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by Baylee Wojcik
Weeks after a longtime Lower Yoder Township employee was accused of embezzling more than $46,000, new financial concerns erupted at a township meeting Wednesday night.
Two resignations were on the agenda, but only one was formally accepted by township supervisors. The board accepted Supervisor Christian Gohn’s resignation as assistant treasurer after he cited what he described as repeated financial problems.
“There's too many mistakes that aren't being corrected. I have too much to lose to be tied to that,” Gohn said.
One of the issues discussed was a check for more than $65,000 that bounced earlier this month. Township Chairman Albert Grandinetti said the problem stemmed from an administrative error involving a transfer of funds on Aug. 6.
“The mistake was identified and communication with the payment company took place immediately. A new check was issued August 7th and paid in full. The township incurred zero fees or penalties,” Grandinetti said.
Grandinetti said he stands behind the township treasurer, calling the bounced check a mistake. But residents said the latest error is difficult to overlook, coming after police charged longtime township employee Connie Gates with embezzling more than $46,000 from the township’s sewer fund last month, less than a decade after a former supervisor was charged in a similar case.
“It's very disturbing. There are still mistakes. I am a resident of Lower Yoder Township. I believe about 8 to 10 years ago we had money missing. The supervisor at that time took measures to make sure what happened again. One of my concerns is what happened to those measures,” one resident said.
Residents pressed township leaders on what financial safeguards were in place and why the alleged missing money was not discovered sooner. Township officials said an external audit discovered the discrepancy in February.
“We immediately started working and put some measures in place. We're not done with those measures. We're going to continue to do that and continue to place measures into the office,” Grandinetti said.
The board was scheduled Wednesday night to accept Gates’ resignation. A motion was made, but it failed to get a second. After the meeting, the township attorney said that does not mean Gates is still working for the township. The attorney said Gates has resigned and is no longer a township employee, but without the board accepting the resignation, her status is now “in limbo.”
Township officials said new financial safeguards are still a work in progress, but they would not provide specifics. Gates’ preliminary hearing in the criminal case is set for next Tuesday.
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