(DUBLIN, Calif) -- In early 2022, the Dublin City Council voted on a Grant Agreement to Three Valleys Community Foundation. The Three Valleys Community Foundation supports and sponsors nonprofit organizations in California to help them reach their goals.
The council first brought up the vote on October 19, 2021, but did not vote on it. On November 2, 2021, Three Valleys Community Foundation sent a written communication requesting $50,000 to fund “over three years to bring a geographically based community Foundation to the Tri-Valley.”
On November 16, the city council agreed on the funding agreement for a future agenda. Council members didn't vote until January 11, when they voted unanimously YES on the motion, resulting in a $50,000 grant to the Foundation, with Vice Mayor Josey leading the motion. Dublin's current Mayor, Sherry Hu, was a member of the city council at the time and did not recuse herself from the vote.
Photo Credit: City of Dublin
Sherry Hu founded the nonprofit organization, Above & Beyond Leadership & Education, or ABLE, in 2020. ABLE is a nonprofit organization that tries to help improve education for children and families in California.
ABLE is listed as a sponsor of Three Valleys Community Foundation. The current budget given to ABLE is listed as $15,000.00. While it is unclear when Three Valleys began sponsoring ABLE, Hu has benefited from the Foundation's efforts as ABLE's founder.
Hu did not raise the vote, and the Three Valleys Communication Foundation requested the transaction. However, because ABLE is one of Three Valleys' sponsors, the action raises questions about a conflict of interest, as Hu would have received direct support if the Foundation had sponsored ABLE at the time, or planned to.
So far, it is unclear whether or not Hu and ABLE directly benefited from the Grant Agreement at the time.
Photo Credit: Sherry Hu/LinkedIn
While this vote took place nearly five years ago, it is relevant today. California's Political Reform Act states that if the alleged violation is not brought within five years of the violation, the case cannot be resolved through administrative enforcement.
Furthermore, if the $50,000 did not go into ABLE, then it would not necessarily be considered a conflict of interest. According to the Foundation, ABLE's operational budget is $15,000, so unless a portion of the $50,000 went into the budget, it would not be considered a conflict of interest.
OpGov.News contacted Sherry Hu herself regarding the vote and Three Valley’s relationship with ABLE. Hu claimed that she was unaware the Foundation was sponsoring ABLE when she voted. It is unclear why she voted yes on all these measures or whether she knew about the potential conflict of interest.
OpGov.News reached out to Three Valleys Community Foundation to determine what the $50,000 was used for, but they did not respond. As of know, the begin date of ABLE sponsorship also remains unknown. Ultimately, there is not enough information to determine whether this truly constitutes a conflict of interest.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please get in touch with me at stefan.p@lead4earth.org.
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