Carrington (CSi) —The Foster County Commission has accepted the resignation of the county auditor on a split vote.

Foster County Commission Chariman, James Carr, was the lone dissenting vote on the motion to accept Schlotman’s resignation.

Roger Schlotman submitted his resignation on November 6, 2013 when he was charged with three counts of misapplication of entrusted property, two counts of conspiracy to commit misapplication of entrusted property and two counts of tampering with public records. The charges are Class C felonies.

Schlotman did not attend the meeting.

James Carr, faces two counts of conspiracy to commit misapplication of entrusted property, Class B and Class C felonies, and two counts of tampering with public records, Class A misdemeanors. Carr is accused of conspiring with Schlotman to transfer property in a manner not authorized by the county.

Charges against both, relate to an alleged shortfall of at least $13,000 in an account used to reimburse Federal Emergency Management Agency projects in Foster County, irregularities in the County Commission meeting minutes and a tax sale of a Carrington property that was not approved by the full commission.

The commission authorized Deputy Auditor Sarah Aberle to act as auditor until a temporary auditor can be named, to hold the position until the general election in 2014.

The County Commission authorized Paul Straley, vice chairman of the County Commission to begin exploring possible firms to conduct a forensic audit of the county’s financial records.

Straley will present information on firms willing to do a forensic audit during the December 3, 2013, Foster County Commission meeting.

Previously…

Carrington (CSi) — Two Foster County, officials have been arrested and face multiple felony charges.

Foster County Auditor, Roger Schlotman, and Foster County Commission, Chairman James Carr, both face multiple felony charges for crimes related to the county’s property, records and finances, according to court documents.

Schlotman’s alleged crimes occurred between June 2011 and September 2013, and Carr’s were between September 2011 and September 2013.

Foster County Assistant State’s Attorney, Kathleen Murray says, a number of people had questioned actions in Foster County Commission meetings, which prompted the Foster County state’s attorney to contact the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

She says, “The initial investigation BCI did on these specific allegations were at least a year ago … as early back as at least July or August 2012.”

On Nov. 6, BCI executed search warrants at the Foster County Auditor’s Office and conducted interviews at the Foster County Courthouse in Carrington.

Also on Nov. 6, Schlotman gave a handwritten resignation to Murray.

She did not know if the County Commission had made a decision on whether to approve the resignation. The commission’s last meeting was Nov. 5.

Murray says, “As far as what his letter said, his resignation was effective immediately.”

Murray, who works full time as the Wells County state’s attorney usually only assists Foster County with conflicting cases.

Similarly, the state’s attorney contacted BCI first, instead of Foster County sheriff, because the investigation involved county employees.

The case is still an open investigation.

Murray says she did not know if there would be further charges.