A college in southwestern Michigan has spent more than $200,000 for promotional merchandise from a school trustee's business since 2011.
The disclosure was made by attorney Brad Glazier, who is representing a former Lake Michigan College president in a lawsuit over her firing. Glazier tells The Herald-Palladium newspaper (http://bit.ly/2m6sPvz ) that the college is violating policy by doing business with Competitive Edge, which is owned by trustee Mary Jo Tomasini.
In response, Lake Michigan College says Tomasini has "never misused her role" as a trustee. The college says beer glasses, jewelry, pens and golf towels were purchased by the purchasing department, not the school's governing board.
The college has been buying from Competitive Edge since 1993. The college says Tomasini disclosed her role when she became a trustee in 2009.
