WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – Jennifer Teising, administrator of the township of Wabash, speaks out after accusations that she doesn’t reside within the township. She spoke solely with Information 18 to share her facet of the story concerning her residence and shared the proof.

“Harmless individuals shouldn’t give up their jobs as a result of they’ve been bullied, harassed and intimidated by individuals,” she mentioned. “All of it grew out of an article in our native tabloid which claimed that I used to be not a resident of West Lafayette.”

Administrator Teising has a message for the township residents: his residence is within the township and has all the time been at some point of his management position.

As we’ve already reported, it began when accusations started to flow into that she had moved from township to Florida.
The Wabash Township Council known as for Teising’s resignation in December. In an e mail despatched by the board to Information 18 in December, they claimed Teising bought his home in June and moved to Anderson, Indiana, after which Florida.

“I do not actually perceive the place that is coming from. I’ve all the time acknowledged unequivocally that I’m a resident of West Lafayette and that I’ve adopted all legal guidelines within the state of Indiana concerning residency,” he mentioned. she declared. “I’ve spoken with attorneys now and have consulted a number of individuals and a resident skilled within the state of Indiana for elected officers specifically.”

Paperwork Teising confirmed to Information 18 indicated that she bought her home on Princess Drive in June. Her rental settlement and shifting firm data present she moved in June and started renting a house on Knox Drive as of July 1. She additionally had financial institution statements exhibiting common lease funds since then.

Her present voter registration card was processed on July 20 and has the Knox Drive tackle on it.

The Wabash Township workplace closed in March 2020 for COVID-19 and nonetheless has not reopened. She mentioned when Gov. Eric Holcomb closed authorities workplaces for pandemic protocols, he did not say elected officers ought to keep inside their space of ​​jurisdiction whereas working remotely. So she mentioned that she took this opportunity to journey and see family members.

“I’ve a cell RV,” she mentioned, and I bought the RV registration, which is registered at her Knox Drive tackle. “I did it all over the place. I went to totally different family and friends in Anderson, Indianapolis, Colorado, Florida, Vincennes. It was a strategy to go to family and friends in a socially distant atmosphere. the place I did not endanger anybody. “

Teising additionally took benefit of this interview to handle different controversial points which have arisen in latest months. Wabash Township board members mentioned it was troublesome to work along with her to maneuver ahead with a fundraising plan for the fireplace division and it seems she isn’t doing plenty of work on these plans.

“Now we have arrange a three-year program financing plan which could be discovered on our web site in addition to all subsequent board conferences there, “she mentioned.” I believe if you happen to have a look at them from the beginning, it’s extremely clear that we’ve adopted the plan that we set out. “

She mentioned she believed the township council had overstepped its duties in latest months. She mentioned the board has very particular roles and duties below Indiana legislation which are primarily in a monetary oversight position. She mentioned the trustee had discretion over the administration of the fireplace division with respect to hiring and firing workers.

This refers to former Fireplace Chief Ed Ward, who was made redundant in December. Teising mentioned she could not go into particulars on her determination to let Ward go. Nevertheless, she did confer with the earlier Information 18 interview with Ward, wherein he mentioned he was utterly blinded by the choice to let him go.

“There have been different neighborhood members concerned on this course of who have been introduced in as mentors,” she mentioned. “These points have been mentioned for months and if he was shocked, he was the one one.”

The volunteer firefighters then bought concerned and determined to boycott the work for a number of days as a result of Ward had not been given due course of. In February, the The Wabash Township Firefighters Affiliation voted unanimously to mistrust Syndic Teising and requested for his resignation.

Teising mentioned she raised the problem of due course of with legal professionals and so they instructed her that there are totally different statutory guidelines concerning due course of for volunteer firefighters, and these legal guidelines state that due course of shouldn’t be given on this state of affairs.

“It’s the legislation and I’m sorry that it’s so,” she mentioned.

The tensions of the previous few months have taken a worrying and horrifying flip for her. She says she has obtained a number of nameless demise threats and hate messages from individuals by way of e mail and textual content.

“They are saying horrible issues like I hope you kill your self and fucking die,” she mentioned. “And you do not know who they’re. They might be the member of the neighborhood standing subsequent to you or somebody who isn’t even from right here.

She mentioned she did not let hindsight deter her and targeted on the necessary work earlier than discovering a supply of funding for the fireplace division.

“Loads of issues in life are powerful, however that does not imply I’ll cease. I by no means give up, I maintain preventing,” she mentioned on to Information 18’s digital camera. maintain preventing for the individuals who put me in energy, I’ll ensure that we do what we got down to do in Wabash Township. “

Administrator Teising is shifting ahead making an attempt to create a hearth district to create a everlasting supply of funding, however she mentioned the township is in a troublesome spot proper now – elevating taxes or chopping providers. She hopes individuals will give suggestions on what they wish to see occur and Be taught extra in regards to the fireplace district plan by visiting the Township Trustee’s web site.