Nonprofit spending at Youth and Family Development
Did not meet requirements› $500 to train three staff members in conflict resolution in April 2015› $5,000 for 20 summer camp scholarships in May 2015› $1,000 to rent a storage space in August 2015› $1,000 to buy basketball hoops for a church recreation program in June 2016› $5,000 to Journey Educational Services for a summer camp in June 2016› $6,000 to Journey Educational Services for a summer camp in July 2016› $7,500 to Journey Educational Services for a summer camp in July 2016Met requirements› $500 to pay teenagers to work a volleyball tournament in April 2015› $1,000 to pay an instructor in a job program in June 2015Source: City Office of Internal Audit
The director of Chattanooga’s Youth and Family Development (YFD) program will be suspended for one week after apparently misusing nearly $30,000 in nonprofit funds over about 18 months, giving more than half of that money to his daughter’s organization, according to city officials.
YFD Administrator Lurone Jennings will be issued a formal letter of discipline, ordered to go through a mandatory ethics training and be given a performance improvement plan, said Maura Sullivan, the city’s chief operating officer. All of his future “financial and contractual” decisions will need to receive final approval from the city’s finance department, she said.
Jennings did not follow city rules when he distributed $27,500 in donations and grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, according to a memorandum from city auditor Stan Sewell.
The money was supposed to be used to provide temporary jobs, work scholarships and educational services to high school students as needed for high school graduation, according to a resolution passed by the Chattanooga City Council in October 2014.