Commissioners with the North Whidbey Park and Recreation plan to rescind the recent appointment of one of two commissioners to the elected board.

It’s not because of their choice of candidates, though one of the commissioners admits he’s concerned by the other commissioners’ selection of the former office manager, who was fired, filed a lawsuit against the district and was accused of questionable bookkeeping by the state Auditor’s Office.

Rather, the problems arose in the process followed in making the appointment, according to Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider.

The board has had veritable musical chairs of commissioners over the last few years. Only one of the current commissioners was actually elected; the others were appointed.

This summer, Commissioner Kirk Huffer resigned because he was moving out of state. He was appointed to the board the prior year after another commissioner resigned.

The district advertised the open position and received four “viable” applicants, said commission Chairman Allan McDougall.

Then, Commissioner Dave Walton submitted his letter of resignation at the Aug. 28 meeting. Commissioner Sean Merrill was absent from the meeting.

The three commissioners appointed Wendy Shingleton, former entertainment chairwoman of the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival, to the seat left open by Huffer’s departure.

McDougall said the three commissioners also decided to immediately appoint someone to Walton’s position from among the applicants for Huffer’s seat.

The three men unanimously appointed Victoria Robinson, the former office manager for the district and treasurer of the swim team, to the position being vacated by Walton.

The commissioner made three errors in appointing Robinson, Crider explained.

First, Walton’s letter stated that his resignation wasn’t effective immediately. A replacement can’t be appointed until after he actually resigns.

Second, an official can’t vote for his or her own replacement, per state law. Walton shouldn’t have voted; there was no quorum if he didn’t vote.

Finally, the district must advertise the open position and seek applicants.

McDougall said the commissioners will correct their mistake at the next meeting. They plan to rescind the appointment of Robinson and advertise the position.

Robinson still hopes to be appointed to the position.

“I trust that the Board will honor the decision they already made and act quickly to appoint me to the now open seat,” she wrote in an email.

“I believe that I can be a great help to North Whidbey Park and Recreation District and provide valuable leadership in building a District that serves the public needs and honors the public trust, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve the people of the District.”

Her appointment, however, might not go as smoothly the second time.

Merrill said he’s not in favor of appointing her to the board.

“I have a lot of concerns,” he said. “No, I would not have voted for her.”

Bill Walker, the former director of the district, fired Robinson and former swim coach Neil Romney in 2012 after they refused to give him the password to the swim team’s financial information.

Robinson and Romney both filed lawsuits against the district, alleging wrongful termination. The district settled with them, paying both about $20,000 each.

Walker said he discovered irregularities in the swim team’s finances after he fired the two employees and asked the state Auditor’s Office to look at the books. The state Auditor’s Office found a long list of problems, including missing money, in the fund set up for the aquatics club.

According to the report, the auditors said they found more than $18,000 in adjustments made to club members’ accounts without explanation. The report didn’t include names, but referred to people by their positions.

The report indicates that Robinson allegedly posted $2,738 to her own family’s account without making an actual payment on her last day off as treasurer for the swim team; Robinson is a “swim parent.”

The account of another swim club member who owed more than $8,000 was reduced to zero without any payment, the audit report states.

The report said that Robinson explained that she moved the accounts to a paper file. However, the auditors were unable to find those reports.

Robinson and the other club member paid the owed balance in full before the report was released.

Robinson’s attorney told the Whidbey News-Times last year that the information Walker provided to the auditors “was either negligent or intentionally misleading.”

The state Auditor’s Office recommended that the district recover the cost of the audit, nearly $8,000, from the two former employees or its insurance company. The district opted not to attempt to recover the funds.

The state auditor also sent the report to the Island County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutor Greg Banks said he sent it to the Oak Harbor Police Department because he felt they “should look at it.”

Capt. Teri Gardner said she has no recollection of the case.

Crider said four of the five commissioner positions will be on the ballot next year.

The next parks board meeting is Sept. 18.