By Ed Larson
A water meter installer, formerly employed by the Rutland City Department of Public Works, has been arrested.
Paul Eric Voight, 51, of Castleton, became the subject of an investigation after Rutland City officials were informed of possible fraudulent activity. Voight, who had been in hundreds of homes and businesses in the city installing the new wifi monitored water meters, is alleged to have sold meter parts and covers to residents, obtaining checks under his name.
In a press release, Commander David LaChance of the Rutland City Police Department, advised that Voight was charged with embezzlement and grand larceny.
The investigation commenced in December of 2019 when city officials filed a theft report. It was reported that from September 2019 through November 2019, Voight was suspected of stealing city owned metal/brass on several occasions for his own profit and without city authorization, while working for the Department of Public Works.
During the investigation by Detective Shawn Maguire, it was determined that after Voight’s employment was terminated by the city he again fraudulently converted more city owned metal/brass to his own use by selling that property. The value of the city owned/metal brass was placed in excess of $8,600.
Voight was issued a citation to appear in Rutland Superior Court on Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m. to answer to the charges.
I would like to know why the tax payers of Rutland City were told that this water meter project was running so fluently for the last year. Article after article in the rutland hearld, we were told that this is the direction the city needed to go and that soon the tax payers would be reaping the benefits from this project.We were told only a few small problems have arose thru out this project. We were told fathom is the way of the future until they closed there doors a few months ago. We were told this project was supposed to increase revenues until it didn’t. Now we are told the city is at its tipping point and can not proceed any longer with this most recent vendor for smart grid tech. With each and every statement put out by city officials I believe the tax payers grow more weary and uncertain. It appears tax payers only learn of the facts after it is to late to do anything about the concerns.This was a multimillion dollar project and this is how the city choose to handle it. Tax payers of this community can not afford poor vetting and mistakes such as these. Now we sit in the middle of a pandemic that again the city can not afford. Where are these extra revenues when we need them the most. This a huge lack of transparency on the cities behalf.