The Mountain Enterprise Forum for the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association (PMCPOA) 2010 Election
This is an introduction to the ten candidates running for four seats opening on PMCPOA’s nine-member board. Ballots were sent out last week. Election results will be tallied on June 19 at the members’ annual meeting. You’ll notice an asterisk (*) next to three of the names below. Those candidates are all running for a single one year seat, so only one of them can be elected. The other candidates are running for three-year terms. Three of those positions are opening, so voters can choose three of them.
The candidates themselves chose the sequence in which they appear in these pages, based on the order in which they replied to our questions. Candidates were given a word budget for each question, shown here, so each was given equal opportunity, and equal space, in which to reply. Some chose not to use their full allocation.
Question 1: Tell us who you are and what you plan to accomplish if we vote for you to serve on the board (75 words).
Gary Biggerstaff
After 32 years in law enforcement, I retired at the rank of Chief of Police. I have been PMC resident since 1995 and work part time at the hardware store.
About 8 years ago I serviced on the lake committee for two years and was later appointed to the Board of Directors. I was also a member of the Citizen Review Committee that researched our Security Dept. and supported keeping the current level of operations.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
Unfortunately, I am unable to intelligently condense my mission statement and resume in the space allotted by the newspaper so please access the PMCPOA website for these two documents or contact me at 661-242-1304 to discuss any concerns or questions you may have regarding my qualifications and background.
Kim Wickers*
I’ve been a Pine Mountain Club homeowner and full-time resident for 17 years, and have worked at Pine Mountain General Store for over 15 years. I raise money and support for Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) research. Another serious interest is educating the Mountain Communities about living responsibly with wildlife. I’m a straight shooter, and with my daily contact with residents through the store, I know how most people feel about issues arising in the community.
Finn Myggen
I am President of Nucleus Pictures a multi national company. As a businessman some of my strongest attributes are knowing when the time is right to trim the fat and how to negotiate great deals.
We need a board made up of a deversified group with differences in opinion but one that can come together and make the right decisions. Stop the political back stabbing, nasty politics and rumors. Stop wasting money. Follow the law.
Derek Edwards*
I am originally from England. I was an officer in the United States Air Force. Since separating, I have continued my service as a program manager in the defense industry. I became a member of the budget and finance committee in 2007. I am now running for the board for three key reasons. To: a) Maintain a low assessment. b) Implement process improvement efficiency within the PMCPOA. c) Address family needs within our community.
Stephen Bates
My career was in aerospace, working for large companies. I have held management positions, where I was responsible for large projects, both in terms of bidding, budget, and production. In my career I have been involved in a broad spectrum of training courses on management, team building, hazardous waste, diversity, and classified security. I am retired and now work part time as a engineering consultant and as a teacher at a community college.
Bill Martin
I have had a 34 year career in law enforcement, as well as operated a successful private investigation business. Upon retirement my family moved to PMC in 2007. Recently I was a member of the “Citizen Review Committee” which reviewed the PMC Security Department.
I found that the current Board of Directors were not acting in a manner consistent with my values. My main goal is to make the Board more open and fiscally responsible.
Mike Joseph
I have been in the residential and commercial building industry all my life. I have lived in PMC for 14 years as a full time resident. I have worked with POA’s before and I can bring that experience with a concerned and honest voice for the community.
Larry Shifflett*
My wife Linda and I have lived in Pine Mountain since 2004; first as weekenders then our permanent home.
I believe the primary responsibilities of the Association are:
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Financial Responsibility
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Maintenance and enhancement of facilities and infrastructure
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Strict enforcement of the CC&Rs
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Maintain a positive work environment for employees
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Education: El Camino College – Degree in Business, UCLA – Certificates in Purchasing, Govt. Contracting
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Thirty Years of Management experience.
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Previous HOA Officer.
Question 2: Take 35 Words: What do you want to change in Pine Mountain?
Gary Biggerstaff
The POLITICS, more community input and less being led by dictatorship.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
I want to preserve and maintain our assets, increase the value of the member’s investment in this community and improve member services without unnecessary assessment increases.
Kim Wickers*
Maintain PMC as the family- oriented area it is now and not turn it into some kind of exclusive resort. Encourage more community input through the monthly meetings.
