By Anthony Gorges
JC Post
The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors learned during its special meeting on Wednesday that a check in the amount of $103,230 was written by Vice Chair of the Board Jim Schmidt, payable to JC First. JC First is under the Chamber's nonprofit wing, and the bank account is in the Chamber's name and identification number. According to the Chamber's lawyer, Michael Montoya, those funds are supposed to stay within the Chamber. Montoya also noted that he recently made this clear to the Board.
Board Chair Ashley King noted that the check was unauthorized and did not have the required two signatures.
According to Michael Montoya, the Chamber of Commerce's lawyer, the check should never have been written.
"On June 26, there was a check that was signed by your vice chair for $103,230 from that account, payable to JC First," Montoya said. "So those funds have been removed from your account, one signature, not authorized, and, in my legal opinion, should not have been written."
Montoya then said that, pursuant to Section 3, Article 6 of the Chamber's bylaws, the Board of Directors may remove a board member by secret ballot. The Board voted by secret ballot, and the vote was 9-1 in favor of removing Jim Schmidt from the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Board Chair Ashley King noted after the meeting that local law enforcement has been contacted and that there is an ongoing investigation regarding the matter.
Later in the meeting, the Board approved a motion authorizing Montoya to recover any displaced funds. The Board also approved a motion to hire CNR Consulting to conduct a full audit of the books beginning next week.
In that same meeting, the Board of Directors voted 8-1 to terminate Mickey Fornaro-Dean, Economic Development Director, "for failure to act in the best interest of the Chamber." Finance Director Katrina Tipton was removed from her position as well.
The next Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting is July 23 at 3:30 p.m.