Editorial: Ex-treasurer to go bankrupt because of Sumpter board vote

Former Sumpter Township Treasurer Peggy Morgan told the board on Feb. 12 that she will be filing for bankruptcy because of board action last year.
She said when she was on the board, Financial Director Scott Holtz explained the union wanted to go with MERS instead of Nationwide for retirement and, “We agreed to it as a board.”
After she was unsuccessful at re-election, Morgan sought her five years of retirement funds, and Nationwide first said they had to have her hiring date in the computer. She said the Sumpter Human Resources Director didn’t enter it after repeated requests, and when she finally did, it was wrong. Then, it was corrected.
She said MERS sent her $925, when it should have been more than $22,000. Morgan explained she borrowed $8,700 from Nationwide to help her children and paid all but $555.43 back. Nationwide showed her balance as zero and on Dec. 31, MERS showed just her balance on the loan.
She held up a stack of bills she intended to pay with her retirement money that was hers. She can’t pay them. Her car will be repossessed. She said this affects every employee in the township. “No one knows where the money is,” she said. “That’s my money. How can you hold my money?” It was explained there was a hefty penalty to move the money from Nationwide to MERS and Sumpter didn’t pay the penalty. They are looking into the penalty, Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis said.