CASE #0101 City of Stockton/Parks and Recreation Department

REASON FOR INVESTIGATION

The San Joaquin County 2001-2002 Civil Grand Jury (SJCCGJ) received a citizen complaint alleging 27 complaints against the City of Stockton Parks and Recreation Department (CSPRD). The only allegation that fell within the jurisdiction of the SJCCGJ was the allegation of misuse of public funds.

BACKGROUND

The complainant alleged that the CSPRD misused public funds provided through a CalWORKS grant. The Human Service Agency (HSA) issued the grant funding to the CSPRD, to provide after school recreational activities at local community centers, as well as Summer Youth Camp at both High Sierra and Silver Lake. The grant provided free after school activities to all participants, and covered the registration fees for participants whose family received CalWORKS funding through Human Service Agency (HSA) to attend the summer camps. Participants whose families were not receiving funding through HSA can attend the summer camp by paying a $100 registration fee.

The complainant alleged that CSPRD not only billed CalWORKS for the eligible participants, but also billed for the participants that had already paid the registration fee for the 2000-01 camps, in essence "double dipping."

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

• Complainant – interview
• Tim Gallagher, Director, City of Stockton Parks and Recreation Department – interview
• Reviewed accounting records for Cal WORKS funding for Silver Lake provided by CSPRD
• Reviewed the receipts and list of names for cash paying participants who attended the 2000-01 Silver Lake Youth Camp provided by CSPRD
• Reviewed the list of CalWORKS participants who attended the 2000-01 Silver Lake Youth Camp provided by CSPRD
• Reviewed the receipts for reimbursement of costs associated with the recreation programs for CalWORKS participants during the 2000-01 fiscal year

FINDINGS

Initially we contacted the Accounting Department to obtain the documentation regarding the billing and payment made regarding the Silver Lake Summer Camp; we were instructed to go directly to CSPRD. We were then instructed to submit a written request for each item requested. Multiple requests were made to obtain the complete records and pertinent reimbursements receipts. Mr. Gallagher stated that he did not know if all of the information we requested would be available, that the information was over a year old and may have been discarded. Eventually we received the documents needed in order to continue with the investigation.

After reviewing all the documents we found that the CSPRD had poor record keeping and an apparent unwillingness from the City of Stockton to comply with our request.

CONCLUSIONS

The SJCCGJ did not find any evidence of misuse of public funds on the part of CSPRD regarding the billing of CalWORKS and non CalWORKS participants related to the Silver Lake Youth Camp 2000-01 session.

RECOMMENDATION

It is the recommendation of the SJCCGJ that the CSPRD adopt a standard written policy for proper record retention.

RESPONSE REQUIRED

Pursuant to Section §933.05 of the Penal Code, the City of Stockton Parks and Recreation Department shall report to the Presiding Judge of the San Joaquin Superior Court, in writing and within 90 days of publication of this report, the response shall indicate one of the following.

As to each finding in the report a response indicating one of the following:

1. The respondent agrees with the finding.
2. The respondent disagrees with the finding, with an explanation of reasons therefore.

As to each recommendation, a response indicating one of the following:

1. The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary of the action taken.
2. The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be with a time frame for implementation.
3. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation of the scope of the analysis and a time frame not to exceed six months.
4. The recommendation will not be implemented, with an explanation therefore.