School districts around the state and Big Country will tell you times are tough. Tightened budgets make it hard to utilize the funds they already have.
For one Big Country school district however, tightened budgets don't compare to over $200,000 that is missing.
Just over a week ago the Coleman County Sheriff's Office arrested a Panther Creek CISD employee for theft of over $200,000 from the school district.
The superintendent said it's hard enough to function with tightened budgets, but nearly impossible when funds are going out the window and into an employees pocket.
"When you're scrimpin and saving all the time," said Panther Creek CISD Superintendent Dwin Nanny, "It's tough to know that you had some money coming to you that didn't make it."
When district auditors notified Panther Creek of criminal financial wrongdoing, they brought in the Coleman County Sheriff's office to investigate 35 year old High School Business Manager Lori Sparks.
It didn't take long till an arrest was made on the 18th of November.
"It was very rapid," Nanny said.
Sparks is accused of stealing over $200,000 from the general fund. The fund receives an audit on a yearly basis, which is cause for concern over how these funds have been monitored.
"We're certainly going to evaluate our internal checks and balances," Nanny said. "We're working with our auditors and they're doing so as well... they missed some stuff so we're working to get all that taken care of."
With this crack in the funds now sealed, they hope to move forward and continue with the main goal.
Nanny added, "We've made it without money before so we'll continue to struggle on and educate these kids."
Superintendent Nanny said they knew something was up for about two weeks before the arrest. He said Sparks had been employed at the district for 5 years and this had most likely been going on for a substantial amount of time.
Sparks is out of jail on $15,000 bond. According to the DA's office, Sparks has been indicted by a grand jury.
For one Big Country school district however, tightened budgets don't compare to over $200,000 that is missing.
Just over a week ago the Coleman County Sheriff's Office arrested a Panther Creek CISD employee for theft of over $200,000 from the school district.
The superintendent said it's hard enough to function with tightened budgets, but nearly impossible when funds are going out the window and into an employees pocket.
"When you're scrimpin and saving all the time," said Panther Creek CISD Superintendent Dwin Nanny, "It's tough to know that you had some money coming to you that didn't make it."
When district auditors notified Panther Creek of criminal financial wrongdoing, they brought in the Coleman County Sheriff's office to investigate 35 year old High School Business Manager Lori Sparks.
It didn't take long till an arrest was made on the 18th of November.
"It was very rapid," Nanny said.
Sparks is accused of stealing over $200,000 from the general fund. The fund receives an audit on a yearly basis, which is cause for concern over how these funds have been monitored.
"We're certainly going to evaluate our internal checks and balances," Nanny said. "We're working with our auditors and they're doing so as well... they missed some stuff so we're working to get all that taken care of."
With this crack in the funds now sealed, they hope to move forward and continue with the main goal.
Nanny added, "We've made it without money before so we'll continue to struggle on and educate these kids."
Superintendent Nanny said they knew something was up for about two weeks before the arrest. He said Sparks had been employed at the district for 5 years and this had most likely been going on for a substantial amount of time.
Sparks is out of jail on $15,000 bond. According to the DA's office, Sparks has been indicted by a grand jury.
