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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail from Thomas Tenorio - Update RE Community Choice Action Agency Investigation Menchaca, Clarissa From: McCracken, Shari Sent: Friday, April 27, 2O184:46PK4 To, Clerk ofthe Board Subject: Fwd: Update Re CAA Investigation Attachments: Conclusion Letter-Board to GWebb,pdf;ATT00001.htm; Press Release (4)-CSD Investigation Closed -4-28-18.doc; ATT&O002.h1m; Respomse(2)to M Kirk 4-27-18 _F|NALdocx; ATTOOUO3.htm;4'5-18.Latterto [AATemorio.docx.pdf, ATT8O0O4.htm FYI -sent 10all 5Board Members from CAA. Please put|mBoard Correspondence. Sent from nmyiPhone Begin forwarded message: From: "Thomas Tenorio"« > To: "Kirk, Maureen"< >, "Wah|, Larry" < >, "Teeter, Doug" <DTeeter2 buti , "ConmeUy, Bill" "Lambert,,Steve" Cc: "Mc[racken,Shari" Subject: Update ReCAA Investigation Maureen: We're responding toyour letter tothe CAA of4/5/l8 (attached). We're a;sosharing the press release related Lothe final, report ofthe State that conducted arecent investigation into owhistleblower claim filed by representatives of the Esplanade Ho,use Children's Fund (copy attached). VVewere not surprised that the CAA was cleared ofall ofthe false claims. The State has closed the claim. The CAA Board has also closed its review (attached letter to EHCF). We've never allowed the unnecessary distraction to interrupt our services and have moved on. | share the information with the other members of the Board in case they do not see any news. The media doesn't always cover good news. I look forward to sharing this update at the May 9th meeting of the Local Government Committee. Thanks for all that you do. Thomas Tenorio, C[A9 Chief Executive Officer Community Action Agency ofButte County, Inc. P8Box 8]69 181 E. Shasta Ave Chico, CA95927 0 Community Action Agency of Butte County, Inc. Helping People. Changing dives. April 10, 2018 Greg Webb, Chair Board of Directors Esplanade House Children's Fund P.O. Box 3251 Chico, CA 95927 Dear Mr. Webb: In response to your e-mails, and on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Community Action Agency of Butte County, Inc., I offer the following. The Board has spent many hours reviewing written complaints and criticisms of Torn Tenorio. They have also invited those willing to share their concerns regarding Mr. Tenorio to meet directly with the Board confidentially. In addition the Board met with current employees confidentially regarding Mr. Tenorio. This months-long investigation has led to confidential Board discussions with Mr. Tenorio regarding the complaints and criticisms. The Board has found no substantive proof of the claims that have been laid out, nor any reason to remove Mr. Tenorio from his position as Chief Executive Officer. The Board has now closed its investigation and has concluded that no further action is required. The Board looks forward to continuing the stewardship of all the Agency's operations, including the Esplanade House. As you may know, the state has recently conducted an audit regarding the Agency. The Board intends to make that audit public as soon as it is received. Respectfully, E)i-11�- Doug Benander Chair,Board of Directors cc: G. Rodgers J. Mattson L. Moyer E. Campbell S. Brayton D. Campbell L. Hernandez D. Houchin S. Enochs DB/as ENERGY& ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES• ESPLANADE HOUSE • NORTH STATE FOO© BANK P.O. Box 6369,Chico, CA 95927 •(530)712-2600•www.buttecaa.com CEL, �RATINGZ YEARS OF SERVICE 367 �� Inc.Co ���&unix� Actio�� ����]c� �� Butte ��ount� � � Agency� � ~ AprU27, 2018 Maureen Kirk,Supervisor County Supervisorial District 3 County of Butte 19GMemorial Way Chico, CA 95926 RE: Acknowledgement ofLetter Dear Maureen: The Community Action Agency of Butte County, Inc. (CAA) Board of Directors and I are in receipt of your April 5, 2018 letter (attached). We appreciate you sharing your concerns about CAA and will make sure they are given the consideration they deserve. We've always sought toensure that our operations were in compliance with applicable rules and will continue to do so. CAA has not received information requests from the Board of Supervisors and has attempted to be respmnsivetoinformation requests from you, if appropriate, in the past. We would value the opportunity to understand and address those concerns. Could you please advise the CAA Board as to the specific nmattersoboutvvhlchyoufeekCAAhasmotbeentransparemt, incXudimgthebasisforynurbe|iefthat [AA has failed tobetransparent? CAA willi make every reasonable effort to address your concerns in writing. Concerning the 2016 change in CA4~s Bylaws, the change merely reflects the disclosure standard established by the California Legislature at Corporations Code section 8330. These statutes provide enforcement rights to any person denied their rights to inspect records, and to nonprofit entitles being subjected toabusive imspect|ondemands. CAA'sprior policy opened the door for abusive and bad faith inspection demands, and