Notes from Point Arena

Last week, I listened with interest to Holly Madrigal’s KZYX interview with unopposed Point Arena City Council Candidate, Olivia Ford. One of the young candidate’s concerns was, “A major corporation is buying up Point Arena real estate.” Although Madrigal made no inquiry as to what corporation might be buying up Point Arena, are you aware of which corporation that might be, and why a corporation buying up Point Arena would be an issue? With 14 empty store fronts on Main Street, Point Arena looks awfully dismal these days. 

After I, for one, sat on the Point Arena City Council and voted on April 24, 2000, in favor (4 to 1) of a resolution to end Corporate Personhood in Point Arena, asking locals to NOT sell out to corporations; the first to sell out to a mega-cooperation in Point Arena, was the local pot dispensary, sold to international cannibus corporation, Flow Kana, which/who... 

(It is confusing, because ...is a corporation a “which” or a “who” when selecting restrictive qualifiers?) Oh, yes, ...the only difference being that humans eventually die for good… corporations, on the other hand, don’t have to eventually die, as dying is not good for business. Here’s a good website describing Corporate Personhood in Mendocino and America today: http://www.nancho.net/corperson/cparena.html

However, the other corporation which appears to be buying up great gobs of Point Arena is The Mormon Church of the Latter Day Saints, under the pseudonym, “610 Properties, LCC, (a self-described “real estate investment trust business” also listed as SixTen LCC). Representative of this corporation in Point Arena is Jeff Hansen.

https://kutv.com/news/local/mormonleaks-says-new-documents-link-lds-church-to-companies-worth-over-32-billion

Searches related to 610 Properties, llc holding company for the Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints reveal an estimated 32 billion dollars in LDS holdings across the U.S. 

Candidate Ford better do her homework, because when she’s voted in, unopposed, onto Council, (don’t vote for write-in candidate and Brown Act violator/conspirator, Eric Dahlhoff, who, in last week’s AVA, gave specific directions for voters on how to complete the ballot to write in his name. For some reason, he added in the letter to the AVA editor column that he promises to “be nice” while seated on Council, but like Trump, I wouldn’t trust Eric Dahlhoff any further than I could throw him. I’ve watched him “work it” up close and personal. Being nice is not in Dahlhoff’s nature, but violating Brown Act, always his first impulse.) … Ford will be sitting with Richie Wasserman, whom, even though he let his contractor’s license lapse years ago, woodworks as contractor for the Mormons at the Wildflower Boutique Motel, serving as planning intermediary to Richard Shoemaker, City Manager. Another conflict of interest, Richie works as City Councilman and Planner for the City of Point Arena (and as paid LAFCO rep for the City’s County seat on that board), as well as the Mormon Church. Formerly the Sea Shell Inn Motel, the Wildflower Boutique Motel finally opened for business after a renovation of several years. I wonder if Richie has recused himself on all City Council votes related to the old Sea Shell Inn.

Before an un-named source realized who she was dealing with, she was initially friendly with Richard Wasserman, and says she was in the presence of LAFCO rep, Wasserman, one day when Richie informed Jeff Hansen, of 610 Properties, LCC, that Richard Shoemaker, City Manager, sent word through Richie that it wasn’t the time presently for Mormon representative, Jeff Hansen to run for political office in Point Arena. Perhaps later… Richie Wasserman knows you have to get on City Council to reap the benefits of Brown Act Violations when conspiring to get building projects approved within the City of Point Arena. Wasserman’s been operating like that for years, having been Mayor several times, each time voted in by the old white powder population in Point Arena. It only takes less than 80 votes to win in the City of Point Arena! In fact, Richie Wasserman sat on Pt. Arena City Council with me in 2000 and also voted for the Corporate Personhood resolution, but backslides now ...for money.

Names of just a few of Point Arena’s homes and businesses purchased so far by the Mormon’s 610 Properties Corporation: Point Arena General Store; Shannon Hughs’ old Pangaea Restaurant next door to post office; a home and an empty corner lot on Scotts place; the low income multi-unit apartment housing off Port Road adjacent to the City Park; The old Sea Shell Inn Motel, which finally opened just recently after years of renovation to include the Easter Ridge Realty building next door; and Richie Wasserman sold them his four-plex apartments on Mill Street. In addition, Richie’s friend, Peter Reimuller, also sold his Abalone Arms Apartments to this Mormon corporation. These two predatory white men used to be self-proclaimed hippies, or so they say. So why sell out to a corporation so far to the right in their old age? Not an ethical backbone between them, maybe they want a ticket on that stairway to heaven, compliments of the Mormon church. 

Local renters whose rentals were purchased by SixTen corporation, have had to move because their paid rental rates were then increased incrementally, until they could no longer afford to live in their long-time homes. The Mormons then moved in their own renters, friends from their “corporation”. 

Point Arena has it’s own sewer plant installed circa 1984-85, and Bill Hay’s mother owned the water works before him. Having established sewer and water makes Point Arena a real “city”. However, Boonville hasn’t fared so well under thoughtless County supervision of Anderson Valley. There is no infrastructure in Anderson Valley and the sewer has infiltrated the subterranean ground water. Even the Boonville Hotel, touted, the “best water in Boonville” tested positive for coliform bacteria a few years ago.