bprop wrote:Your and my opinion of what constitutes good results differs from Rice.
Absolutely. Like you said, there's no evidence that suggests Rev. Rice has material wealth, and he has limited power at best. I believe Roy314 has a valid point about Rev. Rice's craving of attention, but like you said, Rice has assumed an extraordinary amount of liability if that's the case.
What irks me, though, is the way that Rev. Rice operates. It's been stated here frequently that he uses those that receive the NLEC's services as pawns. That's a rather strong charge, but it seems like other homeless service providers do a much better job of attracting the public's attention to the unfortunate plight of homeless people in our region without compromising the dignity and the respect of the people they serve.
I'm reminded of Rice's attempt to secure the Abrams Federal Building for a megashelter, his recent plea for an acre of open space, and his seemingly disingenuous attempt to open a renewable energy center in Dutchtown. He says he didn't realize he'd need permits for his proposal at a former commercial space surrounded by residences that was grandfathered into the city's zoning code. I'd like to believe him, but I can't. Whatever one thinks of his work, I don't want to assume anything about Rev. Rice per se, but I find it difficult to believe he's
that naive.
bprop wrote:btw I wasn't necessarily directing the "mock outrage" comment at you. Similar sentiment has been posted here before, though, in amongst angst from having the NLEC so near to people's new, expensive homes. It is possible that outrage over the conditions at the NLEC can be a convenient cover those simply wanting NLEC moved away from them now that they're there.
You're probably right, at least about some people. However, I know of people that live and/or work downtown that donate their time and money to other homeless service providers, so I have to believe their outrage about conditions and recent events at NLEC is legitimate. I know what you're saying, though, and you did make a valid point.
I work downtown. I hate going by Lucas park and its trash blowing around. I hate getting hit up for money four times on the way to lunch, and seeing people urinate in the Metrolink stairwells. Disagreeing with the way that the homeless situation is treated is one thing. But accusing Rice of being in it for the money, power, or attention seems a bit misplaced.
I certainly agree with the former sentiment. And you're probably right about the latter. However, Rev. Rice has done little to earn the public's trust, which is no way to run a charitable organization. I checked out the NLEC through the
Better Business Bureau. Although the NLEC did provide a breakdown of income and expenses for FY2006, there are still several violations of guidelines for charitable organizations. The NLEC operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, yet it has no annual budget and no IRS From 990 available, among other accountability concerns.
As you said, Rev. Rice believes he's getting results even if you and I don't, but it's abundantly clear that he has a long way to go if he wants to restore accountability to the public and government alike. Unfortunately, the incident at New Bloomfield and the recent stabbings at the NLEC suggest that what we know is merely the tip of the iceberg, and that is why I believe an investigation of conditions and operations at NLEC is necessary.
