FOIA Request #26-63: “Fully Funded for Three Years” — But Taxpayers Paid $109,475+
Filed: March 3, 2026
Response: March 11, 2026
Status: Granted — Emails Provided
What Was Requested
I requested records identifying job titles or roles responsible for oversight of the ProsecutorbyKarpel migration project.
This simple request was designed to understand who was in charge of the multi-year, six-figure project to transition the Delta County Prosecutor’s Office to a new case management system.
What Was Provided
The Prosecutor’s Office provided an email chain titled “Delta Karpel Rollout” between July 28, 2023 and August 8, 2023.
The correspondence involved:
- Dianna L. Collins — Assistant Executive Director, Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council (PACC)
- Lauren M. Wickman — Delta County Prosecuting Attorney
- Paige Tardiff — Delta County (designated project lead)
- Brian Gauthier — PACC
- Cheri Bruinsma — PACC
- Brandon Couvillion — Delta County IT Director
What This Reveals
Bombshell: PACC Promised “Fully Funded for Three Years”
The most explosive revelation comes from Dianna Collins at the PACC in an email dated August 8, 2023:
“The project to be fully funded with no required expense to you for the first three years.”
Let that sink in:
- The State of Michigan, through the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council, explicitly promised that the ProsecutorbyKarpel system would be FREE to Delta County for the first three years
- No local expense required
- No cost to the county
- Fully funded by the state
What Delta County Actually Paid
Despite this explicit promise, confirmed invoices show Delta County taxpayers have paid:
| Invoice Date | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 10/26/2023 | $43,662.50 | Year 1 |
| 06/30/2024 | $22,150.00 | Year 2 |
| 06/25/2025 | $32,587.50 | Year 3 |
| 01/27/2026 | $11,075.00 | Year 4 |
| TOTAL PAID | $109,475.00 |
The contradiction is undeniable:
- Promise: “Fully funded with no required expense to you for the first three years”
- Reality: Delta County paid $98,400 for Years 1-3 alone
- Difference: $98,400 that taxpayers were told would not be charged
Project Leadership Identified
The emails identify who was responsible for overseeing the ProsecutorbyKarpel rollout:
Delta County Contacts:
- Paige Tardiff — Designated as “the lead for our office”
- Brandon Couvillion — Identified as “the head of our IT and would be the main contact”
- Lauren Wickman — Prosecuting Attorney, ultimate authority
State (PACC) Contacts:
- Dianna Collins — Assistant Executive Director, PACC
- Brian Gauthier — PACC
- Cheri Bruinsma — PACC
State Coordinated Rollout
The emails confirm this was a state-coordinated project:
From Dianna Collins’ July 28, 2023 email:
“We are happy to offer your county a slot in rolling Karpel out to your county in 2024.”
“The initial thought on timing according to Karpel, if all goes well, would be to have the rollout completed in 23 counties by the end of 2024.”
This was not a local decision — it was a statewide initiative coordinated by PACC, with Delta County offered a “slot” in the 2024 rollout.
The Broken Promise
Timeline of Events
- July 28, 2023 — PACC reaches out offering Delta County a “slot” in the Karpel rollout
- August 8, 2023 — PACC explicitly promises “fully funded with no required expense to you for the first three years”
- October 26, 2023 — Delta County receives first invoice: $43,662.50
- June 10, 2024 — System goes live
- June 30, 2024 — Second invoice: $22,150.00
- June 25, 2025 — Third invoice: $32,587.50
- January 27, 2026 — Fourth invoice (Year 4): $11,075.00
The first invoice came just 79 days after the promise of “no required expense.”
What Should Have Happened
If PACC’s promise had been kept:
- Years 1-3: $0 cost to Delta County taxpayers (covered by state funding)
- Year 4: $11,075 (the first year Delta County would legitimately be responsible for)
- Total savings: $98,400
Instead, Delta County taxpayers have been billed the full amount from day one.
