Hilda Hall Has Left the Carrie P. Meek Business Incubator Building

Yes it's true, keys were turned in and new locks have been installed, tenants have received their new keys and the era of the BTDC has come to an end. Good for Homestead, Dennis Moss does not look good on this one, he made a terrible decision to support this group under criminal investigation by the OIG.

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What is Wrong with Dennis Moss, Carrie Meek and Leroy Jones?

Amid Investigation, Homestead Kicks Out Nonprofit Business Center

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/12/3139048/amid-investigation-homestead-kicks.html#storylink=cpy

The center also has a trail of unpaid bills and judgments against it from payroll companies and banks, totaling more than $250,000, Gretsas said.

“It’s embarrassing. The more the facts come out, the worse it gets. And I think we just need to move on. This doesn’t look good for the city,” he said.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/12/3139048/amid-investigation-homestead-kicks.html#storylink=cpy

The items highlighted in red are quite possibly "crazy talk." The one in pink is a cautionary advisory.

By Christina Veiga

cveiga@MiamiHerald.com

Homestead officials have kicked out the operator of its Carrie P. Meek business center amid a county investigation into the center’s director.

But Miami-Dade Commissioner Dennis Moss has asked city officials to hand over operation of the center to a non-profit which is considering employing the scrutinized director.

The Meek center, also known as the Business and Technology Development Corp., is under investigation by the Miami-Dade County Inspector General’s Office for suspicion of grand theft and money laundering, according to Homestead City Manager George Gretsas.

Run by Hilda B. Hall-Dennis, the Meek center has operated rent-free out of a city-owned building on Civic Court in Homestead. It’s supposed to provide help and subsidized office space for businesses starting up in the area.

The center’s lease with Homestead’s Community Redevelopment Agency expired Sept. 30, but it has continued to work out of the building. Now, Hall-Dennis has until Dec. 14 to get out, according to a letter sent to her by the CRA.

The CRA, a special taxing district which helps fix up blighted areas, will run the center until a new, permanent operator can be found.

Moss, according to a letter sent to city officials, hopes that the new operator will be NANA, the Neighbors and Neighbors Association.

NANA on its website says it started the Mom and Pop Small Business Grant Program and the City of Miami Micro-Enterprise Assistance Grant Program. The organization is funded with county and city of Miami money, according to its website.

NANA director Leroy Jones said that Hall-Dennis has worked for the association in the past as a paid consultant, conducting training and workshops. He said his organization’s board is currently considering whether to hire her again as a contractor, or to give her a job.

Jones said Hall-Dennis would not be given any position that handles money.

“To be perfectly honest with you, I would love Hilda to work for me. And I understand what’s out there, but I also understand that she has not been found guilty,” Jones said. 

Commissioner Moss had faith in both NANA and Hall-Dennis, he said.

“NANA is an organization that has a credible track record in this community,” the commissioner said. 

“They will do an excellent job of running the center.”

In a letter to the city of Homestead, the center’s namesake, former U.S. Rep. Carrie P. Meek praised Hall-Dennis. Meek has no affiliation with the center, other than its name and her help in first securing the money for the center.

“I am extremely proud of the center and the work that Hilda Hall-Dennis has done,” she wrote.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/12/3139048/amid-investigation-homestead-kicks.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/12/3139048/amid-investigation-homestead-kicks.html#storylink=cpy

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Guess Who Wanted To Keep Funding Business Incubator When Mike Shehadeh and 2008 City Council Said NO?

Mayor Bell opened the public hearing on August 25, 2008.

Business Incubator Executive Director Hilda Hall Dennis stated they have been funded by the CRA for
two years. She gave an overview of how the funding has had a major economic impact on the community
that exceeded $25 million. The Business Incubator has created 49 full time jobs and provided assistance to
750 businesses. She stated because of the funding three major technologies and four patents have been
created Ms. Hall Dennis mentioned the Business Incubator was an important facility to have in the
community and requested to continue to receive funding.

City Manager Shehadeh stated originally the TRDA was to fund the project completely and they have walked away from the program and left a deficit. He felt the program is beneficial to the City but they would have to find another source of funding. He stated he could not propose to Council to continue to fund this program knowing the City of Homestead is not the only beneficiary. He questioned how the citizens of Homestead benefited from this program because the only successful business he was aware of was the
dressmaker and she moved to Hialeah. His recommendation as a manager was not continue to fund the program.

Councilwoman Waldman stated she recalled the college joined in to apply for the grant from NASA with
the City.

Acting Executive Director Wick replied that information was correct.

Councilwoman Waldman provided her recollection of the terms of reuse.

City Manager Shehadeh stated they were not proposing to change the use he proposed not to fund the City share.

Councilwoman Waldman questioned how the program would exist. She mentioned the dressmaker did not leave the city. She stated she had concerns the City would be liable for the property and what would happen to the program after the funding was cut.

City Manager Shehadeh stated they have taken everything into consideration and the Business Incubator
could continue to operate if they find their own funding.

Ms Dennis stated the feasibility study stated a full technology incubator would not make it in this
community and it had to be a multiuse facility. She provided an overview of the benefits of their facility. She
stated she understood if the City decided not to fund the program and asked if they would review the
reports and visit the site before making a decision

City Manager Shehadeh stated his recommendation was to not continue to fund the program He
mentioned he did not like the way the program was funded and he was going to stick to his
recommendation.
 
