It isn't working out as planned.

The new "Opening Doors" approach transferred oversight of Durham's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness from a private nonprofit to local government.

Employee Lanea Foster was to move into a position created for her in the Community Development department.

Instead, Foster is working from home as an independent contractor. Her three-month contract pays her $5,000 a month plus up to $1,000 a month for expenses. An invoice dated June 15 totals $1,012.83, including $500 for office space rental and charges for telephone service, office supplies and computer purchase.

"What's going on here?" said City Councilman Eugene Brown. "This appears to be a very unusual arrangement.

"I do not understand $1,000 a month expenses,' Brown said. "Nor do I understand why she is charging $500 a month for office space and [for] telephone when that was available in the office of Community Development."

'Only temporary'

It's only temporary, said City Manager Tom Bonfield.

"Neither [Foster] nor the city were ready to make it an employment relationship," he said, declining to elaborate.

"I think it's worked out for the best," said Foster.

Foster was designated to fill a new city position in a plan Bonfield and County Manager Mike Ruffin drew up for reorganizing services formerly under the Ten-Year Plan. She was not mentioned in an alternative plan proposed by Mayor Pro-tem Cora Cole-McFadden, chairwoman of the Ten-Year Plan's executive committee, but Foster did assist Cole-McFadden in preparing the alternative.

The adopted "Opening Doors" plan divided responsibilities between the county and city, with Foster continuing to coordinate the annual "Project Homeless Connect" and prepare an annual application for federal funding for homeless housing and services.

According to the contract, Foster's connection with City Hall is through Reginald Johnson, a senior assistant to the city manager, rather than Community Development Director Mike Barros.

'Some concerns'

"Ms. Foster had some concerns about the arrangements we were making for her to join my staff," Barros told The Durham News.

Because there was "some disagreement on what was expected," Barros said, the position in Community Development was not advertised for other applicants.

"We have a three-month period to sort this out," Barros wrote. "At the end of that period we may or may not open the position up for other applicants."

There may be some sorting out as well regarding the terms of Foster's current contract, which only specifies that she is to be reimbursed for mileage. Barros wrote that the contract will either be amended to allow Foster to collect $6,000 per month or the city will deduct "those expenses we determine were not reimbursable."

Foster's current contract expires July 31. According to Barros, she is doing a good job.

Meanwhile, the other former Ten-Year Plan employee, Lloyd Schmeidler, is working in the Community Development Department on a temporary basis, Bonfield said.

"I think the whole thing raises more questions than answers," said Brown. "And this will be part of her evaluation process."