Web Maester
Change of Management
August 28th, 2013
We have made changes in our organization today that will build a foundation for the future while honoring the past. This will be a future that emphasizes the profound vision of our founders, Neil & Terry, and is rooted in their original intention and purpose. We will be working with them to continue to develop the organization they established to preserve and protect OLT lands and the community that has embraced it. Effective immediately, there has been a change to the management and Board of Directors at Orient Land Trust. To see the current makeup of both, please visit our Board of Directors page.
Exploring various approaches to the operation of VVHS over the last few years has returned us to the sound and successful fundamentals established by our founders. OLT is fortunate to have a variety of resources – the mine, bats, ranch, open lands, etc. With the benefit of hindsight we will re-establish as our core the protection and care of VVHS knowing that our other entities complement and enhance VVHS.
VVHS is a sacred place to many, thriving through diversity and a rare tolerance of a variety of individual choices and expressions. Going forward, we strive to continue to make it a place where personal freedoms allow all of us to visit VVHS in a way that contributes to the magic and enhances our individual journeys through life with peace and abiding friendship.
The recently implemented rules and rates will be part of the board’s re-examination in the coming months. We will be evaluating our strategy for sound fiscal management and will announce changes as we continue to scrutinize our operations. Our immediate priority will be a focus on the VVHS Wastewater Treatment Facility, which is a state-mandated improvement that has to be built in the coming year.
For VVHS guests, we rely on a time-honored and universal “rule” to facilitate harmony in the coming months: Be responsible for yourself and your minors, and conduct yourself such that everyone’s experience is valued. We thank you for your understanding during this important transitional time and, as always, welcome comments and input. We always welcome applicants for the Board of Directors and hope you'll join us on October 19th [not 20th] for our Fall Quarter Board meeting.
Board of Directors
Email the board chairperson with any questions and comments for the board. Individual board members can be contacted directly with the links below.
See Board of Directors Position Description below and Board Meetings for more information.
All officers are elected at the annual meeting in July.
If you are interested in serving on the Board, please submit a letter of interest and resume to the Board Governance Committee, Orient Land Trust, PO Box 65, Villa Grove, CO 81155 or email to the Governance Committee chairpersons. Please highlight your experience with nonprofits (including volunteer boards), fundraising, finance, work on committees, volunteerism, familiarity with OLT, your interests and expertise that you can bring to the board, and the reasons you want to be its newest member. Candidates for the Board of Directors will be asked to attend one meeting prior to being interviewed by the Board Development Committee. Committee work is also strongly encouraged prior to serving on the board.
Not Pictured: Board Member Patrick Comiskey.
Officers
Douglas Bishop - Executive Director
(email)
Doug Bishop is a native of Colorado, born in La Junta in 1950. He moved to the San Luis Valley, Saguache County and was caretaker for property at Major Creek, three miles south of Valley View Hot Springs, from 1973 to 1980. His children, Kestrel and Alan, were born there. He first visited Valley View Hot Springs in March of 1973. In 1980, he moved to ten acres, originally part of the homestead that became Valley View Hot Springs, and built a house. For the past four years he's been building a new house on the property. He conducted recreational horseback rides in the area around the hot springs from 1984 to 2002. In 1984, he started working as a part-time ski instructor at Monarch Ski Area. He attained PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Level II certification in 1991, PSIA Children's Accreditation in 1992, and PSIA Level III certification in 1993. He was selected Colorado Ski Country USA's Ski Instructor of the Year for the 1992-93 ski season. His seasonal full-time employment for Monarch began in 1988, and in 2001, he completed his eighth and final season as manager of the Monarch Children's Center. In 2003 Doug received a BA degree in Elementary Education from Adams State College. He taught second grade at Jewell Elementary in Aurora for the 2003-04 school year. For the 2004-05 school year, he worked as a teacher's aide for the Title I program in Saguache, Colorado at Mountain Valley Schools. For the 2005-06 school year, he worked as the classroom teacher for a combined classroom of third and fourth graders in Saguache at Mountain Valley Elementary.
