lcscats Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Actually the folks who are there all the time have a good time. Flossie the hummingbird lady is there using the computer each day. Others live by themselves and we see them and know they are OK. We have winter folks than we have the folks who come down in the summer to avoid the heat in Baja. We have folks playing games, going to tech classes or meeting, people talking about life and death and last but not least line dancing! Childrens art programs. Health care stuff. Folks are hardly sad or bored. LCS is an important connection to many folks who have no partners and we do care for these folks in a supportive manner. Sad no. Sometimes sad things happen but that is part of the reality of our age as a group. Man do I see things differently than some folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 For one thing, the LCS grounds are beautiful, so I can understand why someone without a partner would find it preferable to sitting on the malecon or up at the Plaza, and for hevvins sake, sitting alone at a table in a restaurant, where one is expected to buy something in exchange for occupying a seat. Besides, it's a "safe" place to be, and there's nothing wrong with that. Sad? If you're sad, you're sad, wherever you are, and being sad on a bench in public isn't the best option. What's with all the judgmental opinions, anyway? LCS cats has the right idea. Besides, that guy is a real upper and it would be hard not to smile when one sees all that positive energy working on the grounds. You go, cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 luisa, how can you speak for someone else? have you asked if they are sad? if they are it is their business to be sad in their preferable location. its call choice. you do what you do, thats you. my old mother would never sit in the plaza, let alone walk through. it could also be frightening, not a safe space. no one is requiring you to go to LCS. let people live their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwhite1948 Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 For one thing, the LCS grounds are beautiful, so I can understand why someone without a partner would find it preferable to sitting on the malecon or up at the Plaza, and for hevvins sake, sitting alone at a table in a restaurant, where one is expected to buy something in exchange for occupying a seat. Besides, it's a "safe" place to be, and there's nothing wrong with that. Yes, the grounds are beautiful at LCS. I never said people from the koffeeklatch should be set out alone on an iceberg or be required to go to eateries for a 'mesa para uno.' Just saying that these folks can congregate elsewhere should LCS close down. Ever been to Donas Donuts in the morning? To Salvadors any weekday morning and through lunch? To the Jardin Plaza, pretty much anytime day or night? These are places where expats drop in to meet other expats. I'm certain the current LCS'ers are capable of joining in with other expats at such eateries, or finding other haunts that will happily welcome a new group of expats in search of companionship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Saltos Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 LCS provides lots of services to the Mexican community, which I believe should be thier prime mission. The Biblioteca, ESL classes, the Children's Art Program, and the Student Aid & Scholarships are very valuable and are appreciated by those who benefit from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryB Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 I'm glad LCS is there for all of us and hope they continue to be there to serve the total community Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 bwhite1948: elderly do not want to cross that big highway, its dangerous, stresful & unpleasent. donas donuts is in an industrial area which has hot toxic air, very noisy dirty corner over looking traffic. they have to walk up stairs as well. that is not an alternative. people want something nicer, & private. possibly in 1990 this may have been a lovely place. also what is nice about LCS is that no one is forced to join, they can drop in & sit around. the lectures are usually free. my mother would walk there along the lake, when she could still walk. i do agree that the library needs changes. the books smell & should be thrown out. the room needs to be washed in amomia & painted. new books need to be brought in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yes, the grounds are beautiful at LCS. I never said people from the koffeeklatch should be set out alone on an iceberg or be required to go to eateries for a 'mesa para uno.' Just saying that these folks can congregate elsewhere should LCS close down. Ever been to Donas Donuts in the morning? To Salvadors any weekday morning and through lunch? To the Jardin Plaza, pretty much anytime day or night? These are places where expats drop in to meet other expats. I'm certain the current LCS'ers are capable of joining in with other expats at such eateries, or finding other haunts that will happily welcome a new group of expats in search of companionship. Quote: "As far as koffee klatches: I always thought that is a sad group of people, hiding from the beauty and excitement of Mexico, rather than experiencing it. Nonetheless, there are already many eateries that encourage expat meet-ups and once LCS is closed, other restaurants will be happy to welcome new patrons. " You've made your opinion about closure clear by wording expecting that outcome. As I pointed out, LCS is a safe place for seniors to congregate without obligating them to support a restaurant. Some are on such tight budgets that such a solution is not practical. It's really not fair to a business to hang out for hours without buying anything substantial. They don't have to at LCS. It also provides computer access they might not otherwise be able to afford. I certainly wouldn't say that "any time of day or night" at the Plaza would be appropriate. Granted, you didn't suggest putting them out on an ice floe for the polar bears, but you did indicate a lack of empathy for those people, and that is what I regret seeing. I hope, along with others, that LCS works out its problems and is there to serve all the people of this area, including expat seniors whose lives are enhanced by meeting their friends there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 LCS has worked out many of its problems and has a clearly defined and highly accountable