I WON'T REMAIN SILENT. WEDGEFIELD IS THE PLACE THAT I CALL HOME, AND THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH WITH THIS BOARD.
Friday, June 30, 2017
RESIDENT SPEAKS ELOQUENTLY REGARDING COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD
WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THE BOARD TO ANSWER RESIDENT COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BOARD? IS IT A CASE OF WHO YOU ARE WHETHER YOU GET AN ANSWER? ARE OUR VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS TOO BUSY WITH THEIR OWN PRIVATE AGENDAS? ISN'T YOUR TIME VALUABLE TOO?
A QUICK RESIDENT NOTE TO THE BOARD:
"Just a follow up - no one responded to my email. I have no interest in pursuing this with the board any further... they are a waste of my time."
Thursday, June 29, 2017
YOUR BOARD'S SLIMY TREE CUTTING ON PRIVATE CANAL LOTS
The governing documents scream the fact that you, and I shouldn't have to pay for this tree removal. The governing documents charge the board to keep this place to a standard as defined in the documents. The governing documents give the board the power to go onto property, correct the violation, and charge the resident. Your board - each and every member, voted to do this illegally, at all of our expense.
HERE ARE THE QUOTES FROM OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS RELATING TO USE OF ASSESSMENT FUNDS, AND LOT MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE:
COVENANTS
Section 4: Use of Assessments Revenues: The funds derived from said
assessments shall be used for the payment of common area maintenance expenses of the subdivision
Section 5: Penalties for Violations of By-Laws, Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions, and Board Policies: The Board of Directors shall have the right, in addition to any other rights set forth in these By-Laws or in the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, to pursue remedies against an Owner for violations by that Owner or Owner's tenant of the Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, or By-Laws. Such remedies may include but not be limited to injunctive relief, monetary damages, costs, and reasonable attorneys' fees.
Section 6: It is the responsibility of each lot owner to prevent the development unkempt conditions of building grounds on such lot, which shall tend to substantially decrease the beauty for the neighborhood as a whole or the specific area.
Section 7. There shall not be maintained any plants or animals, or device or thing of any sort whose normal activities or existence destroy the enjoyment of the other property in the neighborhood by the owners there of.
BY-LAWS
Section I, Powers
The property and business of The Association shall be managed by the board of Directors, which may exercise all corporate power not specifically prohibited by the South Carolina Statues, the Articles of Incorporation, or the deed Conditions, Covenants & Restrictions.
I was advised by president Walton verbally, that I could review the records on the 27th, as I requested. HERE IS WHAT I WROTE AND ASKED THE BOARD TO REVIEW IN REGARD TO THE TREE REMOVAL ON PRIVATE CANAL LOTS:
"*request for proposal and related statement of work
*all vendor responses/quotes
*the contract
*all invoices related to the contract
*all payments related to the contract"
HERE IS WHAT THE POLICY MANUAL SAYS IN REGARD TO PROCUREMENT OVER $5,000:
HERE IS WHAT THE POLICY MANUAL SAYS IN REGARD TO PROCUREMENT OVER $5,000:
WEDGEFIELD PLANTATION ASSOCIATION POLICY MANUAL
PROCUREMENT
Purchases of $5,000 or more- Major Expenditures (Rev. 6/16/15)
Expenditures in excess of $5,000 are considered major expenditures and may only be made after Board approval. These expenditures require a scope of work to be prepared prior to being submitted to the Board. The scope of work will specify: a) why the work is to be done; b) exactly what is to be accomplished by the expenditure; and c) the measurable results from the work. (Rev. 6/16/15)
If the project is of such a large magnitude that it will require partial payment as specific aspects of the work is accomplished, then deliverables at the end of these milestones must be provided in the scope of work. A licensed professional engineer may be hired at the Board’s discretion. (Rev. 6/16/15)
It is desirable to secure three bids for this work. If this is not practical, the Board may accept a single bid.. In some instances if there is insufficient expertise on the Board, project review by an engineer or other qualified professional may be desirable.
(Rev. 6/16/15)
It is the Board’s responsibility to inspect the work accomplished and to review the project at the next Board meeting subsequent to the completion of the work. After Board agreement and approval of the accomplished work, the Board will issue an approval to pay the contractor who performed the work. This procedure will be applied to milestone payments as well as total project payments.
It is essential that a paper trail be developed for each step in the project so the Board Audit Committee can review these expenditures and work performance at year end.
Let's look at what I requested, and what I found. 1) "request for proposal and related statement of work". There was no request for proposal which would have included a statement of work, dead line for submission, how to submit - sealed envelope, etc. How could it have been presented to the board for consideration and a vote?
2) "all vendor responses/quotes". There were two supposed bids for this project - JC's Landscaping = $7,950.00 and Thomas Bone = $14,600.00. I couldn't tell who Thomas Bone's was sent to, but JC's Landscaping was sent to canal committee member - not a board member. Further indication of no statement of work, or request for proposal submitted to both was the fact that JC's Landscaping submitted their bid on 3/5/17, and Thomas Bone's on 1/25/17. When I read each of the bids, you would wonder whether there ever was a written statement of work, but it did explain the vast difference in cost, because it could appear that the bids were on two different projects.
JC'S Landscaping's bid was laid out as follows:
*tree removal canal 1 (by boat ramp) $3,500
*tree removal canal 2 500
*tree removal canal 3 650
*tree removal canal 4 3,300
$7,950
Thomas Bone's bid:
This bid did not address the job by canals 1,2,3,4. It only spoke to 12 trees, use of barges, 60 feet of excavation, and dressing up the bank after tree removal. The total was for $14,600.
3) "the contract" There was NO CONTRACT! NO document signed by both parties, NO date to complete, NO terms of payment, NO measurement of job completion, etc.
4) "all invoices related to the contract" We can't really have an invoice related to the contract, because there wasn't a contract. There was an invoice addressed to the same canal committee member. The invoice was dated 5/15/2017, # 2280, amount due to JC's Landscaping in the amount of $7,950. NOTE: One of the reasons that I had asked for "all invoices related to the contract", was just in case your board had done the right thing and invoiced the individual private canal lot owners for their individual cost of work on their lot. There were no such invoices!
5) "all payments related to the contract" Again, we can't really have payments related to the contract because there wasn't one. Again, I had worded it this way so that if the board really had intended to invoice residents responsibly, and legally, that I could determine whether those residents paid.
Residents, this was so illegal! Each and every board member, and at least one canal committee member, have violated our governing documents! Each and everyone of them has financially violated every resident who did what they were suppose to legally, and ethically. Each and everyone of them have insulted our individual intelligence by even thinking they could pull this off. We have violated each other, and the values of our properties, by letting this entire board - each member do these type of things over, and over again. So if you had fallen trees on your lot you paid above your assessment dollars to bring your private lot in line with our governing documents, but if you were a certain number of canal lot owners - we all paid for tree removal on their private lots - canal lot owners, golf course lot owners, condo owners, and those that have lots that aren't in any of those areas. It is time you wrote your board, or maybe hired an attorney, because there is a whole lot of this slimy business going on, and your entire board is involved!
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Do you have information, or an opinion - agree, or not, you can email The Wedgefield Examiner at wedgefieldexaminerthe@yahoo.com. We'll remove your name to protect the innocent, and publish it. P.S. If you would like your name published, please note that on your email, otherwise we leave your name out.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
THE BOARD'S ILLEGAL HANDLING OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS CAUSES US ALL TO PAY BIG TIME - ONE MORE NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF ILLEGALITIES FOR THIS BOARD. THREE STORIES OF STORM DAMAGED TREES
I often watch a favorite judge program when I'm busy with quiet type work. Often they get to a point in the case when the judge says, "we're going to have to rule with a little rough justice here." Review the following three resident problems. What happens to them, and all members in the end is not a little rough justice, but is in direct violation of governing documents, and a huge debt that we all pay. Again, I have quotes from resident letters. Their names are removed along with any other identifying information, to protect the innocent from any of your wrath, or from this board. Having been a victim of it, I don't want it to happen to you.
