Non-Profit Files Faulty Affidavit Invoking Sheriff’s Department and School District to Secure Indian River Tax Dollars.
Executive Director of Team Success Enterprises, Inc., Michael Marsh, is seeking $12,000 from the Children’s Services Advisory Council.
The Sunshine Journal has confirmed through public records requests and other documentation that the organization, Team Success Enterprises Inc. (TSE) has filed a erroneous affidavit with their application for funding from the Children’s Services Advisory Council (CSAC). The April 10th sworn affidavit by TSE’s board president, Arieana Dunne, who at the time was secretary, declares, “Team Success Enterprises is currently finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian River County School District. We expect this agreement to be finalized by May 1, 2024.”
In responding to The Sunshine Journal’s May 1st request for confirming documentation of the MOU, the public records office at the school district replied on May 8th, “There are no documents / records responsive to this request.”
Reached for comment, Executive Director of TSE, Michael Marsh said, “At first, we wanted to do this program on school district campuses. We decided to go off-campus to get it started. So, we did not need an MOU from the school district. I do hope to have 2 MOU’s by May 30th pertaining to how the program is now proposed.”
Furthermore, relating to the CSAC application is that TSE has never filed a full-versioned IRS 990. Due to the fact the organization reports less than $50,000 in contributions according to their IRS filings, they file a “990-N (e -postcard)” which details limited information. TSE has consistently filed in this manner since its first year, 2018. Mr. Marsh also shared he has not taken a salary since TSE was launched. It remains to be seen how the organization that shows $60,000 in salary for the agency on their application accounts for it.
The CSAC application for tax dollars concerns a request for $12,000 for a program entitled, Team Success Enterprises: Prevention before Intervention. In the proposal, the program would be administered for 25 hours a week with a budget of $60,000 annually. It will help 10 children costing ‘$6,000 per client.’ The proposed cost includes the salary compensated to the recently named Executive Director of TSE. Indian River County would be subsidizing 20% of the program and $10,000 of its designated salary. Mr. Marsh mentioned he has been voluntarily working with seven families already in similar capacity.
Mr. Marsh explained how the nine week program is designed. “We look at three key areas, I call them the A-B-C’s — Attendance, Behavior and Core Comprehension. The program is designed to measure these three things,” said Mr. Marsh. There is an education of how the legal justice system works and what parents of kids that meet the at-risk measurements understand and may need as well. “The program has a case management aspect to it, to create a holistic approach.”
Mr. Marsh’s own criminal background is something he hopes to turn into a positive, teaching kids about the consequences he endured and the legal matters like clemency. “A lot of the kids are not bad. They are not doing drugs and stuff like that. They are just in class cutting-up like I did. I have experienced a lot and have the educational training to help these kids.”
Mr. Marsh received a degree in Criminal Justice from Indian River State College in 2009. He received his 2 year Associates as a Paralegal in 2012 and currently works for The Chesnutt Law Firm. In 2013, he completed a B.A.S in Organizational Management from IRSC with Business Management Certificate a year later. In 2015, he completed an MBA at Florida Atlantic University. Applying the experience and knowledge to address the issues early with at-risk students over a nine week period is at the core of the program.
President Dunne also stated in the affidavit submitted to CSAC they would have executed another Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian River County Sheriff’s department by May 1. However, through public records, documentation has not been produced related to the CSAC program applied for by TSE.
A copy of a blank MOU without a date or signature was released by the sheriff’s department for a completely different program. It is titled, The Exiting and Re-Entry Program which is “aimed at assisting inmates with re-entry into society.”
In that agreement which only deals with adults, IRC Sheriff’s department requires that inmates must consent to the program administered by TSE. TSE tracks inmate progress and their receiving of services through a required database. TSE collects data of measurable outcomes to demonstrate effectiveness of the program.
TSE personnel are granted access to meet with inmates twice a month assisting them with things such as finding jobs, housing assistance, various donations and social skills training to facilitate the transition back into the public. Within 90 days prior to the release of a consenting inmate, TSE offers free case management which can continue up to 90 days after release.
In the 2024 campaign, Mr. Marsh has been a staunch supporter and volunteer for Sheriff Eric Flower’s re-election campaign. Mr. Marsh has been seen actively campaigning for him and wearing his candidate’s shirts.
Mr. Marsh was recently in the news for launching a book challenge against Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss at the School District. Ultimately, Mr. Marsh withdrew his complaint in which he responded “No” to the question, “Did you examine the material in its entirety?”
The CSAC committee has also been under fire in the past for not examining applications with fiduciary prudence. Recently, it was learned that the committee approved $425,000 to an NGO with an income of $19.849 million. At the Commissioners April 9th meeting, it was noted that CSAC has recently hired Cindy Emerson to head up Community Services to coordinate and manage bureaucracy that CSAC has become in recent years. On May 30th, many non-profits go before the committee to answer questions and personally present their program proposals.