When the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department pitches in its own money, are they getting the most bang for their buck? It was previously unclear how federal investigators knew about the tipoff Nuru was re-arrested and the complaint against him and Bovis made public in late January after he initially had likely entered into a cooperation agreement with the feds. People thought that what they're donating to is a scholarship fund, she said, but the money instead allowed Parks Alliance to create a slush-fund account to allow the executive staff of the Recreation and Parks Department to use and tap into those funds for whatever it is, at their leisure.. 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. The San Francisco city attorney's office issued subpoenas for eight companies and nonprofit organizations Wednesday as part of the ongoing government corruption scandal launched in the wake. San Francisco's Parks Alliance and Recreation and Park Department are both facing scrutiny from District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan about their use of donations, after subpoenaed records were made public in an NBC Bay Area news report. Chan is exploring every legislative tool possible to implement recommendations. "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. A memo from the park department sent Thursday to the report author said staff appreciate the need for transparency and already follow the city controllers guidance on accepting grants and gifts. March 10, 2020 / 5:11 PM / CBS San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The Director of San Francisco's Department of Building Inspection, Tom Hui, has been placed on leave amid a. We are committed to working with the City so that we can continue to improve our parks and public spaces. In San Francisco, that goes double for nonprofits that call themselves "friends.". SF Audit Critical of Non-Profit in Public Corruption Scandal Corrupt SF Official Used Nonprofits to Funnel 'Pay to Play' Cash Supervisor Chan was bullied by the Parks Alliance for calling for an audit of this corrupt agency which is privatizing Golden Gate Park. 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. Nuru recently pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing. Since then, multiple department heads and other figures have been embroiled in this, including Nuru's girlfriend, Sandra Zuniga, who serves as director of the Mayors Office of Neighborhood Services; and Tom Hui, the former head of the Department of Building Inspection who went on leave in March. Your email address will not be published. The money is used to renovate the city's treasured green spaces large and small for example, erecting a towering Ferris wheel in Golden Gate Park and laying down AstroTurf at Merced Heights Playground. We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts! "Certainly, some of these groups are operating above board. The organization said Friday that its books are totally open and available, and it would gladly provide park department records, which the city hasnt requested previously. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Ongoing FBI Corruption Probe Hits Three More SF City Departments With Subpoenas, charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in early June, re-arrested and the complaint against him and Bovis made public, Feds Charge Three More People Linked to Mohammed Nuru and City Hall Corruption Probe, Big-Money SF Tech Groups Hoping To Steer Friendlier Policy Toward Big Money and Tech, Board of Appeals Weighs In on Saga of Vacant, Apparently Unclaimed Mission District Lot, Tells Supes to Act, SF Supes Overturn Their Own Ban On Doing Business With States With Discriminatory Laws. The failure of any oversight of this growing waste and misuse of public funds and the privatization of the park is a growing issue. 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. Do you know when can we expect that information?. Also, notably, this is the first-ever use of a new subpoena power the board crafted for itself in 2020, in a law written by Supervisor Aaron Peskin. DPH was tasked with signing off on the health and safety of the facility, as its permits moved through the city. This raised a lot of questions, said City Supervisor Connie Chan, who has been a vocal critic of the Parks Alliances role in city politics. The idea is to avoid arrangements like the one Nuru and other Public Works employees had with the nonprofit San Francisco Parks Alliance and Recology, the trash-hauling giant that holds a monopoly on garbage collection in San Francisco. As a result, they were not subject to the same review and control that would otherwise exist to comply with the Citys accounting and procurement policies and procedures, Sobrepena said. No trains were going in or out of BART's SFO Station for about an hour Wednesday morning due to an unspecified "police matter" that has yet to be made public. We are putting a stop to it, City Attorney Dennis Herrera said, in a statement. They also look at the lack of transparency and the growing curruption scandal in San Francisco as more officials investigated an jails for corruption directly connected to the "non-profits" involved in privatizing City resources. The BLA (Budget and Legislative Analyst) report that you will see later today will actually validate what we thought all along; that there was a lack of adequate controls against the possibility of corruption and financial transparency between the Parks Alliance and the Rec. 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. Let'sPlaySF! It often pays to have friends in high places. 9 of the 13 playgrounds are now completed, and the last 4 will be transformed by the end How long has it been since May started off this cold in Bay Area? Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Audit Finds $3.5 Million In Anonymous Donations to SF Parks Alliance, Calls Out 'Potential Conflicts of Interest', Ferris wheel was extended another four years, Parks Alliance Pushes Back On Accusations, Tells Supervisor Chan to Kiss Richmond Playground Goodbye [SFist], Big-Money SF Tech Groups Hoping To Steer Friendlier Policy Toward Big Money and Tech, Board of Appeals Weighs In on Saga of Vacant, Apparently Unclaimed Mission District Lot, Tells Supes to Act, SF Supes Overturn Their Own Ban On Doing Business With States With Discriminatory Laws. SF Parks Alliance is the only city-wide parks nonprofit in San Francisco. the San Francisco Parks Alliance and the San Francisco Clean City Coalition. She ordered a budget analysts office audit into the organization, which NBC Bay Area reports found $3.5 million in anonymous donations to the group, which is not proof of wrongdoing, but raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, according to the audit. Call (415) 706-6428 for information about advertising online and in the printed versions of the Richmond Review and the Sunset Beacon newspapers. What are the names of their anonymous donors? They have very similar names, but the SF Recreation and Parks Department and the SF Parks Alliance are two different entities. But this audit seems like the latest chapter of her ongoing feud with the Parks Alliance, wherein she alleges potential corruption, and the Alliance threatens to pull money out of projects in her district. "When gifts are solicited from those that do business with the City, it creates a risk to fair and transparent public processes. That is why I am calling for an investigation focusing on this agreement and SF Parks Alliance practices," she said. "These so-called 'friends' groups don't have an entirely friendly history. Now after nearly a year, the wheel is scheduled to be removed at the end of March, but a proposal seeking to extend the wheel's stay for four more years in order to help SkyStar "offset financial hardship" has yet to be decided by the city's Historic Preservation Commission. The closure of a growing number of spaces at the park for private corporate events is pushed by Mayor London Breed and the Park director who say they don't have enough money to fund the park. Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay. The Department of Building Inspection issued 218 building permits to seven of those entities. The probe stems from federal. This is just confirming all of the suspicions that Ive had for a number of years.. 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. As a result, city leaders have inspected departments relationships with philanthropic organizations. Musical Helps Lafayette Bounce Back After COVID, Richmond Review Crossword Puzzle #12, May, 2023, (Spiral): Solution, Richmond Review Crossword Puzzle #12, May, 2023 (Spiral), Designer, Builder Creates Comfortable Works of Public Art, https://richmondsf.salsalabs.org/froghop2023/index.html. She is already co-sponsoring a measure that would prohibit city officials and employees from soliciting payments from people who could benefit from business. SF Supes call for investigation into SF Parks Alliance contracts The report's authors came away with more questions than answers. Explore: The Mission's gardens - Mission Local Financial transaction records between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the non-profit San Francisco Parks Alliance are now the focus of a subpoena, after a unanimous vote by the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Selling Off Golden Gate Park: Privatization & Corruption Destroying It was one of more than 20 firms. The City Controller's Office and City Attorney's Office report into city ethics is the second to be released this year. During a hearing Thursday, Supervisor Connie Chan with the support of two other supervisors issued a subpoena to the Parks Alliance to find out how many, if any, similar accounts the Recreation and Park Department has, and to report expenses and transactions dating back five years. The latest set of subpoenas, obtained by the Chronicle, sound both onerous in their scope and familiar in dealing with the sort of low-level corruption the feds have uncovered thus far primarily padding the pockets of some longtime city officials and contractors through sweetheart contracts and such. No budget was presented to the commission providing the details of what would be spent before the agreement got commission approval, Brousseau said. The San Francisco City Controller's Office found, in a September 2020 report, that the San Francisco Parks Alliance took roughly $1 million in donations from a number of city contractors that were under investigation by the City Attorney's Office for funneling money to the Public Works Department for lavish parties. I also wanted to say that, throughout this whole process, we are committed to being transparent. SF supervisor subpoenas parks nonprofit in wake of report that calls for stronger controls, S.F. The Bay Area will have some live sports to look at for the first time in four months starting next Monday, July 20! editor / reporter who has been published in almost every San Francisco publication, including Hoodline, SF Weekly, Thrillist, and Broke Ass Stuart. The latest subpoenas also reflect the ongoing probe into the city's dealings with two businesses run by city contractor Florence Kong, who was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in early June with lying to investigators about gifts she allegedly gave to Nuru. 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 non-profits running large parts of the park are now directing the development without public participation and their privatization agenda is supported by Mayor London Breed and her Parks and Recreation Director Phil Ginsberg. The city's corruption scandal investigation is ongoing. The SkyStar Observation Wheel was installed last year as part of the park's 150th anniversary just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. 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. 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. 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. "It raises the question of whether this is a good government practice and whether such practices contribute to the 'pay-to-play' culture among city agencies. . Supervisor Connie Chan is not done snooping into the finances of the San Francisco Parks Alliance, with an audit she ordered finding millions in anonymous donations, but no smoking gun. Former City Attorney Dennis Herrera first issued subpoenas investigating the Parks Alliance in early 2020, also in connection with the ongoing corruption scandal. The new ferris wheel at Golden Gate Park. non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and This story has been updated to include a statement provided by the San Francisco Parks Alliance on Sept. 25. A widening S.F. Im relieved to know Supervisor Chan and others are requiring transparency from our City agencies, especially SF Rec and Park. That's a standard practice governments use to ensure they get the best deal. 3 more SF city departments hit with subpoenas in expanding Nuru During this same period, these entities donated $966,000 to the Public Works subaccounts at the Parks Alliance, she elaborated. The Historic Preservation Commission is expected to vote on whether to extend the contract through 2025 at its next meeting on March 3. Chan said she was worried the influence of money could determine exactly who gets to have parks built in the city, and where, citing equitable access as a key priority. But critics say substantial sums ended up being spent elsewhere. City Attorney Dennis Herrera on Wednesday announced. The Historic Preservation Commission is expected to vote on whether to extend the contract through 2025 at its next meeting on March 3. These funds were largely spent on staff appreciation and events that benefited City employees.. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not The report further alleged the San Francisco Parks Alliance accepted some $1 million in donations from contractors under investigation by the City Attorney's Office and the money was then funneled back to DPW to pay for lavish parties. Alliance records also reflect more than $5,000 from the general fund paid for another park staff gathering in 2019, at a hotel in Seattle. Previously: Feds Charge Three More People Linked to Mohammed Nuru and City Hall Corruption Probe. Now it looks like the feds are following up on this pattern and trying to see if there are more examples of city vendors possibly disguising bribes that benefited city employees as charitable gifts. In that span, the non-profit took in $44 million, including an estimated $3.5 million in anonymous donations, the audit concludes. 20002023 San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. When they're working as they're supposed to, these "friends of" organizations may help put on an outdoor movie night for the public or help build park trails. The probe stems from federal criminal charges . 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. We did collect a lot of information from all the departments, including Rec. Joe Kukura is an SFist staff asst. S.F.'s deal for the Golden Gate Park Ferris wheel may be investigated Staff - San Francisco Parks Alliance Press Release: Supervisors Chan and Peskin Call for Investigation on SF In this arrangement, the non-city organization serves as an intermediary between the City and the contractor or building permit applicant or holder who donates money to the organization in the hopes of influencing the Citys contractor permit approval process. As approved in 2000 by the public, $150,000 is allocated annually for a period of thirty years toward community gardens. 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. It's the breakdown of the sources of the money siphoned into the funds Nuru controlled at the Parks Alliance. 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. Ongoing FBI Corruption Probe Hits Three More SF City - SFist What is particularly troubling is the fact that there are a number of companies that do direct business with the Recreation and Parks department that are making donations to the Parks Alliance that are flowing directly back to the Recreation and Parks department and their general manager, Peskin said. Here are five key structures that need to bounce back to help the city recover. SF Supervisors Issue Subpoena Into Records Between Parks - KQED 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.". Other agreements lack prohibitions against conflicts of interest. Financial transaction records between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the non-profit San Francisco Parks Alliance are now the focus of a subpoena, after a unanimous vote by the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. That meant it wasnt clear who donated dollars that ended up in city coffers. This isn't the first time the Parks Alliance has found itself under the microscope. I think that is a critical piece of information, dont you think, for us to obtain? said Chan. It also isn't the first time the Parks Alliance and Supervisor Chan have clashed in public. Supervisors delayed voting Thursday on three city agreements to accept and spend more than $7 million from the Parks Alliance until Chans questions are answered. The subpoenas request information related to any donations or payments the companies made to charities affiliated with Bovis, to the San Francisco Parks Alliance or the San Francisco Clean City . Money was deposited into the account by Recology executives as part of a bribery scheme and was allegedly used to fund lavish parties. Bride Killed and Groom Injured by Speeding DUI Driver After Wedding in South Carolina, Police Say, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day', San Jose Police Arrest 3 Suspects in Robberies Targeting AAPI Community, Malik Monk's Old Comments Motivated Warriors to Game 7 Win Vs. Kings. So I defer to the city attorney who oversees those contracts, Farrell said. S.F. Parks Alliance threatens to pull funding for Richmond District Yes, we can go back and look into it, talk to the controller about adding it to our Public Integrity Reviews, Sobrepena responded. 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. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crab Fest had been a major affair in the city, drawing top city officials, community leaders and contractors, raising more than $100,000 annually for parks scholarships.. Without more detailed oversight, the audit found, this benefit of philanthropic support risks being overshadowed by the possibility of corruption.. 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. The audit tracked the money going in and out of the Alliance over a five year period. 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. Despite the progress, the audit found there remains a lack of adequate controls on the contracts the Alliance makes to provide services for the city. While it's gotten a lot of love for its glowing lights at night, the contract to build it wasn't issued competitively, Brousseau said. 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. City Attorney subpoenas business, nonprofits in public corruption The Alliance has not been accused of wrongdoing in the city corruption scandal and did not get paid for its account management. "We have issue with the way the vendor was selected. The organizations employees havent been charged with any crimes, and the recent report found no evidence of wrongdoing, although the report author said the purpose wasnt to investigate corruption but the processes in place to minimize its possibility. 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. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). "Like everyone, we were outraged to learn of the public corruption in our local government, Becher said, in a statement.
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