Copyright 2006 Journal Sentinel Inc.
By TOM KERTSCHER
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)
MEQUON, Wis. — Fire Chief Jim Wucherer, who was forced to resign Tuesday and is being treated for a gambling problem, is suspected of draining more than $20,000 from a charitable fund that was set up to help gravely ill firefighters.
City Administrator Lee Szymborski had said Tuesday that Wucherer received $6,500 in improper expense reimbursements from the city. On Wednesday, he and other officials detailed more allegations against Wucherer, who was a Mequon firefighter for 30 years and chief for the past year and a half:
* Up to $30,000 is missing from the Mequon Fire Department Organization, a charity that raises money for gravely ill firefighters and for equipment for Fire Prevention Week activities.
Dan Umhoefer, past president of the organization, said at least $20,000 was kept in reserve to help firefighters, and up to $8,000 was in the fire prevention fund. He said the relief fund in recent years had provided nearly $20,000 for a firefighter with cancer who has made a recovery through experimental treatment.
“At this point in time, it appears there are no funds left - or very limited funds,” Umhoefer said of the organization’s coffers.
Until his resignation Tuesday, Wucherer had served as treasurer of the organization for 25 years, Umhoefer said. He said the organization accepted verbal financial reports, rather than bank statements, from Wucherer at monthly meetings.
“Jim was a very well-liked person. There was never any reason to doubt the integrity of Jim Wucherer,” Umhoefer said.
* Wucherer is suspected of creating fake invoices for businesses that do not exist for some of the $6,500 in improper expense reimbursements that he received, Szymborski said.
Suspicions arose after Wucherer sought reimbursement for a purchase he purportedly made over the New Year’s holiday that was similar to one he had made over the Labor Day holiday, Szymborski said. On both occasions, the purchases were described as “emergency” purchases for which Wucherer purportedly used his own checking account rather than getting a city check because City Hall was closed. Wucherer provided copies of his personal checks, but the city later discovered that neither had been cashed, Szymborski said.
* Wucherer used a city-issued credit card once in October and once in November at Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee for a total of about $1,500 in charges, Szymborski said.
According to Szymborski, Wucherer said he accidentally used the card the first time and that his wife must have used it the second time. Court records show Wucherer was divorced in 1999. The city took away the card after the second incident
After the two casino charges were discovered, Wucherer repaid the city $1,500, Szymborski said.
* The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the missing city and Fire Department Organization funds and is examining accounts set up for a Hurricane Katrina relief effort organized by Wisconsin firefighters last year, Szymborski said. Wucherer was one of the leaders of that effort.
Washington County sheriff’s officials could not be reached for comment. The Mequon Police Department asked the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department to handle the criminal investigation but was told the Ozaukee department did not have sufficient manpower to do it.
Wucherer did not return calls seeking comment. But he has admitted improperly receiving money from the city and the Mequon Fire Department Organization, said his attorney, Michael Piontek of Racine.
Piontek said that on Tuesday he sent checks from his law firm, totaling roughly $30,000, to the city and the organization as restitution.
Piontek also said Wucherer is getting treatment for a gambling problem.
Wucherer has not been charged in connection with any of the allegations.
Wucherer began working for the Fire Department about 30 years ago as an on-call firefighter before taking the job as chief, at a salary of $75,000, in August 2004. Before becoming chief, he had worked in banking for about 30 years, city officials said.
Mequon Common Council President John Wirth said Wucherer’s work as chief was highly regarded. He said he headed a committee last year that oversees the Fire Department.
“If you asked for something from the Fire Department, you got it the next day,” Wirth said.