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Management company fears violence from 73-year-old woman
September 25th, 2008, 7:00 am · 52 Comments · posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer
The management company running Laguna Woods Village sought a restraining order against Lucienne Skogen (right), a young-at-heart 73-year-old who writes rather fiery emails.
Skogen’s passionate missives inflicted emotional distress upon Milt Johns (head of Professional Community Management, the company that runs the senior community), and Wendy Bucknum (PCM’s spokeswoman), according to court documents filed Sept. 18.
PCM sought to keep Skogen from assaulting, battering or stalking Johns (50) and Bucknum (46).
Here are Skogen’s offending emails:
“We the residents of Leisure World (aka Laguna Woods Village) are sick and tired of your dictatorship, your swindling, your abusing the seniors who live in this community,” Skogen wrote on Aug. 15. “In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior, I command each and every one of you to resign and remove yourselves far, far away from this community. We have had more than enough of your deceptions, intimidations, blackmailing, etc. Now, if you need to be removed by force, we can accommodate you.”
She signed it “Lou Skogen, one of the abused residents.” And on Aug. 26, Skogen wrote:
Milt Johns
“So PCM and GRFwhy are you trying to screw us again? Man, your days are numbered! How can you ever live with yourselves, continuing to abuse residents, breaking laws, and getting worse each day. Are you totally demon-possessed?”
Again, she signed it “Lou Skogen, an abused resident.”
There’s no question that the tenor of the debate at LWV has gotten rather shrill lately. The Watchdog, who has long maintained that a Golden Rain Foundation meeting is the best free theater around, certainly would not want to be Johns or Bucknum.
PCM has run the senior community for 40 years, and some residents say things have gotten out of control. They complain that:
- PCM’s fees, paid by seniors, have skyrocketed 93 percent since 2004 - largely due to additional costs incurred ”due to lawsuits and community activists exercising their rights.”
- A proposal was floated to keep residents off the second floor of their own community center (where PCM offices are).
- PCM has spent thousands of the seniors’ dollars on ”employee appreciation” meals and events (with GRF approval, PCM points out).
- Sheriff’s deputies have been summoned to GRF board meetings.
- Part of the GRF meeting room (in front of the board dais) has been roped off so residents can’t threaten board members or staff.
- Microphones have been shut down mid-sentence as angry residents speak at board meetings (board presidents control the on/off switches, not PCM, PCM stresses).
And now, an attempt to get a restraining order against a 73-year-old woman.
This, critics say, is further evidence of harassment and “senior abuse.”
Wendy Bucknum
For its part, PCM feels like it knows about harassment and abuse. “This was an action that was contemplated as a result of several threatening emails directed to PCM staff members,” PCM/GRF spokeswoman Bucknum (left) wrote us in an email. “On the advice of counsel, The Golden Rain Foundation Board agreed to take action to protect employees being singled out by these threats.”
On Sept. 19, the court denied the restraining order, pending a hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Oct. 15 at the Laguna Hills courthouse.
GRF has not yet decided whether it will pursue the restraining order at that time, Bucknum said.
More Watchdog:
- Property manager’s fee skyrockets for seniors
- The ’shut up’ rule at Laguna Woods Village
- It’s your building, but KEEP OUT!
- Fee hike on seniors pays for employee morale
- The seniors are rioting! Call the police!
- Leisure World lawyers to Supreme Court: Help?
September 25th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Lucienne Skogen, you go girl. I’m sure you will have more backing then this property mgmt company. I to live in a community where property mgmt raises and raises the assoc. I can imagine how it could be worse at your place because you are all senior citizens. They think they can take advantage of you’s. Hang in there and keep going
September 25th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Congratulatory meals at the expense of people on fixed incomes is ROBBERY. I looked into property in the Laguna Woods area for my 83 year old mother and when I could not get a clear understanding of what the fee and utility’s covered and why I could not get fixed rates, we said NO WAY. We shop close to Laguna Woods and we have not spoken to one single resident who is happy there. We made the right choice. My mother now lives about 2 minutes from my home. It is more work for me to take care of here but she gets to keep her money and spend on what she need and not some property managments pricks. Somthing is really wrong there, REALLLLLLLY WRONG !