STORM TREE PROBLEM - October 22, 2016 # 1:
Here is the letter: "I need help. Trees on the golf course, very, very, near my house are in a dangerous state. The one broke in half about 20 or 30 feet up. The 40 ft. limb is resting on my Live Oak, at the moment preventing it from falling on my house." There is no response from the board in the correspondence file. I had heard what happened to this resident. They were contacted by the board, and told that the offending tree was on golf course land, and not their responsibility. Frankly, that is the way it needed to be handled. Our governing documents do not allow the board to use our assessment funds to correct this situation. I believe the resident paid around $400 to have this problem resolved.
STORM TREE PROBLEM - June 26, 2017 # 2:
Here is the letter: "after all the rain, there is a tree in the canal in front of our house (street named removed). Would the HOA please contact the property owner so he can take care of this little problem, before it becomes a big problem." There is no response from the board in the correspondence file. What is important here is that a fellow resident recognizes that the board has a responsibility - according to our governing documents - to notify the resident who owns the lot to clean up the problem at that resident's expense.
STORM TREE PROBLEM, - March 1, 2017 # 3
Here is the letter: "Additionally, as a result of the 1000 year old flood and recent hurricane, I paid a lot of money to remove several trees that fell into the canal from the canal bank adjacent to my property. As a friendly neighbor, I sent a letter via email (December 4, 2016) to my friend Larry McMillin (see below), asking the WPA to ensure (and deal with) the several trees that fell in the canal from the other side of the canal bank near the lot on (removed address) and surrounding unoccupied lot be removed. To date I've heard nothing."
Same resident's earlier email: "Please have WPA address this and contact the owners as the trees and brush are preventing the unencumbered us of the canal." There was no answer in the correspondence file from the board on either of this resident's emails. Again, what is important here is that a fellow resident recognizes that the board has a responsibility - according to our governing documents - to notify the resident who owns the lot to clean up the problem at that resident's expense.
COMMENTS:
The following comments are mine, and not to be cast on the writers. Again, there are no written answers from the board in the correspondence file. I know letter number one was answered, I don't know how, but why wasn't it documented in the correspondence file. What kind of management is this? I'm not spending time on that issue today. What is important here is that all three of these residents paid to take care of this.
I know who has to pay. Here is a quote from an article I wrote in February 2017:
"I took this picture this morning. Trees like this have fallen, and been hanging over the canals since the storm last fall. Months ago, the board said that they were impacting navigation. Not only does this lack of attention speak to how committed they are to those canal lot owners, and their properties (illegal proposed dredged - violating too many of our governing documents), and keeping Wedgefield beautiful, and maintaining our home values in general.
Who pays for the tree removal? They didn't elaborate when they talked about it months ago. If a tree fell in your yard during the storm, it was your cost to clean it up. Why hasn't the board contacted canal lot owners who have trees falling into the canals, and told them to clean this up? What use the restrictions, and ARC to keep up a standard? Unheard of in Wedgefield, with this board." END OF ARTICLE QUOTES
In the end, you and I paid $7,950.00 to remove trees from the canals on private lots. Your board had exhausted the emergency storm fund before the original clean up was complete, transferred more money into it, and yes transferred more money again into it to cover the cost of the $7,950.00 to remove trees from PRIVATE PROPERTY. I KNOW, THESE THREE RESIDENTS PROBABLY KNOW, IT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO. Yesterday, I reviewed the file. We'll discuss the paperwork, WPA minutes, etc. related to this project. It is all SLIMY!
Who pays for the tree removal? They didn't elaborate when they talked about it months ago. If a tree fell in your yard during the storm, it was your cost to clean it up. Why hasn't the board contacted canal lot owners who have trees falling into the canals, and told them to clean this up? What use the restrictions, and ARC to keep up a standard? Unheard of in Wedgefield, with this board." END OF ARTICLE QUOTES
A RESIDENT SPENDS 4 YEARS BATTLING THIS BOARD ABOUT VACANT LOT MOWING
IS THIS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS YOU'VE BEEN LEFT WITH BECAUSE OF YOUR BOARD'S POOR LOT MAINTENANCE, AND FAILURE TO FOLLOW OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS!
Do you have information, or an opinion - agree, or not, you can email The Wedgefield Examiner at wedgefieldexaminerthe@yahoo.com. We'll remove your name to protect the innocent, and publish it. P.S. If you would like your name published, please note that on your email, otherwise we leave your name out.
Since our board doesn't report what they are up to at meetings, and deny that some residents even wrote, often don't answer the inquiring resident, and if the resident asks about their correspondence at a meeting, they are verbally attacked, I asked to review the correspondence file when I visited the WPA office yesterday. Obviously, my privacy, and yours is important. I took down a few notes yesterday, and I'm publishing some quotes from the correspondence, that show just how sad things are. We are in trouble, and I am tired of the lies, omissions, denial of fact of true circumstance, from this board. Their illegal moves - on a grand scale, are too big to deal with in today's posting. I have removed names, and any other identifying info to protect the residents.
HERE IS A JUNE 6TH LETTER TO THE BOARD REGARDING LOT MAINTENANCE:
"As many of you are aware, I have written to you several times over the past four years since we bought our home here, with concerns about the maintenance of the vacant lot in front of our home. I have had to go so far as withholding my annual HOA payment to get someone to take action on this lot. I am not going to again discuss my reasons for concern about this lot over growth - you are all fully aware of the risks and consequences to adjoining properties."
Later in the letter: "I will no longer tolerate the flagrant dismissal of the covenants and restrictions when it comes to this neighboring lot. It is not reasonable for you to expect me to continually contact this association about routine maintenance. Please be advised that I will no longer be requesting maintenance on this lot through this channel.........I will contact my attorney and we'll do this the expensive way."
COMMENTS:
The following comments are mine, and not to be cast on the writer. First, there was no answer from the board provided in the correspondence file. Surprise, surprise! Additionally, there was no mention any where in the June meeting that a resident had threatened a lawsuit because of your board's incompetent handling of these issues. This resident has a history of nailing this board about this issue. Thank you resident! About a year ago, the resident wrote the board and had put his HOA assessment in an escrow account until the board took care of this lot. Garrison laughingly mentioned that at a board meeting exclaiming that he couldn't do that. I printed the resident letter then, and reminded you all that those statements were our legal chair - Garrison, talking out of both sides of his mouth. In 2009 he, and two others authored a letter to the membership telling them to put their canal assessments in escrow at Anderson Bank. He wasn't on the board then, but he was making wild claims about the board involved with the last dredging. He didn't care what it would do to our association. Now, he's the board, and he is laughing at his own advice. Oh, I forget myself, he is dredging to, but this time it is illegal.
Residents you have to start sharing these kind of things with others instead of sitting by and letting your board retaliate against them, while spending our funds illegally. Hello, canal lot owners??????
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
THE BOARD FAILS TO REPORT THEIR ACTIONS TO US. IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT US TO SEE THEIR UNEVEN JUSTICE?
Readers, you'll have to stay with me, because this is complicated. It took me awhile to verify what I had heard. I, and other resident writers to the blog have complained about the board's apparent refusal to follow the governing documents in several areas, particularly the covenants and restrictions that should keep Wedgefield properties groomed, and truly looking like the promise we felt we had when we bought our properties. In fact, during the June board meeting McMillin said, "I don't go out and patrol and look for issues." I've made claims that our legal chair/vice president, often gives a board statement on an issue like the canals, or golf course, and yet there has NOT been discussion at the board table. I've also stated that they don't answer all the correspondence that comes in from residents, and often don't report what they are doing about a complaint during the meetings. If you attend meetings and they report that they have had a number of complaints, and you go to verify them in the correspondence file, you find that there wasn't one written complaint. That sets the stage for what I am about to tell you.
