Two San Francisco supervisors called for an investigation Tuesday into a San Francisco nonprofit, focused on an agreement to run the controversial Golden Gate Park Ferris wheel.
Supervisors Connie Chan and Aaron Peskin say they want the Controller’s Office to dig deeper into the nonprofit The San Francisco Parks Alliance, which would reap some Ferris wheel revenue, in light of the city’s public corruption investigation.
The potential investigation comes after neighborhood groups and naturalists clashed with city departments, residents and business leaders over whether the city should extend the contract for the Ferris wheel for four years.
The San Francisco Parks Alliance was subpoened by the City Attorney’s Office last year as part of the city’s corruption probe.
Under the terms of its contract with Ferris wheel operator SkyView Partners, the city gets $1 from every $18 ticket sold. The nonprofit San Francisco Parks Alliance will receive up to $200,000 of this revenue to help fund the nonprofit’s $1.9 million yearlong celebration in collaboration with the city and other organizations. Beyond that amount, city revenue will go to the Recreation and Park Department to fund commemorative signage for the Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary, transportation access to the park and general needs, the department said.
“Our agreements with the nonprofit Parks Alliance, including those involving the SkyStar Wheel, went through a transparent public process and, like any other civic celebration, are open for anyone to examine,” a department spokesperson said.
The organization said in a statement Tuesday evening that it voluntarily undergoes city and independent financial audits and has cooperated with federal and local investigations. The nonprofit “wholeheartedly supports any effort by the City to increase transparency and accountability,” the statement read.
“We embrace this scrutiny and the increased transparency that will result from it, because SFPA does not have, and never has had, anything to hide,” the statement continued.
The Recreation and Park Commission voted last week to approve the four-year extension on the Ferris wheel, even though the Historic Preservation Commission has not voted yet on the deal.
The giant wheel was originally slated to stay in the park for a little more than a year in honor of the park’s 150th anniversary. But as soon as it was unloaded last winter, the pandemic surged, freezing the wheel in place.
In a September 2020 presentation to the board’s government, audit, and oversight committee, the controller’s office explained ties between the nonprofit and former San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, who was charged with fraud, Chan said. Nuru allegedly solicited donations from private companies or individuals and directed funds to a nonprofit account to influence procurement decisions, Chan explained.
Chan and Peskin now want to investigate this relationship in light of the recent Ferris wheel agreement.
“This really raises the question of whether this is a good government practice or whether such practices contribute to the pay-to-play culture among city agencies,” Chan said. “While we all can agree Ferris wheels are fun, anti-corruption and good government policies are of utmost importance.”
Chronicle staff writer Steve Rubenstein and Dominic Fracassa contributed to this report.
Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@mallorymoench
February 24, 2021 at 10:57AM
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/S-F-supervisors-call-for-Golden-Gate-ferris-15974301.php
S.F.’s deal for the Golden Gate Park Ferris wheel may be investigated amid neighborhood fight - San Francisco Chronicle
https://news.google.com/search?q=Wheel&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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