Charges were filed last week by the Pettis County Prosecuting Attorney against the former Green Ridge R-VIII School District Superintendent after she fraudulently used almost $2,000 in school funds.
According to online court documents, Cara Easter, of Green Ridge, has been charged with six counts of fraudulent use of a credit device less than $500. A criminal summons was issued last week and an arraignment has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Pettis County Courthouse.
According to court documents, Board of Education President Barry White contacted the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office in August regarding several unauthorized credit card charges made by Easter, as the district’s bookkeeper noticed a hotel charge that was “out of the ordinary and seemed high” while reviewing Easter’s monthly purchase card log.
Easter was asked by White and board Vice President Mark Haverly to compile a list of all her 2016 expenses by the Aug. 17, 2016, board meeting.
Two days later, the board placed Easter on administrative leave and released the following statement to the Democrat:
“Regarding the questions of our Superintendent Cara Easter. Mrs. Easter has been placed on paid administrative leave as of Friday, Aug. 19 (2016). The Green Ridge R-VIII School District does not provide comment regarding confidential personnel manners. The District takes allegations of misconduct by staff members very seriously, investigates them promptly and thoroughly, and addresses them as warranted.”
The Democrat was never informed of the reason for placing Easter on administrative leave.
The board met several times over the next month to discuss Easter’s employment with the district. On Sept. 21, 2016, the board accepted Easter’s resignation from the district. Due to it being a personnel matter, the terms of Easter’s resignation have not been made public.
The expenses list provided by Easter was given to Pettis County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Tollie Rowe and is included in court documents. It lists her attending professional conferences or workshops on six different occasions in 2016, totaling $1,891.49.
Rowe contacted a representative from each conference listed and learned that none of the conferences Easter listed had taken place, according to court documents. One company representative even said they had no record of Easter attending any of their conferences in 2016.
Court documents state Rowe spoke with Easter on Oct. 6, 2016, to discuss the credit card transactions. When asked if she made any of the transactions, Easter said “she could not comment on the specific transactions as part of the separation agreement (with the school district) and a section that pertained to not discussing the matter.”
During the meeting Easter eventually told Rowe she was having “a personal difficult time” and that these factors “caused her to act out of the ordinary and do things that were ‘not me.’”
Aron Bennett has been the district’s interim superintendent since Aug. 27. In December, the board announced the hiring of Jamie Burkhart, current assistant superintendent in the Clinton School District, as Green Ridge’s new superintendent, effective July 1.
