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- 1 The Canadian Champion, Friday, September 7, 2007 - A17 Money cameR fundraisers a from VOLUNTEER on page Ai after a complaint by the Halton District School Board that irregulanities had been discovered in the school councils' accountng practices. Pickering was charged in February for the school councils, Pckering was largely responsible for money collected > S from fundraisers. Pickerng was treasurer of the school Two-tone, Blue on council at J.M. Denyes from 2003 to Sold, iocket Seats 2004, the court heard. Suspicions were raised when a year end report was provided months late after Pickering was repeatedly pressed for the document. When it was pro- duced, the document indicated the council had $21,000 in uts account, but 1lu bank records revealed there was only $158, Kerr said. Auditing revealed Pickering had been writing cheques to herseif and ber ou. busband rom the account, the court PI beard. UmmY Between 2002 and 2004, Pckering was also treasurer of tbe scbool council at Wl. Dick. Once again, she wrote cheques to herseif and ber busband, causing a short[all that was discovcred. Pickering became council treasurer at Stewarttown in 2004 after ber tîme Zd 20M ended at J.M. Denyes, she obtained s moer ro sîmîlar metbods there, S At one point, Pickering tried to repay stolen funds [rom one scbool to another, Kerr told tbe court. in the end, tbe final amounts agreed upon ibat Pickening stole [rom the schools were about $ 10,000 [rom J.M. * Denyes, $5500 from Wl. Dick and almost $9.000 [rom Stewarttown, Kerr ir xuw ra. said, which resulted in a restitution Z 72 order of about $24,000 to the Halton District School Board. 'I * Pickering has already conie up with $11,500 and is supposed to pay the remainder early next year, Kerr said. Darroch told the Champion he didn't sentencing, wbich is scbeduled for sometime in March of next year. The exact date will be nailed dowm at a wl-li court appearance January il atm Burlington court. Z 2M Stephane Hounsell con be reached at Gril sthiessen@ý-miltoncanadianchampion. rom. Art of interest from TOWN on page A3 Excavation for an underground link between the buildings is underway Renlsrcported the large pi>'- woborsthat hv been installed m.w around the construction site bave gar- VUS o 51i nered a lot of interest now that local artisîs bave starîed painting them wîvtb a scenes depictîng Miltons past. I -Thats been a really good comînuni- ty partnersbip project," sbe said. -We get a lot of people walking by looking atThe $24.2-million expansion of tbe . , Town Hall is expected to be ready [or occupancy by [ahl 2008. Melanie Hennessey can be reacheda mfîa~YmfM44htl~h* i. > raN7 $ -lo.r- BBackfBla Chr 1