What vetting does the City of Elk Grove conduct when it comes to their favorite charities?

Occasionally, events occur that lead to questions about how things in the public interest are administered. An Elk Grove resident identified an event that raises the question about the City of Elk Grove.

A question arose centered on this evening's annual Elk Grove Hall of Fame event being held at District56. Sponsored by former Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis' Elk Grove Community Council and hosted by Elk Grove District 2 Councilmember Pat Hume, the event honors several Elk Grove residents for their civic contributions and is not an indication of their integrity or meant to impugn the individuals being honored.

Rather organization of the event raises the questions that invariably make you wonder what is going on at Elk Grove City Hall. While the matter is relatively minor, if the city staff cannot do their job correctly on small things or are operating under two sets of rules, it is fair to question if larger items of public interest are similarly handled.   

In a recent email from Elk Grove City Manager Jason Behrmann to an inquiring resident regarding charities receiving CARES Act monies from the city, Behrmann wrote, “We applied the same standards we apply to Community Service Grant recipients, including Secretary of State and Registry of Charitable Trusts requirements, to CARES Act grantees.”

According to the California Secretary of State and the California Franchise Tax Board, the Elk Grove Community Council currently has an “FTB suspended” status. Former Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis is listed as the “Agent for Service” for the charity.

Additionally, Davis' organization has a “delinquent” status with the California Attorney General, Department of Justice, Registry of Charitable Trusts.

So why is the city of Elk Grove supporting the Elk Grove Community Council? The city’s logo is on the flyer.

Recently questions of preferential treatment have been queried to the city regarding this charity and others. When other charities followed a strict application process, Davis, whose mandated charity filings are delinquent, seems to have easy access to any monies others don't.   

Left unanswered by city staff as of this posting, how much money, in-kind or otherwise, has the city of Elk Grove contributed to the Council for tonight’s event. Is Davis' group being allowed free use of the District56 facility and other taxpayer services like security and staffing?

It is shameful the recipients being honored tonight are likely unaware their recognition comes from a charity that has been suspended and/or has a delinquent status with several State regulatory agencies.

It raises the question - what vetting does the City of Elk Grove conduct regarding their favorite charities? Is it favoritism or institutional incompetence run amuck?

 

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