was changed to protect CAA from those kinds of abuses. Notwithstanding the above, it is important to note that public agencies and private corporations operate under different and appropriate sets of disclosure rules regardless ofresource base. Public agencies,with which you are undoubtedly more familiar, are subject to far more extensive disclosure rules than private entities such as CAA. Those differences may not beto,everyone's agreement but they are real. In case you were not aware, independent external reviews byauthorities regularly and continually bear out the fact that CAA is operated professionally and with full financial and operationaI accountability. The latest was the special audit conducted bythe State in February in response toa whistleblower claim. The press release onthe final report isattached. The State has dosed the claim. The CAA Board has oKso ENERGY& ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ° ESPLANADE HOUSE NORTH STATE FOOD BANK P.O. Box 6369, Chico, CA 95927 ~(53O)712-26OD~ Supervisor Maureen Kirk Page 2 April 27, 2018 closed the issue (attached letter to EHCF). I'm copying the other members of the Board of Supervisors in the event that they may not see the release. The Board andl staff are proud of the contributions they make to our local community through CAA. In any event, our focus will continue to be on being a good and accountable steward and on fulfilling our mission. Thanks again. Sincerely, Thomas P. Tenorio, CLAP Chief Executive Officer Enclosure cc: Supervisor Bill Connelly, Butte County Supervisorial District I Supervisor Larry Wahl, Butte County Supervisorial District 2 Supervisor Steve Lambert, Butte County Supervisorial District,4 Supervisor Doug Teeter, Butte County Supervisorial District 5 Client Name: Community Action Agency of Butte County Topic: State Inquiry into CAA Fiscal Responsibility concluded Type: Press Release Contact: Thomas Tenorio, Executive Director ttenorio(@butte,caa..co,m) State Report of Butte County Community Action Agency's Management Responsibility Returns Clean Bill of Health The Community Action Agency of Butte County has received afavorable report by the state revealing "no significant issues"with grant fund use. Chico, CA, April 25, 2018—The Community Action Agency of Butte County(CAA), which has operated their Esplanade House Program for 27 years along with other key community programs, has received a positive conclusion to a comprehensive on-site review and audit conducted by the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) in February 2018. CSD's official report was issued on April 20, 2018, and identified no significant fi Client Name: Community Action Agency of Butte County Topic: State Inquiry into CAA Fiscal Responsibility concluded Type: Press Release Contact: Thomas Tenorio, Executive Director(ttenorio0buttecaa.coml About Community Action Agency of Butte County,Inc. Since 1967, the Community Action Agency of Butte County Agency has existed to provide hope to people struggling with poverty to help them become more self-sustaining by meeting tangible needs in the areas of energy savings, affordable food, and housing. Programs operate include: Energy and Environmental Services; Food & Nutrition; and the Esplanade House. For more information visit www.buttecaa.com. ••°.• •. .... _ s L= MAUREEN KIRK SUPERVISOR,THIRD DISTRICT 196 MEMORIAL WAY CHICO,CALIFORNIA 95926 ( TELEPHONE: 530)893-2800 •. COUNT••° FAX: (530)891-2877 April 5,2018 Tom Tenorio Community Action Agency Sent via email: ttenorio@buttecaa.com Dear Tom, I am writing to let you know that I am becoming increasingly concerned with the lack of transparency of the Community Action Agency(CAA) Board of Directors.Any agency that receives millions in State and Federal funding should be following all open public record laws, and local citizens should not have to hire an attorney to force the issue. In the Butte CAXs 2015 Bylaws,Article X, "Public Access"stated: Any person who wishes to inspect of copy records regularly maintained by the agency may do so after making a request. Information and records will be made available to the requestor in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act(S U.S.0 522)except for information and records which are exempt from the requirements of disclosure pursuant to Federal Privacy Act of 1974,as amended. In 2016,the Bylaws were amended in several ways, most notably the entire clause referenced above was removed. So, Butte CAA has followed the Freedom of Information Act since its inception in 1967 and is now putting up a legal battle to deny public retard access. Why? I think it is time to put this issue to rest with a vote of the Board. 1 am asking that the CAA Board schedule an action and vote on its April 24'agenda to require the CAA to comply with the Brown Act, under the California Public Records Act. 1 trust the Board will agree that transparency is in the best interest of the future of the agency. Best Regards, Maureen Kirk cc: CAA Board members;Greg Einhorn;Tom Tenorio