From: "Michael Nelson" <mail-AT-magicalmoonshine.org>
To: <puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Homeland Security vs. San Francisco Bay
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 09:43:58 -0700


To Puppet Critters, RE the San Francisco Bay Area Puppeers Guild about the 
Homeland Security incident-

Below is the actual story as it ran in our newsletter last month, followed 
by an update

Michael Nelson, SFBAPG Newsletter editor



Transfer of Finances: Guild Comes Face to Face With Homeland Security

After 20 years of safeguarding the Guild's finances, retiring treasurer Pam 
Brown handed over the fiscal reins to new treasurer Valerie Nelson recently. 
The Guild's bank account at West America Bank was to be transferred to a 
West America Bank branch close to the new treasurer in Yountville. But times 
have changed since Pam first took charge of the money, and transferring the 
account to a new branch brought the Guild under the watchful eye of Homeland 
Security. As of this writing the Guild's finances are still frozen in spite 
of having provided the bank with a copy of Guild bylaws, a roster of our 
officers and a copy of our minutes. Negotiating past deadlines and threats 
of account termination, Valerie has struggled to meet government demands for 
information. The frozen account now awaits the arrival of Guild secretary, 
Emily Giugni who needs to sign the minutes in person. Emily, along with 
Guild president Tim Giugni (coincidentally husband and wife) chose this of 
all weeks to attend the National Puppetry Festival (so far rumors of their 
being in an undisclosed location in Cuba have not been substantiated) but 
President Tim's palm pilot maneuverings helped delay the closing of the 
Guild account when he emailed a brief version of the minutes to Valerie to 
deliver to the bank. West America Bank representatives have apologized for 
the difficulties and for the temporarily frozen Guild funds, but their hands 
are tied.

UPDATE: August 17, 2005

First of all, let me state that our bank account is now open and all is 
settled.

Apparently our guild has received some news attention for our encounter with 
Homeland Security regulations as reported in our newsletter. Above is the 
story as it ran in the August, 2005 newsletter. Since then, several board 
members and your newsletter editor have received calls from MSNBC exploring 
the event for a possible story, we have received emails from as far away as 
South Africa, including some very kind offers of financial assistance, and 
our website activity has increased 10 fold in just a few hours (reported 
last night by our webmaster, Matt Baume). Part of the reason may have to do 
with a posting by a past guild president on a blog :

Text of posting:

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

I feel safer: Homeland Security vs. San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers Guild
Brian Stokes says: "I kid you not. My beloved San Francisco Bay Area 
Puppeteers Guild is under investigation by Homeland Security. According to 
their latest newsletter, its assets have been frozen ever since my friend 
and Treasurer Pam Brown resigned after 20 years and passed the miniscule 
nest egg to a new bank account a few months ago. The bank apologizes but 
legally can't do anything until Homeland Security determines this group of 
puppet fans and professionals is not planning to attack our country.

"This is the Guild where Jim Henson met a young Frank Oz and Jerry Juhl back 
in the 1960s. Not long ago, I was President, and before that, Secretary.

"But now our government thinks it's harboring terrorists." Posted at: 
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/08/16/i_feel_safer_homelan.html

Clarification of Guild Bank Transfer, from Treasurer Valerie Nelson: The 
main difficulties in transferring the account had to do with new regulations 
by Homeland Security. Unfortunately the bank representative, possibly not 
totally familiar with the new regulations, revealed them one at a time. Each 
time it seemed that the situation was settled and then a new phone call 
would reveal yet another hoop to jump through. In the meanwhile the account 
and its funds remained frozen, with the constant threat of account closure 
should the required tasks not be completed in time. The bank made constant 
concessions, extending the deadline date for us, and apologized profusely 
and regularly, but seemed bound by the regulations passed on to them by the 
main office from Homeland Security. In essence, by the time we were finished 
we had had to provide a copy of our bylaws, a copy of our minutes, signed by 
the secretary, a list of our board members, along with signatures on 
documents by the treasurer, the secretary and the past treasurer. This 
process took a total of about 3 weeks.





_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org
Archives: http://www.driftline.org