2012-08-31T16:10:41-05:00 2011-12-31 263839190 BURR PILGER MAYER INC 110 STONY POINT ROAD SUITE 210 SANTA ROSA CA 95401 990 2011-01-01 510197006 SONOMA LAND TRUST SONO 7075266930 966 SONOMA AVENUE SANTA ROSA CA 95404 RALPH BENSON 7075266930 2012-08-23 1 MAGA KISRIEV P01008919 7075444078 2011 2016-02-24 21:20:13Z RALPH BENSON 966 SONOMA AVENUE SANTA ROSA CA 95404 4688300 0 X WWW.SONOMALANDTRUST.ORG X 1976 CA PROTECT THE SCENIC, NATURAL, CULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN LANDSCAPES OF SONOMA COUNTY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS BY DEVELOPING LONG-TERM LAND PROTECTION STRATEGIES; PROMOTING PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING FOR LAND CONSERVATION; ACQUIRING LAND AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS; PRACTICING STEWARDSHIP, INCLUDING THE RESTORATION OF CONSERVATION PROPERTIES; PROMOTING A SENSE OF PLACE AND A LAND ETHIC THROUGH ACTIVITIES, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. 15 15 23 225 0 0 20334769 1791357 559168 578770 55003 77473 288316 330533 21237256 2778133 0 0 0 0 1547240 1759435 0 0 374452 1775256 2511019 3322496 4270454 17914760 -1492321 79464708 77943977 625447 780448 78839261 77163529 X PROTECT THE SCENIC, NATURAL, CULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN LANDSCAPES OF SONOMA COUNTY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS BY DEVELOPING LONG-TERM LAND PROTECTION STRATEGIES; PROMOTING PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING FOR LAND CONSERVATION; ACQUIRING LAND AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS; PRACTICING STEWARDSHIP, INCLUDING THE RESTORATION OF CONSERVATION PROPERTIES; PROMOTING A SENSE OF PLACE AND A LAND ETHIC THROUGH ACTIVITIES, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. 0 0 3121271 25000 578770 ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIPCONTINUED MANAGEMENT OF 5,630-ACRE JENNER HEADLANDS PROPERTY, A STUNNING COASTAL PROPERTY RICH IN FORESTLAND, WATERSHEDS, RARE COASTAL PRAIRIE AND WILDLIFE, ACQUIRED IN DECEMBER, 2009. CONTINUED WORK ON COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY INCLUDING BASELINE DOCUMENTATION, STUDY OF ALL NATURAL RESOURCES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC ACCESS ISSUES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. BEGAN MAJOR WORK RELATED TO ROAD REPAIR, SEDIMENTATION CONTROL, FENCING, AND PUBLIC ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS. MANAGED 17 PROPERTIES COVERING OVER 12,000 ACRES TO PRESERVE THEIR NATURAL, OPEN SPACE, SCENIC, CULTURAL AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.MONITORED 41 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO ENSURE THE TERMS OF THE EASEMENTS ARE UPHELD AND THE CONSERVATION VALUES ARE PROTECTED.ACQUIRED TITLE OF A 4-ACRE PARCEL ALONG STUART CREEK, A TRIBUTARY OF SONOMA CREEK. REMOVAL OF A FISH BARRIER ON THIS PROPERTY WILL ALLOW ACCESS TO PRIME TROUT HABITAT. ACQUIRED A 255-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER ROCKY POINT, A PROPERTY ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF SONOMA COUNTY WITH SIGNIFICANT NATURAL, ECOLOGICAL, FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT RESOURCES; FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES; OPEN SPACE, AND SCENIC RESOURCES ACQUIRED A 120-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER DIMBAT TREE FARM, WITHIN THE CEDARS CONSERVATION REGION, AN AREA WITH RARE GEOLOGIC FORMATION THAT IS HOME TO DOZENS OF ENDEMIC, RARE, SENSITIVE AND DISJUNCT PLANT SPECIES.TEAMED UP WITH GRADUATE STUDENTS TO CONDUCT BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SLT PROPERTIES, PROVIDED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN AND