Diary of an embezzlement

ATHOL - This is my viewpoint as a part-time city employee. I started helping in the office and with Athol Daze several years ago with City Clerk Charlotte Hooper, and was hired to help Sally Hansen answer phones, post water bills and take messages when she was out of the office, ill or on vacation.

Sally Hansen has been charged with embezzling $417,879 from the city between 2009 and 2014. So many people are asking: How could anyone get away with so much money? Here's my perspective.

Charlotte Hooper, Athol city clerk for almost 25 years, was someone we could depend on and trust. The first mistake was believing that we would be getting the same kind of public servant.

Charlotte looked over many applications with Mayor Lanny Spurlock and the Council - Mark Dane, Louis Miller, Bob Rickel and Shirley Hyke. Several interviews were conducted, and as a group all decided Sally's work history looked good. She had worked for a lawyer, dentist, HASMAT, and served in the Navy. Sally had moved here a few years ago with her husband, stepson and two sons. She participated in rodeo and loved horses - she seemed to be the all-American girl. Not only did the council like her, but so many in the community felt the same.

Shortly after Sally started, Mayor Spurlock was hospitalized and in the ICU. Sally told the nurses she was his daughter, and from that moment on he considered her a daughter. Sally told Shirley Hyke that Shirley reminded her of her mother, who had passed away a few years before. Louis Miller invited Sally and the family to go bowling because she said how much fun it would be knowing that bowling was Louis Miller's favorite sport. The list goes on. Needless to say, many of us liked her immediately.

So you ask, what about the budget? And financial statements? All were in Sally's care alone, enabling her to make up numbers for our mayor and council to look over and approve at our meetings. Everyone on the council and Mayor Spurlock were giving Sally time to adjust to the new job. After all, Charlotte had 25 years to gain her experience and learn.

And so it began.

After about one year, a few councilmen believe Sally to be disorganized, so one of the councilmen builds a new shelving unit for the office to allow for filing instead of piling the information. Sally calls herself a "Polish blonde," making fun of herself being disorganized. But is she really disorganized or does she do this on purpose so no one will find out what she's really doing?

At the two-year point, Councilman Rickel moves to North Dakota for work and Shane McDaniel joins the council. Now the council decides Sally is taking too much time off, is late in opening, too long of a lunch, etc. They decide an alarm system will monitor hours of all employees and also protect against break-ins.

Three years have gone by so quickly, and now-Councilwoman Shirley Hyke passes away - Darla Kuhman is appointed to the seat by Mayor Spurlock and Councilmen McDaniel, Miller and Dane. Also around this time two seats are up for election. Our city is looking for a change - out with the old in with the new. Two people run against Mark Dane, who comes in third, losing his position to Mary Zichko. Darla is new and runs unopposed to retain her seat.

The last year of Sally's reign the Mayor passes away. Sally tells me she and Darla are getting along quite well and seem to work together. She says Darla was very helpful during Lanny's illness, and that she is looking forward to working with her as mayor. Sally tells me about the office furniture, chairs, and displays that Darla is buying from her friends that have an art gallery closing. Sally is very excited - Sally, Stephen the city worker and Darla's son go on the weekend to pick up the furniture at the gallery. Sally's having such a nice time!

Everything is looking nicer at City Hall, and all is going well until Darla tells Sally she has a "gravy" job. Darla brings up that she should be mayor and do Sally's job too, eliminating Sally's position completely. After looking into this idea, the lawyer informs Darla and the council that it is not possible to be mayor and also be paid for a city clerk position. During this time Sally knows Darla is looking into being city clerk. Darla is pushing Sally to clean up, file, checking how business is conducted, looking at bank accounts, etc. Sally is so unhappy. Sally doesn't tell me but she must know her deception will be uncovered soon. And it is.

I am stunned by the information that Sally could have taken anything, and so are so many others, wishing this just couldn't be true. I am ever so grateful that this deception was uncovered - how could anyone be so deceitful?

Hindsight is wonderful. With that in mind, we should have been more aware because of the many changes in the offices of the mayor and council. At times of great personnel change, special attention should be paid. New people don't always know all the rules and routines. Times like these should trigger an extra watchful eye.

Who should be the watchful eyes? In Athol, the 600-plus people in the city. Only 5 to 20 people attend the council meetings and it is always the same people. Recently someone reminded me of the old game where you whisper a story in someone's ear and they pass it along through several people, and the last person repeats the story as they heard it. What makes this so much fun is the ending story never is anything like the beginning story. This is exactly what happens in a small town if you listen to others who have attended the meeting and believe it to be the right information. So I say go and find out for yourself. Don't immediately make someone your best friend or part of your extended family just because they have a winning personality or a great smile.

Don't trust in one person alone, and think they are so wonderful. In this case, don't allow the mayor and city clerk to be the only ones with access to the bank accounts and records. It is good to have a mayor and city council that don't always agree - it provides checks and balances just as government was planned to work.

In a small town we all know one another. We all know things good and bad about everyone, but we need to put these petty differences aside for the good of the city and start working to heal. No pointing fingers, no recalls that will cost our city more money, no blame or glory - just hard work and an interest in your city, to make our city run more smoothly with the funds we have left.

Obviously I am not guilt free. I worked in the office, and was occupied with my own daily activities not paying close enough attention to the small details of what was going on around me. I liked Sally very much and was blinded by her personality. I feel ashamed, stupid and angry at myself, but I will move forward with positive thoughts - only more cautiously.

Susan Wachter of Athol was duped by a con artist. She does not want this to happen to you.

Editor's note: Sally Hansen pleaded guilty in January to 15 counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5 at 1:30 p.m. Hansen could face between 33 and 41 months in prison without parole, and will be required to pay restitution for the $417,879 she embezzled from the city. She will also pay the court a $1,500 special assessment fee.