(La Porte, IN) - La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz has received another vote of "no confidence" in his job performance, this time by the La Porte County Commissioners.

 

Commissioner Rich Mrozinski referred to the "no confidence" vote taken against Stabosz by the La Porte County Council the previous month as the reason for his motion.

 

“I thought that was very timely and needed to be said,” he said.

 

Stabosz, who has been at the center of extreme political fighting with mostly the commissioners since becoming auditor in 2021, alleged politics was behind the November 20th decision by the commissioners.

 

In his reaction to the motion, Stabosz said Just splended.  Just splendid.”

 

The 2 to 1 vote in favor of the motion came after the commissioners denied a request by Stabosz for county government to pay his legal bills from a lawsuit filed against him in late October by Attorney Alan Sirinek.

 

“Hire your own attorney,” Mrozinski said.

 

His motion included granting Stabosz permission to seek reimbursement from the County Council but only if he wins the case.

 

Sirinek claims the commissioners rightfully approved his 2023 claim of $1,000 for work he performed for the Adult Protective Services Division of county government, but Stabosz paid him only $319.

 

Stabosz said he withheld the remainder of the funds because a former commissioner improperly acted by herself to pay Sirinek the $681 balance when the decision should have been made by all three commissioners.

 

Mrozinski’s motion was supported by Commission President Connie Gramarossa, who directed all of her questions on the matter to the county attorney.

 

She ignored Stabosz when he tried offering explanations by calling him “out of order.”   Several times, Gramarossa tried minimizing his standing in county government by calling him “the secretary” for the commissioners since his responsibility at meetings is to record the minutes.

 

“I’m not going to have a conversation with the secretary,” she said.

 

Stabosz seemed insulted by the reference and once fired back at Grammarosa.

 

“I’m barely here in that capacity. That’s your claim. That’s not statutorily accurate,” he said.

 

In late October, the County Council voted not to have confidence in Stabosz citing many incorrect figures from his office while preparing the 2025 budget. Stabosz admitted the numbers weren’t always accurate (CLICK HERE to see the article).

 

Commissioner Joe Haney, a supporter of Stabosz, said the latest round of fighting and action was sad with Stabosz’ only term as Auditor ending at the end of the year.

 

Stabosz ran for County Commissioner, instead of seeking a second term as Auditor.  He lost in the May primary to Republican Steve Holifield, who defeated his Democratic opponents in the November 5th general election to join Haney and Gramarossa as a Commissioner on January 1st.

 

Haney was elected to a second term.

 

“It’s unfortunate that we continue to go down this path,” Haney said.

 

Stabosz has expressed a strong interest in running for the open seat of County Councilman Mike Rosenbaum when he steps down in about five weeks to become Auditor.