Naomi Rebo, hired last fall to fill in for Executive Director Shanda Jennings, quit her job as executive director of the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday.

Rebo quit Friday morning after being confronted by Chamber President Wayde Block about personal purchases on the Chamber of Commerce debit card.

“We were investigating further with board officers, meeting with her, and she quit,” Block said.

The board became concerned when it was alerted that Rebo had purchased cigarettes at the Smoke Shack with the Chamber debit card.

“She came in here and bought cigarettes,” said Russell James, manager of the Smoke Shack. “I knew she was with the Chamber. It just didn’t seem right to me that she should be buying cigarettes with the Chamber (debit) card.”

James said the purchase was made the first week of February.

Confronted about that purchase Friday before she met with the Chamber Board, Rebo provided documents to show how those purchases were counted against her paycheck. She provided a document that had amassed $150 in purchases against her paycheck.

“It’s something that’s been done before,” Rebo said. “I’ve done it, and Shanda told me it was OK. She said it was something she had done, too.”

During a meeting with the Chamber Board on Saturday afternoon, members took exception to Rebo’s assertion.

“Shanda never used the debit card for personal expenses,” Board member Pam Peppenger said. “Let me make that perfectly clear. There was never anything inappropriate done by Shanda.”

In the meantime, board members are poring over the records to determine the level of debit expenses.

“We have two board members going through the books now,” Board Secretary Lisa Block said.

“We really don’t know yet how far this goes,” Wayde Block, the Chamber president said.

Wayde Block said the board took immediate action when they were informed of the receipted purchase from the Smoke Shack.

“That was Thursday afternoon, and I cancelled the debit card immediately,” Wayde Block said. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, and if charges need to be filed, it’s something we will consider.”

Block said he informed the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, adding an internal audit will take about a week.

“We do know there were out-of-state purchases,” Peppenger said. “We’ll get it figured out.”

Rebo was hired last June to assist Jennings as she underwent cancer treatment. Jennings died in August, and Rebo was hired as executive director in September.

In addition to the Blocks, who serve as officers, board members include Robin Benson, Roxanne Escudero, Peppenger and Sandy Kraft.