In the spirit of transparency, we want to keep you updated on next steps in the Lance Property acquisition.

We are now collecting checks from pledges. We need to make sure we actually have cash in hand in order to be able to close on the property.

• If you would like your donation to be tax deductible, it needs to be made out to the Foundation for Global Sustainability. You will need to itemize your tax return for this to be a deduction. Libby Smith will gather and track these checks and get a receipt to you for tax purposes. You can take these checks to 5443 Yosemite Trail.
• If you do not care about the tax deduction, you can make your check out to Timbercrest Neighborhood Association. We will gather all of these payments and get them to the Foundation. You can drop these checks at 5309 Yosemite Trail.
• If you live on the north side of Lance, Barry Shumpert and Daniel Sarver will be coming by to collect checks in the coming days.
  • If you need more time to get your money together, that is OK, just let us know. We were all expecting to have 30 days when the property was going to be auctioned.

Once we have reached $75,000 in actual checks deposited, we will be able to close on the property. We must hit the $75,000 mark by no later than November 15th. We will need more than $75,000 for additional expenses associated with the property.

The Timbercrest Neighborhood Association is in the process of appointing neighbors to the Timbercrest Conservation Committee. These committee members must be passionate about the preservation of the green spaces in our neighborhood. This committee will meet in the next two weeks to determine several things including: 

• Cost of insurance for the property
• Annual property taxes
• Cost to clean up of the property (there is a good deal of trash and debris on the property that will need to be disposed of)
• Cost for future use of the property

This committee will come up with options for future use and present these options at a neighborhood-wide meeting after we close on the property. At that point, everyone will have the chance to voice their opinions on what we do with the property. This property may not be suvdivided, sold off, or used for profit in any way. Once we determine how much money we actually have, and how much it’s going to take to conserve the property for the future, the committee will figure out how much (if any) overage in donations we have. They will then begin the process of returning funds to individuals based on an equitable formula. The committee will have a financial report at that meeting showing exactly how much has been donated, how the money has been used and how much money is needed for future use.

This is all moving quickly, and we ask for patience as we carefully and strategically figure out next steps. Rest assured, all donations are being tracked and earmarked specifically for the conservation of the Lance property. And any overages will be returned to individuals in an equitable fashion. We just have no way of knowing, at this moment, how much money we actually have, as pledges are still coming in and other than the $2500 in earnest money Stephen and Libby Smith donated we don’t technically have any actual donations in hand, yet.

Thank you all for the tremendous community spirit that has allowed this protection of our neighborhood to come together so quickly!