Former director returning to Arts Council

Former Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council Director Kelly Wiltermood was appointed Thursday to head the agency on a part-time, interim basis.

The Chico resident, who was the council's director from 2005-07, replaces Robert Reich, who was fired Monday for his failure to report financial improprieties promptly to the board.

"We are pleased that Kelly has agreed to return," said Joseph P. Stottman, president of the council's board of directors in a written statement. "Her institutional knowledge and experience as an administrator will be invaluable."

Board members fired Reich after it was discovered the council's credit card had been used to pay for another employee's personal expenses. Reich had apparently kept this fact to himself for several months.

Business manager Jim Jenkins, who allegedly misused the card, also was fired. Jenkins' personal expenditures are likely to total several hundred dollars, Board Vice President Cynthia Fontayne said. The exact amount that was misused has not been determined.

The council's budget, which was in the process of being updated before Reich came forward with the credit card issue, is about $150,000.

Fontayne said the board contacted law enforcement the day after learning about the impropriety, and agreed that a thorough audit of the council's finances would be necessary.

"There was never any question," she said. "The first discussions we had were merely about what kind (of audit) we needed, and who should conduct it."

The agency's last audit was conducted in fiscal year 2008-09, she said.

Yuba County officials discussed at a liaison meeting Thursday with Marysville city officials the possibility of helping defray the costs.

"They make a big contribution to the quality of life here, and we've got to keep it going," Supervisor John Nicoletti said."They're trying to get everything into stop mode and get a clear as picture of what happened as possible."

Fontayne said the council's board members are in the process of consulting with the state arts council.

"We're pretty sure we're not the first nonprofit that's needed a nonroutine audit," she said. "We're trying to find out what the standard measures are in cases like this."