Soapboxmom

FBI investigation:

http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=14113

It is apparently official. No funding for Earthquest:

http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=13812

There is so much misinformation out there. Contour is the developer and they haven't updated their site in ages. Contour is in charge of securing the financing and as of the last meeting there is no funding yet. Contour wants to do a new market research study to have for potential investors.

The EMCID meets this Thursday. Folks should attend and ask for clarification on the status of the project. Will EMCID have any money in the new budget earmarked for Earthquest? Will Don Holbrook's contract be renewed in light of his attack on the local papers and taxpayers commenting on this project? What is being done to curtail wasteful spending in the district and more should be coming to light.

The Tribune will be there and we certainly owe that paper a debt of gratitude for stepping up and sharing the facts about this Fantasy Land project. Holbrook is not going to be able to silence those sharing the facts and their opinions.

Linked is a copy of the complaint Don Allen Holbrook LLC is sending to the third party defendants. It was too big to attach. The John and Jane Does are included. This has not been posted on the court site yet, but as posters here may be included I think it should be available.

Soapboxmom

Who are the Does? Do you have the names?

Holbrook has publicly stated he intends to get the IPs and information on all the posters across the net whose comments he disagrees with. We will just have to watch this case filed in Ohio and see how far it goes. You may access the docs on my site or go directly to the court site:

http://www.clerk.co....mery.oh.us/pro/

Just type in Don Allen Holbrook in the space for company name and the filed documents are available for viewing. In a nutshell Holbrook seems to believe all the journalists and posters across the net that have written about Earthquest and his involvement are part of a vast conspiracy and we are responsible for Huber Heights suing him. He seems determined to silence taxpayers discussing how their tax dollars are spent. Bizarre to say the least.

Soapboxmom

Don Allen Holbrook LLC is suing The Tribune, Cynthia Calvert, The Houston Press, Craig Malisow, The Pahrump Valley Times and me. He has also named the John and Jane Does, who spoke out on this matter of public concern (that could well include the posters here,) as third party defendants. We should all be thanking Frank McCrady I suppose.

Soapboxmom

The EarthQuest Institute is a not-for-profit organization, NOWHERE has it ever claimed to be a charity. There is a difference - just like there is a difference between reporting facts and reporting opinion.

The Institute (if it ever gets back on track) will employ people and pay salaries. Don't expect them to ask for soapmoxmom's approval when contracts are negotiated.

Are all nonprofit organizations public charities?

Public charities represent a substantial portion of the nonprofit sector, but not all nonprofit organizations are public charities. Public charities receive their tax-exemption under subsection (3) of Section 501©. This privileged status allows donors to make tax-deductible contributions to the organization. The IRS defines these organizations as "charitable" because they serve broad public purposes, including educational, religious, scientific, and the literary activities, among others, as well as the relief of poverty and other public benefit actions.

The Earthquest Institute is a 501 © 3, which is a charitable organization. They are under the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division.

Lennar Homes has won the auction for the Earthquest property. The bid was $11,850,000. The bank is objecting vigorously to Marlin Atlantis White getting $500,000 out of the sale. That is the same group behind the bankrupt land owners, Whitestone. They are insiders of the debtors and the bank is asking the judge to order that money go to the bank that is out over $19,600,000.

Bank\'s Objections.pdf

EMCID has the bond expenditures posted:

http://www.emctx.com/about/financial.php

Please note that Don Holbrook, through his LLC, made a whopping $773,963.43 in addition to the money he made from the charity connected to this stalled pipe dream.

Soapboxmom

Amazing. So, now we are apparently back to Frank McCrady being the authority on all things Earthquest??? So, we juxtpose Frank McCrady and Don Holbrook who are lying and misrepresenting things with the news media and bloggers that are demanding real answers??? <sigh>

http://ourtribune.com/article.php?id=13500

The e-mails mentioned are in the solicitations of the unsuspecting marks in Pahrump:

http://www.pahrumpnv.org/images/uploads/downloads/110614_Backup3.pdf

....And the hard fact remains (as is evident in the bankruptcy hearings and the latest EMCID town hall meeting) that the EarthQuest project IS moving forward in some capacity - however slow.

For the record, I don't have a problem with what judges say, necessarily. Some judge advised the EMCID not to publicly discuss the EQ project until some questions were answered - I don't have a problem with that at all, I think it is good advice from a person who doesn't have all the answers he wants.

The project is not moving forward. "Moving forward" is the broken record refrain of Frank McCrady, but it is total nonsense. The missing ingredient is financing for the project. Until 600 million or more realistically closer to 1 billion dollars magically appears, then nothing is going to happen. Don Holbrook was hired in 2007 for the very purpose of fundraising for Earthquest. He came up quite short on that. He did do a fabulous job of lining his own pockets, however. He, Frank McCrady and the gang also blew through tens of thousands of dollars living the millionaire lifestyle while this project was nothing more than artistic renderings. Don Holbrook is melting online about the recent articles, but is not naming the 100s of projects worth billions of dollars that created 50,000 jobs he has bragged of. Subterfuge at its funniest!

