BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 14, 2015) — What is going on at Community ReStart, the “not-for-profit” agency formerly known as Bershire Co-Act? THE PLANET and many others want to know.

About three weeks ago, the agency announced that it had parted ways with its director for the past seven years.

RED FLAG #1 — It’s not clear if executive director Paul Deslauriers left of his own accord of if he was fired. Adding to the mystery were statements from and actions by board president Rev. Ralph Howe, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield.

RED FLAG #2 —Howe admitted that ReStart “is in the process of tightening up all its accounting and government reporting and business practices.” Is this as an admission of serious trouble such as  misappropriation of funds? Has the agency been keeping two sets of books?

RED FLAG #3 — Howe’s actions do not seem consistent with an agency where practices have been “above board.” He admits he recently resigned from the ReStart board of directors. Then, on Nov. 19, Howe reversed his decision to resign. He not only got back on the board but became its president.

RED FLAG #4 — There’s massive confusion about ReStart. First the name change, which came in early April. It could be innocent. It could be something else.  Who or what is being “restarted” and why? At the time of the name change, the agency called it a “rebranding.” Deslauriers called the agency a collection of “multiple people and agencies actively looking together to find transportation, food, and help the homeless, so Co-Act was an appropriate name at the time. But now we’re providing all different kinds of services, and we really do help people get a new start in life, so ‘Community ReStart’ seemed to make sense.”

Whatever.

The agency’s mission statement claims it is “dedicated to serving the unemployed and homeless by bringing the community together to provide them with the means to become independent.” Is it just us, or does this seem defensive and nebulous?

Second, it’s not clear where the agency is located. It used to be housed at the First Methodist Church at 55 Fenn St. Now the location is unclear. Here’s what a source familiar with some of what’s going on had to say: “As I understand it, Jim Conroy (board member/de factor property manager) has told [NAME REDACTED] that [Restart] was being run out of the apartment Paul Deslauriers occupies at Barbara’s Place on Francis Avenue, while that other note from Jim to a tenant indicated intent to put an office at 11 Faulkner Place.” The source refers to a crude, insensitive notice of eviction Conroy apparently gave to a resident of Barbara’s Place. Question: Why did the agency move from the church?

RED FLAG #5 — When you go to the agency’s website, you get this notice: “This site is closed.” You know what the purveyors of “Dr. Marvel’s Mystery Healing Wonder Oil” do when the sheriff gets wind?

RED FLAG #6 — To obtain “not for profit” status, agencies are required to file with the IRS, specifically, Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. The code provides for 29 types of “non-profit” agencies. When we asked about ReStart’s non-profit filings, THE PLANET’s sources say “the only recent record we could find was a revocation of 501(c)(3) status for Berkshire Co-Act in 2014 [THE PLANET‘s emphasis]. The brochure and website for Community ReStart created after that (2015) continued to indicate that they were a non-profit and were accepting tax deductible donations.” It appears that the IRS revoked the agency’s 501(c)(3) status on Nov. 15, 2014. At the time, Paul Deslauriers address was listed as 52 Maple Hill Road, West Stockbridge, MA 01266.

As THE PLANET understands it, Community ReStart’s board includes Howe, president; Collette Hanlon, Bruce Beston, Laighne Fanney, Marilyn Gillmore, and Jim Conroy. There are serious allegations on social media sites regarding illegalities being pressed by those in power position upon the community’s poorest of the poor. If these allegations prove to have merit, no punishment is too severe for the perpetrators.

The irony in this odd saga will come 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the second floor conference room at the Berkshire Athenaeum. The and there, the agency plans to announce yet another “reorganization.” From the press release:

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Co-Act/Community ReStart, a non-profit organization, will announce plans for its initiatives and introduce its new management team.  Paul Deslauriers, the founder and former director, will also be acknowledged.

 The new management team is made up of Jim Conroy, overseeing the transition; JD Hebert, Affordable and Transitional Housing Manager; Bruce McDonald, Workforce Manager; and a Food Net Manager.

 Co-Act/Community ReStart is dedicated to resolving the needs of the unemployed and homeless by providing the means and support to help them become independent responsible citizens. 

 Co-Act/Community ReStart is a no-fee organization.  Anyone who subscribes to the purposes of the organization is welcome to join or renew their membership by registering (name, address, telephone, email address) the night of the meeting.  Membership is open to any individual who may have donated, volunteered, or served the organization in any capacity. 

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This ought to be a good one. THE PLANET urges you to attend. There could be fireworks.

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“The river is moving. / The blackbird must be flying.” — Wallace Stevens, stanza 12 from “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” (1917).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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