I received an e-mail that asked why the non-profit Greenhouse Project (TGP) could sell mushrooms to Adele's Cafe (Adele's Facebook posting March 22nd). Supervisor Abowd is founder and president of TGP and co-owner with her husband Charlie of Adele's Cafe. The e-mail question and response follow.
Question: To Newshounds and other interested parties: What is the propriety of Adele's receiving mushrooms from the non-profit Greenhouse Garden Center? If 90% of GGC produce goes to local food banks and 10% to the culinary CHS (Carson High School) program, how does Adele's fit in? Is this not a conflict of interest? Yours, [Constituent]
Answer from Karen Abowd on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 5:25 p.m.: Sustainability has always been part of the Greenhouse project business plan and Adele's purchase of some oyster mushrooms is part of that plan albeit $180 worth. The growing of these mushrooms was part of a part time Americorps intern's project to see how well they would do. TGP donates on an ongoing basis 10 percent to the culinary program at CHS and 90% on a rotating basis to Ron Wood, FISH, and Salvation Army. We fundraise regularly but grants are diminishing and it has always been TGP plan to find ways to promote sustainability for operational costs. This year we will launch a CSA (Community-Share Agriculture) with produce and flowers grown in our outside beds and when possible subscribers will get to enjoy some mushrooms in those baskets. Please take the time to see what we do before your criticize. Karen
In yesterday's local print media, Supervisor Abowd was quoted as saying: "This is all grants and donations. That's what funds this (TGP)." But in reviewing the Project's business plan on its web site, it states: "The potential for additional revenue from edible mushroom sales and growing of vegetable start plants is being considered."
A number of troubling questions logically surface from Supervisor Abowd's collective actions and statements:
1. How is Supervisor Abowd assuring the appearance and reality of an arm's length transaction by her business purchasing mushrooms from TGP?
2. Who sets the price for Adele's mushroom purchases? The founder, project manager and president (Supervisor Abowd)? Her employee and the site manager, Camille Jones?
3. Have other restaurants and stores in town been given the opportunity to purchase TGP products?
An even larger series of ethical questions must be raised about how city government is spending our tax money. Over $250,000 of Federal, state and local taxpayer monies (per funded grant applications listed in the TGP business plan) have been invested in this private charity's initiative. The public deserves answers to these questions:
4. Should scarce public money selectively support some private charities and exclude others when basic city services are perennially underfunded?
5. Why is government picking and choosing which private charities to support or ignore with our tax money, which is held in a fiduciary capacity to benefit all Carsonites?
6. Shouldn't individuals and business owners make private decisions about which charities they will or won't contribute to rather than having their involuntary taxes used to pick winners and losers among private charities, all of whom face constant funding challenges?
7. One hundred percent of TGP crops will not be going to those in need, but competing with private business sellers. Should government-funded non-profits compete with local private businesses?
I believe in the concept of sustainability, helping the community and am very aware of the mission of this non-profit. However, I also feel that perception, transparency and equity should be adhered to by local government, private business and non-profits.