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Chairman of Board of Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Announces Resignation
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, CALIFORNIA | OCTOBER 10, 2014 5:46 PM
PASADENA, Calif. (Pasadena Independent) -- William M. Paparian, former
mayor of Pasadena, has announced his resignation as chairman of the
board of directors of the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial amid
allegations that the board treasurer provided fraudulent background
information about himself, that the treasurer failed to follow
California law regarding legal filings and that other board members
did nothing to address it.
"California law requires that the board of directors carry out their
responsibilities in good faith and with such care, including
reasonable inquiry, as would be used by an ordinarily prudent person,"
said Paparian. "It is my belief that the board has failed in that
fiduciary obligation owed to the community."
The memorial, approved by the Pasadena City Council in September 2013,
has been scheduled to be completed and dedicated at the north side of
Memorial Park in April 2015 to mark the 100th anniversary of the
killing of 1.5 million Armenians over a three-year period beginning in
1915.
On August 6, the webmaster and social media coordinator for the
memorial reported to the board that the bio of the treasurer had been
removed from the website (www.pasagmc.org) due to the discovery that
his claims of being a certified treasury professional and a former
paid employee of the cities of West Hollywood, Sierra Madre and
Pasadena were false.
Three days later, Paparian informed the board that the report from the
webmaster was corroborated by a background investigation by another
municipality, which found that the treasurer had made material
misrepresentations about his professional and educational background
in his application for appointment to an advisory committee and that
he had been removed as treasurer of an Armenian community organization
in Pasadena for the same reasons.
The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Board of Directors severed
ties with the webmaster and took no action on the allegations against
the treasurer.
On Aug. 27, Paparian was informed by the board's independent certified
public accountant that the treasurer had never registered the Pasadena
Armenian Genocide Memorial with the California attorney general's
Registry of Charitable Trusts as required by state law, although the
treasurer informed the board on May 19, 2013, that he had filed the
registration.
Paparian also learned that no financial reports had been filed by the
treasurer for the past two years with the California attorney general
as required by state law. Paparian said he was shocked to learn that
the board had been unintentionally receiving donations for the
memorial illegally as a result.
"Members of the board include a retired police officer, an active duty
police officer and a candidate for elected public office," Paparian
said. "It is shameful that the board's reaction to the treasurer's
fraudulent background information and the unlawful receipt of
donations has been denial and cover-up. They have failed to take
decisive action, which I believe makes them complicit with the
treasurer's actions."
The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt
organization. The Internal Revenue Code prohibits direct or indirect
participation in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for
elected public office. Paparian said one of the board members is a
candidate for the California Senate and that the board treasurer, who
is the candidate's campaign fundraiser, organized a fundraising event
for the candidate in Glendale on June 26 during which attendees were
urged to donate to the candidate because of his membership on the
board of the memorial.
"This put the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial's nonprofit status
at risk and is shameful and disrespectful to the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide this project is intended to remember,"
Paparian said.
"I am the first-born son of a survivor of the Armenian Genocide and
have dedicated myself to the pursuit of justice for the Armenian
nation all of my adult life, and this was a major focus of my 12 years
as an elected public official," Paparian said. "For the past two and a
half years I have worked tirelessly on the Pasadena Armenian Genocide
Memorial project."
"My fiduciary obligation as chairman of the board of directors is more
than merely a legal requirement; it is part of an unspoken promise to
honor and cherish the memory of those who perished in the Armenian
Genocide and the triumph of those who survived," he added. "I cannot
continue to be associated with this board of directors since they
continue to ignore the facts."
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2014/10/10/chairman-of-board-of-pasadena-armenian-genocide-memorial-announces-resignation/
From: A. Papazian
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, CALIFORNIA | OCTOBER 10, 2014 5:46 PM
PASADENA, Calif. (Pasadena Independent) -- William M. Paparian, former
mayor of Pasadena, has announced his resignation as chairman of the
board of directors of the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial amid
allegations that the board treasurer provided fraudulent background
information about himself, that the treasurer failed to follow
California law regarding legal filings and that other board members
did nothing to address it.
"California law requires that the board of directors carry out their
responsibilities in good faith and with such care, including
reasonable inquiry, as would be used by an ordinarily prudent person,"
said Paparian. "It is my belief that the board has failed in that
fiduciary obligation owed to the community."
The memorial, approved by the Pasadena City Council in September 2013,
has been scheduled to be completed and dedicated at the north side of
Memorial Park in April 2015 to mark the 100th anniversary of the
killing of 1.5 million Armenians over a three-year period beginning in
1915.
On August 6, the webmaster and social media coordinator for the
memorial reported to the board that the bio of the treasurer had been
removed from the website (www.pasagmc.org) due to the discovery that
his claims of being a certified treasury professional and a former
paid employee of the cities of West Hollywood, Sierra Madre and
Pasadena were false.
Three days later, Paparian informed the board that the report from the
webmaster was corroborated by a background investigation by another
municipality, which found that the treasurer had made material
misrepresentations about his professional and educational background
in his application for appointment to an advisory committee and that
he had been removed as treasurer of an Armenian community organization
in Pasadena for the same reasons.
The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Board of Directors severed
ties with the webmaster and took no action on the allegations against
the treasurer.
On Aug. 27, Paparian was informed by the board's independent certified
public accountant that the treasurer had never registered the Pasadena
Armenian Genocide Memorial with the California attorney general's
Registry of Charitable Trusts as required by state law, although the
treasurer informed the board on May 19, 2013, that he had filed the
registration.
Paparian also learned that no financial reports had been filed by the
treasurer for the past two years with the California attorney general
as required by state law. Paparian said he was shocked to learn that
the board had been unintentionally receiving donations for the
memorial illegally as a result.
"Members of the board include a retired police officer, an active duty
police officer and a candidate for elected public office," Paparian
said. "It is shameful that the board's reaction to the treasurer's
fraudulent background information and the unlawful receipt of
donations has been denial and cover-up. They have failed to take
decisive action, which I believe makes them complicit with the
treasurer's actions."
The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt
organization. The Internal Revenue Code prohibits direct or indirect
participation in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for
elected public office. Paparian said one of the board members is a
candidate for the California Senate and that the board treasurer, who
is the candidate's campaign fundraiser, organized a fundraising event
for the candidate in Glendale on June 26 during which attendees were
urged to donate to the candidate because of his membership on the
board of the memorial.
"This put the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial's nonprofit status
at risk and is shameful and disrespectful to the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide this project is intended to remember,"
Paparian said.
"I am the first-born son of a survivor of the Armenian Genocide and
have dedicated myself to the pursuit of justice for the Armenian
nation all of my adult life, and this was a major focus of my 12 years
as an elected public official," Paparian said. "For the past two and a
half years I have worked tirelessly on the Pasadena Armenian Genocide
Memorial project."
"My fiduciary obligation as chairman of the board of directors is more
than merely a legal requirement; it is part of an unspoken promise to
honor and cherish the memory of those who perished in the Armenian
Genocide and the triumph of those who survived," he added. "I cannot
continue to be associated with this board of directors since they
continue to ignore the facts."
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2014/10/10/chairman-of-board-of-pasadena-armenian-genocide-memorial-announces-resignation/
From: A. Papazian