Please add your comments why Jill Sheffield must go…
by cfmember
A little over a half dozen years ago, Jill Sheffield became the CEO of the Carmel Foundation. Prior to Jill Sheffield, the Carmel Foundation was a nice, warm and friendly senior center. Since the arrival of Jill Sheffield, the Carmel Foundation feels like a cold, heartless corporation.
Below is an indication of the number of comments. Click on the number and it will take you to where you can add your own comment on why you believe that Jill Sheffield must go.
and it is not attrition. They have not all died, they have just chosen to no longer attend the Carmel Foundation. Jill Sheffield seems to be in denial. Is her board also in denial or just clueless?
attendance is down for salmon also. In the past, salmon day had ’em standing in the foyer waiting for a table. It’s been a l-o-n-g time since they had to wait in the foyer. Sad when $5 salmon doesn’t pack ’em in like it used to.
Yes, it does seem that Jill is in denial and her board is also in denial or clueless. Clueless is possible since the board members are all too new to remember the good old days.
Emil Kissell made it past 90 but did not make it to 100.
In Emil’s memory, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
When Emil relocated from Carmel to Pacific Grove, he began attending the Sally Griffin Senior Center and said that he preferred Sally Griffin to the Carmel Foundation. Since Emil preferred the Sally Griffin Center, it would make sense for the Sally Griffin Center to be the recipient of your donation in Emil’s honor.
Yeah, some of Jill’s so-called attrition can be attributed to former members who were chased off by Jill and found a new home at the Sally Griffin Center in PG. It’s not attrition, it’s members fleeing Jillville.
4 employees have disappeared in the last 8 months.
1. Gayle Cureton
2. Millie Grieve
3. Suzan Salyers
4. Bonnie Jay
Meanwhile, the senior centers in Monterey and Pacific Grove go from year to year to year with the same employees, virtually no attrition.
Is the Board blind?
or are the board Jill’s puppets?
Pure and simple!
Time to leave the foundation and go to Sally Griffin or Monterey Senior
Center.
the members are voting with their feet
also vote with their wallets, by keeping their wallets folded, not open.
As more members leave, donations will decline. Maybe that will get the Board’s attention because the Board has certainly chosen to turn a blind eye to everything else.
The Sally Griffin Senior Center’s members call the Executive Director, Vivica (her name).
The Carmel Foundation’s members call the President/CEO, Cruella because Jill has been cruel to
Former Staff
Current Staff
Former Members
Current Members
Former Donors
Yes, Cruella has even been nasty to DONORS.
A senior center should be a cruelty-free zone!
The Carmel Foundation is in a downward death-spiral.
The ONLY way to save the Carmel Foundation from its impending doom is for Cruella to GO!
There is no interest, like self interest. Jill has an easy, high-paying job. There is no way she will resign.
Since Jill refuses to resign, the entire Board could resign in unison . . . that would get attention from the Media.
To read 858 previous comments, click on the words OLDER COMMENTS in brown above the words “It is time” above/left
The Carmel Foundation has lost 4 employees in the last 8 months:
1. Gayle Cureton
2. Millie Grieve
3. Suzan Salyers
4. Bonnie Jay
Unfortunately at the Carmel Foundation 4 employee departures in 8 months is typical. In the few years Jill Sheffield has been the President/CEO at least 28 employees have revolved through Jill’s revolving door:
1. Charity Joy
2. Christine Lawson
3. Cynthia Matory
4. Diana Chan
5. Elisa Gray
6. Gary Taylor
7. Gayle Cureton
8. James Ford
9. Jennifer Martinez
10. Joe Rizzo
11. Juliette Ferguson
12. Kathy Spake
13. Kevin Flynn
14. Laura Vonier
15. Linda Lee
16. Loida Higuera
17. Marge Simmons
18. Matt DeChalk
19. Millie Grieve
20. Paul Arroyo
21. Penney Gaines
22. Rafael Hernandez
23. Roxanne Lee
24. Suzan Salyers
25. Tony Diaz
26. Vince (a driver)
27. Carter Fries
28. Bonnie Jay
and who know how many we’ve forgotten
(they come and go so quickly).
Jill Sheffield’s predecessor was John Freitas. During the John Freitas years there was very little employee turnover thus the members learned the employees names. Most members don’t bother to learn new employees names anymore. Why clutter up one’s brain with names of employees who will be gone in no time!
is the Board ever going to wake up and smell the coffee!
lukewarm hazelnut or pumpkin or some other atrocity chosen by an employee and hated by the members
It’s no wonder that Jill’s coffee shop is a veritable Ghost Town!
Many of the members are so shaky they cannot carry a cup of coffee from the coffee shop to the Seideneck room without spilling coffee on the floor thereby creating a hazard for slipping. Even if Jill does not care if the members slip, you would think that Jill would care about legal liability. No lids for the disposable coffee cups is a slip and fall lawsuit waiting to happen.
If the Carmel Foundation had lids for the its disposable cups, I could buy a cup just before I leave but I don’t want to risk spilling in my car.
It is obvious that the paid employees prefer French Roast to Cafe Americano but this is a senior center, run BY paid employees FOR senior citizens. How many times do the members have to post that there should ALWAYS be Cafe Americano AND Decaffeinated Cafe Americano!! The third pot can contain french roast or hazelnut or pumpkin spice or whatever $#!+ flavor the paid employees desire.
