Resident says lease termination cost Village $60,000; council says matter will be reviewed

At the Village of Wolverine council meeting on Oct. 13, 2025, resident Brian O'Connor objected to President Ralph Ochs' question about why Scott Mann's lease was terminated early, saying the termination had resulted in a $60,000 loss to the village. "The village had spent funds it did not have," O'Connor said later in the meeting, citing a conversation with a Mrs. Newmyer who he said confirmed spending without receipts was improper.

President Ralph Ochs responded during the meeting that he would "agree to eliminate that statement from the 2025 minutes" if, "in fact, [the] lease was not terminated." Council members quickly disputed O'Connor's broader assertion that funds had been spent improperly. In his president's report, Ochs noted that a $60,000 obligation from cannabis income intended for street repair and park improvements should be revisited in light of the alleged loss.

The fiscal allocation in question had been identified during the fiscal year 2026 budget hearings as intended for paving streets off Trowbridge Road and for park improvements. Council members recorded in the minutes said that, at no time, were funds expended from that $60,000 obligation. The council did not vote to rescind or alter the budget allocation during the Oct. 13 meeting.

The record shows the matter was raised during public comment and in the president's report; Ochs said the council would review the allocation and correct the minutes if an error in the lease statement is confirmed. No formal audit or specific follow-up timeline was recorded in the minutes.