Following is a letter sent Nov. 22 to the S.F. Enterprise Community Board (SFEC) of the Mayor's Office of Community Development (MOCD) concerning past SFEC funding.

Dear MOCD Staff and Members of the SFEC Board:

I am writing as a member of the Visitacion Valley Task Force and Spokesman for the Review Team that evaluated the Safety Program priority outcome for the second funding cycle. The last phase of this priority outcome had a very negative effect on the Task Force and the public that attends the meetings.

The attached letters were written to the Task Force, Beacon Center and the Community Center and are intended to bring this matter to closure. Many serious allegations and counter allegations were presented to the SFEC Board. Misuse of SFEC funds and preferential allocations are serious allegations. This issue must be resolved because it questions the honesty and integrity of all the members of the Task Force.

Almost half the 21 member Task Force have benefitted from the SFEC funding through wages and/or by creating new or expanding programs within their organizations/institutions. A committee of Task Force members that did not benefit from SFEC funding will be formed to review two of the programs that had the most allegations of misuse of funds.

The lack of review of SFEC funded programs by the Task Force has increased the possibility that funds could have been used for purposes that were not covered by the submitted budget of the priority outcome or their could have been overpayments for goods and/or services.

The program review process should have been followed by the Task Force. An oral and written disclosure statement should have been given by any Task Force member, member of the SFEC Board, or SFEC proposal reviewer when he/she started receiving wages or a contract paid with SFEC funds. Any major changes in the proposal budget should also have been reported to the Task Force. Disclosure should have been given as soon as possible any time during the funding cycle at a general monthly meeting.

The results of this review will be forwarded to MOCD and the SFEC Board.

To the Visitacion Valley Task Force

Dear Members of the Task Force:

I am writing the Task Force to request that a review committee be formed to review two of the San Francisco Enterprise Community funded programs. The Task Force as the Neighborhood Planning Body is responsible for: Neighborhood Benchmarks; development of Priority Outcomes; development of Requests for Proposal; reviewing RFPs for funding recommendations; overseeing the funded programs; and overseeing the expenditures of SFEC funds.

Many issues, allegations, and counter allegations were created during the appeal process for the Safety Program. The appeal was presented by Ms. Marlene Tran and Ms. Winnie Tsang for Visitacion Valley Bilingual Education, Supportive Services and Training (VVBESST). The other organization that submitted a Request for Proposal in the Safety Program was the El Dorado School Neighborhood Betterment Council (ESNBC) represented by Mr. Joel Tate and Mr. William Threadgill.

Allegations of misuse of SFEC funds by members of the Task Force  for equipment and unwarranted consultant fees have questioned the integrity of the entire Task Force. It is time to stop these rumors and accusations by an immediate review of these two programs.

The Review Committee should be composed of Task Force members that did not receive any SFEC funds to start programs, and/or expand programs at their centers or institutions, or as wages.

The best way to maintain the respect and trust of the public is to immediately review any policies or programs that are endorsed by the Task Force and have been questioned as to the motives of such actions.

To Reba Rose, director of Visitacion Valley Community Beacon Center

Dear Ms. Rose:

I am writing as a member of the Task Force that has evaluated past Beacon/VVBESST ESL programs and I was a spokesman for the review team that evaluated the Visitacion Valley Safety Program Priority Outcome. Various issues, allegations, and counter allegations were presented during an appeal process concerning the Safety Program.

The Task Force as the Neighborhood Planning Body is responsible for: Neighborhood Benchmarks; development of Priority Outcomes; development of Requests for Proposal; reviewing RFPs for funding recommendations; overseeing the funded programs; and overseeing the expenditures of San Francisco Enterprise Community funds.

The Task Force has been lacks in its duty to review all the SFEC funded programs as it was mandated to do. The purpose for such review was to prevent rumors, accusations or the misuse of SFEC funds. Several times during the year I have tried to restart the review process. The best way to maintain public trust and respect is to immediately review any policies or programs that are questioned by members of the Task Force or the public.

The Beacon Center can assist the Task Force by providing any Beacon-VVBESST-ESL second funding cycle program's: evaluations; statistics; reports; proposed budget; actual budget; final report; and time sheets.

A committee of the Task Force will be formed to review the program documents. Please contact me when the documents are ready. The Community Center, as fiscal agent, is in the process of compiling the financial statements.

To Julia Kavanagh, executive director of Visitacion Valley Community Center

Dear Ms. Kavanagh:

I am writing as a member of the Visitacion Valley Task Force and the Spokesman for the Review Team that evaluated the Visitacion Valley Safety Program priority outcome.

Many issues, allegations, and counter allegations were created during the appeal process for the Safety Program. The appeal was presented by Ms. Marlene Tran and Ms. Winnie Tsang for Visitacion Valley Bilingual Education, Supportive Services and Training (VVBESST). The other organization that submitted a Request for Proposal in the Safety Program was the El Dorado School Neighborhood Betterment Council (ESNBC) represented by Mr. Joel Tate and Mr. William Threadgill.

There are many allegations about the motives for the Task Force and the Review Team recommending $34,333 in SFEC funding and the collaboration of the two organizations. Many serious allegations were presented to the SFEC Board and counter allegations have been made by other Task Force members. Misuse of SFEC funds is a serious allegation that must be resolved.

A complete and comprehensive accounting of the Merchant Association Program 905 expenditures of $26,911 and the Beacon ESL Program 620 expenditures of $69,545 should be provided for the inspection of the Task Force. A summary of the checks for these expenditures should list the payee, the amount, and the reason for the expenditure. The proposed budgets, actual budgets, time cards, minutes of meetings, and final reports for these programs should also be included in this review. Please request that the Community Center's Accountant Ms. Joan Simpson and Bookkeeper Ms. April Wan provide the necessary accounting documents to the Task Force.

Thank you for your time,
Ralph Oroquita