Hi, it’s me, Gin.
This is the 7th page of comments and replies. Former chef Gayle Cureton’s mailing address was posted on an earlier page but I am posting it again. I ran into Gayle again today. Gayle said that she has received some holiday greeting cards containing cash and checks from current and former members of the Carmel Foundation. Gayle was exceedingly thankful because her unemployed financial situation is dire. It is never too late to send your holiday greeting to her:
Gayle Cureton
P.O. Box 2611
Carmel, CA 93921
$77,000 median annual salary of FBI agents
$52,000 median annual salary of Bomb Squad Experts
Sources: FBI & Bureau of Labor Statistics
Is heading up the Carmel Foundation really worth
$40,000 more than an FBI agent?
Is heading up the Carmel Foundation really worth
more than twice as much as a Bomb Squad Expert?
Resounding
NO!!!
If only some attorney would step up to the plate in pro bono and accomplish what all of us want…to get rid of jill shieffield and the current board! There must be some legal grounds to accomplish this.
Oh Oh…did I not spell her name correctly…is it sheffield or is it the common name that we all associate with the ruthless wacko…Oh yes, it comes to mind now…”Cruella,” the witch who stole our Foundation, and Christmas for some.
Now I lay me down to sleep in hope that MY Foundation will keep. When I wake and open my eyes what could I wonder, a major surprise. A Foundation that is what it used to be. A warm and special place where all could come and feel that they were, “home.” A place where smiling faces of members felt free to enjoy the, “winter.” of their years. Where employees didn’t have to worry if they were next to get the axe. There is always hope and that is part of this season. Let’s hope that we can change things back to how they used to be.
When Gayle was the chef and Kelly was Gayle’s assistant, they served 150 lunches a day.
A couple years ago, Jill promoted Kelly to co-chef as part of Jill’s evil plan to get rid of the REAL chef, Gayle. Even though their titles were co-chefs, Jill gave Gayle’s former duties to Kelly, including menu planning and ordering from vendors. That is when lunch quality started to decline. Attendance declined while Gayle was still employed because Gayle was no longer planning the menus nor ordering the supplies. Gayle was still employed but Kelly was really already in charge and that is when the meals started declining and attendance declined also.
150 lunches per day were served before Jill promoted Kelly to co-chef and treated Kelly as Gayle’s superior.
50 lunches per day since Gayle was terminated. Today ‘s entree was Kelly’s wretched turkey pot pie and even though Carlos and Greg now set up fewer tables, the place was still empty. Were 50 lunches served today, probably not.
If Jill had left well enough alone, that is left Gayle as chef and Kelly as Gayle assistant, with Gayle doing the menu planning and ordering from vendors, attendance would still be 150.
When 2/3 of your attendees quit attending, they are making a statement and while Jill does not care, the members of the Board should.
It is NOT attrition. The former attendees have not all died. They are still alive. They are elsewhere and their $$$$$ are elsewhere also.
Jill Sheffield wants the lunch program to DIE and the sooner the better because the lunch program is subsidized and Jill does not want to waste money on subsidized lunches for seniors when that perfectly good money could be going to a better use, say giving herself another hefty raise. The less money Jill wastes on members, the more money there is left for Jill.
I have talked with a board member and learned that the Foundation is not bringing in the funds that are necessary. So, is the answer to eliminate lunch and programs? You be the judge!
Which do you think the founders said:
Let’s found a foundation that will provide services for Carmel’s seniors
OR
Let’s create a cushy position for a CEO who will cost the foundation over a MILLION DOLLARS a decade
? ?
The Carmel Foundation’s assets should be spent in the manner intended by the founders . . . on Carmel’s seniors . . . not on a $10K/month CEO.
It is time for the Board to be fiscally responsible by eliminating that title and salary (both are ridiculous for a senior center) and start spending the Carmel Foundation’s assets on the original intended demographic, Carmel’s seniors.
c.$150,000 with benefits per year = CEO/President
c.$500,000 with benefits per year = 5 Directors
And that is only 6 of the almost 2-dozen employees.
Well over 2-dozen when you include cleaning crew and gardening crew. (Carlos and Greg are the maintenance crew. Carlos and Greg are not the cleaning nor gardening crew.) Cleaning and gardening crews could bring the payroll up to 3-dozen.
Some days there aren’t many more than 3-dozen members at lunch. Quite often there are considerably less than 3-dozen members at the Wednesday afternoon program.
Jill Sheffield inherited a well-attended Carmel Foundation but due to her decisions and actions the paid staff has grown while attendance has plummeted.
Jill Sheffield got rid of the employees who predated her and replaced them with “her people”
Members of the Board have set terms. Jill has now been CEO long enough that she has been able to fill the Board with “her people”
RESULT:
None of the employees and none of the members of the Board have any recollection of the Carmel Foundation that was inherited by Jill Sheffield because it has changed 180-degrees during Jill reign. Even though there are no longer any older employees, there still are older members who DO remember.
CONCLUSION:
1. It is time for Jill Sheffield to retire.
2. Mrs. Sheffield’s replacement should be called a Manager, not President/CEO.
3. Mrs. Sheffield’s replacement should be paid a Manager’s salary, not a President/CEO/salary.
Not only has the number of employees increased, the distribution of employees has been rearranged.
Employees providing services to the members, such as chauffeurs, have declined in numbers while employees dedicated to fundraising have increased.