Finn Myggen
This is not about what I would like to change. The Board should listen to the members. I have set up a survey on www.myggen.com/finn. I want to hear members opinions.
Derek Edwards*
I’d like to identify a core team that can create change from within the organization who in-turn can help to maintain a low assessment. I’d like to continue making PMC an enriching family environment.
Stephen Bates
I like Pine Mountain the way it is, although, I would like to see more openness from the board to the residents, so that speculation and bickering are lessened.
Bill Martin
Maintain PMC as a quiet community which is SECURE an SAFE. Treat PMC employees the way that you want to be treated. Change the local politics which undermines the aforementioned goals.
Mike Joseph
I really don’t want to change anything about PMC. I just want to bring an honest voice to the table to keep the traditions of PMC alive and help bring the community together.
Larry Shifflett*
I would change only what the majority of the Community wants changed. I would be elected to serve not to fulfill a personal agenda.
Question 3: Take 15 Words: Transparency is the biggest concern we hear from readers. A) Will you take a public pledge to learn what is and what is not proper to be discussed in closed board sessions? B) Will you pledge to stand up to leave a closed board session if talk among your fellow directors moves to an issue not allowed under the Davis-Stirling Act—and explain to your colleagues why you must leave?
Gary Biggerstaff
Absolutely YES, will always act within the limits of the laws, rules and restrictions.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
I pledge to adhere strictly to the rules as set out in the Stirling-Davis Act.
Kim Wickers*
(a) Of course. (b) I will perform my duties in accordance with the Davis-Stirling Act.
Finn Myggen
We have to follow the law, walking out would not stop the action, speaking would.
Derek Edwards*
Yes to both questions.
Stephen Bates
A. I believe that is taught in board training.
B. Yes
Bill Martin
YES. I’m NOT willing to keep the status quo relative to transparency.
Mike Joseph
Yes and yes. I will always follow all rules and laws.
Larry Shifflett*
A) Yes. B) Leaving would be inappropriate. I would demand that the discussion be ended!
Question 4: Take 30 Words: Continuing the concern about transparency, A) Should new boards take private retreats off the mountain to be briefed by consultants such as the attorney and CPA about directors’ duties, or should those briefings be held here in PMC so interested members can share in the learning? B) Will you vote to continue video taping the board meetings? Please tell us why for both.
Gary Biggerstaff
Local training best suits our budget. Video taping meetings is the best evidence and is hard to dispute.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
Intensive training sessions without outside distractions allows for free exchange and discussion of all issues among new and more experienced board members. Yes on videotaping.
Kim Wickers*
(a) Retreats are inappropriate; briefings should be held here so community has input (except for personnel matters, which should be closed as done now); (b) yes, video taping should continue.
Finn Myggen
A. No, B. Yes.
Patric, do as you preach. After a recent attack story against me in your paper, you did not print my rebuttle. Hardly transparent. [click here to read a note from the Editor]
Derek Edwards*
A) Interested members should be able to hear what the directors hear wherever that may be. B) Yes. Members of the board should be accountable to the community.
Stephen Bates
A. It is my understanding the board training is held in PMC, or close by. The meeting should not be open to the public, due to disruptive influences.
B. Yes.
Bill Martin
I feel strongly that we must stay within our budget. We have the facilities here for training. Why travel and pay the resulting costs? Maintain the video taping of meetings.
Mike Joseph
All briefings should be held here in PMC. And video taping should continue. Both provides transparency to the community and allows for input from members.
Larry Shifflett*
A) The briefing should be held in PMC and open to the public. B) Video taping will continue in order to maintain the Communities trust.
Question 5: Take 40 Words: PMCPOA is like our town government. Nothing in Davis-Stirling says you can’t follow the Ralph M. Brown Act and the California Public Records Act. Should this association continue using disclosure policies like those of private corporations or adopt more open policies like those public agencies such as water districts and school districts are required to use? Why? **[click here for more information on the Davis-Sterling and California Public Records Acts]
Gary Biggerstaff
I am good with either and that is a issue members should have input on.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
PMCPOA is not a town government, it is a private corporation and is controlled by the Davis-Stirling Act. Legitimate property owners have access to all but executive session information: personnel issues, contract bids, unresolved legal issues and member disputes.
Kim Wickers*
Whether a privately held Property Owners Association, whose financials are not open to “public” (vs. Association members) scrutiny, can or should be subject to the Brown Act, is a good question and needs to be explored.
