The Anna Maria Island Community Center board of directors will not hire an outside agency to conduct an investigation into recent allegations against former employee Andy Jonatzke of inappropriate sexual conduct with a juvenile female at the center.
Center executive director Pierrette Kelly said board members agreed at a May 2 meeting that the center’s policy is to follow the lead of the investigating law enforcement department in any incident involving the center. Since the MCSO has concluded its investigation and stated there is no case, the board has done the same, she said.
Board chair Greg Ross said it is board policy to let appropriate law enforcement agencies handle official inquiries.
In the wake of the allegations made April 1 against Jonatzke, the board gathered a committee of experts on juvenile law, youth issues and education to review policies and procedures and make recommendations.
Jonatzke was suspended April 1 pending the outcome of the MCSO investigation and the center’s own findings, but resigned April 8.
Following an often-emotional April 21 meeting between the board and public, “stop gap” measures concerning staff conduct and child safety were implemented by the board. Several people at the meeting called for Kelly’s resignation and an outside investigation of the allegations. Others, however, praised the center and Kelly’s efforts.
The board gave Kelly its whole-hearted support May 2, and also determined there would be no further investigation.
Stop-gap measures outlined at that meeting included requiring staff to re-read and sign the confidentiality agreement they signed when first hired; terminate any social media contact with youth, particularly on Facebook; and have no contact with youth outside the center except for official center activities. Additionally, no one-on-one interactions between staff and/or a volunteer and center youth are permitted.
Once the committee has prepared any recommended changes to current policies and procedures, Kelly said the results would be forwarded for review to BoardSource, the national reviewing agency for policies and procedures for non-profit organizations and boards of directors.
Kelly said the Washington, D.C., based organization is “considered the gold standard for non-profit organizational rules and procedures.”
After BoardSource has reviewed the materials submitted by the committee and addressed any concerns with center policies, those comments and that of the center committee will be presented to the board for discussion and adoption, if necessary, Kelly said.
The next scheduled board meeting is 8 a.m. Monday, June 20, at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
The meetings are open to the public.