Patio Pondering: If All Politics Are Local, Is Corruption Also Local?

When I first wrote about this issue back in June, I was challenged to “find out the truth.” I’ve been trying to do just that.

The Northeast Allen Fire Territory (NEAFT) was officially disbanded on December 31, 2023. According to Indiana Code 36-8-19-15(b):

“When a fire protection territory dissolves, title to any real property transferred to the provider unit reverts to the participating unit that transferred the real property to the provider unit.”

That wording is pretty plain. The money and equipment are supposed to be returned to the participating townships. On the date of dissolution, NEAFT held $3,270,494 in its accounts, according to audited data available on Gateway. That number is much larger than I wrote about earlier. As of today, only $400,000 of that balance has been distributed, and not to the participating townships, but instead to the newly formed Fire District.

Here’s the rub: that $3.3 million came from taxes collected from the residents of Cedar Creek, Springfield, and Scipio Townships, along with the towns of Leo-Cedarville and Grabill. Those taxes were levied for fire protection and fire equipment, not to become a slush fund for Cedar Creek Township to spend as it sees fit, including the purchase of a new office building in June 2024.

After being challenged to “find out the truth for myself,” I tried to gain direct access to the relevant financial records, not just the high-level summaries available on Gateway that lack the detail needed to fully understand how those funds were used. On June 24, I hand delivered a formal request under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA). The Cedar Creek Township Trustee acknowledged the request on June 25, but the scope of permission was unclear. I submitted an amended request later that same day asking for more detailed information. When no response came, I followed up on July 2, again no reply. That’s a violation of Indiana Code 5-14-3-9(c), which requires a response within seven days. I submitted another amended request today, July 18, the same day I’m writing this reflection.

Taxpayers in Northeast Allen County should be up in arms over the lack of accountability, the financial sleight of hand, and what increasingly looks like outright corruption in how fire protection funds are being handled. These funds were collected to protect lives and property, not to pad township budgets.

Springfield Township taxpayers and voters should be concerned that one of their Advisory Board Members is also serving as Clerk to the Cedar Creek Township Trustee. That dual role raises serious questions about divided loyalties and whether Springfield Township’s interests are truly being represented.

The balances due to the participating entities as of December 31, 2023, minus any normal, expected wind-down expenses, should be returned for fire protection as originally intended, not redirected without clear accountability.

I know most of us groan when we write our property tax checks each May and November. But we pay them anyway, with the expectation that those dollars will be used appropriately. We trust our local elected officials to protect us, not just from fire, but from financial mismanagement.

That trust is being tested right now. And it’s time we start asking harder questions.