Questioning how ZEO billed

NORTH CANAAN — The town’s former zoning enforcement officer (ZEO) is under scrutiny for allegedly over-billing for his time here and in two other towns.

Karl Nilsen, worked as a part-time zoning enforcement officer (ZEO) in North Canaan for about three years. Citing a desire to move slowly into retirement, he gave up the North Canaan job last summer. He continued to work in New Hartford and Burlington until suspensions in those towns came on March 29.

A review by the Winsted accounting firm Robert E. King & Co. of time cards submitted by Nilsen show numerous overlaps in hours on the job in three towns, as well as travel time between the towns. The discrepancies amount to about $16,000 for the period from September 2008 through January 2010. The report was prepared at the request of the New Hartford town attorney.

North Canaan First Selectman Douglas Humes declined to comment the situation, or how much his time may have been over-billed.

“Our town attorney is conferring with attorneys in the other towns,� was all Humes would say on the record.

When reached at his Norfolk home late last week, Nilsen would say only that he has an explanation for what appears to be discrepancies in time cards filled out in the three towns.

It is unclear at this point how the investigation will proceed, and if charges will be brought against Nilsen.

The situation, according to anonymous sources in various town offices, may stem from the way Nilsen recorded hours. Much of his time was spent doing on-site inspections, paperwork outside of office hours and attending meetings. His time cards may have reflected the actual number of hours worked, but not the actual times, leading to a misleading big picture.

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