By Anton Riecher
Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 is seeking proposals from auditing firms to conduct a “forensic audit” of the Devine VFD’s financial records following the arrest of Devine Volunteer Fire Department office administrator Heather Schultz on a charge of tampering with evidence.
The arrest amounted to an controversial “elephant in the room” for the MCESD2 commissioners during the Dec. 17 meeting at the fire station – an obviously contentious issue that no one was comfortable discussing.
“Obviously, we have to be very careful about what we say here,” board president Todd Summers said.
Schultz, who served as an office administrator and accounts manager, went unnamed during the portion of the meeting open to the public. The meeting concluded with a closed executive session at which Devine VFD Chief Greg Atkinson present along with two other firemen.
“If the fire chief decides he has additional information he wants to share with us, being that it is personnel, we’ll have to go into executive session for him to share that with us,” Summers said.
A forensic audit is a detailed examination of financial records intended to identify any potential fraud, misconduct or other irregularities.
On a motion by board commissioner Kenneth Nighswander, seconded by Jerry Lee Stevens, the board voted unanimously to move ahead with the forensic audit. Summers said the audit was necessary “especially in light of what has been going on.”
“One of the things we have to determine is what funds were touched,” he said.
Schultz was arrested by the Medina County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 5 after a search warrant was executed for her home, authorities report. The sheriff’s office is working with the county Criminal District Attorney office in the investigation.
According to Sheriff Randy Brown, Devine VFD chief Greg Atkinson reported monies missing several weeks before the arrest.
Atkinson told MCESD2 commissioners that he could not deliver the routine Devine VFD financial report presented at monthly board meetings.
Read the full story at www.devinenewsmembers.com
