"Company Homes and Iron Soup Nonprofit"

[Tim Sokoloff]

Hey Ron, I wanted to post last night but was cutting grass till the sun went down, then we had a little bonfire as there is still a ton of bushes and wood that someone dumped behind that row on Delmar that we had to clean up. We have a bunch across the street that has to go as well, but all in good time.

I am thinking that we should shoot for May 14th. We can all be ready and have everything we need in place by that date so lets go with that.

Again Ron thank you for all you help and WOW THANK YOU A MILLION FOR THE HILTE EQUIPMENT.

Mr. Ron Eiselstein has donated a box of Hilte guns that are capable of holding liquid concrete, roofing tar and other great compounds that will now enable us to reface chimneys and stink pipes on the tile roofs in mere minutes, which was a job that before would have taken many hours, even more than a day in some cases. These guns enable us to seal under and around the tiles without having to move or displace them. Also with the guns were several boxes of concrete cement which will be invaluable.

Later today we will begin putting links on to our SALE ITEMS. We have sorted out and identified enough parts to start a listing on Craig's List. Again, thank you and Bill both for not only the donation, but for your help in moving and sorting it all out.

It is time to do something great here in Mahoning county and let people know just how much you can accomplish with hard work and dedication.

[Youngstownshrimp]

So Iron Soup, when do we reset the Deconstruction Party? 

[Tim Sokoloff]

Nice Set up, hopefully we can get some welding done today, but I doubt it. I got tarps though and we can move more parts. Whatever it takes. I am hoping to see items go on sale this week. This grass is growing like crazy and we can't catch a break with mother nature but there are lots of other things to be done. I hope everyone had a great Easter Weekend. Ours was very nice. We opened the apartment we use as our meeting center and hosted a dinner for our neighborhood. Everyone had a great time. We have a digital projector that is great for putting our Wii bowling on the wall of our game room in Life Size fashion. We don't get to do this very often but every now and then you have to take a break. All work and no play makes one go nuts.

It's back to work now though. I will contact those organizations to see what they are willing to do for us when we have our dates set also.

Again Ron, we are all very thankful for your help and will return that in spades. Anything that involves positive productive forward movement in relation to our goals is something we are all for and will work to attain. As I sit this morning and look at the Sustainable Communities Design Handbook on my desk and read my news feeds regarding the designs and efforts of others attempting to do the same thing we are all across the world I see more an more how our designs overshadow what is currently being done. We truly have an opportunity to be leaders in the field of Green Community designs. To set the bar that others follow is something our community use to be noted for and it should be that way again.

Looking forward to setting a date for that Deconstruction Party and making some new history for others to preserve a hundred years from now.

As for those who feel that all this green technology is a waste of time, that there are no problems on planet Earth, that Global Warming is a farce and that recycling and holding events such as Earth Day are a waste of time, you can start you learning here

http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks2large.htm

This same clock has been verified and duplicated by at least a dozen other sources and has some of the very best minds on the planet behind it. Minds that are not getting paid by big oil interests to hide the truth. As for the future not affecting any of us, if you still plan on being alive in another 20 years you can bet that these problems will be affecting you no matter how much money you have. As for our current students from College to Kindergarten, if you are not seeing how dim YOUR future is becoming, you better get with it. Like any system our civilization can only support so much before it collapses.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Attn:  Iron Soup board,

This is the machine and dump truck which Ohio Land Management (OLM) will dispatch to be used during the Deconstruction Party.  The machines can be used to deconstruct the garages, load the blocks and stockpile for fish tanks.  The dump can move the debris and deconstructed material, the backhoe can dig the holes for planting the fruit and nut trees at Iron Soups new orchard. 

As you know to accomplish all this in a day or two, your suggestion of getting the MVOC , Trees Pleeze and Grow Youngstown to assist may take care of supplemental labor, if they are up to tough work like this.  This project is going to take a lot of butt busting and although your crew I see is able, please find out if the the established entities can handle something like this?

[Youngstownshrimp]

 

[Tim Sokoloff]

Hey, you never know, we have found all kinds of interesting parts so far, and a few come up online as not being automotive. No Space Shuttle Parts yet though. I will cross reference just in case LOL.  I kept the numbers that were on the boxes and tagged them to the items. so hopefully Bill will have that list. It will help a lot. If not that just means some hours of research, sadly much of which was probably already done to make the original list. Also I will have a CD for you when everything is moved with a complete picture inventory and an itemized list which will be quite extensive.

We just want to get the Buzz going so to speak and generate some interest so we have lots of visitors when our listings begin. Also, we feel it is imperative to have all the parts here and categorized, especially with items that will go on Ebay. It has been my experience over the years that one large auction fairs better than several small ones. Most buyers, if they are looking at one item you have up for sale, will look at your other items as well.