September 25th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I know Lou Skogen. Is she intelligent? YES. Is she articulate? YES. Is she angry? YES. Is she capable of violence? NO! Grow up, PCM, and stop spending our money on unnecessary legal actions.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
GRF isn’t listed as the party pressing for the TRO on the papers filed in court. Only PCM. Add to that little bit of mis information being given to you by the “spokeswoman” Bucknum, the attorney who FILED the action is no other than Robert Mulvihill who is a part of Hart, King & Coldren which is the law firm that represents GRF, United and Third mutuals. For all I know they could also be counsel for the Towers. Smaks of at the very least unethical conduct…..if not conflict of interest by representing the management company AND the boards of the HOA.
September 25th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Milt Johns looks like the guy that does the Colon Cleanse infomercials. I love these cowards that work for the PCM’s and continually raise fees and provide poor service. He must be prepping for a position in Congress.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
If they’re doing such a good job, why is there so much anger?
Perhaps they feel that they’ll simply outlive their critics?
Laguna Woods is now a city. It’s time they ran their own affairs, and got rid of the paternalistic, tyrannical PCM.
And please change the name of the “Golden Rain Foundation.”
It sounds like a pornographic web site.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
hang em up by their testicals….
September 25th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
It sounds like PCM management are a bunch of crying cowards. Someone like Lucienne Skogen is waking up stuffy bureaucrats and they don’t like it so they exaggerate and sick law enforcement on her.
If those letters are the worst, I can’t see how they could be construed to be any kind of bodily threat. Was she strutting up and down the street with a shotgun or something?
September 25th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
HOAs suck big time.
The residents should band together and fire PCM. Who is responsible for the PCM contract?
September 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Having worked in property management for over 10 years I can tell you the problem is “usually” not with the property management company… Its with the residents. Residents who routinely ignore communications, refuse to give input or participate in bettering their community, and completely disregard the CC&Rs. Residents tend to be self-absorbed, panicky, and emotional people who like to bare their teeth and look strong, as long as someone else is doing the dirty work.
I’m not saying this lady is wrong, or that PCM isn’t being petty here but the continuted demonization of property management companies is rediculious. If you dont want to follow the rules, dont move into a community that has them. I dont care if your a newly wed couple or a crotchety 87 year old woman with an axe to grind. I CHOOSE not to live in a HOA for these very reasons. Then again if my neighbor paints his house purple with pink polkadots I actually have to DEAL with my neighbor, IN PERSON EVEN!
September 25th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Having lived in a HOA I can tell you the problem is usually with the property management company. That is why practically everyone has personal HOA horror stories or knows someone who has.
HOAs for single family residences should be abolished which would make property management companies unnecessary for this purpose.
Why are people paying someone to tell them what to do with their own homes? People in prior generations got along fine without HOAs.
HOAs claim they keep property values up. SHOW ME PROOF! Looks like property values are going down for everyone. A huge house selling point nowadays is NO HOA!
HOAs for condos or townhomes should be strictly regulated. Apartment residents have more rights than HOA residents.
If a person who works in property management won’t even live in a HOA, that says a lot.
September 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
The Wondrous Wendy is quite the fetching one. The slyness of her smile betrays her stealthy ways. Yeah sir.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Tiki King enlightens us …. “Having worked in a property management for over 10 years … I CHOOSE not to live in a HOA”. That tells ya something!
September 25th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
To Lucienne Skogen:
IF you dont like it there, then move, no one is twisting your arm to stay.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
My parents actually joined an HOA in the 1950s in Long Beach. They tried to add on a room to the back. The endless nitpicking etc. drove them to halt the addition even though it met county code. One of the prime functions of the HOA was to do yard maintenance. They told my parents to take care of their yard but did not reduce the cost.
5 yrs later (45 yrs ago) the HOA was dissolved because managers were spending all the money for personal pleasures. There has yet to be anything close to a purple/pink polka dot house in the neighborhood.
September 25th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Goodness, could “Yellowtail” be a certain Director of 3rd Mutual who expressed the same sentiment? Like me, I’m guessing Lou Skogen probably either put 10% or more down on her home, or, paid cash. She, like me, loves living in Laguna Woods Village, and has no plans for leaving. Also like me, she doesn’t want her skyrocketing fees to be fraudulently spent. Like me, she may even have considered leaving, but is trapped by the rotten economy (not PCM’s fault), and by the outrageous fees that continue to go up, with no appreciable improvement in services, and no effort to curb costs to keep our assessments flat for at least one year when the economy is hurting the majority of us. Whether Lou is like me or not, both of us have the guarantee, from our Constitution, of Freedom of Speech, and I for one, am happy she is exercising that right.
