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September 14, 2005Audit of East Bay finances may result in more charges for clerkIt's expected to be made public ThursdayByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - A second forensic audit of East Bay Township's finances could result in more criminal charges against township clerk Janice Gee, the county prosecutor said. The audit, completed two weeks ago, will be presented to the township board during a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Supervisor Glen Lile said he expects to make the report public then, unless the township's attorney, Chuck Judson, recommends against it. Lile said Judson wants the board to go into closed session for part of Thursday's meeting. "Once we get (the audit) as a board, the thing goes public," Lile said. "But it depends on whether they turn it over." The township denied a Record-Eagle Freedom of Information Act request for the audit, stating it is an "attorney work product" because Judson, not the township, hired the auditors. Judson could not be reached for comment. Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Alan Schneider said he has a copy of the second audit report but said it addresses only Gee's alleged actions. Gee, 59, is set to go to trial Oct. 18 on seven felony charges of embezzling nearly $20,000, based upon evidence turned up in the first audit. After Gee was charged in June, the township board asked auditors to dig deeper. Schneider said "it certainly looks like a probability" that Gee will face additional embezzlement charges. Schneider said he was disappointed the audit did not review questionable credit card expenses, reimbursements, and purchases of items from a federal warehouse by current and former township officials. Record-Eagle articles based on township documents obtained through the FOI law detailed thousands of dollars in questionable spending by township officials, including Gee and former supervisor Joseph Bartko. "You guys can print it but I have to prove exactly what people did what," Schneider said. See Related Stories: 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 East Bay 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 to fix mess - 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 felonies - June 23, 2005 Township officials pushed for audit leading to Gee's arrest - June 23, 2005
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