The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About12/19/2007 - STAFF REPORTS - 00 Desert Philanthropic Assoc 'oPC+ A 501-C3 Non-Profit Organization bra. I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR DESERT COMMUNITY FORATTENDING THE HOLIDAY PREVIEW MIXERS INTRODUCING THE DESERT PHILANTHROPIC ASSOCIATION, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support services to ALL Desert area charities and non-profits. On Tuesday evening, December 11`",the"Gathering Room"was aglowwith good will, as we gave our initial introduction to the MISSION AND SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING THE MOTIVATION TO CREATE the DPA beginning in 2008. On Saturday, December 15"', we hosted representatives from a truly diverse group of Desert area charities, in attendance. This gathering provided us with even more insight to their needs, and reinforced my vision and mission to provide a much needed service to our entire community. THE MOST CONSISTENT STATEMENT AND REAFFIRMATION MADE WAS "THANK YOU FOR LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD." NOT ALL NON-PROFITS IN THE DESERT AREA NEED THE DPA....IN THE SAME WAY. A UNIVERSAL CONCERN, SHARED BY ALL. WHO ATTENDED, WAS THE NEGATIVE NATIONAL PRESS COVERAGE REGARDING THE, PERHAPS, LESS HONORABLE CHARITIES. ALL WHO ATTENDED WERE CONSCIOUS AS TO HOW THIS NEGATIVE PUBLICITY AFFECTED THEIR GOALS, MISSION,AND FUND RAISING CAPABILITIES ON A LOCAL LEVEL. WE ALSO, COLLECTIVELY, FELT THE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, IN AN EFFORT TO ASSUAGE SOME OF THESE CONCERNS. I.E.: DISPELLING SOME OF THE MYTHS ABOUT FUND RAISING, IN TANDEM WITH PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT CHARITIES ACTUALLY DO, ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT, I HAVE MADE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO BLOG THE REPORTS ABOUT DPA ACTIVITIES, AND ALSO HELP POST "A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF....CHARITABLE OPERATIONS REPORTS...",AS SUBMITTED, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN THEN UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT ALL FUND RAISING EFFORTS, THE APPLICATION AND/OR USAGE OF FUNDS RAISED. WITH MORE THAN JUST A MISSION STATEMENT TO DEFINE WHY EACH CHARITY NEEDED YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN ALSO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, WHY THEY DO IT, AND HOW IT HELPS OTHERS. LASTLY,AS A PRIMARY ARCHITECT OF GOODWILL MARKETING,I WAS HERALDED AND APPLAUDED BY WORLD LEADER MANY YEARS AGO DURING THE STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM. MANY COMPANIES QUICKLY UNDERSTOOD THE BENEFITS OF CONTRIBUTING TO CHARITIES FROM THEIR PROFITS AND ADVERTISING SAME. I WAS A LOT LESS POPULAR THE NEXT YEAR WHEN MY MISSION WAS TO MOTIVATE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY. LEADING BY EXAMPLE: IN THE. MONTH OF DECEMBER: THE DPA PARTICIPATED IN ONE FUND RAISING GALA, AND HOSTED 3 PREVIEW MIXERS ON-SITE.AT MY HOME. (SUNDAY'S EVENT WAS TIMED BADLY,AS WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT RON ODEN'S STAR UNTIL A FEW DAYS BEFORE....WE SENT OUR ATTENDEES TO HIS EVENT, TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT, AND ONLY HOSTED A FEW CHARITY REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAD MISSED SATURDAWS PRESENTATION) TOTAL GOODWILL MARKETING FUNDS RAISED FROM OFFERINGS AT GALA: $8,850.00 TOTAL COST OF PRODUCT AND COST OF PARTICIPATION: $4,612.32 TOTAL DONATION MADE TO HOSTING CHARITY: $6,075.00 INCLUDING PERCENTAGE FROM SALES AND DIRECT DONATIONS NET LOSS: ($1,737,32) FROM OUR ON-SITE EVENTS, ONLY ONE DONATION WAS MADE IN THE AMOUNT OF $100.00 EXPENSES FOR THESE EVENTS WERE COVERED BY WBK. THE $100.00 DONATION WILL BE DEPOSITED IN FULL TO OPEN THE GRANT AWARD FUND CUMULATIVE ACCOUNT,WHICH WE FULLY INTEND TO GROW OVER THE COURSE OF THE UPCOMING YEAR, TO BE AWARDED TO THE CHARITY THAT HAD DEMONSTRATED THE MOST COMMUNITY SERVICE FROM FUNDS RAISED: I.E. "What did they achieve from funds raised..not who raised the most.." This award grantwill bedetermined by ALL DESERT PHILANTHROPIC ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS BY VOTE NEXT NOVEMBER! THANK YOU, WENDIE BUSIG-KOHN FOUNDING CHAIR ❑ESERT PHILANTHROPIC ASSOCIATION, iNC. Charles Ira Sachs 336 West Mariscal Road Palm Springs, CA 92262-290735 (760) 325-5398 / onrs@earthlink.net December 19, 2007 Ms. Cindy Anderson Property Manager Casa de Oro HOA C/o Joanne M. Allen & Associates PO Box 2805 Palm