Not to mention that as I said, it would do us more good to raise one lump sum at an Ebay auction, than to spend time running several of them. We have much to do, such as needing a new lawn mower. I know our riding mower will make another summer, but we are down to one old weed eater, and no push mower at all whatsoever. Thanks to you guys though I see one in our near future.

I am looking forward to busting out the old Welder on Monday and getting to work on that equipment. Mahoning County will be thrilled to see the site where our garages are completed. We have made tremendous progress on it doing it by hand, but one halfway good backhoe would get the job done in a day or two.

Ron I truly am glad we are working together instead of against each other. I knew once you spoke with all of us and really took a good look at our goals and plans that you would find some wisdom in it. In that spirit, after we spoke with you, looked at your plans and really thought about how it fit in with our goals of creating an agricultural area here at the site, we have found great wisdom in your ideas as well.

I hope everyone is learning something here. No matter what the debate, the dispute, or the problem, if you stop arguing and start listening, not only to each other, but to your advisers and partners, a solution can always be reached that can serve the needs of everyone.

The folks I approached to be on my board were done so cause they are at least as skilled, and some much more so, than myself. This is a serious project that is slowly coming to fruition and is not only to grand in scale, but to important to be in the hands of any one person. It was a team of people that were involved in conceiving, designing, and building these units, it will require a similar team to restore them, especially to a totally green community. Thank you again for your and your teams assistance to further our mutual success.

Best Regards
Tim Sokoloff

[Youngstownshrimp]

Nice approach, now what do those parts in the picture go to, VW, Hemi, Tbird, or Space shuttle , You guys are deffinitely moving, wait to you get all the other autoparts.

[Tim Sokoloff]

To Ron and Bill, thank you for the opportunity you have given us to prove just how dedicated we are. Ron does not hand out donations, is not a fan of grants, and is a guy who can get in the trenches, so when he gave us a donation, he did not hand us a check, he handed us an opportunity to make some money for our organization, no strings attached, just to see where we would go with it.

Our first receiving phase of this donation has been completed and we have inventoried and categorized 380 parts so far and have developed a four phase plan to produce the maximum amount of revenue for our organization in the minimum amount of time. Here are a couple photos of what we will be selling at an upcoming Ebay Auction once everything is moved and inventoried.

          

This auction will be a couple weeks away at least, as there are a ton of items we still have to get, literally, and still have to move and inventory. In the meantime we will be making announcements here, and on our other portals in regards to sales of basic every day items on Craig's list. Of course we are keeping a complete photographic and written inventory that we will be able to match to our sales records. We hope everyone will view all of our items as we post them. We have done our homework and will be offering the best deals on some common auto parts. Anyone who does repairs, has a garage, or is in the automotive business should keep an eye on this. I may even open another post under the appropriate heading as there is a lot of opportunity here to pick up some great items at a great deal.

The Ebay auction will consist of those items that are worth paying fees to sell at auction. Rare, Antique, Hard to find extremely popular items, and things we have huge bulk lots of will be the majority of our auction items. I perceive that some of the inventory may go to a local swap meet sale depending on what all us is in this inventory. There are two many items at this point to speculate.

I do believe there will be many gems in this deal, but we have to work to extract them just as someone with a sleuth would  do to find their gold. We are all for working for what we get.

To our donors, we appreciate this opportunity to show you what we are made of. Not to say that enjoying some good honest work to make some money for our organization will discourage us one single bit in terms of continuing to apply for the same grants and opportunities that every other non-profit in our great Nation is entitled to apply to, but it will show that we are not only afraid to work, we embrace it.

Considering that in four years we have collected a whole $926 from our three donors, this is already going to be our largest contribution on record. If you only count what we have received officially since the formation of our company, that number is only $326. The rest we received in 07 in our first year here.

A real infusion of cash is something that has been lacking in this endeavor from the beginning, one of the reasons we still have property in limbo that has not yet been transferred, when you are barely making what you need to keep the grass cut, and still eat, deeds, titles, transfers and even taxes sometimes take the back burner. We do however make a dent in all of those categories a little at a time each year. Assuredly this year will prove to be able to straighten out all of those issues.

Our team is on this project with a fury and I think you will be beyond impressed with the performance of the fine individuals I have helping me pilot this ship. Obviously a challenge is not something we are afraid of, just look at what we have chose to save. We want to benefit ourselves, and our city, our neighbors, and our community. We stead fast however that Green Communities are not only the way of the future, they are the only way.

We would not screw the oil plug from the bottom of our vehicle then drive around with an empty engine, but we have no problem poking every hole we can in the oil plug of earth. What is it now, statistically in the increase of earthquakes, and the whole we didn't have the technology to tell argument is dead because the new stats are from the 80's till now. Totally accurate recording of almost all quakes on the planet have existed from then until now and it don't look good. You are pumping the lubricant for the tectonic plates out of the ground and into your grid. Gas, Fuel Oil, Plastics, compounds and the list goes on. That's right by the time it runs out we will all be dead, who cares about our kids, it's their problem. Glad I care about mine more than they care about theirs. What happens to our generations future IS ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS.

