A former Georgia city employee faces 99 felony charges after an internal audit connected approximately $1.5 million in municipal spending to an alleged HVAC bid-rigging operation.
Carl Timothy “Tim” Tench, 66, worked for Gainesville’s Department of Water Resources and served as its maintenance superintendent until the city fired him in June.
Investigators allege Tench obtained lower equipment bids under a different identity, submitted inflated purchase orders through the city’s accounting system and kept money left over after buying the HVAC units.
The Audit Began With Irregular HVAC Purchases
Gainesville City Manager Bryan Lackey said an internal audit conducted during the spring uncovered irregularities involving HVAC equipment purchased through the Department of Water Resources.
The city expanded the review and said it found a pattern of alleged bid-rigging and fraud involving its purchasing system. Officials terminated Tench on June 17 and began working with Gainesville police to develop the criminal case, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Another Identity Allegedly Produced the Lower Bids
Police say Tench obtained low bids for HVAC equipment while using a different identity. Tench allegedly entered legitimate-looking but inflated purchase orders into Gainesville’s municipal accounting software.
The city issued checks based on the higher amounts entered into the system. Investigators say only part of the money was used to purchase the HVAC units. Tench allegedly kept the remaining difference.
The city tied approximately $1.5 million in Department of Water Resources funds to the alleged scheme. Officials said he allegedly diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars incrementally over several years.
Tench Worked for Gainesville for 14 Years
Tench joined the Department of Water Resources as a maintenance operator in April 2012. He became a maintenance operator supervisor in November 2014 and was promoted to maintenance superintendent in November 2019.
He remained in that position until his termination on June 17, 2026. Hall County sheriff’s deputies arrested him on July 24 using warrants obtained by Gainesville police. He was released from the Hall County Jail on bond the following day.
The Former Superintendent Faces 99 Felony Charges
Tench faces 33 felony counts of bid-rigging, 33 counts of first-degree forgery and 33 counts of filing false documents. The charges total 99 felonies. Police said the investigation remains active and that additional charges could be filed.
Gainesville also launched a secondary audit across all city departments in addition to its annual third-party financial audit. Officials said that broader review had produced no additional findings when Tench’s arrest was announced.
The charges are allegations. No plea, conviction, restitution order or sentence has been reported.
The City’s Purchasing Rules Require a Document Trail
Gainesville’s official purchasing page says a company must submit a vendor packet and W-9 and receive active-vendor status before conducting business with the city.
A purchasing policy reproduced in current city bid documents requires a requisition, purchase order and three competitive written, faxed or emailed quotations for purchases between $2,500 and $49,999. Purchases of $50,000 or more require a requisition, purchase order and formal sealed-bid or proposal process.
Differences between the company submitting the quote, the vendor listed in the accounting system and the person or business receiving payment can expose an unauthorized intermediary or concealed financial interest.