Front Page  »  

CAPSLO exonerates Dee Torres?

March 22, 2013
CAPSLO Executive Director Elizabeth Steinberg

CAPSLO Executive Director Elizabeth Steinberg

Faced with allegations of numerous former homeless service employees, as well as ex-boyfriends of Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Coordinator Dee Torres, CAPSLO officials now say they launched an investigation — and have completely exonerated Torres.

CalCoastNews reported on Monday that a handful of homeless service employees and several of Torres’ ex-boyfriends say she routinely took gift cards intended for the needy and homeless for her own use. Employees and former clients have also said that CAPSLO case management has failed to return money it holds in trust for some of its clients.

At Thursday night’s CAPSLO board meeting during public comment, Donald Dana asked the board to have an outside investigation look into the allegations raised by CalCoastNews.

CAPSLO Board President Frances Coughlin responded saying, “I want to assure everyone here that the leadership team has evaluated the allegations. They have all been proven false. No misuse of gift cards or client funds.”

CAPSLO’s leadership team is comprised of its seven program managers which includes Torres. The team appears not to have called any of the sources listed in CalCoastNews series on homeless services.

 


Loading...
Subjects:         
Related:


133 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Who but someone involved in the CAPSLO fiasco or one with their head in the sand would give any credence to an in-house investigation of Torres etal/CAPSLO? If this bunch is innocent, they should welcome an outside investigation.

I guess the CAPSLO board is accusing their clients that spoke out of lying.

The Grand Jury’s power is that of the press. I’m hanging my hat on the IRS etc.

Show us the results of your investigation in the meantime, CAPSLO.


0

What a joke! Then again, they have been covering up Dee’s misdeeds for a long time! Previous employees have reported her unethical behaviors and nothing has been done. So if they all of a sudden find her culpable, then they only reveal their own neglect.

Francis and Elizabeth must think everyone in this county are idiots, that we will all just accept their word, “All is good” after so much evidence has come to light.


0

I’d say “let them eat cake” but, according to the complaints, any cake donated to Capslo would have been devoured by the families of the greedy, and not the needy. “allegedly”. I know I could do more for my community. My girlfriend and I would drive around finding homeless people to give food whether Subway or cookies just so they new they mattered made us feel a little better. To see someone :”allegedly” abuse power against the helpless is disgusting. I watch the supervisors stories, and wonder why it’s allowed to flourish (and you know what I mean) but they are all over someone smoking within 20 feet of a building. where is the justice for those that have no one to turn to? When I lived in the South the L.A. Rodney King riots were going on. The people surrounding me kept saying “look at them dumb niggers” I explained they got tired of no one listening and the rage was boiling over. The same goes here. I can’t say anything happened but to see a self appointed directly related group of people declare themselves innocent should outrage decent, sober citizens. For evil to flourish, a good man simply needs to do nothing.


0

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be brief. The issue here is not whether she broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with ex-boyfriends – she did.

But you can’t hold a whole partnership responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn’t we blame the whole homeless partnership system? And if the whole homeless partnership system is guilty, then isn’t this an indictment of our homelessness in general? I put it to you, isn’t this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want but we’re not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America!

Crow is currently being served on the Lido Deck.


0

The partnership is being held accountable because they are supporting her wrong doings and turning the other cheek so she can continue her illegal and unethical practices! They would rather sit silent and save face than expose her and risk a scar on their reputation!


0

Ha! I blame God for creating the mess in the first place. Eve bore criminal children! Off with their heads!


0

It’s a joke people! That was a quote (with a few changes) from Animal House. Investigating one’s self is risky at best. considering the allegation, an independent audit would have been not only more forthcoming, but more appropriate.


0

You mean like “Double secret probation”


0

Oh funny. “Pelican Brief” Oh, he irony.


0

Torres would not have done it, and certainly would not have continued doing it, if she knew she would be reported to the police for theft by the other leadership of CAPSLO.


Since Coughlin says she’s innocent, he should be the first one arrested after Torres. He is covering up for her, and, as we all know from Watergate, it is the coverup that brings down a conspiracy.


0

The fox guarding the chicken coop. What a joke.


0

Did I call it or did I call it?


0

You called it!


0

I want to know what entity can FORCE CAPSLO into opening their books to the public since a majority of the funding ultimately comes from taxpayers!


0

The IRS, for one.


0

If Dee was able to prove to her fellow board members of her innocence than she should be able to prove it to the rest of us.


0

The problem is the gift cards were probably never reported to begin with. Several employees stated they came in and were given to Ms Torres! The chances of tracking those with an audit or investigation are slim to none because there is no record of them. Ms Torres told her ex there was no accounting for them. How does CAPSLO expect to find something that isn’t there by looking at finances that doent exsist? She never reported those gift cards coming in, if she did, she couldn’t steal them! Give me a break CAPSLO really can’t be that naive! Ms Torres covered her ass with accounting but people won’t lie for her, unless they have been threatened with their jobs! I guess that brings us back to that group if people who hold no credibility with CAPSLO! Nothing’s going to happen here, Dee Torres will just have to be more careful when she is stealing! She will get richer and the clients will suffer! Good Job CAPSLO!!! Keep those donations flowing, Ms Torres has things she needs!


0

there MUST be documentation for EVERY PENNY received and expended.


0

If a director is honest, has ethics, and was working in the best interest of the homeless there would be, or if all donations were given to the CAPSLO office, but if someone stops by Prado or the shelter and hands over a bunch of gift cards or cash; what’s to stop Ms Torres from failing to turn over that donation to CAPSLO?? Those donations aren’t intended to be used towards operation costs. They are dropped off by caring citizens thinking they will be given to needy clients. They are left with staff believing staff will distribute them to those who need them the most. It’s presumed staff know who will best benefit. No one thinks that a greedy director might force staff to hand over all donations and pocket the ones she wants! I know I have been guilty of donating things that I never got a receipt for , but from now on, I won’t be so trusting.


0

The IRS could demand that any business, corporation or other benfactor who claimed contributions to CAPSLO be required to delineate what was given. If gift cards are listed, further questioning should ensue.


If the IRS can get the name of the giver and what store was the source of the card, there is always the outside chance that there is still CCTV video on record. Wouldn’t it be great to get Dee Torres, Lisa Niesen and Biz Steinberg on video spending the gift cards meant for CAPSLO’s homeless clients?


0

Follow the money. Offer an ear to those that have quit in disgust. They have the most to tell.


0

So do the ones that were terminated. Terminations can also be done because the director wanted certain people gone! Paper trails may or may not exist, CAPSLO is an “at-will’ employer so if you are a corrupt director and want people gone, it’s easy to do and you have the law behind you in case someone files a grievance! So talk to these employees, many said they went to CAPSLO prior to their termination! Why would they make up stories before they lost their jobs?


0

I’m sure The Tribune will carry this story, it will likely be their lead in a series about how wrong everyone else has been


0

Well, Ms. Coughlin said of the allegations, “They have all been proven false.” So, let’s see the documented proof. One would think that they would be more than happy to share it in order to clear the names of the organization and Torres.


0
1 2 3 4 … 6