Doug has worked off and on for Valley View Hot Springs since 1975. Some of the Valley View projects he has assisted with include: Oak House remodel and upstairs dormitory addition, cabin repair and remodeling projects, Sunset Rooms construction, bath house construction, swimming pool reconstruction, stone retaining wall around swimming pool, soaking pools reconstruction, hydroelectric plant installation and upgrade, pipelines, housing, cleaning, maintenance, and registration/office duties. Doug is interested in maintaining the open space characteristic of the area, enjoying and promoting clothing optional policies, and preserving the existing natural and historical resources of the neighborhood that has been his home since 1973.
Crystal England - Executive Director Select
(email)
Crystal was born and raised in a small town in Iowa. On a family vacation to Colorado, when Crystal was 11, she set her sights on returning some day to live among the mountains, surrounded by trees. In the summer of 2015, she and her boys, Noah and Gabe, visited Crestone for the first time. They planned to stay a few days, which turned into a week. They returned soon for another visit. Then the decision was made, and the three of them became Crestone residents. Crystal’s dream of mountain living was achieved! Crystal began working at the front desk in May of 2016 and immediately fell in love with the magic that is Valley View Hot Springs. 2017 introduced her to the Everson Ranch where she continues to create memories working in the garden, the kitchen, and hosting events. Dedication to protecting this water, land, community, and continuing to the legacy of the Orient Land Trust shapes her future. Crystal loves to feed people and, when not at work, can usually be found in the kitchen, tending to her giant collection of house plants, or spending time with her children. She is passionate about organic food, clean water, enjoys studying history, and spreading joy.
Board of Directors
.jpg "Jon Florey")
Jon Florey - Board Chairperson (Term expires 2027)
(email)
Jon was born in South Dakota. He moved away from that state in the early 1990’s to begin his professional career in sales and marketing and lived in Chicago, Dallas, Tampa, and few other places during this time. After the terror attacks of 9-11-2001 he joined the United States Air Force (USAF). During his 4-year tenure in the USAF he was based at Croughton Royal Air Force Base in the United Kingdom, England. He served 3 years overseas and, for his last year, he served at Hanscom, Air Force Base near Boston, MA. He left the USAF as a Captain and moved to Steamboat, CO eventually ending up living in the burbs of Denver. Jon has a Master’s degree in Information Systems and started a towing company in Denver in 2011. He met his husband, Aaron, in 2007 and whom introduced him to Valley View Hot springs in 2009 and they have been members ever since. Aaron and Jon now live in Golden, CO where they own a small business. They enjoy snowboarding in the beautiful Rocky Mountains that surround them and, of course, visiting Valley View as much as possible. When asked, “What do you love about Valley View and why are you on the Board of Directors?”, Jon says, “Let’s just say this, if more people were like the people that are members of Valley View Hot Springs and Orient Land Trust, out in the real world, we could fix everything…outside of the magic of the land and water…the people are what make this place special. I’m honored and blessed to be able to be a small part of it.”
Susan Hicks -Vice Chairperson (Term expires 2025)
(email)
Contributing to society was a quest that began, for myself, in high school and continued after college. I enrolled in the Peace Corps in 1976 and was off to change the world. My first stop was Central America and Spanish language classes in El Salvador. I was then moved to Guatemala. This was quite an education indeed. Following culture shock and enrollment in graduate school, education became my calling. I had completed a degree in Biology and decided to continue my studies with a Master's in Science Education. This led to a successful 30-year career in public education and numerous opportunities to support environmental causes. My career in teaching allowed me to develop leadership skills through curriculum development, union negotiations, department leadership, and training other teachers. My passion for the environment and for our human connection to the environment was inspired by the likes of Jane Goodall and Rachel Carson. My many visits to Valley View Hot Springs and the surroundings prompted me to continue to meditate about our place on the planet. I initiated a 2nd career in the public libraries where I was exposed to many tremendous authors and became a fanatic for an individual's right to access information. Libraries promote so many causes and welcome all. I feel this is a guiding premise to OLT's mission. To preserve an individual's right to knowledge, to recreate in a birthday suit, to connect with others in a safe and open environment, and to appreciate our place in the universe propelled me to serve on the OLT Board of Directors.