governance framework, if followed, that will keep it moving forward. Let your eyes confirm for you just how much progress has already been made on the physical plant and grounds and let your attendance confirm the new initiatives that are building relevance in a changing environment. Read the monthly minutes of your Board meetings and learn how much more rigor and control has been applied to handling scarce funds and correcting past errors. LCS had its origins as both a community outreach/educational organization as well as a social, service and informational resource for the expat community. The latter is vital to the former as it brings new people in continuously, makes them aware of the former and encourages them to participate as volunteers or donors. LCS's biggest governance problem at the moment IMO are a very few unelected people who were only charged with offering advice yet who now think they have the right to shove their vision of how LCS should be run down the throats of the people we elected to do that job. It seems that these few people may not understand or respect the difference between advising and mandating. Only the elected Board can do the latter. If you want to be a mandator, get elected, period. What LCS needs to do is to firmly follow its very well written, easy to understand Constitution which, among other things, charges the Board of Directors to be directly in charge of all committees, standing or Ad Hoc. With good reason, there is no provision in that Constitution for any committees that operate independent of the control of our Board. And there is no provision in that Constitution that grandfathers any committee formed under the previous constitution to operate in that manner. Nor does it provide for the membership to initiate its own oversight committee(s) at the AGM or any EM. If the membership wants to have such a committee, there is a clearly spelled out process for amending the Constitution to do so. Under this Constitution, the AAC cannot be independent of the elected Board. IMO the Policy and Procedure guideline for the AAC is in direct conflict with the new Constitution since it stipulates said independence. If the membership distrusts its own elected representatives to the point it wants such a group, it needs to first amend the Constitution to provide for it. If you are in doubt about any of this, please go to the LCS web site and read your Constitution line for line (it really is short and written with clarity) particularly Sections 9 and 10 that specifically detail the authority and responsibility of our elected Board. What members who have concerns should do is attend at least some of the monthly board meetings so you can see first hand the fine job these unpaid volunteers are doing. Don't rely on a few people who might have their own agenda to make up your mind for you. Do it yourself. I think you'll be impressed with how hard working and serious these folks are. It's all here, just waiting for you to read it. Don't take my word or anyone else's. Read it yourself. Go to the "Inside LCS" tab on the left and you will find sub tabs for Board Minutes, the Constitution and Policy and Procedure guideline documents. http://www.lakechapalasociety.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Saltos Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 You sir, are misleading people; the AAC is charged with performing a professional Financial Audit. It has done that every year since 2008. The work is done by former CPAs, Accounts, Bank Examiners, SEC investigators, former Judges, Attorneys, and C-level executives. The Annual Audit Report produced by the AAC is viewable on the LCS website. The AAC was originally founded as the Audit Committee in 2008. The name was changed the Audit and Advisory Committee in 2011 and it's Policies and Procedures were approved by the BOD. The AAC advises ONLY at the request of the BOD It has NEVER offered a "vision for how LCS should be run." You should stop making up so much misleading information and bald-faced lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerm Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Just what is a C-Level executive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Saltos Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Techical Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothernewbie Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 I don't have a dog in this fight and we have just renewed our membership. Like others we find little of relevance in the services provided. However, we think that having a "gringo central" in Ajijic is good for the area as it provides a comfort magnet to folks from the north who are thinking of visiting our moving here and hence or renewal. We certainly need every enticement to help resuscitate this community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Go to the AGM and let loose folks but don't you think we have cooked this subject way past well done?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappabee Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 main=======I have never see so much sh-t being posted by one person in my life. You must have taken lessons from that guy who was part of the German Government in the '30's. He said that you take a lie, wrap it with enough possibilities, and tell it often enough and people will start to believe it. LCS has been asked for 4 years to publish both policies and procedures for most of its internal functions. The board has published and approved many policies but no one (with the exception of the Library) has written ANY procedures. The wonderful office can't even follow simple accounting procedures with respect to data entry. It took the AAC 3 years to get the board to move the reserve fund into a bank account that met the requirements of the constitution. The AAC had attempted to communicate to the board our concerns regarding the reversal of the interest but we receive almost no comment from anyone. It wasn't until we contacted individual board members that we found out that someone had filtered our comments and concerns prior to them being sent to the board. WHO NEEDS OVERSIGHT??? We are told to take a look at the board minutes to see how much the board is working. OK, start with January 2013 and go to April 2013 and take a look at the minutes. Business meeting minutes are supposed to be able to be used to let someone see what votes were taken, what discussions were made and what results happened. Until the AAC started to advise the board that