Homeless youth nonprofit could lose $100,000 from county

A nonprofit organization for homeless youth whose director left amid concerns she misused the charity's money could lose $100,000 in funding if two Clark County commissioners have their way.

The proposal comes weeks after Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth founder Kathleen Vermillion was named in a Jan. 11 complaint filed with the attorney general's office accusing her of malfeasance.

Vermillion is suing the county and ex-boyfriend Commissioner Steve Sisolak, alleging he and others leaked her drug test results, which were positive for methadone. The drug test was ordered by the charity's board of directors. Sisolak is accusing Vermillion and her legal team of trying to extort $3.9 million from him.

Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Lawrence Weekly want to take $100,000 of the county grant funding given to the nonprofit as part of a larger grant and combine it with a $50,000 federal justice assistance grant to sponsor summer swimming programs for low-income families at five county pools throughout the valley.

The money also would be used to train teens to become certified lifeguards and create part-time jobs at Parkdale, Sunrise, Whitney, Walnut and Cambridge pools.

Both commissioners acknowledged the timing but denied the proposal was in retaliation for Vermillion's lawsuit against the county.

But Arash Ghafoori, the charity's new executive director, said any loss of money would devastate his organization and the services provided by the William Fry Drop-In Center. The center, which relies heavily on county funding, opened two years ago and each year offers access to case management, counseling, training, a bathroom and shower and a washer and dryer to hundreds of youths ages 18 or younger who live on the streets.

"We would suffer tremendously with any loss or reduction of this money," said Executive Director Arash Ghafoori. "We count on that money, budget for it and spend accordingly on services. ... I feel the charity is definitely a potential victim because of old management."

A county audit performed earlier this month showed that funding provided by Clark County to the nonprofit was "not subject to financial mismanagement" under Vermillion's leadership, according to Sabra Smith Newby, county director of administrative services.

"It is important to note that the review focused on funds provided by Clark County, not funds provided by other community partners or private donors," Smith Newby wrote in a Jan. 23 memo to county management.

The audit said the charity does not change its safe combination once employees leave or change roles, that checks and cash are kept in the executive director's desk until they're deposited, grants were not being tracked properly and canceled checks were missing from reimbursement packets submitted to social services.

Giunchigliani added she is not proposing to terminate the agreement with the nonprofit or distance the county from the charity as it undergoes leadership changes.

"Kathleen is a friend of mine," Giunchigliani said. "We're not caught up in that dogfight. That's between other folks. We have an opportunity to help thousands of kids and their families. I can take $100,000 and fund a full program, keep them from being homeless and not lose a $50,000 JAG (Justice Assistance) grant."

Weekly said if his colleagues can compel him to leave the money alone, he doesn't have a problem voting that way. Grant money is hard to come by, and he "would hate to see these dollars get caught up in a bunch of bureaucracy."

"It's no one's intention to hurt anybody, especially kids," Weekly said. "There are so many needs out there. People need help. This too shall pass. I believe at the end of the day this agency will prevail."

Sisolak, who established a scholarship fund and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the charity, said he will recuse himself from the vote as he has done with every Homeless Youth item that has come before the board because of the personal investments he has made into the nonprofit.

"I will continue to donate my own resources to the partnership," Sisolak said, choking back tears. "Those are great kids who are a group of underserved youth that the charity performs a great function for.

"I will continue to personally support the charity and its mission and every young man and woman that's a client of theirs. I hope these kids understand that I'm not abandoning them."

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. educate.yourself Feb. 3, 2012 | 4:12 p.m. Report Abuse

   Do you really think it's fair for the kids to suffer because the person at the top found themselves to be invincible? Don't you think staff came and went for a reason? Use your brains, people. It probably took years to free themselves from political corruption and now that the charity has prevailed the political crap continues? Let this charity show us what they can accomplish. It seems hardly fair that Weekly and Giunchigliana want to kick a dog while it's down. Especially since all the issues have nothing to do with the kids. Why punish kids who have nothing? No family? No home? No food? You can't prevent homelessness by building a pool that's open only a few months out of the year. Regardless of what some think, there are parents out there that don't do their jobs. And foster care isn't always the answer. Clearly there wouldn't be a need for such services. These kids deserve for someone to care about them. We shouldn't judge things that we know nothing about. Take a look at their website: nphy.org. Take a look at their services. They do great work. Then look at the staff... You should, at the very least, familiarize yourself with the list of people that you feel deserve to lose their jobs for daring to care about other people's throw away kids.

2. Oscar.Jones Feb. 2, 2012 | 7:55 p.m. Report Abuse

   Make the black and hispanic communities cough up the money to fund these programs. It's their kids.

3. Alcohol Feb. 2, 2012 | 8:44 a.m. Report Abuse

   I used to work in this govenmental field. I believe it is a requirment that in order to receive CDBG monies a portion of those monies has to go to help homeless youth. Also, $100,000 in the big scheme of the overall homeless youth problem is chump change.

4. JapaneseLady Feb. 2, 2012 | 7:21 a.m. Report Abuse

   POOL GUY: Some youth do not have parents. Father could be a USA's foreign war death. Both of their parents may be dead. They could be victim of abuse by one of their step-parent. These youth should have fun and sport if they wish. CC does not care so they pushed their duty to create better community by just pushing these youths to money monger profit organization. There are many true non-profit organization here that really work for whoever they want to help. Vermillion? She degraded Henderson which was ranked No 1. in some poll. The organization that led so many years of corrupting should be trans formed into CC or Henderson if we can't trust County.

5. POOL GUY Feb. 2, 2012 | 6:30 a.m. Report Abuse

   Shouldn't families take care of their youth?

6. becharitabletoothers Feb. 2, 2012 | 6:28 a.m. Report Abuse

   The community and the teens need this program! This move shows, once again, that the homeless don't matter in our community. The County Commissioners always say they are concerned and want to prevent homelessness but then their actions show otherwise. I understand kids need recreation but shelter and food come first. These homeless teens will suffer greatly if the County votes to take this money away.

7. preachersdaughter Feb. 1, 2012 | 11:30 p.m. Report Abuse

   Ms. Vermillion's salary jumped from $110k in 2010 to $230k in 2011. I have worked at non-profit organizations in the past that had annual budgets that were comparable to NPHY. The highest I ever knew a CEO/executive director to be paid was $65k. I am confused as to why the board would have approved such an exorbitant salary for this greedy woman. Why aren't city council members outraged by this? I hate to say it but I would not donate to this charity and I don't think it should receive any more grant funding.

8. JapaneseLady Feb. 1, 2012 | 9:55 p.m. Report Abuse

   Suggestion: Instead of using this Youth organization, that hire expensive employees, how about county make them its own? Looks like this youth organization was solely created for high salaried stuffs. Executive director, President?.. Just treating generous donaters such as MGM as suckers. IT IS NOT A NON-PROFIT organization.

9. BFeher Feb. 1, 2012 | 8:46 p.m. Report Abuse

   And the kids suffer!
   NOTICE! I will run the charity for $500 a week! My Email is BruceFeher@cs.com
   Contact me!