The Observation Deck

Bob - Lakewood Alive is a 501C3, non-profit organization.

When you get a grant (free money) you are obliged to give a report telling what you did, how you did it, how many people impacted, whether you were successful in reaching your goals.

When LA applied for these monies, they did not do project reports. Tax returns are something totally different. See they are a non-profit.

Kevin - It's not all about money, it's about morals, values and standards set for grants by grantors, in this case the grantor is the federal govt.

If Monique can't take 2 seconds to type two lines because of her busy schedule campaigning and working full-time I wonder how she is going to do as a public official. Accessibility Kevin - you know that one.

Sharon, the required reports on how the spent the money are attached to a link on the page you provided.

There is a report for 2008 for the home painting program along with all the other reports from all the other agencies that got money, it showed the money they received and how many houses they painted.

Not sure exactly what you're looking for? If you're looking for a financial report about the org as a whole, I don't believe that's required to be public record.

Just because the folks who are asking questions about suspicious actions have not “proven” what they are questioning, and have not revealed all they know, does not mean these issue are without merit. And that our elected officials have no responsibility to investigate the bases of their concerns.

There have been some hefty concerns expressed here. With nasty implications. Why wouldn’t an elected official want to ask around and find the truth behind it all? Are they that neive they don not realize some of those closest to them are leaking this stuff? That some of those amoung them secretly disagree? That some of those closest to them veiw them and thier actions as slimy and cant wait to see them fall on their pompus toochies?

If something stinks in Lakewood shouldn’t they want to stop it?! Do Lakewood residents really need to go to outside investigational organizations to have their concerns investigated? Really??

Why are our elected officials responding with:

Can you prove it?

Where is the list?

Tell us, the lawyers, what is ethically wrong.

Show us, the lawyers, the exact statute that is being broken.

Tell us, your elected representatives, why your interests are equal to those of our buddies, puppet masters and cash machines.

Or my personal favorite:

I never even would of suspected you.


.........................................................................................

These are the response these lawyers, our elected officials have to all the expressed concerns?????

This is a comment I received from a city hall crone when I raised concern and asked for, at minimal, questions be asked and my concern to be looked into.

“My job is to protect the interest of the city. Which is not necessarily those of the residents”

I.e., Damage control. Preventing any more bad publicity for this already viewed poorly city called Lakewood.

Your fears are well founded fellow residents.

And our elected officals have no motivation to expose the truth. Quit the contrary.

No Bob, the link I provided allows you access to the grant requests and LA's shows the proposed numbers and actions, not what they accomplished 2009. Activities and numerical counts, not money.

Every project I have ever worked on reported quarterly, for this grant you're only requested to attach it annually and it's not there for the 2009 quarters. I understand they may have not had their numbers for the remainder of the year but they should have had their numbers for the first three quarters.

I did these reports for my projects, I don't see this with the proposal.

In addition, there is supposed to be a detailed accounting made for monies allocated, not general figures. As an engineer(I don't know what kind of engineering you do or where you may be on final project proposed costs and actual costs) there should be an accounting for what each piece in a mechanism costs. Or if it is a discrete piece, cost of material and manufacture by lots and then by unit.

In addition, when I looked again at the Lakewood Alive proposal, I saw that our mayor and many a couple of council members are At-Large members of their board.

This stuff just gets more and more intersting.

Sharon,

Looks like the reports need to be filed at the end of the fiscal year.

Again, from the page you linked, here's a link to the report for all programs for the 2008 fiscal year.

http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/2008%20Caper.pdf

Each of the applications has information about the organizations, LA's has their annual report for 2008 on there, which does have some financial information.

And you're right, both Mayor Fitzgeral and Councilman Summers are at-large board members.

http://onelakewood.com/Development/Comm ... tions.aspx

One of LA's applications

http://onelakewood.com/pdf/CDBG%20Appli ... 20FY10.pdf

It'd be great if we had someone who could get these answers to us all tied up in a bow, but with part-time council members, I don't mind doing a little legwork on my own if it helps the transparency.

So in answer to our questions, it does not appear that simply being a member of an organization is a conflict of interest. One must be on the board or have a monetary stake in the organization.

It may not fit the legal definition of conflict of interest but it could have the appearance of impropriety.

I am not a lawyer.

It is the perception.

Ryan Patrick Demro wrote:Where is Monique Smith? Why is she absent from this forum? It's because she can't defend herself from public scrutiny.

Just curious as to why you believe Monique Smith needs to participate in this forum? It would be to her advantage to participate but I don’t think she should be called out because she doesn’t.

If every candidate had to defend themselves on every forum and chat board, that’s all they would be doing. It would be a full time job. I’m not defending Monique as much as I’m questioning why you feel it’s a requirement to participate on the Deck in order to be perceived as a viable candidate.

Ryan Patrick Demro wrote:She is a cog for the machine.

Interesting comment. Would you care to elaborate and explain further?

Rhonda loje wrote:

So in answer to our questions, it does not appear that simply being a member of an organization is a conflict of interest. One must be on the board or have a monetary stake in the organization.

It may not fit the legal definition of conflict of interest but it could have the appearance of impropriety.

I am not a lawyer.

It is the perception.

I would say this is an independence rather a conflict of interest concern. Public officials need to maintain independence in fact and appearance. But I’m no lawyer either.

