[Kzyxtalk] How to Kill a Nonprofit -- Part 1

[Scott Peterson]

Dear Ms. Courtney,



There's a good article from GuideStar here:



http://trust.guidestar.org/blog/top-strategic-mistakes-nonprofits-make-part-1



It's titled, 'Top Strategic Mistakes Nonprofits Make'. The article



lists fifteen of them. Making any one of those mistakes can hurt a



nonprofit. Making all of them can kill it.



The first one listed is 'Failing to help people find you online.'



People can find KZYX online in lots of places. Especially in online



newspapers. Like the Ukiah Daily Journal. And the Anderson Valley



Advertiser. Most of it's not very flattering.



The KZYX website has conflicting financial information. Annual



Financial Reports swear that audited financial statements have



been prepared since 2008. Form 990s swear they weren't. Under



penalty of perjury. By a General Manager who should've had a



bio on the KZYX website. But didn't. That's John Coate. He's got



a website: http://johncoate.com. Where he claims to have cut



KZYX's debt by 93%. That contradicts the financial statements



on the KZYX website. Where he appears to have doubled it.



He also claims a tenure of 'unprecedented stability' at KZYX.



Something contradicted by a mountain of legal bills. And the



unprecedented loss of 75% of KZYX's net worth. Not to mention



all the great programmers and good employees who got fired.



That's online too.



Then there's the matter of finding you online, Ms. Courtney.



Your email address appears in only one place: The Anderson



Valley Advertiser. In an email exchange with Dennis O'Brien



that looks like continuing legal bills. Right here:



http://theava.com/archives/57470#18



Finally, there's online dialogue. KZYX's board of directors



has published several editorials. In the Ukiah Daily Journal



here:



http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/article/NP/20150218/LOCAL1/150219915



and again here:



http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/opinion/20160602/kzyx-board-responds



The purpose of both editorials is obvious -- escalating a turf



war against a whistleblower. KZYX's duly elected treasurer. Who



was being stonewalled by Mr. Coate. While KZYX was being driven



into the ground. Not by Mr. Coate. But by other directors. Who



were either too incompetent -- or lazy -- to sit down and read



the KZYX balance sheets. From the KZYX website.



I responded to your latest editorial here:



http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/article/NP/20160611/LOCAL1/160619982



The point of my editorial was simple: "What's the reason for



KZYX policy?" The one where Mr. Coate was able to keep Form 990s



away from KZYX board members. There's a comment section at the



end of every UDJ editorial section, Ms. Courtney. You didn't use



it. Neither did any of your fellow board members. Why not? If



you can write an editorial, you can certainly respond to one. If



it's important enough.



I'm sure there's a reason for that policy, Ms. Courtney. And it's



probably a good one. But KZYX is a public charity. So the public



needs to know what it is. All you have to do is write it up. And



then publish it. Where everyone can find it -- online.



Sincerely,



Scott M. Peterson



Mendocino



cc: (MCPB Board Members)



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