Cheers for Mary Wilson Library
Occasionally , I enjoy going to the Mary Wilson Library. They have good varieties of magazines, newspapers, books, CD’s, tapes etc. The librarian is very hlepful and accommodating. The computer users are mostly younger enthusiastic people.
Silence is observed which is very conducive to reading, searching and computer work with comprehension.
Going to the library at a very young age is a precious legacy from my parents who introduced me and my siblings to the importance of a good library.
When my husband and I travel to Europe, we always carry with us our public library card. London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome have gorgeous libraries, museums, and awesome tourist attractions to enjoy . They are rich in cultures and arts.
Lisa A. Dickson
Leisure World
Many donations are in need for Leisure World Globe
It is quite interesting how some Leisure World residents get their comments in THE NEWS while others have to seek columns in the great Seal Beach SUN NEWS.
In May 2015, I wrote a comment to the SUNNEWS poll question: “Should Leisure World keep the globe?” Just to mention that way-back-when, in 1962 it was called an Atlas.
My comment regarding the globe was this: “It is very interesting how many views on history there are!” I was looking back at different articles that I have saved from Westways magazine regarding history. I just found an article regarding Off-Ramp. It showcases photographs from the Auto Club of Southern California Archives and it is dated March/April 2004.
The article is about “Midway of Memory” and goes on to discuss “double-decked Pine Avenue Pier in a photo dated about 1928 in Long Beach.” It goes on to state that “The seeds for the park’s growth were sowed when, in 1902, real estate tycoon Charles Drake built his saltwater bathhouse near the beach.”
Then in the last paragraph: “Scant physical evidence remains of the Pike; after the park closed in 1979, condominiums were built atop the reclaimed land. The Ocean Center Building at Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue, however, incorporated into its design an archway that once straddled the boardwalk.
It serves as one of the few reminders of dance halls, painted horses, rattling coasters, and a thousand twinkling lights.”
With all of this being written, please consider that all of history is destroyed every day. Both good and bad history.
However, with the dedication of much money from various sources, the “Historic Triangle – Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown in Virginia” are being restored little by little.
So perhaps, all of those voices and writers trying to save the Leisure World Globe (Atlas) can pay for its restoration. And thanks for all of your donations.
Carol Franz
Leisure World
Ross Cortese’s dream—and reality
Leisure World Seal Beach was the first in the country to offer an affordable-living retirement community fulfilling the dream of developer and visionary Ross Cortese. “I really wanted it to be what they wanted,” Cortese said. The result was a “fantasy” life with beautiful landscaping without yard work, where residents felt safe at night, neighbors were truly neighbors and golf carts ruled the roads.
To make affordable housing with a luxury lifestyle a reality Ross Cortese found a cost saving solution—at a single location he developed multiple Home Owners Associations HOAs which he called “Mutuals” with a managing trustee, an association, and the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) to manage the community’s common areas.
Additionally the GRF provided services to the Mutuals, such as accounting, maintenance and bus transportation so that each Mutual did not need its own staff of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, accountants, and other services.
For example: the community swimming pool budget is $160,000, but shared by each apartment is only $2.02 per month. In a smaller community of about 300 units with a smaller pool with an annual cost of $50,000, the shared cost per apartment would be $13.88 or 6.9 times more.
This concept worked well until the mid-90s when the elected Board of Directors changed management (paid staff) and readily approved their spending requests. Management refused to open their records as required by the Davis-Stirling Act, and their costs grew by increasing the number of employees as well as their salaries and offering free medical, dental, vision and other benefits,
As a result, the shareholders (owners) filed more than 20 lawsuits against the GRF.
Although the shareholders won, it was still their responsibility to absorb the cost of more than $1, 5 million.
Three years ago, the community sighed with relief and hope when there was a change in management.
They looked towards positive changes bringing reductions in administrative spending, and paid management staff working on increasing productivity, improving quality and providing transparency and accountability.
Finally, the concept under which Leisure World was built would be a reality and not just empty words.
It is now three years later and clear that these hopes were premature. The GRF with its elected board and paid management staff have become a self-serving and costly bureaucratic corporation.
Quietly this year, the GRF began a management restructure which will cost the shareholders up to a million dollars annually in additional expenditures.
It creates new employee positions, promotion of present staff to supervisor, supervisors to managers and managers to directors. This added a new layer to the management structure with directors who command higher pay. Of equal concern is the lack of appropriate qualification for these positions.
The worst of these problems is that management and the elected board of directors ignore requests to make public the details of the management restructure and its inherent costs.
The time for the shareholders to take action has come, but most of them are not aware that these changes have been taking place. Action must take place before the dreams of the developer are lost and a concept that worked so well ceases to exist.
It’s time for the community to wake up and take action before the monthly fees they each pay are no longer affordable.
Mark Pogrebinsky
Leisure World
Beach Fitness saved my life
Yesterday I learned from my doctor that my colon cancer markers are the best results I‘ve had in the past 10 years! And, it’s all because of you and the health food regime that you suggested and helped me implement. Thank you for saving my life, or at least, allowing me a new, healthy chapter in my life.
I’ve been struggling with colon cancer since 1999. It has been a long, difficult path and at times it has been discouraging, especially after receiving disappointing blood and platelet markers from my doctor.
About five months ago I decided to try a slightly alternate path and contacted you. After I completed a seven page medical/life style survey for you, you developed a customized diet regime of no sugar or glutton. I followed the plan religiously and my “prayers” have been answered. My doctor and I are both overjoyed with my progress, to the point that my doctor has asked for your contact information.
As I embark on my next life chapter, be assured that I will never forget the gift you’ve given me.
P.S. As a great side benefit, I lost 35 pounds in the process.
Skip Cook
Seal Beach
Living the dream in Leisure World
A wrong turn to paradise.
I was with my daughter at the time, driving south on the 405 from Santa Monica where I was currently residing. I moved to California from Naples, Florida to be closer to her but we both knew Santa Monica wasn’t really for me.
When we both had a free weekend we decided to go on a road trip and explore other towns for me to live in that we’re more my speed. (The speed of a very active 62 year old)
While we were driving down the 405 we somehow got off the Seal Beach exit and I found my paradise, Leisure World. Its name describes it to a T.
Leisure World is literally a world of Leisure. It is a utopia of stress free parking, over 200 clubs, farmers market, estate sales, swimming pool, jacuzzi, golfing, gardens, smiling familiar faces and safe living- not to mention realistic pricing in real-estate all within a safe, protected community. At Leisure World I was able to purchase my own home for a fraction of what I would be paying anywhere comparable- even elsewhere in the city of Seal Beach.
Now that I’ve been here three years I’ve decided to sell real estate in hopes of helping others find their paradise as I did.
Leisure World is conveniently located near the heart of Seal Beach! I get to enjoy all of the charm of the city with its shopping, restaurants and sun and surf.
The people and the local business owners are so friendly, which makes me feel so happy to be part of the community that I now call HOME!
Claudette Cooley
Leisure World
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