Why would Trustees of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF), with nearly $2 billion in unrestricted assets, choose to dismantle the Gardens that were created by Doris Duke and donated to the Duke Gardens Foundation in her lifetime?
The trustees made a press statement after meeting at Duke Farms on May 12th:
[We]
"have very broad powers to deal with the property left by Ms. Duke,"
trustees said in a statement this week. They added, "The decisions about the future opportunities for Duke
Farms have been properly vetted and are totally within the discretion
of the boards under New York state law, as approved by the New York
attorney general."
Is it clear now?
About these Trustees:
- None of the current 11 Trustees were named as Trustees by Doris Duke in her last Will, which specified 5 Trustees (Article TEN.B).
- Trustees are compensated $126,078 / year, for 60-78 hours of 'Time devoted to Position' (2005 tax filing, Statement 17, excludes A Fauci and JHT Wilson)
- That's $2100 / hour.
- The gardeners who work full time on Doris Duke's Indoor Display Gardens are not paid $126, 078 / year.
- None of the 11 Trustees make their home in New Jersey (inferred from employment and home addresses), although N. O. Keohane is currently a visiting professor at Princeton.
- Some of the Trustees may visit the Gardens for the first time in May 2008 (hearsay).
- A search finds The Duke Gardens Foundation, Inc in Doris Duke' will (FIVE.C.2)
-
A search finds no mention of the Duke Gardens Foundationon the current Duke Farms website.
- A search finds no mention of the Duke Gardens Foundation on the current DDCF website.
Quotes (emphasis added):
Last WILL of Doris Duke
FIVE.C.1: The bequests to my employees under this Subdivision C are in gratitude for their past services rendered to me and my foundations. It is my hope and expectation that my Executors and Trustees and the foundations in which I am a member, director, trustee or officer at my death or which are to be created under this Will shall employ as many of these persons as reasonably possible in order to maintain my various properties and to operate these foundations after my death.
FIVE.C.2:
If BERNARD LAFFERTY shall survive me and shall at my death be in my
employ or in the employ of The Doris Duke Foundation, the Foundation
for Southeast Asian Art and Culture, the Duke Gardens Foundation, Inc.,
the Newport Restoration Foundation (such foundations being hereinafter
collectively referred to as the "Applicable Foundations")...//
Duke Farms press release, March 2, 2008
Duke Farms announced today an expansive and bold new vision for the 2,740-acre property, in which it will refocus its programs and operations to become an environmental showcase and learning center. This new direction marks the culmination of an extensive strategic planning process and the beginning of a transitional phase for Duke Farms, which will include a period of construction, phasing out some tours and activities, creating partnerships with leading nonprofits, and expanding environmental programs and self-guided public access over time.
Princeton Packet, April 11th, 2008:
The jewel-like gardens will remain open until May 25, after which they will be dismantled. According to foundation sources, the day of the display gardens is past. They consume an inordinate share of financial and staff resources, they would require a very expensive modernization, and they no longer reflect the vision of Duke Farm’s future. A video record has been made for archival purposes.
Star Ledger, April 31st, 2008:
The current garden tours are closing partly to use the building as a staging area for plants, while the other conservatory building is emptied and renovated, officials said. As for the plants there, [Executive Director Tim] Taylor said some may be used in the new gardens, though the concept will be different. "It will not be replicated in terms of the gardens of the nations. We'll put a different spin on them, and come up with a logical connecting story of native horticulture to exotic horticulture," he said.
