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Clerk Treasurer accuses town officials of improper attestation; town manager disputes claim
Summary
Clerk Treasurer said she discovered bond closings she did not sign and described the attestation as tantamount to fraud; Town Manager Michael Griffin said his attestation only confirmed the council president's signature and denied legal wrongdoing.
A public dispute over execution and attestation of time‑sensitive documents unfolded during the Jan. 14 Maryville Town Council meeting when the Clerk Treasurer raised a series of allegations about bond closings and signature attestation.
The Clerk Treasurer told the council she learned of closings for the Boys & Girls Club and Andrean High School after bond payment requests appeared; she said she was not provided notice and that documents showed signatures where her attestation typically appears. The Clerk Treasurer characterized the occurrences as "tantamount to fraud" and said Indiana law requires certain financing and trust agreements be executed by two town officials, including the fiscal officer. She said she is pursuing the matter through appropriate channels and noted the town has incurred legal expenses related to court disputes.
Town Manager Michael Griffin responded at length, saying his signature merely attested that the council president had signed the documents and that he did not execute bonds as a fiscal officer. Griffin urged the Clerk Treasurer to discuss any concerns directly with him and defended his actions as legally consistent with his responsibilities. Griffin said the town complied with timelines to meet closings and stated he takes his oath seriously.
Council President Bella moderated the exchange; the meeting record shows no formal motion arising from the claims and no immediate referral to outside counsel or prosecutors was recorded on the minutes.
The Clerk Treasurer asked the council for accountability and expressed intent to involve prosecutorial authorities if necessary; Griffin asked for caution in public characterization of the events and said he would provide additional explanation in writing. The matter remained a point of contention on the record by the meeting's end.
No formal determination or vote on the allegations occurred during the Jan. 14 meeting; both sides presented their versions during the public proceedings.
