Former East Bay Clerk Jan Gee has been sentenced to serve 11 months in the Grand Traverse County Jail. Gee was charged with having embezzled at least $62,000 from the township. In addition to her jail time, Gee must forfeit her pension and other township benefits, according to this Record-Eagle story.

What's the takeaway here? The point is not that Jan Gee is a bad person. Local and indeed state and federal governments contain all kinds of people, some unscrupulous, some dedicated public servants. But when local governments are not run according to accepted standards--when proper audits and other minimal procedures are not implemented, as they still have not been in some County townships like Elmwood--it is an invitation to abuse and problems down the road.