Audit: Finance Manager Used $88K of West Richland, WA, Fire District's Money for Own Use

Dec. 18—A former West Richland fire district finance manager allegedly misappropriated at least $88,500 in pay and credit card purchases. according to Washington state auditors.

Slita Superawesome pocketed thousands of dollars she didn't earn during her 12 years with Benton County Fire District 4, a recently released Washington State Auditor's Office report said.

It's not clear at this point whether she will be charged with stealing the money. State auditors sent their report to the Benton County Prosecutor's Office.

District officials discovered Superawesome bought $774 in her own food, clothing and household items using a fire district credit card in October 2023. She was placed on administrative leave and then fired in January 2024.

After finding the problems, the district alerted the state which discovered $88,000 missing and another $28,000 in questionable expenses.

Superawesome told state auditors that most of the money was missing by mistake, and she should pay it back to the district, the auditor's report said.

The district has taken several steps to make sure that the problem isn't repeated, according to a statement sent to the Tri-City Herald.

"The fire district has insurance to cover these types of losses," district officials said in a statement. "We worked with the State Auditor's Office to put more secure systems in place to prevent this in the future. These improvements include expanding financial oversight with new policies, increased internal checks and balances, new HR management, new and ongoing training for leadership, and tighter parameters for organizational practices such as purchasing and onboarding employees."

Misappropriation

The questionable transactions started shortly after Superawesome started working at the district in 2011. They grew over the years until they reached about $18,000 in both 2022 and 2023.

The investigation found nearly $78,000 of the missing money was extra pay she received that she didn't earn between 2014 and 2023.

The bulk of the money, nearly $68,000, was when she paid herself twice when she was helping with state mobilizations and incorrectly calculating overtime, said the state. That happened between 2014 and 2023.

She also paid herself $7,545 in firefighter education money between 2019 and 2021. The pay is meant to help firefighters and other union members pursue a bachelor's degree.

She also added $2,500 in volunteer pay to her checks between 2015 and 2021, said the audit. That money is supposed to go to volunteer firefighters as a stipend.

State auditors said they also discovered other questionable payments between 2011 and 2019, including allegedly abusing a clause in her contract to be paid tuition for education costs.

Washington investigators also reported finding another $4,200 used for airfare, food purchases and continuing education courses.

West Richland district response

District officials say they have taken steps they believe will address the problems, including making sure no one person has "unchecked authority" over payroll, starting regular audits and hiring new staff members.

The new safeguards include having two people approve any payroll or other payments and having regular internal audits.

The district also hired a new finance manager with 30 years experience and an administrative assistant with 15 years experience.

They've put into place a new employee manual and enhanced training programs for administrators and finance personnel.

"The district remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of accountability and integrity in its financial processes," the district said in response to the audit.

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