This weekend I worked in my yard. I love gardening and helping my flowers mature and bloom. I enjoy looking at my yard after I have done my work and the mowing team has been in and done theirs. I hate weeds amongst my flowers and have a constant struggle. As I worked, I looked over at the vacant lot next to me. I have great lot owners next to me. We've worked together to keep some growth next to the bulk head down. They have lot mowing provided through the WPA. This is not about them, but a questions I have for the board. The growth in the lot next to me is now knee high. What is worse is that some of the growth is weeds that have now gone to seed and are invading one of my largest flower beds. AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT THE BOARD, and not about the great lot land owner next to me. I'd write the board, BUT they NEVER answer. In fact I've recently reviewed the correspondence file and they haven't ANSWERED anyone in the SIX months I reviewed. In past board meetings, they have attacked me, as writing too often. My review of the file indicated I had written to ask questions, twice in the last six months. I'll copy them with this article and ask them to place it in the correspondence file but hell will freeze over before I get an answer. My question will center around the Grounds Report, given during the May board meeting. I've provided a quote from a article I published earlier (in red).
"McMillin opened bids for the grounds contract. The grounds contract currently includes work on the spoil site and mowing of vacant lots with owners paying. First remember McMillin, who sits on the Water Amenities Committee, but chairs Grounds, dragged a Water Amenities asset into Grounds some time ago, as your board sat back and so did the committee. There has been discussion at the board table in the past that McMillin is not billing individual lot owners enough to cover the cost of the mowing. In the past, he has stood adamantly in behalf of the lot owners, unwilling to raise the cost to them, to sufficiently cover the expense. From the figures reported in the contract for the mowing last night, it roughly appears that we - YOU AND ME, are covering as much as 40 - 50% of the mowing.
At some points the cost of mowing for each lot owner came into question. A board member felt that the work at the spoil site should be separate. McMillin pouted, at times was adamant. The board let it slide much like the old dock in the canals, and held approval of the grounds contract for two months. Watch where this goes. Will pouting work and behind the scene deals be made that will make McMillin smile again? "
HERE'S THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND THE BOARD:
1) Did you exhaust all of the lot mowing opportunities provided in the 2012 grounds contract? I recall hearing it reported in an earlier meeting, that you had and in fact may have gone over the number.
2) If all of the mowings have been performed according to the old contract, and you've held approval of the new contract until August, how will you provide lot mowings during the prime mowing season to the lot owners?
3) Are you willing to force those of us who live next to the currently unmoved lots, to be forced to live with a condition that will only get worse and more unsightly? If so, when did you plan on advising both those of us who live next to these lots, and the lot owners?
4) Is it true that you have begun to invoice and collect for mowing services to lot owners for this year?
5) It seemed to be acknowledged at the board table, that you as a board have known for quite some time that non lot owners, through our assessments, are partially paying at a very high percent of each mowing, for PRIVATE MEMBER LOT MOWINGS. How can you as a governing entity KNOWINGLY allow this to take place, delay action, and further penalize us?
RESIDENTS: Attend board meetings. Go to the WPA website and read this board's sanitized minutes. If you miss a meeting, go to the Wedgefield Times and listen to the tape, it is far better, than reading those minutes. WRITE THE BOARD AND STATE YOUR CONCERNS. THEY WON'T ANSWER YOU, BUT THEY SHOULD BE PUT ON NOTICE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. IF ANY OF THEM ARE EVER SUED, THEY CAN'T SAY THEY WEREN'T AWARE.
