An investigation is underway into the financial records of a township trustee in southern Bartholo- mew County.
The Indiana State Board of Accounts is conducting an audit of Wayne Township’s financial records, county Republican Party chairwoman Barb Hackman said.
Wayne Township trustee Clint Madden, 49, submitted his immediate resignation to the local party Oct. 3 after six years in office.
Madden’s only explanation was that he was stepping down for personal reasons, Hackman said.
“Until the state finishes their audit, they are going to stay quiet and have asked others familiar with the details to do the same,” said Hackman, who also serves as the Bartholomew County auditor.
That was confirmed by Tyler Michael, director of communications for the Indiana State Board of Accounts, who said that until any audit is completed, his office cannot verify any investigation.
“It’s only when we complete an audit that we will issue a public report,” Michael said.
Phone messages from The Republic to Madden, asking him to comment on the matter, have not been returned.
A veteran volunteer firefighter, Madden was first elected Wayne Township trustee in 2010 by defeating incumbent Democrat Pamela Huffman-Meek by a two-to-one margin.
His election came in the aftermath of a former Jonesville clerk-treasurer who admitted in court in 2008 that she had stolen up to $70,000 during a seven-year period.
But in 2012, Madden found himself in his own controversy after renaming a new Jonesville Fire Station on County Road 450S as Wayne Township Fire and Rescue.
Besides opposition to the name change by the Jonesville Town board, Madden also was accused by board members of leaving the small community with inadequate equipment in the old fire station.
In response, Madden said taxes from all Wayne Township property owners paid for the new station.
Madden was elected to his current term without opposition in 2014.
In Indiana, the primary responsibility of a township trustee is to provide poor relief to residents who need it most. Other duties including funding volunteer fire departments and maintaining cemeteries.
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Four Republican precinct committee members will caucus Monday to select a successor as Wayne Township trustee to replace Clint Madden, who resigned Oct. 3.
The only candidate who has filed the necessary documentation to be considered is Brenda Mijares, office administrator for Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash. Mijares was appointed last year as a trustee for the Bartholomew County Employee Trust Fund.
The 5:30 p.m. caucus inside the county’s Republican headquarters is not open to the public.
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