Letter: House Woes

I have been very disappointed in your coverage of the issues surrounding the Malibu Adamson House Foundation’s (MAHF) aggression toward the Adamson House volunteer docents and State employees. You did not delve into the issues, which ultimately could cause the volunteer program to end and result in full closure. As the spouse of the former Docent Council Chairperson, I had a front row seat to the problems. 

The “good guys” are: 

* The nearly 50 volunteer docents that left who donated valuable time to conduct tours and raise nearly all the money for the Foundation

* The local California State Park employees that oversee the park, follow the rules and attempt to enforce the law to protect the docents from the board

* Most of the former board members that include Adamson family members who have the best interest of the house at heart, but left due to hostility and incompetence by others.

The “bad guys” are: 

* The former board president who sought status through her position, committed numerous documented hostile acts and forced out the good guys.

* The bureaucrats in Sacramento and the politicians who have chosen politics over doing what was right, preventing the state employees from rectifying the situation.

* The illegitimate current board largely recruited by the former board president to enforce her will and who were appointed rather than elected according to the bylaws. 

The docents left for their own individual reasons, but mostly because of an unsupportive and hostile board. These volunteers have had to stand by and watch the destruction take place. Meanwhile, the board (as a Cooperating Association of the State Parks), excluded the state from its oversight and participation roles and ran amuck as a result, budgeted almost nothing to preserve the house, hoarded money and used politics and hostility to trump the enforcement of the state’s legitimate role, worked against the volunteers, didn’t follow their bylaws and were unsupportive of reasonable expenses and resources in the house interpretation and promotion. 

Any credible investigation at all would support these facts. Meanwhile, the gem of Malibu is relegated to its role as a victim of circumstance and incompetence.

Please shed light on this terrible waste and need to put the good guys back in charge, including Adamson family members.

Stephen Kisor