Former Wisconsin superintendent made offer to pay back some money

GLENWOOD TOWNSHIP, Wis. (FOX 9) – In January, when former Wisconsin Superintendent Tim Johnson was under investigation for alleged fraud against the Glenwood City School District, he made an offer to the school district through his attorney: Johnson would pay back $44,000 if the school district refused, to cooperate with law enforcement authorities.

The school district rejected the deal.

On Friday, 10 months later, the St. Croix County district attorney filed $290,000 indictments against Johnson on 17 felony counts ranging from theft, money laundering, forgery and misconduct in public office.

Johnson, 52, who resigned as superintendent in May 2023, is alleged to have forged 15 receipts from Viterbo University from 2013 to 2021. He received $75,000 in reimbursements from the district for courses he did not take, while also accepting a $25,000 annual stipend for graduate work. a total of $125,000 during the same period.

READ MORE: Former Wisconsin superintendent indicted for stealing quarter million from district

Johnson’s offer to repay the district is outlined in a series of reports from Glenwood City Police Chief Joel Klatt that were included in Friday’s criminal complaint against Johnson.

In two letters to Johnson dated December 6, 2023 and January 1, 2024, the district’s new superintendent, Patrick Olson, requested that Johnson release his transcript from Viterbo University under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Otherwise, Olson wrote, the school district would turn the matter over to law enforcement.

The Glenwood City Police Department eventually obtained Johnson’s school records through a search warrant at Viterbo University.

Five days before the district’s Jan. 12 deadline to release its record, Johnson’s criminal defense attorney, Tracey Wood, sent a letter to the district informing them that Johnson had deposited $44,000 into a trust fund that Johnson would be prepared to use , to be handed over to the district.

But there was a catch. The attorney said the school district must agree that “all claims related to employment matters will be deemed resolved and the district will not take any further civil or criminal action or provide assistance in any possible civil or criminal proceedings.”

According to the report, the letter continued: “We would also like to have a privacy clause so that the district does not share anything.” [sic] employees or board members.”

The Glenwood City School Board briefly considered accepting the offer but ultimately declined, according to police reports and district officials.

On Jan. 25, attorney Tracey Wood contacted the district again on Johnson’s behalf and now offered to donate $43,760 to the district at no cost on the condition that the district not cooperate with law enforcement, Chief Klatt wrote.

In March, Chief Klatt was informed that Johnson’s attorney had given the school a check for $43,000 with an explanation of the amount.

“Some of the numbers are consistent with the refunds paid to Johnson, others are not,” Chief Klatt wrote in his report. “The school has decided not to cash the check as of the date of this report,” he added.

Jonson is accused not only of submitting false transcripts from Viterbo University while receiving a continuing education scholarship for courses he never took, but also of receiving $38,462 for a special education teacher position for which he was unlicensed, and $51,000 in “alternative benefits.” had no right to it.

In February, Chief Klatt received a request directly from Tracey Wood, Johnson’s attorney: Johnson should not be arrested if charges are filed, but rather that a summons be issued.

Johnson was charged via summons on Friday. His first court date is scheduled for November 21st.

Since the charges were filed late Friday afternoon, FOX 9 reached out to Johnson and his attorney for comment and did not receive any responses.