Benton Auditor-Treasurer Countersues After Residency Questioned

(KNSI) – Benton County Auditor-Treasurer Nadean Inman is firing back against claims she illegally held the position while living in Becker, located in neighboring Sherburne County.

The Benton County Board of Commissioners filed the initial lawsuit against Inman in the spring. In that document, Benton County alleges “While places were available for Respondent [Inman] to either rent or purchase in Benton County, Respondent resided with her husband at her permanent residence in Becker for a period of approximately nine months beginning in March 2020 and ending in January 2021.”

Inman did not entirely dispute the allegation. “With regard to the time frame referenced in Paragraph 23 of the Complaint, a national pandemic had been declared because of COVID-l9 and the Governor of Minnesota had ordered numerous emergency orders to limit the spread of COVID-l9, including closing all non-essential businesses and entities. As a result of COVID-l9, although Respondent was working with a realtor, it was difficult to find suitable housing and therefore Respondent admits part of the allegations.”

Inman’s countersuit invokes a wide array of instances where she felt she was unable to complete the duties of the Auditor-Treasurer completely. She alleges that the initial lawsuit was retaliation for an escalating series of events that began in 2018.

Inman says she took issue with a county employee working on accounts payable while a member of the Finance Department, rather than working under the Auditor-Treasurer. Other clashes occurred in 2020 surrounding tax penalties and the assessor’s work in determining taxable property values. Inman alleges that the county improperly gave the Finance Department authority over monitoring state funds being received in 2021.

Inman says she was not a part of redistricting earlier this year and says County Administrator Montgomery Headley purposefully excluded her from the process in violation of the law.

The Benton County Board of Commissioners has filed a response. It points out that the composition of the board is significantly different today than in 2018 and newer members are not driven by retaliation. It says several members were asked about the issue directly by constituents.

___