their minutes were greatly lacking in substance that was what you got. Now look at October 2013 and see the difference. WOULD YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT??? Mr. Main, are you aware that LCS would have been in the red for the year 2013 if it hadn't been for the solar panels donation? The just spent lots of dollars on Mr. Truly's project and now they want to spend money for outside auditors (i personally fell that the outside auditor is really needed now, if for nothing more than to show the board and the ED just exactly they are doing wrong. We've tried to do it but to no success) they have no idea how much the audit is going to cost and they have not placed anything in the budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 I do not follow the day to day running of the LCS...I do know that various "AC" organizations, could be a Fracc or Condo Assoc and other civic voluntary groups are at some time finding that they are not "in compliance" The the role of the State and Federal government seem to make a past time of 'MOVING THE GOAL POSTS" Pappabee have you ever tried to obtain "current" accounting data from your fracc or condo assoc? I am amazed how disorganized the out side accountants/bookkeepers are. If you do not live in one, Have you ever tried to obtain details from the City Hall? How much taxes do you pay compared to your neighbor ? Every year we hear from the incoming Chapala Pres that the last group stole/mishandled monies and therefor a audit is demanded (and I think is part of the statue)...fact, yes monies have gone but never recovered so why have an audit? Because the law requires it! If you have a firm conviction that you can do better than the present board, please identify the platform you want to run on and place your name on the ballot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappabee Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Mr. main whatever, It’s a real shame that the members will not be allowed to view the two interim reports that the ACC have made. Then tlhey could judge for themselves the truth about how LCS has been managed. The policy was that the draft of the report was to go to the ED for factual checking and then returned to the committee. They were sent to Terry but somehow it got to Howard, we know that because he voiced many concerns. Also we have found that most of the board members have also seen the report. What happened to following policy? I guess when it goes against the wishes of Terry and Howard there is no policy. I’m on the AAC but since there is no way in h-ll that ANY of our findings will be reported to the membership I feel comfortable with publishing what I have. Terry and Howard will never post our annual report because we’ll not be in existence by then and they surely will not post the interim reports because they show the kind of activities that they have allowed to happen or done themselves over the past year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappabee Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 One more thing Mr. Main, You seem to have some very strong opinions about what’s going on at LCS and you have access to some supposedly confidential information. Please tell the readers what your connection is with LCS and how you got your information. Just so you know, I’ve been a member of LCS since 2009 and a three year member of the AAC. So now, it’s your turn, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Dose anyone see that a big H might be coming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't know what you mean by "a big H". Hemorrhoid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 I read the minutes and the Constitution, PB. If you do the same, your questions will be answered. Heck, you might even notice that it doesn't provide for committees beyond the control of our elected Board. Throwing around accusations of confidential information, which as per usual with your little clique you can't back up, doesn't change the Constitution. Sorry. I'm curious, are statements on public boards from one of your group alleging that Ms. Gillespie didn't trust the management of LCS from confidential information or just plain old made up? Hey, I've been a member longer than you. See you at the AGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappabee Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 It’s very interesting that you have not answered my question regarding how you came to have information found only in our interim report that has not been published and therefore is supposed to be confidential. I read the minutes and the Constitution, PB. If you do the same, your questions will be answered. Heck, you might even notice that it doesn't provide for committees beyond the control of our elected Board. You and Howard must have the same speech writer. Neither one of you can get your facts straight when quoting the constitution. The constitution talks about Board committees not about independent ones. Since the AAC was specifically formed as a committee that would answer to the membership and not the board ( (e) Committees, Governance and Operations 1) To establish Board committees, designate their purpose, appoint their chairs and ratify committee members. 2) To establish LCS governance and operations structures and responsibilities.) Also it might interest you that the constitution does talk about an independent audit committee. In the responsibilities of the AGM. 4) To ratify the appointment of an independent (external or internal) financial auditor. Throwing around accusations of confidential information, which as per usual with your little clique you can't back up, doesn't change the Constitution. Sorry. Again, you have not answered my question, just put up a bunch of bull. I'm curious, are statements on public boards from one of your group alleging that Ms. Gillespie didn't trust the management of LCS from confidential information or just plain old made up? Since I have no firsthand knowledge of this I (unlike you) will not comment. It is very interesting on what information you can find if you take the time to read and not just regurgitate someone else’s junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 A little drift. Howard announced in March LCS newsletter that is not running for another term for President. So here is your chance folks and be careful for what you wish for. Take all this to the AGM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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