AG: Charges filed against Exeter Township officials

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Cookie Corner students visit Edward’s Garden Center in Forty Fort

HARRISBURG &#8211; Four Exeter Township officials are facing charges for inflated billing on a contract for an EMA building nearly a decade ago, state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced today.According to Kane, the case was referred to her office by Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis due to lack of resources.Charged were supervisors John E. Coolbaugh, Richard E. Overman, James W. Douse, and current secretary and former supervisor Mary F. Martin.According to the criminal complaint, the township received a $50,400 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) towards the cost of erecting a pre-fabricated EMS building in 2006.Investigation revealed that the quartet spent nearly $17,000 on contractors with whom they had personal relationships, and who had significantly inflated their bills and billed for services and materials unrelated to the project.But then they cancelled the project with only a stone pad area constructed, the AG&#8217;s office says.Also alleged:&#8226; Dowse and Overman reported hours of labor at the EMS building site in 2007 which evidence shows they did not actually perform.&#8226; In 2008, they allegedly signed a letter to DCED containing false statements to conceal the misuse of the DCED grant.&#8226; In 2014, Defendant Coolbaugh manipulated the bidding process for the township purchase of a leaf vacuum by providing confidential information about other bids to a favored vendor.Arrests&#8226; Coolbaugh was arrested on Friday and charged with one count each of tampering with public records, conspiracy to commit tampering with public records, unsworn falsification to authorities, failure to report required information on multiple Statements of Financial Interests and bid rigging.&#8226; Overman was arrested on Friday and charged with one count each of tampering with public records, conspiracy to commit tampering with public records, unsworn falsification to authorities and theft by deception.&#8226; Dowse was arrested on Friday and charged with one count each of tampering with public records, conspiracy to commit tampering with public records, unsworn falsification to authorities, failure to report required information on multiple Statements of Financial Interests and theft by deception.&#8226; Martin was arrested on Friday, May 15, 2015, and charged with tampering with public records, conspiracy to commit tampering with public records and unsworn falsification to authorities.Records show all four were arriagned before District Judge David Barilla in Swoyersville and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Barney Anderson of the Office of Attorney General&#8217;s Criminal Prosecutions Section.