The increase in fundraising employees would be understandable if the funds raised were being used on services for the members, such as chauffeurs. But it appears that over a MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR is needed just for employees salaries.
Aimee Cuda is not the problem. I’ve never heard anyone say anything negative about Aimee. Everyone says how much they like Aimee and how much they worry about Aimee’s job security because everyone agrees that Jill Sheffield will use Aimee Cuda as a scapegoat.
The Board needs to be aware that the decline in donations is not because of Aimee, it is because of Jill. Donors are withholding donations in an attempt to force Mrs. Sheffield’s retirement. Many past donors will resume donating as soon as Mrs. Sheffield is GONE.
The Board reads this website. This is our only chance to enlighten the Board. We must post as much as possible in order to enlighten the Board.
Post everything you want the Board to know.
President/CEO Jill Sheffield’s predecessor was not a President/CEO. When Jill Sheffield inherited the corner office from John Freitas, the nameplate on the door was changed to have a new exalted title: President/CEO. Additionally, Jill upgraded John’s Assistants to Directors and gave each of them a 10% raise as a way of buying their fidelity.
Jill Sheffield is responsible for all 6 (including her own) promotions and salary raises.
If the Carmel Foundation’s financial situation is declining, the Board should demote the President /CEO back to being the Manager and the 5 Directors should be demoted back to being Assistant Managers. And all 6 salaries should be adjusted accordingly downward.
Over a half century ago, the Carmel Foundation was founded in the interest of the Carmel senior citizens. The members were the focus of the Foundation until the ascension of Jill Sheffield. To the members it appears that Jill’s priorities are:
1. Jill Sheffield: most important
2. Paid Employees
3. Dues Paying Members: least important
When I saw this headline, my first thought was that the Carmel Foundation is in crisis, so why doesn’t Jill Sheffield quit? Remember, President/CEO Sheffield caused the CF’s crisis. Yes, Jill was the cause. The effect?
Declining attendance (lunch attendance is down 66%)
Declining membership renewals
Declining donations
In order to save the Carmel Foundation, Jill Sheffield needs to disappear and the sooner, the better!
To save face, rather than call it a termination or resignation, it could be calledt retirement. Hell, we’d gladly throw a retirement party for her, anything to get rid of her once and for all.
Dear Santa, we would consider it a Christmas gift if Jill’s last day was December 31, 2012.
Hard to believe that the City Council of Carmel by the Sea just honored Jill Sheffield for doing such a great job. Read the present issue of the Carmel Pine Cone. Obviously the Council hasn’t read this blog or doesn’t care. Perhaps the Council needs to be made aware of the unhappiness of the members and former employees!
the Carmel Foundation provides the subsidized housing that should be provided by the City of Carmel. The City of Monterey provides subsidized housing. The City of Pacific Grove provides subsidized housing. But the City of Carmel does not have to provide subsidized housing because the Carmel Foundation does it.
Shame on the City of Carmel.
The Carmel Foundation has had to hire extra employees because of the 3 apartment buildings:
Carlos or Greg could handle 8th and Lincoln alone.
Anne or her assistant could handle 8th and Lincoln alone.
Two departments with additional employees because of the 3 apartment buildings that should be subsidized by the City of Carmel, not the senior center.
3 apartment buildings plus
2 dozen full time employees plus
unknown number of part time cleaning crew (night)
unknown number of part time gardening crew
consume most of the donations!!!!
In other words . . .
the majority of the budget is being spent on paid employees and about 3 dozen members.
very little of the budget is being spent on the majority of the members.
And the Board wonders why former donors have ceased donating to the Carmel Foundation and commenced donating elsewhere!
the lunch program is subsidized. My question is how much a year does the lunch subsidy cost? Is the annual lunch subsidy more or less than Jill’s annual salary and benefits? Are Carmel Foundation members and donors spending more on the CF’s CEO or feeding senior members?
of the 3 apartment buildings. The 3 apartment buildings are why there has to be a 2nd fundraising employee.
Most donors do not realize that the subsidized apartments come with a maid. Yes, the Carmel Foundation pays for the services of a maid for the interiors of the subsidized apartments. How many of the donors have maids? How many of the donors realize that their donations are being used to provide maid service for the interiors of the subsidized apartments!!
I get it…the Foundation is a ghost town so that Jill’s salary and benefits and some of her staff also, are the large benefactors of donations and dues plus the cost of subsidizing the low cost housing with maid service. We members don’t count anymore. Time to find a local senior center where there are no ghosts and the members come first!
Merry Christmas to all!
And To All A Good Night!
but evil does exist. And to those who have been impacted by evil, it is never a good night. (read between the lines)
I realize that evil exists…we need not look any farther than Jill’s office…however…I was just trying to get into the spirit of Christmas on Christmas day.
read between the lines.
Saturday is movie day. Why was the Wednesday afternoon program a movie? Programmer out of the loop….just doesn’t have the necessary contactsto book real, live presenters? Or maybe just too lazy to book a program?
In the past, each monthly newsletter had a bio and a mugshot of a member (I distinctly remember the mugshots were by Ken Roberts). It was a nice way for the members to get to know one another. The Carmel Foundation’s motto is “an adventure in neighborliness” and the bio and mugshot made the monthly newsletter seem more neighborly.
Member Illia Thompson is a skilled writer.
