By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

TERRACE PARK - The Terrace Park Alumni Association sued its former longtime treasurer, alleging she took $29,000 of the club's money for her personal use and then broke a promise to repay it.

The association noticed that several checks drawn on the organization's account in January 2003 were written for cash during Jean Meyer's tenure as treasurer, according to the lawsuit.

Meyer, 73, has not been charged with a crime and the allegations were never reported to police. She denies the allegations outlined in the lawsuit, filed last week in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.

When the association confronted her, the suit alleged, she signed a promissory note agreeing to pay back the missing $29,000 in monthly payments of $50.

The suit alleges that she failed to make the first scheduled payment to the group, which includes graduates from any Terrace Park school.

The association's lawyers and its president declined comment. The lawsuit did not outline how much money is in the organization's account or what the group does.

In an interview last week, Meyer said she quit as treasurer last year when she became unable to drive. At that time, she turned over all records to the new treasurer, she said.

If she is guilty of anything, Meyer said, it is sloppy accounting. She said she reimbursed association members over the years for items they bought for the association. Most of the time, the members didn't have receipts, she added.

She also said she would give members money out of her pocket on the spot and later reimburse herself with checks made out to cash on the association's account.

"It was wrong," Meyer conceded. "It was stupid to do it and if I had to do it over, I would not have done it."

She signed the note pledging to repay the money, she said, to "keep the peace and not cause an uproar."

She regrets signing it and not contacting an attorney beforehand, she said. She said she plans to hire an attorney now.

She also said she tried to make four payments, but the association's president would not accept them.

---

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com