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Phil C
Senior Nomad
Posts: 564
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: N. San Diego County/ Loreto Centro/Lopez Mateos
Member Is Offline
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Loreto Bay Foundation
This makes for good reading... My name is Mark J. Spalding and I am the President of The Ocean
Foundation, which is the US host of the Loreto Bay Foundation Fund. The Loreto Bay Foundation Fund is receiving 1% of all sales which take place as
part of the Villages of Loreto Bay development in Nopolo.
I wanted to introduce myself, the foundation, and share with you its first annual report.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. In addition, if you would like a hard copy of the annual report, please send us your
mailing address and we will send you a copy.
All the best,
Mark
About the Loreto Bay Foundation Fund:
<www.loretobayfoundation.org>
To read a copy of the Loreto Bay Foundation annual report for 2005 (this is a large PDF file, it may take a long time to load if you are not using a
high speed connection):
<http://www.loretobayfoundation.org/index.php?tg=fileman&idx=get&inl=1&id=1&gr=Y&path=&file=2005+Annual+Report.pdf>
About our host:
<www.oceanfdn.org>
About me:
<www.markjspalding.com>
I ordered a copy from the website and it arrived in a few days. Not much depth in the financial report,but it seems something beneficial is being done
with a realitvly small amount of money. Of $523,461 in contributions $249,192 were spent on various grants and expenses, most of which seem valid and
helpfull to the town of Loreto. Hopefully the remainder of the pleged funds will appear (I think they are claiming 3Mil. in sales x 1%) and more will
be done.Good Luck Loreto.
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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here we go again
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
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yada,yada,yada
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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I got nuthin' ta say....NUTHIN. And if I think of anything I'm gonna keep it to myself. 
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Phil C
Hopefully the remainder of the pleged funds will appear (I think they are claiming 3Mil. in sales x 1%) and more will be done.Good Luck Loreto.
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3Mil in sales ain't jack and 1% of 3Mil is 30K.
Whoop-dee-doo! 
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Don Alley
Super Nomad
Posts: 1997
Registered: 12-4-2003
Location: Loreto
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I think they have sales of 300 million contracted, and 3 million pledged to the foundation.
Now here is a grant that caught my eye: ten grand for "Totoaba Sport Fishing in Loreto Bay National Park study."
I'm thinking of writing the foundation to ask what's up with that.
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Phil C
Senior Nomad
Posts: 564
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: N. San Diego County/ Loreto Centro/Lopez Mateos
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Don, I thought the Totoaba study was off key too. $10,000."Seven detailed outcomes listed in the proposal. The main product will be a report." Coments
were, "A rather academic style reasearch project, but with a conservation goal." Who got the 10k and have they ever gone to Loreto to study "Totoaba"?
Maybe they were in San Felipe and got confused. 10k could do that. The other thing that caught my eye was "grant support and reasearch" $140k, thats
more than half of all the money spent, I guess all these type programs are top heavy.
[Edited on 6-6-2006 by Phil C]
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
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Phil C:
Will Mr. Sparlding be in Loreto on June the 13th and 14th?
if so I would like an eyeball to eyeball with said mr. Spaulding/
Questions I will ask Him.
1. What is being done about the future Medical needs of the People?
2. What is the Long range plans for Water and where will it come from?
3. Have Flood Plans been made in case there is another Hurricane , such as Lisa?
4.What plans are there for Water when the next "7 year Drought " Arrives?
5.Who is the person or final Authority that disperses the "Talked about Money".
6. Name the People, Places, times of the people in Loreto that have benefitted from said Money.
I will bring my recorder and camera so that the News Media will have a chance to see and judge the Invividual/s making the Statements.
Skeet/Loreto
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
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Mood: Sling time!
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here is some response I got from the head honcho
After i sent him a letter inquiring about a few of the issues several seem to hit on.
"Dear Mr. Goering:
Thank you for your feedback. I understand that there will always be skeptics about any large development so I am more than happy to address your
concerns regarding the topics brought up in the recent Gringo Gazette articles. I am very pleased to assure you that the situation in Loreto is far
more positive than the Gringo Gazette has painted it. As a developer yourself Im sure you can appreciate our dedication to preserving Baja and our
commitment to sustainability. The following information comes from our team of highly qualified sustainability experts.
Regarding the treatment of our workers:
Since our Director of Mexico Operations, Bob Toubman, took on his new role with our company at the end of last year he has made the treatment of the
workers and their living conditions a top priority. The scope and scale of Loreto Bay requires that we work with multiple general contractors. These
companies have a total of 400 to 700 constructions workers on site at any given time. In accordance with Mexican Law, Loreto Bay Company has required
all contractors to provide decent, safe and affordable housing for their workers. Unfortunately not all contractors have complied; several of the
contractors have been terminated due to not improving their worker camps. In addition, we have taken the following steps to improve the situation:
Outlined minimum standards for worker housing in accordance with Mexican and United Nations standards to all contractors.
