A former Gilkey Elementary School parent club treasurer, Tara Drewyor, has been formally charged with embezzlement of funds ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. Details revealed in court documents display an alarming breach of trust within the community-associated group in Plainwell.
The allegations stem from her tenure as the treasurer of the Gilkey Parents Club from September 2018 to September 2024, when Drewyor allegedly misappropriated $57,141.22. During Monday's arraignment, Drewyor faced the legal consequences of these actions, admitting to using the group’s credit card for personal purchases at retailers including Walmart and Amazon. According to the court records detailed by WOODTV, she did not think she had taken more than $14,000, but she was not sure.
In response to the events, Plainwell Community Schools Superintendent Matthew Montange clarified the financial boundaries set between district funds and those controlled by parent clubs, ensuring no such funds were ever within the accused's reach. However, the allegations shake the trust in volunteering tiers supporting the educational system. Montange emphasized the district's appreciation for the efforts of such parent-led groups. Montange also provided a fuller context of the district's involvement, or lack thereof, with the funds managed by these volunteer organizations in a statement reported by WWMT, "Plainwell Community Schools does not provide direct oversight of Parent Teacher Organizations or Booster Clubs, these are strictly volunteer organizations that maintain their own charters, boards, and officers."
Granted a $1,000 cash/surety bond, Drewyor's legal proceedings are set to continue, with a probable cause hearing scheduled for December 19, followed by a preliminary examination on December 23, providing an opportunity for the legal system to unravel the exact bearings of the misuse, and for the community to potentially start a journey of restitution and default, this added ocean of alleged embezzlement charges array of questions as reported by WKZO.
