Columbus Township Trustee Kris Weisner is moving quickly to tighten the reins on public money after a state audit and a criminal case exposed serious breakdowns in oversight. A system that once let a single official handle township credit-card payments is being replaced with multiple sign-offs, outside accounting support and mandatory training for board members. Township leaders say the overhaul is meant to restore transparency and make it far harder for any one person to shuffle public dollars around without scrutiny.
New procedures, outside accounting and staff changes
Weisner’s office has brought in Seymour-based Reedy Financial Group to handle office finances, payroll and invoices, with the township expecting to pay about $19,000 a year for the service. The office says it has canceled old credit and debit cards, opened new accounts with a $5,000 limit and hired part-time clerk Sandy Beatty to reconcile statements. Under the new system, every financial transaction must have an investigator voucher, a review by Beatty and approvals from both the trustee and the chief deputy. According to The Republic, three officials now hold township cards: Weisner, Chief Deputy Roxanne Stallworth and the township fire chief.
State audit at the center of the changes
The shakeup follows a 51-page special investigation by the Indiana State Board of Accounts that, as reported by WRTV, found about $1.12 million in personal charges on a township credit card over several years. Auditors broke that spending into categories, including roughly $657,000 in travel costs along with large amounts coded as retail, tuition and utilities, and they flagged the lack of a second reviewer on credit-card statements as a key weakness. State police and auditors met with township staff during the investigation, which helped spur the current financial overhaul.
Guilty plea and sentence
Former trustee Benjamin Jackson, who led the township from 2013 until he resigned in 2024, pleaded guilty to felony charges tied to the misused funds. He was sentenced on Jan. 21 to a 28-year term, and the court ordered him to pay restitution to the township. A press release detailed in coverage by WKKG quotes the prosecutor as saying the outcome is intended to make taxpayers whole. Prosecutors built their case with the help of the SBOA findings and an investigation by the Indiana State Police.
Office says the changes add transparency
In a statement to The Republic, Weisner said hiring an outside accounting firm “creates more transparency and more eyes on our books.” The office has also required the township advisory board to complete mandatory training from the Indiana Township Association on internal controls and township assistance. Officials say these steps are meant to ensure the township does not slip back into a setup where a single person controls payments.
What comes next
Auditors have sent their work to prosecutors and federal authorities, and the SBOA report has been shared with state and federal offices for review, according to reporting by WRTV. Township officials say residents should start to see the new controls and outside oversight reflected in monthly financial reports presented to the advisory board. Locals are expected to pay close attention to upcoming meetings to see whether the promised changes actually show up in clearer bills and tighter bookkeeping.
The reforms are the most visible effort so far to close the gaps that allowed a longtime trustee to put personal charges on public accounts. Weisner says the new rules are already in effect, and the township’s next regular meeting will be the first public test of how this new system works in real time.
