We have new details in the case of the tax collector for the borough of Driftwood, in Cameron County.

Melinda Buchanan is accused of keeping thousands of dollars of people’s tax payments.

We have more on the investigation and residents’ frustrations.

County solicitor Tom Tompkins says these taxes are usually collected in April, but now, it’s some 9 months later and still nothing has been submitted for 2015.

The complaint says Melinda Buchanan, 39, Driftwood, met up with the county treasurer in September, and commissioners in December at the courthouse, but they never got the tax payments that were due.

Tompkins says the absolute county deadline just passed on Jan. 15.

“I don’t send personal checks anymore because she took so long to cash them. I just started getting post office money orders,” says resident Roger Knisely.

Knisely says in the past couple years, he’s been sending the money orders because of delays.

“Taxes came due like in what was it, March or April. She might go July or August before she cashed the check, or September, October. It’s hard to balance your checkbook!” says Knisely.

“A couple years. One year I believe she said that her house got robbed and the second year her car got robbed,” says resident Robert McMillan.

McMillan is one of two people we spoke to who’d heard those same rumors about delays.

The complaint says Buchanan collected about $16,000 due to the county, $5,000 to the borough, and $600 to the Emporium library from 63 properties.

“A lot of people were complaining that checks weren’t clearing and all that kind of a thing and campers were sending cash I guess and it was showing up that their taxes weren’t paid,” says McMillan.

“I thought she’d be trusted, she’s elected so,” says resident Terry Fulton.

The complaint says Buchanan was supposed to have a meeting on Dec. 30, but didn’t show, sending an e-mail instead, and they were also trying to contact her on Facebook.

“These are allegations regarding taxpayer funds which we take very seriously of course and will pursue that because we certainly want to do right by the taxpayers,” says District Attorney Jeanne Miglicio.

“I sit there and I couldn’t believe it. I mean I could but I couldn’t. I feel sorry for the girl,” says Knisely.

Buchanan was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the McKean County Jail with a $25,000 bail and is facing felony theft charges.

Meantime, a new tax collector, Kathy Fabin, was elected in November.