07082019 - News Article - Stidham delivers documents over questioned checks

Portage's Attack On City Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, RETALIATION? 18 U.S.C. §§1513: Federal Protection Against Retaliation

Stidham delivers documents over questioned checks
NWI Times
July 08, 2019
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/stidham-delivers-documents-over-questioned-checks/article_4c0b48f1-e6f6-5997-8004-f5aeb42a50ac.html

PORTAGE — Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham has provided Portage officials with the documents requested involving allegedly unapproved payments to three companies by his office.

Copies of the checks in question, invoices and account registers were provided to Mayor John Cannon, Board of Works Member Ron Necco, Attorney Gregory Sobkowski and media outlets, including The Times Media Co.

In the packet of information, Stidham included his wife's 1099 forms from her employment in his office. They showed she received about $28,000 in 2015 and $30,000 in 2016. The income was listed as “non-employee compensation.”

Cannon said the only requested documents they didn't receive were dockets from Board of Works meetings when the checks would have been approved.

"We are still reviewing the documents and haven't drawn any conclusions,"  Cannon said. 

The mayor said his office would make an announcement on any findings.

Stidham promised last Tuesday he would deliver the documents by Friday, but missed his self-imposed deadline because of what he called an archive issue with the city's bank.

Stidham is alleged to have paid Keeping the Books, ERG Advisors and Paramount Technology Solutions a combined total of $70,000 and contracted them without the board's approval.

In April, Mayor John Cannon appointed a bipartisan executive investigative committee to look into potential malfeasance in Stidham's office. 

According to the committee's report released last Tuesday, the companies were registered under Stidham's wife's name.

The documents Stidham provided show his wife listed under her maiden name and two of the companies in question as sharing an address in Valparaiso.

The allegations mostly stem from Stidham formerly employing his wife in his office before they were married.

Her employment was brought up during the trial of former Mayor James Snyder when Stidham was cross-examined as a witness. Snyder was convicted on bribery and tax evasion charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann is currently looking for a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations. The candidate will likely be from outside of Northwest Indiana to avoid any conflicts of interest.