TO KNOW SUPERVISOR MILEY IS TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND THAT’S MAKING THOSE AROUND HIM NERVOUS
By Steven Tavares
steven.tavares@eastbaycitizen.com
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When Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for re-election in 2006 he declared he was “for the children” of the state. In hindsight, the statement seems to have a whole new meaning, but its certitude is hard to oppose. Who, in fact, is against the children?

The same could be said about the possible loss of county funding for various drug and alcohol non-profits in Alameda County. Similarly, who is against helping those with debilitating addictions? Very few. But those behind non-profits like the Community Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems (CommPre) are making some leery of its intentions in the wake of ACAP’s disastrous fall from grace starting last March and ending with its dissolution this June.

Representatives for CommPre lodged numerous complaints against the Alameda County Behavorial Health Care Services in the Patch, saying the agency yanked its funding of over $300,000 from under them without notice. “There’s this whole lack of transparency,” a prevention specialist for CommPre told the site. “There’s no way of showing why they did what they did and we’re just disappointed that BHCS didn’t really follow their own strategic plan.”

A few county workers have told The Citizen in recent weeks, though, there is a cloud of apprehension regarding CommPre, its director, her links to Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley and similar intersections with the $1.8 million fiasco with ACAP.

Linda Pratt, the director of CommPre, is also the girlfriend of Miley. In fact, personally knowing Miley adds to a high likelihood of employment by the county. Miley’s daughter was employed by the soon-defunct ACAP, which went bankrupt under a cloud of criminal mismanagement and his son works in the office of newly-elected Supervisor Nadia Lockyer, which many viewed as a political tit-for-tat by the two supervisors.

The disclosure brings a whole new light to criticism lodged against a recent proposal to fund a CommPre program in unincorporated Alameda County by levying a $800 fee for businesses selling and serving alcohol to help combat abuse. Members of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) like Cheryl Miraglia objected the county’s argument quoting a decrease in alcohol abuse can be attributed to the local program. The program backed by Miley brought over $100,000 last year to his girlfriend’s non-profit.

Several members of the Castro Valley MAC gave knowing glances to the connection between Miley and Pratt, but declined to make any comment.

The downfall of ACAP continues to be a significant hit on Miley’s political reputation and likely manifesting itself again with this recent spat over funding for CommPre. His personal involvement with the former executive director of ACAP, who was later fired, has led county observers to question just how much Miley knew about its mounting inability over the months to pay its bills. Miley, himself, has said he attempted to advise Nanette Dillard, the former director of ACAP, yet its rapid demise was highlighted by widespread surprise of its problems by its own governing board.

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