By Curt Peterson
On Monday, Jan. 4, Wade Mullins, 37, was arrested by the Vermont State Police (VSP) on suspicion of embezzlement.
The police report cited evidence that Mullins misappropriated approximately $10,000 between 2014 and 2020 while serving as Reading Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization’s treasurer. Reading is one of seven towns that joined to form the Windsor Central Unified Union School District as part of Act 46 school consolidation.
Police were first notified that funds were missing from the organization’s checking account on Nov. 6, 2020 by an attorney representing the Reading Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization.
Mullins is scheduled to answer charges in Windsor County Court on Feb. 23.
According to Sherry Sousa, WCUUSD superintendent, “The only relationship we have with our schools’ PTOs is advisory … we have no financial relationship.”
Sousa said the district has no oversight of PTOs regarding finances, restricting their advisory role to supporting participation according to district policies and procedures.
“Because there is no financial relationship, we do not have specific insurance coverage for our PTAs for this purpose,” Sousa said, referring to recovery of any embezzled RES PTO funds.
Mullins has been employed at Hypertherm in Lebanon for over 10 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Johnson State College in 2019, and was one of more than 550 graduates of Community College of Vermont in 2016.
He is also a member of the local rock and roll cover band, 3rd Rail.
