Showing posts with label LWV. Show all posts

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Psst! Have you heard all the corruption at Laguna Woods Village - and other rumors?

LETTERS

Hello Friends,

There are some very rude rumors circulating about the upcoming election and the candidates endorsed by Protect Property Values Club, and I’d like you to know the truth. Vote for whoever you want to vote for, but don’t vote against someone because you heard a rumor. We’re better people than that. If you find this information helpful, please circulate this to your friends in United.

1. PPV has NOT accepted any funding from the Real Estate Community. There is no proof to this allegation – it’s really an out and out lie. All the money raised is from individuals who believe as PPV does that the present United Board is not acting in the best interest of United Mutual’s membership. Marty Ruben was one of the folks spreading this lie, and he’s been asked to come up with his facts to prove this statement, or stop the lies. We have even offered to show who contributed and the amount.
2. A full page ad in the Globe is very expensive. PPV can prove where our money comes from – can the Fresh Eyes Slate do the same? Who is backing this slate? Where are their funds coming from? Campaigns cost a lot of money, and they’ve only been together for a couple of months. I’ve heard that the Fresh Eyes Slate is getting their money from PCM. See how easy it is? No proof, just rumor.
3. Another lie being circulated is that one of the candidates, Erna Ferris lost money for her clients as a Financial Advisor. There is no proof, only the rumor. Why would anyone want to slam another’s reputation without backup?
4. If you are satisfied with the present Board, perhaps you have not considered the following:
a. No input from the Members in the drafting of the Revised Bylaws or Occupancy Agreement, even though work has been executed on them for the last two years,
b. An, “Oh, By the Way” letter, after the distribution of the ballots, threatening us that unless we pass the revised documents, all maintenance services, supported for the last 50 years must stop, because their lawyer said so.
c. This is the same lawyer who we paid $250,000 for six months of work since January, and will benefit greatly if there are lawsuits against United for the new rules set forth in the revised agreements.
d. This lawyer is perhaps best known as one of California’s top HOA foreclosure lawyers, and if you google her law firm, you will find multiple bar censures for unethical practices leveled against the law firm’s subsidiary, Association Lien Services .
e. This same Board now insists on sending out another ballot, at our expense again to try to get the revised documents passed – even after the Membership overwhelmingly voted it down.
f. The Board has already passed resolutions changing the standard size of our refrigerators from 18 cubic feet to 16.5 cubic feet. What’s next?
g. What happened to the illumination plan?
h. Why are fines and fees increasing so rapidly?
5. PPV and the candidates that have been endorsed by PPV, are committed to eliminating the six month lease restriction, to give the Members an option. For some reason, this commitment has put a target on our backs. Our candidates are Jerren Auble, Phil Doran, Pat English, Erna Ferris. If you want to know something, ask them – candidatesunited@gmail.com.

You must decide what you want and what you’ll believe without proof. Then you must decide if you want more of the same with a constant eroding of services, or if you want to have more control over your property rights.

Please, when you hear attack rumors, to ask for proof. And again, if you find this information helpful, please pass it along to your friends and family living in United.

Thanks for listening,

Maggie Brown
Old Pros Member
PPV founding member

If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to cotoblogzz@gmail.com
Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length.. They become the property of CotoBuzz Journal and may be republished in any format.
Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Your Laguna Woods Vote Does Not Count: Return To Sender

LETTERS

VOTE FERRIS, DORAN, ENGLISH, AND AUBLE

Dear Friends and Supporters of PPV,

It has been brought to our attention that close to 200 ballots from last month's By-laws and Occupancy Agreement election were returned to Martin & Chapman, the election monitoring company , because the addresses were not correct. Already we have heard of residents of United who have not received their ballots, even though many of us, even us out- of- staters, have already received and returned our ballots.

If you have not received your ballot, contact Dan Pabich at Martin & Chapman, 714-939-9866 and request that a new ballot be sent. He will make sure that you get your ballot one way or another before the election.

Remember to mark you ballots for the candidates that will listen to you and protect your investment in LWV.

VOTE FERRIS, DORAN, ENGLISH, AND AUBLE

Thanks for your support,

Stevie Magid & PPV

EDITORS NOTE: Good advice considering this:

Third Mutual Elections Void and Null – Necessary, but sufficient?