Member Bob Stone was a professional photographer for Conde Nast publications (Vogue, Vanity Fair, etc.). Bob’s portrait photography is absolutely fabulous, he even made ugly old me look good!
Please contact these two members regarding reviving the monthly newsletter’s Member of the Month.
Thanks!
The administrators know Illia Thompson. If the administrators are hesitant to ask Bob Stone because they do not know him, an administrator may contact me and ask me to ask Bob. I am willing to ask Bob if the administrator so desires.
Hi, it’s me again (gin). What reminded me of the Carmel Foundation’s former member of the month was a half page ad in “The Herald” featuring the Santa Lucia Preserve’s employees of the month for 2012. It might help introduce the members to the staff if the Carmel Foundation would feature an employee of the month in each issue of the newsletter.
According to
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/worst-ceo-2012-best-buy-brian-dunn-124535841.html
the worst CEO of 2012 was the CEO of Best Buy.
The article says that there are not a lot of great things to say. You have a company that is in a virtual free fall. The stock is down something like 50% this year; cash is down.
Sound familiar?
The Carmel Foundation is in a virtual free fall. Attendance is down more than 50%. Membership (dues = cash) is down. Donations are down.
The difference?
Best Buy’s CEO had the good sense and common decency to resign.
The Carmel Foundation’s Board could terminate Jill Sheffield but allow Mrs, Sheffield to pretend that she resigned.
retired.
If Jill choses to retire, does she get retirement benefits?
If Jill is terminated, does she get retirement benefits?
I would bet that she’ll get two pensions. One from United Airlines and a second pension from the Carmel Foundation.
On that you would be wrong.
Jill lost her pension with United and The Carmel Foundation doesn’t have a pention plan, only a 3% matching retirement plan with Vanguard.
According to “longtimemember” the Carmel Foundation is contributing 3% to Vanguard. That sounds like a 401K or a similar retirement plan.
“longtimemember” appears unaware of ERISA + PBGC.
In 1974 the federal government created the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
ERISA created the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) as an independent agency of the federal government.
PBGC covers failed pension plans.
In other words, United Airlines dumped Jill’s pension plan on YOU, the U.S. taxpayer.
At United Airlines, Jill was a high paid executive thus she qualifies for PBGC’s maximum annual pension $54,000 in 2011.
In April when you pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you are paying Jill’s United Airlines pension of $54,000.
In other words, YOU the U.S. taxpayer are paying Jill’s United Airlines pension.
YOU, the U.S. taxpayer are paying Jill over $1,000 a week pension.
You may read the official bureaucratic gibberish at the
ERISA website
PBGC website
or you may read plain English on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pension_Benefit_Guaranty_Corporation
In retirement, Jill will receive 3 monthly checks.
Even if Jill is terminated, her 401K is hers.
PLUS she’ll get $54,000/year (2011 figure adjusted upward annually for inflation) from the PBGC.
PLUS she’ll get $2,513/month (2012 figure adjusted upward annually for inflation) Social Security.
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/5/~/maximum-social-security-retirement-benefit
$54,000 PBGC U.S. government covering for United Airlines
$30,000 Social Security (maximum because she is high income)
?????? Vanguard (Carmel Foundation)
$84,000 per year from the U.S. government.
$84,000 per year + 401K (Carmel Foundation)
Sounds as though Mrs. Sheffield will retire at over $100,000 per year.
Sounds as though when Mrs. Sheffield retires she will still be getting her present $10,000 a month.
It is time for Jill to quit treating us as if we are preschoolers and start treating us as adults.
$54,000/year = Jill Sheffield’s PBGC for United Airlines
$54,000/year = Neil Sheffield’s PBGC for United Airlines
$30,000/year = Jill Sheffield’s Social Security
$30,000/year = Neil Sheffield’s Social Security
equals
$168,000/year from the U.S. government
plus
Jill’s Vanguard
plus
Neil’s
Self Employed Pension (SEP) or
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or
Neil’s “other” source of retirement income.
Over $200,000/year retirement.
Probably over a QUARTER OF A MILLION a year retirement.
Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield are not going to qualify for food stamps.
IT IS TIME FOR HER TO GO.
The Monterey County Weekly encourages YOU to donate to one or more of almost 100 Non-profits.
The Carmel Foundation is NOT on the Weekly’s list this year.
If memory serves me, the Carmel Foundation has been on the Weekly’s list in prior years…BUT NOT this year…interesting!
Details?
“Google” the name of the organization:
ANIMALS
Animal Friends Rescue Project
Educational Resources of Monterey County
Friends of the Sea Otter
Marine Life Studies
Otter Project, Inc.
Peace of Mind Dog Rescue
Save the Whales
SPCA
ARTS & CULTURE
Arts Council for Monterey County
Camerata Singers, Inc.
Carmel Art Association
Carmel Bach Festival
Celadon Inc.
Dance Kids of Monterey County
Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra
Feast of Lanterns Inc.
First Night Monterey
Forest Theater Guild
Henry Miller Memorial Library
Magic Circle Theater (Sierra Sage, Inc.)
Monterey Bay Symphony Association
Pacific Grove Art Center Association
Pacific Repertory Theatre (PacRep)
Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation
Sol Treasures
SpectorDance
Washington Union Educational Foundation
Youth Music Monterey
COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICE
For The Least Of Us, Inc.
