In regards to NRP and its effectiveness, I have a prime example that has
occurred in one of the 80 some neighborhoods that reinforces my belief that
NRP is ineffective in protecting the public money. Approximately 14 months
ago, the previous president of Central Neighborhood Improvement Association
(Walt Gutzmer) wrote an email (which I have a copy of) to the current
president of CNIA at that time (Roxana Orrell) and the secretary of the board
at that time (David Piehl). The email said that Jana Metge (the ED at that
time) should remove some files from office before some other board members
may get a hold of them. The following is a quote from Walt Gutzmer's email:
"You should be prepared for some nasty business now that they can get
what they want. They are asking for the mailing lists now because they
believe that they are in control. Jana should remove the mailing lists and
anything of value / use to them before they next board meeting because even
if you say no, they will vote as a board and approve dissemination of lists
etc."
I know this gets into details of a neighborhood that most don't need to know,
but it is pertinent to the point I'm am trying to make about NRP. And in
fact, there were many files pertaining to NRP funds and programs, along with
many other materials that were necessary to operate the organization and NRP
business that had disappeared when the new board came into office. Not only
is there $110,000 of NRP funds currently missing, but as we all know, it
costs a lot of money to generate those files and reconstruct those files that
are now missing. I hold the NRP (Bob Miller and Joe Horan's office)
responsible for filing formal charges and investigating this matter.
However, to this date, they have done nothing to resolve this very important
issue after a formal request was given to them. Isn't it ironic that the ED
at that time (Jana) is currently the ED of another neighborhood group that
receives NRP funds? I am wondering when the NRP office will start holding
individuals accountable for their actions. Frankly, I don't see it happening
under the current operation of the NRP. We must have reform and we should
start holding people accountable for public money that is clearly
misappropriated.
Here's a quote from Annie Young that makes a lot of sense:
"Unfortuantely, what happens
a lot of times is the President or Chair and a couple of cronies take over
the power and don't share all the information or think they know-it-all and
subvert the real meaning and purpose of a Board and its responsibilties.
And let's not forget the old cliche' - "Money is the root of all evil".
What I have seen in most groups that fail is that the issue is power and
control and the fight over the use of the money... nothing more, nothing
less."
I truly hope that some of the NRP policy boardmembers (along with some City
Councilmembers) are out there listening to these discussions. Something must
be done to reform the current NRP organization and the fact that it's power
lies in the hands of a few individuals. Or simply, maybe we shouldn't have
millions of dollars invested into one program that is so prone to abuse.
Sincerely,
Basim Sabri
Central/Whittier/Lowry Hill East/Phillips
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