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Boosters evicted from concession stand

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By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer 10:21 PM Thursday, January 27, 2011

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield High School Athletic Boosters will no longer be permitted to run sports concessions because they failed to present proper financial records to officials, the district treasurer announced on Wednesday.

The boosters were unable to produce minutes of meetings, a membership list or any record of the required annual outside audit of the books after several requests from the district, Springfield City School District Treasurer Chris Mohr said.

In December, the district offered to provide the financial audit. That audit found the organization had not reconciled bank statements and had not properly recorded revenue and expenditures with receipts. There was “unexplainable” drop in concession sales in the fall and at the Clark County Fair, along with other inconsistencies, Mohr said.

Booster member Yvonne McLaughlin said members were shell-shocked by the announcement. She said they had never been required to pay for an outside audit and they provided monthly financial reports to the athletic department. Weight-room equipment, jerseys and track team tents are among the items the boosters have purchased for the department.

The boosters have until this weekend to remove their equipment. Starting Saturday, the school’s food service department will operate the concessions with parents serving as volunteers. For every hour a parent volunteers, $10 will be donated to a sports department of the parent’s choice, Mohr said.

The district will provide seed money to equip and stock the stands and pay staff to run the operation. Mohr expects to turn a profit for the athletic department during the first year. McLaughlin, however, questions that.

“Where is this money going to come from, and how can investing all this money on equipment, food and paid staff be better than all volunteers?” she said. “I think this is going to turn into a large loss of money for the kids.”

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