Friends of the Monterey Public Library
Global Majority
Housing Resource Center of Monterey County
Interfaith Outreach of Carmel
Interim, Inc.
Leadership Monterey Peninsula, Inc.
Legal Services for Seniors
Monterey County Rape Crisis Center
Montere Hostel Society
Monterey Peace and Justice Center
Rebuilding Together – Monterey/Salinas
Salinas Steinbeck Rotary Club Foundation
Salvation Army
Second Chance Youth Program of Monterey County
Shelter Outreach Plus
Veterans Transition Center of Monterey County
YWCA
EDUCATION & YOUTH
Bay View Academy
Boys & Girls Club of Monterey County
Chartwell School
Community of Caring Monterey Peninsula, Inc.
Community Partnership for Youth
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Monterey County
Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries
Friends of Monterey Academy of Oceanographic Science
Friends of the Salinas Public Library
Girls Inc. of the Central Coast
Hartnell College Foundation
International School of Monterey
Literacy Campaign for Monterey County
Loaves, Fishes and Computers, Inc.
Lyceum of Monterey County
MCAET Foundation
Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum
Monterey County Youth Museum
Museum Foundation of Pacific Grove, Inc.
National Coalition Building Institute Monterey County
National Steinbeck Center
Peacock Acres, Inc.
Rancho Cielo, Inc.
Salinas Police Activities League, Inc.
Oasis Charter Public School
Youth Arts Collective
ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
Big Sur Land Trust
Central California Council of AYH, Inc.
Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Habitat for Humanity Monterey County
HOPE Rehabilitation Services
MEarth
LandWatch Monterey County
Offset Project, Inc.
Save Our Shores
Surfrider Foundation
HEALTH, WELLNESS & FOOD
Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association
Cancer Patients Alliance
Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services
CHOMP
Community Emergency Response Volunteers
Everyone’s Harvest
Food Bank for Monterey County
Gateway Center of Monterey County
HANDS TO HELP SENIORS, INC.
Hope Center Monterey
Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley, Inc.
Meals on Wheels/Sally Griffin Senior Center
National Alliance on Mental Illness, Monterey County
Natividad Medical Foundation
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
Rice Plus Project
THANKS TO “THE WEEKLY” FOR PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE VENUES FOR FORMER-DONORS TO DONATE IN THE FUTURE.
New Year’s (Greenwich Mean Time) Party attendance was down.
Lunch attendance is down 66%
The last Wednesday afternoon program had 4 attendees.
With rows of chairs, Diment Hall seats upward of 100 and there were a grand total of 4 filled chairs.
It is NOT attrition…we are all just fed up with the CEO.
Thanksgiving dinner was way down,
Christmas dinner was way down.
Jill is in denial and her Board is in the dark.
OK, so on this blog I have read:
Former Chef Gayle Cureton had twice the seniority of CEO Sheffield.
Former Chef Gayle Cureton was the Carmel Foundation’s most senior employee.
Former Chef Gayle Cureton was only 1-1/2 years away from being able to retire when CEO Sheffield terminated Chef Cureton.
When CEO Sheffield retires, she and her husband will receive 6 checks a month totaling at least $200,000 per year, probably more.
Yet former Chef Gayle Cureton is stressed out because due to being unemployed she worries about paying her rent.
Say it ain’t so.
because the members have three very strong opinions:
1. Former Chef Cureton was doing a stellar job.
2. As President/CEO Jill Sheffield sucks!
3. We would have rather seen Jill depart and Gayle stay!!
Former employee, Elisa Gray advised us regarding Medicare Part D (Drug) coverage. When Elisa disappeared, this former service disappeared with her. Elisa was replaced but her replacement did not provide this former service. Instead of continuing to provide this service, the Carmel Foundation told its members to be advised by the Alliance on Aging in Salinas.
Well, guess what? If I am being advised by the Alliance on Aging, my current and future donations will go to the Alliance on Aging.
The Carmel Foundation is free to eliminate this former service but I am also free to eliminate my donations to the Carmel Foundation.
Money talks!
Unfortunately, money is the ONLY language understood by CEO Sheffield and HER Board!
http://allianceonaging.org/give/
$92,000 commercial airline pilot
$45,500 enlisted military
$42,250 firefighters
President/CEO Jill Sheffield = $117,000
How can the Board justify Jill’s cushy job being worth almost 3-times as much as the average firefighter?
Commercial airline pilots are responsible for the lives of their many passengers. Firefighters risk their lives to save the lives of others. Enlisted military put their lives on the line, everyday.
The fact that Jill makes more than they do is a joke. The fact that she makes substantially more than they do is a bad joke. A very bad joke indeed.
Everybody at the table agreed that the pasta was bland and tasteless. All Kelly cares about is that the meals are cheap. Kelly is so cheap that she won’t even season the pasta!
Gayle cooked with spices and love. Fire Kelly and bring back Gayle!!
The photo group is Missing In Action.
Meetings canceled before AND after Thanksgiving AND Christmas AND New Year. It seems as though the ladies are so busy cooking for the holidays, they don’t have time to run the photo group. Most men do not cook for the holidays, so they’d have time to run the photo group. It’s time for these gals to give the group back to the guys.
The monthly newsletter lists Jill Sheffield as Editor.
Let’s analyze Jill Sheffield as an Editor.
January 2013 edition, page 1 has 4 articles.