Unanswered Questions
This FOIA response raises critical questions that demand answers:
1. Where Did the Money Go?
If the state promised to fund the first three years, why was Delta County invoiced from the start?
- Did PACC pay Karpel Solutions directly?
- Did PACC reimburse Delta County for these invoices?
- If so, why did Delta County still receive invoices?
- If not, what happened to the promised state funding?
2. Was This Promise Made to All 23 Counties?
PACC mentioned the rollout would cover “23 counties by the end of 2024.”
- Were all 23 counties promised “fully funded for three years”?
- Did any county actually receive free implementation?
- If other counties paid, did they know about the funding promise?
- Is this a statewide issue affecting millions in taxpayer funds?
3. Why Didn’t Lauren Wickman Object?
The emails show Lauren Wickman was directly told the project would be “fully funded with no required expense to you for the first three years.”
Yet the first invoice arrived within weeks of that promise.
- Did Wickman question why she was being billed?
- Did she contact PACC about the broken promise?
- Why wasn’t this discrepancy raised publicly?
- Did she protect her constituents’ tax dollars?
4. What About the Contract?
The promised funding arrangement should have been reflected in the contract:
- Does the contract show state funding for Years 1-3?
- Was the contract modified after the promise was made?
- Who signed off on paying invoices that contradicted the promise?
- Were county commissioners informed of the funding commitment?
5. Is This Still Happening?
The Year 4 invoice ($11,075) suggests ongoing costs. If Years 1-3 were supposed to be free:
- Is Year 4 the first year Delta County should actually be paying?
- Did the state funding expire or get revoked?
- Are current invoices legitimate or the continuation of a billing error?
What Should Happen Next
This revelation demands immediate action:
For Delta County
- Investigation — The Board of Commissioners should investigate why taxpayers paid $98,400 that was promised to be covered by the state
- Documentation Request — Request all communications between the Prosecutor’s Office and PACC regarding funding
- Reimbursement Demand — If the promise was legitimate, demand reimbursement from PACC for the $98,400 paid
- Public Explanation — Lauren Wickman owes the public an explanation for why she didn’t fight for the promised funding
For PACC
- Clarification — PACC should clarify whether the “fully funded for three years” promise was legitimate
- Statewide Audit — If this promise was made to 23 counties, there should be an audit of all 23 counties’ payments
- Funding Documentation — Produce documentation showing where the state funding went
For State Officials
- Legislative Oversight — The Michigan Legislature should investigate whether promised state funds were properly distributed
- Attorney General Review — If state funds were allocated but not used as promised, this may warrant AG review
- Transparency — Publish all documentation of the PACC-Karpel funding arrangement
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about $98,400. It’s about:
Government Accountability
- A state agency made a promise to a county
- That promise was not kept
- Taxpayers footed the bill
- No one seems to have objected
Fiscal Responsibility
- Delta County has budget constraints like any county
- Nearly $100,000 could have funded other priorities
- The Prosecutor’s Office had a responsibility to fight for promised funding
Trust in Government
- When officials promise “no required expense,” they should mean it
- When those promises are broken, someone should be held accountable
- The public deserves transparency about how their money is spent
The Bottom Line
The Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council told Delta County the ProsecutorbyKarpel system would be “fully funded with no required expense to you for the first three years.”
Then Delta County was invoiced $98,400 for those same three years.
This is either:
- A broken promise — PACC committed to funding but didn’t deliver, leaving Delta County taxpayers holding the bag
- A billing error — Karpel invoiced the wrong party for three years
- Misrepresentation — Someone pocketed state funds intended for this project
- Incompetence — The promise was made without any actual funding behind it
Whatever the explanation, Delta County taxpayers deserve answers — and possibly a $98,400 refund.
Note: This FOIA response was provided without resistance. The Prosecutor’s Office complied with the request promptly. The issue is not with this FOIA response — it’s with the discrepancy between what was promised and what was paid.
We will continue investigating this matter and update as more information becomes available.
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