Press Banner

Tove Beatty, executive director of Mountain Community Resources, a leading San Lorenzo Valley nonprofit, has left the organization and reportedly dropped out of communication with friends.

Rich Palm, MCR’s board chairman, said Beatty resigned in July, effective Sept. 12, “for personal reasons.”

In recent weeks, SLV residents who know her say she has not returned phone messages.

In Beatty’s place, the MCR board has hired nonprofit consultant Ken Goldstein as interim executive director for four to six months. Goldstein said he will help the board find a permanent replacement.

Beatty led MCR for three years. While staff members say there had been an office going-away party, her departure was not publicly disclosed and no announcement had been made that she accepted a job elsewhere.

MCR provides a teen program, parenting education, family programs in English and Spanish, low-income health insurance, and information about and referral to other county resources.

The organization grew out of the aftermath of a deadly landslide in Ben Lomond during heavy storms in 1982. It had offices in Ben Lomond but recently moved into larger Felton headquarters that it’s buying from the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District.

Goldstein, who lives in Chemeketa Park, a mountain community just north of the Highway 17 summit, said in an interview that his primary duties will be to help the staff through the transition, continue delivery of programs and “help the board make good decisions.”

He is planning a $1 million capital campaign to raise funds to make payments on the Felton building. The first payment is due in December.

“We have the money in the bank,” he said, “but it’s always good to get the campaign kicked off for future payments.”

Goldstein, a nonprofit consultant for 20 years, said landing the permanent directorship “is not my goal.”

Beatty did not respond to calls to her home and cell phones from the Press-Banner.

To comment on this story, e-mail editor Chuck Anderson at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 438-2500 or post a comment at www.pressbanner.com.

Comments (9)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by beth benjamin, October 06, 2008

This is a distressing article to read, especially since I had a great long hike with Tove at Henry Cowell park the day the paper came out. It reads like she was some weird character skulking out of town without telling anyone. The relevant people at MCR knew that Ms. Beatty was planning to leave the job once the move to the new facility had been completed, and she gave them plenty of notice. Doesn't everyone leave a job for "personal reasons"? I would like to know why Mr. Anderson would write such an article like this casting aspersions on the character of someone who has worked so hard in behalf of our community.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +2

I too was flummoxed by that article!
written by John Kettles, October 07, 2008

I am really questioning the journalistic integrity of this newspaper after ready about the departure of Tove Beatty from MCR. She has not only returned my calls promptly, as I am a good friend of hers, but I had seen her 3 times that week. She has not disappeared, nor gone into hiding as the reporter suggests. Perhaps she is not ALLOWED to comment to the "Press" on the issue on which you wanted a comment? But if I were this reporter, I would go into hiding!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

Um, but....
written by Well?, October 07, 2008

Then why are VWC daughters badmouthing her at MCR? Comments like, "they should have fired her years ago."? As if they would know? Beth and John, THAT'S why. You can pretend all you want that everything is all cool, but it's not.

MCR cannot justify its financial burden on the county. MCR cannot justify the cost of the building.

If it were an OK personal reason notice, then why do the employees of MCR say something entirely different?

Beth Benjamin is uncomfortable with this local publication being unafraid to print what it sees.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: -1

Good article
written by Ben, October 08, 2008

Mountain Community Resources is a taxpayer funded nonprofit that local officials use for political purposes. As such, we taxpayers, have a right to know what is going on in that organization.

The circumstances surrounding Ms Beatty's departure ARE relevant to those of us who are concerned about how our money is being spent.

Beyond the Executive Director angle, we DO want to know what is going on with Mountain Community Resources financially.

So, thank you to the Press Banner for giving us this opening story. Hopefully there will be a follow up.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

Letter to the Editor
written by Tove Beatty, October 08, 2008

October 7, 2008

To:Editor, Press-Banner
From:Tove Beatty

Re:Recent article

Editor:

In response to the Press-Banner’s recent attempt at slightly ominous innuendo, I am writing to let you know that the only calls I haven't returned are yours. I resigned from Mountain Community Resources in July, assisted with their transition and left on good terms in September. For your information, the board president released the following public statement to all stakeholders on August 19th [which you failed to site in your article]:

“This is to let you know that Mountain Community Resources has accepted the resignation of our Executive Director, Tove Beatty. . .We hope that you’ll join us in recognizing Tove’s contributions towards furthering MCR’s abilities to deliver our services to the San Lorenzo and Scotts Valley communities; in many cases, critical services that otherwise might not have been available. We wish her success in her future endeavors.” There is also a nice piece about my departure in MCR’s most recent newsletter.

I have no doubt that the agency will continue to offer essential services to the community when they are most needed for years to come. It's a great organization with a fantastic staff and I enjoyed working there.

Sincerely,
Tove Beatty
Felton

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +3

Spin, baby, spin
written by Delilah, October 09, 2008

If everything was so huggy kissy then why wouldn't you answer the reporter's call? You could have pointed him or her in the direction of the public statement which doesn't appear to have been seen by the public.

Good luck to Tove. But let's hear about what's going on with MCR. There's a lot of public money flowing into that organization. If there is trouble then it needs to be addressed before it becomes a mess like Salud Para La Gente:
http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/GovStream/BDSvData/non_legacy/Minutes/2008/20080617/PDF/040.pdf

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Let's look at all the valley nonprofits
written by Delilah, October 09, 2008

We should really take a much closer look at ALL the valley nonprofits. Why, for example is Valley Churches able to do SOOOO much with such small use of public funds. And why is MCR doing SOOOO little with so much money? To her credit, I've heard that Tove was instrumental in boosting programs. That's great. But let's get the whole picture.

How much public money is flowing into valley nonprofits and what are they producing for all that money? Is there duplication? Is it all just spin? Smoke and mirrors? Let's find out. Start with the ones gathering the most county money. Which ones would those be? Are they political? They shouldn't be. Let's find out.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by Jonas, October 31, 2008

OMG, She is and was a TYRANT! Short of Embezzlement with the communities money, she treated public, staff, board members terribly. No news to all her people skills were less than favorable. Tove needed to exit, why do you think it was so secretive? She was asked to change her ways or resign......Former Board Member stated she dismissed a total of 16 employees in her reign....can you say?

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Tove' the Tyrant?
written by Derek Wolf, November 03, 2008

I went to junior high and high school with Tove from 1975-1980. I've met her parents and brother on several occasions. Though our paths have not crossed in numerous years, Tove has always demonstrated leadership qualities. She was far and above, the smartest student in her graduating class of 1979. I always admired Tove' because of her independence and her ability to get involved in issues that others ignored. She was not the type to sit quietly and let injustices pass her by. A "tyrant" is the last word I would think of to describe Tove. Over the years, I watched her professional moves and applaud her for taking on roles that are less challenging than her intelligence would merit. It is her pride and integrity and love of her community that has compelled her to work for non-profits such as MCR.
I must admit I was shocked when I read the article--so much so, that I wanted to leave a comment supporting Tove' and challenge the article's integrity. Tove' is NOT the woman portrayed in the article. Those of us that know Tove', know the truth.

Derek Wolf

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment