The letter goes on to spell out that Recology can do this by making a donation to the department's "fiscal sponsor," the non-profit SF Parks Alliance. So, knowing that it actually does have a close relationship with the Rec. Although last week the Recreation and Park Commission approved the contract with SkyStar to continue operating the Ferris wheel at the park for four more years, the Historic Preservation Commission has the final say around whether the wheel will stay up. We are putting a stop to it, City Attorney Dennis Herrera said, in a statement. 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An auditor with the City Controllers Office, Amanda Sobrepena, told the Committee that from 2015 through 2020, the SF Parks Alliance received $11.9 million from multiple city departments and serves in this role for both SF Public Works and Rec. The lack of transparency in the deal to bring the Ferris wheel to Golden Gate Park exposed the growing corruption by the Park managers and the Mayor with private contractors. Those scholarships pay the fees or other costs for low-income youth and seniors to enjoy summer programs and other activities at city parks. During this same period, these entities donated $966,000 to the Public Works subaccounts at the Parks Alliance, she elaborated. "We also found that there was no requirement for how the contractor was selected in this case. We are happy to invest in their learning and morale, which helps them deliver great services every single day, the department said in a statement. Peskin worries that the Crab Fest event could allow for an end run around city ethics rules that otherwise restrict direct contributions to city officials by firms doing business with the city. Parks Alliance threatens to pull funding for Richmond District playground, S.F.s deal for the Golden Gate Park Ferris wheel may be investigated amid neighborhood fight, Downtown S.F. But critics say substantial sums ended up being spent elsewhere. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. Chan, who commissioned the report, said the results demanded reform. So I defer to the city attorney who oversees those contracts, Farrell said. The risk here is that when city contractors or building permit applicants or holders donate to non-city organizations, it can create a pay-to-play relationship, or the appearance of one. The development of the tennis courts went over $400,000 which the City has to pick up. Haney argued this also showed a clear need for his ballot measure Proposition B in San Francisco, which would create an oversight body for Public Works, and place some of its street maintenance duties with a new Department of Sanitation and Streets. These subaccounts really operated like a city account, she said, because invoices were directed and approved by Public Works employees and tracked by both Public Works and the Parks Alliance. Nuru would solicit those funds from contractors whose city contracts Nuru oversaw. However, all of this occurred outside of the Citys established financial and procurement systems. The city's corruption scandal investigation is ongoing. In San Francisco, that goes double for nonprofits that call themselves "friends.". That was at the behest of former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, who was arrested by the FBI in 2020 on corruption charges. The Parks Alliance is also a contractor that runs the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, which left a lot of opportunity for conflict of interests, the report author said Thursday in the hearing. The nonprofit San Francisco Parks Alliance is being scrutinized again in the wake of the city's corruption investigation, and a supervisor who's criticized the group in the past now wants to look more closely at its operations. They say they are awaiting a complete review by the City Controllers office of the data turned over so far to determine next steps. They collectively donated $966,000 to the Parks Alliance into a Public Works-specific account funds Nuru was able to freely direct, and sometimes himself was paid from according to the report. I just want you to know that I have asked for that information directly to the Rec. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors issued a subpoena Thursday to obtain financial records between a parks-supporting nonprofit, the San Francisco Parks Alliance, and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. and Park Department, and I have identified that the subaccount practice is not appropriate and problematic, you have not asked for that information from Rec. And what about the Ferris wheel in Golden Gate Park? and Park, but we only assessed Public Works subaccounts, Sobrepena responded. Contractors and building permit holders made donations to the Public Works subaccounts at the SF Parks Alliance, Sobrepena explained. All rights reserved. It's a large amount of money coming to the city, she said. Prosecutors say Nuru used the fund to pay for everything from T-shirts to gift bags, from funeral expenses for a worker to event entry fees for public works teams. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Bay Area will have some live sports to look at for the first time in four months starting next Monday, July 20! While the city, of course, appreciates donations, it is also our responsibility to know where the money is coming from, and most importantly, is to prevent the pay to play culture and that it is our responsibility and the reason why I called for this audit.. During the Thursday hearing, Farrell from the Parks Alliance said they have already apologized for that spat. The report criticized the park department for picking a vendor for the wheel without a competitive process and giving the Parks Alliance a cut of ticket sales to help cover the cost of the celebration, which totaled more than $1 million. The Parks Alliance has said it didnt know it was being used unscrupulously by city officials. Chan explained that she thought it worthwhile to get this information in the hope of avoiding the possibility of continuing practices with the potential to encourage corruption. And that is precisely the sort of structure that allowed Mohammed Nuru to bilk a $1 million slush fund out of the Parks Alliance, as the City Controller discovered in September 2020. No Parks Alliance officials have been implicated in the probe. It was one of more than 20 firms. Those same contractors were awarded more than $570 million in city contracts by the Public Works Department, according to the report. Haney called Public Works actions "inappropriate behavior" and said the department "is clearly out of control." SF Parks Alliance is the only city-wide parks nonprofit in San Francisco. Chan says she hopes to ask