saturday evening as an Anderson man visiting Monroe Reservoir died. Three other Anderson men were arrested later that day following the death of Matthew Hosier, 29.
-
Getting Together: Silence not golden for this library program
Certain rules govern almost all libraries: be quiet, don’t mar the pages and absolutely no food or drinks on the premises. But a small group of patrons wait until after hours, lock themselves in the back room of the Alexandria-Monroe Public Library, eat popcorn, drink soda and loudly scoff as they watch bad movies.
-
Veteran receiving Bronze Star 68 years late
An Army veteran will be awarded a Bronze Star on Memorial Day — 68 years after he was originally supposed to receive it.
-
Memorial Day activities set
For Memorial Day weekend, here’s a list of activities to participate in.
-
Arrest Log: May 28
Arrests made by Madison County law enforcement on Saturday, based on Madison County Jail records. Charges are recommended by arresting officers, but are not final until the Madison County prosecutor reviews the case and files official charges.
- Conservation officers arrest Anderson boater on alcohol charge
-
What's Where: May 28
Local activities are scheduled Monday.
-
Handicapped murder convict alleges prison discrimination
Since October 2006, Donald Lock has been confined to a wheel chair because of a degenerative bone disease. He has spent time at correctional facilities throughout the state, but it wasn’t until he was transferred to Pendleton earlier this year that he said he felt his disability was ignored.
-
Arrest log: May 27
The following arrest log appears in the Sunday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Parents at Little League say coach took money
Parents of the North Anderson Little League filed a complaint with police against a former coach who they say stole fundraiser money.
- More Local News Headlines
-
