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On March 8, an anonymous letter was sent to the Porter County Board of Commissioners, the Porter County Council, Porter County Superior Court Judge Mary DeBoer and the county Human Resources Director alleging nepotism within the leadership of the Department of Juvenile Services. Fraudulent timing practices.
The Tribune obtained a copy of the letter last week, which alleges the executive director of the Department of Youth Services hired a relative as an office manager several years ago and that the two falsified work time records. It also claims other staff members suffered retaliation for reporting alleged misconduct.
Director Amy Bell did not respond to a request for comment.
The letter states that Bell “credited himself as working time for the time he did not work by recording incorrect and false records of his working time in the time and attendance system.” The fraudulent time recorded ranged from minutes and hours to an entire day. The sky waits. “
The letter also said the former chief probation officer was demoted and resigned in December after 23 years of service after complaining about alleged misreporting, and four supervisors with nearly 100 years of combined experience also resigned last year over the issue.
The letter also accuses a department leader of turning a blind eye to the timekeeping practices cited in the complaint.
North Side Republican Committee Chairman Jim Biggs said the situation was unusual because the staff at the Youth Services Center were under DeBoer’s management and control. “If there is anything that needs to be corrected, I have absolute confidence in Judge DeBoer that it will be corrected,” he said.
He also expressed caution about the anonymous nature of the letter. “My experience with anonymous letters is that you need to be careful with them,” Biggs said. “None of this may be true. At the same time, all of this may be true.”
DeBoer, who oversees youth services, said in an email to the Tribune that her office had not actually received the alleged letter and had to obtain a copy from the county board.
“Of course, the courts strive to work with the executive branch, but there is a separation of powers and county policy is not necessarily the court’s policy,” she wrote.
Additionally, DeBoer explained that Porter County Human Resources Director Rhonda Young is not the court’s human resources director. “The courts respectfully work alongside and/or collaborate with other county offices, but as a distinct branch of government,” DeBoer continued.
While DeBoer said she was not appropriate to discuss specific personnel matters, she clarified that the court has an employee handbook, as well as policies and procedures for timekeeping and handling allegations of misconduct.
Biggs elaborated on this.
“Courthouse employees have a different handbook than we do,” he said. “Many of the employees there are actually considered state employees.”
Finally, DeBoer wrote, “There are no circumstances in circuit court where a family member reports directly to another family member.”
Shirley Jones is a freelance writer for The Tribune.
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