By Edwin Crayton
At the January 8 meeting of the Natchitoches Community Improvement Foundation (NCIF), it was surprising to hear Chairman Leo Walker announce that longtime board member Sylvia Morrow has resigned from the foundation. Ms. Morrow’s resignation is a significant turning point for the group as she was a founding member and leading force in the organization. But on the other hand, Ms. Morrow who served as treasurer, also missed at least half of the quarterly meetings by my count and did not make written financial reports available in her absence, a standard practice with most treasurers. That approach is also odd and awkward because the NCIF manages over a million, eight hundred thousand dollars. At meetings I attended, Morrow verbally read the figures and the attendees would have to write them down.
But perhaps, most important of all, Ms. Morrow’s resignation creates a vacancy on the board which will be open to members of the general public. NCIF will be advertising the opening.
What! this kind of money being handled and the District attorney, the Legislative Auditor and the Attorney General’s office have not been notified!! All of these entities must be notified so this can be sorted out and clear her name if not true. These are the public’s funds!!!! It is the duty of anyone that is aware of this misappropriation to immediately do the right thing. Not the regular sweep it under the rug because she is a bully
As a famous person once said…It’s like Deja-Vu all over again.
Interested readers should refer to past NPJ articles about NCIF missing funds of $19,500. Articles written on August 21, 2016, January 24, 2017, and August 20, 2017 or just type NCIF in the Search bar for NPJ. I’m sure people have faced jail time for a lesser amount.
I’m sure she didnt’ steal any money from this organization…
I certainly did not mean to infer that she had taken money. An audit would be appropriate to prevent speculation of misappropriation. Unfortunately we have too often seen audits of public funded organizations end abruptly because required records had not been maintained preventing a decision regarding funding use. I certainly hope this is not the case regarding NCIF fundings. Ms. Murrow deserves a full disclosure to dispel such speculation.
I am pretty sure it will be swept under rug and nothing will come of this.
sure Mrs.Marrow walks on water.
She recently was in the news for a theft at Wal Mart. They did not arrest her as others would have been arrested. ????
Based on this article, I believe an audit would be appropriate and I hope it will not end as it has with some other local organizations using public funds in that that no misappropriations could be determined found because of a failure to maintain required records.
now an independent auditor shoulf be brought in and look at the financial reports!