Former administrator of Kingston Township, Kingston charged in Cumberland County

A Plymouth Borough native who once worked as an administrator in Kingston Township and Kingston was charged with misappropriating public funds while employed as manager for Newville Borough and the Newville Water and Sewer Authority in Cumberland County.

Fred Andrew Potzer, 62, was charged by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office with two felony counts of tampering with public records and access device fraud and misdemeanor counts of misapply government finances and tampering with public records. Potzer was released on $10,000 unsecured bail after he was arraigned Tuesday.

Potzer served as Newville Borough manager from 1994 to 2022. He served as administrator in Kingston Township from 1985 to 1988 and as the Kingston administrator from 1989 to 1993.

Potzer resigned from the position in Kingston in June 1993, under a cloud of suspicion of overspending and misappropriating funds that left the municipality with a debt of $1.1 million.

Cumberland County District Attorney Sean M. McCormack announced the charges against Potzer after an investigation and a forensic audit of Newville Borough and Newville Water and Sewer finances.

“The criminal charges filed are primarily related to the steps Potzer took to cover up his mismanagement of borough and authority funds. His actions leave both the borough and the water/sewer authority in a significant financial hole. One that ultimately falls on the shoulders of the residents of Newville. That is where the impact of these crimes is being felt most,” McCormack stated in a news release.

According to the criminal complaint:

After Potzer was terminated from his positions, representatives from Newville Borough and Newville Water and Sewer discovered irregularities in their finances, notably a $50,000 unpaid electric bill.

An investigation and forensic audit allegedly showed Potzer created false treasurer and financial reports with the intent the fraudulent reports would be accepted by the Newville Borough Council and the Water and Sewer Authority.

During an interview with Potzer, he explained he was “robbing from Peter to pay Paul,” in using Water and Sewer funds to pay for borough funds as the borough had no revenue.

Potzer claimed during the interview he was able to transfer and move funds between Newville Borough and Newville Water and Sewer because their checks were not labeled with their entity names, the complaint says.

McCormack pointed out Potzer is not accused of using funds from Newville Borough and Newville Water and Sewer for personal use.

A review of Potzer’s personal finance accounts found no evidence that he took any funds for himself, McCormack stated.