Ex-Treasurer Charged; Full Restitution Made

The Bridgehampton School's former treasurer, Lyllis Topping, was arrested yesterday and formally charged with a felony count of grand larceny in the misappropriation of nearly $80,000 from the district between January and June of this year.

The charge had been expected for several weeks. Ms. Topping's attorney, John O'Brien, was with her yesterday morning when she appeared voluntarily for arraignment at Southampton Town Justice Court.

She is scheduled to appear in County Criminal Court on Feb. 5, when, according to a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney, she is expected to enter a plea of guilty, and be sentenced.

Makes Restitution

The Bridgehampton School District received a check in the amount of $86,145.59 on Tuesday.

The check covered not only missing state aid funds, but money the district had spent on an audit, interest that could have been earned had the stolen funds been deposited, and wages that had been advanced to the treasurer at the time she resigned, in September.

The D.A.'s office is understood to have recommended a sentence of community service, now that restitution has been made. A conviction on a class C felony could bring up to 15 years in prison, but leniency is generally the rule in first offenses and when restitution is secured.

Skimmed P.T.O. Account

Ms. Topping had served on the Bridgehampton School Board for 10 years before becoming the district's treasurer. She was also a part-time main office school secretary and the treasurer of the school's Parent Teacher Organization.

School officials traced the missing money to her in September. Shortly after the D.A.'s Public Integrity Bureau entered the investigation she resigned from all three positions.

The diverted state aid funds were deposited into the P.T.O. bank account, then skimmed out of that account.

"She Got Caught Up"

"She was the treasurer of the School District . . . there were no controls," Mr. O'Brien said after the arraignment, attempting to explain how his client was able to pull off the theft.

He said Ms. Topping had suggested the district implement controls on check-writing, recommending there be two signatures on checks instead of just one.

"I'm sure the first time you take is the hardest," Mr. O'Brien offered. "She got caught up. She made a terrible mistake and she regrets it and hopes no members of the community have been hurt by this."

Ms. Topping was "relieved when it was discovered," her attorney said.

"She knew it was wrong, even though she intended on giving it back." Only after the crime was known did the school treasurer feel she could stop looking over her shoulder, he said.

Used Money "To Live"

Asked to what use Ms. Topping had put the money, Mr. O'Brien said yesterday, there were no extenuating circumstances, no extravagant purchases.

She used it simply for "the cost of everyday living," he said flatly, adding that "she worked long, hard hours and only made $4,000 for her part-time position."

The Bureau of Public Integrity gave Ms. Topping enough lead time before arresting her to enable her to raise the restitution money. Mr. O'Brien said her father mortgaged his house to help his daughter repay the stolen funds.

Speaking to Bridgehampton residents at Monday's School Board meeting, Michael Conlon, the chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, said that "the two months we've had the case is a very small period of time."

Will Stay In Community

Mr. Conlon and five detectives, including investigative auditors, have been working on the case since it was brought to the D.A. He told Monday's gathering that the School District had "acted with great responsibility" from the start.

"I'm satisfied that [the board members] have done the right thing, and we will do that by you," said the detective.

The embezzlement continues to be a hot topic of discussion in the community. Bridgehampton residents were shocked by the initial reports and reluctant to believe the former treasurer was involved. Mr. O'Brien said many in the community had been supportive of her.

Ms. Topping, who has a daughter at the school, plans to stay in Bridgehampton. She has not spoken to the media about the case and apparently will not.

"She wants to try to put it all behind her," Mr. O'Brien said.

Edwards's Dismissal

In other Bridgehampton School news, the board confirmed its Nov. 14 decision to dismiss the District Superintendent, John Edwards, with a unanimous roll-call vote Monday night. Mr. Edwards has been asked to vacate his office at the school, though technically he remains the Superintendent until Jan. 13.

The decision not to renew his contract was independent of the embezzlement, but many residents have seen the two issues as parts of an overall puzzle not yet explained to their satisfaction.

Mario Medio, who has been the acting Superintendent since Mr. Edwards left, was officially appointed Monday to the position of assistant superintendent, a title he had held, along with that of business administrator, before he retired in June. He will become "interim Superintendent" as of Jan. 13.

Search Committee

Mr. Medio is expected to stay through the end of the school year. He stressed that he was indeed "retired," and not in the running for the job of Superintendent.

The board plans to hire a consultant to help in the search. Sam McAleese, the school principal, Debbie Haab, the business administrator, and Mr. Medio will help the board to narrow the field of consultants.

The board discussed including members of the community, teachers, and possibly students in the search process. The last time a superintendent search was done, the board wanted to do this as well.

"We were steered away from what our original feelings were," said John Wyche, the board president. "This time, I refuse to let someone from out of district dictate how we find the proper person for us."

Reading Scores

Questions on the embezzlement may have been at a minimum, but those at Monday's meeting had plenty to say on other school issues.

Responding to a recently published list of New York State schools with below-average reading scores that included Bridgehampton, parents wanted to know how this was possible given the school's small class size and student-teacher ratio.

The list was based on Comprehensive Assessment Reports, which evaluate students' performance and school programs.

Mr. McAleese said small class sizes may actually have put Bridgehampton at a disadvantage in terms of the percent of students scoring above the state reference point, which indicates achievement of minimum basic skills.

Small Classes Skew Numbers

In grade three, for example, all four students scored above the S.R.P. on Pupil Evaluation Program reading tests. For the sixth grade, the percentage was just 88 - eight children were tested, but one scored below the S.R.P.

Firing the School Superintendent was independent of the embezzlement, but many Bridgehampton residents have seen the two issues as parts of an overall puzzle not yet explained to their satisfaction.

The percent scoring above the reference point dropped to 77 on the eighth-grade PEP reading test, which was given to 13 students.

"If a kid has a bad day, we're going to be a school in need of improvement," Mr. McAleese said.

The School Board will discuss the superintendent search at a work session Wednesday. They will also be evaluating some facility changes that may be necessary to accommodate special-education students in the coming years.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the home economics building.