Required all contractors to provide detailed description and plans for worker housing before contracts are signed and before a contractor is allowed
on site.
Worked with city officials to identify overcrowded or substandard housing situations in town.
Loreto Bay Company representatives have performed routine spot checks.
Hired a bilingual director of construction who is able to go into the field and speak directly to the workers about their concerns.
Added amenities to each camp.
Loreto Bay Company has hired Stephen Zubkoff, one of the nations top experts in affordable housing. Stephen has been a consultant on this and related
issues and served as Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity. He is well qualified and tells us that we have a real challenge on our hands. Our
intentions have always been to build enough housing so that those who fill the 5,000 permanent jobs that are created by Loreto Bay Company can afford
to live nearby. We extended that effort to include construction workers building Loreto Bay, though they technically do not work for us, but for
general contractors. However, we quickly found a very wide cultural gap. Most notably, the construction workers expressed that they did not want to
bring their families to Loreto, and that they would rather have the extra pay than have us spend any additional money on better housing. We pressed
the issue at the beginning but really couldnt change their minds. We finally decided that it was better to admit that our American sensibilities
were not the final word on this.
There is also high turnover within our contractors, meaning that workers come and go and we often learn of overcrowding after the crisis has passed.
The general contractors are not willing to participate in the cost to build worker housing, which also takes time and serviced land (both in short
supply here). Finally, we are just creating our comprehensive strategy to deal with this situation long-term. Stephen has been with us just a few
months and has spent this time researching the situation as well as monitoring housing conditions.
While we dont claim to have all the answers, Loreto Bay Company is committed to facilitating the opportunity for all our employees to enjoy decent,
safe and affordable housing in Loreto. Here are two examples of what were doing in that direction:
There are several Government programs to assist all Mexican citizens to purchase homes. The most common is a program called Infonavit. Unfortunately
the majority of the construction workers do not qualify for these programs as they have not earned enough credits to qualify for the Infonavit
program. Furthermore, the contractors are not following Mexican Labor Law in the reporting of wages and this makes it impossible for these workers to
ever qualify. As part of our research process, we have interviewed the majority of the construction workers and very few are interested in purchasing
a home in Loreto at this time, as they are migrant workers who plan on returning to their homes. Thus we are focusing our efforts on facilitating
housing for the service workers and permanent employees of Loreto Bay and the Inn at Loreto Bay. Again many of the workers do not have enough
Infonavit credits so we are working with the Mexican Government to provide a rent to own program that will allow workers to rent a home until they
earn enough credits and then can purchase the home outright.
Loreto Bay is currently in negotiations with the State and Ejidos to purchase land for large scale new town development that will provide not only
housing but will be part of the master plan for the future growth of Loreto. This plan will include community and social services such as shops,
parks, schools, etc. Additionally, Loreto Bay Company has entered into a joint venture with a local developer to build 50-75 apartments in Loreto and
anticipates receiving permits and starting construction in 2006. This is an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure until the rent to own program
is operational.
Regarding your concern on our construction progress:
I am very proud to tell you about the many exciting construction highlights happening at The Villages of Loreto Bay. We have sold over 600 units and
have had less than five percent back out or resell, and these have been due to financial or health reasons. We admit that we are delayed in our
construction due to ramp-up time and the challenges of working in a remote area. However, we are making great progress at overcoming these obstacles.
Construction has started on approximately 100 homes located in four clusters of The Villages. We have over 30 homes completed, accepted and being
occupied right now with 12 more closing this month and more closing next month. All completed homes now being turned over and accepted have been well
received and consistently exceeding our buyers expectations.
Regarding your concern about our water situation:
I have attached the letter that FONATUR provided our company at the very beginning of our relationship, assuring us that water quantity and quality
were appropriate for our development plans. The reality has been far more complicated than the letter led us to believe. Since you are in Mulege, Im
sure you know that as in any desert region water is a very politically charged issue with complex solutions. That is why we brought in some of the
worlds foremost experts to create and manage our comprehensive plan for water usage, which may include desalination. However, every decision we make
is based on our promise to create more potable water than we use and to do so in a way that is consistent with our sustainability mission.
Here is the information I received from David Veniot, our Vice President of Sustainability and former Executive Director of Earth Day International.
We will ensure that the salt brine is diluted to safe levels by discharging it into existing sea water aquifers via deep injection wells. In this way,
the brine is mixed with sea water underground, and by the time it actually reaches the open sea some distance away from shore, it will be diluted to a
concentration very close to that of sea water. This technology for desalination was recommended by the Save our Shores organization in collaboration
with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It is also recommended by the California Coastal Commission.
We will be using an existing reverse osmosis (RO) injection well desalination plan in Puerto Penasco as our model for salinity and biological testing
prior to installing our own plant. The Puerto Penasco plan was the result of two years of research by a concerned community before installation.
We are also talking with the Loreto Bay Marine Park Authority and the Mexican Water Authority (CNA), both of which agree with injection well
technology. Finally, we will be complying with the strict requirements of the Mexican Environmental Protection Agency (SEMARNAT) as we prepare our
environmental impact assessment application for approval and permitting.