Laguna Wood Village, CA - Hillel Pitlik, Chairman for the Third Board Inspectors of Election throws Martin and Chapman under the bus, while failing to assume any culpability when he announced yesterday that the Third Mutual elections are null and void “ due to inadvertent deletions in the ballot instructions/ candidate statements, prepared by Martin and Chapman.” Pitlink adds that “The Board and Inspectors of Election are in the process of establishing a new election and that information will be posted as soon as available. Martin and Chapman will reprint and mail the ballots at no additional cost to the Third Laguna Hills Mutual,” and that the action does not affect the United Mutual ballots or election. Or does it? Should it?

Consider that apparently Pitlink took the time to approve the elections material prior to preparing the ballots, but not necessarily check the work once the Martin and Chapman were done.

If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to cotoblogzz@gmail.com
Do not send attachments
Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length.. They become the property of CotoBuzz Journal and may be republished in any format.
Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

RELATED STORIES

RELATED VIDEO CLIPS

	June 2, 2009 GRF Meeting - The Shut Up Rule in Effect All residents want form Mr. Stuller is a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T - Click here for the rest of the story
Desperate HOA Directors - Your Are Out of Order!

	June 2, 2009 Golden Rain Foundation annotated board Meeting - as Board President denigrates fellow director and cancer patient Michael Curtis, while defending property management company's actions Click here for the rest of the story..
Desperate Directors of Laguna Woods - The Facts Behind the Fiction Part Two - Click here for video

	If you thought farming subsidies were bad, you should see the Laguna Woods Village nursery subsidies! Click here for video clip
Keep out! - Nursery is a Dangerous Place...... for Inquiring Min

	What we do with your money is none of your business: Click here for video clip
Do not Ask, PCM Won't Tell: The LWV Accounting System - O

Friday, September 07, 2012

Laguna Woods Village HOA: Can You Hear Me Now?

LETTERS

Open response to Marty Rubin:

Laguna Woods Village, CA–Today (09-05-2012) the revised bylaws and occupancy agreement was defeated by a 67% margin. ARE YOU LISTENING YET??

What you have described as "unnecessary turmoil and dissension" was in fact "unnecessary," because, when our newly-formed group first asked to have a meeting, or even a conversation with some of the Board members regarding the rental restrictions, we were shut out, ignored, and marginalized. Every time the Board refused to hear us PPV grew in supporters. Yet, our petitions with 3,000 signatures was met with laughter and ridicule by a hostile board. It is indeed sad that all this contention could have been avoided with dialogue and respect.

Your accusation of "Intimidation and fear" is ironically the exact tactic the Board used when they illegally threatening to cut off services if the members did not vote yes. And, Marty, before making accusations of support coming from real estate agents and commercial speculators, get your facts right. We have received NO support from the real estate sector other than being supplied with housing information that is readily available in the paper. ALL support for PPV comes from our 3,000 members making small contributions. The candidates are self-supporting. Don't believe us?... check our records. On the other hand, the United Board has spent our association funds illegally, Civil Code 1363.4, when promoting their agenda in their ads.

The candidates that we support, Phil Doran, Pat English, Erna Ferris, and Jerren Auble are focused on the all-important issue of open communication, which has been sadly lacking on this Board. Their shared vision is of a Board that's accessible and responsive to the members they represent. Because of the many mistakes and failures of this Board, there are now many issues we must focus on, not just one. With capable people who believe in actually listening to their fellow members, Phil, Pat, Erna and Jerren will bring unity to this commUNITY.

Your neighbor,

Nancy Doran

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If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to buzz@cotobuzz.com --. Do not send attachments- or mail to Letters to the Editor, c/o CotoBuzz, P,O. Box 154, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678

Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length.. They become the property of CotoBuzz Journal and may be republished in any format. Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Laguna Woods Election Results: The Board does NOT own the association, residents Do!

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Laguna Woods Village, CA – With a full court press by the homeowners board of directors in an effort to change the association by-laws, the outcome seemed all but certain, despite warnings such as the one from the Resident’s Voice published August 10, 2012:

” The existing By-Laws are still active and in place to guide and protect us, they continue to be our governing documents until we vote otherwise, please remember that. The board has to abide by those documents whether they like it or not. Do not allow the United Board and their Attorney to bully and intimidate us any longer! We, the resident owners are the ones that decide if we will allow the board to dictate and completely control us and our future! We are the ones that will decide if we want the new ambiguous changes the board is attempting to ram down our throats! I ask all of you to make your objections and voices heard loud and clear, VOTE NO! This board needs to understand they work for us, not the other way around!