September 25th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Ya gotta love it … the blind idiot above saying to a champion like Lou; “IF you dont like it there, then move, no one is twisting your arm to stay.” The person’s name? “YELLOWTAIL”
September 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Let’s see if I have this right - Just because you old people are unhappy with life in the Leisure Village you take it out on those poor people trying to make a living over there (helping to pay into your social security by the way!). Then to add insult to injury the poor suckers who have to work with these thankless geezers get some crazy emails from a clearly angry (pictures don’t speak louder than words here) woman threatening what is bodily harm. Then the workers try to protect themselves and the Register hangs them up for a public flogging!
First the boyscouts, now people who take their lives into their hands driving through that place everyday to get to work. What the ????
Enough is enough… free speech is one thing - those emails are weird and would freak me out.
September 25th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
If I were these two I too would be very nervous of Lucienne Skogan . These threats as with any threat of any kind even jokingly have to be taken SERIOUSLY. She has made some pretty strong statements. It does not matter the age of the person. We all know anybody is capable of anything. They were right in not taking the law into their own hands, as some do when it gets out of hand. But going to the law for help. I’m sure Mrs. Bucknum and Mr.Johns have a strong focus on doing what is best for the Community.
September 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I despise my HOA as weak and ineffective but it doesn’t mean I can go off on them, or anyone else for that matter, like this old codger does. Show some restraint and clean up your language woman. You’d be surprised how well it works.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
This article is one of the funniest things I have ever read. I did not know that you could actually have depends on so tight is causes massive delusion, but Skogen has proved that it can be done. Has anyone picked up on the fact that she is commanding people in the name of Jesus and asking people if the are “totally demon possessed” Wow…When they started handing out passes to Crazy Town it looks like she was first in line and got the special “super crazy pass” in a two for one special. If i were these employees I would be scared too if I saw some old lady in a fetching mustard silk blouse coming at me with tight depends, and a pass to crazy town holding a revolver in one hand and Jesus in the other.
Sing with me now…
CRAAAZO…. I SAY CRAAAAZO. LOU SKOGEN IS A CRAZY MO FO!
September 26th, 2008 at 12:06 am
“PCM sought to keep Skogen from assaulting, battering or stalking Johns (50) and Bucknum (46). ”
Johns and Bucknum… GROW A PAIR!
If you’re that afraid of senior citizens… then your company should leave; not the residents.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Nuff - Why are you “sure” Bucknum and Johns have a strong focus on what is best for the community? Bucknum works directly for Johns - one reason our Management Fee has gone up 93% since 2004. Check out the many “More Watchdog” links above.
Bucknam misspoke above when she said “GRF” was involved with this action - none of the boards are on any of the court records (only mentioned in Lou’s email). This is a PCM action only, with law firm Hart, King and Coldren (HK&C) handling it.
Since the 1980’s, PCM of California, Inc. has transformed itself into a property sales and development company. They recently acted as agent and sold our old administration property to their outside business associates for $3.4M, who sold it 19-months later another mutual associate for nearly $20M - only PCM’s Milt Johns and ONE resident (GRF’s Board President) signed of the real estate sale. They are …
- Our property management company; yet have other huge corporate duties to outside real estate investors and builders,
- Our maintenance company; with a fleet of about 350 vehicles, and questionable procurements, supervision and management,
- Our gardening supply company; with $100K++ of nursery stock not even carried on the books while conducting an outside cash business,
- Our cable TV company; with about $90K of monthly advertising sales reported but no accounts receivable details available for member review,
- Our accountant; refusing to implement auditor’s recommendations because they’ll be “too costly” or “hard to do”,
- Our realtor; acting as agent for both seller and buyer
- Our escrow company, the only one in town, and …
Our HOAs corporate law firm, HK&C, works for them.
For more than 10 years, PCM has operated an undisclosed and secret “Incentive Plan” where by they pocketed one-third of project cost under-runs and gave it to themselves. Of course, they created the project budgets, did not disclose their actions to board members, and never received any board’s ratification of the charges. The vast majority of board members knew nothing of this plan. PCM just recently (supposedly) stopped this program … but who really knows.
