Thanks for a ‘Wildly, Successful’ Fall Splendor, Says Southern Humboldt Community Park

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Thank you from the Southern Humboldt Community Park!

The Southern Humboldt Community Park’s Board of Directors would like to express great appreciation and thanks to the dedication of the community, the volunteers and the many sponsors that helped make the 8th annual Fall Splendor a successful fundraiser for the Community Park. This diverse and wildly successful event brought over 400 community members together once again in its finest form while generating the support needed to fuel the Park’s future vision.

Many thanks are deserved here and we will do our best to capture most. Thanks to Burningleaf Productions for producing Fall Splendor for the Park. Big thanks to chef Christine Silver and her team who prepared the delicious gourmet meal, Tim Metz for donating the Copper River salmon, Cynthia Carter for organizing the bars, Natalynne Delapp for wrangling the volunteers.

Many thanks to Sarah Mae Galligan for assisting in many of the tasks throughout the months it takes to produce this event, and thank you to Alexandria Hulman and Eddie Neagu for being Decor Queen and King. Endless gratitude to Jess Monique for contributing so much of her time to the fashion show. From finding designers and matching designs with models, Jess performed an incredible feat! Thanks to the many fashion designers including: Modelarose, L.Rose, Niki Rose, Manderella, Sacred Empire , Griffin Wings, Warrior Within, Five and Diamond, Kayo, Svetlana Larson, Ruin and Redemption, Hilda Howell, Devi Mukta , Lil Bit Designs, Nya Larson, Allie Hullman Lear, and to all of the beautiful models that showcased their designs.

Thanks to Jeanette Todd, Brittany Hutcherson and Bridget Myers for handling VIP, the door, the floor and all sorts of things! Thank you to all of our entertainers including Marjo Lak, SaQi, Sepiatonic, Zera, Gabe Pressure, D’vinity, Sam Wingspan, Victoria Ranaudo, Salvador, Leslie Castellano, Victor Gonzalez Munos Nathalie Nebula, Shea Freelove, and Mckenzie Dibble. To those who supported behind the scenes – Mike “Tofu” Swartz, Bryce Cherpelis and 12BC Pro, Marmalade Sky, Alegria Sita and Dylan and Gina from Living Earth, Wendy Kornberg andNicole Profont for the incredible floral arrangements, Kacy Curtis for the Forget-Me-Not photo booth, Silas Beaver for being our Aerial Rig master.

And a HUGE thank you to our one hundred dedicated volunteers – this event could not happen without your support!

We also extend a special thanks to all of the business owners and individuals who so generously sponsored the event: Lightheart, The Guano Co, Humboldt’s Finest, New Harris General Store, Wildseed, Booty Shakin’ Productions, Restoration Forestry, Hohstadt’s Dazey’s, Flood Plain Produce, The Lost Frenchman, The Historic Eagle House, Avidity Wines, Cabot Vineyards, Lagunitas, CA State and Federal Employees’ Credit Union #20, Blue Moon Gift Shop, Chautauqua Natural Foods, Peter Stern, ND, LAC, Benbow Inn, Forbusco Lumber, Napa Auto Parts of Garberville, Sylvandale Gardens, The Blind Lady, Whitethorn Construction, Blue Star Gas, Just Rent It, Emerald Technologies, 101Netlink, and the many businesses and community members who donated to the Fall Splendor Silent Auction.

We appreciate the community coming together to support the Community Park during 2018 and look forward to many successful years ahead.

