Scottville commission hears update on revenue sharing investigation.

Scottville commission hears update on revenue sharing investigation.

SCOTTVILLE — City Attorney Carlos Alvarado updated the City Commission Monday on the status of an investigation into why the city nearly missed the state revenue sharing filing deadline. During the commission’s Dec. 4, 2020 regular meeting, commissioners learned from Acting City Manager/Police Chief Matt Murphy that the city nearly missed the Michigan Department of Treasury’s filing deadline. Murphy reported to the commission that the city received a communication from the Michigan Department of Treasury on Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving, informing the city manager that the state had not yet received its annual revenue sharing report, though an email had been sent to City Manager Courtney Magaluk on Nov. 6. Since Nov. 30 Magaluk has been on maternity leave.

Murphy said he and City Treasurer Kathy Shafer worked several dozen hours, including on Thanksgiving, and over that following weekend, to complete the report and meet the deadline, which was the following week. The city’s state revenue sharing is about $47,000.

At that time, the city commission called for the mayor, acting city manager, and city attorney to form an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter.

Alvarado said much of the investigation has been turned over to Scottville Police Detective Aaron Saylor who has found several important “incidents that have some unanswered questions.” Alvarado said Saylor’s report was delivered to the committee on Dec. 17 and will be forwarded to the personnel it involves. “This individual has the opportunity to rebut the findings of the report,” Alvarado said adding that the matter will be placed on the Jan. 4, 2021 regular meeting agenda. The personnel in question has the right, under the Michigan Open Meetings Act, to request the findings be discussed in closed session. Any type of action must be done in a open session, however. Alvarado said the commission can either hold a closed session on Jan. 4 or set a special meeting following that date.

The city commission also took action Monday to extend Magaluk’s leave of absence until Jan. 4.

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