MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – UPDATE May 3, 2024: NorthCare has provided WZMQ with a clarification about the $1.1 million in funding.
In an email, a NorthCare representative told us:
The 1.1 million dollars approved in the 2/14/24 Governing Board minutes is an increase in funding from the current contract amount for all programs. The additional funding has not been allocated or added to the contract at this time.
Grant funding is allocated for the current fiscal year and is an “up to amount” with payment given on a “cost basis” contract.
Our headline has been updated to reflect that new information.
Original story April 29, 2024:
19 News is continuing our investigative report into a rise in complaints at the Wonderland Motel in Ishpeming.
19 News previously reported that police responded to 17 calls at the motel from late February to late March of this year. Resulting in five arrests, two of those for assaults. This all stems from a Marquette-based organization, Superior Connections, that was using the motel to house people who are homeless and in various stages of addiction recovery.
19 News has now confirmed Superior Connections is no longer using the Wonderland Motel, and Ryan Redmond, the former Executive Director, is no longer employed by the organization. Over the past two weeks, 19 News has been sending Freedom of Information Act requests for documents and learning new information about the state funding superior connections is receiving from the NorthCare Network.
NorthCare board meeting minutes show Superior Connections has been awarded over $1,000,000 in public grant funding to date.
The NorthCare Network is a self described “government entity,” which awards public grants to organizations that provide mental health and substance use disorder services and support.
19 News is taking a closer look at about $460,000 which was granted to Superior Connections, specifically for a Community Engagement Center.
Superior Connections defines a Community Engagement Center as a 24-hour respite center where people seeking recovery will be connected with resources to help them. On March 26, 19 News interviewed Superior Connections Program Supervisor Ashley Airaudi-Wiegand and former Executive Director Ryan Redmond.
A few minutes into that interview, Redmond, who was still Executive Director at the time, walked in and sat offscreen. During the interview, 19 News asked about the motel, but Weigand referred to it as an engagement center, which Redmond confirmed. Three days later, in an email, Superior Connections changed its position and told 19 News the property was “just a motel” they were renting rooms at.
NorthCare told 19 News that grant funding is not to be used for renting motel rooms, or overnight lodging in any capacity.
19 News has obtained NorthCare’s engagement center grant contract with Superior Connections. The contract includes a statement of work for the engagement center where it states the center will provide screening, brief interventions, and referrals to treatment.
The budget for the engagement center shows that Superior Connections can expense salaries, travel, supplies and materials, subcontracts, equipment, communications, rent and training.
The contract states Superior Connections is required to submit monthly financial status reports to NorthCare. NorthCare says grant funding is given to Superior Connections in monthly reimbursements based upon the status reports.
19 news has also obtained those financial status reports, filled out by Redmond, for October 2023 through February 2024.
In that five-month period, Superior connections was reimbursed $95,435.08 for the engagement center. Over half of the money, $51,119.93, went towards salaries for engagement center staff, $24,072.25 went to rent, $6,340 to travel, and $1,298 to training.
The month to month costs for these expenditures also vary. Rent goes from $3,814.45 in October to $7,628.90 in February. Travel costs were $5 in December and $5,359.33 in February.
On April 11th, 2024, 19 News confirmed NorthCare began conducting an compliance investigation into Superior Connections. Our investigative report aired on April 12th. On April 17th, 19 News confirmed Superior Connections was no longer using the Wonderland Motel to house people overnight.
19 News reached out to both NorthCare and Superior Connections to follow up on the financial reports. The NorthCare Network told us they can not comment on the grant because of an active compliance investigation that was initiated by our investigative report.
Superior Connections didn’t answer the list of questions we sent in an email, and instead sent us this statement:
“Superior Connections continues to serve as a Recovery Community Organization, providing services that include a Community Health Worker program, Recovery Residences, Peer Support Services, and recovery-friendly events.
Superior Connections Recovery Community Organization exists to ensure that all individuals in recovery, including those who are homeless or near homeless, have access to supportive services that address social determinants of health.
We continue to work diligently to carry out our mission as we provide essential support, in collaboration with other service partners, to some of our community’s most vulnerable populations and those in recovery.”
As of publication, 19 News still does not know when exactly Ryan Redmond was no longer employed by Superior Connections. Earlier this week, deputy director Emily Belinski told me Superior Connections has made leadership changes “in recent weeks.” We do not know the number of staff members Superior Connections had at the Wonderland Motel, or what training they received.
On April 9, 19 News spoke with the CEO of the NorthCare Network, Megan Rooney. During that meeting, Rooney said that in her opinion the Engagement Center Project was not successful, and NorthCare would not fund it moving forward.
19 News is also working to learn more about the other funding NorthCare has provided to Superior Connections for its other services and housing options throughout Marquette County. 19 News is waiting for NorthCare to complete its own investigation, which could answer some of these questions.
19 News will be sure to provide updates as we get more information.