Article 1:
Philanthropic Foodie
ADVERTISEMENT
for members to donate $110 per person.
Article 2:
Legacy Giving
ADVERTISEMENT
requesting that members include the Carmel Foundation in their wills or trusts in addition to a request that members donate their:
-IRA or pension plan
-Stocks or bonds
-Life insurance
-Checking accont
-Savings account
Article 3:
ADVERTISEMENT
for Monterey Bay Village
$360 per year for single person (more for a married couple)
Article: 4
ADVERTISEMENT
CPK Fundraiser for Monterey Bay Village
because MBV is undersubscribed
Recapitulation
Article 1 requests $110 from members
Article 2 requests $$$$$ from members
Article 3 requests $360 from members
Article 4 requests $$ from members
BOTTOM of page 1:
“Have You Renewed Your Membership”
That’s 5 requests for money on the 1st page.
Let’s take a look at page 2.
TOP of page 2:
ADVERTISEMENT
“Birdies for Charity is a fun and great way to make a charitable donation to the Carmel Foundation . . . .”
“How to Pledge”
“Birdies for Charity Benefiting Monterey Bay Village”
“This year, The Carmel Foundation will use the funds raised through Birdies for Charity to support Monterey Bay Village.”
“Your gift through Birdies for Charity . . . .”
BOTTOM of page 2:
Memorial Gifts
Tribute Gifts
That’s 3 requests for money on the 2nd page.
That’s 8 requests for money on the 1st 2 pages.
The Carmel Foundation’s OLD Motto:
“An Adventure in Neighborliness”
The Carmel Foundation’s NEW Motto?
“Ask not what the Carmel Foundation can do for you.
Ask what you can do for the Carmel Foundation”
The truth is that the Monterey Bay Village was an experiment.
It has proven to be a FAILED experiment.
2012, in addition to the Carmel Foundation’s annual Spring fundraiser, the CF had to sponsor a SECOND fundraiser in the Autumn with all the profits going NOT to the Carmel Foundation BUT to the Monterey Bay Village.
The 1st 2 pages of the January newsletter has 3 pleas for funds for the Monterey Bay Village.
ADVERTISEMENT
for Monterey Bay Village
$360 per year for single person (more for a married couple)
ADVERTISEMENT
CPK Fundraiser for Monterey Bay Village
because MBV is undersubscribed
ADVERTISEMENT
“Birdies for Charity is a fun and great way to make a charitable donation to the Carmel Foundation . . . .”
“How to Pledge”
“Birdies for Charity Benefiting Monterey Bay Village”
“This year, The Carmel Foundation will use the funds raised through Birdies for Charity to support Monterey Bay Village.”
HALF of the solicitations in the monthly newsletter will NOT benefit the several thousand members BUT will ONLY benefit the 36 members of the Monterey Bay Village.
Jill Sheffield excels at one thing, and one thing only…SPIN.
Jill is a Spin-Master or a Spin-Mistress.
January Newsletter
1st Page
“Village Members Using Services”
The Newsletter Editor, Jill Sheffield” goes on to say
“TO DATE, 98 service requests have been fulfilled….”
“Monterey Bay Village began accepting Members JULY 1, 2012.
That’s half a year…26 weeks…130 work days.
98 service requests in 130 work days.
98 telephone calls answered in 130 days.
That’s less than one telephone call per work day.
That does not warrant a high-salary Director, the Carmel Foundation’s equivalent of a Vice President, who is not self-supporting.
Sorry, Jill, that is nothing to brag about.
au contraire, that is an embarrassment.
A dismal failure.
Proof that the Carmel Foundation lives by begging.
If the Monterey Bay Village concept had to be self-supporting, after a trial period of 90 days, it would have ceased to exist.
It seems that CEO Sheffield has lied so much that lying just comes naturally to Jill. At her Town Hall Meeting, one of Jill’s many lies was that the Monterey Bay Village is completely separate from the Carmel Foundation.
Take a look at your copy of the Carmel Foundation’s monthly newsletter. Under the the word “Staff” the Editor, Jill Sheffield, has not listed all two dozen staff members, just the Directors, including Nettie Porter, Director of the Monterey Bay Village. So it is down in black and white for all posterity that Nettie Porter is an administrator of the Carmel Foundation. Carmel Foundation administrators are on the Carmel Foundation’s payroll. The original intent was undoubtedly that the Monterey Bay Village would sign up enough members to cover Ms. Porter’s salary. But based on the number of members who have signed up (1 Director for 3 dozen members) that has not happened unless Nettie is working for $1,000 a month, less than minimum wage. Since we can safely assume that this Director is not working for less than minimum wage, we can safely assume that (as is the case with the other Directors) she is on the Carmel Foundation’s payroll.
If as CEO Sheffield lied, the Monterey Bay Village was separate from the Carmel Foundation, why is the Carmel Foundation advertising the Monterey Bay Village. Is the Monterey Bay Village paying the Carmel Foundation for the advertising (mostly on the front page) included in the Carmel Foundation’s newsletter? Impossible, the Monterey Bay Village has not generated enough income to pay its Director, so how would it pay for advertising?
The Monterey Bay Village is sending mass mailings to the Carmel Foundation’s members and donors. Did the Carmel Foundation sell its mailing lists to the Monterey Bay Village? Since the Monterey Bay Village has not generated enough income to cover its Director’s salary, it it doubtful that the Monterey Bay Village bought the mailing lists from the Carmel Foundation. The Carmel Foundation would not donate its mailing lists to another entity.