Several weeks ago, someone told me that a resident on the canals was very upset because they were being contacted by ARC chair/Johnson and vice president/legal/compliance chair/multiple board committee member/ Garrison, about certain aspects of their water front property. The resident they appeared to be attacking was very concerned about that long standing feature of their property. I made no report on the blog because I couldn't substantiate it. Today, on a record review at the office, I happened upon this secret mess.
I'm going to provide two communications to the board, name - addresses removed to protect the resident. Any comments that I have to make will be noted as such and printed in RED.
LETTER # 1 DATED APRIL 27, ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT:
"Wedge field used to be a wonderful place to live. What happened? Keith Johnson, acting as a representative of the HOA notified me by email that he had received "many" complaints about my wife's and my dock house. He stated that these among (missed a word) people complained about the encroachment of our dock house in the canal. I replied that, in fact, our dock house had less encroachment than any dock in this canal. I said he should come over to see, and that I wanted to put this issue to bed. He replied back and doubled down, saying that our dock house was obstructing the views of others. After I rejected his theory of vertical encroachment, he refused to back off his complaints of our property, by ending with a third email stating that we were possibly in violation of the 50 per cent rule, and with that he said that was his last word and he was too busy for further discussion.
I request that the HOA conduct a mediation between me and Keith at the earliest convenience. This would be the most appropriate method of resolving this situation and should take no more than half an hour. Let me know if you can arrange this for the best interest of the whole community. If not, then place me on the agenda to speak at the May board meeting where I will ask for his resignation or termination for this and other causes."
COMMENTS:
Residents, I'll keep my comments to fact at this point. Today, I reviewed the correspondence file from Sept. 2016 to current date for a number of reasons. There was not one complaint about a dock in the file. The file did not include any written correspondence to this resident - no Keith Johnson emails. I checked the published WPA official minutes from January 1 through May, under Legal, ARC, Community Liaison, and Compliance reports, and there was no mention that your board had reported their actions, or this resident's correspondence.
LETTER # 2, MAY 11, WRITTEN TO OUR PRESIDENT:
"Subject - ARC Meeting on May 9
Thank you for attending the ARC meeting Tuesday. I will give them credit for being very embarrassed (as shown by their facial expressions, and downward glances) for the obviously false statements that Keith made about my dock. I wish that you would provide the following for me.
1) A copy of the work permit in question
2) A statement from the HOA that my property is (and has always been) in full compliance of our HOA's conditions, covenants, and restrictions, signed by the chairperson of the ARC, who is elected to be accountable for all actions of the ARC. This letter needs to be mailed to every waterfront home owner on (removed street name) and (removed street name) to prevent any misunderstanding from spreading.
The second one is necessary in order to protect my investment in my home from any potentially deliberate attack by someone willing to make totally unsubstantiated statements about it. After looking at the ARC last night I understand why Wedgefield is in such poor condition. They think that falsifying intimidation, favoritism, bullying, and conflicts of interests, are only "politics". I do not think our leadership positions require a college degree and a hands on tradesman, skilled worker, or entrepreneur, may even serve better but honesty and integrity should be a given. Trying to discuss things such as "adverse possession", with someone that has difficulty communicating by email is one thing. At the meeting instead of speaking for ARC the other members would not allow Keith to speak for himself, by blurting out answers to every question I directed to him. They not only reject mediation as a method of resolving disputes, but they also reject using reasonable fence protocol, using the excuse " That is not in our covenants", as fallback position. They insist on sticking to the letter of the law when it favors them and rejecting the spirit of the law when it favors the home owners. I found it amazing that before I could finish my opening question to Keith, they stopped me, saying they wanted to talk about the fence, yet they did not think to respond to the very first question I had more than one month ago. Did he have a permit? They continue to provide as proof their word that a permit was issued, not the document itself."
COMMENTS:
Again, no answer to the writer in the file. No note of this apparent ARC meeting to the membership. No mention of his second letter, and board actions in the official minutes under the report categories mentioned above.
EARTH - WEDGEFIELD WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
Monday, June 26, 2017
RESIDENT WRITES THE BLOG ABOUT OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
Madeline,
Your book club article on the blog is on target with this email.... that I planned to send you today.
First of all, let's look forward to a brighter future for Wedgefield and the golf course. Word has it the course is under contract. I for one, will support it as much as I can. I wish the new owners a long and successful career.
As for Wedgefield, I'm looking for support from our community to insist that our board members start enforcing the convenants that make this a desirable community to live in. Let's face it, a well maintained community is a major factor in home values. So why is the board so pained to enforce them? Why have them if they aren't enforced? Going down this rabbit hole only raises the question why are we paying assessment fees if the governing rules are ignored? Maybe holding back on our payments next year til we get some movement on this issue will get their attention? And perhaps it's time for the board to mail a copy of the covenants to all residents as a reminder of their obligations to the community?
I moved to Wedgefield because it has an HOA and I thought ..... standards. I wanted assurance that the hard work and investment I put into my home wasn't for naught. I was fooled. It's pretty obvious that the covenants are not being enforced or even taken seriously resulting in some homes not being properly maintained or the neighborhood eyesore. We all know the culprits not abiding by the rules and this is why others feel they can push the envelope as well. Why bother? The board complains about residents making home improvements without permits or their approval. Why would you go through the frustrating process when others get away with so much more like stock piling junk on their properties?
Let's look at some of these covenants. I'm sure you can point to an example or two of a violation near your home.
WEDGEFIELD PLANTATION ASSOCIATION
POLICY MANUAL
SECTION III.
4.02.12 Parking Area: Driveways should provide adequate off-street parking for one car per bedroom.
- We all know of neighbors that have so many vehicles they are parking on their lawn. I have no idea why you would want the view out of your living room window to be your truck or car.
- Some park on the lawn so much, the lawn no longer exists.
- Some just stock pile cars on their property.
- It's pretty obvious to most of us that an 1800 sq foot house doesn't have 6 bedrooms. So why is this occurring? Because no one is enforcing the covenants that protect us from living next door to a used car lot.
Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions applicable to single family lots:
#6. It shall be the responsibility of each lot owner to prevent the development of any unclean, unsightly or unkept conditions of buildings or grounds on such lot which shall tend to substantially decrease the beauty of the neighborhood as a whole or the specific area.
- Just off the top of my head, I drive by a house everyday that has concrete rubble for a driveway and the lawn is their new designated parking area. There is unsightly "stuff" piled around the house, (and they are not the only ones). So why isn't this being addressed?
- How about landscapes full of weeds and lawns that could use a good mowing? Properties with piles of dirt in the backyard. Not a big issue? It is if you want to sell your house..... or if you look at it everyday from you kitchen window.
- Trailers in the driveway or a boat so big, it's taller than the house. A contractors truck full of garbage. No big deal? Again, try looking at it everyday.
- What about unoccupied or foreclosed homes? Why aren't the financial holders being held accountable for maintaining these properties? You can honestly define some of these as "eyesores." I can think of one house that has tarps on the roof, another that no longer has a driveway because of overgrown weeds and grass, and if I really put my mind to it, I can think of more.
- Rental houses that are not being maintained. Does the board even know who is occupying these homes and how many occupants are actually living on the property? If not, perhaps owners should be mandated to provide this information. They should also be prepared to inform the HOA who is responsible for the upkeep of the house, the renter or the homeowner.
- What about the condo area that has issues in itself? They seem to govern with little regard for Wedgefield's expectations?
