The alleged mismanagement of Jay County Democratic Party funds by Randy Geesaman is not the first financial misstep for Portland’s mayor. It also represents only some of the concerns facing the party.

Geesaman has dealt with a series of civil suits and a criminal charge regarding his personal finances over the last 20-plus years. Meanwhile, the Jay County Democratic Party has failed to file a litany of legally-required campaign finance forms since 2004.

On Monday, party officials met with Geesaman about alleged mishandling of funds in his role as party treasurer. By the end of the meeting, which included Third Congressional District Democratic Committee chairwoman Madalyn Sade-Bartl, Geesaman had resigned as party treasurer and county party officials were pushing for his resignation as Portland’s mayor.

“He stated that he was not good at record keeping, also that he had lost checks, misplaced money, he had spent money that he then remembered was the party’s but he claims he had paid everything back,” Sade-Bartl said Friday. “Geesaman said he did not think it was embezzlement, but I don’t know what else you really call it when you borrow money and then give it back.”

The revelations triggered an internal audit by party officials, headed by Sade-Bartl, which is still ongoing.

Since 2004, the Jay County Democratic Party has failed to submit a total of 30 separate campaign finance filings, including annual, pre-primary and pre-election reports. County parties are required to submit campaign finance materials to either the Indiana Election Division or county clerk’s office. The filing discrepancies could result in fines from the county election board.

The timespan of missed filings spans the leadership of several former party chairs, including Tim Southworth, Fred Bailey, Bob Clamme and Wes Schemenaur. Current party chair Randy Mann was elected to the post in March.

“The (Jay County Democratic) party has not filled out any of their campaign finance reports since 2005. They are potentially looking at thousands and thousands in fines from the state election division,” Sade-Bartl said. “Individual county (parties) are supposed to fill them out. No matter what year it is, you do have to fill out an end of year report.”

For Geesaman, financial problems have been an issue since the mid-1990s. From 1995 to 2016, Geesaman was the defendant in six different civil collection, civil plenary and small claims court cases in Allen, Adams and Jay counties. The total of the judgments against him: $9,501.69. Most recently, a $4,993.90 judgement in January went against Geesaman in Jay Superior Court for unpaid hospital bills.

“You know for some reason we’ve not been a very good manager of our own money,” Geesaman said Friday. “It’s one of the things that just really bothers me, it’s a flaw that I’ve just never been able to overcome is staying on top of my personal finances. I don’t know why.”

In 1995, Geesaman pleaded guilty to check deception, a Class A misdemeanor, in Adams County Superior Court. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, all suspended, and ordered to pay $123 in court costs and $320 in restitution.

“I was going through a divorce … I couldn’t pay my bills and I got completely wiped out,” he said. “I got thrown out of my house and my wife divorced me and I didn’t have anything.”

The mayor noted Friday that he publicly acknowledged his personal financial failings in his 2012 State of the City address.

Geesaman said the party’s lost donor checks span a three-year period. He said he made restitution to the party by depositing $2,000 within the last 30 days to two of the party’s bank accounts. But he is unsure of how much the lost checks were worth and also said he misplaced approximately $200 in cash donations.

“It was an estimated amount,” he said of the restitution. “Hopefully it was as accurate as I could be. I’m going to say (the lost checks and cash) were worth less than all that.”

But Geesaman also did not try to contact any of the donors whose cash or checks were lost and has no record of how much money was misplaced.

“I should’ve done that, I just never did,” he said.

Geesaman has had access to the party bank account since 2005.

A press release from party chairman Randy Mann said party members will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at party headquarters, 221 South Meridian St., Portland, to discuss selection of a new treasurer. In the release, Mann encouraged all elected officials, precinct committee persons and others who are interested in becoming involved with the Jay County Democratic Party to attend.

Despite the alleged discrepancies with party money, Geesaman was adamant Friday that Portland’s finances have not been compromised. He also said he understands why the State Board of Accounts might want to conduct an audit.

“I think (a state audit) is perfectly justified. We get audited on a periodic basis anyway and if you’ll check previous audits when I was clerk-treasurer and mayor it’s been squeaky clean,” he said. “I know that there’s nothing to be concerned about there.”

Regarding his past role as party treasurer, Geesaman said it was a mistake to run for the position.

“I didn’t have time for it and I should have never took it on,” he said. “It makes me look really bad … I’m just really, really sorry it even happened.”
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