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September 28, 2005Audit: Clerk took $62KGee faces seven felony counts for embezzlementByRecord-Eagle staff writer  The second report issued by Plante & Moran PLLC reported that payroll discrepancies benefiting Gee carried into 2005, when Gee collected an extra $3,600 before her arrest in June. "I guess my only question is how long has it been going on," township supervisor Glen Lile said. "We had the (auditors) go back to 1995, which is all we had records for." Gee, 59, faces trial Oct. 18 on seven counts of felony embezzlement less than $20,000 based on the audit of the years 2003 and 2004 by Plante & Moran. Each charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Gee's attorney, James Hunt, did not return a Record-Eagle call seeking comment. County prosecutor Alan Schneider said he is contemplating amending the charges by using an old law that says any embezzlement by public officials over $50 can be a 10-year felony. "It's a statute that's been used in the past," he said. "I just have to make sure we don't walk into any murky legal grounds." Schneider said he may file new charges to cover the alleged embezzlement going back six years, which is as far back as he can go under state law. Over the nine years examined in the second report, auditors said the township paid some $18,000 of Gee's state and federal taxes that wasn't withheld from her paychecks. The township also contributed $21,250 to her deferred compensation retirement account that should have been deducted from her payroll checks but was not, according to the audit. Auditors testified in a previous hearing that Gee had sole control of the township's payroll system. The auditors also discovered Gee's daughter, former township assessor Tammi Simerson, benefited from payroll discrepancies in the amount of $1,374 for 2002 and 2005. The previous audit of 2003 and 2004 discovered she had received an extra $2,475 at taxpayers' expense. Simerson has not been charged with a crime because there is no evidence she knew of the payroll manipulations, Schneider said. Lile said Simerson can expect a letter from the township demanding she pay back those funds. Schneider said the investigation continues into credit card use and expense reimbursements for Gee, Simerson and former township supervisor Joe Bartko. "I've gotten some other materials relating to credit card usage but we're spending quite a bit of time sorting through these documents," Schneider said. "That's going to take four to six weeks before we come close to getting that all put together." See Related Stories: Residents demand answers from East Bay board - September 16, 2005 Audit of East Bay finances 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 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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