ISSUE #1

This is issue 1, posted July 30 and here for a complete record.

Thursday, July 30,2009

This morning’s Glob and the stories, ads and information in it are so beyond the fantasy any reasonable human being could come up with I just had to respond to a number of the components and the editorial style as well.

Let’s start with the front page: FRIENDS OF THE VILLAGE TO MEET AUG. 5. Well, we certainly wouldn’t want to show any bias toward or against any groups, now, would we. This is the group that won’t take questions from the floor because they don’t want controversy and they have formed “TRUTH SQUADS” to ferret out the truth. Sounds like the mind control squads of Orwell’s 1984. So, let’s follow that story inside on page 3. Don’t forget, it was important enough to put on the FRONT PAGE.

The THREE TREASURERS, Vogel, Freshley and Miller are going to give breakdowns on how fees are spent. I can hardly wait to hear this especially since Vogel said on live TV during the United Board Meeting that he NEITHER SEES BILLS NOR PAYS THEM AND LETS PCM TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT. Bob Miller spends most of his report time during GRF Board Meetings spreading falsehoods about people and events and reading from statements he himself has not prepared. Freshley simply looks to Janet Price before answering any question or making any decision and so falls right in line with those who manage her. Pathetic.

We get to hear from Lynee Dvoark, VP of “Friends” and…….A REALTOR who is going to give us a run down on comparable assessments. Well, while she’s at it I hope she can provide information on other HOA INCENTIVE and BONUS plans and MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS not to mention all the little variables that might go into determining fees and dues and assessments. Perhaps she can shed a great deal of light on how the accounting is done so that it can be understood by each and every person living in LWV so they can also make a real judgment about how the dues/assessments/fees stack up. I somehow don’t have great faith that it will be a very complete report. I do hope the results are published so everybody can get the benefit of them. I mean published someplace where the WHOLE of LWV can read them and have it distributed to them. Maybe PCM could ask GRF to forego one week of propaganda laden paid advertisement and have the PR team put this information in the Glob instead. After all, we pay those people to do PR whether they actually accomplish anything or not. May as well give them a project.

As a final comment on “friends” note that “Admission is free” but membership is $15 for a single or $20 for a household. No wonder they don’t “get” $5.4 million (that we KNOW of) being paid out of OUR pockets! $15 isn’t nothing. It’s $15 and would probably buy a couple of the drinks Milt buys at Starbucks.

Let’s head over to page 5 and Maxine McIntosh’s “Director’s Corner”. Remember, this is the director on United who told Mike Curtis during a televised United Board meeting that Cris Trapp IS NOT A LAWYER! (Cris Trapp is a lawyer licensed to practice in the State of California and I’m sure that news came as a great shock to her. Her title with PCM is “Legal Affairs Director” even though she doesn’t seem to be able personally to make any kind of legal decision without calling corporate lawyers. Perhaps that is why she didn’t seem to be in private practice very long and came to work for an organization like PCM. McIntosh has missed the point of the recall completely. Maxine has called United the landlord to the “tenants” who are the members. She talks about everything but the point of the recall. She throws up her arms and bats her eyelashes and pouts and stamps her foot over everything but the POINT of the recall. BOARDS HAVE IGNORED THEIR LEGAL DUTY and have TURNED A BLIND EYE TO such little things as PCM making SECRET payouts to the tune of $5.4million (and that amount is what we now KNOW about but not necessarily what all was actually used.) The four people chosen for recall were chosen to stand as representative sampling of the board members who are shirking their duty and should be held responsible for their inaction or action. Maxine! Get a grip! Shut up and listen for a change. Maybe Gail McNulty can put down her magazine and LISTEN. Her drama is a disgrace. Maybe Arlene Miller can LISTEN and form an opinion that isn’t given to her. Maybe Marv Rosenhaft can find out simple things like the management agreement is NOT a confidential document. Maybe Vogel can act like a real treasurer and actually demand to see the bills! Maybe the big whoop fireman Foster can assume some responsibility as president of the board as he must have had to do when he was a fire fighter rather than just present to the public that which he is given to read. Maybe Linda Wilson can accept some personal responsibility. The POINT, Maxine, is the continuing dereliction of duty. The four are just examples. Maybe Third should start a recall next. At the rate the boards are going there won’t BE boards.

