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PUBLISHED ON EDITION NO.
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359L
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4/22/2011 |
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Severe investigation results
on GLCAC |
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By Dalia
Díaz
daliadiaz@rumbonews.com
It only took a two-day visit to members of the Massachusetts
Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and
Northeast Institute for Community Quality Action (NIQCA) to
say that GLCAC is a troubled agency. They found that the
current crisis has understandably created a climate of
confusion, anxiety and frustration for agency staff members.
Among the items to look at were:
1. Review the circumstances associated with the allegations
of fraud related to GLCAC, Inc’s former Executive Director’s
misrepresentation of his work schedule.
2. Assess the possible awareness and tolerance of this
alleged fraudulent behavior by the agency leaders.
3. Examine the existence and possible violation of other
DHCD contract requirements and agency policies related to
agency governance, fiscal, program and personnel management.
4. Prepare recommendations to correct identified
deficiencies, strengthen agency management leadership and
adopt policies to mitigate the risk of future organizational
violations of legal and ethical standard of behavior.
Longstanding relationships and loyalties to the agency’s
former Executive Director by a number of Board members
appear to have muted and frustrated efforts to exercise
effective oversight and management of the one staff person
the Board is responsible to supervise.
Conflict of interests issues were discovered with respect to
immediate as well as extended family relationships between
Board members and agency staff and contractors. Immediate
action is to be taken in the next 15 days to examine and
enforce existing Conflict of Interest policies.
The agency’s current President and Chairman of the Board has
personal litigation pending against the City, which
compromises the ability of the agency to establish and
maintain effective working relationships with the largest
municipality in its designated service area. Also, he failed
to make an effort to meet regularly with the former
Executive Director to clarify accountability expectations,
work schedules or to address personnel matters.
Schiavone has been given 15 days to resign as Board
President and they encourage the immediate voluntary
resignation of Board members who were loyal to Phil
Laverriere, also within 15 days.
The report questions why one third of the Board’s 21 members
has served over 15 years and some having served over 30
years and are not representative of the communities they
serve so new ones should be appointed (Hispanic/Latino and
younger.)
The report reads the following: “The team was informed of a
management style which embraced informal loyalties, double
standards for behavior and privileges and intolerance for
constructive criticism, particularly affecting female
managers. These practices have seriously undermined agency
managers’ trust and confidence in the agency’s former
Executive Director and Assistant ED’s leadership.”
The agencies conducting the investigation even mentioned
seeking legal assessment of possible fraud violations y the
former Executive Director to assess possible liability for
re-payment of state or federal funds and status of CPC
Program Director’s appropriate employment designation and
conflict status in the next 30 days.
There will be stricter rules in the future in the accounting
of vending machines located at 305 Essex St., no more
alcohol purchases will be allowed (that’s a violation of OMB
Circular A-122), and meetings where food is served will need
to specify the reason for the meeting and the names of
attendees.
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