Miami Herald (MH) - Thursday, July 11, 1991
Andres Viglucci; Herald Staff Writer

On June 30, The Miami Herald reported that Cure AIDS Now executive director Bob Kunst had used agency funds to travel around the world on AIDS-related missions. Kunst has denied any wrongdoing.

The report prompted Metro Commissioner Joe Gersten to call for a detailed audit of the group, which is receiving $330,000 in county funds this fiscal year.

Wednesday's action concerns an additional $146,000 grant to the group that was under consideration by the commission's health and human services committee. The grant would help Cure AIDS Now provide additional meals. The group says it feeds hundreds each day.

But at a meeting of the panel Wednesday, Commissioners Larry Hawkins and Mary Collins voted to withhold the grant, which had been recommended by a screening committee, pending the results of the audit. The full Metro Commission must approve freezing the grant.

In the meantime, the meals covered by the grant would be distributed by Metro's Community Action Agency, which operates a Meals on Wheels program for shut-ins, said Assistant County Manager Ike Withers.

Cure AIDS Now administrators, reacting angrily to Wednesday's action, threatened to withhold the names of their clients from the county.

"The new clients that are coming in can't have food because of Gersten and Hawkins," said Marlene Arribas, the group's director of operations.

"Commissioner Gersten keeps digging to find something and there's nothing for him to find. He could care less about the clients. I'm sick and tired of his political games."

An aide to Gersten said politics did not play a role in Gersten's request for an audit. "Some very serious allegations have been raised and taxpayer money is involved," said Mike Powers, the Gersten aide.

Arribas said the grant was to help Cure AIDS Now provide meals to approximately 100 new people who request meals every month.

The grant would come out of the county's $1.2 million share of federal AIDS money. The Metro committee Wednesday approved grants to nine other agencies for medical care, counseling and other services for people with AIDS or HIV infection. The agencies include the Body Positive Resource Center, the state-run Dade County Public Health Unit and the Visiting Nurses Association.

The panel's action does not affect Cure AIDS Now's $330,000 in county funds, which are distributed on a reimbursement basis after the group provides expense receipts.

"We have noted no serious problems at this point," Withers said.

Also unaffected is an earlier $102,495 federal grant to Cure AIDS Now, Withers said. Although the group has not yet received that money, the grant was approved by the Metro Commission and a contract with Cure AIDS Now has been signed.

CAPTION: PHOTO Bob KUNST

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