Comments on: NCRC Foundering, Others Step In – April 12, 2012

By: NCRC Vacating ASC Today – May 31, 2012 | The Arcata Eye

NCRC Vacating ASC Today – May 31, 2012 | The Arcata Eye — Thu, 31 May 2012 22:53:43 +0000

[...] the facility was not a happy move for Derk and Wendy Schulze, NCRC boardmembers who struggled valiantly to keep the NCRC and ASC in operation. Today, Wendy likened the ASC’s closure as [...]

By: j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2)

j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:53:52 +0000

Ah,someone should take a close look at that Mr.Post fellow-thanks anew for labors granted,board member folks-

By: Wendy Schulze

Wendy Schulze — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:31:18 +0000

Patti Stammer, Bernice Huston and Wendy Dresser is our new secretary.

By: kevpod

kevpod — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:31:56 +0000

Who are the five NCRC board members? You, Derk, Brenda and?

By: Wendy Schulze

Wendy Schulze — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:29:25 +0000

The board of the NCRC is not preventing any mergers from happening, nor are we preventing use of the ASC. We were working toward reopening when all this other planning was revealed to us. We are currently reevaluating how to proceed.
It is our understanding that the E Street Project (Arcata Bay Crossing) is not moving forward.
The board currently consists of five board members and a secretary–thought I should correct the error above.

By: John Post

John Post — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:15:10 +0000

Enough! Let Arcata House and HAFP merge and take over operations of the ASC. It seems to me that combining the services of all three would provide a much more cost-effective approach to meeting the needs of the less fortunate. The bottom line is that Arcata House and HAFP have been highly effective in fund-raising and management. They bring the appropriate skills, resources and teams to the table, not to mention commitment. Additionally, wouldn’t such a merger actually fit nicely into the city’s E Street project?

Drop the attitudes, emotions, and roll up your shirt sleeves and get er dun!

By: kevpod

kevpod — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:06:41 +0000

The funds question was explained, but not, apparently, resolved.

As is often the case, it seems that it’s not the money as much as the principle involved. From what I gather, the other folks see it as emblematic of deal-breaking NCRC dysfunction.

Unfortunately, you aren’t able to detail some of the NCRC’s problems due to personnel issues.

The other thing that needs to be said is an acknowledgment of how hard you and Derk have worked to provide care to those in need. I think everyone is mindful of that.

By: Wendy Schulze

Wendy Schulze — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:40:52 +0000

The question of misappropriation of EWS funds was already answered in a November article–see the comment section at the link below.

http://www.arcataeye.com/2011/11/ncrc-near-collapse-no-extreme-weather-shelter-planned-%E2%80%93-november-16-2011/

The use of the funds was explained to the contributing churches last November–and even included this offer, “If…, you are still concerned that funds were misused, Sunny Brae Church is prepared to make a donation to the NCRC to enable it to pay back whatever is determined to have been spent inappropriately–that way the struggling North Coast Resource Center can put this issue to rest without suffering financial harm. This issue happened under our watch. Derk and I will go without pay if necessary to make this right.”

We were not taken up on our offer by the other churches and thought this issue had been sufficiently concluded. The estimated amount of $200 was insufficient to cover the costs of EWS.

The projected costs of another organization to pull off an extreme weather shelter average $734/night. An additional $1037.00/night is set aside for operational costs that would cover case management and food outreach costs. The total costs per night are $1770.00–a far cry more than the $200/night. (CDBG Proposed New Public Services Plan: Arcata House and Humboldt All Faith Partnership, p186, 4/2012)

Again, our thanks go out to those who helped stretch the limited funds of the NCRC to help so many people. It is heartbreaking that that the NCRC has been unable to resume services.

By: j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2)

j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:52:49 +0000

Ah,the drama-well folks in need-social feed-good read-

By: Mark Sailors

Mark Sailors — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:08:19 +0000

It sounds like there was some serious misappropriation of fund by NCRC.

“When it came to light that no funds were left over for this season’s EWS – even though enough for roughly two years’ worth had been raised through community fundraisers and service clubs last year – there was frustration among the Arcata pastors who had spearheaded the effort.”

“Derk Schulze said that the communications breakdown and misdirection of funds was because of the mess the NCRC was in last year. He said the organization’s books and records were in a shambles, and that “there were things we didn’t know about, that other boardmembers were doing.”

I feel like it fell apart when John said he needed the funds for operations,” Doty said, “He’d broken a covenental agreement.”

At the time, Shelter said that the shelter nights turned out to be more expensive than originally estimated for the ASC, where participants were prepared for lodging. “It’s all together,” he said. “Without the facility, you don’t have the extreme weather shelter.””

I am not sure if it is criminal, but it sure seems that way to me.