Accused United Way Executive Director Case Moves to County Court
LOCK HAVEN – The former executive director of the Clinton County United Way has had her theft case moved on to Clinton County Court. Maria Garlick, 54, of 37 Baird Road, Lock Haven, appeared before District Judge Keith Kibler for a preliminary appearance Tuesday afternoon.
After listening to more than an hour and a half of testimony, Judge Kibler moved the case into court for her arraignment; she continues free on bail, charged with the theft of better than $21,000 during her 15 months as the United Way executive director.
Chief prosecution witness was Jason Walker, president of the United Way board of directors. In response to questions from District Attorney Dave Strouse, Walker detailed how the board, through the agency’s annual audit, learned that Garlick was alleged on multiple occasions to be advancing herself her $500 a month health care stipend. That money was in addition to her annual pay of $42,500.
Once a final audit was completed it was determined, according to Walker, that she had advanced herself some $19,000 in future stipends, equal to four years employment. The defendant served 15 months as the United Way director until her resignation. She is also charged with using her agency-issued debit card to transfer $600 to her personal account and another $600 to her son’s account.
Introduced as evidence was a note allegedly written by the defendant, discovered by the United Way board. It read, “$5,000. Get a grip on this. Do not write any more health care checks.”
Garlick was represented by Lycoming County attorney Kyle Rude. He argued there was no evidence the advance medical stipend payments was unlawful and challenged the prosecution case that it was Garlick who had transferred bank funds of $600 each from the United Way account to her or her son.
Garlick is facing charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, access device fraud and recovering stolen property. She had been arrested by Lock Haven police in late October.
Garlick had served as head of the United Way from April of 2018 until July of this year.
Prior to her work with the United Way, Garlick had been executive director of the Clinton County Housing Authority Coalition Life Center and Merit House homeless shelters. She served in that capacity from 2012 until joining the United Way in the spring of 2018. From 2009 to 2012 she had been community caseworker/grant administrator for STEP’s Homelessness Prevention Rapid Re-Housing program in Clinton and Lycoming counties.
She previously served as executive director of the Salvation Army Horizon House Homeless Center.
Meanwhile the local United Way is in the process of hiring a new executive director. The new director is expected to be announced next month. .
