EVANSVILLE — The Pigeon Township trustee was indicted this week, but that doesn't necessarily mean she will lose her job.
Mariama Wilson, a Democrat who unseated longtime trustee Mary Hart in the 2018 primary and ran unopposed in the 2018 and 2022 general elections, faces fives counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in what what federal authorities called a "kickback scheme."
William Payne, Pigeon Township Trustee's Office community relations coordinator, which is not an elected position, faces the same charges. So does construction contractor Terrance Hardiman, along with a count of money laundering.
More:Pigeon Township trustee, two others indicted in alleged 'kickback scheme'
If convicted, Wilson, Payne and Hardiman face up to 20 years in federal prison and up to three years of supervised release.
But being accused of a crime while holding public office does not mean the official forfeits their seat. It is, after all, an elected position. Wilson can remain in her position if she chooses while court proceedings continue. Or she could resign.
But there was recently a process put into place that could remove her if her fellow Vanderburgh County elected officials would choose to do so.
Does a trustee lose their position if charged with a crime?
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law last year which put into place a process for removing a trustee from their position. It can happen in multiple, lengthy steps.
- • The township's board would be required to adopt a resolution to start the removal process. A public hearing would be required at least 10 business days before its adoption. That resolution would then need to be brought before the Vanderburgh County Commissioners no later than 10 days after its adoption.
- • The county commissioners would then need to adopt a resolution to petition the local court for removal of the trustee. Commissioners would also have to hold a public hearing.
- • The Vanderburgh County Council would then need to adopt a resolution of its own after receiving the commissioner's resolution. After that would come yet another public hearing.
Ryan Hatfield, the attorney for the Pigeon Township Trustee Office and one of Evansville's state representatives, voted in favor of the bill.
What does the Pigeon Township trustee do?
Pigeon Township covers the center city of Evansville and has 27,415 residents, according to the latest U.S. Census data. It has a poverty rate of over 28%, which is around 15% higher than the poverty rate for Vanderburgh County as a whole.
The trustee's job is to help those individuals and families who need assistance with utility bills, rent payments and grocery runs. There are eligibility requirements, but the Pigeon Township mission statement says the goal is to help everyone who qualifies.
According to Indiana Gateway, 4,581 people requested help in 2022. Of those, 2,537 received assistance of some kind.
The assistance provided totaled $589,881 split among utilities, healthcare, housing and food costs.
Wilson and Payne are being accused of taking "kickbacks" from a construction contract for Hardiman to renovate a homeless shelter and add a food pantry that is run by the Pigeon Township trustee. According to the indictment, Wilson and Payne received about $38,000: or $19,000 each.
According to the Pigeon Township eligibility standards document, the trustee is the "ex-official overseer of the poor."
How much money does the township handle?
The township's budget in its assistance fund for 2023 is $1,270,000. Only $865,000 of that is for items directly related to helping the public. The rest is for salaries and office needs such as postage, stationery and building rent.
- • Fire fund - $13,000
- • Rainy day fund - $31,000
- • General fund - $335,000
- • $270,400 of that is budgeted for salaries and benefits
According to Indiana Gateway, Wilson earned $60,303.88 as trustee in 2022. Payne earned $41,252.12 for his role.