According to a recent Denver city audit, Rocky Mountain Human Services, a nonprofit that serves Denver residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities misused millions of dollars from taxpayers. City auditor Tim O’Brien calledRMHS’s treatment of public dollars, “Shameful.” (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)
Re: “Denver audit finds “shameful” misspending for intellectually disabled,” Dec. 18 news story.
It should come as no surprise that Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS) misused millions of public money.
Colorado has 20 community-centered boards (CCBs) that were set up by state statute in 1963. They have a chokehold on the steady stream of funding to provide services for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities. They have minimal auditing requirements and are not subject to the Colorado Open Records Law (CORA). The lack of oversight creates a fertile breeding ground for the corruption we have witnessed through The Denver Postap reporting.
State Sen. Irene Aguilar has recently introduced legislation to make CCBs subject to CORA, but we need more. While many CCB staff are hard-working and dedicated professionals, those like Stephen Block of RMHS could not resist the temptation to take advantage of a situation that provided an ample supply of money with little supervision. Where are the federal and state auditors who should be asking the same questions about the rest of the $47 million RMHS budget? Thatap where the real money is!
Charlene Willey, Westminster
This letter was published in the Dec. 27 edition.Re: “To fix RMHS mess, its board must go,” Dec. 19 editorial.
Your editorial about Rocky Mountain Human Service raises the question: “Are you kidding?” Having the board resign is the consequence?
Please learn more about the legal duties of nonprofit board members. These board members and their predecessors need to have financial consequences levied against them personally, as enumerated in the IRS code of legal duties for governing nonprofit organizations.
Further, the public, especially Denver taxpayers, should be outraged by the audit report from the city. All parties involved in this egregious abandonment of legal, ethical and moral behaviors need to be prosecuted and restitution needs to be sought. Any and all restitution needs to be put into a pool of funds to be used only to serve/support the individuals seeking help from this community center board.
David E. Henninger, Centennial
The writer is executive director of Bayaud Enterprises, a nonprofit agency that provides employment services for individuals with disabilities.
This letter was published in the Dec. 27 edition.Yes, the district attorney should be brought in. This may be fraud, and fraud is a crime. If former CEO Stephen Block — and possibly the Rocky Mountain Human Services board — are guilty of a crime, they should be looking at jail time and restitution.
Letap not forget that RMHS also receives federal funds. The U.S. Justice Department may find this case of interest.
At a time when so many children in Denver live in poverty and this tax money could have been used to help them or other needy people, this is not just “shameful,” it may be criminal.
K. Walden, Denver
This letter was published in the Dec. 27 edition.
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