Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM) has had leadership challenges for the past five years. Multiple boards, staffs, and volunteer bases have imploded. Many have withdrawn support. Still HCCM board refuses to put the Executive Director on a performance plan or listen to former board members, donors, former donors, employees, former employees, volunteers, former volunteers, and clients. At the annual meeting October 2010 several concerned citizens from the above groups requested moments to appeal to the board re: concerns. The current president said they would get time. The Executive Director decided they would not. She said that the bylaws did not allow it. That is incorrect. The current bylaws allow the president to allow for comments at the annual mtg. HCCM?s executive director is not managed or heald accountable by the board. Board members are not around long enough. Last board president held the position for one year. During his tenure 4 staff members form HCCM met with him, after exhausting themselves with the ED. They presented very real and well documented concerns regarding the mgmt. & future of HCCM. The president also shared his challenges working with the current ED. The staff asked for his confidence fearful of retaliation. The president agreed. Staff provided their confidence as well. Two months later instead of looking into their concerns they all received an email copying the ED about their meeting with him? The email minimized their concerns presented to unhappiness with their work environment? This staff was stunned at the carelessness and lack of integrity and confused why this president who professed he shared the same challenges would not follow through on holding ED accountable.. ED was furious. This was spring 2010. In September of 2010 ED laid off the volunteer coordinator sighting could not accommodate original agreed upon work schedule. No notice given, no employee review or discussion. This was done via email. This employee volunteered as a caseworker prior to becoming volunteer coordinator, was a current volunteer, who's family volunteered and a current donor. There was an interim volunteer coordinator in her office a day later. This employee was not allowed access to her office or personal belongings and they were boxed and mailed to her two months later! No wrong doing on behalf of this employee ever existed. Approx. 40 volunteers resigned after this. The Client Services Coordinator worried about this kind of retaliation, and HCCM's ability to meet payroll, resigned. The Intake assistant would have resigned due to her frustration. However, her husband was transferred. She made it abundantly clear to both the HCCM Board and the ED her concerns prior to moving. The resources allocated for staff at that time were approximately 200,000.00 annually while clients waited 6-8 weeks to see a caseworker and do a 45 minute intake to determine eligibility for 75.00 of financial assistance that they could receive approx. once a year. If eligible they also receive a weeks worth of groceries once a month pursuant to what was on the shelves. Which at times isn?t much as little to no fundraising is done and very little grants are secured which is what the current ED was hired for. I urge all donors to only send ""ear marked"" funds for food, clothes or utility bills. Please DON'T send a general donation!! Too much money on staff salaries and office expense vs. the mission!! NO ACCOUNTABILITY! Please check out this organization thoroughly before volunteering or donating. Thank you.
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