Sep 30, 2005 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – A former Connellsville Township supervisor who also served as its secretary for 12 years, was arraigned Thursday on charges she allegedly misappropriated township funds while in office. Tammy M. Mader, 43, of 1407 Buttermore Blvd., wiped tears from her eyes as Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty set an Oct. 5 preliminary hearing date and $25,000 percentage bond amount stemming from the two felony charges of theft by deception and receiving stolen property filed by state police Trooper Thomas Broadwater.

A warrant for Mader’s arrest was issued last week with arrangements made with her defense counsel, attorney James Davis, for her to appear Thursday before Haggerty.

According to the criminal complaint, over a course of two years Mader allegedly misappropriated nearly $63,000 through checks made payable to herself, her husband and to her creditors for purchases made by her.

The alleged theft of funds surfaced in 2003 when it was discovered by township auditor Marlene Grenell that when as a township supervisor/secretary Mader had made attempts to cash a check made payable to the township without the required signature of a second supervisor, according to the complaint.

Although Grenell made an attempt to conduct an early audit of the township financial records, investigators said the review did not take place until the end of 2003.

At the same time, Basinger, who defeated Mader in her bid for another term as supervisor joined with Supervisor Donnie Hann and appointed another township secretary.

Police said that during the audit Grenell “found numerous inconsistencies.”

A fraud examination of the 2002 financial records was conducted by certified public accountant Charles Kantorik which revealed “questionable transactions,” said police.

According to the criminal complaint, Kantorik’s report stated that 34 township checks were found payable to and endorsed by Mader for salary when she was only entitled to 24 paychecks per year.

A year-end wage document, prepared by Mader, indicated only 24 paychecks had been received by her, said police.

Four checks were found made payable to Mader’s husband with no notation as to their purpose along with several checks entered into the township ledger with fictitious payees when they were made payable to Mader, according to the criminal complaint.

Police said in one instance an item was entered into the ledger as payable to a township supplier while two checks were logged as payment to an insurance company, but were instead made payable to and endorsed by Mader. The complaint states that Kantorik’s report indicated there was a “deliberate attempt to mislead auditors because there was more than one instance wherein checks were made payable to Mader but entered into the ledger as payable to another party.”

The report, said police, indicated that Mader had overpaid herself $25,945.78.

It was also found by auditors that no supporting documentation could be found for nine township checks marked as insurance payments totaling $18,400, rent payments totaling $2,642.46; pension contributions totaling $2,412.78; sewage enforcement totaling $763.37; telephone reimbursement, $508.29; $930.50 in checks made payable to Mader’s husband for code enforcement or the $6,910.59 in additional salary payments.

According to the complaint, Grenell said that Mader was not entitled to insurance reimbursements, rent compensation or pension contribution and that the auditors set the salaries for township employees and the additional pay was not approved.

Also, during the audit, it was found that Mader used township checks or funds to pay for personal accounts such as credit cards and utility bills totaling $4,419.33, said police.

Current township supervisors Fred Robbins and Charles Basinger stood outside Haggerty’s Fourth Street office during the proceedings, awaiting the outcome.

Robbins said the alleged misappropriation of funds has caused a hardship to the township.

“We’ve had to lay people off,” he said. “There are some road projects that needed done and we couldn’t do them because of the fund shortage.

“We’ve had a tough time just paying our regular bills.”

Mader, meanwhile, posted the $2,500 bond set by Haggerty before exiting with Davis.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m.