PEORIA, Ill. – There’s a major shakeup involving the Board of Directors of Peoria public television station WTVP.
The Peoria Journal Star reports that 11 people, including Chairman Andrew Rand, submitted their resignations at the monthly board meeting on Tuesday.
The resignations include:
- Andrew Rand
- Stephen Morris
- Sid Ruckriegel
- Wayne Cannon
- John Day
- Monica Hendrickson
- Amanda Campbell
- Stephen Shipley
- Jerry Herbstreith
- Ashley Spain
- Sally Snyder
Eight new members were appointed, including State Senator Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills). The new chairman is MH Equipment Company CEO John Wieland.
The new members include:
- John Wieland
- Andy Chiou
- Martin Johnson
- Daysha Warr
- Dan Pearson
- Heather Acerra
- Win Stoller
- Rick Lavender
WTVP acknowledged in December that “questionable, improper, or unauthorized” spending was approved by former president and CEO Lesley Matuszak and former finance director Lin McLaughlin.
Matuszak resigned in late-September last year, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound the next day.
In October, the board voted to cut $1.5 million from its budget, which led to 9 jobs being cut.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is investigating and withholding grant money from WTVP, pending a review. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and Peoria Police are also investigating the matter.
Citing the financial troubles, a new local group called “Friends of 47” was formed and called for three things in its initial statement; the resignation of the current board, a transparent installation of a new board, and the appointment of an Executive Director who would also serve on the board.
“Friends of 47” says it has 50 members, and is co-chaired by former WTVP employees, Becky Doubleday and Chris Anderson.
Doubleday tells 25 News there’s still some concerns with the new makeup of the board.
“We don’t know anything about the new members coming on board, or the new board chair, Mr. Wieland,” Doubleday said. “I would say, from what we heard here today, it hasn’t satisfied those goals.”
Wieland, in his first comments as new board chairman, says the misuse of funds could happen “in any organization.” He also praised the outgoing members for taking the right steps following the revelation of wrongdoing, but added that the “damage had already been done.”
Calls to WTVP by WMBD Radio have not yet been returned.
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