#8. Pertains the the maintenance of lots where no residence has been constructed as of yet. The HOA reserves the right to mow and keep the lot clean for the purpose of effective insect, reptile and woods fire control. Raise your hand if you live near one of these nasty
wooded lots. Now I'm not talking about large wooded areas where mass development has yet to occur, but lots located between
homes on a populated street is another issue. I see many lots that are not being properly maintained either by the owner or the HOA and they are unsightly and I'm sure all kinds of critters have their own homes under construction in there.
#21. Pertains to dock owners maintaining them. You don't have to go further than Wedgefield Road to know this is not enforced in some cases.
Under-aged children operating golf carts on the road is an issue that has just been brought to light. There is a policy against children under the age of 16 driving carts. We've all seen the 8 or 9 year old cruising the streets with their friends of the same age or younger siblings. Or the carts ridiculously loaded down with kids. It's scary. The board recently recognized this issue and parents need to abide by the rule. If not, the board should to be prepared to discuss implementing consequences such as fines because this is a safety issue for both the children and the residents having to deal with this nuisance. Why are we putting up with this nonsense? Did you ever hear, "a rule's a rule."
Here's the policy:
WEDGEFIELD PLANTATION ASSOCIATION POLICY MANUAL 31 Appendix X-1 Golf Cart Use Waiver of Liability
The owner/operator agrees that all drivers of motorized golf carts must be 16 years of age or older and in possession of a valid driver’s license.
Am I being a stickler? Well, this all adds up and suddenly before you know it, the community has deteriorated and the covenants are basically rendered useless. I believe it's on that path now because we don't have strong leadership that enforces the rules and let's face it, some residents have no regard for them. Perhaps voting in board members with higher expectations will rectify this situation? If you want your home value to increase, insist on the covenants being enforced consistently and fairly.
Write the board, stand up at meetings and voice your concerns, get your neighbors to sign a letter of concern or petition. But please don't just stand by and watch our community deteriorate any further because eventually there will be no going back. Protect your rights as a homeowner and your property values.
The email address is wedgeassoc.com@frontier.com
The mailing address is P.O. Box 1310, Georgetown, SC 29442
SOMETHING IS UP! YESTERDAY WE HAD 227 VISITS TO THE BLOG ON A SUNDAY! THIS MORNING BEFORE 8:00AM, WE HAD ANOTHER 115! IMAGINE THIS, SOME ARE DOING RESEARCH ON TWO 2016 CANAL ARTICLES! WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I HAVE REPRINTED BOTH ARTICLES BELOW. TOO MUCH TO READ? SKIP PAST AND LOOK AT THE "SUGGESTED NEW CLUB ARTICLE"
NOTE: SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEXT ARTICLE BOX FOR THE SECOND ARTICLE REPRINT. THE FIRST REPRINT:
Sunday, July 24, 2016
YOUR BOARD SAYS "NO" TO OPENING THE CANAL MEETING TO ALL MEMBERS! I WON'T BE ATTENDING THEIR MEETING - CIRCUS
HERE IS MY LETTER TO THE BOARD:
HERE IS THE BOARD'S RESPONSE:
July 23rd, 2016
July 23rd, 2016
Mrs. Claveloux,
I apologize for the delay in responding to your letter. I have been very busy.
I am in receipt of your letter asking for the entire membership to be invited to the meeting of the canal lot owners. This meeting is NOT an official WPA function. We are breaking no covenants, bylaws, state laws or ethics. It is for the sole purpose of the owners of canal lots to decide if they, as a group, want to pursue a maintenance dredge and to discuss among ourselves what will be needed from this group to move the project forward. If the interest in the project among canal lot owners is low, then it all becomes a moot point. There is no reason to get the entire WPA involved until we can first discuss the project among the people it will effect the most. I find it odd that you would be in such strong opposition to a meeting like this because while you were a board member I personally recall attending several similar “private” canal lot meetings prior to the 2009 dredging. I would ask that you reserve criticism of the meeting until you have heard the content.
Thank you for your interest and concern,
Community Liaison
Adam Anderson
First Mr. Anderson, you don't have your facts straight. I filled a board seat, after 6 board members resigned, and I was appointed to the board. My first board meeting was December 2008. My final board meeting was the annual meeting in November 2009. I moved here in 2004, and almost immediately began attending canal lot owner meetings, usually in homes of canal lot owners. Unlike your meeting, those meetings were not called by a committee of the board, with the board invited, and held at the regular meeting place of the board. During that time, canal lot owners were expected to pay for the dredging permit. My husband, and I were contributors toward the expense of securing the permit. The WPA board sued, save the wet lands groups sued, etc., all trying to halt the permit. We contributed to the degree we were asked every time, we were asked, and yes we attended meetings.
Your board has a maintenance dredge permit. Your committee, composed of many from the board, and I'm told even the Legal Chair sits on the committee, have reported ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, from the board table. Board, go read your own board minutes for the last year, and note that not once, do you tell the WPA membership the committee is seeking bids, funding plans, etc. Your board during resident comments, six to eight months ago, was asked by a canal lot owner what was being done about the maintenance dredge, and your Legal Chair, said there was no interest by the canal lot owners! The board has been asked since then. It appears it was a lie, because it also appears that the committee was doing a whole lot, but the resident peons were to be kept in the dark, until this board, and this committee deemed we should know.
As to what I did, or the board I served on did in this circumstance, I'm proud to show you. The official minutes that address the lead up to dredging during my tenure on the board, are provided at the end of this article. I was the board secretary, and the community liaison. Go through the minutes. You'll note the CLEAR, VERY DEFINED information EVERY MONTH IN THE CANAL REPORTS. YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION MEETING WAS OPEN TO EVERY RESIDENT! YOU'LL NOTE THAT THAT BOARD INVITED NON CANAL LOT OWNERS TO SIT ON THE COMMITTEES REPEATEDLY!
What may, or may not happen to one Wedgefield lot, let alone 79 lots, is the business of every lot owner in Wedgefield, any time, and all the time! Especially now when almost EVERY lot in Wedgefield is losing it's asset - canal, or golf course. For sure, it is the business of every lot owner when the BOARD, and a COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD, won't operate in the open. Most of the 79 lot owners who are invited, have been kept in the dark, FROM THE BOARD TABLE. In any other case, when a committee of the board calls a meeting to provide information to the board, at the WPA office, it is called an OPEN MEETING, and all residents get to attend. Did our legal chair suggest you use the words NOT OFFICAL? It was announced from the board table, questioned by a non canal lot owner, and you said "NO" they couldn't attend. To keep people in line, not question, as usual this board intimidates! I'm not intimidated, I grew up being told to consider the source. This one, the board, isn't credible.
I'm not attending the meeting, I wouldn't be able to believe a word that is said! I dare to say, that the reason the meeting is so closed is because YOUR BOARD LEGAL CHAIR, has cowed the board, and committee into his thoughts on how the dredging has to be paid for, and the less presented on record the better. There is NO ruling on anything as far as dredging! Your legal chair is not credible! I'll reprint the article on how he got those REFEREE SETTLEMENTS - one was forged, traveling through 5-6 attorneys, one of which was disbarred. Your whole board, and committee forget just who your legal chair is. His support as speaker, writer, organizer of the group, and the very 3 residents who sued my board, caused him to be countersued for his actions.
You may have seen me at meetings, often held with canal people, as I, and others worked to organize The Wedgefield Civic Group (not on the board at the time). You may have seen me at meetings, because YES you were at a lot of them, when I was gathering information to write for The Wedgefield Times (not on board). You may have seen me at meetings when I was speaking with others to raise funds to pay for the countersuit. You may have seen me at meetings in homes, getting papers signed by canal lot owners - waivers for the dredging. You have water behind your house, because I and others did the work! You have no right, no fact, and no credibility to ever say what you did! The committee composed of almost half this board, is as corrupt, and abusive as the board.
