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Pocono News Section
Sewer Secretary Charged With Forgery/Theft
Sewer Secretary Charged With Forgery/Theft - Friday, March 5, 2010 at 3:16PM EST
Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday, Mar 5, 2010 @ 04:16pm EST
Northumberland Borough, Northumberland County-
A former Northumberland borough councilwoman and sewer authority secretary has been charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The I-team broke the story in Northumberland County on Monday and we've been following it all week.
Only Eyewitness News was there as Cynthia Lark silently exited her preliminary arraignment in Sunbury Friday morning.
Court papers show Lark forged sewer authority payroll checks to the tune of nearly $300,000 over the past five years. She allegedly used the money for personal expenses.
Ronald Long, of Northumberland said, "It's pretty ridiculous when you can't trust people who are appointed in those positions to use that money responsibly, and to not have the integrity to use it the right way."
Ethel Shipe, also of Northumberland, continued, "I don't know how she thinks she could get away with that much money, and is educated enough to have that type of a job, too."
Authorities believe the figure is actually much larger. They say Lark's been stealing from the borough for about a decade. But the statute of limitations for this type of crime is five years.
Long noted, "Some people are just corrupt like that. You can't really put 100% faith in everyone you meet, because not everyone is truthful."
Eyewitness News was also at the borough council meeting this past Monday night when Lark submitted her resignation, citing health and personal reasons.
No one answered the door at either the Northumberland Sewer Authority, or the borough council building, when we went looking for comment Friday.
But residents in the borough had plenty to say.
Shipe said, "I'm really disappointed in a person like that. She should've known better."
Long added, "And at the same time it makes you mad because that's a whole lot of money that she shouldn't be getting, and at the same time should be used for other things."
Cynthia Lark is free on $20,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week in Northumberland County. | | |
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