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Ed Voice
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Ed Voice
6 years ago

The Southern Humboldt Community Park moved its big yearly fundraiser (Fall Splendor) from the Mateel Community Center to a private venue in Eureka (“Historic Eagle House”). And according to the Parks 2016 tax records, Fall Splendor @ the Mateel grosses over $83,000 and over $34,000 in overhead for the local community; not counting money spent locally by out of town attendees and vendors, i.e. motels/hotels, restaurants, fuel and what ever else they consume or smoke. So now, the local community will lose all that income to Eureka and the Metz’s, since Tim & jennifer Metz own interest in the “Historic Eagle House” in Eureka!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1qq4OlQcPfdeEl0V3VnaVl5cjA

Full disclosure; Tim Metz is the founding President of the Southern Humboldt Community Park (SHCP) Board of Directors (2002-2010), has personally gained from interest on a $92,000 private loan, currently has pending private loans totaling $15,812 that have been accruing interest since 2008, personally gained from USDA/NRCS restoration contracts at the Park totaling $192,000 and who is currently a SHCP Director Emeritus, i.e. allowed to attend private Park Board Meetings that conduct business and plan fundraising events for the SHCP.

So I guess it’s all just a coincidence and happenstance that the SHCP would have a community fundraiser in Eureka at the “Historic Eagle House”?

I think it’s hypocritical for the SHCP Board to say or claim that their rezoning, development plans and sports fields water/irrigation usage at the SHCP are justified because of the money generated in Southern Humboldt from people coming from out of town and spending money in the local community, i.e. sports tournaments, concerts, festivals, weddings etc. if they cannot keep their only annual fundraiser in Southern Humboldt?

Uuummmm
Guest
Uuummmm
6 years ago

My guess is that they didnt charge the park for the event space which cut down on costs so besides people renting rooms im not sure how much theyd profit. There are 2 other owners just fyi.

To be fair, Jenny runs a production business and thus gets paid like any other company would, this event takes 4 months to plan so really the fee is nominal.
Tim has a restoration forestry company and he works all over the county. Ive seen his work and if he was contracted to do work at the park it was probably because hes really really good at it and really takes the time to think about the environmental impacts and how to leave the lightest footprint possible. You’d be complaining if they hired someone who screwed it all up.

So people who give loans shouldnt get interest? He gave the loan to save that land not to make money off of it. Are you gonna attack the credit union too? Theyre makin money off loan interest. Honestly this sounds like a personal attack on some people you must not like.
Its creepy that you seem to have tims bank records, where are you getting that info from? Would it have been better to have no park at all? You ought to be thanking him for making it happen.

Yes there are issues at the park that are disturbing. Yes its a bummer the mateel is struggling. There are problems, ive voiced my issues to them as well and didnt get the answers i wanted. It happens. Ill voice myself again. Volunteer board members need to be given a break, they donate a lot of time at every non-profit here.

Attacking 2 people who have donated so much of their time and money to non-profits and environmental activism over the last 20 years seems dumb. There are so many worse apples out there!

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Uuummmm

Uuummmm (if that’s your real name); the first two words of your post “My guess”, says it all. I can back up everything I stated with real documents, they’re called facts. You, on the other hand are just deflecting and repeating what the Park Board always says. Because you or the Park Board cannot dispute the facts and you hate to hear the truth.

What you’re doing is confusing the Southern Humboldt Community Park with a Public Park. The Southern Humboldt Community Park is a private Rent-A-Park.

But I do agree with you; it would be “creepy” if I had seen “tims bank records”, but I didn’t have to, because the Park Board has left a money trail with the amount of money they paid Tim and his private business in their annual “REGISTRATION RENEWAL FEE REPORT” (RRF-1) with the State Attorney Generals office. I can post them all if you want?

The Metz’s and the Park Board are on the same page, they internalize private profits and externalize the cost to the public. Between Randall Sand & Gravel’s private lease of 86 acres, Mykal Coelho’s private lease for a 10 acre vineyard and 10 acre farm or Todd Phelps 30 acre private cattle grazing lease!

Next time do your homework and get your facts straight…

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Uuummmm

BTW Uuummmm, maybe you should read the Southern Humboldt Community Park’s “Articles of Incorporation”, it states:

“Six: The property of this corporation is irrevocably dedicated to charitable purposes and no part of the net income or assets of the organization shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer or member thereof or to the benefit of any private person.”

Uuummmm you said:

“He gave the loan to save that land not to make money off of it.”