PCM knows they only need to control 4-6 board members on each of the three 11-member boards to get away with most anything. Right now, we have several of their “good ol’ boys” making a run for 4 seats on GRF. PCM has ripe plans, combining them with their good ol’ boys, to take full advantage of the a current Laguna Woods Moulton Parkway widening project by promoting unrelated land and building changes (e.g. changes to our Driving Range), and have already spend millions on “land planning” during the last several years.
It’s a shame that board members are too intimidated by PCM and HK&C to properly fulfill their duties to our community. Their view; “Hey, I’m just a volunteer” …
September 26th, 2008 at 7:20 am
LOVE OC - relax! The majority of the people here have no complaints against the maintenance staff here. They work for us, not PCM, and if PCM were to depart, the maintenance staff would remain. If any of them think they work for PCM, they are misinformed. We, the residents, pay their salaries, and will continue to do so in a post-PCM world. If they continue to do the quality work most of them do, their jobs are secure.
September 26th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Cheers to the OC Register for printing this article and the many responses. I have to ask, though, why there is NOTHING in the Globe where the action is taking place. This just fuels the opinion that the Globe and its primary employee(s) is in PCM’s pocket. News goes directly from the Globe office to the second floor which is the heart of PCM. Now either the Globe is leaking the information directly, or their offices and/or communications are bugged. We do know that e-mail going out on comline.com goes through a T1 link to the main HQ of PCM. It would take virtually no effort to put a filter on communications to send automatic copies of communication to the desk of Milt or one of his minions.
Skogen’s exorcism statement can be viewed as a prayer. Is praying for the downfall of an antagonistic opponent a threat? Is it protected by freedom of religion? freedom of speach?
This whole affair is a SLAPP action by PCM designed to silence not just Skogen, but all of its many critics–whose numbers appear to be growing. One senses an air of desperation wafting the hallways on the second floor.
September 26th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Congratulations to all who speak and act on behalf of Skogen and the other residents! This scenario has to be an epic example of elder abuse. How can these monkeys (PCM and others) get away with restricting the speech of a discontent resident/owner/! I thought that management companies for HOAs were employed by the owners. This is a perplexing issue for me but perhaps I don’t have all the details. I say- Fire the rogue management! The residents might consider retaining the advise, expertise and guidance from a government agency that protects the elderly, and, from RE experts, as well as business managers, to form an ad hoc committee to review their options and decide in the best interest of the residents, NOT the management. I would like to see a show of support for the residents on Oct. 15, at the court hearing.
September 26th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Mike Curtis, you seem to know a lot about this specific situation. And again I’m not commenting on PCM or the way your association has been managed over the last decade. There very well may have been large issues that need to be addressed however, I choose not to live in an HOA for two reasons: 1) I think that HOA rules are often time too restrictive and they are difficult to change/alter. 2) the people who live in them. Specifically, people who sign that they will accept and follow the rules, but then live as if the rules dont apply to them.
HOAs are not inherantly bad, nor are property management companies evil. Here is some friendly advice from a former property manager if anyone wants it, if your planning on moving into an HOA:
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1) If you are going to move into a community with an HOA. READ YOUR CC&Rs FIRST! Pay close attention to areas concerning Architectural Rules (everything from landscaping to home additions), Parking Rules (probably the biggest area of contention in HOAs), Animal Regulations, and Community Rules. If before you buy you think you cannot follow a certain rule (ie. you just HAVE to have pink flamigoes in your yard.) maybe look for a different hoa. Agents can easily set up a meeting or get a copy of the CC&Rs and Rules and Regs for prospective buyers to review.
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2) Go to Board Meetings: Stay current with community issues. Try to start or get on “committees” that interest you like the Landscape or Architectual committees. Or run for the Board itself, a concerned and active Board should always be in control of their management compnay. If you want to effect change then take the iniative to get involved.
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3) Be a Neighbor: Talk to your neighbors, you dont have to be everyones best friend but at least know who your neighbors are. Be willing to talk out your issues. Let them know their dog barking is keeping you awake, try to resolve some of these issues like adults before running off and complaining to an HOA.
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4) Call Your Property Manager: Talk to the property manager BEFORE you buy, AFTER you close, BEFORE you start ANY PROJECT, and about once every 3 to 6 months. Ask about current issues, report problems you see, STAY INFORMED. A simple phone call up front can save you heartache later. The old adage “It’s easier to ask for forgivness than permission.” DOES NOT work with HOAs…
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Remember in the end HOAs are simply people trying to inforce a set rules to keep a community at a certain standard. Rules can be reviewed and even changed but they wont do it themselves. It takes people being proactive, people getting involved, and people keeping cool heads and thinking about their community FIRST. And Good Luck to the resdients of LWV, ultimately the power is in the hands of the community and it’s members.
September 26th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Yes, I agree with Tiki King. re what we should have done before moving in.
However, we put trust in PCM, who also was my realtor.
At this time I did not review the financials because they were too complex to understand adn not at all comprehensive. trust again in PCM
Also I did not realize that we - coop owners- do not have cc&r’s - the governing documents - However there are cc&rs and they were recorded when the coops were built but PCM and our Boards are not recognizing them. We are in mediation trying to get them to accept that we have them.
In light of the above, the HOA’S laws are not being adhered to and neither is the Davis Stirling Act. PCM ARE A DICTATORSHIP and we are being taken advantage of.
We know we should get rid of the Boards but somehow or other we have nobody who is capable of replacing what we have. You need a degree in everything here to follow what is going on.
Our average homeowner is just that - an average homeowner trusting, etc.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
By the way … just because we have some heartless, harassing, hacks in top management of PCM, does not mean we do not have a reasonably well maintained and very beautiful community. We have a long list of amenities (horse stables, PC and Mac computer facilities, bus transportation, gym facilities, garden centers, 36 holes of golf, driving range, 20 craft shops, hundreds of clubs, tennis courts, pools, and much more). Most of the cost of everything is included in our monthly assessment and it is a great place to live and enjoy. We also have truly remarkable residents.
Visit our web site at http://www.lagunawoodsvillage.com and learn more.
The problem is that the sharks at PCM are trying to take it all away for their own greedy appetite, and most residents would rather enjoy their last years having fun - and not risking their retirement or creating stress for themselves.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Mike Curtis: Clearly, you are the type of person that would pursue these accusations to the fullest extent possible. Also clear is that your claims have been found to be without merit, otherwise every man, woman and child associated with PCM would have been behind bars long ago. It seems as if you are presenting a one-sided, slanted opinion with some agenda other than a balanced evaluation. Let’s get real.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
It is interesting that one individual (Milt Johns) has developed such fear from a 73 year old female resident. A couple of years ago, he sat quietly as a Board Officer, even laughing a little at a Board Meeting, when a Board Director stated that, “it was time to kill the King and the Queen,” refering Specifically to me and my wife.
Did Mr Johns find that offensive? Apparently not, there was no public reprimand or outcry to the Director. As an ex-government official with political experience, the Director, in my mind, certainly had the capability of completing his threat.
Being in the public eye (my wife an I) were told that this is common to have these types of threats from people who do not conform to your views. We dropped the matter and other than a few damaged tires on two of our automobiles, we have experienced no bodily harm.
Mr Johns, who should be able to understand Lou and her fervor in wanting honesty and integrity as an integral part of our management company, felt that a restraining order was needed.
More power to you Mr Johns! This is a Slapp suit and it’s intent is “not to protect YOU,” but to monetarily harass a resident ,and place retributional fear in all who live in Leisue World who do not agree with your policies.
September 26th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
In addition to Yellowtail comments, I also found RudyNuff an interesting moniker and his blog seems to fit his name well. We in this community are up against BIG money and BIG power and some GREEDY developers helping out with their BIG plans for taking our homes and re-developing our property for BIG profits. Elder abuse just begins to describe the condition of what was once a Paradise that Cortese built!
September 26th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
The problems here stem from residents fears for their homes and lack of transparency in all things from PCM and GRF, particularly in relation use of our management fees. Fear generates anger and Yes, Lou is angry as is many residents here. We fear for our homes and the rising fees for unnecessary spending by PCM. Those who don’t agree with Lou’s verbage, might listen closer to her intent.
September 26th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
That’s about as nice as I know how to say it! This is not a Charm School issue!