OFFERED PUBLIC HIKES.ENGAGED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUTREACH, EDUCATION, HIKING, AND VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 3121271 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 53 0 1 23 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 15 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 CA X RALPH BENSON 7075266930 966 SONOMA AVENUE SANTA ROSA CA 95404 DENNY VAN NESS 3.00 X X 0 0 0 PETER MATTSON 2.00 X X 0 0 0 MARK JACOBSEN 2.00 X X 0 0 0 ALLISON SANFORD 2.00 X X 0 0 0 ROBERT BRENT 2.00 X 0 0 0 NEAL FISHMAN 2.00 X 0 0 0 KEN FREEMAN 2.00 X 0 0 0 KIRSTEN LINDQUIST 2.00 X 0 0 0 BILL OSTERLAND 2.00 X 0 0 0 DARREN PETERIE 2.00 X 0 0 0 HARRY RICHARDSON MD 2.00 X 0 0 0 MAGGIE SALENGER 2.00 X 0 0 0 WENDY SMIT 2.00 X 0 0 0 MARGARET SPAULDING 2.00 X 0 0 0 CAROL WILLIAMS 2.00 X 0 0 0 RALPH BENSON 40.00 X 153972 0 16301 PAUL DEMARCO 40.00 X 92604 0 18697 BEVERLY SCOTTLAND 40.00 X 110000 0 19197 356576 0 54195 2 0 1 0 0 477721 1313636 39611 1791357 PROJECT REV./FEES 541900 578770 578770 578770 57359 57359 327922 3500 324422 324422 324422 1428019 498762 1394053 512614 33966 -13852 20114 20114 GAIN ON INS. POLICY 900099 6111 6111 6111 2778133 578770 0 408006 281574 176957 67380 37237 1154293 725422 276221 152650 45405 29258 10699 5448 171079 112913 45790 12376 107084 69770 23331 13983 110707 990 109717 26575 19355 7220 34239 34239 866282 783965 56893 25424 18137 262 17501 374 34754 21939 7447 5368 16485 10520 2672 3293 44766 33799 6897 4070 27045 23527 1683 1835 25371 20748 2770 1853 154 108 29 17 65104 41704 20476 2924 40124 37723 1510 891 LAND RELATED EXPENSES 778916 776378 1596 942 PROPERTY TAXES 141335 141292 27 16 PRINTING AND COPYING 106572 18367 42087 46118 POSTAGE AND MAILING 50226 4271 6405 39550 124227 72003 32141 20083 4270454 3121271 774731 374452 7115313 3915741 567095 329574 1263768 425423 49506 48775 24342 28656 1064749 144302 935130 920447 2515889 5256674 512000 0 66481665 67018687 79464708 77943977 339393 399249 282546 237699 143500 3508 625447 780448 X 71932920 71226694 6906341 5936835 78839261 77163529 79464708 77943977 X -1492321 -183411 X X 0 1 1 X 1 1 X 15262684 8050632 22573741 23387711 1791357 71066125 15262684 8050632 22573741 23387711 1791357 71066125 12555685 58510440 116497 86265 65812 55003 57359 380936 71447061 3714545 0.81890 0.82250 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X X 41 6980.00 0 0 1 1 2687.00 116502 437500 437500 438789 65819 372970 54515 4167 50348 133945 74316 59629 920447 CONSERVATION AND LAND EASEMENTS 66984547 DEPOSITS 34140 67018687 2778133 4270454 -1492321 -183411 -183411 -1675732 2594722 -183411 -183411 2778133 0 2778133 4270454 0 4270454 0 4270454 DESCRIPTION OF UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS UNDER FIN 48: PART X: SLT REVIEWS AND ASSESSES TAX POSITIONS TAKEN OR EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN AGAINST MORE-LIKELY-THAN-NOT RECOGNITION THRESHOLD AND MEASUREMENT ATTRIBUTES FOR FINANCIAL STATEMENT RECOGNITION. SLT'S POLICY FOR EVALUATING UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS IS A TWO-STEP PROCESS. THE FIRST STEP IS TO EVALUATE THE TAX POSITION FOR RECOGNITION BY DETERMINING IF THE WEIGHT OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT IT IS MORE-LIKELY-THAN-NOT THAT THE POSITION WILL BE SUSTAINED UPON AUDIT, INCLUDING RESOLUTION OF RELATED APPEALS OR LITIGATIONS PROCESSES, IF ANY. THE SECOND STEP IS TO MEASURE THE TAX BENEFIT OR LIABILITY AS THE LARGEST AMOUNT THAT IS MORE THAN 50% LIKELY TO BE REALIZED OR INCURRED UPON SETTLEMENT. BASED ON AN ANALYSIS PREPARED BY THE SLT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TAX POSITIONS TAKEN OR EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN HAD NO MATERIAL EFFECT ON THE RECORDED TAX ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE SLT. ACCOUNTING FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ("SLT" = "SONOMA LAND TRUST") SEVERAL OF THE LAND HOLDINGS REQUIRE SLT TO ADHERE TO USE LIMITS AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. IF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET BY SLT, THE PROPERTIES WOULD REVERT EITHER TO THE HEIRS OF THE DONOR OR OTHER LAND CONSERVANCY ORGANIZATIONS. ALSO, CERTAIN CONSERVATION LANDS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED USING GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. SUCH FUNDS RESTRICT THE SALE AND DISPOSITION OF THE PROPERTY UNDER VARIOUS AGREEMENTS. ACCOUNTING POLICY - SLT ACQUIRES LAND IN FEE TITLE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CONVEYS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER THE PROPERTY TO A PUBLIC AGENCY OR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR PERMANENT STEWARDSHIP OF THE EASEMENT. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, THE LAND IS HELD ON SLT'S BOOKS AT COST OR FAIR VALUE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, LESS THE VALUE OF THE EASEMENT CONVEYED TO THE PUBLIC AGENCY. LAND GIFTS, ONCE VALUED, ARE RECORDED AS OTHER INCOME IN ACCOUNT 6850, REAL PROPERTY DONATIONS. EASEMENTS ACQUIRED BY SLT REPRESENT NUMEROUS RESTRICTIONS OVER THE USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LAND NOT OWNED BY SLT. THESE EASEMENTS GENERALLY PROVIDE THAT THE LAND WILL BE MAINTAINED UNIMPAIRED IN ITS CURRENT NATURAL, AGRICULTURAL, SCENIC OR RECREATIONAL STATE. SINCE THE BENEFITS OF SUCH EASEMENTS ACCRUE TO THE PUBLIC UPON ACQUISITION, AND THE EASEMENT THEMSELVES HAVE NO MARKETABLE VALUE ONCE SEVERED FROM THE LAND AND HELD BY SLT, THE EASEMENTS ACQUIRED BY SLT ARE REFLECTED AT ZERO VALUE. X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RALPH BENSON 153972 0 0 0 0 0 7763 0 8538 0 170273 0 0 0 WILLIAM OSTERLAND TO PURCHASE A CONSERVATION PROPERTY X 140000 143500 0 1 1 143500 X 1 0 SEE SCH. M, PART II X 7 12789 FMV X X CAP. IMPROV. 1 21994 FMV X SUPPL/MATERIALS 1 4828 FMV 0 1 0 NON REPORTING OF REVENUE: PART I, LINE 33: DURING 2011, SLT RECEIVED A BEQUEST FROM A DONOR IN THE FORM OF ARTWORK, WHICH CONSISTED OF APPROXIMATELY 400 WOODCUTS, LESS TRUSTEE'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND SALE-RELATED EXPENSES. THE PROCEEDS LESS ASSOCIATED EXPENSES WILL BE ALLOCATED EVENLY BETWEEN THREE UNRELATED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING SLT. DUE TO THE UNIQUENESS OF THE WOODCUTS, MANAGEMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE DONATION CANNOT BE REASONABLY ESTIMATED, THEREFORE, THE DONATION WAS NOT REFLECTED IN SLT'S 2011 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. SLT WILL RECORD CONTRIBUTION REVENUE LESS ASSOCIATED EXPENSES WHEN THE WOODCUTS ARE SOLD. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11 MANAGEMENT OVERSEES THE PREPARATION OF THE FORM 990, AND REVIEWS ITS CONTENT IN DETAIL. A FINAL DRAFT IS TURNED OVER TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD FOR THEIR REVIEW PRIOR TO DISEMINATION TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE FINAL VERSION IS SENT, VIA EMAIL OR BY HARD COPY, TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER (WITHIN ONE WEEK) THE FORM 990 IS THEN FILED WITH THE IRS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C CONFLICTS INVOLVING BOARD MEMBERS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 1) DISCLOSURE UPON HIRING, ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT. UPON OR BEFORE ELECTION, HIRING OR APPOINTMENT, EACH BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF