[sac-board] Re: Pierre's estate

SAC Board:

I have gone over this several times with many people but will do it once again 
since Sam still does not have all the facts. There is no controversy in SAC, 
only with him. Jennifer is correct, Sam is not and does not remember correctly. 
His understanding that these are club properties is correct, however.  

Again: Fabienne called me at the time mentioned and asked me to bring my truck 
over to Pierre's house because she wished to donate certain items to the Club. 
When I arrived with my truck she commenced to load it full of equipment with 
the help of her husband and Corrine's husband. Pierre's father was also there. 
The equipment consisted of two 16" blue finished telescope tubes, a binocular 
chair, a small wood tube and mount which did not go together, two 14" mirror 
blanks, and 3 boxes of misc. telescope parts. On my way out I noticed the 
cardboard tubes at the street with the 'free' sign on them. I came back later 
for those. I took photographs of all this equipment and showed the slides at a 
Club Meeting, explaining the same things as in this letter.

The binocular chair which I volunteered at a club meeting to refurbish but 
didn't, was taken to an ATM meeting at Thad's shop, where it was suggested we 
dismantle it and make into two telescopes. This was decided against in favor of 
removing it to Stone Haven for Steve Dodder to refurbish to be used as a club 
telescope at Club and Public star parties. Everything else is still with me, 
except some telescope parts that were used as door prizes at the 2001 Xmas 
party. Upon examination of the mirror 'blanks', I found that they are not 
blanks, and are polished and have focal lengths noted on them. This would make 
them worth over $1000 apiece. I noted this at that meeting, which Sam may have 
attended. They are not the blanks Sam is talking about. Pierre had several 
14.5" mirrors in existence at the time. Two others I know of: one went to A.J. 
and it's twin was sold to someone else in an OTA. Those are prob the ones Sam's 
thinking of.

As it stands now, these items are not part of any fund but are Club assets and 
will not be sold. I would suggest the Board get together and decide the final 
fate of this stuff. I am the caretaker for the present, but if the Board 
decides to sell it, find another storage volunteer, or rent a storage room for 
this and other stuff, it will be fine with me. I would like some appreciation 
for storing it at my house all this time.

This happened long before the setting up of any scholarship fund and is 
entirely independent of that. Likewise, Fabienne's donation at the club meeting 
is independent of any of this and it is a shame if the scholarship fund is 
still not set up and the $5,000 not in it. Probably as much my fault as 
anybody's.

Jack Jones
Spicastar@xxxxxxx
602-944-5488

Hello Sam:

Just for the record:  I have nothing from Pierre's estate, never had.  I don't 
know about mirror blanks?? I don't recall even being at Pierre's house the same 
time as you.   I know a bunch of the tubes were left out in his yard with a 
"Free" sign and Jack grabbed them a day before it rained. The Bino chair as I 
understand is being refurbished at Stone Haven for use by SAC.  I am sorry, but 
honestly I do not have, nor ever had any thing you speak of here.

Also I'm not aware of any "controversy".  (Nor do I wish to be!)  I'd 
appreciate you taking me out of the loop on any future discussion of Pierre's 
stuff as I have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it.   

Please understand that I only wanted to care for him while he was ill and wish 
to continue visits to his grave site from time to time now.  That is all.

Thanks Sam.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Keller

P.S. Jack's email address is now spicastar@xxxxxxx  

----- Original Message -----
From: Sam & Anne
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2002 4:17 PM
To: Peggy Kain
Cc: Silvio Jaconelli; Jack Jones; Jennifer Keller; Gene Lucas
Subject: Pierre's estate

SAC BOD

about a year ago, pierre's father and sisters came out to close his estate.
they took all of his possessions they could use, but some telescopes and a
large amount of telescope making materials still remained.

as i remember, jack and jennifer took the binocular chair telescope, many
cardboard scope tubes, and assorted camera odds and ends. my understanding
was they would be SAC club properties.

being a mirror maker, i told the family i could make use of and/or dispose
of his mirror making supplies, and they gave them to me. while i was
packing up some of the glass, jennifer (and perhaps jack) mentioned they
thought two 14 inch blanks i packed belonged to someone in SAC, that is,
someone had paid for these and hired pierre to make them into mirrors.

fabienne had gone through pierre's business ledger, and could not find any
such orders, but i told jennifer to take them and find the owners. if not
successful, i said to return them to me.

as you may know, i sold the majority of the stuff i was entrusted with and
offered it to the family. they did not want it. i suggested we donate it to
a charity in pierre's name, and they agreed to that.

then peggy came up with the idea of the schwaar scholarship fund. the
family was told about it and mr schwaar was excited, and gave SAC
permission to set up such fund AS ENVISIONED BY PEGGY KAIN, and for me to
make sure it was created properly to ensure the funds were used as
intended. we both gave the family our assurances, and they authorized me to
transfer the 5,000 dollars i raised from pierre's estate, once the fund was
set up.

as of today, no owners for the 14 blanks have ever been located (as i
understand). in addition, they were never returned to me. before 9-11, i
could have easily gotten 400-600 dollars for the two of them (for pierre's
fund). i am still willing to try, but it will be harder to sell them now.

as for the 5,000 dollars, it never was, and never will be, part of any
general SAC funds. they will only be used for the scholarship fund, if and
when it is created. my recommendation and plan is if the fund is not set up
by year's end, i will contact the family to pick out a charity.

as for the SAC club properties, i don't have a good recall of what else
jack and jennifer acquired. as for the binocular chair telescope, it would
easily sell for 1,000 IMO once operable.

i hope this helps clear up some of the controversy in SAC right now.

best wishes. .......sam herchak

480-924-5981

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