The N&O’s J. Andrew Curliss continues his fine investigative reporting on the NC Rural Center in this piece. In what should come as no surprise to observers of the Center, turns out several of the board members have personally benefitting from the money doled out by the Center.
Some board members have more than a passing interest in the money, documents and interviews show: More than a third have worked for, or are involved with, other organizations that have benefitted from Rural Center grants.
At least seven current board members are connected to ongoing projects now waiting on money already awarded by the center. One, Cicely C. McCulloch of Elkin, is expecting $25,000 to help improve a building she owns
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Yet another board member, Alan Rice of Yadkinville, was paid a $15,000 “consulting” fee out of a Rural Center grant, billing $103 an hour to a center-approved, taxpayer-funded program he set up to help poor people improve their lives. In April, his nonprofit was awarded a new $75,000 grant.
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