I just wish there were one person out there who gets it, that had the guts to post here, other than our board members who, since we are not killing each other are allowing me to continue this forum LOL.

Thank you again gentleman, your opportunity will insure we have fuel for the machines and equipment, not only to do our mutual project, but to accomplish many of our other goals we have set forth for our organization.

Best Regards
Tim Sokoloff

[Tim Sokoloff]

We definitely appreciate the help from you guys. Once we sort it all out we should be able to raise enough money to complete more than one project on our agenda.

You know I always say, every once counts. We save our soup and vegetable cans here as well as aluminum which helps pay for fuel for mowing in the summer, and ice for the sidewalks in the winter. I even put a video on youtube about how easy it is to make a little extra cash saving not only your aluminum, but your metal cans as well.

A lot of people still laugh and even scowl in regards to our vision of a totally green community and still the biggest question is why there. I have to restrain myself when I hear these things. Go build yourself just one duplicate row that stands today in Campbell Ohio and see how much it would cost you. Go price tile roofing one time. My main roof over my apartment is almost 100 years old and does not leak and has surely only had the absolute minimum maintenance if that, in the past 35 years.

If that is not enough of an incentive to use these buildings for something productive, here are a few more facts that any good architect can surely verify.

If the Earthquake that devastated Haiti would have hit Campbell we would be all that is left of the city, and still alive and well thanks to the protection of our incredibly well structured buildings.

If a tornado on the scale of that which is referred to as The Finger of God would hit the city, again all that it would touch would be gone except for us. Granted our tile roofs would not fair as well as the buildings themselves but they would survive.

It is like wanting to build a windmill and you already have everything you need except the prop.

All we have to do is add the prop the windmill has already been built for us.

I am glad to see a new wave of potential and cooperation that will hopefully see that something is done to realize the vision of the ultimate Green Community

[Youngstownshrimp]

Iron Soup board, 

I hope the First two pickup loads of NOS auto parts donated by FirePearl can be the beginning of a good fund raiser for the Company homes.  Speaking to councilman Mike, calmed my fears about the Hampton demolition.  He is going to put together a meeting with Dill and Iron Soup, he also does not see a problem in creating an orchard on the City Jackson street property.  I put a call into David Goehrig of OSU and with Teresa contacting him, we can increase the nut and fruit tree planting scheduled for the shrimp farm.   Ohio Land Management has agreed to provide a backhoe and dumptruck for the Hampton deconstruction party, obviously, we have to reset the party schedule.  Completing your deconstruction project on the Jackson street garages will be expedited with a backhoe and as you advised we will have all the cinder blocks needed for the aquaculture tanks.  I also will be getting a call from Atty. Zomoida, the first tax cert. lawyer, who is from Campbell who Mike knows, I believe we can resolve all the tax cert. problems with the company homes.  Atty. Mike Hoza of CASTLO says you maybe correct on Prop. tax exemptions for historic nonprofit owned real estate.  Well, I guess we are ready and are only held up by the rain.

[Tim Sokoloff]

So now it is a question of getting started. We should have another sit down to figure out how exactly we plan to do a deconstruction party on that row, not including of course the unit owned by the Burkholder group. Will want to be sure to take lots of before and afters though as I feel they need to clean up their area as well if the rest of it is going to be spic and span. If you and I can come to terms in an attempt to cooperate on bringing better things to ourselves and our city, every other owner in this complex should have to do the same, and not ten year from now or four years from now but this year. Something needs to be done about people in this complex that refuse to do anything with these units and are making it difficult for progress to occur due to their lack of concern. Their ineptness has been making our organizations efforts to clean this area up look petty in comparison to the disaster they are promoting.

Despite all that however our progress has been undeniable, and this year we have more to share than ever with new camera systems, neighborhood watch programs, and as soon as mother nature is done having a fit, the refacing and painting of several of the rows that currently are terrible eye sores. I do believe that references to nothing at all being done here will have to cease as you will not be able to miss one or more bright and shiny newly refaced rows.

I am more confident each day that the Hampton Street Row will be among them.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Tim, I do not know, bazaar, where can I begin, logic, no.  rationale, no?  Let me sleep on it?

