Congrats to Jim Klisanin
I had read the Nov. 5 SB Sun story on Jim Klisanin. What an honor for Jim to win the prestigious Lions Club International Ambassador Key. I have known and worked with Jim on various projects for about 36 years. He was always supportive of many projects I was involved in while I was employed at the Seal Beach Police Department.
And yes, Jim recruited me to be a member of the Lions Club. I got to see first-hand how much the Lions really gave back to the community! Not only that, I saw how Jim led behind the scenes and not wanting any credit. For so many years Jim directed the Seal Beach Christmas Parade and helped make it one of the biggest and best events in the city! He has handed it over to good hands and it still is one of the biggest events. All of the Seal Beach service clubs give so much to the community and it has been a real pleasure to know and work with Jim Klisanin!
Rick Paap
Los Alamitos
Leisure World spending questioned
As I wrote in a previous letter (Oct. 29, 2015), the only reason for the Golden Rain Foundation presentation “Philosophy of Spending” is to justify the growing administrative costs and to present a page titled “Expenses you can’t change.” This is wrong and costly for Leisure World residents.
In GRF every problem, every complaint resulted in a request for new employees’ positions or replacing part time positions with full time, or as it happened this year, without any explanation was created a new very expensive layer of management-Directors. Today some GRF’s employees have up to four managers above them.
Leisure World is a developed community with the same number of apartments, recreational facilities and its infrastructure has remained unchanged. GRF has too many managers, supervisors, assistants, now directors. We are not a scientific, research, engineering or hi-tech manufacturing company. Leisure World is a simple housing complex for people 55+.
The List of “Expenses you can’t change” begins with “Wages and Benefits.” We can only guess why salary was not included in it. But as they stay together on the next page and in the GRF Budget, we should look on them as one major component.
In 2015 GRF annual revenue from members’ Assessments is $11.1 million. The administration salaries, wages and benefits are $9.6 million or 86.2 percent and if you add the cost of workplace and other expenses, related to employees, the administration costs will be more than 90 percent. Why do they allow that type of administration spending?
There are many ways to reduce administrative cost, some of which are:
1. Salaries should reflect the specific employees’ job duties and qualification.
2. A big portion of administrative costs are employees benefits. In 2015 the budget for them was allocated at $2.2 million.
3. Six years ago Information Technology Services Department was created. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on new software, computers were replaced with faster ones. So where is the return?
4. Outsourcing work should result in reducing GRF spending. Not in GRF. Just GRF paid $130,000 to a contractor for repainting traffic lines and hired a contractor to process members’ monthly paychecks.
Before, that work was done by maintenance and accounting departments. Where are the savings?
5. GRF should stop hiring new employees. This process must be reversed and the CEO should present a “Management Restructure Plan” with real savings.
Mark Pogrebinsky,
Leisure World
My thanks to Malarkey’s (no malarkey)
On Nov. 5, 2015 the Sun published an announcement that Malarkey’s was hosting a very special “Thank A Vet” party on Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. I need to extend my deep and sincere thanks to Patrick Holleran who picked up the entire dinner check for all the Vets who attended.
I am an Army veteran and attended the dinner with my longtime Naval friend, Jim Lazarus and his wife Mary.
As both a veteran and clinical psychologist working in the VA Long Beach Healthcare System I know first hand how important this recognition is to all veterans who have served in the military. Many of the veterans with whom I work are suffering from PTSD and whenever they receive external validation of their service, it is always immensely appreciated.
As for the dinner itself, we were greeted at the door by an extremely gracious hostess and escorted to the table for which we had made reservations. Then came the food … oh my, how good is good! Jim and I had baby back ribs and Mary had calamari, very sumptuous, very delicious. We also had wine (Jim and Mary) and I had a chocolate martini, oh so good.
The evening ended by all the vets present taking a group picture. That, too, was memorable and a lot of fun. I am hoping the Sun will be publishing that picture. So once again I want to thank Mr. Holleran and his entire staff for a totally satisfying and memorable evening.
Henry C. Benedict, Ph.D.
U.S. Army
The power of music
Recently the Good News Singers performance in Leisure World was fantastic. Dynamic President Anita Ragole did an excellent job organizing the program. Member cooperation by performing spontaneously was awesome.
Audience participation harmoniously blending with the choir was spectacular. Thanksgiving and Christmas atmosphere enhanced the performance for everyone to enjoy. The nutritious and delicious meal was served by friendly volunteers.
This reminded me pleasantly of when I was a member of the Teacher’s Choir. We performed at the Mayor’s and some other public offices. Also the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir in NY when I was a member was fantastic. Every Sunday evening my husband was thrilled and overwhelmed watching me on the Channel 7 News.
“Music has charm.”
Lisa A. Dickson
Leisure World
Coyotes in Sunset Beach
I don’t know how else to get the word out, but there have been several sightings of a large coyote in the Sunset Beach area during the DAYTIME and today it attacked our dog. Our dog is OK, thank goodness, but it was 9 a.m. on Broadway on the green belt.
Last week, we saw the same coyote inside our condo complex at Harbor Pacific (other side of PCH) walking around at 11 a.m. and was not very scared when I walked up to it and tried to shoo it away. It walked right across PCH to go into the Sunset Beach greenbelt area.
It was also sighted by the workers at 7-Eleven on PCH and 10th Street with a dead cat in its mouth at 11:30 a.m.
I was told to contact the California Fish and Game Warden Nick Molsberry.
I have a phone number, but it is his cell phone and I don’t think you should publish it in the newspaper.
Jonas Domkus
Sunset Beach
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