“Take What You Need”
At first look, Grant Denton’s story is inspiring. He overcame childhood abuse, drug addiction, drug and domestic battery charges, and a period of homelessness to help fellow Northern Nevadans in their recovery from various traumas.
Denton is founder and executive director of Karma Box Project, which provides assistance and outreach to homeless locals.
Denton’s story and his work with Karma Box conferred sufficient trust and standing that his nonprofit was hired by Washoe County in late 2021 to operate Safe Camp, which provides transitional housing and other services to people working toward stable housing and community re-entry. Many residents of Safe Camp, in east Reno, are women in recovery some from addiction and abuse.
Abusive relationship?
Grant Denton likes to call himself a changed man. Until May 28, 2024, few people had public reason to doubt him. And then Jane Doe 1 stepped to the microphone at a meeting of the Washoe County Commission which was considering a $1.3 million to $1.8 million renewal of the Karma Box contract to operate Safe Camp.
Jane Doe 1 testified that while she and Denton were in a relationship, she witnessed what she described as his abuse of power, abuse of illegal steroids and other abusive behavior. She further testified that she had decided to move from Reno because of intimidation by Denton and some of his associates. During her testimony, Jane Doe 1 seemed credible, but also cowed and fearful — classic signs of someone experiencing trauma.
More allegations
At the same meeting, a statement was read on behalf of John Opalinski, who works in the family assistance and recovery space in Northern Nevada. The statement cited “credible reports” that Denton engages in degrading conduct toward women, including women in the early stages of sobriety.
Other concerning allegations emerged about abusive behavior by Denton, but people said they did not want to speak on the record because they were afraid of backlash from Denton and his powerful political allies.
Washoe County, facing scrutiny, undertook a comically quick and farcical investigation that focused narrowly on potential misconduct by Denton at Safe Camp. The investigation claimed it found no such misconduct, though it’s fair to ask whether Safe Camp residents felt safe telling the truth. Either way, the sham investigation is entirely beside the point.
$2 million in taxpayer money
The allegations against Denton concern abusive behavior in the wider community, including organizations that serve the homeless and folks in recovery, not just Safe Camp.
And when considering Karma Box for a contract that might approach $2 million (with an $83,000 annual salary for Denton), why would Washoe County not want to thoroughly investigate ANY allegations against Denton? These allegations could materially affect Karma Box’s ability to fulfill the contract and, crucially, could impugn public trust in the County, its governance and its use of taxpayer monies.
And then there is the fundamental question: Isn’t it a requirement to do business with the County that one be of good moral character?
Mike Clark the Brave
The Commission ended up approving renewal of the Safe Camp contract. Four Commissioners —all women! — voted to greenlight a situation that has more than a whiff of Harvey Weinstein. Only Commissioner Mike Clark — a man! — voted against the approval, saying all allegations of misconduct by Denton, whenever and wherever they allegedly occurred, should be thoroughly and independently investigated before voting on the contract. (Independent here means: not a crony law firm of certain County officials.)
There’s an equally important question here. Many medical, addiction and mental health experts recommend that abused women in recovery, at least until societal re-entry, should work only with other women because of the trauma they’ve experienced. Why has the County, for several years, enabled Denton’s access to such women?
Does Alexis Hill care about women?
Commissioner Cruella de Hill — oops, Commissioner Alexis Hill — took a break from silencing public comments she disagrees with and voting against toys for poor kids to lead the rush to give Denton another year of access to at-risk women.
What happened to #MeToo, Commissioner Hill? What happened to #BelieveAllWomen? Or is all that kumbaya feel-good stuff you ran on just nonsense? And where is Kate Thomas, assistant county manager and supposed champion of women, in this deplorable situation?
Probably it’s nonsense from Cruella de Hill.
Because the dirty secret is that Cruella de Hill and Washoe County are willing to overlook the issues with Denton because they’re afraid they can’t get anyone else to run Safe Camp. Which says all you need to know about the County’s true commitment to helping our vulnerable neighbors.
Which is further to say: You’re on your own.
Politics matters, not people.
True safety doesn’t matter, just Cruella de Hill’s re-election.
Larry Chesney
Picon Publisher