The Carmel Foundation has two employees who do fundraising nothing but fundraising. How much for their time is dedicated to fundraising for the Carmel Foundation and how much of their time is dedicated to fundraising for the Monterey Bay Village?
Fundraisers that originally were raising funds for (and still should be raising funds for) the Carmel Foundation are now raising funds for the Monterey Bay Village (example: AT&T Birdies for Charity). In other words, funds that should be used for the benefit of several thousand members are, instead, being used for the new Director and her 36 members.
The Monterey Bay Village’s Director has a private office in a Carmel Foundation building (Blanchard House). That does not sound like the Carmel Foundation and the Monterey Bay Village are separate.
And where did the Monterey Bay Village get its start up funds? Presumably the Carmel Foundation.
And who paid the Monterey Bay Village Director’s salary for the MANY months she was on the payroll before the Monterey Bay Village had any members (that is, any income? Presumably the Carmel Foundation.
And who paid to remodel the members’ room in Blanchard House into a smaller members’ room and a private office for the Monterey Bay Village’s Director? Presumably the Carmel Foundation.
Did Jill really use Carmel Foundation funds to take square footage away from Carmel Foundation members and give it to the Monterey Bay Village Director? A Director who only serves 36 members!
Jill, it is not fiscally possible for 36 members to pay a Director’s salary. If the 36 annual fees paid for the remodeling of Blanchard House to create an office for the Director, there were no funds left over for the Director’s salary.
Jill, did you really expect anyone to believe you when you said that the Carmel Foundation and the Monterey Bay Village are separate?
Jill, we may be old but we are not dumb!
One of the posts above, proves that Monterey Bay Village Director, Nettie Porter, only received 98 work orders in 130 work days. That’s 98 incoming telephone calls in 130 works days. That’s less than one incoming phone call per day. This is a seriously underworked employee, as was Bonnie Jay who had so little real work to do that she was regularly out of her office to:
– teach African drumming
– teach arts & crafts (jewelry, etc.)
– go on walks with the members (we didn’t need her along)
Instead of hiring a Bonnie Jay replacement (who would also be seriously underworked), Bonnie Jay and Nellie Porter’s positions should be combined into one position, so that the employee would have enough work to do between 9:00-5:00 without the boondoggles of the past.
Jill doesn’t want less employees.
Jill wants more employees.
Jill want as many employees as possible because the more employees she has, the more important it makes her feel.
As CEO/President, Jill Sheffield may be able to convince her Board that if she is supervising 25 employees, rather than 20 employees, that her salary should be 20% higher because that’s 20% more employees to supervise (even if they are answering less than one telephone call per day or teaching African drumming).
2011 members were pissed because Jill Sheffield terminated Kathy Spake.
2012 members were pissed because Jill Sheffield terminated Gayle Cureton (we would have loved to have seen Kelly Gilpin disappear instead).
2012 members were pissed because Jill Sheffield eliminated our former Members’ Services Room (Jill, it is possible to bring it back).
2012 members pissed because Jill Sheffield spent “our” funds on tables with sharp corners and armless chairs for “her” coffee shop (Jill, sell them and buy round top tables and chairs with arms).
2012 the year that some member was pissed enough to create this forum.
2012 the year that Jill Sheffield will always remember as her, personal, “Annus Horribilis”
The casserole today was just plain ugly. Unappealingly ugly. Could not convince myself to order it.
The Monterey County Herald
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Page C2
GO! CALENDAR
“Boomer Up on the Internet”
10 a.m.-noon
Monterey Public Library
625 Pacific Street, Monterey
Session will include a live, interactive demonstration of the Medicare website to show how to research and enroll in Medicare Part D Drug Plans.
Free.
646-5602
The Carmel Foundation’s former employee, Bonnie Jay, claimed that she wanted Medicare Part D Drug Plan training but that the Carmel Foundation would not pay for her training.
The above class is free but many Carmel Foundation members cannot take the free class because they are not computer literate. Members who are computer illiterate need Anne Albano and her assistant to assist them in navigating the Medicare Part D Drug Plan website.
Anne Albano and her assistant should both take the free class above. Will they?
Jill, the above class is free. Whoever is teaching this free class, could teach Anne Albano and her assistant. Jill, call 646-5602 to ascertain the name and contact info for the trainer and have the trainer train Anne and her assistant.
Friday, January 11th
Catbert advises the Pointy-Haired Boss
“Studies say employees prefer having a good boss over getting a raise. So instead of giving raises, PRETEND to be LESS dysfunctional. It’s cheaper.”
We are old, not dead. The Carmel Foundation is not a convalescent home. We are not forbidden to have food with flavor.
Kelly, please go to Smart & Final and buy some herbs and spices.
Went to Gentrain this afternoon. MPC’s lecture hall was over 2/3 full. That is, there were over 200 in attendance.
anytime the Carmel Foundation has less than 200 diners at lunch, it proves that they have made a conscious decision to dine elsewhere
it is proof that they have consciously decided to be elsewhere
The only explanation is that this peninsula’s seniors are choosing to be elsewhere. Anywhere except the Carmel Foundation. That was not the case when John Freitas was the decision maker but it is the case since Jill Sheffield has become the decision maker.
