COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine — After looking into allegations that municipal funds were mishandled, the Maine Office of the Attorney General has concluded that nothing improper took place and has closed its inquiry, according to officials.
In a letter dated Jan. 20 and addressed “to whom it may concern,” Brian MacMaster, director of investigations for the AG’s office, wrote that there was an “appropriate accounting of all funds” that were being managed by the Columbia Falls Recreation Committee.
“No evidence was developed to indicate that [former Town Treasurer] Lenora Weaver or others engaged in any inappropriate activity related to the funds,” MacMaster wrote.
Weaver resigned as the town’s treasurer last summer, writing in a letter to selectmen that she had “had enough” of the stress and harassment of being accused of wrongdoing.
“The cluster of people that has harassed and hounded me for over eight years is merely regrouping and forming yet another committee to carry on the work and malice of the previous groups,” Weaver wrote in the July 2014 resignation letter. “I will concede and declare them the winners. … Simply put: I’m done. They win. It’s over.”
Contacted Monday at her home, Weaver said she felt vindicated that all the accusations were proven to be false, but lamented that the AG’s office had to waste its time to conduct an inquiry into the controversy.
“It’s a relief. It’s been years coming,” Weaver said of being exonerated. “I’ve had so many sleepless nights, even though I knew I didn’t do anything wrong.”
In the Jan. 20 letter, MacMaster wrote that the allegations of wrongdoing were “premised on the belief that more than one bank account existed.” The state inquiry revealed that there was only account, he wrote, and that the account has been managed properly.
Local resident John Tibbetts, who temporarily served as the town’s treasurer in 2010 and has been one of Weaver’s chief critics, said Monday he is not satisfied with the AG’s investigation and that he and other local residents plan to ask state investigators to look into the matter further.
Tibbetts said he never alleged the recreation committee maintained more than one account. He said a chief concern of his is a cash withdrawal by Weaver in March 2013 of $1,112.42 from the account. He said the reason for the cash withdrawal has never been explained.
“It does not satisfy any of the concerns we had,” Tibbetts said of MacMaster’s letter.
Despite the AG’s finding that the funds were managed properly, Weaver declined Monday to say why she withdrew the $1,112.42 in cash. She said she discussed that issue in executive session with selectmen in March or April of last year and she was not comfortable with publicly releasing information about the specifics of the discussion.
Even when told that, under state law, there is nothing confidential about the transfer or expenditure of public funds, Weaver declined to say why she withdrew the money.
Attempts to contact the town’s elected officials for comment on the matter were unsuccessful. Selectmen Alan Grant, Todd Emerson and Jay Look did not return voicemail messages left for them on Monday afternoon.