[Tim Sokoloff]

Well the emails have been sent to all necessary parties at the historical societies on local, state and federal levels in regards to our intentions to renovate the burned out shells on Hampton Street, as well as plans to design orchard areas and other Urban Agriculture systems in and around the unit and the unused land that is going to waste. As stated a good urban agriculture program is necessary in the long term when thinking along the lines of self sustaining communities, but there is a place for everything and we are happy that we have found a better location for urban aquaculture to take root as we would no more want that in the main square area than we would want to turn the park area into a garden of beans and tomatoes. That area will hopefully be an actual park this year where the kids that live right there in the company homes can play in.

It is all one step at a time however and as much as I wish I had the funds to do it all right now, at least now we have a little bit of funds coming in. It is a just a little trickle at the moment, but we know the trickle will become a stream, and the stream a waterfall. The river always beats the mountain, not through strength, but through persistence.

Ron you have been very helpful and cooperative in our mutual efforts and we will be the same in return. We are all very hard working very dedicated people that want to get the job done and see this place be what it was when it opened. The most incredible place to live on earth and it is more than possible. I envision us having quite the community complete with fresh vegetables, home grown food, and some awesome fresh seafood always on hand. At least we will be eating well. Micro farming and Urban Agriculture are a great new mainstay in the US and I am sure everyone has read about the comeback of Victory Gardens due to many peoples ability to not be able to afford fresh fruits and vegetables.

There is enough room in one row of those buildings to produce enough seafood to feed the city at full production, and with orchards and gardens surrounding them the amount of produce and other food that can be produced is staggering. I am looking forward at beginning our work tomorrow after the board meeting.

Oh I will be writing a letter to the city to let them know we are working on what is potentially and equitable solution for all parties and also to ask if CPD would like access over the internet to the new camera system, thus allowing them to look for potential criminals in more than one area, while expending less manpower. We are in favor of our city and not in favor of any activities that would be considered harmful to this neighborhood, the residents, or these awesome historical buildings. As for the row in questions, as a historical building, it is already destroyed, as a solid concrete shell to house urban aquaculture, it is ideal.

I am a little saddened however that when we were at each others throats everyone was commenting and tons of people were viewing, now that we are working together to further all of our goals and hopefully the city of Campbell s as well, we are not as popular. Sad how controversy spawns such interest, while cooperation and a desire to work towards the greater good is just not that interesting.

I only hope that if we do get posters, they follow our lead and keep the positive energy of what we are doing here going.

Best to All
Tim Sokoloff

[Tim Sokoloff]

Well I think we are at least moving in a direction that is in the best interests of everyone especially the residents who are still occupying these structures, and the new people who are cleaning up and moving into old units. We will be working very hard to encourage people to use the links at our website www.haveacause.com to get to their favorite stores when they shop online as this is seeming to be more and more a great avenue of funding. Asking people to give of their time and money are always difficult, but asking them to simply get to the store of their choice through our website is seeming to be an easier task. Every link that appears on our site takes shoppers directly to the website of that merchant and when any purchase at all is made our organization gets a percentage of the sale that ranges from a small 2% to 50% in certain cases.

If we could just get people with prepaid phones to recharge them through our Wal Mart link we would have all the funding we needed in a matter of months. I hope those that are following this, and that would like to see some true progress made, not only in this area, but in Campbell and Mahoning County as well will take advantage of our site links when they shop online. No one on either side of this has any bad intentions for the city, we just have to work together to create something that benefits our goals while still looking out for the residents living in this area, and maintaining its historical Value.

Best Regards to all
Tim Sokoloff

[Youngstownshrimp]

Hey Tim,

Thank you for the pictures, I had time to stop by and look at the structures identified as the Hampton Plat.  Thank you for setting up a meeting of Iron Soup board members and I will accept your invitation this Friday.  Although I do understand that your site at the Hampton Plat is a better location and the building is basically deconstructed by fire, there are some initial hurdles that we need to overcome.  Namely, the building is divided into four deeds and as most of the units,  have tax certs. that are held by several investors.  Funding to accomplish any transfer of these deeds are a question.  You mentioned that other units in that area are already deeded to Iron Soup and yes, they can be utilized for aquaculture.  The hurdle right now would be the funding for the units depicted.  As I said from the beginning, I will donate the five units I have to Iron Soup but again funding must be in place for the units to become productive as residential housing.  I am interested in Iron Soup's vision of several of the units earmarked for urban agriculture and the northern units set aside for residential as well.  I will not ramble on about why I feel residential is an uphill battle but I will participate and help with what I know about tax certs. and aquaculture.  There is aggressive financing from the Farm Service Agency for aquaculture and I will share this during the meeting.  These fundings are loans that are based on repayment by production rather than personal debt. so to speak.  The tax certs. is a way to garner many of the dormant units and if what you say is true about tax exemptions for historic structures, I will be interested in carrying this ball to increase Iron Soups leveraging ability with funding.  Again I feel this approach will be easier than residential for now but may lead into revenue and loans for your plan.  Also, I have a meeting with the tax cert. Atty. to discuss all the Company units.