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November 13, 2024

Algonquin Township Road District – Miller dynasty crumbles in Forensic Audit – Candidate Derek Lee has some explaining to do

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On March 27, 2021

McHenry Co. (ECWd) –

Even after our extensive exposure of payroll malfeasance during the Bob Miller family dynasty operation knows as the Algonquin Township Road District, the local State’s Attorney did nothing to hold anyone accountable. Many correctly pointed out that we are not accountants in their efforts to defend the exposed malfeasance. While we totally agree we are not accountants, we did pass 5th-grade math.

Almost 2 years after that reporting we have now obtained the official Payroll and Credit Card Audit Report performed by a Certified Public Accountant. How special that one of the repeated findings in this audit report is the same thing we pointed out in our reporting,   “For each pay period, regular and/or overtime hours that were not accurate when recalculated.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, Bob Miller stated the following: “I didn’t lose because I did a bad job. I lost because somebody lied and cheated,”

Does the audit report point to lying and cheating?

Derek Lee, the son-in-law of Bob Miller, is currently a Road District employee and attempting to continue the family dynasty by becoming the next Road District Highway Commissioner.  We encourage everyone in this district to take a hard look at the past payroll problems identified by the CPA in this report as it clearly points to an operation that failed the taxpayers but enriched the Miller family, including one asking for your vote in the April 6, 2021 election.

For example, Derek Lee:

  • Most of the employee’s timecards are incomplete, meaning the employee punches in, but doesn’t punch out for lunch or for the day.
  • 42 paystubs reported regular and/or overtime hours that were not accurate when recalculated. (2014-2017)
  • 2014 – The employee was overpaid $1000 in overtime pay for this pay period.
  • 2016 -Vacation hours were overpaid by 4 hours
  • 2016 -Sick hours were overpaid by 8 hours.
  • 2015 -There were 11 checks with a Misc payment amount ranging from $200 to $1,500 for a total of $6,100.
  • 2016 – 18 payroll checks included in a Misc. payment amount ranging from $135 to $1,750 for a total of $11,385

Anna May Miller

  • 2013 Total regular time hours overpaid was $2,944
  • 2013 -Total overtime hours overpaid was $494
  • 2013 – Total vacation hours over paid was 4 hours.
  • 2013 – Four paystubs included a Miscellaneous payment ranging from $200 to $1,800 for a total of $3,700
  • 2014 – “We only received five paystubs for this year therefore we could not complete an analysis of each pay period.”
  • 2015 – Total regular hours overpaid was $3,002.
  • 2015 -159 vacation hours were listed on the timecards were not listed on the paystubs.
  • 2015 – Sick/PTO time was overpaid by 40 hours
  • 2016 – Total regular hours overpaid was $3,513.
  • 2016 – Total overtime hours underpaid was $189.
  • 2016 – 273 vacation hours listed on the timecard were not listed on the paystub.
  • 2016 – Sick/PTO time was overpaid by 17.5 hours.
  • 2016 – Fifteen paystubs include a Misc. payment ranging from $200 to $1,750 for a total of $9,250
  • 2017 – Total regular hours overpaid was $1,620
  • 2017 – Total overtime hours overpaid was $478.
  • 2017 – Total vacation hours overpaid was 30.
  • 2017 – Total Sick/PTO hours overpaid was 20.
  • 2017 – Four paystubs include a Misc. payment ranging from $500 to $750 for a -total of $2.250.

While we won’t hold our breath on any accountability from the local prosecutor, elections do have consequences. The question now is will people vote to keep the Miller family dynasty alive or will they become informed voters and send a message that such malfeasance has consequences by not voting for the Miller dynasty?

We do note that the statute of limitations for the theft of public funds is excluded from limitation for a public officer charged for such theft.  We need to point that out because the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s investigation was clearly deficient on the time card issue and it appears now with an independent audit there may be sufficient evidence for a proper presentation before a Grand Jury.  The Audit reflects it was forwarded to the McHenry County State’s Attorney and the Chicago Division of the FBI.

(720 ILCS 5/3-7) (from Ch. 38, par. 3-7)
Sec. 3-7. Periods excluded from limitation.
(a) The period within which a prosecution must be commenced does not include any period in which:
(2) the defendant is a public officer and the offense charged is theft of public funds while in public office;

The report also contains detailed information on Credit Card purchases that should shock the readers but then again, this is Illinois.

You can download a copy of the audit at this link or view below.

Agreed-Upon Procedures Report 2021-ATRD.pdf-2021-3-30 17.19.32

 

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12 Comments
  • John
    Posted at 11:27h, 29 March

    Forensic audit … sigh. The typical routine audit of a state agency by the Office of the Auditor General would have caught this long ago. Forensic audits aren’t needed. Rather, there needs to be a way for OAG to audit local governments. Like Missouri, where voters of any unit of local government can petition the Missouri State Auditor to audit their local government. Signature requirements can be found at https://auditor.mo.gov/petition-audits#Q6

  • Roger
    Posted at 14:27h, 28 March

    Levenger(dot)com… American Express charge for $1,200 purchasing a tote bag, rollerball pen, refill and monogram for Anna May Miller. Also, I can’t see purchasing $630 dollars worth of Yankee Candles as Christmas gifts. Fraud, Waste and Abuse abounded under the Miller era.

  • Jevon
    Posted at 13:40h, 28 March

    Wow, another useless witch-hunt by the “watchdogs”, lol! Let’s look into the real crime of the current commissioner racking up over $1 million in legal fees to go to his lawyer pal.

    • John Kraft
      Posted at 13:50h, 28 March

      Legal fees are not a crime…but you already know that

  • Cindy
    Posted at 11:36h, 28 March

    And the infamous criminal himself weighs in. Repent. Don’t bother with making lame excuses. Your time is at hand.

  • Pete Johlie
    Posted at 10:01h, 28 March

    Thanks for your work exposing the crooks and criminals.

  • PK
    Posted at 19:19h, 27 March

    Oh hey, is this the infamous former road district manager’s son-in-law? You know…the guy who claimed not to be able to recall or remember much of anything during a deposition? And he wasn’t even asked about the $86.00 credit card purchase to the internet storefront “her room” at that time. Sheesh.

  • Robert J Miller
    Posted at 18:49h, 27 March

    It is unfortunate that this so called audit covered only 3 of 10 employees this was covered and explained 2 years ago this isn’t an audit it’s a witch hunt it is impossible to do a legitimate audit without talking to the bookkeeper and the treasurer of the twp.They were never contacted. All of the supporting documents for payroll as well as credit card receipts were in the files that were there when I left office !!

    • Kirk Allen
      Posted at 19:36h, 27 March

      So I suppose they should have talked to the one responsible? Oh wait, invoked the 5th ammendment and would not answer questions.

    • Glenda
      Posted at 08:22h, 29 March

      Correction. It was a successful witch hunt.

      • John Kraft
        Posted at 08:48h, 29 March

        It was not a witch hunt at all, but it was a successful reporting of the forensic audit.

  • Rob Murphy
    Posted at 17:23h, 27 March

    I guess this is why there are so many people that want to abolish Township Highway Departments. There is too much cash with no over sight. Getting elected for this job is like winning the lottery ever 4 years. I had never even heard about this until Edgar County Watchdogs published articles about the miss use of tax payers funds 4 years ago….

    That was after 24 years of Bob Miller grabbing with both hands and his father before him. It is a small election no one [ays attention to and they control millions of dollars of tax payer road funds with very little oversight. I was reading that it is one of the little coroners, or loop holes if you will where the money is just sent based on population and square miles, and they get to use it where they feel it is needed, no questions asked.

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