An in-depth look at WTVP's future and criminal investigation

WTVP's financial woes are behind the public television station. That much John Wieland can say proudly as the station's new chairman of the Board of Directors.

Moving WTVP back to solid financial footing was step one for Wieland and the new board members. What comes next for the embattled station, which has endured months of controversy, is a little more difficult, but Wieland is confident.

WTVP must hire a new CEO to replace Lesley Matuszak who resigned last summer and then died by suicide in her home the next day. Then, the station must navigate the fallout from an ongoing criminal investigation into the station's finances.

In an interview with the Journal Star, Wieland spoke at length about WTVP's finances, his views on the criminal investigation and the future of the station.

WTVP financial crisis: A timeline of events

Theft, fund misuse occurred at WTVP in Peoria, Wieland believes

Wieland holds the same beliefs former board chairman Andrew Rand held in that Matuszak and former finance director Lin McLaughlin are the two allegedly responsible for the misuse and inappropriate handling of funds at WTVP.

Based on the financial figures he reviewed, Wieland said it appears roughly $300,000 of money was misused or stolen in the last fiscal year. He said that figure could change as the investigation rolls on.

"I have seen enough information that if I was chairman at that time, I would've filed charges as well," Wieland said. "That's probably the strongest comment I can make."

When drawing a difference between a misuse of funds or theft of funds, Wieland explains it this way: A misuse of funds is akin to spending that can be rationalized by someone but at the end of the day, is likely inappropriate and has nothing to do with WTVP. Theft of funds on the other hand, he said cannot be rationalized and would occur when someone uses station money or property for themselves.

"If the board didn't think both of those occurred, they wouldn't have filed charges," Wieland said. "I looked at the information myself and I concur with Andrew (Rand) and the board that we believe both of those occurred."

Both the Peoria Police Department and Illinois Attorney General's Office are investigating the case.

Wieland said he spoke with Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria recently and was told there was no update to be provided on the ongoing investigation. The Peoria Police Department told the Journal Star the investigation was ongoing and they had no comment at this time.

McLaughlin's alleged involvement is unclear, Wieland said. He said he hopes the investigations can help decipher the situation. She has not been charged in the case. McLaughlin did not respond to a Journal Star email or phone calls.

WTVP: Lesley Matuszak, other ex-employee appear to have approved 'improper' spending

Wieland, who is the CEO of MH Equipment, has dealt with a situation like this before when years ago an employee was caught stealing money at his company.

To that end, Wieland said he feels sorry for Matuszak and her family. He said people should not be so quick to judge.

"We are all broken people and our brokenness manifests itself differently for everybody," Wieland said. "You're brokenness manifests itself in one way, my brokenness manifests in other ways. The CEO, well we know where that brokenness possibly manifested itself."

More: Who are WTVP's 8 new board members? Here's a look at their backgrounds

What does the future of WTVP look like?

WTVP's financial mess has been all but cleaned up, Wieland said, thanks to an influx of $1.2 million in donor money.

Likewise, the station's board of directors looks drastically different following the resignation of 11 board members in January. Wieland and eight new board members were chosen to fill their places and the remaining spots will be filled Tuesday when the board meets again.

Wieland said the resignation of the board members was a decision they made themselves and is one he felt was right given the optics of the situation. He stresses, however, that the outgoing board members did nothing wrong and handled the crisis exactly how they should have.

"What I want to make sure everybody understands is this, Andrew (Rand) and that board decided that yes, giving the communities a refreshed board was a good thing and in the best interest of the community," Wieland said. "They also believed, as well as I, there should be some board members that stay for continuity."

Wieland and fellow new board members Marty Johnson and Andy Chiou worked together to seek out new board members. He said they broke down which skill sets, backgrounds and ethnicities they were looking for to fill the board.

He said the one criteria all the new board members had to meet was being "all in" on the mission of WTVP to provide "scientific, educational, entertainment and cultural content."

"We wanted no board member to try to use it for their own agenda, for a platform for political, religious or social type of agenda, that's not what public television is for," Wieland said.

Wieland said the outgoing board members decided among themselves who should stay. He said, for example, someone like board treasurer Helen Barrick was indispensable.

Wieland himself first became interested in joining the board in November while he watched the controversy unfold.

The hunt for a new CEO is one that Wieland hopes to have completed within six months. He said he wants the candidate to be someone with local ties.

"We want the CEO to be someone whose roots are in central Illinois, we don't want somebody from Boston to come here for a year and a half for a stepping stone," Wieland said.

"My importance to the station, if it's an inch, that next CEO it's going to be a yardstick," Wieland said. "That next person is going to be the face, they're going to continue to build the trust and so I am just trying to be faithful in my little part in this story."

More: 11 WTVP board members resign amid financial crisis

WTVP still has some financial matters to work out

While the $1.2 million in new donor money will be a major shot in the arm for WTVP, the station must still figure out how to once again secure funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

In December, the CPB decided to withhold roughly $900,000 of funding from the station as it navigated the early stages of its financial crisis.

How much money the CPB gives to WTVP is based on how much money the station brings in through donations. An error was found in which some donations were not properly noted in the station's bookkeeping. Wieland said he does not believe this was done with ill intent.

"They have a fiduciary responsibility to the government to make sure that their money is going for content," Wieland said. "With everything that was going on, they just said, 'Look we need to pause and we need to make sure we're fulfilling our fiduciary responsibility.'"

Some advertising dollars spent by companies at WTVP were inaccurately recorded as donation money, which increased the amount the CPB would give to the station.

Wieland said WTVP has determined about $50,000 was improperly recorded as donations instead of advertising dollars and the station will work to pay back the CPB.

"We're going to be aggressive in paying that back because that's peanuts compared to receiving $700,000 to $900,000 year after year," Wieland said.

Wieland would also like to see, possibly not with WTVP as the vehicle, Peoria Magazine restored to the community.

In October, Peoria Magazine stopped publication. Wieland said the magazine was losing WTVP $35,000 a month. He said that will not happen again while he is board chair.

"The magazine is really a good magazine and we need to figure it out," Wieland said. "I am not talking about WTVP, I am talking about our community. People who like the magazine, we've already had one meeting on how we can restore that magazine and what does it look like. But I will say this, as long as I am the chairman, we aren't going to lose $35,000 a month on that."

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Amid months of turmoil, future of WTVP in Peoria is brighter. Here's why