On page sixty nine (69) Article 4, Member's Option To Renew; Please read this article carefully, this is a very scary proposal. Precisely stated that we will be relived of any liability, BUT, it is also removes all power in any decision process and grants it exclusively to the Board and any monies included in the transaction would go directly to the Board!”

Even worse, On August 9, “… in an unprecedented action, a letter from the United Board of Directors was read on channel 6. United owners are being told that if we do not vote "Yes" on the restated By-Laws and Occupancy Agreement, that United will no longer be obliged to make repairs, at United's cost and expense, to the interior components, including cabinetry, counter tops, plumbing fixtures and flooring of members units. Nor will United bear any responsibility for the replacement and maintenance/repair of any appliances in members units, except for major repairs of appliances installed by the corporation, including rebuilding or replacement of principal components(e.g. fan motors and refrigeration units.) What a terrible "scare tactic," this will have terrible ramification's on our senior population. Fear and intimidation imposed upon us by United's Attorney and the Board! Shame On You!!”

So, it is a big surprise to find out that the By Law changes were defeated by a vote of 997 in favor and 1878 against and the occupancy agreement changes were defeated by a vote of 943 in favor and 1933 against.

As an activist might say: “ The members of United have told the Board of Directors and their lawyer WHO OWNS THE MUTUAL! THE MEMBERS DO!”

Friday, August 31, 2012

Fertilizer Piling Up in Laguna Woods Village

LETTER

I received this information from a resident, and I believe it is important enough and valid enough to circulate to anyone on your mailing lists. What is so sacred about the landscape budget that this board is bound and determined to keep...and add a whole lot more money in a period of economic chaos? They could save a bunch of money by cutting the amount of fertilizer used on the grass in the spring....the stuff grows quickly enough without it...pour it on, and the lawns need mowing more frequently. $24 per month increase...not great economics for anyone....at that rate in four years that’s nearly another $1200 per year per manor...again...remember the Third board in the early 2000’s...one year they upped the monthlies by $65...this crowd is certainly not concerned with my situation...nor those of my fixed income neighbors. These are still mostly 1K SF 40 year old manors that people simply will not buy into with those kinds of carrying charges...are these people delusional, or is it something else? At any rate...I don’t trust the board majority to look after my interests...austerity in a period of bad economics for everyone....except for retired CEO’s....what can I say?

That is exactly what will happen with assessments. The landscape budget is out of control and no work is being done of any real value. The dry rot and plumbing are the biggest problems in the entire mutual (and community at large but our money goes to Third and GRF).

The elections are very corrupt and the screaming of innocence at the last board meeting was amusing in that …to paraphrase….me thinks they protesteth too much. One member has been sending all the information to the IRS and they will investigate.

The present board has reduced contributions to the reserves at our peril! During discussions about what to do with the money El Toro Water District is returning to us via GRF, Tso wanted to put the money in the general fund and reduce assessments this year by $7.50 pm/pm but was finally voted down and the money went into the Disaster Reserves keeping in mind “the huge expense we are facing soon.”

In order to pretend to keep assessments down for 2013 this board already reduced contributions to the reserves but continued to allow LANDSCAPING to run amok. Plus, they keep adding employees.

The three POV candidates will do as they are told by PCM and by the lawyers who are pro management and don’t really care about the membership. The membership is what provides them with employment and they will fall without us and should be paying attention to the needs of the membership rather than the wants of STAFF. If you have read the Kelly Richardson written changes to the Board Meeting Rules you will see exactly how the lawyer and management want things run around here. Richardson says the STAFF and the PRESIDENT alone should prepare the agenda and everybody and anybody else wanting an item on the agenda must come with hat in hand and on their knees to beg to have it included.

Once again the cart is before the horse. The order of peck is supposed to be MEMBERSHIP/Boards over PCM. GRF is a lateral board NOT a superior board and they think they are superior. If we don’t get some people out of their complacency and voicing their needs, concerns and wants this place will be a complete disaster.

Mike Straziuso stood in front of the Board before he was elected (the second time) to the board and whined that the drought was over and the expense for water was bogus and he wasn’t going to preserve water himself. Now water expenses are greater than Landscaping and they are completely out of line.