Mayor Bell stated she had not received any reports from the Incubator.
Ms. Dennis stated all of the reports are sent monthly to CRA and her understanding is the CRA sends them to the City Manager.*

Mayor Bell stated there are many not for profits in the area and the City cannot financially support them all.

She stated the idea is to initiate funding and then wean them down She supported the Manager's
recommendation and offered to assist with obtaining grants. She mentioned this has to take place. They are seeing the funding come from the City of Homestead and making an impact outside of Homestead. She encouraged her to continue to do what she is doing and work hard for grants
 
Ms. Dennis thanked the Council and stated she would have liked advance notice to prepare for alternative
funding.

*City Manager Shehadeh stated for the record he did not receive any reports.
 
Kemetra Driver Executive Director of We Care stated the money received from the City helps the
Homestead citizens with their utilities not We Care. She thanked the Council for their past support and
hoped to continue the partnership.

City Manager Shehadeh stated this was CRA budget and We Care is funded with the General Funds.
 
Councilwoman Lobos stated she supported the City Manager's decision to discontinue funding because the City was left holding a $75,000 tab when the federal funding from TRDA stopped.

This tab was not fair to the City of Homestead and in previous years the CRA could absorb that amount. She stated the CRA has a lot of cleaning up to do and she would like to see them repay the money owed to the General Funds. She believed the Business Incubator should continue to exist and offered suggestions to Ms Dennis to look into the Carrie P Meek Foundation for funding. She felt in the future the City of Homestead might be in a better position to partner with other entities.

Mayor Bell closed the public hearing
Vice Mayor Burgess Yes 
Mr Nelson Yes
Ms Lobos Yes 
Ms Sierra Yes
Mr McCormick Yes 
Mayor Bell Yes
Ms Waldman No

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Business Incubator Financials Part B and C

Draw your own conclusions. Negative balance bank accounts listed as an asset.$88,000 losses on revenues of $250,000 and payroll costs of $263,000 on the same revenue number. Why was this allowed?

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Business Incubator Financials Part A

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Where's Hilda?

The Carrie P. Meek Center for Business is under investigation by the Miami-Dade County Inspector General’s office and the state has shut it down.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/02/3079947/homestead-business-incubator-faces.html#storylink=cpy

By Christina Veiga

cveiga@MiamiHerald.com

The county Inspector General is investigating a Homestead organization that landed almost $1 million in federal grants while purporting to be a nonprofit organization.

Trouble is, the IRS revoked the Carrie P. Meek Center for Business’ nonprofit status last year after the center didn’t file tax returns for three straight years. The center has no affiliation with former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek.

The nonprofit status is not the only problem facing the center: The state has shut it down for failing to carry the required insurance. And court records show the center, also known as the Business and Technology Development Corp., has a trail of unpaid bills owed to a local bank, a payroll company and others.

Now, the center’s executive director, Hilda B. Hall-Dennis, has gone missing. She hasn’t answered phone calls from Homestead city officials, a city spokeswoman said. The number for the center is disconnected. Hall also didn’t answer an email sent Friday by The Miami Herald. Additionally, calls from The Herald to her cell phone went unanswered and text messages were returned as undeliverable.

The Meek center opened in 2003 as a “business incubator” — a place to help entrepreneurs launch new businesses in south Miami-Dade County . It claims to have helped 4,000 business people, according to its most recent grant application filed with the city of Homestead. County auditors in 2010 recommended closing the center after they couldn’t find proof of any of the center’s claims.
Its latest problems center on whether the nonprofit met the requirements to receive federal grants.

According to a memo from the county inspector general, since 2008, the center has obtained $898,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money. As a condition of getting the money, the center is supposed to be registered as a nonprofit with the IRS and the state and have workers’ compensation and liability insurance, the memo states.

But the center lost its nonprofit status in June 2011 for not filing tax returns for three consecutive years. The center’s nonprofit status was still revoked as of Thursday, according to an IRS representative. However, the representative noted that there’s no way to know whether a new application is in the pipeline.
The state’s Department of Financial Services confirmed Friday that it had issued a “stop work” order for not carrying the requisite insurance.

The city gave the center a lucrative deal.

Since at least 2010, it has operated rent free out of a building owned by the Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency — a special taxing district of the city that helps spur economic development. The CRA has also given the center more than $220,000 in grants since 2005, according to city documents.

“The city has identified areas of significant concern regarding the Business and Technology Development Corporation. Staff has made multiple inquires of Ms. Hilda Hall and asked her to provide various documents,” said city spokeswoman Begoñe Cazalis. “Ms. Hilda Hall responded, saying that it was a misunderstanding and that she would provide the documentation. The city gave her a deadline of 30 days to provide the documents, and she has not provided them. She has not answered repeated calls, and her attorney has not answered calls either.”

Referring to the center by its initials, Inspector General Christopher Mazzella wrote in his Oct. 24 memo to the county agency that disperses the grants: “It is the inspector general’s opinion that BTDC has, among other things, misrepresented its nonprofit status. Therefore, it is our request that any further payments or grants to BTDC be suspended pending further review of this matter.”

In addition, the center owes $122,000 to local Homestead bank 1st National, according to a June 2012 court judgment. Another $96,000 is owed to General Electric, according to a 2011 judgment and more than $40,000 is owed to a payroll company in Texas.

Lyons Financial, a Minnesota company, also has a judgment against the center for $103,000.
Follow @Cveiga on Twitter.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/02/3079947/homestead-business-incubator-faces.html#storylink=cpy

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