Investigation of Genoa Township clerk leads to censure, reprimand

GENOA TWP. - The Genoa Township Board of Trustees recently approved a resolution to censure and reprimand Township Clerk Paulette Skolarus after an independent investigation.

According to the resolution approved Nov. 21, Skolarus was "found to be beneath the dignity of the office of clerk with needlessly confrontational and demeaning behavior, lack of decorum and on several occasions a complete disregard of state law and of township's procedures, norms and rules."

Further, the resolution states, township officials believe the "clerk's conduct rises to the level of official misconduct and willful neglect of duty."

The four-page resolution includes 15 items the board described as "facts" to support the level of misconduct, including conducting election commission meetings without posting notices; failing to post meeting minutes and having meetings in a place not available as required by the Open Meetings Act; devoting time to a payroll issue that took place five years ago; demanding a township employee stop devoting time to township work and instead help her with a personal issue and utilizing an election employee for her personal benefit; intimidating a township employee and threatening to terminate their employment; and putting pressure on employees and encouraging them to do things her way.

The other board members also accused her of using her position to pressure township staff to circumvent rules and restrictions and evade the procedural requirements by personally contacting the newspaper for personal requests; representing herself to the Zoning Board of Appeals creation a conflict of interest; making public threats to sue the township; providing compensation to herself; committing an unauthorized release of the confidential information contained within the independent legal investigation and knowingly and deliberately violating the motion of the township board on Oct. 26; and continuing to use and misuse township resources to investigate a personnel issue.

Skolarus is an elected official and the board members, also elected, do not have the power to remove her from office.

Neither Skolarus nore Supervisor Bill Rogers available for comment.

Skolarus has been under fire since 2021, when she was charged with one count of failure to perform duty under the state's election law, according to court records. Skolarus had faced up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine if convicted.

Skolarus was charged after an issue with ballot containers was discovered during a Board of Canvassers meeting Nov. 9, 2020. Skolarus and the election inspectors were asked to bring all of their ballots to the Board of Canvassers to be counted. Some of the ballots were found to be kept in unapproved containers.

After being charged, the state issued an order forbidding Skolarus from taking part in a variety of election-related duties. In April 2022, Skolarus, a Republican, was found not guilty of the misdemeanor and the state rescinded its orders.

In May, Skolarus asked the board for the reimbursement of about $5,000 in legal fees following her acquittal.

In June, the township board voted to hire Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhoades, for an independent legal investigation of Skolraus' actions.

The law firm investigated whether Skolarus was under-compensated by the township in 2016, if the township board should reimburse her for attorney fees and costs she incurred in defending a criminal prosecution against her, if she has treated township employees improperly or unlawfully, if she has violated the Open Meetings Act in conducting an election commissioner meeting and other issues of impropriety or misconduct concerning her.

During their Oct. 26 meeting, the board went into closed session to review the findings from the investigation of Skolarus, according to Rogers.

Upon returning from the closed session, the board approved a motion that no future township funds, or resources would be used to review the 2016-17 payroll issue because it was thoroughly reviewed and resolved five years ago and has become a personal matter to the clerk.

Following the discussion, board members made a motion demanding that Skolarus submit her resignation to the board before Nov. 7. Board members said it she failed to resign they would have staff prepare a censure resolution to protect the township and its employees. The motion passed 5-2.

According to draft meeting minutes, Skolarus asked to make a presentation, during the Nov. 21 meeting, but was denied by Rogers because Skolarus did not ask to have it placed on the agenda ahead of time. Skolarus wished to present data regarding the payroll issue.

Treasurer Robin Hunt referred to the motion approved Oct. 26, which stated that no more township funds or resources would be used regarding the payroll issue.

Skolarus said she thought it was a mistake to not allow her to present the information. However, Hunt said the resolution contained more than just information about the payroll issue. Trustee Diana Lowe inquired if Skolarus had read the entire resolution and encouraged her to do so if she hadn't.

Skolarus said she wants all the board members to read the entire investigative report because they were only given a synopsis. According to the minutes, she presented the copies of the data to each member of the board and Township Manager Kelly VanMarter and said she would email Rogers to get the item on the next meeting's agenda.

Township board members have expressed concerns about Skolarus previously.

The township board denied her a pay raise in 2021 for the remainder of her term or until the date of her resignation, whichever occurs first. The decision was based on what board members called Skolarus' irresponsible behavior, abuse of office, malfeasance, and putting the integrity of the township at risk.

In addition, members of the township board have previously expressed concerns about the accuracy of meeting minutes taken by Skolarus. In April 2022, the board voted to hire a recording secretary to draft the board minutes.

The next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, at the township hall, located at 2911 Dorr Road.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Skolarus reprimanded for official misconducted, stripped of duties