Escambia Children’s Trust executive director Lindsey Cannon said the Trust has asked the Florida Auditor General to review the $65,632 reimbursement made by Pensacola Little Theatre in July.
Cannon stated:
“ECT was made aware of concerns regarding the potential misuse of funds by Pensacola Little Theatre and their retention of a forensic auditor to review all their financial operations. As soon as this came to our attention, ECT took immediate steps to review records and suspend reimbursements.
Pensacola Little Theatre did reimburse ECT all misappropriated funds as determined by their forensic accountant. ECT has notified the Auditor General as required by law, and there are no other updates to report at this time.”
Background on the Organizations
The Florida Auditor General serves as the state’s independent auditor and is appointed by the Legislature. The Auditor General promotes government accountability, stewardship of public resources, and improves government operations by providing unbiased, timely, and relevant information to lawmakers, citizens, and public entity management.
The Escambia Children’s Trust operates through a dedicated, voter-approved property tax levied in Escambia County. The Trust collects this tax revenue annually to fund grants, programs, and services benefiting children and families within the county. The Trust operates independently of county government under its own board.
The Reimbursement
Last week, I broke the news that Pensacola Little Theatre quietly cut a $65,632 check to the Escambia Children’s Trust in late July. The 90-year-old cultural institution reimbursed grant funds that it had determined were awarded “in error.”
The substantial repayment came two months after Executive Director Sid Williams resigned. Both Williams and the organization termed the departure as being amid “disputed expenses.”
-
- PLT explained the reimbursement in a statement: “A thorough financial review independently certified all findings. All parties have been satisfied with the resolutions and reparations made.” See List.
Grant Details and Financial History
PLT received a three-year grant totaling $359,618 for its “Character Building Through Building Characters” out-of-school time program. As of June 30, PLT had drawn down $218,781.86 and is scheduled to receive $129,937 this year.
The refund pattern shows escalating issues:
- Year 1: PLT received $138,494 and refunded $31,588 (23%) See Year 1 Report
- Year 2: PLT received $80,287 and refunded $34,044 (42%) See Year 2 Report
Next Steps
This week, I submitted a public records request to the Trust for all reimbursement requests and supporting documentation submitted by Pensacola Little Theatre. I received 590 pages yesterday and have begun analyzing them. I will publish my findings next week.