CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) – Questions continue to swirl over why Carmel hired a private investigator, and now a state official is calling it a “unique situation.”
The hiring of the private investigator came to light since the surprise resignation of Steven Libman as head of Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts.
The city released invoices from an investigation firm, billing Carmel more than $8,000. The mayor’s office says the city attorney hired the investigator. But no one has publicly stated why.
That’s raised questions about the propriety of using public money for such a purpose without evidence of any criminal activity. That’s a question for the State Board of Accounts, which audits local and state government agencies.
In an exchange of emails, State Examiner Bruce Hartman told 24-Hour News 8 this “is definitely a unique situation. One that is very rare. However, we know of no statute that would prohibit this activity as long as the services being provided are related to city business.”
The challenge is determining whether the investigator was related to city business. Hartman said he couldn’t comment on that because “we do not have any facts related to the whys of the activity.”
He concludes his message by saying, “I do find it a little odd, that they chose to go this route instead of using city police, county prosecutor, state police, attorney general, or us.”
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