Court Hearing For Starke Commissioners, Belork Continued Until Further Notice

Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork assists a customer over the phone

The Starke County Commissioners, Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork and their counsels were to appear in Jasper Circuit Court yesterday for a hearing, but it was continued without a date.

County Attorney Marty Lucas said that the Jasper County prosecuting attorney found that the Starke County Commissioners were in compliance with Judge John Potter’s order when they reopened the Starke County Treasurer’s office and gave Linda Belork full access to all records, computers and keys to the office. The commissioners had previously closed the office because Belork was not working under a surety bond and Judge Potter found that to nullify his order reinstating Belork to office.

Lucas indicated that since Judge Potter’s ruling has been followed, the special hearing was continued.

Starke County Treasurer’s Office Open; Commissioners To Defend Actions in Court

Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork assists a customer over the phone

The Starke County Commissioners are in a bit of hot water following their order to close the treasurer’s office in light of Judge John Potter’s order to reinstate Linda Belork as the county treasurer. The commissioners voted to close the office because Belork did not have a surety bond in place as required by state law, but a telephonic case management conference held earlier this week at the order of Judge Potter found that the commissioners had disobeyed his order.

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Judge Still Undecided In Case Between Belork, Starke Commissioners

Linda Belork

Jasper Circuit Court Judge John Potter has yet to make his decision regarding the case between former Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork and the Starke County Commissioners. The attorney for the Starke County Commissioners and the attorney for Linda Belork and Ohio Casualty appeared before the judge on June 6 and presented evidence supporting their cases.

The attorney for the commissioners, Martin Lucas, told the judge that the commissioners were faced with a serious problem: $900,000 was reportedly misappropriated in the treasurer’s office, according to the State Board of Accounts. He said the commissioners acted according to statute in removing her from office and filing suit against her bond.

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Belork, Starke Commissioners To Appear In Jasper Circuit Court Wednesday

Linda Belork

The Starke County Commissioners and Linda Belork will be back in Jasper Circuit Court Wednesday June 6 at 9 a.m. Judge John Potter will hear oral arguments in the case that involves Belork’s removal from the treasurer’s office in August of last year. At the time it was announced that there was a discrepancy in funds in the office. Although the discrepancy was ultimately cleared up, Belork was never returned to the office as treasurer.

The key issue in the case in Rensselaer is whether the commissioners acted correctly under statute in removing Belork from office.

Affidavits of people with knowledge of the case will be presented.

It’s not known whether Judge Potter will render an opinion Wednesday or if he will take the information received under advisement and give his opinion at a later date.

Judge Lifts Temporary Restraining Order Against Linda Belork

Linda Belork

The restraining order against former Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork was removed Wednesday in Jasper Circuit Court after attorney Martin Lucas requested it. Lucas told Judge John Potter that the purpose of the temporary restraining order in the first place was only to prevent any destruction or alteration of public records in the immediate aftermath of the executive order to remove her from the Treasurer’s office.

Belork’s attorney, Ethan Lowe, did not object and the 15 minute court appearance ended. Although a discrepancy of thousands of dollars was initially reported, all funds were eventually accounted for.

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Starke County Linda Belork Seeking Reinstatement

Linda Belork
Attorneys for the Starke County Commissioners and Linda Belork will be in Jasper Circuit Court this morning. Also named in the suit is Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, Belork’s bonding company. Starke County is the Plaintiff in the case, and Belork and Ohio Casualty Insurance are the defendants.

The case stems from the removal of Belork as the treasurer of Starke County in August. She was dismissed by the commissioners when a State Board of Accounts audit turned up discrepancies of several thousand dollars in the office. Since that time, all the money has been accounted for and the defendant is seeking to have the court reinstate her back into the office. Today’s appearance by the lawyers is set for 10:30 a.m. before Judge John D. Potter. This is only a status conference with no testimony being heard.

Last week the Starke County Democrat Party named Kasey Clark as the Interim Treasurer of the county following Belork’s removal from office.