(La Porte, IN) - More details have been revealed in connection with the investigation a private party the La Porte County Prosecutor had for pre-school children of three members of his staff at his office in Michigan City during business hours.

 

At Wednesday’s La Porte County Commissioners meeting, La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan dismissed the claims.

 

When questioned by Commission President Connie Gramarossa, he admitted using a county government credit card to purchase supplies for the party.

 

However, Fagan also said he made things right by reimbursing taxpayers as he intended to do from the beginning with a money order purchased with his own funds.

 

Fagan said he presented it to the La Porte County Auditor’s Office about a week after the August 27 party.

 

“In the end, no public funds were used for this event,” he said.

 

Fagan also said his staff continued to work during the party, which started at 2:30 p.m. and lasted for about one hour.

 

He revealed using a county government credit card while being questioned by Commission President Connie Gramarossa, who said the cost of supplies for the party was about $260.

 

“Why didn’t you pay with private funds to begin with,” she said.

 

Fagan said the party was kind of a “spur of the moment decision” on his part to reward staff members with children entering pre-school for their recent hard work on two murder cases and other serious crimes.

 

So, Fagan said he gave a staff member permission to use the card for standard office supplies needed at the time and pick up whatever was needed for the party.

 

He then found space in his office he felt would be appropriate for the gathering he also viewed as a morale booster for his workers.

 

“We try to have an office culture that is family friendly,” he said.

 

Gramarossa said there’s no place for any private party or function in a public facility whether it’s during or after business hours due to the risk for liability if someone got hurt and the distraction posed to employees in their taxpayer funded positions.

 

She said further upsetting were things like balloons and cups left on the floor and tables for an extended period after the party was over.

 

Gramarossa said one reason for the investigation is to determine exactly what happened and whether any laws or county government policies were violated.

 

“That’s something the legal team is going to have to look at,” she said.

 

She said Fagan reimbursing county government for the cost does not soften her stance  on the matter.

 

At the very at least, she said it’s a bad example she doesn’t want followed by other department heads because of the potential for fraud and extra work created to keep the financial records in order.

 

“Government can’t function like that,” she said.

 

She said the investigation began when a county employee complained about the party and “mess” left afterwards.

 

“We have to address all whistleblower instances,” she said.

 

In September of last year, Gramarossa was cleared of alleged wrongdoing connected to her taking a county owned car after hours to Chicago without permission and having a fender bender type accident with it.

 

At the time, Gramarossa said she was in too much of a rush to take the extra time to drive home and get her personal vehicle after notified her son had just been admitted to a hospital.

 

She also was cleared of wrong doing for signing the name of Commissioner Joe Haney on a document.  A special prosecutor ruled she committed the acts but there was no intent on her part of breaking the law.