.jpg "Patrick J. Comiskey")
Patrick Comiskey - Treasurer (Term expires 2025)
(email)
Bio coming soon.
.jpg)
Scott Hamilton - Secretary (Term expires 2027)
(email)
Scott Hamilton's first experience with Valley View Hot Springs was in the early 80's, before the first bathhouse was built, when his girlfriend (now wife) Rachel suggested a visit to this cool place in the northern San Luis Valley "where you don't wear any clothes – anywhere". Always a naturist at heart, he was intrigued and then charmed by the magic of Valley View. He visited sporadically during the 80's, but after the first boy was born in the early 90's, visits accelerated. Soon two more boys were added to the roster (identical twins) and all three learned to swim in the Valley View swimming pool. Camping and swimming and diving for baubles in the party pool – ahem – "soaking pond" -- what's not to like? Scott and Rachel and kids loved the family-friendly atmosphere, rustic setting and clothing-optional environment found nowhere else.
Scott is an electrical engineer by training, co-founding, running, and selling two high-tech companies in the Boulder entrepreneurial tradition. Retired in 2001, he and his wife enjoy backpacking, back-country skiing, bike touring and traveling, including visiting other hot springs world-wide – the latest at the bottom of a fabulous marble gorge in Taiwan. Scott and Rachel live in Boulder.
Roger Courtemanche (Term expires 2025)
(email)
Roger is originally from New Hampshire. He moved to Colorado in 2000. Roger has been coming to Valley view for over 10 years now. His first time he was actually turned away because we were at capacity. He returned the next day with friends and fell in love with the place and decided to get involved. Roger attended board meetings and when he didn’t leave when the discussion about the financials started they decided he might be a good fit for the board and asked him to join. He remained on the board almost 3 years when he decided to retire and move to Florida. Not long after he decided Florida wasn’t for himself he moved back to Colorado and requested to re-join the board which the members elected him back on when there was an opening. He served as vice chair of the board for three years before becoming chairman of the board in 2022. Roger loves to travel and exploring new Hot Springs, but he always finds his way back to his favorite valley view. Roger lives in Aurora Colorado.
Bill Moench - (Term expires 2026)
(email)
Bill grew up in Iowa with a family that vacationed in Colorado and the west nearly every year.After attending music school at UNC in Greeley, he became a public school band director for six years. He then went to law school in St. Louis, and became a trial lawyer over the next thirty-five years, specializing in employment discrimination and other civil rights cases on behalf of employees. He first discovered the peace and freedom of Valley View on a solo vacation from St. Louis during a rough patch in his personal life, and was hooked. After moving to Denver to work for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2009, he was able to visit Valley View more often. He retired from trial work in 2015, and started volunteering as a camp host. He has continued hosting every year, and became a board member in 2022 in hopes of contributing to the legacy and positive direction of the Orient Land trust.
Terry Seitz - (Term expires 2027)
(email)
Terry, cofounder of Orient Land Trust, has resided in the San Luis Valley since 1976. Terry was a long time employee of OLT who retired in 2012.Before joining the staff of OLT she, along with her husband Neil, owned and operated Valley View Hot Springs. She served for many years on the Supervisory Committee of the Saguache County Credit Union, and received the Colorado Credit Union League's Volunteer of the Year Award in 1997. She has also been active in the Villa Grove Area Merchants Association since its founding in 1987. Terry was appointed to the OLT Board in January 2024 for the remainder of the term of retired board member Sarah Halliday.
