Community, Board & NCRD,
I was told by a long term board member ‘you don’t want to get on the wrong side of the board, we have our own way of doing things’. This statement has caused me to take a closer look at the operations and relationship between the board and NCRD. I found the following concerning and took my questions to Bill, NCRD & the board. I’m told my questions are inappropriate, my numbers are not accurate and my questions/requests need to be in writing, I will then be advised how much it will cost for me to receive the answers.
The Finance Mgr’s. position is posted on NCRD’s website and shows the position as 30 hrs/wk, hourly wage up to $25.50/hr. Doing the math it comes to $765/wk, $39,780.00/yr. The last two budgets have budgeted a salary of $52,500.00. The prior Executive Director hired his friend Bill D, not as Finance Mgr, but contracted him as a Finance Consultant? According to the expense reports, NCRD has paid to B. Devlin consulting $81,664.00 during the 2020/21 fiscal year, ending June 30, 2021. If you look at the statement from June 2021, Bill Devlin Consulting was paid $8,887, 2 ½ times what a new Finance Manager’s monthly salary would be today? I have asked and not been told if Bill also received the $52,500 budgeted salary for Finance Mgr? And, if you look in the July board meeting documents, you will see the line item for Finance Manager was paid out at 104% of budget for the fiscal year. That money went somewhere, to someone…who? AND, if it went for services of Bill D, where is that reflected? I have been unsuccessful in finding anything in the board minutes from 11/2019 referencing any of this.
So here we go, NCRD send me an invoice:
1. Given the job description currently posted, it appears to describe what Bill D. has been doing for NCRD since 10/2019. What is the source of being $30,000 over the budgeted amount of a Finance Manager for (2020/21), and over twice the salary of what the next person accountable will receive? Where was this over-budgeted money pulled from?
2. NCRD states adamantly Bill is not an ‘employee’, if that is so, why is he listed as ‘staff attending’ at every board meeting since 12/2019? If not an employee, is Bill renting office space from NCRD as a contractor? If not an employee why is Bill’s email; admin@ncrdnehalem.org?
3. When was this ‘Contract’ put to bid to our community over the past 2 years, as required by a public entity.
4. Please provide a signed/dated copy of the original contract and the renewed contract for 2020/21.
5. Who has inspected, approved and signed the checks for the $5,000-$8,000/mo invoices submitted by Bill Devlin Consulting, since this went from an employed position to a contracted position? Please provide copies of detailed invoices from 10/1/2019 – 8/1/2021.
Last question, not related. $2 million has accumulated over the last 20 years which is not included in the designated new pool account. This new pool account includes the bond sale proceeds(4+m) and loan proceeds(3m) with the additional $2 million included, there would be over $9 million in an account, 100% committed to the new pool and nothing else. Doesn’t it make sense to have all funds in the same account? Why is it not?
As a concerned patron who is asking for reasonable public info which we as a community deserve, I am hopeful we will find out if any of these questions are addressed, discussed or answered at the NCRD board meeting Thursday, August 12th, 6pm. We will also have the opportunity to meet and welcome the new Executive Director, Dominic Cortinas. I hope you will join me.
Thank you /Constance Shimek (constanceforncrd@gmail.com)