Township officials censured over $3,500 salary advance.

Township officials censured over $3,500 salary advance.

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By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART TOWNSHIP – Clerk Tim Tariske and Treasurer Todd Metzler were censured – publicly reprimanded – by the township board during a regular meeting Wednesday evening, Aug. 14.

Tariske took a $3,500 salary advance without board approval, and Metzler signed off on the check.

Tariske said he took the money out in order to secure a piece of property on Hart Lake that he was hoping to develop for the township’s use. “I had an opportunity to buy a piece of property on Hart Lake and help people out while doing it,” he said. The township currently does not have any property on the lake, such as a boat launch, and he thought it would be beneficial to secure the property so it could eventually be used by the township.

“I’m a forward thinker,” Tariske said.

He later found out the property on Circle Drive is a private subdivision and cannot be developed for public use. Tariske admitted it was a “spur of the moment” decision.

Tariske paid back approximately $400-$500 of the salary advance during the meeting Wednesday night. Metzler and Township Supervisor Jay McGhan confirmed the transaction. He said he plans pay to back the rest as soon as possible.

Tariske said the Michigan State Police are planning to interview him.

A unanimous resolution to censure Tariske and Metzler was passed by McGhan and trustees Richard Huntington and Calvin Moul, McGhan said. The recommendation to censure came after the board met with its attorney Crystal Morgan in closed session last week, Aug. 7, McGhan said.

Metzler said he feels blindsided by the controversy. “It was just an employee advance,” he said. “Just like it’s done in businesses all the time. It’s a normal procedure in business. There was nothing hidden – there is a paper trail.”

The treasurer now realizes that salary advances at the government level do not work the same way. “It’s not kosher at the township level.”

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” Metzler said. “I owned up to it. Hindsight is 20/20.”

Metzler said he has been the township treasurer for 23 years, having served on the planning commission prior. Tariske said he has been the township clerk for nearly 30 years with over 32 years of involvement in township business.

Tariske said his annual salary as clerk is $21,000, but more than half of it goes toward paying his deputy clerk who is his wife, Carol.

McGhan said the board has the right to bring further action against Tariske and Metzler.

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