|
|
|
 |
Aleia Schaum - (Term expires 2026) (email) Aleia retired from a 30 -year career in public education. As an educator she specialized in environmental education and creating community within the classroom. She made the mountains of Colorado her home during college. Valley View became her home away from home since 1983. Aleia has supported and celebrated the transformation from just a hot springs to a nonprofit organization that promotes conservation, preservation, research and education. Her commitment to being a steward of Earth motivated her to join the OLT board. She is dedicated to supporting the management to makes decisions balancing economic and environmental issues. She is delighted to give back by volunteering in the office, serving on committees, and being on the board. Aleia served previous terms on the OLT Board and her most recent appointment to the board is to serve the remaining term of retiring board member Mark Allen.
|
 |
Vacancy - (Term expires 2027) There is an opening on the board due to a board member resigning. |
Rain: Keeping it in Perspective
Bequests
While you are considering your income tax savings, this may also be a good time to consider long-term tax savings for your heirs by including OLT in your will. The federal estate tax’s top rate is 40% for 2013 and future years as enacted by Congress and President Obama in the American Taxpayer Relief Act. That’s a higher tax bite than the federal income tax rate! However, one needs to remember that one’s heirs WILL NOT RECEIVE THE STEP UP IN COST BASIS ON ANY INVESTMENTS from your estate, thus there will be no escaping the capital gains tax if they liquidate an asset. The only way to avoid the capital gains tax is to give the appreciated asset to a charity who can then sell it. The donor receives credit for the full market value of the donation. It definitely pays to do some advance planning with your attorney and other professional advisors, especially since estate plans can be made flexible enough to change as your life and the laws change.
We hope you will consider a charitable bequest in your will to benefit OLT while you save on estate taxes.
Share Your Bequest with Orient Land Trust
Thank you for thinking of OLT in your estate planning. There are multiple ways to donate from your estate and this article is a good overview, https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2023/how-to-donate-to-charities-in-your-will.html
Your attorney and accountant will be able to give you the best advice and implement your wishes in your estate planning documents.
To properly identify OLT in those documents use our legal name and EIN as follows.
Legal Name: Orient Land Trust
EIN: 84-1582988
Street Address: 64393 County Road GG, Moffat, CO 81143
Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Gifts of Retained Life Estate
How it works
- You transfer your residence, farm, or vacation home to OLT subject to a life estate.
- You continue to live in the property for life or a specified term of years, while continuing to be responsible for all taxes and upkeep.
- The property passes to OLT when your life estate ends.
Benefits
- You receive gift credit and an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of the appraised value of your property.
- You can terminate your life estate at any time and take an additional income tax deduction.
- You have the satisfaction of making a significant gift now that benefits OLT later.
Life Income Gifts
If you are considering a major gift, your gift of cash or stock in the form of a “Life Income Gift” can significantly increase your income!
A life income gift allows you to transfer assets, and yet continue to receive income from the cash, stock, or other property contributed. A life income gift can allow you to:
1) Increase your income for life
2) Receive a generous charitable contribution
3) If you contribute stock, avoid any capital gains on the appreciation
A life income gift is often made through a trust arrangement called a “unitrust” or an “annuity trust”. With a unitrust, you and/ or your spouse (or another beneficiary) receives annually a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the assets in the trust. The income will vary year-to year, based upon how the trust’s investments perform. With an annuity trust, you and/ or your spouse (or another beneficiary) receives a fixed amount from the trust each year. This amount is agreed upon when you create the trust; it stays constant, no matter what happens with the stock market or interest rates.
If you have already considered OLT in your will, please note that a life income gift can often be preferable. Such a gift allows you to accomplish your philanthropic goals during your lifetime – and in a tax-advantaged way.
Gifts of Life Insurance
If you own a life insurance policy that is no longer needed, consider it as the perfect vehicle for a year-end charitable gift.
