CHESTERFIELD, Ind. — In the wake of recent news that five former employees may have stolen $259,000 from the town, 60 residents filled the Town Council meeting Monday — but none of them had anything to say.
A state audit report released Thursday detailed how former Chesterfield Town Marshal Jamie Kimm and former Clerk-Treasurer Chris Parrish allegedly misappropriated funds from the town along with town reserve officer Joe Brown and workers Chris and Joe Walters.
Monday’s meeting marked the first gathering of the Town Council since the audit report was released, and the venue for the meeting had to be changed to accommodate the crowd. Instead of meeting in the smaller council room, the council opened the meeting in the gym of the Millcreek Civic Center.
Although 60 people showed up to the meeting, no one spoke up when Town Council President Jack Taylor asked if anyone in the public had anything to say.
Without any takers, the council adjourned the meeting and members of the audience remained in their seats or mingled around the gym making small talk with neighbors.
Council member Karen Wilson said she wasn’t surprised that the crowd had nothing to say.
Before the audit was released, she said, many town residents who’d heard rumors of the theft allegations confronted council members and demanded answers.
When the report was released Thursday, people got the answers they were looking for, she said.
Since the release, Wilson said the response from the town has been “very positive.”
“Now they’ve backed off,” she said.
Although the Town Council is responsible for town residents’ tax dollars, few seemed to blame the council for the actions of a few employees, she explained.
Taylor said now that the whole story of how the town lost $259,000 to a few of its most trusted employees is out in the open, people have nothing left to say about the matter. “What could you say?”
“They all understand now,” he said.
Though he did not speak up during the meeting, Chesterfield resident Jan Dobbins said he was suspicious of Parrish before the theft was revealed, but said it came as a shock that Town Marshal Jamie Kimm may have participated in the illegal activity.
“You never know what’s going on behind closed doors,” Dobbins said.
Though he’s disappointed that Chesterfield’s reputation was tarnished by the actions of a few employees, Dobbins is confident that it will never happen again.
“The community won’t put up with it.”
Contact Brandi Watters: 640-4847, brandi.watters @heraldbulletin.com
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Chesterfield residents mum about theft allegations
None address council about missing $259,000
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