more about the cash flow for the non-profit at a hearing she will hold on Thursday. Previously: Feds Charge Three More People Linked to Mohammed Nuru and City Hall Corruption Probe. However, it has since agreed to new restrictions on fundraising activities that require it to disclose all contributions of more than $100. The Planning Department, Department of Public Health, and the City Administrator's Office have all been hit with subpoenas stemming from the sprawling federal investigation into corruption in San Francisco government. The sell off of Golden Gate Park by privatizers is a danger to the future of the public park according to those who have been fighting to protect the park. That is why I am calling for an investigation focusing on this agreement and SF Parks Alliance practices," she said. No budget was presented to the commission providing the details of what would be spent before the agreement got commission approval, Brousseau said. "What we found is that the [memorandum of understanding] had a high-level preliminary budget but no detail as to what the costs were going to be for the design contractor, for example, that was being paid for by the Parks Alliance," he told the supervisors at Thursday's hearing. The audit has confirmed a very problematic relationship between the San Francisco Parks Alliance and city departments, Chan told NBC Bay Area, particularly with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.. A bicyclist passes the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. We did not benefit in any way nor had any control over the donations that Nuru and Public Works solicited and directed to the sub-account, as the report states. "When gifts are solicited from those that do business with the City, it creates a risk to fair and transparent public processes. She said from July 2015 through January 2020, we found that Public Works paid eight contractors a total of $572 million through contract purchase orders or other voucher payments. editor / reporter who has been published in almost every San Francisco publication, including Hoodline, SF Weekly, Thrillist, and Broke Ass Stuart. "In this case, are we now setting ourselves up for a two-tier parks system for those who can pay to play, literally, and for those who cannot afford access to our public space?". A Recreation and Parks Department spokesperson told the supervisors that the agency follows all codes and laws. The park departments memo said, For the most part we welcome the recommendations in the report and many of them are generally in place through the (memorandum of understanding) or existing policy.. These funds were largely spent on staff appreciation and events that benefited City employees.. 2023 FOX Television Stations, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California, American children missing in Mexico: State Department 'aware of reports of 2 missing US citizens', TikTok CEO to tell Congress video-sharing app is safe, urge against ban, Man survives shark attack off Hawaiis Big Island, officials say, Woman lucky to be alive after 2 trees fall on her Oakland home, America's first-ever tornado forecast issued 75 years ago at Oklahoma's Tinker Air Force Base. Another issue was anonymous donations, with up to $3 million from unnamed sources going to the Parks Alliance during the same time period the organization gave $1.9 million to the park department. Money was deposited into the account by Recology executives as part of a bribery scheme and was allegedly used to fund lavish parties. Efforts to keep the wheel up received yet another setback during Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, when both supervisors Aaron Peskin and Connie Chan called on the city controller and Budget Analyst's Office to conduct an investigation into the San Francisco Parks Alliance's contract with the city's Recreation and Parks Department, which allows profits generated by vendors like SkyStar to be directed to the San Francisco Parks Alliance. That is why I am calling for an investigation focusing on this agreement and SF Parks Alliance practices," she said. Every year, millions of dollars flow into the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Nuru recently pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing. A widening S.F. The Historic Preservation Commission is expected to vote on whether to extend the contract through 2025 at its next meeting on March 3. The new ferris wheel at Golden Gate Park. As the Chronicle reports, Bovis's foundation is named along with Recology and the San Francisco Parks Alliance as entities the feds are seeking mentions of in all meeting notes, minutes, and communications from these city departments. Thank you to Mr. Pendergast for this article. As a result, city leaders have inspected departments relationships with philanthropic organizations. How are the contractors who build out our green spaces chosen? And Parks Alliance Board Chair Liz Farrell said, "I want to also just to be clear on the record, and say that the Parks Alliance has not been accused or found to be involved in any wrongdoing as part of the investigation into the government corruption.". For over 50 years, we've been partnering with communities and public agencies to create, sustain, and advocate for parks and public spaces that welcome and belong to everyone. $20.00 donatedin the past month. In a statement, Recreation and Parks officials denied wrongdoing. Tagged as: Audit Committee, Richmond District, Richmond Review, SF Board of Supervisors, Sunset Beacon, Sunset District. The documents show that in 2019, more than $64,000 that had been raised by the Crab Fest fund was transferred into a general fund. Of the $720,000 that (SF) Parks Alliance paid to vendors, more than half went to just five vendors. "When it comes to equity in our public parks, San Francisco doesn't even rank top ten. During our review period, Parks Alliance made payments totaling $978,000 to support Public Works activities and as directed by Public Works. All rights reserved, Union Lawsuit Alleges Retaliation for Whistleblowing in SF City Hall Corruption Probe, Former San Francisco Public Works Head Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge. This program looks at the "non-profits" that are being used to facilitate the transfer of public lands at the park to privatizers. Supervisor Chan was bullied by the Parks Alliance for calling for an audit of this corrupt agency which is privatizing Golden Gate Park. The Parks Alliance is a major philanthropic backer for the parks and other city departments. All told, the report found that 33 out of 56 San Francisco city departments benefit from these kinds of nonprofit organizations, which between them have 588 accounts spent on city activities. