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Carmel city attorney files for $1 reimbursement

Posted at 8:19 PM, Dec 11, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-11 20:19:02-05

CARMEL, Ind. -- Carmel City Attorney Doug Haney has submitted a $1.15 reimbursement request to the city, records show.

The claim, dated December 1, says Haney traveled from Carmel City Hall to the Center for the Performing Arts for a meeting.

Maps show city hall and the Palladium are about a half a mile apart.

The longtime city attorney earns $121,429, and his 20 percent raise will take effect on December 19, bringing his pay to $145,917, according to the clerk treasurer’s office.

“My first reaction was you’ve got to be kidding me,” said outgoing Carmel council member Eric Seidensticker. “It’s just ridiculous.  Talk about squeezing a penny and making a nickel fall out. It’s so far beyond nickel and diming the taxpayer.”           

Call 6 Investigates Kara Kenney contacted Haney about his request who said he took his personal vehicle to a redevelopment commission related meeting across from the Palladium.

Haney said he also viewed city property involved in a potential lawsuit on the way back to the office.

Haney is eligible to receive $.575 per mile.

Seidensticker said the request is perfectly legal, but is a waste of city resources to cut a check that small, especially to a public official earning a six figure salary.

“A guy making that kind of money, and he’s worried about $1.15?” said Seidensticker.

Haney has received more than $13,000 in travel and training reimbursements in 2015, according to the clerk treasurer’s office.

The clerk treasurer’s office has already processed and cut the check for Haney, but he won’t receive it until after the council approves it at its December 21 meeting.

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