On Page 7 you will note that the PCM/GRF public relations department is hard at work and keeping busy by writing little lovelies for GRF to insert as a PAID ADVERTISEMENT on a now weekly basis in the Glob. YOU are paying for these “advertisements”. These full page ads cost plenty. Yes, Virginia, your assessments pay for these ads. I do hope all those who are living here in Paradise are enjoying them. They are created just for you! Does it occur to anybody that we not only pay for the ads but we are paying salaries for these people not to mention benefits and BONUSES.

Some of the letters to the editor are hysterical. Richard Moos, for instance, is backpedalling so fast about his involvement in the bonus and incentive plan it’s hard to see his feet. He has now had three completely different stories about when or if he knew about the incentive plan. One moment he knew nothing and all of a sudden he knew it all along. Moos is the man who was the treasurer of Third and seldom called a finance committee meeting. Boy! Talk about operating behind closed doors as often as possible……

There is a long article in tribute to Cheryl Walker on page 3. I wonder how many people will remember that Myra Neben who is quoted extensively is the editor who retired and was gifted with a pair of DIAMOND EARRINGS from Tiffany and Co. from our friends PCM/GRF. Hmm, a little more pricey than the usual IRS allowance of $75 for a gift.

On page 4 “UNITED MUTUAL COUNSEL” makes a statement about recall calls. They are talking about what is traditionally called an EXIT POLL; that is people are asked how they voted after they have cast their votes. Exit polls are PERFECTLY LEGAL and are conducted at every election at every level from local to national every time there is any kind of vote. The VOTER is under no obligation to disclose how they voted. The ballot remains secret. It is entirely up to the discretion of the voter to answer or decline to answer. All the whoop de doo over the exit poll is just one more attempt by the powers that be to frighten and bully people and “spin” events so that absolutely legal and legally conducted polls are made to look like something sinister. Hart King and Coldren is the “counsel” of record for United Mutual. Bill Hart, the first named partner, is the lawyer who recently wrote to Mike Curtis telling Mr. Curtis that all communication would have to go through Curtis’ lawyer. Why, then, Mr. Hart, are YOU WRITING DIRECTLY TO MR. CURTIS? Is there one rule for you and the rest of the United Board and another rule for Mr. Curtis? Interesting.

I will discuss the information on Page 2 under City, Village Updates in my next issue. Read it. It’s very interesting and very telling.

In the meantime I have a couple of thoughts. Just how critical IS PCM? No, we won’t fall off the face of the earth and the sky won’t fall. We could just fire the corporation and the top level people involved. That would mean Milt Johns, Janet Price, Judy Zoerhoff, Jerry Storage, Kurt Rahn, Russ Ridgeway, Cris Trapp, and any of their immediate underlings who feel they cannot or will not work FOR the residents of LWV. They can be replaced instantly by one of the three companies I happen to know of personally who will be willing to come in and take over OR we could do a search and find a city manager. Fluffy’s owner will never even feel a ripple. Paradise will remain intact. Any employee under that level of management will be able to work for the residents of LWV providing they understand who they work for and to whom they answer. Individual cases can be considered as they arise. It’s the same deal if they decide to invoke their 90 day clause and tell us they’re out of here.

Second, let’s get rid of GRF. They are supposed to be trustees. The trust is being bled of all its assets and it is as easy as hiring a professional trustee to take over the position. If they bleed off the assets quickly enough WE DON’T NEED A TRUSTEE at all because there won’t be a trust. Remember when the walls were part of the trust? Or how about the globe?

Just a couple of things to think about. We’ll talk more.

Have a great day. Be proactive.