Public sounds off for or against Trustee Coles retaining her office

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The people get the opportunity to sound off Wednesday whether Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles should be removed from office or continue the next five months as a lame-duck trustee.

“Honestly, I don’t want to do this," township board President Perry Schnarr said about Wednesday's meeting. "But the laws there, and she created the situation. I don’t know why she did all this."

The two-phased meeting begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Tippecanoe County Library.

The first phase will be a public hearing, beginning with the reading of the resolution to remove Coles, followed by arguments against the resolution by Coles' attorney, Alexandra Hawkins, township board Secretary Rocky Hession said.

The meeting will then open the floor to public comments for or against the resolution, Hession said.

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“If they want their voice heard, they should be there — for or against," board member Monica Casanova said.

When the public finishes, the board will close the public hearing, take a short break, then return for a regular meeting, during which they will vote to adopt or reject the resolution, Schnarr and Hession said.

First to use Indiana's new law to remove trustee

The Indiana General Assembly adopted a law this spring that allows for the removal of rogue trustees. Coles and Wabash Township Trustee Jennifer Teising were the catalyst for the law, which took effect July 1.

At the board meeting earlier this month, Hawkins argued the allegations against the trustee were all before July 1, and the new law requires Coles to be unresponsive to her office duties after the law went into effect.

If the board members or public have an outstanding request for public documents, Hawkins argued, they must submit a new request for Coles to be in violation of the law.

“Those requests are still outstanding," Casanova said of the board members' multiple unresponsive requests for public documents. “Trustee Coles has still not filled the duties of her office, and July 1 hasn’t changed that.”

In addition to Coles' unresponsiveness to requests for public documents, Coles and the township face investigations by the Indiana State Police and the Indiana State Board of Accounts for Coles' spending of taxpayer money.

The morning of May 20, Indiana State Police searched the township offices and township property, including the barn across the street from Greenbush Cemetery, which the township operates. The warrants were part of an investigation of the township, police said.

Late in the afternoon of May 20, state police searched Coles' house. Police only said the search was part of an investigation. Indiana State Police typically do not comment about an investigation into an individual.

Coles spent the past two years sparring with the board and refusing to give them financial records — public record — claiming that she is the chief executive and the documents do not fall into the responsibilities of the board.

“She wanted to be a secret. She’s the boss," Schnarr said, referring to how Coles' refusal to work with the board.

“I try to get along with everybody, but she doesn’t want to get along with the board," Schnarr said.

Now Coles' fate is in the board's hands, and it doesn't bode well for her.

“I cannot be persuaded to leave her in," Casanova said.

If the board adopts the resolution to remove Coles, the board has 10 days to get the resolution and documents to the Tippecanoe County Commissioners for their review, Hession said.

If the commissioners approve the resolution, it goes to the county council.

“I’ve heard support. I’ve also have gotten questions,” Casanova said. “I think there is support to remove her.”

If the council approves it, the issue goes to Tippecanoe Circuit Court for a final decision. If Coles loses her case there, she will be removed form office.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Public sounds off for or against Trustee Coles retaining her office