Brockway Twp. approves fire hall roof, reports fraud

BROCKWAY TWP. — The Brockway Township Board on Aug. 11 approved a full shingled roof replacement for the Brockway Township Fire Hall.

The board selected Special Touch Builders’ bid totalling $73,800, beating out other local bidders. Moza Construction recently completed a $300 spot repair of a hole. 

The shingles listed in the project bid come with a 25-year duration. 

Special Touch owner and operator Brad Fuller said at the meeting that his team is scheduled out for the next four to five weeks, as the board looked to have the project completed before cold weather sets in. 

Fraud caught

Treasurer Terry Wright reported a fraud incident that occurred Aug. 8 in which the Fire Department bank account was compromised.

The perpetrator apparently obtained account and routing information from a township check and attempted to move $4,750 in a forged check at the Tri-County Bank in Brown City. 

Reached by phone Aug. 12, bank representatives declined to comment. 

Wright said the bank caught the mistake and noted the check contained “foreign symbols” and noticed a discrepancy in a signature, a portion of which had been inadvertently cut off on the bottom, hinting at a forgery. The discrepancy was further confirmed when Wright presented the bank with examples of her typical, full signature. 

It is believed the perpetrator is a real person and a potential repeat offender, Wright said. 

Wright said the $4,750 was quickly rerouted to the township’s finances. The township already has created a new bank account as of Aug. 11.

Odds and ends

The board hired a new custodian, Doug Houston, for duties around township hall.

The board approved general fund bills of $36,486.42, with some funds stemming from election hours, Fire Department bills of $4,719.61, and Park and Recreation bills of $3,648. 

— Max Kappel is a reporter covering local government and agriculture for The Yale Expositor and is a Report for America corps member. Report for America recruits, places and supports talented journalists in local newsrooms across the United States. Make a tax-deductible donation to support his work and Report for America will match it dollar for dollar. Go to: tinyurl.com/2s372ebu. Reach him at max@yaleexpositor.com.