Sebring schools treasurer reprimanded for mishandling union finances
The Sebring Local Education Association teachers union on Monday applauded the district’s board of education for reprimanding Treasurer Dawn Welsch on repeated financial errors and mishandling of union finances — concerns the union raised last month.
The union unanimously approved a vote of no confidence in Welsch in November. School board members heard the union’s grievances later that month, according to a Monday news release from the union.
Welsch remains the school district’s treasurer, a union representative said.
“By issuing the vote of no confidence, SLEA members spoke in one, clear voice to say the district could not allow these issues to continue,” said Heidi Shepherd, president of the teachers union, is quoted in the release. “We are heartened to know that the administration heard our message.”
Welsch did not make timely contributions to employee retirement funds, prepare and obtain employee signatures on contracts for teaching and non-teaching employees, coach and club advisors or correctly deduct employee health insurance premium contributions, according to the board’s written reprimand and improvement plan, provided to Mahoning Matters.
Welsch also left the office on personal errands for extended periods of time without taking approved personal or vacation leave and did not follow up to remedy issues for federal Title funds.
Julie Naples, vice president of the union, said the union did not take the no-confidence vote lightly.
“Our educators have tried to be patient and understanding but had reached a point where the financial issues between our members and the district treasurer had become an impediment from their ability to focus on what really matters, providing a high quality education to every student in our district,” Naples is quoted in the release.
Shepherd told Mahoning Matters that Welsch was placed on an improvement plan under which she’s expected to meet monthly with the board president to review her work performance. Mahoning Matters contacted Welsch by email Monday, but she did not respond for comment about the union’s no-confidence vote.
“The vote of no confidence was to let the board know that even with an improvement plan, the [union] still had concerns,” Shepherd said.
The union also plans to keep an eye out for future errors, closely checking pay stubs “to make sure they’re getting all the benefits they have earned and that their money ends up exactly where it is supposed to go by law,” reads the release.