Roofer and former federal candidate Victor Orlando might have disappeared into irrelevancy after Scanlan certified the primary results last month, or he might not have, depending on whose perspective you consult.
Let’s just say that Victor’s recent $55G roof job on the Coos Catalyst Center was indeed a CATALYST for bringing attention to the captain of that ship, a California transplant known locally as Rick Archer. He has his own personal website with an “about me” page that’s functionally an autobiography. All it needs is a closing sentence saying “I’m Rick Archer and I approved this message,” which I say, tongue-in-cheek, because he’s not likely to approve my suggested edits.
When irregularities in Victor Orlando’s campaign finance paperwork were brought to my attention, I started asking questions, doing internet searches, making some RTK inquiries, and sharing some of my findings in an article mocking Northumberland’s local government by comparing it to Nashua City Hall on Sunday 8/30.
Not only did my original 8/17 inquiry finally get some late afternoon town hall responses on Monday 8/31 that included an apology/excuse for the delay, but some people in and near Northumberland started speaking up, and I was certainly eager to listen! Someone whom I will call “The Informant” (TI) reached out to the Editor-in-Chief upon reading that article, who in turn forwarded TI’s message to me.
I wasted no time in calling The Informant, and we had a long talk about Mr. Archer, the CEO of a woke California NGO, and what many locals and regionals think (or surmise) of him. This was less than a day after the town hall folks forked over the permit that I requested on 8/17.
The long and short of that document is that nowhere on it is a roof mentioned, and the applicant signature was Archer’s.
After my conversation with TI, I learned that other permits were issued before the time range in my RTK inquiry. Some very recent pictures of the food pantry (aka Coos Catalyst Center) show 3 permits displayed on the windows. The place is clearly in squalor and unfit to operate as a food pantry, let alone food storage or human occupancy, as seen in other pictures taken at the same time.
The photographer took several pictures of the exterior and some of the interior, peeping-tom style. Yeah, the roof looks ok, but except for a few displayed banners facing the road, the place looks like it’s been vacant for a long time and is seriously neglected.
The Informant said Archer is often praised for his philanthropy and fundraising, and many locals seem too chilled to criticize him in the public square.
They have questions and deserve answers.
When newspapers run stories or Archer is photographed holding a big cardboard check from one or more big household-name businesses, it’s not unreasonable for John Q Public to want to see those generous donations in action. In other words, people want to know what Archer is doing with all these generous donations because there is no visible evidence of recent repairs, yet Granite Guild, which appears to be the name change from Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation (MVCAF), suggests on its website that the food pantry is open for business.
See for yourself by browsing Granite Guild’s “about” and “food pantry” links. I saved some screenshots in case the webmaster makes changes soon.
The Informant did their homework and talked about what was found on the MVCAF with the Secretary of State’s office in California and informed me that in NH, all 501c3s are required to register with the Charitable Trusts Unit (CTU).
At this time, there is no record of “Granite Guild” or “Coos Catalyst Center,” but the MVCAF’s ID number on file is #35354.
After hanging up with The Informant, I checked the CTU database to no avail, so I emailed their mailbox and received a timely reply from Sarah Hutton. She said the following words on 9/2.
“Good morning Julie,
Thank you for contacting the Charitable Trusts Unit with information on this organization. The CTU is charged with regulation and enforcement of charitable nonprofit organizations in the state. We take seriously all information we receive regarding an alleged failure by a charitable organization to comply with the law. If you have additional that you would like to provide us about this matter, please feel free to do so. Please be advised that CTU does not comment on any pending regulatory review and/or action taken relative to an organization’s compliance with RSA 7:28. We do, however, provide donors with the Registered Charities a list to allow them to research and determine where they would like their funds or volunteer efforts to be placed.
The Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation is registered and in good standing presently, with the New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit. Organizations are not taken out of “G” good standing until their annual report (NHCT-12) is overdue by six months. You can find list of Registered Charities on our website here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/bureaus/charitable-trusts/registered-charities Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation is listed on page 257.
Thank you,
Sarah on behalf of the Charitable Trusts Unit”
So here we are, a month later and on the first day of a new month, and the Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation still owes the CTU a report that was due on May 15. On November 15, the MVCAF will be 6 months past due and eligible for removal from their “good standing” status, according to Ms. Hutton, unless Archer actually turns in the report before then. Of course, the wheels can turn very slowly in government agencies, and we all know about squeaky wheels and grease.
If you’re a Northumberland local or someone with local ties, your assignment, should you choose to accept, is to ask Archer when he is going to file that overdue report.
Whether or not you have local ties, you can keep an eye on the CTU’s Registered Charities List as it appears to get updated weekly. Right now, it’s dated 9/28, which was this Monday. November 15 is a Sunday and presumably not a day when reports are received. The million-dollar question is what status the MVCAF will have on Monday, 11/16.
The more people, both in Northumberland, elsewhere in NH, and especially in Concord, who give attention to Archer and his money trails, the less opportunity he has to avoid scrutiny. It’s time to turn up the heat on him, whether or not the heat actually works at 834 Lancaster Rd.
