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US Senate candidate Howard Sherman, a (former?) California Republican, running in the Democratic primary (runoff) in Mississippi, and his actress wife Sela Ward, aren’t rich people taking care of kids in difficulty with their own money, as folks tend to think. Rather they are contractors who get millions from a cash-strapped state to house kids. Their Hope Village is a non-profit, but they can apparently still give themselves large salaries, though we found no record of what these salaries are. The multi-million dollar contracts would have to be renegotiated around the time of the November elections, and could be terminated. This gives a possible motive for why he and his wife gave a total of $10,000 to the candidate he wants to run against – Roger Wicker! And, why he is running himself, in what looks likely to be controlled opposition.

These donations may exceed the legal limit for donations directly from individuals to campaigns.

They may wish to ingratiate themselves to Governor Bryant, and Wicker. Bryant seems to be connected to Cambridge Analytica-Brexit players, and both are connected to Haley Barbour, whose consulting firm petitioned to let Russia buy US uranium mines. Fund-raiser for Howard Sherman, Robert De Niro, has one of the same Russian connections as Trump. Governor Bryant and Robert De Niro probably have Mueller on their tails. https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/robert-de-niro-shares-russian-business-partners-with-trump-agalarovs-de-niro-tampering-in-mississippi-elections-to-make-democrats-lose-us-senate-seat/

Mississippi lacks money for its Child Protection Services.
“Lawmakers ‘blown away’ by $40 million Child Protection Services budget shortfall” BY LARRISON CAMPBELL JANUARY 10, 2018 https://mississippitoday.org/2018/01/10/lawmakers-blown-away-by-40-million-child-protection-services-budget-shortfall/

“Just as in 1992, caseloads are too high, staffing is too low...” http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2016/02/04/foster-care-crisis-in-mississippi-is-decades-old/

The former Masonic Children’s home was turned into a foster child home by US Senate Candidate Howard Sherman and wife Sela Ward. They house children in it, under contract to the State of Mississippi. They have a two year contract at $1,176,170.40 or, on average, $588,085 per year for Emergency Shelter space for 12 children. That is an average of $49,007 per child per year in a state where the median (average with half above, half below) per capita income is $21,651 and family is $40,528. This contract could only be renewed until around November 30, 2018. They have a larger contract, further below.

Excerpt from contract:
“CONTRACTOR: Hope Village for Children, Inc.
CONTRACT TERM: December 1, 2015 through November 30, 2017
MODIFICATION: July 1, 2017
METHOD OF PROCUREMENT: RFP

TOTAL COST OF CONTRACT: $1,176,170.40

PURPOSE OF CONTRACT: This facility is a temporary emergency residential child care facility for children in Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services’ (MDCPS) custody who are threatened with neglect, abuse, exploitation, who are abandoned or have run away. These shelters are designed to provide immediate access to diagnostic and evaluation services when there is indication that a child needs these services on an immediate or emergency basis….

The following Amendment, effective July 1, 2017 is made a part of the contract, dated November 25, 2015 entered into by and between the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDCPS) and Hope Village for Children, Inc. Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual agreements to modify the original contract between them, MDCPS and “Independent Contractor”, do hereby agree that Paragraphs 3, 5, 8, 14, 17, 18, 21, 22, and 28 of said contract shall be modified to reflect the following:

3. Scope of Services. The Independent Contractor shall perform and render the following services and activities as described in the “Scope of Services,” attached hereto as Exhibit A-1 and the “2nd Modified Mississippi Settlement Agreement and Reform Plan,” attached hereto as Exhibit B-1, and incorporated herein by reference.