HERE ARE THE MINUTES I PROMISED FROM MY TENURE ON THE BOARD. I didn't publish the August minutes on. They are at times, almost 20 pages long. RESIDENTS, go to the old website for the WPA. You can get there by searching Wedgefield Plantation Association. Once there, tap "board reports", and then select 2009, and then the month. If you read what happened word for word, AS IT HAPPENED, you'll understand how critical it was to provide complete information.
First Mr. Anderson, you don't have your facts straight. I filled a board seat, after 6 board members resigned, and I was appointed to the board. My first board meeting was December 2008. My final board meeting was the annual meeting in November 2009. I moved here in 2004, and almost immediately began attending canal lot owner meetings, usually in homes of canal lot owners. Unlike your meeting, those meetings were not called by a committee of the board, with the board invited, and held at the regular meeting place of the board. During that time, canal lot owners were expected to pay for the dredging permit. My husband, and I were contributors toward the expense of securing the permit. The WPA board sued, save the wet lands groups sued, etc., all trying to halt the permit. We contributed to the degree we were asked every time, we were asked, and yes we attended meetings.
Your board has a maintenance dredge permit. Your committee, composed of many from the board, and I'm told even the Legal Chair sits on the committee, have reported ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, from the board table. Board, go read your own board minutes for the last year, and note that not once, do you tell the WPA membership the committee is seeking bids, funding plans, etc. Your board during resident comments, six to eight months ago, was asked by a canal lot owner what was being done about the maintenance dredge, and your Legal Chair, said there was no interest by the canal lot owners! The board has been asked since then. It appears it was a lie, because it also appears that the committee was doing a whole lot, but the resident peons were to be kept in the dark, until this board, and this committee deemed we should know.
As to what I did, or the board I served on did in this circumstance, I'm proud to show you. The official minutes that address the lead up to dredging during my tenure on the board, are provided at the end of this article. I was the board secretary, and the community liaison. Go through the minutes. You'll note the CLEAR, VERY DEFINED information EVERY MONTH IN THE CANAL REPORTS. YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION MEETING WAS OPEN TO EVERY RESIDENT! YOU'LL NOTE THAT THAT BOARD INVITED NON CANAL LOT OWNERS TO SIT ON THE COMMITTEES REPEATEDLY!
What may, or may not happen to one Wedgefield lot, let alone 79 lots, is the business of every lot owner in Wedgefield, any time, and all the time! Especially now when almost EVERY lot in Wedgefield is losing it's asset - canal, or golf course. For sure, it is the business of every lot owner when the BOARD, and a COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD, won't operate in the open. Most of the 79 lot owners who are invited, have been kept in the dark, FROM THE BOARD TABLE. In any other case, when a committee of the board calls a meeting to provide information to the board, at the WPA office, it is called an OPEN MEETING, and all residents get to attend. Did our legal chair suggest you use the words NOT OFFICAL? It was announced from the board table, questioned by a non canal lot owner, and you said "NO" they couldn't attend. To keep people in line, not question, as usual this board intimidates! I'm not intimidated, I grew up being told to consider the source. This one, the board, isn't credible.
I'm not attending the meeting, I wouldn't be able to believe a word that is said! I dare to say, that the reason the meeting is so closed is because YOUR BOARD LEGAL CHAIR, has cowed the board, and committee into his thoughts on how the dredging has to be paid for, and the less presented on record the better. There is NO ruling on anything as far as dredging! Your legal chair is not credible! I'll reprint the article on how he got those REFEREE SETTLEMENTS - one was forged, traveling through 5-6 attorneys, one of which was disbarred. Your whole board, and committee forget just who your legal chair is. His support as speaker, writer, organizer of the group, and the very 3 residents who sued my board, caused him to be countersued for his actions.
You may have seen me at meetings, often held with canal people, as I, and others worked to organize The Wedgefield Civic Group (not on the board at the time). You may have seen me at meetings, because YES you were at a lot of them, when I was gathering information to write for The Wedgefield Times (not on board). You may have seen me at meetings when I was speaking with others to raise funds to pay for the countersuit. You may have seen me at meetings in homes, getting papers signed by canal lot owners - waivers for the dredging. You have water behind your house, because I and others did the work! You have no right, no fact, and no credibility to ever say what you did! The committee composed of almost half this board, is as corrupt, and abusive as the board.
HERE ARE THE MINUTES I PROMISED FROM MY TENURE ON THE BOARD. I didn't publish the August minutes on. They are at times, almost 20 pages long. RESIDENTS, go to the old website for the WPA. You can get there by searching Wedgefield Plantation Association. Once there, tap "board reports", and then select 2009, and then the month. If you read what happened word for word, AS IT HAPPENED, you'll understand how critical it was to provide complete information.
CANAL REPORT DECEMBER 2008
9. Canals-Jude Davis
On November 20, 2008, Judge Anderson of the SC Administrative Law Court found in favor of Wedgefield Plantation Association and denied the SC Environmental Law Project’s appeal of the SC Department of
On November 20, 2008, Judge Anderson of the SC Administrative Law Court found in favor of Wedgefield Plantation Association and denied the SC Environmental Law Project’s appeal of the SC Department of
Health and Environmental Control‘s decision to grant us permits to dredge our canal system. He ordered DHEC to issue Water Quality and Coastal Zone Management Consistency permits, as they proposed in 2007, thus permitting maintenance dredging of the Wedgefield canals. These documents are now in the hands of the US Army Crops of Engineers, which should issue the actual permits in 2009 after a legally required Public Notice period.
In the meantime, we expect to reactivate the dredging funding subcommittee. It will begin investigating possible sources of grants, assistance, and other funding strategies. As there are still a few unpaid bills another solicitation letter was send to canal lot owners in early December. Our thanks to those who have contributed money, time, and expertise over many years and helped us reach this important milestone.
We expect to hold an open informational meeting sometime in early 2009 to recap the project to date and map out what the next steps might be. It will be open to all interested Wedgefield residents.
CANAL REPORT FEB. 2009
In the meantime, we expect to reactivate the dredging funding subcommittee. It will begin investigating possible sources of grants, assistance, and other funding strategies. As there are still a few unpaid bills another solicitation letter was send to canal lot owners in early December. Our thanks to those who have contributed money, time, and expertise over many years and helped us reach this important milestone.
We expect to hold an open informational meeting sometime in early 2009 to recap the project to date and map out what the next steps might be. It will be open to all interested Wedgefield residents.
CANAL REPORT FEB. 2009
Canal Report: Karl Gettman/ Mike Davis
On December 8, 2008, Heather Preston, Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Division of Water Quality, issued the documents that will allow WPA to perform maintenance dredging of the Wedgefield Canal system, once published by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Attached are copies for the WPA files. Specifically included are 1)Certification in accordance with section 401 of the Clean Waters Act as amended, 2)Permit in accordance with the SC Code of Laws, 3)Construction in Navigable Waters Permit, and 4)Certification in Accordance with the Coastal Zone Management Program.
DHEC forwarded copies of these permits to the Corps office in Charleston last month and we are patiently waiting for formal issuance of the actual documents. Our Agent for the application, Bobby Riggs of Newkirk Engineering, is working with the Corps to try to
On December 8, 2008, Heather Preston, Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Division of Water Quality, issued the documents that will allow WPA to perform maintenance dredging of the Wedgefield Canal system, once published by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Attached are copies for the WPA files. Specifically included are 1)Certification in accordance with section 401 of the Clean Waters Act as amended, 2)Permit in accordance with the SC Code of Laws, 3)Construction in Navigable Waters Permit, and 4)Certification in Accordance with the Coastal Zone Management Program.
DHEC forwarded copies of these permits to the Corps office in Charleston last month and we are patiently waiting for formal issuance of the actual documents. Our Agent for the application, Bobby Riggs of Newkirk Engineering, is working with the Corps to try to
expedite the process. We understand however that a three to six month lag time is typical for routine permit issuance.
