MEDIA ADVISORY 1
June 14, 2013
5:00 PM
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
CONTACT: Jennifer R. Snyder, Esq.
Ph. 510-573-1043
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Fax 510-573-3156
(Newark, CA) – Newark Memorial High School Cougar Booster Club is a local organization formed for purposes of raising funds to support the Newark Memorial High School athletic programs. Membership is comprised mostly of parents or guardians of Newark Memorial High School students.
In 2010, Jennifer R. Snyder, a member of the Booster Club raised issues of suspicious money handling practices and lack of transparency in the financial transactions of the club, then under the leadership of Chairperson Stacy Kelly. In an exhaustive letter addressed to Ms. Kelly and other key individuals involved in the transactions of the Booster Club, Ms. Snyder outlined relevant issues requiring clarification – of paramount importance was whether the Booster Club has a legal and legitimate claim as a non-profit tax exempt organization.
It was discovered at that time the NMHS Booster Club was not in fact a 501(c) (3) organization. At that time, Ms. Snyder also requested proof that federal income tax documents were filed, however Ms. Kelly refused to produce such documents without further explanation.
Ms. Snyder also requested audit reports of the club’s financial transactions. As a member of the Booster Club, all members have the right to inspect the organization’s books – as rightfully asserted by Ms. Snyder. Ms. Kelly refused Ms. Snyder’s requests without further explanation.
In mid-2013, news of angry and dissatisfied parents regarding the poor management of the Booster Club became prevalent in the local community. In response, Ms. Snyder sent a formal demand letter to Ms. Kelly, presently the Booster Club Treasurer to step down as a Booster officer or face legal action and liability for any potential missing funds.
Based on information and belief, sloppy and shoddy management of the Booster Club’s finances transpired under Ms. Kelly’s watch, as well as sums of money going missing or unaccounted for. It has been reported that funds from Booster Club fundraisers are consistently under the sole control of Ms. Kelly, with no accountability as to when and if they are deposited into the Booster's bank account. No other current Booster officer is given access to the Bank account information and often not given oversight of cash from the time it is earned by the Booster Club.
Events leading up to Ms. Snyder's demand include Ms. Kelly refusing to allow the newly elected President of the Booster Club any access to the bank account information. Also based on information and belief, one of Ms. Kelly’s personal acquaintances, Deborah Meredith, who is not a Booster Club officer, was appointed as a co-signor to the club’s bank account in direct violation of the Booster Club’s By-Laws. Ms. Meredith has access to the club’s suspected $70,000 bank balance with no supervision from other Booster officers, besides Ms. Kelly.
To date, Ms. Kelly still has not responded to Ms. Snyder’s demands.
Ms. Snyder has prepared a Civil Complaint against Ms. Kelly, personally, for breach of her fiduciary duties – a fact to which Ms. Kelly has already been previously notified. In the hopes of getting answers to the doubts raised by the questionable accounting practices by the Booster Club under Ms. Kelly’s authority, Ms. Snyder, along with parents of the Newark Memorial High School students, remains hopeful that answers be sufficiently and promptly provided by those involved
