TONTITOWN -- The arrest Thursday of the city recorder-treasurer is linked to missing city money, Prosecutor Matt Durrett said.
Washington County Sheriff's Office investigators closed City Hall and were looking into accounting records Thursday morning, Durrett said.
At a Glance
Alicia Collins, Tontitown recorder-treasurer and bookkeeper, was arrested Thursday in connection with theft of property and theft of services after investigators found money missing from city coffers. Investigators said in an affidavit more than $25,000 is missing.
Source: Staff Report
Alicia Marie Collins, 32, of 247 S. Maestri Road in Springdale was arrested in connection with theft of property where the value is more than $25,000 and theft of services where the value is less than $5,000 but more than $1,000, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The amount of the theft of property could go up because the investigation is ongoing, Durrett said.
Tontitown's City Council appointed Collins in 2013 after the elected official resigned, said Becky Lewallen, Washington County clerk. Alderman Joe Edgmon said Collins also was given the city's bookkeeping responsibilities and paid as an employee.
The city bookkeeper salary is $41,742 with taxes and benefits, according to the city's 2015 budget. She's also paid $600 a month for her duties as recorder-treasurer, Alderwoman Rhonda Doudna said.
In a special meeting Thursday, aldermen went into executive session, then came out and announced Collins will be suspended 60 days with pay from her bookkeeping position, Doudna and Edgmon said. Rebecca Bennett, deputy recorder-treasurer, will act as recorder-treasurer, they said.
Edgmon said Mayor Paul Colvin was also approved to hire an assistant.
The state Legislative Joint Auditing Committee found missing Water and Sewer Department money in 2014 and 2015, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. An investigation showed more than $25,000 was missing between Jan. 1, 2013 and Wednesday, according to the affidavit.
Durrett said state auditors notified the Prosecutor's Office.
Sheriff's Office investigators found Collins deposited large amounts of cash at her bank, according to the affidavit. Sometimes, the deposits matched the daily cash balance missing from the city, the affidavit said.
Customers paying with cash were given receipts, and Collins and the office manager counted daily cash to reconcile the journal, according to the affidavit. Collins was responsible for the city's deposits, the affidavit said.
Sheriff's Office investigators recorded $100 bills into the city's public works cash drawers. One of the bills was later cashed for change, and several of the other bills weren't deposited into the city's bank, according to the affidavit.
Collins also credited her own water and sewer service bill without the city receiving payment on the account, according to the affidavit. Non-payment on those services amounted to more than $1,000 between Jan. 1, 2013 and Wednesday, according to the affidavit.
The city hired private accounting firms to do its annual audits in 2011 and 2012, but now, the state is working on a 2013 audit report, said Tim Jones, state audit manager.
Auditors don't comment on a report that hasn't been released, Jones said.
On Thursday morning, the Tontitown Administrative Offices building -- which houses the Water and Sewer Department -- was locked as men combed through documents. Collins was inside with investigators about 11 a.m. and said City Hall was closed. Next door, the Police Department and the Town Hall were empty and most doors were locked.
Jones didn't say Thursday if state auditors were in Tontitown with the Sheriff's Office.
Colvin was outside with an investigator at noon Thursday. He said he wouldn't comment on the investigation. He referred questions to Durrett.
Collins was booked Thursday afternoon into the Washington County Detention Center with a $25,000 bond. Durrett said he didn't know about any previous arrests or convictions for Collins. The Sheriff's Office shows Collins was booked at the detention center in connection with failure to appear for a traffic violation in 2010. She was released about 6 p.m. Thursday after posting bond.
NW News on 02/13/2015