By Carl Fish
Winter Haven, Florida – Allegations continue to mount over Polk State College’s controversial $125,000 request to the Polk State College Foundation, with new documents and board communications raising questions about transparency, governance, and whether both trustees and Foundation board members were given the full picture. Foundation Director of Finance Joanie Malone, who detailed the events in a written timeline and emailed to PSC District Board of Trustee members and PSC Foundation members, is now being regarded by several observers as a whistleblower.
As the Daily Ridge previously reported, the college approached the Foundation’s executive committee in May seeking up to $125,000 in unrestricted funds to help students remain enrolled. While just under $51,000 of that request was ultimately used, Foundation board members voiced concern about how the request was handled and pressed for a full accounting.
When Daily Ridge first sought answers about this recent matter, the only information provided by the college was a short written statement from District Board of Trustees Chair Ann Barnhart. In that response, Barnhart said: “It would not be appropriate for either Polk State College or its Foundation to address this situation without an accurate and independent review of what occurred and to have those facts presented in a written report.”
However, multiple concerned Foundation board members later forwarded the full version of Barnhart’s email. In that...
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