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Former assessor office employee alleges state-code violations and retaliation, asks county to investigate
Summary
A former assistant property director told commissioners she observed and was instructed to perform violations of Indiana assessment code and that she experienced retaliation after reporting the conduct; she asked the Monroe County Board of Commissioners to open an investigation.
At public comment on April 17, Janae Trimble, who said she worked in the Monroe County Assessor’s Office from October 2023 to October 2024 as assistant property director, alleged multiple violations of Indiana assessment code and said she had reported the conduct to supervisors, the Department of Local Government Finance and the county legal department.
Trimble said she witnessed “sales chasing” and manipulation of racial studies that she said were causing distortions in the housing and rental markets, and she referenced several Indiana Administrative Code citations she said were violated, including 50 IAC 27-4-5, 50 IAC 27-11-2, 50 IAC 3.3-2-2 and 50 IAC 15-1-3.5.
Trimble told the board that, after she reported the activity, she experienced retaliation, bullying and harassment from the assessor, human resources and county attorneys; she said the county opened an investigation against her instead of investigating the matters she reported. She invoked Indiana whistleblower protections and asked the board to investigate the alleged illegal activity.
County officials did not provide an on-the-record response to the substance of the allegations during the meeting, though the chair acknowledged Trimble’s request and the county’s opening statement affirming protection of rights and non-discrimination.
Trimble said she has provided documentation and evidence to the board and asked that she not face further retaliation for speaking at the public meeting.
The board did not record a formal vote or directive in meeting minutes regarding a new investigation during the public-comment period; commissioners did not describe any immediate investigatory steps on the record at that time.