So unless you can call what Randall, Coelho and Phelps are doing is only a hobby? And the Park Board puts all their USDA/NRCS/EQIP contracts out for public bid. Or you donate the interest from your private/personal loans, write it off and deduct it from your taxes; from day one private individuals and for-profit businesses are still benefiting and profiting from the Park land and its riparian water rights…

It's a Farce
Guest
It's a Farce
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Wow, Ed Voice! I like your posts. If they are true. And they sound so from here…We need you holding people responsible. Thank you! Many people around here just want to play popularity contests and pass the buck based on how they “feel” about certain people in the community- But you call them on their inconsistencies! I love it!! I wish we could get you on the county’s ass- all those increased tax funds over the greenrush decade just disappearing, the supervisors writing regulatins for their big grower friends and other scams that are churning along with nobody asking anything….Keep up your factual work!

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Uuummmm

Uuummmmm, you said:

“Yes there are issues at the park that are disturbing. Yes its a bummer the mateel is struggling. There are problems, ive voiced my issues to them as well and didnt get the answers i wanted. It happens. Ill voice myself again. Volunteer board members need to be given a break, they donate a lot of time at every non-profit here.”

Since the Park Board are all only appointed internally (not elected from a membership organization) and they do not have their Board meetings open to the public; then who is accountable?

Why would you give them a “break”, when they are the same “board members” that have caused the problems to start with?

The Park Board has had paid Board members before, i.e. Kathryn Lobato was a Board member and also a paid Executive Director at the same time, for 3 years. Is that what you call a “Volunteer”? And Three different Board members have and are accruing interest from private/secured loans while they were all on the Board? Whom’s best interest did they have and is there a conflict of interest?

Just because you operate in a black market underground economy don’t make it ethical or legal to own and operate a 501c3 the same way! Especially since they own and operate 405 acres of private property and call it a Community Park and Farm…

You also said:

“Attacking 2 people who have donated so much of their time and money to non-profits and environmental activism over the last 20 years seems dumb. There are so many worse apples out there!”

Which “2 people” are you talking about and what are their accomplishments? I cannot think of one Board member of the Southern Humboldt Community Park that has “environmental activism over the last 20 years”? IMHO, all the different Park Board members since its inception (2000) are the “worse apples out there!”. Who are you talking about? Please name them?

ilikethepark
Guest
ilikethepark
6 years ago

KMUD (and other media) did hundreds of dollars worth of free publicity for this event and gets no recognition? Again?
Sad.

Be grateful for what you receive.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

Why you cannot believe the Park Board when they say:

“This diverse and wildly successful event brought over 400 community members together once again in its finest form while generating the support needed to fuel the Park’s future vision.”

Back on June 17th 2017, the Park Board entered into a “Professional Services Contract” with Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) to be reimbursed for what’s called “Calfresh Outreach Funding”. On page 28 of 39 it states:

“SHCP has raised close to two million dollars from the community members and other fundraising activities”

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1qq4OlQcPfdemlycmpaOUFCbWs

That statement may be correct if you count and total together the 20 acres of Park property the Park Board sold Randall Sand & Gravel in 2007 for $1,000,000 (where Randall’s Bulk Soils operation is now located); the privately secured loans (deeds of trust against the property) from Gil Gregori, Mark Drake and Tim Metz totaling $312,000 and the private lien against the property by Buck Mountain Ranch LP for $536,388. That would be a total of $1,848,388. Is that what they meant by “close to two million dollars”?

Now, if you total the Park’s annual operating cost and expenses from their tax returns (2002-2016) it totals $2,525,113.

So I guess the word “raised” has different meaning to different people, depending on your point of view, which it seems is from the backside of a bull. However, since the Park Board is a 501c3, one would think they “raised close to two million dollars” from donations, right? No, IMHO it’s called deception or in the real world it’s called BS! And like in the opening of this letter to the editor, they could not be further from the truth.

Now maybe, if instead of saying “wildly successful”, they would have said Wile E. Coyote successful, then they would be correct…