By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — The Indiana State Board of Accounts filed a notice to appeal the ruling of Judge Christopher Kehler Friday, Aug. 15.

Kehler ruled in favor of the Syracuse Town Council in its case against the SBOA July 16. The town was seeking a ruling of summary judgment against the SBOA.

In December 2024, the SBOA released a report on an audit it conducted on the town of Syracuse, discovering council members had been reimbursing themselves for Medicare and health insurance premiums.

The SBOA determined in its audit, current and former town council members as well as former and current town employees, were to return $500,000 in insurance payments they received as well as a special investigation fee of over $74,000.

A week after the SBOA report went public, the Syracuse Town Council filed suit, seeking a summary judgment in its favor.

Since the report came out, town officials have maintained it has done nothing wrong and “the SBOA audited the town and never raised this form of compensation as an issue, the SBOA has made specific representations to town officials that such form of compensation is permissible,” town representatives said in a response.

In its notice to appeal, the SBOA stated it was “appealing a final judgment as defined by Appellate Rules 2(H) and 9(I).

Rule 2 (H) states, “Final Judgment. A judgment is a final judgment if:

(1) it disposes of all claims as to all parties;

(2) the trial court in writing expressly determines under Trial Rule 54(B) or Trial Rule 56(C) that there is no just reason for delay and in writing expressly directs the entry of judgment (i) under Trial Rule 54(B) as to fewer than all the claims or parties, or (ii) under Trial Rule 56(C) as to fewer than all the issues, claims or parties;

(3) it is deemed final under Trial Rule 60(C);

(4) it is a ruling on either a mandatory or permissive Motion to Correct Error, which was timely filed under Trial Rule 59 or Criminal Rule 16; or

(5) it is otherwise deemed final by law.

Rule 9(I) states, “In Administrative Agency appeals, the Notice of Appeal shall include the same contents and be handled in the same manner as an appeal from a Final Judgment in a civil case, notwithstanding any statute to the contrary. Assignments of error are not required.”

There was no date as to when the Court of Appeals may hear the case.