Springs, CA 92263 SUBJECT: Tree Removal In Question Dear Ms. Anderson- Repeated requests for documentation for the reasons for the tree removal late last August around the Casa de Oro complex by myself and other owners have been denied. The removal of just the one in front of my unit alone repacked my home substantially as well as seven other properties. At the October 131h meeting the questionable way these were removed was addressed by owners Carl Templer, resident Steve Simms, Steinar Johansen and others. Documentation was refused even when owners discovered the specific requirement by the insurance company saying they needed to be removed for trips and falls was false. None of these issues were detailed in the minutes approved by the board, which is needed since 70%, or more owners are off site expecting accurate minutes to reflect the reality of the association operations. I request the board and your company either submit all documentation now or replant said trees of equal statue at the expense of those culpable of making this removal decision. Lastly, I found it most interesting in the mailing of the recall of the board, now in process, that my "candidate statement" which said "may be" enclosed implying it would, was not in the materials. I had offered to supply this, other support and volunteers to reduce any costs in this recall. You did not answer any of these afters. If these actions were also board approved, I consider this also as culpable for this non-disclosure of the current state, which was the reason for the recall, of many actions that have sorely impacted many living here or their future property values. Thank you fQr your imi-nediate attention. ��(g[r6G �drvuN � Charles Ira Sachs 335 West Mariscal Road Palm Springs, CA 92262-290735 (760) 325-5398 / onrs@earthlink.net December 19, 2007 TO: Palm Springs City Council SUBJECT. Questionable Tree Removal William Wordsworth noted in his classic poem, "There is nothing more beautiful than a tree . . . " Trees contribute so much. Most of us in Palm Springs are aware of their need in many ways. That is why I was stunned on the morning of August 23rd when the key tree giving sun shade by day and masking a blinding night-light was cut down without notice in front of my condo. That afternoon a mature grapefruit tree was cut down just behind my unit many owners appreciated, one when her mother would visit each winter and have them off the tree for breakfast. Grapefruit littered the driveway, brutally cut down. Around 23 trees were removed through the property. In complete distress of the loss also affecting 7 other units, I contacted the city permit office to find out if permits were needed. Nadine Fieger said her office was advised by Cindy Anderson, our property manager who works for her mother who owns Joanne M. Allen and Associates, said she would cut them down since they were planted by owners later and not on the initial grounds plan. This plan requested by myself and other owners went unanswered by Miss Anderson. No plan was found in the city records. Was Ms. Anderson lying? l_) 6�� SACHS Dec 17, 2007 Then owners were told it was an insurance issue, water lines and trips and falls on the sidewalk. At the October 13tt' association meeting resident Steve Simms and another owner disclosed they had contacted the insurance company and insurance records showed no mention of any trees an issue. Also Simms discovered, against board directions, Ms. Anderson hired a company both unlicensed and uninsured at a lesser earlier estimate. She denied this even confirmed again by Mr. Simms who is very good at his research in many local environmental and related issues. Ms. Anderson's reply, "I do not appreciate owners contacting contactors." Owner Carl Templer flew in from Wisconsin, objecting the lack of transparency of records, refusal of supply owners names and addresses according to the Davis-Stirling Act and how the trees had not been marked for 60 days for owners to review. None of this was answered later or reported in the deluded meeting minutes to local owners disgust since 70% are off site or renters. Recently Glendale, California fined a couple for cutting down, not trim as ordered, 12 trees $300,000. 1 ask you to please implement a permit system in Palm Springs to prevent tree cutting except when legitimate or allow them to be "adopted" and saved. I would appreciate contact from an attorney since that is what the city and Senator Jim Battin's office said is my only recourse. 447 words