Bob - you don't get it.

I'm talking about the following -

How many residents did they see?
How many residents were referred elseewhere and what agencies did the refer to?
How many households and residents did they serve?
What activities were accomplished?

It states very clearly in those parameters, accomplishments. Not pie charts, not generalizations, actual results.

It's not the money.

And, as of matter fact, how was the money for each funded project spent? Advertising budget for the project, rent for the project, copying, mileage, etc.?

Why aren't they available and if the project is successful and fulfilling these goals by showing their literal accomplishments, then why not.

I can't make it any more literal than that.

You've been showing me things I looked at a long time ago and in the past when I ask these questions of the organizationI was berated by the executive director on this forum.

Enough.

Until I get the answers I want, I'm done.

As I’ve had my feet in many established and grassroots groups/orgs in Lakewood while “staying home” with my young children I spent time serving the LakewoodAlive efforts. I served as the “Membership Chair” for some time right up until LakewoodAlive, the informal grassroots Political Action Committee, officially merged with LCPI, the 501(c)3 Corporation which changed name to LakewoodAlive.

Many new and admirable Lakewood groups/nonprofit orgs have formed in recent years – MAMA, FOMP, LIA, LakewoodAlive, LCPI, Pillars of Lkwd, Kiwanis Rockport, Lakewood Family Collaborative. Some will become sustaining some will not. Kudos to all of their efforts. The compelling difference is that LakewoodAlive is the only one of these grassroots efforts that is now on the receiving end of hundreds of thousands of the public’s money, not just a few thousand at best as the former PAC ever dealt with.

One of the reasons I joined LakewoodAlive in 2006 when it was a PAC and volunteered so many hours towards its efforts was because they were holding public, nonpolitical educational forums. One that I was very interested in was the CitiStat program. (which is available at the library on DVD I believe). In summary it was advocating that our city government could model after a program being used in other cities that served to ensure checks and balances, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility.

I believe it is fair to say that now LakewoodAlive is in charge of large amounts of money, the constituents have a responsibility to do some checking of our own. And you are all starting that process! Lakewood is fortunate indeed. Plenty of concerns and questions have been brought up on this deck. And as I’m out conversing one-on-one in many different Lakewood network circles out there I have had others raise concerns and questions to me. Given the evolution of this organization the questions are understandable and valid. I can attest that before the LCPI merger, the LakewoodAlive leaders expressed sensitivity to the public’s potential concerns.

My hubby, Charlie Page, and I have had many discussions about LakewoodAlive ourselves. Therefore, we are offering to do some “committee” work on this issue. That’s right! We will gather any questions and concerns that have been expressed here and elsewhere. The purpose of this process will be informational with a goal to be as unbiased as we know how. We will be happy to meet with any LakewoodAliver or concerned citizen. We will review bylaws and financials. We will share our process and findings on a separate forum topic here on the Deck as we go. This is not to say that you should stop your own researching on matters that concern you. No promises for how organized or fast this whole process will take place. We may call on some of you to help with the work it will take to do this. We just recognize that this is something that we may be able to work on together to help Lakewood move forward.

sharon kinsella wrote:Until I get the answers I want, I'm done.

Again, Welcome Bob.

Corey

sharon kinsella wrote:Bob - you don't get it.

I'm talking about the following -

How many residents did they see?
How many residents were referred elseewhere and what agencies did the refer to?
How many households and residents did they serve?
What activities were accomplished?

It states very clearly in those parameters, accomplishments. Not pie charts, not generalizations, actual results.

It's not the money.

And, as of matter fact, how was the money for each funded project spent? Advertising budget for the project, rent for the project, copying, mileage, etc.?

Why aren't they available and if the project is successful and fulfilling these goals by showing their literal accomplishments, then why not.

I can't make it any more literal than that.

You've been showing me things I looked at a long time ago and in the past when I ask these questions of the organizationI was berated by the executive director on this forum.

Enough.

How does Lakewood Alive decide which City reports they have available on their website?

Seems to me I viewed the State Auditors report there last year or even earlier this year. But now it isn’t there, or at least I couldn’t find it. When u click on City of Lakewood Finance/Budget Reports it brings you to a broken page (Page Not Found This page can not be found or has been moved.)

Also, why was the whole of that process not made public? The interviews, the payroll sheets, the spoken of “Permanente Appropriation Decisions”…?

What went into and was revealed during the process of coming up with the final publicly released report is far more telling then the actual report its self.

I have a full copy and would like to offer it to Lakewood Alive for immediate uploading and availability to the residents of Lakewood. For that matter, I offer it to Lakewood Observer to upload for viewing.

The tone, certainty and climate of this board would unequivocally and dramatically take a turn.

Those with whom who I have shared this disk with have become, among other things, much more enlighten citizens.

My offer is out there. Let me know.

And to those of you who are curious about the schools. They too had a State Audit done I belive.

Call or write to the Auditor of State and request all emails, meeting notes, interviews, phone call notes, faxes, reports, and any and all documents and information relating to and pertaing to the City of Lakewood Schools audit and process.

They will be extremely forethcoming. They even send you copies of sticky notes.

I may be with Kevin on one thing....

If Monique Smith is as active on Lakewood Alive as she was on the Phase III Committee then you have nothing to worry about.