County failed to monitor groups getting millions in public money

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By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 10:57 PM Tuesday, March 23, 2010

DAYTON — Montgomery County failed to follow its own rules requiring that staff visit the sites of organizations that received $46 million in public money to provide social services last year, County Administrator Deborah Feldman said Tuesday, March 23.

She said very few of the 236 contracts managed by the county Department of Job and Family Services were fully monitored last year, and officials believe the problem also occurred in 2008.

“I really feel terrible about it,” said Christy Norvell, director of JFS.

Feldman and JFS officials outlined an array of changes designed to fix the problems, including hiring a consultant, adding employees, and increasing the use of training and technology.

"Thank you for the in-depth analysis and admitting where we broke down,” said Commissioner Debbie Lieberman. “These dollars are precious dollars that are getting fewer and fewer.”

The problem was discovered after the Dayton Daily News in February requested county monitoring documents for programs involving the Rev. Raleigh Trammell. The county learned then that the documents did not exist because employees failed for two years to monitor programs operated by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Dayton chapter and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

The discovery prompted Feldman to order a department-wide review of the county’s social service contracts. As federal and local investigations of Trammell multiplied, Feldman ultimately pulled funding for both of the groups.

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