Daily Herald reporter has written an article saying a secretary who is alleged to have stolen over $100,000 over a two year period from student activity funds has been arrested at a traffic stop.

She was indicted two weeks ago, the story says, but the police couldn’t find her.

It certainly has taken a long, long time.

Back in January I asked School Board President Joe Stevens what was happening and he sent me this email:

“Regarding the $100,000 suspected lost from the student activity fund, we have now completed our forensic audit and it does validate such a loss occurred.

“We fully expect to recover all of the money through our insurance provider.

“The matter now rests with the States Attorney awaiting further action.

“You may feel free to use this in your blog.”

The 46-year old woman who was arrested is Lisa Burkhart-Foster and she lives in East Dundee.

The money disappeared from 2004-2006.

In an August 6, 2007, letter to Daily Herald reporter Emily Krone, District 300 School Superintendent Ken Arndt releases a timeline which includes

• 2005 : Central Office employees identified concerns with student activity accounts and began pursuing answers to their concerns
• September 2006 (after the rate hike and bond referendums, I would note): D300 launched a series of proactive steps to research, define, and correct the root cause(s) of the bookkeeping problems.
• July 2006: D300 filed a police report on the matter with after determining that embezzlement was probable.
• July 2007: D300 filed papers in Kane County Circuit Court seeking financial documentation to help answer the remaining questions, which are relevant both to District’s insurance claim and possible criminal charges.

Click to enlarge.

The theft was discovered in 2007 while the 55-cent tax hike and $185 million bond referendum was on the front burner.

A forensic auditor was brought in…to prove up the case, I guess.

The regular District 300 auditor found nothing amiss.