How it works
- You can provide now for a future gift to Orient Land Trust by naming us as beneficiary of a policy insuring your life.
- If the policy has a cash value, you can take a charitable deduction approximately equal to the cash value at the time of the gift.
- In addition, if annual premiums are still to be made and you continue to pay them, those premiums will become tax deductible each year.
- At death the proceeds are paid to OLT, and we apply them to the program you have designated.
Benefits
- You can make a significant gift from income instead of capital.
- You build our future conservation goals.
(It’s easy to contribute a life insurance policy to OLT. Just check with your life insurance agent for details on which forms to complete.)
Gifts through Your IRA
Special Tax Incentive for IRA Gifts
Temporary legislation allows donors aged 70½ and older to direct distributions of up to $100,000 per year from their IRAs and ROTH IRAs to Orient Land Trust, without incurring income tax on the withdrawal. This is a significant incentive that removes the tax penalty for some donors who want to use their IRAs to fund a charitable gift.
What You Should Know:
- Gifts must be outright — the donor cannot use the distribution to fund a life-income gift such as a charitable gift annuity. Gifts can only be made from a traditional or Roth IRA — other types of retirement plans are not covered by the law.
- If a donor has retirement assets in a 401(k), 403(b) etc., he or she must first roll those funds into an IRA, and then you can direct the IRA provider to transfer the funds from the IRA directly to OLT.
- A donor will receive no charitable income tax deduction for the distribution from the IRA. However, gifts from an IRA will not count toward the deduction limitation* for charitable gifts. This means that a donor whose gifts from non-IRA assets have reached his deduction limitation for the year can make an additional gift from his IRA with no penalty.
- Total charitable IRA distributions to OLT, plus any other charity the donor benefits, cannot exceed $100,000 per year.
How it Works:
- Current legislation gives donors aged 70½ and older an opportunity to direct lifetime distributions from their IRAs and ROTH IRAs to OLT without incurring income tax liability on the withdrawal through December of the tax year.
- Distributions to OLT and other charitable beneficiaries can total $100,000 and must be made outright — they cannot fund a life-income gift. Learn more about this opportunity and how you can make a gift to conservation through your IRA. Alternatively, contact us and we'll be happy to give you more information about this charitable incentive.
- Donors younger than 70½ can make a withdrawal from their IRA or other type of retirement plan, pay income tax on the withdrawal, and donate the proceeds to OLT. These gifts can be made outright or can fund a life-income gift and will generate a charitable deduction for the donor.
(borrowed this picture box from TNC – insert OLT logo on right here and change text to reflect “OLT receives plan tax-free”)
Please note that Orient Land trust cannot render tax or legal advice and we urge you to consult with your professional advisor about your situation before making a charitable gift.
Gifts of Personal Property
How it works
- You transfer a painting, antiques, collectibles or other personal property to OLT.
- OLT may elect to hold the property and display or use it in the furtherance of its mission. OLT may elect to sell the property at some point in the future and use the proceeds for its programs.
Benefits
- You receive gift credit and an immediate income tax deduction for the appraised value of your gift and pay no capital gains tax, provided your gift satisfies the "related use" requirements of the IRS.
- In certain cases, you can use personal property to fund a life-income gift, such as a FLIP Unitrust, that benefits OLT and provides you with income now.
- You can have the satisfaction of making a significant gift now to OLT without adversely affecting your cash flow.
Special Note
If you are interested in donating a vehicle, please contact your OLT office for more information vehicle needs.
Gifts of Business Interests
How It Works:
- You give shares in a closely held corporation or an investment partnership to OLT.
- OLT receives income distributions, and may sell the shares to a third party.
Benefits:
- You receive gift credit and an immediate income tax deduction for the appraised value of the business interests, net of any other liabilities that may pertain to it.
- You may be able to use a business interest to create a life-income arrangement, such as a flip unitrust.
- You have the satisfaction of making a significant gift that benefits both you and OLT during your lifetime.