Donors worry $45K journey spending by Baltimore library CEO may harm future contributions

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Donors are questioning how their {dollars} are being spent after the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library used $45,000 in donor funds for 3 worldwide journeys final summer season.

Seven months after Chad Helton started main the library, he set off on an eight-day journey to Egypt . A month later, he jetted to China adopted by one other eight-day tour to Japan. The library insisted the journey was paid for with $45,000 in donated funds, which the library mentioned can be utilized at Helton’s discretion.

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Donor and longtime library supporter Francis Muldrow mentioned she was sad with the spending.

“Not [$]45,000 in three months,” Muldrow mentioned. “A lot of donors thought that would go more for the library than the CEO.”

I don’t like him being in charge of the discretionary fund. It’s almost sounds like it’s his personal bank account.”

Helton said the trips allowed him to learn about operations at other libraries, “with the added intention of strengthening relationships with our international library peers.”

However, taxpayer advocate David Williams is not satisfied.

“Is he going to be held accountable? Because this is nothing more than a self serving use of donor money,” Williams instructed FOX45 News.

The library has insisted tax {dollars} weren’t used to fund the journeys, however Williams insists taxpayers may nonetheless be impacted.

“When people are calling for more taxpayer money to be spent on the library and see donor money going toward travel, there is a problem here. And someone needs to be held accountable,” Williams mentioned.

Muldrow mentioned she worries the controversy may harm future donations and the individuals who depend on the library.

“I don’t want it [the library] to suffer because of his poor judgment,” she mentioned. “Because it’s the children who are gonna suffer.”