Prosecutor Reviewing Irvin Water District Case

Spokane County prosecutors are deciding whether to pursue criminal charges against the former office manager of the Irvin Water District.

Deputy prosecutor Mark Lindsey said this week his office had been notified of a state audit that found Betty Skillingstad misappropriated more than $2,500 in district money.

Prosecutors are reviewing the audit to decide if they will pursue the case, said Lindsey, who leads the prosecutor’s fraud team.

“In order to file charges we have to have a full investigation by a law enforcement agency,” he said. “We’re not at a point where we can make that decision yet. We’ve been notified, and we’re considering it.”

Lindsey did not know when a decision would be made.

Skillingstad, 44, could face felony forgery and theft charges if prosecutor’s decide to go forward.

State auditors conducted a nine-month review of the Irvin Water District’s books earlier this year.

They found that Skillingstad, who worked as the district’s office manager for nine years and had total control of financial records, paid herself for 144 hours she did not work between December 1993 and February 1994.

In addition, Skillingstad used more than $1,100 in district money to pay the premiums on an insurance policy for her daughter, the audit found.

Skillingstad, who has since resigned, admitted to state officials that she falsified district records to cover up discrepancies.

Efforts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.

Irvin Water District serves about 1,000 customer in the Trentwood area.

, DataTimes