White River Junction — The former treasurer of First Universalist Society Church in Hartland has pleaded not guilty to embezzling nearly $8,000.

Windsor Superior Court Judge Theresa DiMauro released 44-year-old Tamara Ross, of Hartland, on her own recognizance following the hearing.

Police cited Ross into court on the felony charge last month following a lengthy investigation by police, the church’s board of directors and a forensic accounting firm.

The church funds were allegedly taken between September 2014 and April 2015.

Church President Colleen Spence first contacted police in May 2015 about missing funds, according to a Vermont State Police affidavit written by Trooper Gary Salvatore. She told police Ross was asked about financial discrepancy and couldn’t explain where the church’s money went.

Ross, who took the volunteer role in January 2014, was fired from her position as treasurer in April 2015. Spence and the church’s board of directors hired an attorney and an accounting firm to assess the church’s losses, according to the affidavit.

The Wisconsin-based firm found $7,911 in missing funds, according to a report sent to the church’s insurance company from Susan Peters of Balance Edge, a forensic accounting and investigations firm. The report was contained in court paperwork filed in Windsor Superior Court in White River Junction.

“It appears Ross wrote unauthorized checks for cash and attempted to deceive board members by making these checks to appear to be fundraiser seed fund money,” Peters wrote. “Additionally, it appears she was not depositing all of the proceeds from the fundraisers and was keeping the funds for herself.”

In September, the church’s insurance company reimbursed the church in the amount of $7,500, the limit of its policy coverage.

There was a lull in the case for several months until this spring.

Last month, Salvatore went to Ross’ Hartland home and interviewed her about the alleged misuse of funds.

Ross denied taking any money from the church. In the same interview, Ross told Salvatore she offered to pay the money back, according to the affidavit.

“Tamara went on to say she didn’t know why she did this,” Salvatore wrote.

Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.