September 26th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
TikiKing: Please take a dose of reality. As another reader said, United and GRF deny that they have or are covered by CC&Rs. We received our CC&Rs, requested weeks before, on the day we signed the closing papers. The rest of your comments say, “be active in the community”. That is what Skogen, Grundke, Curtis and others are doing and are being excoriated by PCM and people like you.
MBF: PCM’s political tentacles and those of Hart, King & Coldren (attorneys in the SLAPP action being undertaken by PCM) extend so far that the OCDA has ignored many attempts to get an investigation in this place going (they claim to have higher priorities and too few resources..they NEVER said the allegations were without merit) Corona was way too busy lining his own pockets to pay attention to a bunch of old people just jamming their jaws. I don’t know how old you are but surely you must be old enough to understand that money talks. In LWV PCM is the group with money…..OURs. They are free to spend OUR money because the boards that just want to retire quietly into a power trip for personal agrandizement have abdicated their fiscal responsibilities and fiduciary duties to the managing agent. When anybody such as Skogen speaks out, PCM moves immediately to shut them down and intimidate others by shutting them down. If you don’t understand that then perhaps you need a tutor or maybe you would care to come in here and get an education you have not even begun to be prepared for.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
This is just another example of cranky old people. This should illustrate why we shouldn’t put a 72 year old in the White House. In the name of Jesus Christ, My Lord and Savior - more shuffleboard, less whining please. Thank you.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Feelgood wrote “We do know that e-mail going out on comline.com goes through a T1 link to the main HQ of PCM. It would take virtually no effort to put a filter on communications to send automatic copies of communication to the desk of Milt or one of his minions.”.
Do you sleep with tin foil on your head too so that evil Milt doesn’t read your mind????
Your newspaper probably hasn’t picked this up because they know this column is CRAP. Leave the Boy Scouts alone!!!
September 27th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Geri Taal–just because you are paranoid, doesn’t mean you are not being followed. The statement about the T1 line is accurate and well known . It is also known that confidential information sent by e-mail has ended up on the desks on the 2nd floor. that discovered during an investigation during the lawsuit against PCM, United, GRF –superior court of california, county of orange, case 06CC11364. Public record. Remember it is often better to keep you mouth shut and appear a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
To lafeedubois
- re cc&rs - you must live in 3rd mutual
- United DO HAVE,them but GRF, PCM and UNITED Board say we do not have them
I live in United and was given an Occupancy Agreement - told me that we (United) do not have CC&R’s
September 28th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
You’re correct, noccrs, I didn’t make myself clear…by saying that they deny having them I meant that the cc&rs do exist but the boards deny they exist so they can do things like sell land. They are in arbitration right now to settle the question. The cc&rs for United have already been certified by a title company. It’s just that PCM, GRF, United would rather spend resident’s money in court battles than admit they are wrong. What do you suppose the ramifications are if the United CC&Rs are held to exist?
September 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Feelgood- Although, I am laughing proudly at your response to Geri Taal, it’s probably a waste of time to respond to narrow minded, unintelligent persons because most of the time they REALLY don’t get it. Best wishes to you and the other residents in getting your dictatorship outfit successfully removed and replaced with a legitimate operation. The only reason I am writing is because of the mean and stupid comments made by some people on this blog. They seem to forget that they are going to be old someday- if they’re lucky- and they will experience the other side of the coin. I am a young 40 something and look forward to kindness and compassion in my old age- not cruel commentary about the natural course of life. I look forward to a victory for the residents!
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
This is clear abuse by the association directors.
Anyone can get a restraining order. They serve a purpose. Yet they are often gimmics used in disagreements especially by those projecting their own violent feelings on another.