In the interim, the Canal Committee has several action items. The first is getting new firm bids for the project from interested vendors. In theory, the costs should have gone up since we got budgetary quotes in 2006. The current economic climate, lower fuel cost, and lack of business may actually result in lower bids. The second is reactivation of the “funding” sub-committee. This group’s mission is to investigate all possible funding strategies including seeking assistance from federal, state, and local agencies. We are also working with the WPA Webmaster to set up a Canal Committee sub page on the WPA website to post copies of all the important documents and Committee reports.Finally, we still are planning an open information meeting once the permits are received from the Corps of Engineers. It will recap the project to date and explore what the next steps should be and will be open to all interested Wedgefield residents.
On the legal issues, Judge Anderson of the SC Administrative Law Court issued an amended Final Order on January 22, 2009. A copy is attached for the WPA files. He modified his original order issued November 24, 2008 after the Environmental Law Project filed a motion for reconsideration. The fundamental findings were unchanged and he reaffirmed his order to DHEC to issue permits.
There are still some unpaid bills but we gratefully thank those who have contributed money, time, and expertise over many years and helped us reach this important milestone.
CANAL REPORT MARCH 2009
In the interim, the Canal Committee has several action items. The first is getting new firm bids for the project from interested vendors. In theory, the costs should have gone up since we got budgetary quotes in 2006. The current economic climate, lower fuel cost, and lack of business may actually result in lower bids. The second is reactivation of the “funding” sub-committee. This group’s mission is to investigate all possible funding strategies including seeking assistance from federal, state, and local agencies. We are also working with the WPA Webmaster to set up a Canal Committee sub page on the WPA website to post copies of all the important documents and Committee reports.Finally, we still are planning an open information meeting once the permits are received from the Corps of Engineers. It will recap the project to date and explore what the next steps should be and will be open to all interested Wedgefield residents.
On the legal issues, Judge Anderson of the SC Administrative Law Court issued an amended Final Order on January 22, 2009. A copy is attached for the WPA files. He modified his original order issued November 24, 2008 after the Environmental Law Project filed a motion for reconsideration. The fundamental findings were unchanged and he reaffirmed his order to DHEC to issue permits.
There are still some unpaid bills but we gratefully thank those who have contributed money, time, and expertise over many years and helped us reach this important milestone.
CANAL REPORT MARCH 2009
Canal Report: Karl Gettmann/ Mike Davis
On March 9, 2009, the US Army Corps of Engineers issued permit number 2006-03476-41V to Wedgefield Plantation Association allowing periodic maintenance dredging of our canal system over a ten-year life span. I have attached a copy for the WPA office and files. As soon as a PDF version is available, it will also be posted on the WPA website.
Specifically the permit allows for expansion of the existing previously permitted spoils site on WPA-owed property, to a capacity of approximately 151,000 cubic yards by raising the perimeter embankment by 1.5 feet. It also permits with certain conditions an immediate maintenance dredging of approximately 99,000 cubic yards, which will establish a centerline depth of 8 feet below mean low water in the main access canals and 6 feet in the finger canals. Finally, it provides for subsequent maintenance dredging of approximately 30,000 cubic yards before the permit expires on March 31, 2019.
The Canal Committee met on March 15 to discuss several agenda items. First was whether the Canal Committee mission or “charge” needs to be redefined by WPA at this time. At various times since its inception in 2001, the Canal Committee was tasked with either “getting permits”, or “getting funding”, or some variation. We agreed to draft a set of recommended or suggested specific tasks or goals for the next phase of the canal dredging project, and ask the WPA Board to put it on the April meeting agenda as “new business”.
We believe the key tasks, as outlined last month, should be to:
1) Get up-to-date budgetary-only proposals from prospective vendors, to
assess the current cost of the project
On March 9, 2009, the US Army Corps of Engineers issued permit number 2006-03476-41V to Wedgefield Plantation Association allowing periodic maintenance dredging of our canal system over a ten-year life span. I have attached a copy for the WPA office and files. As soon as a PDF version is available, it will also be posted on the WPA website.
Specifically the permit allows for expansion of the existing previously permitted spoils site on WPA-owed property, to a capacity of approximately 151,000 cubic yards by raising the perimeter embankment by 1.5 feet. It also permits with certain conditions an immediate maintenance dredging of approximately 99,000 cubic yards, which will establish a centerline depth of 8 feet below mean low water in the main access canals and 6 feet in the finger canals. Finally, it provides for subsequent maintenance dredging of approximately 30,000 cubic yards before the permit expires on March 31, 2019.
The Canal Committee met on March 15 to discuss several agenda items. First was whether the Canal Committee mission or “charge” needs to be redefined by WPA at this time. At various times since its inception in 2001, the Canal Committee was tasked with either “getting permits”, or “getting funding”, or some variation. We agreed to draft a set of recommended or suggested specific tasks or goals for the next phase of the canal dredging project, and ask the WPA Board to put it on the April meeting agenda as “new business”.
We believe the key tasks, as outlined last month, should be to:
1) Get up-to-date budgetary-only proposals from prospective vendors, to
assess the current cost of the project
2) 3)
4)
4)
Restart the funding subcommittee, and charge them with exploring all possible scenarios for funding maintenance dredging before the Committee makes any specific proposals to the WPA Board.
Investigate the feasibility of "differential assessment". Our governing documents in one place imply that equal assessments are required, but they are contradictory and inconsistent. This may require advice from an attorney who is expert in HOA governance issues, and possibly a clarification to the Bylaws presented for consideration and voted on at the next annual meeting.
Hold an "informational meeting" open to all Wedgefield property owners, to present and discuss what options are available and possibly agree on one or more proposed plans of action.
Investigate the feasibility of "differential assessment". Our governing documents in one place imply that equal assessments are required, but they are contradictory and inconsistent. This may require advice from an attorney who is expert in HOA governance issues, and possibly a clarification to the Bylaws presented for consideration and voted on at the next annual meeting.
Hold an "informational meeting" open to all Wedgefield property owners, to present and discuss what options are available and possibly agree on one or more proposed plans of action.
Second was the issue of unpaid bills. Despite generous private contributions from many canal lot owners, there is a balance owed to McNair Law firm of Charleston. We agreed to have one last “fund drive”, now that permits are in hand, to try to raise enough money to close the books on this phase of the project.
Finally, we want to thank those who have contributed not only their money, but also time, expertise, and moral support over these last eight years. Your encouragement has helped us reach this important milestone, but it is just the first step in a still long and winding road. We recognize that restoring the canals is possibly the most contentious and difficult issue WPA will face over the next few years. We also believe our overriding mission is to find a way to get the job done in a way that is acceptable to the majority of Wedgefield owners, and without further litigation or malice. We are always open to constructive ideas on how to do that and look forward continuing the quest.
APRIL CANAL REPORT 2009
Finally, we want to thank those who have contributed not only their money, but also time, expertise, and moral support over these last eight years. Your encouragement has helped us reach this important milestone, but it is just the first step in a still long and winding road. We recognize that restoring the canals is possibly the most contentious and difficult issue WPA will face over the next few years. We also believe our overriding mission is to find a way to get the job done in a way that is acceptable to the majority of Wedgefield owners, and without further litigation or malice. We are always open to constructive ideas on how to do that and look forward continuing the quest.
APRIL CANAL REPORT 2009
Canal Report: Karl Gettmann requested Mike Davis give the report.
The WPA Canal Committee is holding an open informational meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 PM at the WPA office. We will briefly recap the history of the project to date, outline the various steps needed to restore the canals and their associated costs, suggest several scenarios for funding the work, and most importantly solicit feedback from residents as to how to best get the job done without resorting to expensive and time wasting litigation. All interested Wedgefield residents are welcome.
