A Bellevue litigator says he’s wrapped up an investigation that shows two department heads in La Center did not embezzle money from the city, as a former city employee alleged.
Former city planner Dale Miller accused Finance Director Suzanne Levis and Public Works Director Jeff Sarvis of stealing money from the city to buy a house, two new cars and a boat. Miller said he witnessed Levis transferring the money on a wireless device.
Levis told the litigator, Mark Busto, that she sometimes transfers city funds on her cellphone but only for city business and never for any personal benefit. Busto wrapped up his investigation at the end of May, concluding that there was no evidence to support Miller’s claim.
Sarvis, who bought the house with Levis in 2010, told Busto that their salaries were large enough to support their purchases. Miller also alleged that Sarvis threatened to fire him for “doing his job as a public servant,” but Busto also found no substantiation for that either.
