BG boosters lacks checks & balances

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The Bowling Green Bobcat Boosters plan to continue to support student athletes as it deals with the theft
charges against a former club treasurer.
Booster President Van Spears said Tuesday that changes are being made to provide better checks and
balances in the future, but would not specify what changes those would be.
He also would not provide the boosters’ current fund balance, saying that that amount is unclear until
the case again Eric Whitson is final and the group knew what funds they would be allowed to spend.
Whitson was arrested July 2 after it became apparent that he improperly issued at least two checks
totaling $80,000 from the Perrysburg Schools to the Bowling Green boosters.
Whitson, 30, had served as treasurer of the BG group from 2008 to this year and issued the checks in
February when he was about to be replaced, according to Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson.
Whitson was arrested as part of an investigation of money missing from the BG boosters club. He has
worked in the Perrysburg school treasurer’s office since 2004 where he handled accounts receivable and
student activity accounts.
Whitson allegedly wrote two checks totaling about $80,000 on Feb. 28 from the Perrysburg school district
to the BG boosters. He faces up to 18 months in prison on each of two theft charges.
"It appears at least at these initial stages that he was taking unauthorized funds from the Bowling
Green booster club … and he utilized the Perrysburg funds in order to replenish that booster club fund
when it became apparent that a new treasurer was going to be appointed," Dobson said earlier this
month.
According to Spears, the boosters have budgeted $60,000 for clinics, clothing and capital expenses this
year for the athletic program, about the same amount that was budgeted in the past two years.
The group’s monies come mostly through fundraisers, concession sales, 50/50 raffles, donations and
memberships.
Last year, about 100 individuals were booster members, said Spears, who is in his third year as
president.
"It’s a great group, a great organization. It definitely benefits our student groups," he said.

"We’ll look at new ways to regain the confidence in our community. We can get this past us and keep
moving forward," he stated.
Because the boosters are a non-profit organization, they function independently of the Bowling Green City
School District. No funds from the district were involved.

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