By VICTOR SKINNER
vskinner@record-eagle.com
June 28, 2008 12:00 am BELLAIRE -- Antrim County officials are expected to revisit the possibility of paying legal expenses for a former county building official who was convicted of misdemeanor state construction code violations. On July 3, the county's Administration and County Services Committee will discuss their insurance provider's 2005 decision to not pay legal bills for former building inspector Arlen Turner. Turner at the time faced felony conspiracy and corruption charges. "We were told that without a doubt they wouldn't have represented him and now we are being told they could have," said Commissioner Laura Stanek, who serves on the committee with commissioners Michael Crawford and Jerroll Drenth. "What they are telling us now and what we were all told back then doesn't jibe. I guess I want to know why," she said. Turner, of Star Township, was sentenced in September 2005 to two years of probation and community service for his conviction on three misdemeanor counts following a series of trials that resulted in a hung jury on the felony charges. Charges stemmed from allegations that the building department, under Turner's leadership, improperly granted permits to homes that later required hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. Turner, 71, also was accused of writing false citations, and allowing an unlicensed builder to use another contractor's license to build homes for sale. Turner was fired in July 2004. The county board briefly considered paying up to $75,000 of Turner's legal fees in 2005, but did not vote on the issue after speaking with its insurance provider, officials said. County board Chairman Jack White raised the issue again this month at a committee meeting, prompting a conference call between county officials and their insurance company, White and county Coordinator Peter Garwood said. "They were just asking what criteria was used on deciding not to pay for someone's defense. They were also trying to clarify whether or not (reimbursement) was a possibility if the board decided to do it," said Garwood, who attended the conference call. "I can't hardly figure how you could hire a man and not protect him," White said. Any reimbursement would come from the county's insurance fund and the county would be required to repay it with money from public coffers, Garwood said. The county board must approve the reimbursement if the committee votes to move ahead with aid for Turner.
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