Impassioned Speakers Defend Mosaic Cultural Complex Amidst ‘Yes’ Vote for Audit

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

For over two hours, speakers approached the podium and City Councilors spoke during the Worcester City Council meeting on Tuesday night and voiced their opinion towards City Councilor Michael Gaffney’s call for an audit of the Mosaic Cultural Complex.

However, due to an 11-0 vote from the council, Mosaic, along with several organizations that are recipients of grants from the state's Prevention and Wellness Fund, will be subject to an audit.

“Mosaic is not concerned about an audit. Nothing has been done that’s inappropriate about the conduct and behavior of the organization. It’s unnecessary and unwarranted. Obviously if the City Council chooses this evening to conduct a warrant, we are confident that the results of a warrant will be satisfactory in the city’s eyes,” said Howard Stempler, an attorney with Seder & Chandler LLP, representing Mosaic and speaking on behalf of Dr. Jerome Allison from UMass Medical.

“We have a gem in the city with Mosaic Cultural Complex,” said Margot Barnett, of Worcester. “Knowing a little bit about Mosaic and learning about Mosaic as a long term health provider, someone who is very concerned about healing in all kinds of ways. I’ve had clients of Mosaic. And I didn’t always know how to work with these clients appropriately, but Mosaic knew how to reach them.”

Julius Jones of Worcester, who was later removed from the chambers when he called Councilor Gaffney a "bigot" and then approached the podium without permission and accused Gaffney of acting on behalf of the blog Turtleboy Sports, said, "I think that this whole thing isn't actually about Mosaic. I think that this whole thing isn't about the protest. I think it's about something a lot deeper than those things."

Jones continued, "I don't think this is a vote for an audit of Mosaic. Everyone knows that this is really a question of how is the city, with its dollars, with its resources, going to spend its energy toward ending racism or propagating it."

Prior to Jones' removal, when Councilor Gaffney did get up to speak he said, "“Frankly speaking, I think it’s in the best interest of the city and Mosaic to clear up this issue...I think it fosters transparency in our government.”

Gaffney original request read, "Request an audit of the grants and other monies received by the Mosaic Cultural Complex and all documentation relative to the services the Mosaic Cultural Complex provides, to include, but not limited to documentation of the services that are supposed to be provided pursuant to the grant from the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund for the past five years. Said audit to include a review of the Mosaic Cultural Complex’s legal status as a non-profit or otherwise. And said documentation to include the lease information for the city property being occupied by the Mosaic Cultural Complex."

Gaffney brought up several specific items regarding the audit including the city-owned property at 41 Piedmont Street that currently occupies Mosaic - who allegedly leases the space from the YMCA.. Gaffney inquired about the ability of nonprofits to sub-lease city property to other nonprofits, the services Mosaic provided, the legal status of Mosaic as a nonprofit, and the political activity of the organization.

Gaffney said, "Their legal status has been rather complex. It is my request that we proceed forward on this audit and that we clear the air at this point, let the auditor make a determination and I am hopeful that at the end of the day, this will be cleared up.”

Councilor Rick Rushton voiced strong opposition against the audit and, in regard to Gaffney, said "The problem here is that...this has been a recurring issue during the first term for this councilor (Gaffney). Instead of picking up the phone and trying to find out what is going on and potentially figuring out that there's a solution, it's just put it on the floor, and let the bombs go away."

Councilor Gary Rosen, who signed on with Gaffney for the motion to audit, took issue with attendants of the meeting calling him racist. "Several speakers, not all, but several, got up and made the charge, even though it's not necessary...but, just because they can pass an audit and just because they're doing wonderful things in the community...but to have to turn to charges of racism is wrong. No member of this city council should accept that. It's not necessary. It's not true."

Rosen added, "Tonight's the first night in my life I've heard Gary Rosen called a racist because he wants to hear about funding. There's absolutely no need for them to brand anyone as racist because they ask questions. That's my responsibility. That's our responsibility. To take a look at funding, where's it going, how it's being used."