In the last 30 days, the Canal Committee has gotten updated budgetary quotes from prospective contractors qualified to perform the various tasks needed to restore the Wedgefield canals. After on-site meetings with them, it is becoming apparent that there should be four distinct phases to the process:
maintenance dredging.
Now that the needed permits are in hand, the Canal Committee would like to move on to the next phase. To that end, we respectfully ask that the WP A Board tonight take the three following actions:
1. Reaffirm the Canal Committee as a regular standing subcommittee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to continue managing the technical aspects of the canal maintenance project, such as vetting of prospective vendors, development of specific action plans for WP A to consider, coordination of funded activities, and development of a 5 to 15 year plan for the long-term maintenance of the canals.
We propose the following members: John McBride, Mike Davis, Larry McMillin, John Walton, and Ed Wozniak. We also seeking at least two additional members, ideally non- canal lot owners, who may be named in the near future
2. Establish a "Canal Funding Committee" as a new sub-committee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to investigate all possible scenarios
The WPA Canal Committee is holding an open informational meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 PM at the WPA office. We will briefly recap the history of the project to date, outline the various steps needed to restore the canals and their associated costs, suggest several scenarios for funding the work, and most importantly solicit feedback from residents as to how to best get the job done without resorting to expensive and time wasting litigation. All interested Wedgefield residents are welcome.
In the last 30 days, the Canal Committee has gotten updated budgetary quotes from prospective contractors qualified to perform the various tasks needed to restore the Wedgefield canals. After on-site meetings with them, it is becoming apparent that there should be four distinct phases to the process:
- Topographic resurvey of spoils site, hydrographic resurvey of canals, and preparation of Bid Specs and detailed engineering drawings
- Site preparation, including restoring the old spoils basin and providing access
- Hydraulic dredging itself, with oversight and management by 3rd party
maintenance dredging.
Now that the needed permits are in hand, the Canal Committee would like to move on to the next phase. To that end, we respectfully ask that the WP A Board tonight take the three following actions:
1. Reaffirm the Canal Committee as a regular standing subcommittee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to continue managing the technical aspects of the canal maintenance project, such as vetting of prospective vendors, development of specific action plans for WP A to consider, coordination of funded activities, and development of a 5 to 15 year plan for the long-term maintenance of the canals.
We propose the following members: John McBride, Mike Davis, Larry McMillin, John Walton, and Ed Wozniak. We also seeking at least two additional members, ideally non- canal lot owners, who may be named in the near future
2. Establish a "Canal Funding Committee" as a new sub-committee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to investigate all possible scenarios
for funding canal dredging, including but not limited to local, state, and federal grants, differential assessment strategies, voluntary contributions, and the establishment of a waterfront sub-association, with supplemental assessment rights. When this information is in hand, the Funding Committee will coordinate with the Canal sub-committee and prepare one or more action plans for the WP A Board to consider for approval and funding.
We propose Carolyn McBride to be leader of this group, and are actively seeking two or more additional volunteers. Candidates should be Wedgefield residents in good standing, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience.
Both of these sub-committees, as part of a regular standing WPA committee should have access to WP A office support and be reimbursed for reasonable approved expenses such as postage, office supplies, and incidentals not to exceed an amount to be set by the Board for the balance of fiscal year.
3. Fund the first phase of the canal restoration project, i.e. the topographic resurvey of the spoils site, the hydrographic resurvey of canals, and preparation of bid specifications and detailed engineering drawings immediately. Time is of the essence here; in our discussions with prospective vendors, we determined that our project might be eligible for Recovery Act (stimulus) funds if we can make it "shovel ready" in the next quarter. We have given the Board copies of proposals from prospective vendors that range from about $30,000 to $57,000. We respectfully request that tonight you approve in principle funding in an amount not to exceed a limit you set which would permit signing a contrac1 with one of these contractors within the next 30 days, after review of three or more bid proposals.
While this request is not a budgeted expense for fiscal 2009, we believe it would be a good investment in the project because of the possibility of reducing the overall cost to WP A over time. Based on our analysis of projected 2009 WPA expenses, economies to date would keep the overall WP A budget in line so a special assessment would NOT be needed and reserves would not be reduced.
Finally, we feel it imperative that WPA develop a "15 Year Plan" for the long-term maintenance of the Wedgefield canals, as recommended by the Compliance Committee Report for 2008. If we ultimately perform an initial maintenance dredging in the near future, there will be a need to establish a reserve fund for future canal maintenance. The goal would be to attain enough in reserve in 5-9 years, to fund the 2nd maintenance dredging as allowed by the current Corps of Engineers permit. It also needs to address in general terms how to accomplish future maintenance beyond the 10-year life of the permit. This does not require any formal action by the Board at this point, except to note that it is a long-term need and should be part of the charge to the Water Amenities and Canal Committees.
Larry McMillin made a motion to reaffirm the Canal Committee as a regular standing subcommittee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to
We propose Carolyn McBride to be leader of this group, and are actively seeking two or more additional volunteers. Candidates should be Wedgefield residents in good standing, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience.
Both of these sub-committees, as part of a regular standing WPA committee should have access to WP A office support and be reimbursed for reasonable approved expenses such as postage, office supplies, and incidentals not to exceed an amount to be set by the Board for the balance of fiscal year.
3. Fund the first phase of the canal restoration project, i.e. the topographic resurvey of the spoils site, the hydrographic resurvey of canals, and preparation of bid specifications and detailed engineering drawings immediately. Time is of the essence here; in our discussions with prospective vendors, we determined that our project might be eligible for Recovery Act (stimulus) funds if we can make it "shovel ready" in the next quarter. We have given the Board copies of proposals from prospective vendors that range from about $30,000 to $57,000. We respectfully request that tonight you approve in principle funding in an amount not to exceed a limit you set which would permit signing a contrac1 with one of these contractors within the next 30 days, after review of three or more bid proposals.
While this request is not a budgeted expense for fiscal 2009, we believe it would be a good investment in the project because of the possibility of reducing the overall cost to WP A over time. Based on our analysis of projected 2009 WPA expenses, economies to date would keep the overall WP A budget in line so a special assessment would NOT be needed and reserves would not be reduced.
Finally, we feel it imperative that WPA develop a "15 Year Plan" for the long-term maintenance of the Wedgefield canals, as recommended by the Compliance Committee Report for 2008. If we ultimately perform an initial maintenance dredging in the near future, there will be a need to establish a reserve fund for future canal maintenance. The goal would be to attain enough in reserve in 5-9 years, to fund the 2nd maintenance dredging as allowed by the current Corps of Engineers permit. It also needs to address in general terms how to accomplish future maintenance beyond the 10-year life of the permit. This does not require any formal action by the Board at this point, except to note that it is a long-term need and should be part of the charge to the Water Amenities and Canal Committees.
Larry McMillin made a motion to reaffirm the Canal Committee as a regular standing subcommittee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to
continue managing the technical aspects of the canal maintenance project, such as vetting of prospective vendors, development of specific action plans for WP A to consider, coordination of funded activities, and development of a 5 to 15 year plan for the long-term maintenance of the canals.
We propose the following members: John McBride, Mike Davis, Larry McMillin, John Walton, and Ed Wozniak. We also are seeking at least two additional members, ideally non- canal lot owners, who may be named in the near future. This motion was seconded by Madeline Claveloux. Discussion followed. Brenda Martin suggested that we included a diverse committee that includes both canal and non-canal residents, and also includes both retired and working residents. The motion passed unanimously.
Larry McMillin made a motion to establish a "Canal Funding Committee" as a new sub- committee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to investigate all possible scenarios for funding canal dredging, including but not limited to local, state, and federal grants, differential assessment strategies, voluntary contributions, and the establishment of a waterfront sub-association, with supplemental assessment rights. When this information is in hand, the Funding Committee will coordinate with the Canal sub- committee and prepare one or more action plans for the WP A Board to consider for approval and funding.