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2012/04/earthquest_going_nowhere.php

There appears to be no accountability for the Improvement District, which appears to exist solely to line the pockets of its president, Frank McCrady.

Bottoms up! Craig Malisow has an awesome article out. I am the Heather Dobrott on page 4.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2012-04-12/news/earthquest-green-amusement-park/

What people want is immaterial. There never was and likely never will be any funding for this clunker such as it is. Don Holbrook and his gang go from town to town selling ideas that will never be funded and come to fruition. The taxpayers and bank are going to take a veritable bloodbath. This bunch behind this fiasco lived the lifestyle of the rich and famous off of the taxpayers dime. It appears the authorities will now have to step in and clean up Frank McCrady's mess.

Cynthia Calvert, like me, has the charity's documents and a calculator. She dug even further than I had and it is a shocking and well researched expose:

http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=13443

These expenses are downright criminal:

http://ourtribune.co...le.php?id=13452

http://ourtribune.co...le.php?id=13451

http://ourtribune.com/article.php?id=13441

The public concerns have reached county and state officials as well. State Senator Tommy Williams (R-4) said the issue raised some serious questions.

"It is important this matter has a thorough investigation. It is important that the improvement district will allow an investigation. The public has a faith in the district to uphold their fiduciary duty to the taxpayers, and it is very important that the full light of day shine on this matter. I am certain it will happen," Williams said.

The Houston Press and The Tribune were in attendance and articles will be forthcoming!

Agreed. I'd like it if this thread could be focused on the status of EQ. The bankruptcy of the developers is of relevance to this, but the underlying reason for that bankruptcy isn't necessarily relevant.

I'm finding it difficult to wade through the 19 pages of back-and-forth. Could someone summarize what the status of this project is for me? I'm not lazy; I've just got a major headache from this thread.

There was an EQ meeting last night. Don Holbrook who was in charge of securing the financing and finding investors did not show. Contour was not in attendance either. Frank McCrady was asked numerous questions and the short story is he responded with "we are moving forward." The short answer is they have no money to go forward.

The property has a preliminary bid from DR Horton. The judge will rule on the sale and bidding procedures on March 29th. So, Contour, if it had any money, might have the chance to outbid DR Horton at auction or buy the property from the winning bidder (whoever that turns out to be) at a later date. But without investors and financing in place this project is for all practical purposes dead in the water. I doubt anyone would buy the land and risk carrying that expense without at least the additional $300,000,000.00+ needed to build the first phase already firmly lined up.

I think the only question folks need to keep asking EMCID in the future is how much money they have toward financing the project that is confirmed! All the plans and designs are in place. Basically, the only thing needed is the financing.

I should add the Earthquest Insitute is no more. Everyone involved has left but EMCID Board president Leon Cubillas and he is not touching it.

Don't forget the EQ town meeting tonight at 7:00 at the EMCID building.

Without financing and a change in leadership there will be no project!

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/2007_4467685/east-montgomery-county-improvement-district-direct.html

East Montgomery County Improvement District directors approved contracts for services to the district.

These ranged from site surveying to retaining consulting services in connection with the Earth Quest theme park project at a special directors meeting Nov. 7.

The directors will retain Don Holbrook and the Vercitas Group for consulting services in connection with the for-profit theme park portion of the Earth Quest project.

Under the terms of the $25,000 contract, Holbrook will provide the district with outside consulting services connected with securing financing and investors, said Frank McCrady, EMCID president and CEO.

"We want to make sure he stays with the project and makes the presentations," said McCrady.

Holbrook has already been working with the project's promoters, founders and the district and was actively involved in the process that selected the site of the Earth Quest venture.

The district has five potential financing sources for the for-profit portion of the project, he said.

That is from November 2007. Don Holbrook hasn't lined up any financing. There isn't even the paltry 11 some odd million to buy the property at this point.

Sorry to disappoint you but the website I admin for does not generate any income whatsoever. My work online is strictly volunteer. I do not profit from it in any way.

The Earthquest Insitute charity took in around $996,000.00 for the 3 years it was active (2008-2010). Don Holbrook was paid a ridiculous $185.00 an hour. $328,955 was paid to Holbrook for 2008-2010 when the charity was active. That is 33% of the donations right into his hands. Deborah Thomas received $217,343.00. She was paid $134.84 an hour for her job as Chief Financial Officer as calculated from her 2009 earnings. Plus tens of thousands more was spent on professional services. Almost nothing went to the actual purpose of the 501 c 3. Now, the documents have vanished into thin air and no one is in charge of the charity. Everyone bailed when the gravy train dried up. So much for doing charitable work because one believes in the cause and believes in serving one's fellow man.