Leadership Debacle: YOUR TAX DOLLARS LOST

Recently, I was contacted by staff to schedule an hour with our County Manager (CM), Penny Postoak Ferguson, to give her feedback on the homeless shelter.  This would have been a private discussion, no paper trail, no documentation (a hallmark in communication with staff, leave no paper trail).

I texted our CM notifying her I didn’t need an hour meeting and was including my “feedback” critique via text.  My “feedback”:

1. Staff went shopping for a hotel and ended up with La Quinta.  Staff should not have been burdened with this policy decision, especially of this magnitude.
2. Obviously the ground work was not done with Lenexa or the project would not have crashed into a disaster costing the county $500K.  (This was $200K to the owner of La Quinta and an additional $300K for due diligence of engineering, environmental etc.)
3. Staff ignored board (BOCC) direction on operator being self-funded. (You may recall that staff and ReStart going to the cities begging for subsidies?)
4. Selection of the operator should not have been given to staff and other community leaders. (The BOCC majority absolutely abdicated their responsibility).
5. RFP (request for proposal) should have been written by staff reflecting Board’s (BOCC) direction.  Hiring USC (United Community Services) to write RFP promoted an appearance of lack of transparency and blocked other community homeless providers the opportunity to apply.  Example: requirement of operator having used HUD funding (Housing and Urban Development).

Ill conceived, ill funded and ill placed.

My opinion, elected leadership was looking for “virtue signaling” on the project instead of focusing on the needs of JoCo residents.  BTW Douglas County is now requiring residency (Douglas County) for homeless services.

One additional point: Staff did not inform Commissioners, or at least me, on low barrier homeless shelters prohibition of requiring:

• Citizenship
• Resident of JoCo
• Screening for:
• Criminal history
• Domestic violence history
• Rental history
• Substance abuse
• Etc. etc.

It was through a resident of Lenexa who continued to ask staff pointed questions for an extended time did the full information of a low barrier homeless shelter come to my attention. Thank you Resident!

It has decimated my confidence in staff to give me adequate and complete information.  Lack of transparency is extremely concerning.

And so goes the lack of fiscal responsibility in the land of Johnson.