CHANCE Director Leroy Mitchell, already at the center of the controversial firing of a CHANCE counselor, which some called questionable, is now involved in a dispute concerning missing funds from a Sycamore church.

Mitchell, the former minister of the North Avenue Baptist Church, 301 North Ave., was removed by the church’s board of trustees from his position in March because of a rift between Mitchell’s followers and some Sycamore congregation members.

DeKalb attorney Ed Deidrich said Mitchell wanted to move the church to DeKalb, against the wishes of most Sycamore members.

After Mitchell left, estimates of $2,000 to $5,000 were discovered missing from the church’s checking account. Mitchell did not control the church trustees, who determine church expenditures, but he did influence the treasurer, Deidrich said.

Diedrich was hired by some church members to look into the situation and offer legal advice. “As of now, no legal action is planned,” he said. “There was money taken under questionable circumstances.”

Diedrich did not know the full details of how the money disapppeared, but “church members believe it was unlawful.”

Mitchell refused to comment about the allegations, saying he did not discuss his personal business with The Northern Star.

“This is clearly an attack on me—it comes with the territory of being a minister,” Mitchell said. “I have no comment. Print what you want to print.”

John Hopkins, a New Avenue Baptist Church member, said there was a split between some Sycamore church members and Mitchell’s followers, who were mostly from DeKalb.

“There is a natural animosity between DeKalb and Sycamore residents,” Deidrich said. “There are all the traditional spats such as a high school rivalry.”

However, in the case of the North Avenue Baptist Church, the rift became so bad that Sycamore church members called the Sycamore police to keep out the DeKalb members, Deidrich said, adding police were there only to preserve order.

“He (Mitchell) tried to sell the church without notifying anyone,” said a church member who asked not to be identified.

The rift between church members originated from Mitchell’s trying to split the church, Hopkins said.

Mitchell has since left Sycamore and was reportedly conducting religious services at the Inn of DeKalb, 1212 W. Lincoln Hwy. Inn employee Kim Kozuch said there was a weekly Baptist service at the inn but was discontinued one month ago. She was uncertain whether it was Mitchell’s ministry.

Clifton Jones Sr., church member and deacon, said overall, Mitchell was a “good minister and a good man.”

Church Trustee William Kendrick said he knew little concerning the missing money. “I can’t see him (Mitchell) doing anything illegal. The minister can’t take out money. He was a good man.”

Deidrich said, “It’s a total disaster what he did to that church.”

Mitchell also is involved in an on-campus controversy—the firing of CHANCE counselor Martha Palmer. Mitchell has refused to comment on the dismissal and has refused to disclose the reasons for the dismissal to the press or to Palmer.

NIU’s CHANCE program recruits students, mostly minorities, who ordinarily would not qualify for admission and offers those students counseling.

The CHANCE program is being srutinized by the Board of Regents, who are concerned with the program’s low retention rate. An April Regents’ report revealed more than 80 percent of CHANCE students either fail or drop out.