Elmhurst School District's Business Office Under Scrutiny

In Elmhurst, Illinois, there's been some troubling news from Elmhurst School District 205. The district's business office is being investigated. This comes after the resignation of Chris Whelton, the assistant superintendent of finance. Whelton was asked to work remotely until the end of February, and he's set to receive a lump sum payment of $13, 523 by the end of May. The investigation follows the resignation of Facilities Director Todd Schmidt, who was accused of making personal purchases using a district credit card. Over time, these purchases totaled around $46, 000. Schmidt is also facing separate legal issues related to his mother's finances.

The district is looking into its business office practices, acknowledging that the investigation's results might be shared publicly. However, they've not set a timeline for the inquiry. It's uncertain if the findings will be released before the April 1 elections, where board President Athena Arvanitis is the sole candidate seeking re-election. Whelton's agreement with the district includes a clause of confidentiality and non-disparagement. Despite this, the district has no plans to investigate Whelton's integrity. They've stated that there's no evidence suggesting any wrongdoing on his part. This isn't the first issue the district has faced with its finances. Back in December, the board announced they were investigating Schmidt's use of district finances for personal gains. He oversaw major building projects worth $168 million, approved in a 2018 referendum.

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