There has been a lot of confusion about the saga of the Dorr Township Treasurer’s abrupt resignation, arrest and sentencing for larceny of public funds.
Townbroadcast has published numerous stories about the developments and it has posted one editorial suggesting the whole affair was the result of township officials’ penchant for micromanaging. The editorial was not accurate in its assessment, but it is important for readers to understand the difference between an article and an editorial.
The multiple stories about now former Dorr Township Treasurer Myrna Marr are the only places where, as far as I know, this information has been published, despite public assertions of a coverup. Trustee Chandler Stanton publicly brought up the discrepancies in the budget in 2021, Marr abruptly resigned in January 2022 and she was arrested in April on two counts of larceny more than $1,000, but less than $20,000.
Townbroadcast has used public information on the Allegan County court case files as a basis for its stories since her arrest.
Her case was finalized in Allegan County Circuit Court only recently, resulting in a fine and 10 months of probation. Township Clerk Debbie Sewers, in an e-mail to Townbroadcast, indicated Marr, “made two in-person transfers from township funds to her personal account totaling $10,507.01 in 2022.”
Township Supervisor Jeff Miling added, “After I informed her that she cannot borrow/use township money while waiting for her pension payout, she immediately left the office and returned all the money to the township account.”
Sewers also sent along the court’s conditions of probation for Marr. In the interests of clearing up any misconceptions, the following is a copy of the court action:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PROBATION
The Defendant was sentenced to a Supervised Delay of Sentence for a term of 10 months and to complete 80 hours Community Service. She should be ordered to pay $68.00 State Cost, $130.00 Crime Victim’s Fee, $300 Court Costs, Restitution at the Court’s Discretion, and $30 per month Supervision Fee. She is also subject to the following special conditions:
3.10 You must perform 80 hours community service as directed by the field agent.
03.3 You must complete mental health, domestic violence/batterer intervention or other recommended treatment following assessment by a qualified community-based service provider.
03.5 You must waive confidentiality and allow any treatment program that you are required to attend to disclose information to your field agent.
04.16 You must obey all Court Orders.
04.17 You must possess either a valid State of Michigan driver license or a Personal Identification Card issued by the Michigan Secretary of State.
04.18 You must not engage in any assaultive, abusive, threatening, or intimidating behavior.
04.19 You must not have verbal, written, electronic, or physical contact, without permission of the field agent, with anyone you know to have a felony record. You must not have verbal, written, electronic, or physical contact with anyone you know to be engaged in any behavior that constitutes a violation of any criminal law of any unity of government.
04.2 You must not change residence unless you first obtain written permission from the field agent.
04.20 You must not use any object as a weapon. You must not own, use, or have under your control or area of control a weapon of any type or any imitation of a weapon. You must not be in the company of anyone you know to possess these items.
04.21 You must contact the supervising field agent no later than the first business day following your placement on probation or release from jail.
04.22 You must comply with written or verbal orders made by the field agent.
04.23 You must allow the field agent into your residence at any time for probation supervision.
04.24 You must submit to a search of your person and property, including but not limited to your vehicle, residence, and computer, without need of a warrant if the field agent has reasonable cause to believe you have items which violate the conditions of your probation.
04.25 You must report any arrest or police contact, loss of employment, or change of residence to the field agent within 24 hours, weekends and holidays excepted.
04.5 You must not have verbal, written, electronic, or physical contact with any Dorr Township representative either directly or through another person and you must not be within 500 feet of Dorr Township Hall.
06.1 You must not work in a position involving the direct handling of money or access to financial accounts.
06.3 You must not work in a position where you have direct control over, or access to, another person’s money.
06.4 You must make genuine efforts to find and maintain legitimate employment of a minimum of 30 hours per week, unless engaged in an alternative program approved by the field agent. You must provide ongoing verification of employment or alternative program to the field agent. You shall not give reason to be terminated or voluntarily terminate your employment or alternative program, unless you fist obtain written permission from your field agent.
08.0 You must serve jail time as follows: 1 day, with credit for 1 day served.
08.10 You must forfeit bond payment toward monies owed on any court ordered costs, restitution, attorney fees, and/or fines.
09.01 Pursuant to Provision MCL 771.1, as Amended, you may be detained and confined in a county jail for up to 72 hours if there is probable cause to believe that you have violated the terms of the probation order. You shall be brought before the Court without under delay.
09.02 Upon successful completion of your probation, your charge shall be reduced to a Misdemeanor charge of Larceny $200-$1,000.
09.73 You are ordered to set up a payment plan with the Circuit Court Collections department within 30 days from the date of active supervision. Contact Circuit Court Administration at 269-686-5162 to set up this plan.
Nice job in digging up the details. The court’s publicly available records are somewhat cryptic and always short on background. Thanks.
I do wonder what the court ordered restitution (on 10/31/22) of $7,533.36 was for if indeed some time earlier “she immediately left the office and returned all the money to the township account.”
Hard to get your arms around the fact that someone thinks this was OK to do. That being “borrow/use township money” for anything. Showing zero respect for township residents and the office.
Folks have to wonder, how does someone with such significant deficiencies of acumen wrangle their way into this job in the first place?
Gosh is there more ineptitude that needs to be ferreted out yet?
borrow/use….. what a interesting term. Rather laughable.
Apparently the Justice System had another interpretation.
Mr Young thanks for getting more information. It is truly amazing how the judicial system works….a potential felony after probation is reduced to a misdemeanor.
Hopefully, Dorr township learned a lesson from this, only time will tell. History says no…..a bit of research confirms a similar incident happened years earlier.
Life goes on.