May 19th, 2020 Dear members of Menlo Park City Council, This letter is a submission of public comment regarding item C1, elimination of preschool child care at Belle Haven Child Development center as reflected on today’s May 19, 2020 Special Meeting Agenda. Per Table 1 on Attachment C page C1.22, the table reflect and expenditure of 2million and one million for operations excluding certificated salary. The table also reflects a general fund coverage of 714,860 this fiscal. I would like to recommend council to request for the City’s most recent audit completed by LCL of Belle Haven Child Development center reflecting the present information below in detail. This City audit for the center is completed annually and sent to the State regarding the center’s finances. 1) 2018-19 fiscal, the center’s expenditure was 1.5million including certified teachers and aides’ salaries, benefits, food services, material and supplies, utilities, etc. Table 1 reflects this year’s certified teacher salary as a separate entity to the operational cost. Operational cost shall not cost 1 million if certified teacher and aide salary is excluded. Additionally, the table reflects expenditure this fiscal to be 2 million. However, the recreation coordinator position has been vacant as of end of March and one aide funded by Big Lift has been on maternity leave without pay from Dec. to mid-May. This would reflect less use of Big Lift funding along with decrease in general funds use for City’s 10% match. Furthermore, prior to my departure, the center was actively saving and tightening the food budget in comparison to previous years. With the above items, program operation expenditure shall be less than what’s reflected in table 1. Food operation cost should have also decreased due to program emergency closure. 2) Last fiscal year, the center received 1.2million in revenue with a total use of about 270k from general fund. Table 1 reflects this year’s general fund use to be 714,860 despite the decrease in expenses as presented in the above paragraph. 3) C1.21, general fund support prior to Covid-19 presents the $22,500 the center received as a quality grant. However, this is not reflected in Table 1 of the center’s revenue. Additionally, the center’s QRIS (Quality Rating Improvement Scale) tier is inaccurately reflected. The center is at a tier 4 quality reflecting a $22,500 grant rather than tier 3, a $5000 grant. Per the May 12th Special meeting regarding item E1 tier 2, the presented 1.7million savings along with today’s meeting item C1 attachment C page C1.22, the fiscal numbers presented continue to fluctuate and is conflicting. I strongly recommend the council team request for the center’s LCL City audit for review and clarity. The fiscal accountant staff from the City who worked closes with the director at Belle Haven CDC overseeing the programs full budget and grants should also be of support in clarifying possible questions. Mayor and council, I thank you for the opportunity to submit a public comment and your consideration of the above information reflecting additional clarity of the center’s financial status as the most recent coordinator of the center. I hope this information will support in redirection of the City’s decision to eliminate the program. Sincerely, Carmen Lo Received on Tue May 19 2020 - 15:57:08 PDT
