Ex-Geneva worker pleads not guilty to theft charge

Former Geneva streets superintendent Steve LeMaire pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges of official misconduct, theft and online theft by deception.

He was arraigned before Kane County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Sheldon.

LeMaire was charged in January, and indicted by a grand jury Feb. 3. He is free on $2,500 bond, and his next court date is April 19.

LeMaire, 55, of Elburn, is accused of using a city credit account to purchase $24,000 worth of items for himself, mostly outdoor clothing and equipment. It was discovered when he was off sick one day in January, and his supervisor, the public works director, reviewed the credit card bill that came in that day, authories said. Some of the purchases dated to 2004.

LeMaire, who worked for the city for 33 years, was suspended Jan. 12 and fired Feb. 4.

Three former co-workers, including two retirees, attended the hearing to support LeMaire.

He could be sentenced from four to 15 years in prison if convicted of theft, three to seven years if convicted of online theft by deception, and two to five years if convicted of official misconduct.

At Monday’s city council meeting, Alderman Dean Kilburg told a resident the city is “tightening up” its fiscal controls. A memo to the council from the city administrator said she met with department heads and supervisors in January to review the city’s policies on credit and charge account use, and that the policies had not been in a “comprehensive written” form.

Twenty-two department heads and supervisors have credit card and charge account authorization. They can designate other employees to sign for purchases on charge accounts. Department heads and supervisors are to review and authorize all credit card and charge account purchases. The city administrator is to review those made by department heads and supervisors, and the mayor is to review those made by the city administrator.