Leisure World fiasco
Oh my God. I can’t believe it.
The Golden Rain Foundation board awarded the administrator (whose competence has been questioned) an 18-month contract and, get this, they also voted to give him a 3.6 percent raise on top of his exorbitant $240,000 salary.
The board’s defense for agreeing to this raise was that he has not had a raise in two years.
Hello.
We’re in a recession.
Join the many workers throughout the country who also have not received any raises in years, many of whom have had their salaries reduced, many of whom have been forced to take unpaid furlough days, and many who have lost their jobs altogether.
It’s really hard to feel any sympathy for our administrator who had to suffer with no raises for two whole years and on a salary of only $240,000 a year.
What were the board members who voted for this raise thinking?
Certainly they were not considering the well being of all of the Leisure World residents.
Many Leisure World residents live on a fixed income, which was sufficient when they first moved here.
However, in the last 10 years the Leisure World association fees have doubled (due, in part, to poor decisions by the GRF board, such as exorbitant salaries).
Unfortunately, the fixed incomes of many residents are no longer sufficient to keep up with these rising costs.
Now many residents, burdened by these additional fees, have to choose between eating and taking their medicines—some have to forgo both at times.
Why couldn’t the board have compassionately voted to cut costs instead of adding to them?
The miserly, uncaring “Scrooges” on the GRF board who voted for this unnecessary expense have left the “Tiny Tims” of Leisure World out in the cold.
God help us all, everyone.
Janice Laine, Mutual 2
Leisure World
Leisure World’s lame ducks
We, a minority who reside in live in Leisure World, know that we are rational, aware, competent individuals but we now stand with our mouths ajar like idiots at the recent actions taken by the majority of the Golden Rain Foundation Representatives.
Dan Schaeffer, our very personable but inexperienced administrator who, for those not aware is paid more than the governor of CA has had his contract extended. In addition, the word is that a raise is coming forth while the position has been rewritten-that is down graded to correspond to his level of ability and knowledge.
Again, incompetence and lack of ability is rewarded at the expense of the people.
For this amount of money we should have a well-experienced, educated business manager to guide the community and take rein of so much poor organization that has developed.
Those who keep up with world news are aware of the economic problems addressing our country, state and community.
Thus we cannot but shake our heads and wonder at the insane, impractical, irresponsible practices of the majority of Golden Rain Representatives in Leisure World.
What on earth are those who voted for the extended contract along with a raise for Schaeffer thinking? These are not intelligent actions.
Our representatives are suppose to be responsible individuals with a fiduciary responsibility to we, the shareholders. Unfortunately the record shows too many examples of behavior that is not productive to the shareholders.
What is the advantage and is there a reward for some to be on the Golden Rain Foundation Board? You have some old timers, clawing, and fighting dirty to maintain their positions?
If they are voted out they spend time gossiping, waiting, spreading misinformation about the person who took their position and plotting their return.
Bright residents wonder “is it just ego and power or is there more to it?”
During the Golden Rain Foundation versus Franz, et. al. case, the judge made a comment that “if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.”
Many in the community voice their suspicion that something is rotten in Leisure World. When the same insanity is repeated time after time, one realizes how serious the problems of mismanagement of waste of money have become in the community.
How on earth do you change mismanagement when many in the community do not know or care? The only time most complain is when the cost of a service or the assessments increase.
Unfortunately this is usually minor compared to the major waste due to mismanagement. That this is their money is not part of the critical equation in their minds.
Many residents think that no one would cheat and profit from approximately 9,000 older folks. I am sure that those who invested with Madoff thought the same way. Look what happened to them and it is happening to those of us who live in LW. Our money is not being used to our best and total advantage. We old folks are supporting a dysfunctional system which should primarily benefit us, but instead benefits others—mainly those working for us.
We are a microcosm of our federal government in Washington D.C. It is time that our residents get out to the Golden Rain Foundation meetings and make their voices heard.
If you cannot get out, then call your mutual directors and GRF representatives and voice your opinion, ask questions etc. Make our directors and representatives responsible to you and your needs. We cannot continue to allow those who are financially inept to remain on the Golden Rain Foundation Board.
Margarita Bahr
Seal Beach Leisure World