As you can see, these issues are extremely complex. Even when we have the opportunity to tell our unique full story, it rarely gets full coverage
because of the complexity and length it requires. While Loreto Bay Company looks at many options for achieving our ultimate goal, we will not
compromise our commitment to achieving it in a manner that preserves and enhances the natural environment.
I appreciate the opportunity to share this update with you and trust it eases your concerns.
Sincerely,
James J. Grogan"
I'd say he acquits himself fairly well. But time will tell.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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I bet if they paid american wages, they could get enough construction workers to stay there instead of crossing the border.
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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I anxiously await the "critics" review of James Grogans letter!!!!!!!!!!!
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skeet/Loreto
I will bring my recorder and camera so that the News Media will have a chance to see and judge the Invividual/s making the Statements.
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What news media are you referring to?
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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If the General Contractors don't sign up for and pay IMSS, AFORE and INFONOVIT for every worker for every day he works, The Loreto Bay company will
owe huge, continueing penalties. Their statement sounds like they are some extra-legal 3rd party -- no such thing in Mexico.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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They call it development
| Quote: |
Loreto Bay is currently in negotiations with the State and Ejidos to purchase land for large scale new town development that will provide not only
housing but will be part of the master plan for the future growth of Loreto. This plan will include community and social services such as shops,
parks, schools, etc. Additionally, Loreto Bay Company has entered into a joint venture with a local developer to build 50-75 apartments in Loreto and
anticipates receiving permits and starting construction in 2006. This is an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure until the rent to own program is
operational.
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I call it a cancer.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
Member Is Offline
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Roberto: Ayone one with the Balls to Print it; :La times, USA Today: Sierra Club News Letter,Dallas Morning News, New York times, Wall Street Journal
San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune-Amarillo Globe-News!
Skeet/Loreto
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
If the General Contractors don't sign up for and pay IMSS, AFORE and INFONOVIT for every worker for every day he works, The Loreto Bay company will
owe huge, continueing penalties. Their statement sounds like they are some extra-legal 3rd party -- no such thing in Mexico. |
Not so. a carefully worded contract would indemnify LB. There is such a thing as 'contract labor' in Mexico, you know. Also, shell
corporations & white unions for labor issues. It's done all the time.
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skeet/Loreto
Roberto: Ayone one with the Balls to Print it; :La times, USA Today: Sierra Club News Letter,Dallas Morning News, New York times, Wall Street Journal
San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune-Amarillo Globe-News!
Skeet/Loreto |
Thanks! I was just wondering if one of your many occupations included TV reporter. 
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bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
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Well I'm shocked, Skeet! You seem to be saying it would be a good idea to involve those well-known liberal media, the NY and LA Times, etc. as well as
the environmentally whacko Sierra Club.
Are you feeling okay?
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Dave
I don't think the word indemnify fits here. That mean a lega exemption to harm or damages. Osprey is an ex insurance risk manager. I think maybe we
are both wrong or unsure what might happen in this strange place but indemnify won't work when talking about who is subject to what in contracts to
build --- what's done "all the time" in Rosarita will get you big jail time in La Paz.
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | I don't find anything new in Mr. Grogan's letter. The Loreto Bay website tells us of the well-educated and highly professional entourage of experts
who are looking out for the environment, the workers, the buyers, the people of Loreto, and the future of the area. Mr. Grogan has repeated this in
his radio interview, and in countless numbers of press releases all over the United States. It is his mantra. I have seen no hard data that builds
my confidence in their skills. This is not meant to imply that they aren't honest and competent. They may well be. The problem for me lies in the
perception, or definition, of what may or may not ultimately be best for this area.
{quote}Loreto Bay is currently in negotiations with the State and Ejidos to purchase land for large scale new town development that will provide not
only housing but will be part of the master plan for the future growth of Loreto. This plan will include community and social services such as shops,
parks, schools, etc. Additionally, Loreto Bay Company has entered into a joint venture with a local developer to build 50-75 apartments in Loreto and
anticipates receiving permits and starting construction in 2006. This is an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure until the rent to own program is
operational. |
It is this passage of the letter that I find most troubling. I see arrogance in great measure in the assumption that Loreto Bay should influence the
"master plan" for the town, and in the fact that they are buying land for "large scale new town development". Isn't Loreto Bay enough for them? Do
they need to create a whole new culture to support it?
I have watched and discussed Loreto Bay development from the beginning. I do not enjoy the discussion. I lived many years in a lovely little town
that has recently been "improved" by outside development. I hope such improvement is not what is in store for Loreto. We came to live here because
we love it as it is.
The first paragraph in the quote box is my writing, and not part of the quote. The second paragraph is quoted from Mr Grogan's letter to Captain
Mike. Some day I will learn how to make a more presentable entry here!
Paula
[Edited on 6-7-2006 by Paula]
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