7/6/21 — Unidentified officials with the state parks department reportedly suggested last year that members of the Board of Directors of the Mendocino Coast Recreation and Parks District should resign over their involvement with a pair of grant applications worth more than $2.9 million “based on inconsistencies identified in the audit,” according to a report released by the Mendocino County Civil Grand Jury last week.
The
civil grand jury is a self-described watchdog agency comprised of 19 volunteers
selected to monitor and investigate government agencies at the city and county
level, and make recommendations “to improve local government.” Their recent
work includes investigations into mail-in ballot voting in the 2020 election,
school safety and the county’s emergency communications system.
The
grand jury report in question (and one excerpt included in this article)
repeatedly refers to an agency called the “State of California Off Highway
Vehicle Parks Department” or CAOHVPD — but no such agency exists. The grants in
question appear to have been awarded by the California Department of Parks and
Recreation’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division.
The
park district, which is most well known for operating the C.V. Starr Center in partnership
with the City of Fort Bragg, owns a 586-acre property roughly two miles east of
city limits, and that $2.9 million in grant funding would have gone toward
turning it into an off-highway vehicle (OHV) park.
Specifically,
a $255,421 planning grant awarded in 2017 would have funded an environmental
impact report, economic feasibility study and a series of public meetings. A
$2,739,828 restoration grant awarded the following year would have covered site
survey, fence installation, invasive species removal and trail work.
Mostly
that money was earmarked for fencing, however, and that’s where this thing
appears to have gone off the rails. The state reportedly took issue with the
bidding process surrounding a $2,591,234 contract to install a perimeter fence,
and the source of matching funds procured by the district to help pay for it.
“As
a result of the concerns raised during the oversight and audit of the grants,
(the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle
Recreation Division) pulled the grant’s funding and suggested that any BOD that
were directly involved with the grant application and administration resign,”
the grand jury writes.
When
asked to confirm these allegations, however, spokesperson Adeline Yee said only
that “California State Parks does not comment on grand jury reports.”
According
to the grand jury’s version of events, State Parks personnel met with two board
members and the park district’s bankruptcy attorney in June 2020. During that
meeting they were notified the grants had been suspended due to “inappropriate
conduct” involving the MCRPD and a nonprofit whose name has been redacted from
the report.
“…because
of this alleged misconduct, the Parks Department will not proceed with the
grants as long as any BOD member that approved the arrangement with the {name
redacted} of non-profit remains on the BOD,” jurors write. “In view of the
history of alleged self-dealing, the Parks Department could not authorize any
additional funds under the grants.”
News
reports from last year indicate Director John Huff resigned his position in
August 2020. According to reporting in the AVA a few days later, he called the
resignation a “rash decision” and announced his bid for re-election to the seat
he’d just given up.
The
Mendocino Voice has not thoroughly reviewed the documents cited by AVA
columnist Malcolm MacDonald, nor have we independently verified his statements
regarding individuals and organizations whose names appear to have been
redacted from the grand jury report.
Despite
Huff’s unusual campaign launch he won 24 percent of the vote in November,
placing first in a field of five candidates. His victory was decisive,
especially given that Huff was the only candidate not present for a candidates
forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Mendocino County. Robin Epley,
editor of the Fort Bragg Advocate, reported Huff was unable to attend due to a
48-hour paramedic shift he was working at that time.
Huff’s
name does not appear in any of the documents released thus far by the grand
jury. None of the board members are mentioned by name. Nevertheless, the
Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District’s Board of Directors is required
by state law to respond to the allegations in writing within 60 days of the
report’s publication on June 28.
The
Mendocino Voice has reached out to Director Huff by email, as well as to board
Chair Barbara Burkey (who also serves as vice-mayor to the City of Point Arena)
and the rest of the district’s Board of Directors to request a comment on this
matter — but it may be weeks or months before their official response is
released to the public. Readers can expect a more detailed treatment on the
grand jury’s findings and recommendations as additional facts get confirmed.
Mendocino
Voice
By Dave Brooksher
July 6, 2021
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