Finn Myggen
We are required to follow Davis Serling and we do. The Brown Act has provisions that would be counter productive for a HOA. PMCPOA is not a public agency, we’re a privately held corporation. We can’t be something we aren’t.
Derek Edwards*
I believe that the board has lost credibility with the community. A more open board could go a long way to gaining back some of that lost trust.
Stephen Bates
I am all for openness, but PMC remains a private corporation. I embrace public disclosure but there may be legal liability issues with some items, such as lawsuits.
Bill Martin
The openness of the Board is of utmost importance. This is one of the MAIN reasons that I am running as a slate with Wickers, Joseph and Biggerstaff. We will make a positive change. We will LISTEN.
Mike Joseph
Open policies are always best and allows members to be involved.
Larry Shifflett*
I would favor adopting the use of the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act. Too many issues are cloaked in “Executive Session” secrecy. Individuals might reconsider their actions if they were open to Community scrutiny.
Question 6: Take 35 Words: County and city governments are cutting their budgets this year, do you agree with PMCPOA increasing assessments rather than cutting services? Please explain.
Gary Biggerstaff
Little we can do about the already passed increases. Future increases should be keep to COLA unless an emergency dictates. Our slates goal is to KEEP ‘EM DOWN.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
We should sharpen our management skills thereby improving the use of current resources and increase assessments only if absolutely necessary.
Kim Wickers*
I do not agree with increasing assessments, but I do agree with increased vigilance to keep expenses at a minimum.
Finn Myggen
We should not have raised assessments. The budget can be cut without major impact on the members. Maintenance for General, Clubhouse and Roads, is more than a million dollars. Of course we can make cuts.
Derek Edwards*
No. I believe that the assessment increase was unnecessary. Anyone can increase an assessment. My goal is to focus on more efficient ways to maintain the current budget without increasing the assessment.
Stephen Bates
There are several reasons assessments have been raised. The number of foreclosed houses has reduced assessments collected substantially, and the increase in insurance costs of all different types of insurance PMC carries.
Bill Martin
This year’s increases in assessments are a done deal. I pledge that the future assessments will not be raised due to unnecessary spending. We need to stay within our budget. PERIOD.
Mike Joseph
No, I don’t agree. But budget has already been passed. We will work hard to minimize future increases.
Larry Shifflett*
It is ridiculous to begin a fiscal year with a deficit. We must cut discretionary spending; fund our Capital Reserve and live within our budget. The Community must have more input into the budget.
Question 7: Take 60 Words: Are the CC&Rs necessary? Why? If so, what will you do to help obtain the 1,600 votes necessary for them to pass?
Gary Biggerstaff
The passing of the CC&R’s is very important if we would all like to continue to enjoy our current lifestyle.
I believe organized and targeted person – person contacts in the community, followed by phone banks, mailers and locally displayed signs could go along way to motivating property owners to VOTE.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
CC&Rs are essential, without them PMCPOA would become a hybrid political entity, private developers would buy up all the valuable assets, taxes would far exceed any imaginable association fees, services would cease to exist except those Kern county wished to deliver and our property values would plummet. I will canvas members and help create a phone tree contact system.
Kim Wickers*
Of course they are necessary. Without the CC&Rs, my understanding is the Property Owners Association will no longer exist and Pine Mountain Club will become another unincorporated area within Kern County. Reminders need to be placed in PMC’s Condor newsletter and in The Mountain Pioneer.
Finn Myggen
We need 1,621 YES votes. Only 1,600 votes will defeat the CC&Rs. The important question is what will the Board do if they don’t pass. We can use Civil Code 1356.
It can drop the requirement of yes votes from 55% of the membership to 50% of actual votes.
There is already case law, to support this action.
Derek Edwards*
I do believe that the CC&Rs are important because they are for the betterment of our community. However, we also need a different method to get our community interested in the CC&Rs. Currently, we send them out and hope people will respond to them. Better communication with the community would help increase our response rate.
Stephen Bates
The CC&R’S are essential to maintaining the infrastructure and lifestyle in PMC. Our property values would take a dramatic downturn, and amenities we enjoy today will be gone, or much more expensive to use. I will erect a banner to remind full and part time residents to “VOTE YES FOR YOUR CC&Rs.” This banner will be by the PMC sign.
