Ex-ECHO Housing director TenBarge used ECHO funds to pay personal property taxes

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The former director of ECHO Housing Corp. paid her personal property taxes several times using the nonprofit's money, the Courier & Press discovered Thursday.

ECHO's attorney could not say whether Stephanie TenBarge's use of the nonprofit's funds for personal taxes played into her departure from the organization this week. TenBarge's exit was announced Wednesday with no comment from ECHO officials.

She used ECHO money to pay the taxes for three of her properties in November 2017, May 2017 and November 2016, according to Vanderburgh County Treasurer's Office records. She did so by using the same check to pay property taxes on ECHO-owned properties as she did for her own personal property, including her home at 945 Pine Gate Road.

ECHO Housing attorney Scott Wylie confirmed that TenBarge used ECHO funds to pay her property taxes.

“All donor funds that have come to ECHO have been accounted for,” Wylie said Thursday.

On Friday, Wylie added that all ECHO funds are “accounted for,” including funds from donations, grants, contracts and other revenue. The organization reported receiving $2.1 million in 2016.

“There is nothing missing that is not identified,” he said.

When asked whether or not the property tax payment played into her no longer being employed with ECHO, Wylie said he could not say if it “was or was not.” He said he could not remark on the employment status of any former employees.

It is not a policy of ECHO’s to allow employees to use ECHO funds for personal property taxes, he said.

Treasurer's Office records show the $1,683 November tax bill for her home was paid from a $4,656 check from ECHO Housing Corp. In November, she also used that ECHO check to pay for property taxes on four other ECHO properties, including 416 and 420 Read St., 619 N. Main St., and 233 W. Michigan St. 

County records show TenBarge's personal property taxes were paid for using an ECHO Housing Corp. check for November 2017, May 2017 and November 2016.

ECHO Housing board president Dane Chandler did not return a reporter's multiple requests for comment Thursday.

Chris Metz, the interim director and former assistant director under TenBarge, didn't return calls from a reporter Thursday. When a reporter went to the ECHO Housing Corp. office to ask to speak with Metz, an employee who was vacuuming the floor was told to tell the reporter Metz had "no comment."

TenBarge was ECHO Housing's executive director for nearly nine years. Her salary grew more than 10 percent every year for the last three years, according to the nonprofit's federal tax reports. In 2014, ECHO listed her salary at $59,387. It was $67,708 in 2015. And it grew to $76,250 in 2016.

ECHO Housing reportedly received $2.1 million in contributions, grants and revenue in 2016, according to the most recent tax form available. The organization reported having $6 million in assets to the federal government in 2016.

The group owns 66 properties in Evansville, including several vacant properties. It also spent $245,000 last year to purchase 101 N. Garvin St., a vacant commercial building the group plans to turn into a $6.1 million 27-unit homeless housing complex. ECHO Housing also plans to open Garfield Commons, an $8 million 44-unit housing complex at 214 W. Michigan St., next month.

They also own Lucas Place, apartments for homeless families, and Lucas Place II, housing for homeless veterans.