We found no enjoyment watching the former Butler Health System COO and a former detective for the District Attorney’s Office enter guilty pleas to charges of misusing funds from the hospital and income tax problems.

We knew both of these individuals and had tried to give them the benefit of the doubt from the time the rumors started circulating about their misconduct.

We even sat down a few times with the former detective and listened to him explain how it was all false and that neither had done anything wrong.

But in all honesty, it was common to hear the same story from many people who knew her as the hospital’s community servant. She sat on various boards and committees and always made an impressive representation for the hospital.

Over and over, people would say, “I like her; I thought she was an asset to the community and the best representative the hospital could have.” We fell in line with those same sentiments and wanted the story to be wrong.

We heard much crazier numbers in the pleas this week. People placed the number of dollars missing at as much as $9 million.

But $1.5 million or $9 million doesn’t really make a difference. After the story broke in the newspaper, one family member called me with the argument that if Scott Roskovski had done anything like what he was accused of, it would be because of his total infatuation with his wife, and that he loved her too much to question her explanation of where all this cash was coming from.

It does seem to an extent like he is falling on his sword for her. She was the one manipulating funds at the hospital, but he was a detective who had investigated crimes like this one many times, we are told. Love is blind, they say.

But, please, finding an extra million dollars in the family budget and spending on your racetrack?

This is why the selection of board members at nonprofits is so important. This is also why people who accept board positions should take it seriously and not just for their ego.

We’re asked to serve on boards at times, and the question always has to be considered: Do they want me as a skilled businessperson or as someone who can get them extra news coverage?

Butler Health System officers and board members were shocked, insulted and embarrassed by what transpired. They, too, fell victim to liking the person they trusted and believed that she would always do what was best for BHS.

So, if you are going to accept a board seat or are asked to sit on an oversight committee for an organization, please take the responsibility seriously.

Pay attention and ask questions. Know where the funds are going and why. We can all be fooled, but we should make it hard for the perpetrator to fool us. We don’t know why or how this scheme was ever started or why it reached the level it did. But we know it sets an example for all boards and all nonprofits moving forward. Do your job and keep everyone honest.