Bill Martin
The passage of the CC&R’s is critical in maintaining our current quality of life in our community. Without the passage of the CC&R’s we would be subjected to the direct governance of Kern County. This would in all likelihood result in a DECREASE in our property values. It is EVERY property owners obligation to insure the passage of the CC&R’s.
Mike Joseph
Passing the CC&R’s is essential to keep PMC running the way it has been. CC&R’s keep the community organized. A community without some kind of rules and guide lines will soon fall apart.
I have volunteered for a phone bank to help get the word out to vote. We can also use local publications, banners, emails and face book.
Larry Shifflett*
The CC&Rs are the lifeblood of our Community; They set us apart and help keep our property values high. I believe that signs, banners, posters, phone banks, published articles and neighbor to neighbor networks are excellent tools.
Question 8: Take 30 Words: Reinventing the wheel is an inefficiency that results from inadequate access to our community history. The history of prior community decisions on specific topics is not quickly accessible now. Searching digitally is much faster than thumbing through boxes of paper documents. Since the minutes of PMCPOA committees and board meetings are already being typed up on computers, do you think, going forward, these should be simply saved into a word-searchable digital database (using a tool like Google, but on our private website)?
Gary Biggerstaff
Sounds like a good idea, but would require more knowledge and information than I currently have on this topic.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
Yes.
Kim Wickers*
Yes.
Finn Myggen
Already partially implemented. As Chairman of the Planning Committee our committee proposed to the BOD (and it was implemented), that we start using PDF for all documents and post them.
Derek Edwards*
Yes, this is merely one method of removing inefficiency from within the organization. My goal would be to identify other inefficiencies that may exist within the organization as well.
Stephen Bates
I would like to see this data saved, and be readily accessible, but for how long, and in what format would have to be determined when I have more information.
Bill Martin
I am in favor of reporting and documenting the history of our community for future review. Remember the old adage “History will repeat itself.” Lets not make the same mistakes.
Mike Joseph
It sounds like a good idea but I wouldn’t want to spend too much money from the budget.
Larry Shifflett*
The Community should have simple and unlimited access to PMC information, we must be mindful that many of our residents are off the hill a great deal of the time.
Question 9: Take 45 Words: Tell us about something important to you that we haven’t asked about.
Gary Biggerstaff
I am running on a slate of 4 candidates to fill the 4 available directors positions. We believe in more community input, spend money only as necessary and improve employee relationships. Remain open and honest and always remember we are working for you.
Sigrid Insull-Lucking
Frivolous lawsuits by members take money from your pocket and mine to satisfy some imagined harm.
Generally an undeserved settlement results, taken from our assessment and our insurance carrier, raising the cost of our next policy.
These cost the membership hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Kim Wickers*
To treat all our POA, employees from janitorial to patrol, from the front office to the kitchen, with respect and dignity by taking care of the people who take care of us. Our community would not be such a great place to live without them.
Finn Myggen
Open communication is the key to stopping the political back stabbing, nasty politics and rumors. This applies to Members, Board members, Committees and to the Enterprise/Pioneer.
PMC needs to be run as a business by experienced people.
For my opinions: www.myggen.com/finn
Derek Edwards*
Sometimes the only way to make a difference is to break the cycle of voting in the same people and expecting a different result. Allow me to work to keep our community a place where everyone has a vote and everyone matters.
Stephen Bates
I thoroughly enjoy living in PMC. I want to ensure that PMC remains affordable, and that the amenities we enjoy today remain intact. I feel that, in spite of the criticism boards endure, they do work for our best interest.
Bill Martin
We NEED a change. Let us not keep on business as usual. The changes needed to make a positive difference in this community require more than ONE vote. I ask that you elect a slate for reform in voting for Wickers, Joseph, Biggerstaff and myself.
Mike Joseph
I’m running on a slate of four to bring the community an honest voice with only the communities best interest in mind. We want to improve the communication between our neighbors, employees and the board.
Larry Shifflett*
I am a golfer, hot rodder (71 Chevelle big block), Harley rider, scuba diver, animal lover, proud husband, father and grandpa. My grandchildren’s names are engraved on a plaque on each of the Mars Rovers. I will bring an employee’s perspective to the Board.
This is part of the May 21, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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