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November 13, 2005Costly commute detailedRecords show township paid planner from U.P.TRAVERSE CITY - For five years East Bay Township taxpayers paid the tab for a long-distance planner who live more than 300 miles away.Township records show it has been an expensive commute. Former longtime planner Bruce Orttenburger, who lives in Iron Mountain in the western U.P., for years was the township's highest-paid employee at $44,000 annually. Taxpayers also picked up the tab for his hotel bills, airplane tickets, long distance calls, two phone lines, a toll-free number, mileage, shipping and a home office. "Obviously it's a unique arrangement, and I don't know of any similar arrangement in the state of Michigan," Orttenburger said. Unique - and costly for a township that in the past 12 years managed to drain a $646,972 rainy day fund. Details of the township's arrangement with Orttenburger came to light amid recent audits of township finances. Audits also resulted in multiple felony embezzlement charges against Clerk Janice Gee, and Grand Traverse County's prosecutor named three other current or former township officials as suspects in a variety of possible crimes. Orttenburger is not a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe. Orttenburger offered to resign in 2000 when he moved to the U.P., but a search committee headed by Gee and Treasurer Debora Watson(*) asked him to stay. Township supervisor Glen Lile accepted Orttenburger's second resignation in May. "My problem was with the expense and the fact he was living in the U.P., being paid as a full-time employee," Lile said. Cost for the planner became a campaign issue in a hotly contested 2004 election in which three incumbents were ousted, including then-Supervisor Joe Bartko. Bartko, Watson and former township assessor Tammi Simerson, who is Gee's daughter, are suspects in a variety of possible felony and misdemeanor crimes, county Prosecutor Alan Schneider said. Record-Eagle stories detailed Bartko's spending sprees, as well as incidents of alleged double-dipping and improper mileage charges against other township officials. Nearly a year after he took office, Lile still can't pin down the exact costs for Orttenburger's long-distance job. Charges and expenses for Orttenburger were scattered through different accounts in the budget, township records show. Some regular monthly costs don't show up at all. His phone bills and mileage were sometimes charged to accounts for miscellaneous, education, supplies or the town hall. Expenses that were located indicate the township spent from $700 to $1,000 a month for his expenses over five years. Two months of long distance calls in 2001 cost $747.11. Almost 90 percent of those calls are from Iron Mountain to Traverse City. Monthly long distance in 2004 ranged from $101 to $361. Cell phones and local service added another $127 to $174 a month. His lodging in Traverse City cost the township $1,559 over the last two years. Every trip to Traverse City cost the township a minimum of $250 in mileage. A three-month period in 2004 cost the township $1,205 in mileage reimbursement. For a short time in 2001, Orttenburger routinely rented a car to drive to Escanaba, flew to Pellston then rented another car for the drive to Traverse City. One visit cost township residents $551. "I had a budget, and they said I was following the budget," Orttenburger said. "I never got involved in how the township board operated." When Orttenburger resigned in May, Lile asked him to return all township equipment in his possession. Orttenburger said he thought he had bought his own computer, scanner, copier, fax machine, file cabinets and phones. "I went back and checked my records and realized the township owned it," he said. He's since returned the items, Lile said. Clearing the Record
This article incorrectly stated that East Bay Township treasurer Debora Watson was a member of a committee in 2000 that recommended the township retain Bruce Orttenburger as its planner after he moved to Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula. Watson was not on the committee.
See Related Stories: Signature goal reached for recalls - November 9, 2005 East Bay Township probe widens - October 27, 2005 Bid for state's assistance in removing Gee falls short - October 12, 2005 East Bay recall petition drive thriving - October 11, 2005 Gee trial delayed as prosecution continues to build case - October 1, 2005 Audit: East Bay Township clerk took $62K - September 28, 2005 Residents demand answers from East Bay board - September 16, 2005 Audit may result in more charges - September 14, 2005 East Bay residents to circulate petitions - September 3, 2005 East Bay finances: 'Little stuff' totals thousands - August 28, 2005 Prosecutor says East Bay probe may widen - August 26, 2005 Former supervisor likely purchased personal items - August 21, 2005 East Bay Township clerk is back to work - August 21, 2005 More money may be missing in East Bay - August 16, 2005 Lile suggests shutting down East Bay government - July 22, 2005 East Bay Township supervisor expects 'real ugly' meeting - July 22, 2005 East Bay assessor to be paid as fate is determined - July 12, 2005 Errors pile up in review of East Bay records - July 10, 2005 Public backs East Bay probe leading to arrest of clerk - June 28, 2005 East Bay Township clerk charged with embezzlement - June 23, 2005 Township officials pushed for audit leading to Gee's arrest - June 23, 2005
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