Richard Lesher Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 11 minutes ago, GBugler said: Whoever filled out the form flat out said that there was Theft/Embezzlement/Diversion/Misuse. Jesus... I'm guessing this is relation to a whole lot of audio equipment stolen from SCV. It was in the local papers, and much of it was tracked down by local police. Now............... not relevant for today (but a sense of how SCV operates).............. but when I caught the bingo embezzlement cold (hundreds of thousands of not millions) I couldn't find a similar disclosure reported by the then Operations Manager. Anyway......... Regardless................ SCV or it's representatives don't say they are in compliance. The California Registry of Charitable Trusts do. At this point............. they might catch up to 2019, but 2020, 21, and 22 are right on their heels that can equally catch them again. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheherazadesghost Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 7 minutes ago, Richard Lesher said: I'm guessing this is relation to a whole lot of audio equipment stolen from SCV. It was in the local papers, and much of it was tracked down by local police. What would be the justification for a followup RRF 1 for the same year that indicates no theft/embezzlement/diversion/misuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lesher Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 9 minutes ago, keystone3ply said: I just don't think they've been totally honest in their public statements. Also, stating they would have a CEO in place by mid to late March? Six months later, no now has filled the position. Red flag? Their entire PR campaign has been a disaster. It is selective information for sure, and as the longest tenured Treasurer in the last 23 years that took SCV from under 2M in revenues to nearly double, and left them with nearly $2M in savings I'm beside myself they lack such astronomical fiscal transparency with three highly qualified financial professionals at the core leadership. What the hell is going on? My benchmark of financial transparency is the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows that can be attested to by auditors and the historic trends that data can provide to a novice analyst to conclude the financial health of the organization What we get are bits of information hinged on semantics leaving wide openings for broad interoperation. It was so bad in my time that I didn't believe anything and I was on the board. If I wanted to know how much SCV had in the bank I would have to go on-line to get the information for me to be comfortable with it. My point is, today is much worse. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSpruce Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 17 minutes ago, keystone3ply said: First of all, I want nothing but success for SCV. Loved the corps since my first experience in '79 in Birmingham on a HS band trip. (Thank you to my high band director) But I'm directing this @DSpruce: I was going to make a monetary donation earlier this year in honor of my fraternity brothers who march SCV in the 80s. Then all of this info came to light. One example, I signed up for their newsletter. Sometime in the Spring, they stated on Facebook that all debts had been paid off. That post wasn't a true statement. Then in their next to most recent newsletter, they stated that all debt had been paid in full except for some COVID funding that they were seeking forgiveness. I just don't think they've been totally honest in their public statements. Also, stating they would have a CEO in place by mid to late March? Six months later, no now has filled the position. Red flag? Their entire PR campaign has been a disaster. Oh, one more thing, also, because i'm engaged, I have contact info and can just ask people to clarify things sometimes. i don't over-use that, but its nice. I can't believe more people aren't getting involved, its fun and rewarding to give back in that way in a constructive supportive way. People like having connectedness and sense of community, helping the org in times of trouble is win win win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 32 minutes ago, GBugler said: Whoever filled out the form flat out said that there was Theft/Embezzlement/Diversion/Misuse. Jesus... We’ll, if you knew that there was theft (etc) but signed off on the form stating that there wasn’t, then you are (1) making this situation worse, & (2) opening yourself up to potential criminal jeopardy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lesher Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 7 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said: What would be the justification for a followup RRF 1 for the same year that indicates no theft/embezzlement/diversion/misuse? I wondered that myself. I theorize the person that reported the theft didn't originally need to report the theft. Either the amounts or nature of the thefts didn't cause a concern for reporting, or being that much of it was recovered anyway. Don't know really, and we are no where near going to get that clarity from the organization. Anyway, the economic impacts of how the organization is being run, and the amount of overhead is really at the heart of their problems. If will be several years down the road, and I've brought this up before. They payroll of 2023 will entirely be 100% overhead. Not one penny went to the operation of the mission. I'm also curious if any of the designated fund raising efforts were compartmentalized from bingo payroll. What happened to Feed SCV forever, when there was no one to feed? Are the entirety of those funds sitting safely in a designated account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheherazadesghost Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 7 minutes ago, DSpruce said: Oh, one more thing, also, because i'm engaged, I have contact info and can just ask people to clarify things sometimes. i don't over-use that, but its nice. I can't believe more people aren't getting involved, its fun and rewarding to give back in that way in a constructive supportive way. People like having connectedness and sense of community, helping the org in times of trouble is win win win. Not everyone else's engagement has been positive. Forget my engagement for a moment 'cause we've already been there. There are others who have been engaged with current and past leadership, current and past staff, and alum who have turned away from the org permanently as a result of their adverse experiences. These are incredible people. Talented people. Professionals. If you knew them aside from my connection to them, you'd probably admire them as much as I do. Gone. Possibly forever. That's an incredible and tragic loss of institutional knowledge that remains unaddressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSpruce Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 1 minute ago, scheherazadesghost said: Not everyone else's engagement has been positive Do you have a question for me? I don’t understand the reason why everything needs to be dumped on with negativity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheherazadesghost Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 1 minute ago, Richard Lesher said: I'm also curious if any of the designated fund raising efforts were compartmentalized from bingo payroll. What happened to Feed SCV forever, when there was no one to feed? Are the entirety of those funds sitting safely in a designated account? From a PR and organizational management standpoint, these funds should either (1) be returned to the donors because they were solicited outside of state compliance or (2) be effectively communicated about publicly and transparently so stakeholders and donors know exactly where they are and what's being done with them while VMAPA regains its state compliance. This is not an accusation that they are being misused. I literally wouldn't know. Because there is no one in an executive or even lower management roll that's assigned with managing development/fundraising AFAIK, there's no pressure to be clear about this. Clarity is what donors and stakeholders need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keystone3ply Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 8 minutes ago, DSpruce said: Oh, one more thing, also, because i'm engaged, I have contact info and can just ask people to clarify things sometimes. i don't over-use that, but its nice. I can't believe more people aren't getting involved, its fun and rewarding to give back in that way in a constructive supportive way. People like having connectedness and sense of community, helping the org in times of trouble is win win win. No questions for you. After reading your post over the last couple of weeks, just wanted you to know my experience as a former drum corps staff member & semi-retired band director with a business background. I'm sure I'm not the only one & I'm sure there are some folks that haven't a clue to what's going on except their ridiculous social media posts. Who is currently leading the organization & who is in charge of writing their social media post? As a volunteer, I hope & pray this ends well for you as well as the organization. But I just don't think it feasible for their return to tour in completion in the 2024 season. Hope I'm wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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