MEMBER WILL SIGN A STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE POLICY AND THEIR DUTY TO DISCLOSE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AS THEY ARISE. THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE REAFFIRMED ANNUALLY, IN THE COURSE OF MEETINGS OR ACTIVITIES, BOARD AND STAFF MEMBERS WILL DISCLOSE ANY INTERESTS IN A TRANSACTION OR DECISION WHERE THEY, THEIR FAMILY AND/OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER, EMPLOYER OR CLOSE ASSOCIATES WILL RECEIVE A BENEFIT OR GAIN. 2) STEPS IN EVALUATING POTENTIAL CONFLICTS. WHEN AN SLT PRINCIPAL THINKS HE OR SHE MAY HAVE AN ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THE SLT PRINCIPAL SHALL DISCLOSE ALL MATERIAL FACTS TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND/OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IF FOLLOWING SUCH A DISCUSSION THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE BOARD MEMBER OR OFFICER SPOKE BELIEVES THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE SLT PRINCIPAL WISHES TO PROCEED WITH THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION, THE ISSUE SHALL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE FULL BOARD OR A COMMITTEE THEREOF APPOINTED FOR SUCH PURPOSE IF THE FULL BOARD IS UNABLE TO MEET. THE SLT PRINCIPAL SHALL LEAVE THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEETING WHILE THE DETERMINATION OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS DISCUSSED AND VOTED UPON. THE REMAINING BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL DECIDE: (I) IF THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION IS IN SLT'S BEST INTEREST AND FOR SLT'S BENEFIT; (II) IF THE TRANSACTION IS FAIR AND REASONABLE TO SLT; AND (III) WHETHER OR NOT SLT WILL ENTER INTO THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION. IF THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE (WITH THE PERSON IN QUESTION NOT VOTING) CONCLUDES THAT PROCEEDING WITH THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION WOULD IN ANY WAY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE INTEREST OF SLT, THE SLT PRINCIPAL SHALL EITHER (A) NOT PROCEED WITH THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION, OR (B) RESIGN FROM THE BOARD OR HIS OR HER POSITION OF EMPLOYMENT. CONFLICTS INVOLVING OTHER EMPLOYEES OR VOLUNTEERS WHEN A VOLUNTEER OR AN EMPLOYEE OTHER THAN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THINKS HE OR SHE MAY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A SITUATION WHERE THERE MAY BE AN APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SUCH PERSON SHALL DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL DECIDE ON THE APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION OF THE TRANSACTION OR DECISION CONSISTENT WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF SLT, ITS BYLAWS AND APPLICABLE LAWS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 THE GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MADE UP ENTIRELY OF INDEPENDENT MEMBERS, REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THEY RESEARCHED THE COMPENSATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOOKED AT SALARY DATA FROM WEBSITES. THEY DOCUMENTED THEIR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS OF THE BOARD MEETING WHERE THE DETERMINATION AND APPROVAL WAS MADE. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST. CHANGES IN NET ASSETS OR FUND BALANCES: FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 5: NET UNREALIZED LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS: -183,411. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C NO CHANGE IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE'S OVERSIGHT PROCESS.