2 Investigators: Calling Out Waste
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Strange bills, security cameras and lawsuits out of of all places, the Algonquin Township Highway Department.
The new commissioner tells 2 Investigator Brad Edwards that his predecessor was wasting taxpayer money.
The new guy is Andrew Gasser, with a Darth Vader coffee mug and a Holy Bible at his desk.
"We beat him and this is why because there's just so much waste," he says.
For decades the Algonquin Township Highway Department was run by Bob Miller's family.
Miller himself was commissioner for 24 years.
Until he lost in a stunner last year to Gasser.
Who now runs the little known district.
It's responsible for maintaining a mere 67 miles of roads.
And yet...
"We've got two Kubotas. Many townships would kill just to have one. We have two."
"This is world's state-of-the-art wood chipper. We have our own semi," he adds.
Gasser says right before Robert Miller left office he did three things: he bought a street sweeper with taxpayer money, unionized the workforce and had his computer wiped.
"I think that's idea about a person whose worried about having his documents discovered," says Rob Hanlon, Gasser's attorney.
So far he's been paid more than $100,000 to fight the unionization.
He also brought suit against former commissioner Miller for allegedly misspending taxpayer funds on, for example, family members' airfare to New Orlean sweaters, women's clothing from Lands' End, Levenger tote bags, and Disneyland tickets.
We went looking for Miller, who lives at at the corner of Miller and Miller.
He wouldn't talk to us.
Nor would his attorney.
Gasser is also suing township clerk Karen Lukasik for allegedly stonewalling his attempts to get records.
This is her first interview.
Her office is now under her own surveillance after she says she discovered she was being spied on.
"We're supposed to be serving the people and he's not serving the people, he's serving himself," says Lukasik.
"I don't know many people that would stick it out, but I'm not gonna quit. I'm not gonna quit," she says.
Commissioner Gasser says he wasn't responsible for the "spy" cameras.
McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally says he's investigating the claims against former Road Commissioner Miller, but he declined to elaborate.