The Land Conservancy of BC is doing better than ever!
There
are recent negative news stories about TLC finances as reported in
today's Vancouver Sun and Victoria Times Colonist. A former TLC board
member was also on CBC radio the other day.
I was elected to the TLC Board last August, as part of the 11 new board members. Alistair Craighead is chairperson, and Briony Penn is vice-chair. see article Newly elected board members for The Land Conservancy of BC
includes Todd Wong http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2009/8/8/4282454.html
See these stories here:
I am confident in the direction that TLC is going in. Next
year TLC will host INTO (International National Trust Organizations),
and Historic Joy Kogawa House will receive more attention as an
important part of Canada's cultural, historical and litarary landscape. New TLC holdings in the past year have included the addition of Western Forest Products land titles to the Wild Hills and Wild Beaches project, and Madrona Farm.
All donations for TLC projects are put into general revenue UNLESS
they are SPECIFICALLY marked otherwise. Please tell your friends if
they are donating to Kogawa House, to mark the check Kogawa House! We
tried to do this for donations at my birthday party in May.
Good news is that since “the troubles of 09” – mortgages have been paid fully for Sooke Pot Holes and Madrona Farm
– fundraising is up
– member ship is up almost 1800+, nearing 8000 members – an all time high!
– TLC board and management are addressing systemic issues
– a new Chief Financial Officer was hired.
Negative news stories have happened before and after the firing of Bill
Turner, co-founded and executive director of TLC. Three members of the
2009 elected board resigned in 2010 citing issues at TLC. This is still less
than the previous board that resigned over similar issues.
Please see (below) TLC's website article on the questions that were put forward to TLC
and Bill Turner. The hard questions are asked, and Bill refutes the
misleading issues. TLC sounds like it is on the right path towards
recovery and putting the challenging times behind us.
TLC’s Q&A from Victoria Times Colonist and Vancouver Sun articles
Today’s Victoria Times Colonist (TC) and Vancouver Sun
ran a front-page article in which TLC’s level of mortgage indebtedness
(and other financial challenges) is being attacked by some former
Directors, claiming that it puts both the properties and TLC’s viability
at risk. This is, simply, not the case. In preparation for this
article, the Times Colonist asked TLC for answers to a range of
questions that had been put to them by the disaffected Directors.
Following is the material provided to the TC in response to
their questions. Not all of this material was reflected in the article
that was written.
QUESTIONS
Are you satisfied with the current financial situation?
Given the ‘troubles’ of the spring of 2009 and the terrible financial
situation we inherited when we got back in office – yes, I [Bill
Turner] am satisfied that we are headed in the right direction. That
does not mean I am happy – it continues to be challenging.
Is TLC secure?
The security of TLC, like all charities, depends on the generosity of
the individuals who support its work. Public attempts to undermine
TLC’s reputation in the past year have created the largest obstacle to
TLC’s success. In this time of recession all charities have to work very
hard to raise the funds they need to do their work.
Is TLC heading in the right direction?
Yes. We are continuing to strengthen our financial base and keeping
ourselves in the public’s view. In the past year, we have purchased Madrona Farm, kick-started the campaign to protect Vancouver Island’s Wild Hills and Beaches,
increased our membership by more than 1,600 members, raised more than
$8.4 million, commissioned a control/risk assessment to aid in the
ongoing strengthening of our internal operations, and continued in our
ongoing work of operating sites like Abkhazi Gardens and the Sooke Potholes,
managed our properties and monitored our 300 plus covenants and worked
with landowners and communities across B.C. to conserve special places.