Warrant issued for former official
An investigation by the Michigan State Police Mount Pleasant Post has resulted in a felony arrest warrant against a former Union Township official.
Gwen Carolyn Plowman, 57, of Mount Pleasant is accused of embezzlement by a public official for more than $50, a 10-year-felony, according to court records.
The records indicate Plowman, who was suspended as the township's superintendent on October 30 and fired in January, is accused of using township money to purchase gasoline.
The MSP investigation began in November as the result of a complaint by then-supervisor Jim Collin.
Detective Sgt. Jerry Carter concluded that Plowman had allegedly misused at least one township fuel card for personal purposes.
Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick declined comment, saying he does not comment on warrants.
John Barker, current Union Township Supervisor, said a separate investigation by the township is still ongoing.
The current board, all of whom are new this year except for Trustee John Verwey, hired a certified fraud examiner at a January meeting to determine monetary losses in the possible fraud incident under investigation by police.
The examiner, Karl Haiser, is nearly finished with his work, Barker said.
He said although the township's case does relate to that of the MSP in some ways, it will be different. Barker anticipates other problems will surface beyond what the MSP concluded.
"We now have a better feeling than before of where things are at," he said.
Barker said Haiser's investigation is going through required procedural phases before it wraps up.
Haiser still must interview several township officials, including Verwey and former supervisor Collin.
"Mr. Collin has not been available after several attempts to have him interviewed by Kaiser," Barker said. "There's a little more work, some questions that still need to be answered."
At the township's regularly scheduled board meeting tonight, Barker said a letter will be revealed which essentially says Haiser's work is almost complete.
Barker acknowledged the investigation has taken longer than he anticipated but said he expects things will be finalized in the next month.
metro@cm-life.com
