State elevator inspector caught golfing while on the clock

A State Elevator inspector who has worked in Branch County among other locations was caught by a Kalamazoo TV crew on the golf course instead of poking around elevator shafts. 63-year-old Werner Noll of Kalamazoo is now facing three 5-year felonies brought by the State Attorney General’s office and he’s been charged with false pretenses.  After a state investigation, they claim that Noll spent 84 days conducting personal activities when he claimed to be on the clock working in 2012, 2013, and 2014, costing taxpayers $8,000. Jason Moon at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs says Noll has been put on unpaid suspension pending the outcome of his case. A conviction on the charges could bring up to five years in prison.