Rhinebeck Museum trouble

What about:

Todd Holt, Legal Assistant
Charities Bureau, Office of the
Attorney General of the State of NY
120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271

Should we send the letter here to?

DavisD1W -

You may send a copy to Holts office, however, until there is provable legal issues, they probably will not pay much attention.

If I post here again and recommend we sent to the NY Attny General you can bet you last scheckle we have concrete evidence of illegalities. Until then, Palmquist is the target. That office grants non-profit charters and investigates all of the issue deliniated in the letter.

Fire when ready.....

Well mine are in the mail! I hope the postal service wasn't kidding about the whole "through rain sleet snow.....".

Like many of you who have previously posted, I was also inspired by Cole Palen to get my pilot’s license after having gotten to know him a bit in the last years of his life. I was also a charter member of the museum and have been a member ever since, as well as a donor to the Spirit of St. Louis, and I have put in many hundreds of hours of volunteer time in the last 10 years.

It’s been pretty startling to read all of these posts at one time, and I have to say I’m really surprised at the anger and innuendo coming from so many supporters – a term I use loosely – of the Aerodrome. I would suggest that since most stories have two sides (at least&#33, perhaps folks shouldn’t be so quick in reaching their conclusions. It sounds to me like a power struggle has taken place, and that the losers are crying hard and loud. Suggesting that people who care about Old Rhinebeck contact the New York governor, U.S. Senators, the state attorney general, and the media seems to me more like trying to destroy the place than “save” it.

Contrary to what has been reported thus far, there are still a number of the “old guard” represented on the current boards and staff who go back a long way with Cole; I guess they’re just ones with different ideas from the ones who are no longer working for the place. Does it occur to anyone that ORA can’t comment on any terminations because of legalities and privacy issues? All you’re getting is one side of the story. It would seem to me that they would probably have pretty serious reasons for letting go a long time employee like Ken Cassens, but are not in a position to go public with them. And their finances are fine. They have an audit every year and file the appropriate papers for the IRS, which someone referenced. Sure, they have a long way to go to accomplish some long-term goals but they’re certainly not on the brink of going under. And I remind you that it was Cole who set up the structure this way. A non-profit museum is a different entity than a small business run by a sole proprietor like Cole and is meant to be run differently.

I have to say that I also find this campaign to smear Gene DeMarco particularly disturbing. Does it give you pleasure to try and destroy a man’s reputation on an issue that had nothing to do with the Aerodrome? From my point of view, Gene has done nothing but good for the Aerodrome for many years. Where does this kind of hatred come from? I have to wonder how much of it is just good old-fashioned jealousy. For every horrible story about the people who remain at the Aerodrome, I assure you there are equally bad ones out there that I’ve heard about some of the people heading this campaign, but I’m trying not to sink to their level by repeating them here without factual information.

What exactly do all of you think writing to government officials is going to accomplish? That somehow magically Tom Polapink will be reinstated as director, former board members will be brought back on, and the current staff and board will all be removed? The members of the museum are supporting members, not voting members and have no say in voting on board members. This is the usual legal practice for most non-profits so ORA is right in line with what others do. And e-mailing people all over the globe with all this garbage. This is going to “save” the place when people quit coming to the air show and quit joining the museum and quit giving money? What exactly are you guys smoking?!!

I would ask you all to consider exercising some restraint and seriously questioning some of the things you’ve been hearing while considering their sources. The current board, with whatever faults they may have, love the place as much as anyone else and indeed are doing their damnedest to carry on in Cole’s tradition. Go back and visit next season and see if horrible things have occurred and changed the place that we all love so much. I’ll bet you’ll find it’s still everything you love and more. Try to remember that it’s the Aerodrome, the airplanes, and Cole’s vision that we love, not the personal agendas of individuals with big fat chips on their shoulders.

[LibertyV12]

When you disgrace a person like Ken Cassens by firing him and at the same time lock down the Aerodrome and have the police escort him out, the Board can be as quiet as they want, they have implied he was guilty of something by how the whole charade was done. The Board has been trying to get rid of Ken for awhile because he speaks his mind, when Steve Cunningham left, he told Ken he had a target on his back. Do you think that is an ethical way to fire a man of his talents ? Volunteer Chris Rogine spoke passionately at a board meeting last winter about things that needed to be addressed, like leaking buildings, money for a New Standard rebuild when the grounds are so poor etc. The board agreed with him and said they would answer his questions in the next few months. Never happened.'

In the information vaccuum which has become the position of the board, any information, correct, incorrect, innuendo, rumor, truth, fact or fiction will be taken as fact. It's an unfortunate hapennestance that we cannot lay out here, in a public forum, chapter and verse that would certainly persuade those who read the details that there is much amiss on Stone Church Road.

But since the board members have continually stonewalled attempts to determine thier position on critical issues, we have little choice but to accept what we hear from sources close to the situation. It's not one source, it's many. And the stories are remarkably similar in detail.

If the board cares so much about OR, they should step up and explain themselves.

Look at the trail of people who have been let go or forced out. Look at the reasons that those of long standing have taken their efforts elswewhere. It's not jealousy. It's disgust. Look at previous posts - when board members say "Cole Palen is Dead". They aren't talking about the fact that he stopped breathing. They are talking about his vision & direction for the Aerodrome. Not Cole himself - the "idea" of him. Take the Palen out of Old Rhinebeck and what have you got ?

We all here want OR to continue, not collapse. Our efforts are directed to that purpose. If Mr. Palmquist decides based on our input to investigate and the board has done their job properly, then they have nothing to worry about. If you disagree with that, please feel free to state your position and offer suggestions to keep OR vital.

