Pigeon Township remains quiet on indicted leadership, former employee
EVANSVILLE — Pigeon Township is scheduled to have its second executive session in three weeks, but officials have remained publicly mum since the township's elected trustee was indicted in federal court.
Prosecutors have accused Mariama Wilson, a local social-justice activist and the elected Pigeon trustee, of siphoning off $19,000 in funds intended to support a local homeless shelter. Community relations specialist William Payne, who has since been fired, faces the same charges. Contractor Terrance Hardiman was also charged and has already pleaded guilty.
Now the township board has scheduled an executive session for 4:30 p.m. Friday. An executive session means the public, and members of the media, are not permitted to attend.
Guidance from the Indiana Public Access Counselor states executive sessions should be used sparingly.
Pigeon Township attorney Ryan Hatfield told the Courier & Press the township board wanted to hold a session Tuesday, but no notice was issued and the meeting was canceled to avoid violating Indiana's Open Door law.
Hatfield was on his way to post notice for Friday's meeting when he spoke to the Courier & Press on Wednesday afternoon. The Courier & Press reviewed the notice after it was posted.
The notice stated it was being posted pursuant to Indiana Code 5-14-1.5, but state code requires more than that to satisfy open door law requirements.
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Issues with the public notice
According to the notice taped to the office door, the executive session "may include the following topics:"
Discussion with respect to litigation
Discussion of personnel matters
Litigation is one of the matters laid out in Indiana Code which is applicable to an executive session, but public access guidelines state boards should include the corresponding code number which allows the meeting to take place.
Notice must include "the time, date, location, and subject matter by reference to the specific statutoryexception and language of the exception under which an executive session may be held."
"Personnel matters," however, are never a valid reason to hold an executive session. Job performance evaluations and interviews of prospective employees would qualify, but public access laws would still require specific statutory notice.
Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt told the Courier & Press he agreed the notice was not specific enough.
"The personnel issue particularly," he said.
On the Indiana Public Access Counselor's website, there are two samples of executive session notices that follow the letter of the law. These samples are available for anyone to download and use as templates.
The executive session held May 11 was posted in the same manner, also violating posting requirements.
More: Pigeon Township trustee, two others indicted in alleged 'kickback scheme'
No public meetings, no public comment
Officials contacted by the Courier & Press have not offered much, if any, comment on either the situation at Pigeon Township or the lack of public access at meetings.
Responding to an inquiry from the Courier & Press, Vanderburgh Democratic Party Chair Cheryl Schultz said, "If you are calling regarding the Pigeon Township situation, I am not commenting on it."
The same goes for Pigeon Township Advisory Board member Connie Robinson. The former Evansville city councilwoman declined to explain the board's views regarding Wilson's indictment.
"All questions regarding that should be directed to our attorney," Robinson said. "All questions should be directed to him so they don't get confused in the press."
Robinson said she was not aware when Pigeon Township would hold a meeting that would be open to the public, nor was Hatfield.
Board member Shirley Baker and board president Ruby McGlown have not returned repeated requests for comment from the Courier & Press. Democratic City Councilman Alex Burton, whose Fourth Ward district encompasses Pigeon Township, has not commented on Wilson's indictment or her continued role overseeing the funds flowing through the township's accounts.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Pigeon Township remains quiet on indicted leadership, former employee