Homeowner associations have become bullies. Some have simply scammed naive struggling homeowners with the intention of grabbing their property.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:46 am
Milt Johns afraid of being beaten up by Ms. Skogens? I hope Milt Johns mother is still living so she can give him one big slap across his face. Can he not be replaced by a real man….a real gentleman, an actual businessman? Shame on you Mr. Johns, you make me want to vomit
October 4th, 2008 at 8:38 am
ZZZZZZZZZ”S
Our Gen. Manager ( Milt Johns) was distressed and fearful because he did not like what was said in an E Mail. He has hired attorney Bill Harts firm to handle it, so there goes more of our residents money raising our assessments. Milt join the crowd, how many seniors do you think have lost sleep when our management fee went up 83% over the last few years ( $ 350,000 to over $600,000) How many seniors were distressed and fearful when our chief financial officer tells us that PCM has saved us millions of dollars but our assessments keep going up. Where did the millions go? Who knows, surely not to lower assessments. How many seniors lost sleep when they learned about thousands upon thousands of dollars on credit cards and reimbursements expenses for lunches,dinners, parties, birthday parties, gifts, and etc. The shame of this is that the residents did not even know these cards exsisted. These same cards are the ones that Milt Johns said were to be used for emergencies only. How many seniors are distressed and fearful when they found out about PCM giving themselves an incentive bonus plan that the residents nor our boards knew nothing about.When you read all of this it kind of answers the question. Why are assessments going up? It’s hard to believe that PCM (Milt Johns) is managing Laguna Woods Village efficiently. I believe that if we stick with Milt Johns (PCM) managing style we will suffer profound and lasting harm financially. It is time now for residents to work together for a more efficient managing system that puts the residents first and that honors our ideals of integrity, transparency, accountability and freedom of choice.
Robert Zuzak
October 9th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
As predicted, PCM has withdrawn the petition for a restraining order. Bad publicity or bad kharma?
October 9th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Dismissal without prejudice is a dismissal that allows for re-filing of the case in the future.
We will wait to see what PCM or PCM of California (two cases filed and dismissed without prejudice) will do at the advice of their counsel Hart, King and Coldren of Santa Ana.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Alan, believe it or not, HKC is not the cousel for PCM in or out of California. HKC is the counsel for the four boards (GRF, United, 3rd, Towers). Note that none of the boards are party to the action. Note also that there was no legally noticed meeting at which GRF met to approve the use of HKC in this action. This was also not an emergency employee safety action since the time delay between the e-mails and the action (SLAPP) was about a month. This is not an emergency if you can wait a month to act. More to the point will Skogen file against PCM for emotional distress and damages (her counsel.) Most of us hope she will do that; we have had it with intimidation from the bully boys at PCM (and GRF.)
October 14th, 2008 at 8:13 am
It appears she was pro per in the case.
I was not aware of the relationship that existed between Hart, King and Coldren of Santa Ana and the organization.
The management company has their own legal team that was the reason the management increase the fees it charged to the association.
It really seems interesting and as mentioned before the books seems padded with interested “expensed” items.
Has anyone filed with the Attorney General on their handling of the mutual benefit corporation as a member?
I would urge those residences that have concerns to form an ad hoc committee and endorse members to replace the Board and then start a petition to remove all current members in a special election.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
These management companies are all scummy at the very best. It’s nice to see that people that have grievances can get a little press time now and again! These people are without shame, so it’s good to press a little shame when the opportunity arises.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
CLEARING THE AIR
Concern has been expressed that PCM utilized GRF’s legal counsel, Hart, King and Coldren to file an injunction against Village resident, Lou Skogen.
At the GRF’s Closed Session Meeting on Sept. 2, 2008, the Board was advised that HKC had reviewed several harassing and threatening emails sent by Ms. Skogen to staff, and that HKC recommended that intervention was necessary in order to protect the interests of GRF. During the meeting, the Board discussed obtaining a restraining order against Ms. Skogen, and GRF voted to direct HKC to file such a motion in Superior Court. GRF directed this action to protect its agent per the management agreement because the PCM employees who received the harassing, threatening emails, were acting in the course and scope of their role as Managing Agent for the Board when they were received.
On Sept. 18, 2008, HKC filed a motion for a temporary restraining order naming two PCM employees who received the threatening emails. The motion sought to prohibit the resident from having further contact with the Staff members.
All four boards have the responsibility of protecting the members of the Community and our Managing Agent’s employees.
In addition, Ms, Skogen has sent very insulting e-mails to me and other Board Directors. Receiving insults and not reacting to them is part of Directors’ job duties (First Amendment rights). But, threats to employees are very serious. That is why the GRF Board directed HKC to pursue this matter.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Bob Miller, you know there was a major conflict of interest here. You are trying so hard to cover that up. GRF was never mentioned in court papers, only PCM Inc. and PCM of CA, Inc.
October 30th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
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