San Diego city employees helped themselves to free parks programs

Reporting from San Diego — Some city employees have been skimping out on registration fees for their kids’ Park and Recreation activities, a secret practice that city officials say has apparently gone on for decades.

According to a report by City Auditor Eduardo Luna released Thursday, six San Diego Park and Recreation Department employees failed to pay more than $1,300 for nine children and grandchildren to participate in city activities.

The amount was accrued during the first six months of 2016, but the investigation revealed “a long-standing practice” of department staff enrolling their children in city activities and not paying for it.

The investigation was limited to this year because of the availability of class registration records in the city’s online system. The report said all fees have since been paid or were waived through a process offered to low-income families.

Activities range from sports leagues to camps and media arts classes. Some are free, while others cost several hundred dollars. The city imposes fees to recover the cost of providing the services.

The auditor became aware of the issue after an anonymous tip to its fraud hotline. The investigation involved a review of activity registration records and city policies, as well as interviews with city staff.

Some of the staff said not paying the fees was a “perk” of the job. Even though staff thought the freebies were justifiable, they never sought approval from management and kept it a secret for several decades, the report said.

There is no city policy that would exempt children and grandchildren of city staff from paying the recreation activity fees, the auditor found. The report recommended that the city conduct its own investigation and develop procedures to ensure all participants have paid.

According to the report, the Park and Recreation Department has agreed to implement all recommendations by November and the findings will be used for discipline, if necessary.

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Schroeder writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune

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