TO: DHHSC Board of Directors (Reno Coletti, Christy West, Helen Porter, Dorsey Chany, and Patty Parker)

FR: The Central California Deaf Community Alliance

RE: The New "Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center" Building Fund Project

April 18, 2003    

*The date April 3 below in italics represents a correction in the text from original

At the April 3, 2003 Board meeting, two representatives of The Central California Deaf Community Alliance, Jim Wade and Becky Wade, brought up concerns regarding the new building that DHHSC purchased as a future home for the agency headquarters. A request for full disclosure of the financial transactions to date regarding this property was made on our behalf. Though none of the board members were prepared to give a full report at the time it was acknowledged that the Deaf Community had not been informed of the details concerning the purchase price or the total renovation estimates. In an article from The Deaf Bee Volume 4, Issue 2, 2003 the statement was made on page 10, When is DHHSC Moving??? "The sooner we raise the $50,000.00 that we need for the remodeling costs, the sooner we can move in!" We feel that to state that the fundraising goal is $50,000 knowing that the renovation costs will be far more is misleading to those donors who give in good faith feeling that the goal represents a finished project.

The Central California Deaf Community Alliance is concerned about the money put forth into this building especially learning that the purchase price was $443,000 for a building that was not built for office use and will need extensive remodeling to make it appropriate for office use. Therefore, we have compiled a list of questions below that we would like answers to in a written format at the May 1, 2003 Board Meeting. We would appreciate it if Dorsey Chany, Board Treasurer and Yu-Tung Ho, Financial Officer are available to explain the report to us at that meeting and to answer any other additional questions we may have.

The questions we now have are as follows:

1) How much money did you put down on the building and where did that money come from?

2) What is the current rent for all offices that DHHSC operates on a monthly basis?

3) Have the mortgage payments for the building begun and if so, how much are those payments per month and for how long?

4) What revenues are being used for those payments? Please provide details if there is more than one source of revenue.

5) What kinds of renovation work is needed on the building and who are the contractors that will be doing that work? Please list each individual contractor, their license numbers, type of work they are expected to perform and the total cost projected upon completion. Also include the expenses that have already been incurred for the various jobs performed.

6) What companies did you contact for bids on the remodeling of the building? Why was a particular bidder chosen and what do the remodeling projects include?

7) What revenues were used for the remodeling jobs?

8) What are the estimated gas and electric costs for the new building?

9) Water and Garbage?

10) How much for fire and liability while unoccupied?

11) How much for fire and liability when occupied?

12) What about other expenses such as roof repair, air conditioning, phone systems, computer hookups, floor coverings, broken sidewalks, and paint?

Since DHHSC is constantly seeking donations for the building, we think it is important that the public have full disclosure for all expenses related to this building project.

Thank you,

The Central California Deaf Community Alliance

CC: Rosemary Diaz
Tom Lee