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Russell writes that the State Auditor should take a good look at the NRP
system. I thought all neighborhoods were audited by the State Auditor.
Hale, Page and Diamond Lake Community Association was audited by the State
Auditor for the first time a few years ago. I think we do an update every
year. I know the State Auditor's office does not do a full audit of all
neighborhoods every year, but I thought, by now, they would have done every
neighborhood at least once.
To David's original point, I too find it hard to believe that a neighborhood
could spend money on "cash" or other items not in their NRP plan. At HPDL
(and I thought every neighborhood) we have a limited amount of money in the
bank. On small things, we spend the money and request reimbursement from NRP.
If it's part of our plan as approved by the NRP Policy Board after approval
by the neighborhood, it gets reimbursed. If we were to spend money in a way
that was not approved in our plan, it would not be reimbursed. For large
items, like the gym at Hale school, NRP reimburses the School District
directly. The neighborhood never "touches" that money. The bottom line is,
we could never run up thousands of dollars of unapproved expenditures. I
thought these fairly tight controls would avert the "fiasco" about which Doug
Grow wrote. Apparently something went wrong in that case and it should be
investigated. I don't think all neighborhoods can be tarred with that same
brush.
One last point from Russ' post, having spent many, many hours in NRP training
sessions, I can attest to the fact that training is readily available if
volunteers take advantage of it. The neighborhood staff also have a great
training program that teaches neighborhood organizing and other job skills in
a more systematic and better organized way than I have ever seen in the
private sector.
Scott Benson
Page
Ward 11
In a message dated 11/25/00 10:56:24 PM Central Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Months ago I said that the under-supported NRP system in this city was going
> to explode in some additional neighborhoods. We have over worked
> volunteers, under trained staff, lack of city hall support, way too much
> movement in staff within the system, poor financial controls, and a clear
> lack of accountability (especially through elected officials). We have
> volunteers in control of millions of dollars who are not trained or properly
> tied into the strategic vision of the city. On top of it we've got under
> funded departments within the city trying to go after NRP money as a hot pot
> of gold and boundary violations between council members, staff and NRP
> funds. Who is watching the dog here? Frankly, I think the state auditor
> should take a good look at all of the NRP system. At least we'd have some
>
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<HTML><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff"><FONT SIZE=2>Russell writes that the State Auditor
should take a good look at the NRP <BR>system. I thought all neighborhoods were
audited by the State Auditor. <BR>Hale, Page and Diamond Lake Community
Association was audited by the State <BR>Auditor for the first time a few years ago. I
think we do an update every <BR>year. I know the State Auditor's office does not
do a full audit of all <BR>neighborhoods every year, but I thought, by now, they would
have done every <BR>neighborhood at least once.
<BR>
<BR>To David's original point, I too find it hard to believe that a neighborhood
<BR>could spend money on "cash" or other items not in their NRP plan. At HPDL
<BR>(and I thought every neighborhood) we have a limited amount of money in the
<BR>bank. On small things, we spend the money and request reimbursement from NRP.
<BR> If it's part of our plan as approved by the NRP Policy Board after approval
<BR>by the neighborhood, it gets reimbursed. If we were to spend money in a way
<BR>that was not approved in our plan, it would not be reimbursed. For large
<BR>items, like the gym at Hale school, NRP reimburses the School District
<BR>directly. The neighborhood never "touches" that money. The bottom line is,
<BR>we could never run up thousands of dollars of unapproved expenditures. I
<BR>thought these fairly tight controls would avert the "fiasco" about which Doug
<BR>Grow wrote. Apparently something went wrong in that case and it should be !
!
<BR>investigated. I don't think all neighborhoods can be tarred with that same
<BR>brush.
<BR>
<BR>One last point from Russ' post, having spent many, many hours in NRP training
<BR>sessions, I can attest to the fact that training is readily available if
<BR>volunteers take advantage of it. The neighborhood staff also have a great
<BR>training program that teaches neighborhood organizing and other job skills in
<BR>a more systematic and better organized way than I have ever seen in the
<BR>private sector.
<BR>
<BR>Scott Benson
<BR>Page
<BR>Ward 11
<BR>
<BR>In a message dated 11/25/00 10:56:24 PM Central Standard Time,
<BR>[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Months ago I said that the under-supported NRP
system in this city was going
<BR>to explode in some additional neighborhoods. We have over worked
<BR>volunteers, under trained staff, lack of city hall support, way too much
<BR>movement in staff within the system, poor financial controls, and a clear
<BR>lack of accountability (especially through elected officials). We have
<BR>volunteers in control of millions of dollars who are not trained or properly
<BR>tied into the strategic vision of the city. On top of it we've got under
<BR>funded departments within the city trying to go after NRP money as a hot pot
<BR>of gold and boundary violations between council members, staff and NRP
<BR>funds. Who is watching the dog here? Frankly, I think the state auditor
<BR>should take a good look at all of the NRP system. At least we'd have some
<BR>fiduciary accountability.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR></FONT></HTML>
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