Bluntly, CEO Sheffield has made too many bad decisions. And her shabby treatment of both employees and dues paying members has not helped either.
John Freitas left a healthy Carmel Foundation. If Jill retired today, Jill would be leaving behind an ailing Carmel Foundation. If Jill stays on, she is at very high risk of presiding over the Carmel Foundation’s demise.
Recent fundraising efforts were directed at raising funds for the ill-fated Monterey Bay Village. All that fundraising for only 36 members.
Before that, all fundraising efforts were directed at raising funds to raze and rebuild Norton Court. All that fundraising for only 14 members.
The next fundraiser is directed at raising funds to reroof Norton Court. Again, all funds raised will benefit about a dozen members.
Here’s an idea. How about all future fundraisers benefit the MAJORITY of the Carmel Foundation’s members, NOT the MINORITY.
Monterey and Pacific Grove both provide subsidized housing for low income seniors. Why doesn’t the City of Carmel face up to its civic duty?
When the subsidized senior housing in Monterey and Pacific Grove needs to be reroofed, it is the responsibility of the City, not the respective senior centers. There is subsidized senior housing next door to the Sally Griffin Senior Center but Sally Griffin is not responsible for reroofing the senior housing and the Carmel Foundation should not be responsible for reroofing Norton Court or Hazeltine Court or Trevvett Court because all of these subsidized senior apartments should be the responsibility of the City of Carmel.
In December, when I received a small greeting card sized envelope from the Carmel Foundation, I thought it was nice that the Carmel Foundation sent small holiday cards to its members, many of whom may not receive any (or many) holiday cards due to their friends deaths and friends on tight budgets who cannot afford holiday cards.
You can imagine my disappointment when it was not a holiday greeting card but rather a “Save the Date” card for a $100 a plate fundraising dinner.
May I suggest that in the future if fundraising mass mailings are going out before Christmas that they be sent in business sized envelopes, not greeting card sized envelopes, to prevent disappointment and, quite frankly, disgust.
instead of sending the small “Save the Date” cards earlier in December, they could have been mailed on the 24th, so that members would not have received them before the 26th.
it would not be Jill.
because they Employee of the Month would be selected by CEO Sheffield and she would only select her “Brown Noses”
Carlos.
No way a maintenance man should have had as much power as Jill gave to Carlos.
It is so wrong for Jason Burnett and the rest of the City Council to allow the Carmel Foundation to flounder and for the members themselves to have to grovel and endure the hardship that exists under the current ass of a CEO. Where is the leadership of a Mayor who is being groomed for future big time political positions. Step up to the plate Jason and City Council and seek other funding alternatives for senior housing in Carmel by the Sea just as other local cities are doing. Do not balance the budget on the backs of WE SENIOR MEMBERS who can’t afford to keep on giving any longer!
In other cities, low income senior housing is subsidized by ALL taxpayers BUT Carmel-by-the-Sea’s taxpayers (and visitors via sales tax and room tax) do NOT subsidize low income senior housing.
The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea expects its “low income senior” housing to be subsidized by “other seniors”
Why should this subsidy be on the backs of other retirees?
Why isn’t this subsidy subsidized by working-aged residents, as well as sales tax and room tax from the multitude of out-of-town visitors?
Some of the dues-paying members who are subsidizing the housing are actually lower income than the residents of the subsidized housing.
Why should low income housing be subsidized by retirees who are even lower income than the occupants?
That really ain’t right!
if Jill Sheffield or Anne Albano don’t like you, is your name going to move up the waiting list?
Is Mayor Burnett aware of the favoritism involved in the selection process? How about the City Council? Is the City Council aware of the favoritism?
How about making our voices heard and go in mass to a Carmel City Council meeting to let Jason Burnett and the Council know that we are upset with the City balancing the budget on the backs of we low income members of the Carmel Foundation. The Council, Media and Residents need to know the truth about how the City is NOT providing funds for senior housing!
The photo group HAD more than one mat cutter in the basement. Now there is only one and it is too big to be useable.
Carlos may be young enough and big enough and strong enough to use the one and only of our mat cutters that he did not get rid of but I, for one, am not young enough, not big enough, not strong enough to use that big beast of a mat cutter.
and the photo group should not have to pay for it since we had more than one and Carlos took it upon himself to get rid of them. Since Carlos stole our mat cutters, he should pay for the replacement of “our” choice. If Carlos refuses to reimburse the photo group, Jill should deduct it from his Carlos paycheck.
Allow the weakest members of the photo group to select a mat cutter that they are strong enough to use. Make Carlos, personally, pay for the mat cutter.
Remodel Miller Outcalt’s former darkroom (current storage closet) back into a darkroom and make Jill, personally, pay for the remodel. The former darkroom could not have been remodeled into a storage closet without the CEO’s personal approval, so make her (personally) pay for the restoration as a payroll deduction.
Carlos took it upon himself to get rid of the photo group’s mat cutters. The mat cutters did not belong to Carlos. The mat cutters were not his to get rid of but get rid of them he did.
Former photo group leader and MILLION DOLLAR DONOR Miller Outcalt is rolling over because of actions taken by Carlos Correa and approved by Jill Sheffield. Getting rid of the photo group’s mat cutters is nothing compared to turning Miller Outcalt’s darkroom into a broom closet for Carlos. And there is no way in hell that Carlos could have done that without Jill’s explicit approval.