Steps Taken to Avert Embezzlement

Mariner Boosters Club hopes new practices will deter another theft

Failure to keep an eye on its finances for nearly a decade, which opened the door to the embezzlement of nearly $60,000 by a treasurer with a gambling addiction, was a mistake the Mariner Boosters Club won’t make again.

Former treasurer Patricia Harmon, charged with first-degree theft, was sentenced last week to 90 days in jail.

Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Michael Downes rejected a first-time offender waiver recommended by prosecutors and Harmon’s attorney.

Admitting she is a compulsive gambler, Harmon has been in treatment since turning herself into county Sheriff deputies and confessing to the booster club president in 2009.

Records show that at the time of her confession, Harmon needed to pay some large club bills and, although the club’s bank records showed a balance of $45,000, there was really only $391 left in the account.

For that reason, Judge Downes said Harmon’s confession appeared prompted by factors beyond her control, and she deserved to serve time behind bars.

Club officials believe their new practices will prevent any repeats of the episode.

“We are recuperating,” said Sheri Thompson, current boosters club co-treasurer. “We are changing our policies so that a theft, such as the one Patty was sentenced for, cannot go unnoticed,” she said.

The boosters club has rearranged its administrative structure to ensure honesty among members.

The club now has nine executive board members, and there are two people holding each position except for the secretary’s position. There are two presidents, two vice-presidents, two treasurers and two concessions managers.

Dual signatures are required for all transactions involving the club bank account. For each deposit, one bank slip is sent to the school and one bank slip is kept with the president.

In addition the boosters club has increased membership from 23 to 70.

There are 25 sub-clubs that function under the umbrella of the Mariner Boosters Club, and when one of the sub-clubs makes a deposit of fundraising money, the deposit must be signed by one of their representatives and also an executive board member.

The sub-club representative will get a receipt for each deposit, and bank statements are available at every meeting.

“I just want to warn all clubs out there currently, just look at your bank statements. That is all that is needed to be done to prevent this,” Thompson said.

“You just need to match profit and loss reports to the bank statements, and the theft should be easy to catch,” she said. The club is now completing annual audits.

Despite all the upset over Harmon’s sentencing, the boosters club is working hard to recover lost funds and restore trust in their operations.

“We have created a new scholarship for students, The Brad Agerup Memorial Fund, which is two $500 scholarships given annually to graduating seniors,” Thompson said.

“We have set aside three years worth of funds to cover it.

“We are looking to add two more years of funds by the end of the 2011 school year.”

“We would like the community to know that we are up and running and that we are strong,” she said. “We would love to see more people at meetings.

“If anyone is interested, they can check out the Mariner Boosters link on the Mariner High School website.”

Meeting times and locations are listed on the website.

“We would love for people to join,” Thompson said.