Sunshine for the Seed – An Editorial

1973- 12-03 Sunshine for the Seed-St. Petersburg Times

An editorial (author not known)

Sunshine for The Seed

The use of public funds carries with it the obligation to account to the public, in detail, exactly how those funds were spent.

Most organizations that seek these public funds to support themselves are aware of this obligation and cooperated willingly in having their finances open to public scrutiny.

But that’s not the case with The Seed, the often controversial drug abuse rehabilitation program founded by Art Barker. He has ignored requests to discuss publicly the specific details of The Seed’s total operating budget and, so far as the Times has been able to determine, has never had his books audited by a public agency.

Now The Seed is in danger of losing a $60,000 federal grand sponsored by the Pinellas County government because Barker apparently doesn’t want his books kept by the county. That would mean having all Seed funds, regardless of source, kept by the county and paid out only after proper vouchers were received.

Operation PAR, also a drug abuse rehabilitation agency with a variety of income sources, works this way.

There’s a possibility that Barker will lose a $12,500 grant being administered by Dade County government because he won’t open his books to an audit. At least that’s what Dade County officials feel is the case. Barker says he’ll furnish and accounting and pick up the money as soon as the 100 “Seedlings” the money is to be used for are finished with their therapy.

That isn’t Barkers only problem with Dade County authorities. He has closed down his facility there because of his running battle with the Dade County Comprehensive Drug Program over the central intake of patients. Dade’s comprehensive program requires an audit of all financial records and documentation of program effectiveness as well as participation in central intake in order to share in federal drug abuse funds.

Barker has also refused to cooperate with the Region IV (Pinellas) Drug Abuse and
Rehabilitation Plan, ignoring letters inviting The Seed to participate in an area wide attack on drug problems. The area group would operate in the same way that Dade County does. Pinellas’ group is asking for $750,000 in federal funds.

The Seed has instead, applied directly to the government for drug abuse rehabilitation funds. If granted, The Seed would be required, if asked, to open its books to federal auditors. It has already received several federal grants but, thus far, has not been audited.

Most recently, Barker has evaded a public audit provision in the City of St. Petersburg’s program to distribute federal revenue-sharing funds to social services agencies. Originally given $5,000 for operating expenses – which would have opened the books up to a full audit – The Seed requested and was granted a change in the allocation for a capital improvement. Instead of the full audit, The Seed now has only to show that the improvement – in this case a Chevrolet van – was purchased.

This secrecy over The Seed’s financial matters coupled with the secrecy – and confusion  — over The Seed’s methods and statistics and its reported use of high pressure tactics inevitably raises questions about the program.

Even when it is acknowledged that The Seed has the potential to do good and when it is recognized that it has done good in the past, such rectitude is bound to impair the group’s ability to attract not only public but private fund.

Certainly Barker must recognize this fact. Certainly he must be aware that his dreams of a nationwide Seed program hinge on public acceptance and adequate funding and that neither will be forthcoming until there is full knowledge of all aspects of The Seed.