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. What are the names of their anonymous donors? Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. But the supervisors were concerned that the public simply doesn't have enough information from the Parks Alliance to verify that fact on their own. Chan then called on the Committee to issue a subpoena to the SF Parks Alliance for more information, including the number of subaccounts they have with Rec. The Department of Building Inspection issued 218 building permits to seven of those entities. Chan blasted the agreement, saying it perpetuates inequity by creating another paid attraction in a public park. is a partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department and SF Parks Alliance to transform 13 of San Francisco's most timeworn playgrounds into dynamic hubs for creativity and family life. But the memo said the regulations on selecting contractors may not be fully in the best interests of the City, since many people who work on projects donate their services. Some of the concerns have already been addressed after the two entities created a memorandum of understanding earlier this year to safeguard against potential corruption, but that agreement needs to be strengthened, the report said. A memorandum of understanding between the city and the Parks Alliance lays down some requirements for how they operate, and was retooled to strengthen some reporting requirements in 2020 in the wake of the citywide corruption scandal, but the Budget and Legislative Analyst still recommended it be strengthened. A new audit calls for greater controls over the San Francisco Parks Alliance, the major non-profit group named by federal prosecutors last year as helping to foster the city's public. Nuru was arrested by the FBI in January and accused of attempting to bribe an airport official. The sell off and privatization of Golden Gate Park is escalating at the same time of a massive corruption scandal of top officials of the City and County of San Francisco. "Instead of going directly to our city's general fund, the revenue generated from SkyStar is going to a non-profit that is still under FBI and public corruption investigations," said Chan, whose supervisorial district includes Golden Gate Park. This arrangement ultimately created the opportunity for unethical steering of purchases to occur.. "These so-called 'friends' groups don't have an entirely friendly history. One example investigators have given of the sort of transparent but still somewhat wink-wink emails and letters they're looking for is one from 2015 in which Public Works Deputy Director for Operations Larry Stringer wrote to Recology inviting them to a department picnic in McLaren Park and asking for the company's "support" in making the event a "success." "These so-called 'friends' groups don't have an entirely friendly history. The lack of transparency in those finances leaves the possibility of a pay-to-play culture to flourish in the shadows, the supervisors said Thursday. A visibly mentally ill suspect, who just a month earlier had been jailed for a terrifying incident in which he entered the home of a disabled woman, was arrested again in August following another highly disturbing incident outside a school. But recent revelations have demonstrated that the opaque nature of several organizations, including the SF Parks Alliance, has aided and abetted corruption within San Francisco government.". The nonprofit could then disburse those funds to be used for city staff appreciation parties in ways that would have otherwise violated city law if done transparently or on pet projects of that department head. "It's time for me to come home, time for me to be more than a weekend wife, mother and friend," said longtime Bay Area Congresswoman Jackie Speier. But its more of a potentially problematic relationship, as the report found no smoking gun, and the alliance has since agreed to not accept anonymous gifts of $100 or more. But that leaves some of their methodologies in the dark, the Budget and Legislative Analyst's report found. "We receive so much donations and so much money to renovate and improve our parks, and we can see those results. Before that, she freelanced with a focus on the Yemeni diaspora while studying at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. This is just confirming all of the suspicions that Ive had for a number of years.. "We have issue with the way the vendor was selected. That's a standard practice governments use to ensure they get the best deal. and Park.. Probe also leads to cancellation of $171,000 portable toilet contract with company tied to restaurateur Nick Bovis; more contracts are under review SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 12, 2020) City Attorney Dennis Herrera announced today that he has issued eight subpoenas as part of a joint public corruption investigation with City Controller Ben Rosenfield. The San Francisco Parks Alliance. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for The nonprofit San Francisco Parks Alliance directed $66,000 to entities whose figureheads were arrested by the FBI in connection with disgraced former Public Works director Mohammed Nuru's corruption scandal, a new report has found. Even so, Supervisor Aaron Peskin has joined Chan in questioning the ethical implications of shifting money from a scholarship fund to a separate pot controlled by parks officials. Efforts to keep the wheel up received yet another setback during Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, when both supervisors Aaron Peskin and Connie Chan called on the city controller and Budget Analyst's Office to conduct an investigation into the San Francisco Parks Alliance's contract with the city's Recreation and Parks Department, which allows profits generated by vendors like SkyStar to be directed to the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Sobrepena could not give an immediate answer but said she could come back with that information. We will implement any additional common-sense policies that provide greater transparency and allow us to continue to support and improve San Franciscos parks and public spaces., Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Since then, the organization has eliminated anonymous donations above $100, listed all donors on its public website and upgraded its customer management tools to collect and track all disclosure information, Bunim said. Im looking forward to the follow up. The ongoing federal investigation into corruption at San Francisco City Hall has reached into the City Administrator's Office, the Planning Department and the Department of Public Health,.
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