Couple charged with gas theft

A Cathlamet couple has been charged with using a Cathlamet Fire Department credit card to buy gasoline for their personal vehicle.

The couple, Karl and Lisa Moody of Cathlamet were charged in court on Monday; arraignment was continued to November 8. Karl Moody, a fire department member who has been on leave for about three years because of illness, has been charged with one count of theft in the second degree, and Lisa Moody has been charged with two counts.

Law enforcement officers said First Aid Division Captain Beau Renfro learned one department credit card had been missing from an ambulance for some time. Using gas purchase dates, department officers were able to identify people using the cards on gas station surveillance video. The purchases totaled $238.17. Surveillance recordings from previous times have been destroyed.

“This case represents a betrayal of public trust, but also failure on the part of Fire Department commanders and our town’s elected leaders, and I include myself here, to properly oversee the financial management of the department,” said Cathlamet Mayor George Wehrfritz in a statement issued Friday. “A comprehensive overhaul is called for, and we will begin without delay.”

On Tuesday, Wehrfritz announced that he had consulted with fire department and that to address accounting and oversight problems within the fire department and its first aid division, the Town of Cathlamet is implementing several new measures:

--Effective immediately, the position of First Aid Division Treasurer is eliminated. From this point forward, all financial aspects of the Cathlamet Fire Department will be overseen by Town Clerk/Treasurer Tina Schubert.

--The town and the fire department are to establish a direct, two-way flow of financial information. This process will entail transferring all First Aid Division billing activities into town control in a manner that respects HIPAA privacy rights and establishes town custody of all public documents pertaining to fire department operations.

"The current system is triangular," Wehrfritz said, "and runs through a private law office; this structure has caused recurring problems."

--The fire department will provide the town with copies of all contracts and agreements it has with outside entities.

--The CFD will implement fuel purchasing from the Wahkiakum County Road Department and phase out all non-emergency purchases from Cathlamet Chevron. Doing so would require new logistical and risk-control protocols, but will result in significant cost savings and enhanced security, Wehrfritz said.