Portage report says Clerk-Treasurer Stidham may have violated city, state laws
NWI Times
July 02, 2019
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-report-says-clerk-treasurer-stidham-may-have-violated-city/article_0b1c9c90-d436-50ad-a69a-e7d9234adf6b.html
PORTAGE — More investigation is needed into the dealings of Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, according to a report released by the mayor's investigative committee.
A heavily redacted version of the June 25 report compiled by the committee assembled by Mayor John Cannon to look into allegations against Stidham was released Tuesday afternoon. The report says there is probable cause Stidham violated city ordinances and state rules on the conduct of attorneys. It lists at least 13 laws Stidham could have violated.
The allegations mostly stem from Stidham previously employing his wife in his office before they were married. Stidham has said previously his wife left the city's employment before they tied the knot, thus not violating any nepotism statues. But the report suggest Stidham may have had financial motivations.
The report lays out a number of claims including Stidham having financial issues and potential nepotism violations. The report also claims his family may have benefited from several checks signed by his office that were allegedly not approved by the city's Board of Works.
It states Stidham unsuccessfully filed for bankruptcy in 2007 and eventually had his home foreclosed on in 2013.
In 2015 and 2016, the two were cutting city checks worth a total of $70,000 to three companies: Keeping the Books, ERG Advisors and Paramount Technology Solutions, according to the report. The checks range from about $1,700 to $5,000.
The report claims all three companies were registered under Stidham's wife's maiden name in Valparaiso under the same phone number. It claims Keeping the Books is registered at her former residence, ERG was registered in 2015 at her parents' address and Paramount is unregistered but has an address that is the same as a Valparaiso UPS store.
The committee's attorney, Christopher Buckley, interviewed two Board of Works members in May who said they never heard of the three companies and that any payments to the three were never brought to their attention.
In 2016, Stidham and his wife purchased a home in Portage around the time they were married.
“In spite of such poor financial health, (the Stidhams) were somehow able to purchase a home together,” the report reads. “The house is currently assessed at $257,500.”
The report also says that because the couple had a child together in 2015, Stidham's employment of the mother of his child could still fall under provisions of anti-nepotism laws as the child benefited from money coming out of his office.
The report has a list of actions recommended for the mayor to take and a list of law enforcement agencies the committee sent the report to, but both were redacted.
Stidham said he has not been provided a copy of the report and couldn't comment on the exact claims until he is given an opportunity to see it.
“It's the same story being rehashed over and over and over again,” he said. “To my knowledge, this is over the way we do the dockets, which I have said I would be willing to discuss with the State Board of Accounts and all interested parties on changing the process.”
Today at 9:30 a.m., a special board of works meeting will be hosted at city hall to discuss the $70,000 worth of checks.
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