FAYETTEVILLE -- Tontitown Recorder-Treasurer Alicia Collins pleaded not guilty Friday to felony theft of property and theft of services charges in Washington County Circuit Court.
Collins was arrested Feb. 12 in connection with more than $25,000 in missing money from Tontitown, according to a probable cause affidavit released last month by the Washington County Prosecutor's Office. Collins also credited her own water and sewer service bill without the city receiving payment on the account, according to the affidavit.
Citation
Tontitown police cited Alicia Collins, city recorder-treasurer, for violating state law. The move is the first step in what city officials hope is Collins’ removal from the public office she was appointed to in 2013.
Under state law, it is “unlawful for any official or employee of any municipal corporation of this state to receive or accept any water, gas, electric current, or other article or service from the municipal corporation, or any public utility operating therein, without paying for it at the same rate and in the same manner that the general public in the municipal corporation pays therefor.”
Source: Arkansas Code 14-42-108.
Nonpayment on those services amounted to more than $1,000 between Jan. 1, 2013, and Wednesday, according to the affidavit.
Collins, 32, was given a May 11 trial date. She's free on $2,500 bond.
Collins faces five to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $15,000 if convicted of theft of property. Theft of services is punishable by no more than six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Restitution also can be ordered.
The Tontitown Police Department recently took the first step in the process of asking a judge to remove Collins from office by issuing a misdemeanor citation from the city, said Joey McCormick, acting interim police chief. Tontitown police issued a warrant Feb. 24 and cited Collins under a state law prohibiting city officials from using their positions to get free or reduced utilities from the city.
Aldermen previously said they wanted Collins removed from office, but state law prevents the City Council from removing a public official. Alderwoman Rhonda Doudna said someone accused of stealing shouldn't be in charge of city finances.
"We are going to have to force her to get out of (recorder-treasurer) or a judge will," Doudna said.
Collins hasn't returned messages left on Facebook.
Attorney Cathy Norwood with Norwood & Norwood represents Collins but she didn't return a message left at her office Friday afternoon.
Mayor Paul Colvin said he didn't think Collins planned to resign, but she hasn't been fulfilling her duties. Since her arrest Feb. 12 Collins hasn't attended Tontitown public meetings. She still receives monthly pay of $600, Colvin said.
"Taxpayer money is being paid out for her to be a recorder-treasurer, and she's not showing up," Colvin said. "It's an unfortunate circumstance."
City officials hope to ask a district judge to remove Collins from public office, Colvin said. Getting Collins to trial could take a couple of months or more, Doudna and McCormick said. Collins has a hearing on the city misdemeanor offense in the Springdale District Court on March 24, McCormick said.
The City Council fired Collins from her bookkeeper position last month. She had earned $41,742 with taxes and benefits in that position, city records show.
On Tuesday, aldermen hired Rhonda Ardemagni to fulfill Collins' recorder duties at $600 a month. The city also plans to hire a bookkeeper, Doudna said.
NW News on 03/07/2015