East Bay Township Clerk Jan Gee was found guilty Wednesday on nine counts of embezzlement, says the Record-Eagle.

Gee enriched herself by over $60,000 by abusing her control of the township payroll system. Prosecutors have further charged negligence on the part of the part of the Township Supervisor and Treasurer for failing to note Gee's activities.

The point for Leelanau and for township governments around the region is that the casual, personal style of governance that still prevails at most township halls will not do anymore. The sort of sloppy or non-existent accounting checks and balances seen at the Elmwood Township Marina would never pass muster in a real business, and it will be a miracle if the system is not abused like the one in East Bay. Some townships around the area are looking at their procedures to fix them. Others, like Elmwood, have decided to ignore the problem.