By Shirlett Warren/editor-in-chief

A TCC internal audit review revealed that a board trustee owes the college $44,000 for health insurance premiums paid by the district after she stopped making the payments on her own.

Trustee Robyn Winnett was elected to the board in 1996 and accepted insurance benefits offered to board members by the district in the mid-’90s. Winnett made payments on her insurance premiums for several years and then at some point stopped making them, according to the audit.

“The district continued paying the portion employees would normally pay,” said board audit finance and committee member Louise Appleman.

Winnett did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.

According to TCC’s policy, board members are not permitted to receive any “remuneration or emolument” of office.

“It is the opinion of Internal Audit that it is not appropriate for board members to receive benefit greater than that of employees under the program,” reported the audit.

In Appleman’s statement to the trustees at the Sept. 24 board meeting, there was no indication that Winnett  received an invoice or notification from the district after her payments ceased.

“Procedures are being put in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” Appleman said. “Arrangements for repayment are being discussed with Winnett.”