Judith Troutman has only been here 2 years by her own admission. Juhan has a conflict of interest in that his wife is part of the City structure. Bayer is universally disliked according to the golfers….where he has held sway as pro PCM for years. Pathetic. And we pay for it as members.

Paul Hutchins

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Friday, August 10, 2012

Don’t Pretend if you don’t attend – the United Board’s Town Hall Meeting Today

LETTERS

Don’t Pretend if you don’t attend – the United Board’s Town Hall Meeting Today: Don't pretend to be outraged when your property is seized without any apparent reason, for example

Greetings Patriots and United (Co-op) Residents!

Laguna Woods Village, CA - This is a message reminder: To attend the United Board's Town Hall Meeting on Friday, August 10th, at 1:00 P.M. in Clubhouse Five. We need your attendance, voice and support. I am asking you to leave your comfort zone and attend this meeting, please!

FYI: I have received the following information. Residents attending the Town Hall meeting will not be allowed to speak, ask questions, or make comments to the Board concerning the Amended and "Restated" By- Laws and the Revised Occupancy Agreement! All questions must be submitted in writing and the Board will decide which questions will be read and answered. This action by the Board is deliberate censorship and extremely counterproductive! The Board should "Man Up," change their mind and LET US SPEAK!!!

United President Beldner, stated at United's July monthly meeting that residents would have thirty day's to read, digest and vote on these two documents. He deliberately gave us false information! August has thirty one day's, the packet was mailed out to the Shareholders on August 1st, I finally received my packet on Tuesday, August 7th and I have had numerous phone calls advising me that some residents still have not received their packets and they wanted to know what they could do to get one. Today is August 9th, and the ballots must be returned by August 31st. Mr. Beldner's addition is questionable at best! Beldner also stated the law required a timeframe of only thirty day's, another lie! United's legal counsel finally admitted the truth, thirty day's is the minimum timeframe and ninety day's the maximum. Why all the lies, distortions, deception and manipulation?

On page sixty nine (69) Article 4, Member's Option To Renew; Please read this article carefully, this is a very scary proposal. Precisely stated that we will be relived of any liability, BUT, it is also removes all power in any decision process and grants it exclusively to the Board and any monies included in the transaction would go directly to the Board!

Yesterday, in an unprecedented action, a letter from the United Board of Directors was read on channel 6. United owners are being told that if we do not vote "Yes" on the restated By-Laws and Occupancy Agreement, that United will no longer be obliged to make repairs, at United's cost and expense, to the interior components, including cabinetry, counter tops, plumbing fixtures and flooring of members units. Nor will United bear any responsibility for the replacement and maintenance/repair of any appliances in members units, except for major repairs of appliances installed by the corporation, including rebuilding or replacement of principal components(e.g. fan motors and refrigeration units.) What a terrible "scare tactic," this will have terrible ramification's on our senior population. Fear and intimidation imposed upon us by United's Attorney and the Board! Shame On You!!

Shame on all of you, for the unethical tactics you have used in your bullish attempt to scare us into submission and the total lack of honesty, transparency and communication you have continued to display!

The existing By-Laws are still active and in place to guide and protect us, they continue to be our governing documents until we vote otherwise, please remember that. The board has to abide by those documents whether they like it or not. Do not allow the United Board and their Attorney to bully and intimidate us any longer! We, the resident owners are the ones that decide if we will allow the board to dictate and completely control us and our future! We are the ones that will decide if we want the new ambiguous changes the board is attempting to ram down our throats! I ask all of you to make your objections and voices heard loud and clear, VOTE NO! This board needs to understand they work for us, not the other way around!

There will be a fifteen minute "Closed Residents Meeting," following the Town Hall Meeting, so please stick around. This meeting is closed to any and all directors and their legal counsel.

Thanks,

Pam Grundke

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If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to buzz@cotobuzz.com --. Do not send attachments- or mail to Letters to the Editor, c/o CotoBuzz, P,O. Box 154, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length.. They become the property of CotoBuzz Journal and may be republished in any format. Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

RELATED STORIES

Le Cirque Du Directors & Lawyers at Laguna Woods Village

This went to the Globe today June 21, 2012, to be published in the next issue. I doubt it will appear. If this single thing doesn’t upset you then you have either decided to join the ranks of those who just have so much money to live on for the rest of your lives that you just can’t spend it all or you have not been paying attention. This is just one single thing that has been a part of the overall and overwhelming abuse heaped upon us for all the years any of us has lived here. I apologize for the run on sentences. I am just very upset. We moved here before we were to retire so we could set down roots and live here for the rest of our lives. That isn’t going to happen.

