Mark Green, the former superintendent of Columbia City Parks and Recreation, found himself in hot water after misappropriating more than $240,000 of city funds. His escapade came crashing down when suspicions were raised regarding irregular financial transactions within the department, prompting an investigation by Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel in March 2023.
Working in collaboration with the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the investigation unveiled Green’s covert actions. It was discovered that he had used the city’s credit card to procure approximately $246,000 worth of baseball cards from ‘Sport Spot’. Instead of keeping the cards as collectibles, Green opted to sell some of them on eBay, ultimately confessing to the unauthorized expenditure of public funds on his hobby.
Initially facing a myriad of charges including four counts of corrupt business influence, four counts of theft, and one count of official misconduct, Green decided to enter a guilty plea in April 2024. The plea deal he struck meant pleading guilty to one count of theft, leading to the dropping of all other charges. Moreover, as part of the agreement, Green agreed to pay restitution amounting to $275,628. Of this sum, $100,000 went to a bond company, with the remaining $175,628 earmarked for reimbursing the city for the stolen funds.
The moment of reckoning arrived for Green during his sentencing on Monday. The court ruled that he would commence his three-year sentence by potentially spending the first year either in jail or on work release, followed by two years of probation. The severity of the sentence underscores the gravity of Green’s actions and serves as a cautionary tale for others who may contemplate similar misdeeds.
Beyond the personal consequences for Green, this case has shed light on systemic issues in the financial oversight of Columbia City’s Parks and Recreation Department. The scandal has sparked conversations about the urgent need for enhanced controls and transparency in managing public funds to prevent such malfeasance from occurring in the future. The city officials and residents are now grappling with rebuilding trust and ensuring the integrity of their public institutions moving forward.
