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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Dear Ms. Dechter,<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Fifteen years ago, I helped a local nonprofit out of a jam. The nonprofit</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>was Eagles Hall in Fort Bragg. Their historic building was in foreclosure. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>A former officer had lost a large amount of money. And then attempted </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>to cover it up. The Board of Directors was clueless. But the members </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>pushed for accountability. An investigation followed. And the former </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>office went <span style="font-size: 12pt;">to prison. For embezzlement.</span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I found out about this in late June of 2001. The economy wasn't in very</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>good shape back then. Dotcom had gone bust. And the Eagles had two</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>weeks to raise $25,000 or they'd lose the property. So I offered to step</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>in and help. I brought in a small computer network -- 3 computers -- </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>along with 3 telephones. I also got a database of Mendocino County</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>voters with telephone numbers. This was all done on two days notice.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>There were three volunteers. And no calling script. All it took was</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>calling people up and telling them the truth. About how the Eagles</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>had been taken advantage of. And how they stood for their rights.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Two days of calling netted $12,000+. And the drive generated a lot</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>of publicity. Enough to pressure the lender into renegotiating the</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>mortgage. Thus saving Eagles Hall from foreclosure.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>MCPB may find itself in the same situation soon. By my estimate, it'll</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>be bankrupt in a few months. Because of a situation not that much</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>different than the one at Eagles Hall. With one possible exception:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Board of Directors at Eagles Hall listened to its members. They</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>pushed for accountability. And they got it. The discovery was made</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>in 1999. The investigation took a year. It concluded that a Secretary-</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Treasurer named Phillip Thomas Lopedota was responsible:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1194579/" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1194579/</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>So here's my idea. If -- and only if -- MCPB finds itself in a similar </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>situation, a similar operation would be possible. With similar </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>results.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Feel free to call Norm Beckman to confirm: (707) 964-9645.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Scott M. Peterson</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Mendocino</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div> </div></body>
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