Resolution reached in township treasurer case

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Bessemer — Ironwood Township’s civil case against former Ironwood Township treasurer Jyl Renee Olson-DeRosso has been resolved.

Gogebic County Circuit Court Judge Michael Pope issued a judgement in favor of the township on Oct. 2 for $1,398,654 — the same amount he previously ordered Olson-DeRosso pay in restitution — as well as any applicable attorney fees.

“We are pleased and relieved at the outcome, and it validates the judge’s decision on compensation of $1.4 million” Township Supervisor Steve Boyd told the Daily Globe Tuesday. “We look forward to receiving that amount from the insurance companies and the other people involved.”

While there is both a restitution order and civil judgement in the case, the township won’t be able to collect double the amount, according to Olson-DeRosso’s attorney, Jim McKenzie.

McKenzie told the Daily Globe state law prohibits a dual recovery, meaning the township can’t get paid from both the restitution order and civil judgement — in essence combining the money into a single sum to be recouped.

Along with having to pay restitution; Olson-DeRosso, 48, was sentenced to 38 months in prison in May for embezzlement by a public official. She was also sentenced on nine other felonies — five counts of forgery, refusing to turn over records to the successor treasurer, removal and destruction of public records, using public money for her own use and diversion of taxes or public money by a public official. Those sentences all ranged between 11 and 23 months, with all 10 sentences running concurrently.

In March, she pleaded guilty or no contest to the 10 counts related to forgery and embezzlement that took place between 2011 and 2016 while she served as township treasurer.

While the sentence and restitution order completed the criminal case against Olson-DeRosso, the township’s civil case against her wasn’t concluded until Pope issued his civil judgement earlier this month.

The township learned in July Olson-DeRosso had agreed to dismiss her counter-suit against the township for defamation.

While the township has yet to receive any funds from its insurance company to cover the money Olson-DeRosso embezzled, Boyd said he believes progress is being made on that front and the civil judgement should hopefully remove some of the last road blocks in the process.