By Brandi Watters, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
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
