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Audit finds $38k of Clinton High School Band Boosters funds were improperly handled

Nearly a year’s worth of transactions from the Clinton High School Band Boosters were investigated. What auditors found was that more than $38,000 was not...

Nearly a year's worth of transactions from the Clinton High School Band Boosters were investigated. What auditors found was that more than $38,000 was improperly handled.

The investigation covered transactions between August 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015 - which was the period of time that Amanda Johns served as the Boosters' treasurer.

Boosters members became concerned in early May 2015, when a bank representative notified them of an overdraft on the group's checking account, according to an investigative summary released by the Deputy Auditor of State Tamera Kusian, CPA.  When Johns was asked about the overdraft, she said the Boosters had overspent during the school year.

According to a report by Auditor of State Mary Mosiman, investigators found that $38,353.88 of the Boosters' money was included in improper and unsupported disbursements and undeposited collections.

Mosiman's audit report showed that $18,600 was withdrawn as cash and $10,125 was written as checks to Johns or her husband.  There was also $7,728 that wasn't deposited properly.

Mosiman's statement said that they couldn't tell if any more money had been "improperly disbursed or if additional collections were not properly deposited during the period reviewed because adequate records were not available."

Click here to see the full report.

Going forward, the auditor recommended that the Boosters separate duties and require stricter documentation for fundraising events and payments.

The Division of Criminal Investigation, the Clinton County Attorney's Office, and the Attorney General's Office got copies of the report. As of Wednesday, March 2, 2016, no charges had been filed.

While in her position, Johns was responsible for managing receipts, payments, handling the checking account, fund reports, and monitoring financial activity.

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