Following the River Ridge Elementary book fair last fall, the school’s PTA board president Christina Morales says it has been discovered that more than $5,600 of proceeds from the sale were not deposited in a timely manner, as required by the PTA’s bylaws.

Morales said that on April 7, upon realizing the discrepancy, the PTA board closed the books, limiting access to the account, so that a Financial Reconciliation Committee could conduct an investigation.

“On April 7, Trisha Greenway — the PTA’s 4th Vice President of Fundraising — was informed that the books were closed, and that the PTA did not have access to the account,” Morales said.

Morales said Greenway then went to the bank and deposited a personal check in the amount of $6,544.29. The following day, Greenway was removed from the bank account.

“The board met on Friday, April 11. We then appointed the Reconciliation Committee, and voted unanimously to remove (her from the board),” said Morales.

Morales explained that while the board realized the discrepancy in early April, members did not know the exact amount missing until Friday, April 25, when the results of the Financial Reconciliation Committee investigation were released.

Part of the reason the discrepancy was not discovered sooner, the board president said, was because of an accounting issue, in which both the fall and spring book fairs were listed as the same line item in the budget, rather than two separate items. Morales said that has now been corrected.

Last Friday, the Financial Reconciliation Committee informed the board that the missing amount was $5,675. The board shared the findings with the general membership at a PTA meeting on Monday, April 28. Morales noted that because of the deposit made in early April, the account is not short any funds. “It looks like we are actually in the plus,” she said.

Morales said it is standard procedure for a Financial Reconciliation Committee to analyze the budget at the end of each school year and make recommendations for improvement. The committee will look at the budget again once the school year has ended.

“As far as the recommendations, we take them very seriously and we plan to implement them as of today,” Morales said Monday.

While the board has not made any criminal allegations, a report was filed with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office earlier this week, allowing the office to investigate the matter further if it chooses to do so. Morales said reports will also be filed with Leander ISD and the Texas PTA. “We have contacted every authority and we are taking every step possible of the recommendations of the Financial Reconciliation Committee to move forward,” she said.

Responding to the public complaints made, and her removal from the River Ridge PTA, Trisha Greenway said this week that she made a mistake and failed to deposit the fall book fair money in a timely manner. Greenway added that she is deeply sorry for what she termed as negligence and irresponsibility on her part. An active volunteer, Greenway said she hopes lessons can be learned from her mistake.

“I am not blaming anyone but myself,” said Greenway, who is a breast cancer survivor, U.S. Navy retired military spouse and mother of five children. Greenway said she volunteers at each of her children’s schools and other organizations including Steiner Stars Swim Team and ViperBots.

“I’ve never gotten opportunity to speak about it or to present myself to the PTA board,” Greenway said.

Greenway said that on April 10, she explained what happened in an emailed letter and a statement of truth sent to Sue Bostic, Leander ISD Council of PTA’s Treasurer. Bostic helped the RRE PTA work through the situation, and was at the RRE PTA board meeting where the treasurer’s accounts and books and Greenways removal from the board were discussed.

She stated to Bostic: “Thank you for taking your time and personal commitment to amend this unfortunate and difficult situation… I am accepting this (board removal) decision with the highest regards to both the Leander ISD Council PTA and the River Ridge PTA Boards.”

“I understand the nature of this decision, and welcome the opportunity to discuss any protocol or procedures. I am TRULY sorry for my actions and behavior on many levels. I have rectified this situation with Compass Bank and hope to move forward with positive actions. I hope the Leander Council PTA will see my mistake as a learning tool for all others to follow,” Greenway’s letter to Bostic continued.

In her letter, Greenway said that funds from the book fair was left unattended and accessible to a number of guests in her home over the weekend following the sale. It was during that time that Greenway said the money disappeared. Rather than approach the PTA board, Greenway said she was too embarrassed, and it was only after the board discovered the missing money that she moved to make a deposit to cover the missing funds.

“Unfortunately, much time passed when my mistake was discovered by members of the PTA Board. Upon their discovery, I quickly tried to rectify this error by making a deposit in the amount of $6544.29 on Monday, April 7. I had every intent to return the money to the proper owner. I did not steal or misplace this money. It was negligence and irresponsibility on my account,” Greenway’s letter reads.

Following a review of the incident, the committee announced a number of recommendations at the meeting this week. Among those are that all money should be counted by at least two individuals at the same time, with each counter signing an itemized receipt. The PTA board’s treasurer would then be required to count and sign the itemized receipt. The committee also recomended that only the treasurer be allowed to make deposits.

Other items on the committee’s list of recomendations include improvements to the PTA’s banking and reconciliation procedures.

For her part, Greenway agreed that the system of how money is handled through the River Ridge PTA needs more accountability. But Greenway also hopes that now she and her family can begin to move on from the situation.

“This has been a major struggle for my family,” Greenway said. “I just want restoration of my family and my name.”

Greenway said she has volunteered in many local organizations over the past five years living in Steiner At River Ridge, she served as president and historian of the PTA, as a room parent since 2009, and as a member of various committees.

At Canyon Ridge Middle School, she has been a volunteer coordinator and part of the athletics booster club. At Vandegrift High School, Greenway has been part of the PTSA since 2011 and has served as vice president of hospitality and membership, and was part of the Legislative Action Chair Scholarship Committee.

Greenway, who said she went through chemotherapy from January through May 2013, participated in the Art Bra Austin Runway Model for Breast Cancer Resource Center and last June, held a community fundraiser for the BCRC.

“I know I need to take a break for now but I’d like to be able to volunteer again in the future,” said Greenway.