The city attorney says Clintonville Mayor Judith Magee illegally authorized a $203,000 check.
Magee, who took a medical leave of absence from Oct. 1 to Nov. 26 citing stresses of the job and working with the Common Council, admitted authorizing the check for improvements for TIF 3 in August.
The issue arose at the Dec. 9 council meeting.
Council President Jeannie Schley, who served as acting mayor during Magee’s leave, told the council that Magee had authorized the check.
“The council approved doing the new road and sewer and water,” council President Jeannie Schley said, “and then we get this bill dated 8/13 for $203,000 that the council did not approve. You approved it, Judy.”
“Yes, that I did,” Magee said, “but no one had thought when building the road to put the street lights there. You tell me what business would come into town and decide to buy one of those areas with no lights there.”
Magee said the check had been written but noted it had been voided. Schley pointed out the council voided the check, not Magee.
Schley also said Magee approved stop signs, not OK’d by the council, costing nearly $10,000. She added that the signs could have been paid for by the state Department of Transportation in the upcoming Main Street reconstruction project.
Alderperson Lois Bressette asked what the ramifications of Magee’s actions were. Schley then asked city attorney April Dunlavy for a legal opinion.
“Once the check was cut, the money was spent,” said Dunlavy, Schley’s niece and daughter of Alderperson Gloria Dunlavy. “By statues the mayor has no authority to expend money without council approval. It is clear in Statute 62 and 19. It is clear that the minute that happened, it was illegal.
“Some of that money was spent and things were purchased, and that was illegal. If anyone would challenge the expenditures of those funds, that would be an issue.”
No further action was taken on the matter at the meeting.
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