In his “Letter to the Editor,” Ozzie Silna paraphrases Steve Uhring, president of Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy (MCLC) by writing “. . .that the Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy was supportive of using all the funds from the bond measure for the purpose of acquiring land for recreational purposes.” The previous week their MCLC letters were telling your readers that ball fields were their top priority.
The truth is their top priority has been and remains open space and wetlands, not ball fields, playgrounds or a community center as they would have you believe. We have obtained a copy of their IRS filing (under the Public Disclosure Act) for calendar year 2000 (Form 990-EZ):
Question: Describe what was achieved in carrying out the organization’s exempt purpose.
Answer: Preparation of site plans by Wetland Regulatory and Hydrologic Consultants and Architects. ($36,770)
Part III Statement of Organization’s Primary Exempt Purpose.
Explanation: “The preservation of land for historic, educational, ecological, recreational, scenic, or open spaces for public usage.”
It should be further noted that one of their board member is the executive director of the Wetlands Action Network. Nothing wrong with MCLC’s primary purpose as stated to the IRS – but how do you get out of this “ball fields” as their top priority?
John Harlow