(La Porte, IN) - The clock is ticking for LaPorte County Auditor Tim Stabosz to pay what LaPorte County Attorney Shaw Friedman and the County Commission maintains is still owed for services provided to the La Porte County government.
The LaPorte County Commissioners, under a measure approved Wednesday, have given Stabosz until 4 PM Friday to pay the balance, or the Commission will hire a special counsel to file legal action against him.
The allegations would be a failure to carry out his duties as an auditor and not complying with a directive from the executive branch of the county government. In addition, the county would seek costs and other fees against Stabosz for having to take such action.
“If he refuses that, there is a remedy to make sure he does his job or face the consequences,” said Commission President Rich Mrozinski.
Republican Rich Mrozinski and Democrat Sheila Matias voted in favor of the order after Stabosz suggested they and LaPorte County Attorney Shaw Friedman meet privately and try to work things out.
"There are legitimate concerns here that we as elected officials should discuss,” Stabosz said.
Republican Joe Haney, the other member of the three-member governing body, voted against the order.
Stabosz has not paid Friedman entirely for all of the work outlined in two of the most recent invoices submitted by the attorney for reimbursement, officials said.
Stabosz maintains that he has the legal authority in his job capacity to audit any claim and determine if they're valid before releasing payment. However, Mrozinski and Matias disagreed with the auditor. Mrozinski explained to Stabosz, "pay the bills that we approve. That's your job."
Haney said some of the bills from Friedman appear to involve work for the county outside the legal arena. For example, Stabosz allegedly docked Friedman $165 on a $10,000 billing statement he submitted July 15th for business he felt wasn't related to his responsibilities as county attorney for the Commission. In addition, Stabosz vowed not to pay what little he hasn't paid Friedman until he receives documentation verifying all of his claims.