5. Consideration and Method of Payment.
A. As consideration for the performance of this Contract, the Independent Contractor shall be paid a fee not to exceed Six Hundred Thirty Three Thousand Eighty Five Dollars and Twenty Cents ($633,085.20) during SFY 2016 for December 1, 2015 through November 30, 2016. Modification #1 will increase by Six Hundred Thirty Three Thousand Eighty Five Dollars and Twenty Cents ($633,085.20) during SFY 2017 for December 1, 2016 through November 30, 2017. Modification #2 will decrease to Five Hundred Forty Three Thousand Eighty Five Dollars and Twenty Cents (543,085.20). It is expressly understood and agreed that in no event will the total compensation paid hereunder exceed the specified amount of One Million One Hundred Seventy Six Thousand One Hundred Seventy Dollars and Forty Cents ($1,176,170.40). (Exhibit C-2)….”
See contract here: http://www.dfa.ms.gov/media/6162/8200022068dcps-hopevilllage.pdf This contract says it bills at $144.54 but seems to have been reduced to $124, based on total cost reduction: See pdf page 25.

According to the Hope Village web site they serve an average of 44 children per year. If that includes the 12 in the emergency shelter, then the contract, below, of around $1.47 million per year, would be for 32 children. The web site gives a figure of $132 per child per day, which would be $48,180 per child per year. $1.47 million divided by 32 is $45,938 per child, per year. This is more than the median family income for Mississippi. The following contract can be renewed only until February 2019.

Excerpt from the contract:
“This letter is to provide PSCRB the information as outlined in PSCRB Rules and Regulations Effective 7.1.16, Section 7-119 DHS or DCPS Personal Service Contracts.
CONTRACTOR: Hope Village for Children, Inc.
CONTRACT TERM: March 1, 2016 through February 28, 2018
MODIFICATION: August 15, 2017
METHOD OF PROCUREMENT: RFP

TOTAL COST OF CONTRACT: $2,942,874.70

PURPOSE OF CONTRACT: This vendor provides Comprehensive Therapeutic Care Group Home Services to children placed in legal custody of the MS Department of Child Protection Services…

PSCM-009-01 March 2017
MODIFICATION NUMBER 3 TO THE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES AND HOPE VILLAGE FOR CHILDREN, INC.

The following Amendment, effective August 15, 2017 is made a part of the contract, dated February, 24, 2016 entered into by and between the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services and Hope Village for Children, Inc.

Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual agreements to modify the original contract between them, MDCPS and “Independent Contractor”, do hereby agree that Paragraph 5 of said contract shall be modified to reflect the following:

5. Consideration and Method of Payment.

A. As consideration of all services and performances under this Contract, Independent Contractor shall be paid a fee not to exceed One Million One Hundred Twenty Four Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy Dollars and Eighty Six Cents ($1,124,770.86) for all products, services, salaries, travel, performances, costs, and expenses of whatever kind and nature of this Contract. Modification #1 increased by Three Hundred Ninety Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Three Dollars and Eighty Four Cents ($390,853.84). Modification #2 increased by Two Million Four Hundred Twenty Seven Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars and Zero Cents ($2,427,250.00). Modification #3 decreased by One Million Dollars and Zero Cents ($1,000,000.00). It is expressly understood and agreed that in no event will the total compensation paid hereunder exceed the specified amount Two Million Nine Hundred Forty Two Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and Seventy Cents ($2,942,874.70). (Exhibit C-3)
B. The Independent Contractor will bill MDCPS for its services on a monthly basis….
Emphasis added. Read original contract here: http://www.mspb.ms.gov/pscrb/8200023161DCPS-HopeVillage.pdf

One former worker described “administration rude and money-hungry ceo...”
The CEO appears most likely a reference to Howard Sherman or his wife, Sela Ward: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hope-Village-For-Children/reviews

Mississippi Median household income (in 2016 dollars), 2012-2016 $40,528
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2016 dollars), 2012-2016, $21,651
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/MS

According to the Hope Village org web site, they serve on average 44 children per day at $132 per day. They also get funding from the United Way.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sherman-picks-up-endorsement-in-Mississippi-Dem-12979142.php

Click to access MSFY2013TSa_amendment_1_Redacted.pdf

A similar project which closed because it got NO government help:
“Center Circle Closes Due To A Financial Shortfall” http://www.wlox.com/story/581160/center-circle-closes-due-to-a-financial-shortfall

Note that Howard Sherman’s mother was born in Eastern Europe and his grandparents immigrated from the Ukraine (probably USSR).

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/22/howard-sherman-mississippi-democrat-californian-republican-senate-candidate/547193002/

https://twitter.com/dbaria/