Politics & Government

Police Investigating Eighth Utilities District Raffle

Police Chief Marc Montminy Confirmed the investigation Wednesday.

The is investigating allegations of fraud involving a raffle for new car held by the in 2011, Police Chief Marc Montminy confirmed Wednesday.

Montminy said the investigation is based on an allegation left on the message board of the Journal Inquirer's website that money and tickets for a raffle the district held in 2011 for a new car had been misappropriated. 

"Someone posted a message on the JI saying that there was missing money from the 2011 raffle," Montminy told Patch Wednesday. "The investigation is just underway now, so we don't have anything to report." 

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John Topping, who serves on the Eighth Utilities District's Board of Directors, said the district has been holding a similar raffle for the past seven or eight years. Topping said that tickets are sold for the car throughout the year, then the drawing is held at the district's annual in August. 

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Montminy said 26 tickets, priced at $150 apiece, are unaccounted for. 

"It could be anything from an accounting error to larceny," Montminy said. "We're going to investigate on behalf of the district, and we'll make public what we find."

The Eighth Utilities District is an autonomous, volunteer fire department servicing the northern section of Manchester, which consists of about 100 volunteer firefighters and several paid positions. Residents in the district pay an adjusted tax rate and a separate fee for fire and sewer services. 

Eighth Utilities District President Mary O'Marra declined to comment about the investigation Wednesday. 

This is the second piece of high-profile controversy to strike the district in recent weeks. On March 12, , a 24-year old member of the Eighth Utilities District Fire Department and the son of the Eighth Utilities District Fire Chief Paul Litrico and Assistant Chief Mary Beth, was arrested while on duty at the department's Main Street Fire House and charged with buying heroin. 

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