County hears women’s shelter allegations

Snohomish County officials are reviewing financial and other records at the Center for Battered Women after allegations by former board members of agency mismanagement and failure to comply with federal grant requirements.

The Everett-based organization provides emergency shelter and other services for women and their children who are threatened with or are victims of domestic violence. The private, nonprofit organization opened in 1976.

The county plans a review this week, said Janelle Sgrignoli, director of the county’s human services department. The review is being made by employees from her department and from the county’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

Roy Sykes and Andrea Neupert, former board members of the Center for Battered Women, contacted the county alleging financial and personnel problems there, Sgrignoli said Wednesday.

"When we get any kind of complaints, we go out and monitor to make sure they’re in compliance" with requirements to receive grants, she said.

The Center for Battered Women gets a little more than $300,000 in government funding each year, Sgrignoli said. Most of that comes from the federal government, but the state provides some money.

The agency has received grant money administered by the county since the 1980s.

The money is used for services such as the domestic violence shelter, food, transportation, medical care, transitional housing, emergency shelter and assisting clients, Sgrignoli said.

"We feel strongly about addressing the allegations as soon as possible," she said. "If there is a basis, we would like to get it corrected as soon as possible. If not, we’d like to get the truth out and make sure the agency’s reputation isn’t damaged if the allegations are false."

Margaret Bruland, executive director of the Center for Battered Women, could not be reached for comment.

County employees will examine documents "and see if they’re following procedures," Sgrignoli said. "We’ll look atinternal controls, showing they received funds and looking to see if the files are complete and meeting the requirements in our contracts."

The county periodically reviews agencies that receive contract money from the government, she said. The last routine review was conducted at the center in 2000. Nonscheduled reviews typically are triggered by complaints.

Although such reviews potentially could lead to a cutoff of grant money, "typically …we ask for an action plan to tell how they’re going to fix" any problem, Sgrignoli said.

Reporter Sharon Salyer:

425-339-3486 or

salyer@heraldnet.com.

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