If on the other hand we are in the right, then Palmquist's office has the power to reconstitute the board which is a far reach from dissolution of OR. It does not mark the end of ORA, but the begining of the continuation.

Those who have posted here and those who have posted me privately are people you would know by name. People you have probably worked with over the years and people who have as much of a desire to see OR under good direction as you do. People who have, like you, offered their time, energy and enthusiasm.

I believe they have not offered their opinions without thought. I believe they have not offered them malisciously. I believe they are genuinely committed to the perpetuation of Cole's vision. In short, I believe them.

As far as Gene DeMarco is concerened, I only offer facts, not opinions. I know him personally, I even like him and in the past he has, as you pointed out, rendered much to animate the Aerodrome. But from talking with long-time employees & board members, very little of that has been mentioned. What has been mentioned has been, uniformly, bad for the Aerodrome.

This may only be my opinion, but I base it on the testimony of many. In the end, so will anyone who invesitigates OR.

If you want to help, comtinue to post you thoughts. They only promote debate and that's always healthy. If you have facts to share about OR, I expect you will have ample opportuity.

We all owe Cole a debt.

[baldeagle]

Nice try vintageav8r

Further evidence of the ramifications of having the current "board" running things:

I had a phone conversation today with a well known R/C modeller, a friend of Cole and Rita, a friend of many others involved with the Aerodrome. This person has been coming to Rhinebeck for more than 30 years, and was very involved in the annual R/C model meet each September. Like many of us he was inspired by Cole, like few of us he decided to do something about it, financially. He set up an investment fund, which he then left in his will to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. The initial investment was $55,000, which would've grown over the years.
As a result of the recent events at the ORA, especially the firings of Tom Polapink and Ken Cassens, this person hired a lawyer, and as of November 10 rescinded the whole deal. Now the ORA will get nothing from him, because he is so disenfranchised with the current "board".

Fifty-five thousand dollars. Plus.
Fifty-five plus thousand dollars. Gone.

For those of you who like facts, there's one.

I recently found out about what has been taking place at ORA. I am a current member of the Mid Hudson R/C Society in Poughkeepsie and have been for many years. I was first introduced to the world of model aviation by my Uncle who took me to the ORA for the Jamboree about 20 years ago. It was there that I got my first real "education" in aviation.
He lives in Long Island and every year would go the ORA for the Jamboree. A friend of his, Al Powell, also would attend the Jamboree every year and they always had a great time watching the full scale airshow and watching the models flying at ORA . Al always flew at the Jamboree even though he would have to make numerous trips to "Thunder Valley" which is what they would call the portable toilets up there because he would get so nervous.
My uncle, John Egan who is a very capable R/C pilot and who taught me how to fly R/C, would drive his motorhome up there and would camp up in the parking lot along with his wife, Marie.
In 2002 they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary at ORA with us at the Jamboree. They didn't go to a fancy restaurant, go on a cruise, or go back to where they went on their honeymoon, they spent their Golden Wedding Anniversary at ORA!!!!!
This past September at ORA at the Jamboree, John flew numerous successful flights of an R/C model of a German Taub. This was the first time in all the years that he has been going to ORA that he has flown a model at the Jamboree. It was also his and Marie's 51st Wedding Anniversary, which they again spent at ORA!!
This time John's daughter Ann Marie, his son-in-law Mark, and his two grand children Steven and Lindsey also attended for the first time, knowing that this was a special event that John had never done before.
To think that there may not be an ORA is unthinkable! Cole, with his wife Rita at his side, took a dream and a childhood love of these aircraft and turned it into a reality. There is no other place on this earth that can compare to ORA. We must do whatever it takes to see that ORA continues on so that Coles dream stays a reality and so that John will have the opportunity to fly again at the Jamboree. Thanks

G'day All,

This is a sad state of affairs. I won't get involved in the debate regarding the new board v old guard because it would be wrong for me to comment on something that I do not hav a firm grasp on.

What I will comment on is this. For the last 5 years I have been involved on a committee of a non profit organisation, luckly this organisation has elections that the members can vote as to whom they want to run the organisation. This was not always the case.

Someone must have a copy of ORA constitution and bylaws. Read them, see if you can hold a special general meeting and change the constitution and or bylaws so that members can get to vote at AGM's to elect a new board. This is what happened at our organisation.

Regarding membership, surely to be part of the board you must be a member. Again the constitution should outline what a member is, if there are directors who are not members then they should not be on the board.
Fight the bastards from the floor, use the organisations governing rules to save it.

I know that I said earlier that I would not comment on the ongoing debate regarding old v new but one thing I will comment on and have to agree with the comment that vintageav8r, who is obviously someone connected with the new board, is the withholding of funds.

At the moment ORA is still there and from the passion shown in this thread you all love ORA, admittedly there is little love shown for the people who now run ORA. I wonder how you would all feel if ORA was to vanish because of lack of funding. Donate the money but place strict guidelines on what the money will be used for, make the bastards sign a contract agreeing to this and if they breech the contract then you have them. Don't let this icon to aviation die due to lack of funding, by supporting ORA you don't have to support the current administation.

Regards,

Andrew.

BTW in Australia we have strict laws regarding convicted felons being able to hold a position on a board surely the US must have a similar law.

[SteveS]

Well it took all summer, but the folks running ORA finally updated their website for the following year. There is a press release in the works but as this time the link marked "Press Release" is dead. Also I like the little tidbit about "Homeland Security".

Salute,
Steve