An Incentive Plan ACORN Would be Proud Of

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Busy Busy and still covering up

Posted by Katie McDaniel 10-07-2009 2:30 PM

Laguna Woods Village, CA- Bob Hatch has decided along with the help of that Corporate Oracle, Kathryn Freshley, that a new incentive plan should be put in place for PCM. The fox is ripping apart the hen house. Even Linda Wilson of the United Board admitted the board members are hardly experts according to the newspaper report.

LETTERS

LWV Open Board Meetings Memo

We received a follow up letter, posted below, to a GRF resolution outlining rules of engagement for open board meetings (click here for copy) scheduled for approved today. We asked  Ms. Donie Vantizian, co-author of the long-standing Los Angeles Times column "Associations" to comment on the merits of such letter, and have included her response under Comments below
GRF Rules of Engagement Good For Folsom? First, does this new "SHUT UP!" Rule (click here for copy of GRF resolution dealing with rules of engagement) ) apply only to the Folsom Prison inmates at Leisure World or does it apply also to the residents?

GRF Rules of Engagement Innovation, or Self-preservation?If you would pay attention ((click here for copy of GRF resolution dealing with rules of engagement) ) to what the residents are telling you, you wouldn't have to be so scared and try to impose illegal sanctions against the people who are paying the bills. The residents would not be angry.

GRF Rules of Engagement Restrict Resident Participation The GRF resolution (click here for copy) about to be finally approved at the next GRF Board meeting - Tuesday after next (August 5th), is an effort to greatly restrict resident participation in their meetings.  Click here for additional information

Different Homeowners Association, Same Issues
I assume that you are a member of the Walnut Creek Leisure World Association, or is this another HOA in the area? We have had many comments of similar problems by HOA's who happen to run into our website and I'm glad that you contacted me.

The Right LWV Leadership for Such a Time as This?
Is this general manager (Milt Johns) over his head in his management skills? Can someone come out with only experience from the garden to manage a 90 million dollar business without a conflict of interest? When is the last time Mr. Johns lowered our costs...

Working to Serve, Or Serving To Work - Letter to OC Register Columnist
Another good column. I was wondering if there was ever any serious consideration to any non-union government employee for the position of publicly elected Sheriff by either the Register or Supervisors? That is all I see in your Top Five selection and...

To Destroy a Community, or to Destroy the Status Quo?XThat is the Question in this Letter to the Menifee SCCA Board of Directors
First of all I have no intentions or no desire to destroy "our community". However, I must ask you to please define what you think the community is, what it is you think I am threatening to destroy?Secondly, Sun City has been declared a "blighted...

RELATED STORIES

RELATED VIDEO CLIPS

June 2, 2009 GRF Meeting - The Shut Up Rule in Effect
All residents want form Mr. Stuller is a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T - Click here for the rest of the story

Desperate HOA Directors - Your Are Out of Order!

June 2, 2009 Golden Rain Foundation annotated board Meeting - as Board President denigrates fellow director and cancer patient Michael Curtis, while defending property management company's actions Click here for the rest of the story..

Desperate Directors of Laguna Woods - The Facts Behind the Fiction Part Two - Click here for video

If you thought farming subsidies were bad, you should see the Laguna Woods Village nursery subsidies! Click here for video clip

Keep out! - Nursery is a Dangerous Place...... for Inquiring Min

What we do with your money is none of your business: Click here for video clip

Do not Ask, PCM Won't Tell: The LWV Accounting System - O

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Psst! Have you heard all the corruption at Laguna Woods Village - and other rumors?

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Your Laguna Woods Vote Does Not Count: Return To Sender

Friday, September 07, 2012

Laguna Woods Village HOA: Can You Hear Me Now?

Open response to Marty Rubin:

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Laguna Woods Election Results: The Board does NOT own the association, residents Do!

Friday, August 31, 2012

Fertilizer Piling Up in Laguna Woods Village

Friday, August 10, 2012

Don’t Pretend if you don’t attend – the United Board’s Town Hall Meeting Today

LETTERS

Greetings Patriots and United (Co-op) Residents!

Le Cirque Du Directors & Lawyers at Laguna Woods Village

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