We propose Carolyn McBride to be leader of this group, and are actively seeking two or more additional volunteers. Candidates should be Wedgefield residents in good standing, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience. This motion was seconded by Johnny Huggins, motion passed unanimously.
Larry McMillin made a motion to fund the first phase of the canal restoration project, i.e. the topographic resurvey of the spoils site, the hydrographic resurvey of canals, and preparation of bid specifications and detailed engineering drawings immediately, between $30,000 and $50,000, not to exceed $50,000.00. This motion was seconded by Johnny Huggins. Discussion followed. Brenda Martin stated that she supported this study so the community is working with facts based on a professional engineering study and can outline the scope of the dredging project accurately. The motion passed unanimously
MAY 2009 CANAL REPORT
We propose the following members: John McBride, Mike Davis, Larry McMillin, John Walton, and Ed Wozniak. We also are seeking at least two additional members, ideally non- canal lot owners, who may be named in the near future. This motion was seconded by Madeline Claveloux. Discussion followed. Brenda Martin suggested that we included a diverse committee that includes both canal and non-canal residents, and also includes both retired and working residents. The motion passed unanimously.
Larry McMillin made a motion to establish a "Canal Funding Committee" as a new sub- committee of the Water Amenities Committee. The "charge" of this group is to investigate all possible scenarios for funding canal dredging, including but not limited to local, state, and federal grants, differential assessment strategies, voluntary contributions, and the establishment of a waterfront sub-association, with supplemental assessment rights. When this information is in hand, the Funding Committee will coordinate with the Canal sub- committee and prepare one or more action plans for the WP A Board to consider for approval and funding.
We propose Carolyn McBride to be leader of this group, and are actively seeking two or more additional volunteers. Candidates should be Wedgefield residents in good standing, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience. This motion was seconded by Johnny Huggins, motion passed unanimously.
Larry McMillin made a motion to fund the first phase of the canal restoration project, i.e. the topographic resurvey of the spoils site, the hydrographic resurvey of canals, and preparation of bid specifications and detailed engineering drawings immediately, between $30,000 and $50,000, not to exceed $50,000.00. This motion was seconded by Johnny Huggins. Discussion followed. Brenda Martin stated that she supported this study so the community is working with facts based on a professional engineering study and can outline the scope of the dredging project accurately. The motion passed unanimously
MAY 2009 CANAL REPORT
Canal Report: Karl Gettmann requested Mike Davis give the report.
The WPA Canal Committee held a well-attended informational meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at the WPA office. A short slide presentation recapped the project to date, and outlined four proposed phases to restore the canals. It also covered preliminary cost estimates, along with some alternative funding scenarios being investigated, and ended with a lively question and answer session.
We apologize to those who had to observe from outside or could not attend the second presentation. Printed copies of the summary handout are available from Kathy at the WPA office, and copies of both the slide presentation and handout are up on the WPA website under Committee Reports-Water Amenities. As we try to build community consensus on to how to best get this difficult job done, we plan to hold similar meetings on a regular basis, and will use an appropriate larger venue as needed.
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This month the Canal Committee also solicited sealed proposals from prospective Professional Services contractors for the phase one tasks. They were opened on May 8thby Karl Gettmann, with one other WPA Board member and the entire Committee in attendance. On May 11th the contract was awarded to The Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, and we held a kick-off meeting with them on May 15th to review contract details and establish a timetable. The spoil site topographic survey should begin this week.
We are still actively seeking additional volunteers. We need at least two additional members for the Canal Committee itself to help with the technical aspects of planning and supervision. The ideal candidates would be non-canal lot owners, so that we can get better input from that perspective, but we will gratefully accept anyone who is willing to pitch in, put in the hours, and help develop a workable action plan. In addition, the Funding Subcommittee is seeking two or more additional volunteers, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience. Candidates should be Wedgefield property owners in good standing. Please contact Karl Gettmann if you would like to help with this project.
The Canal Committee appreciates the constructive feedback we have received since the information meeting. As always, we are open to your suggestions, comments, or questions.
JUNE 2009 CANAL REPORT
The WPA Canal Committee held a well-attended informational meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at the WPA office. A short slide presentation recapped the project to date, and outlined four proposed phases to restore the canals. It also covered preliminary cost estimates, along with some alternative funding scenarios being investigated, and ended with a lively question and answer session.
We apologize to those who had to observe from outside or could not attend the second presentation. Printed copies of the summary handout are available from Kathy at the WPA office, and copies of both the slide presentation and handout are up on the WPA website under Committee Reports-Water Amenities. As we try to build community consensus on to how to best get this difficult job done, we plan to hold similar meetings on a regular basis, and will use an appropriate larger venue as needed.
.
This month the Canal Committee also solicited sealed proposals from prospective Professional Services contractors for the phase one tasks. They were opened on May 8thby Karl Gettmann, with one other WPA Board member and the entire Committee in attendance. On May 11th the contract was awarded to The Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, and we held a kick-off meeting with them on May 15th to review contract details and establish a timetable. The spoil site topographic survey should begin this week.
We are still actively seeking additional volunteers. We need at least two additional members for the Canal Committee itself to help with the technical aspects of planning and supervision. The ideal candidates would be non-canal lot owners, so that we can get better input from that perspective, but we will gratefully accept anyone who is willing to pitch in, put in the hours, and help develop a workable action plan. In addition, the Funding Subcommittee is seeking two or more additional volunteers, ideally with grant writing or fund raising experience. Candidates should be Wedgefield property owners in good standing. Please contact Karl Gettmann if you would like to help with this project.
The Canal Committee appreciates the constructive feedback we have received since the information meeting. As always, we are open to your suggestions, comments, or questions.
JUNE 2009 CANAL REPORT
Canal Report: Karl Gettmann requested Mike Davis give the report.
Following the award of the Phase 1 contract and the kick-off meeting in mid May, our Engineering contractor, the Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, has been hard at work surveying the old spoils site adjacent to the Black River. They had to do a lot of bush hogging and clearing through 20 plus years of overgrowth to get clean sight lines across the center and around the perimeter. They set two temporary benchmarks along the north side of the landing road, which must stay in place until the project is completed; please do not disturb them.
All of the spoil site fieldwork is now completed. Their next task is to import all the measurements into the site database and begin designing the revamped basin within the permit guidelines to meet the required capacity for spoils. The preliminary drawings should be available in another week, and once approved by the Canal Committee, the topographic survey will be completed.
Earthworks also obtained the 2002 and 2006 canal system hydrographic survey data in electronic form from the previous Engineering contractor, GEL of Charleston. Those earlier surveys were paid for by voluntary contributions from canal lot owners.Earthworks’ preliminary analysis indicates that the old data, once correlated with thecurrent survey, will be adequate to recompute the required dredge volumes and should make a new full hydrographic re-survey unnecessary. A final determination will be made next week.
Once WPA approves the drawings, Earthworks will generate a bid specification package. They will then solicit proposals from qualified contractors, and at last give us valid hard data of projected costs of spoil site preparation and dredging itself.
We are still actively seeking additional volunteers for both the Canal Committee and the Funding Subcommittee. Please contact our Chairman Karl Gettmann through the WPA office if you would like to get involved, or to submit constructive feedback, suggestions, comments, or questions.
JULY 2009 CANAL REPORT
Following the award of the Phase 1 contract and the kick-off meeting in mid May, our Engineering contractor, the Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, has been hard at work surveying the old spoils site adjacent to the Black River. They had to do a lot of bush hogging and clearing through 20 plus years of overgrowth to get clean sight lines across the center and around the perimeter. They set two temporary benchmarks along the north side of the landing road, which must stay in place until the project is completed; please do not disturb them.
All of the spoil site fieldwork is now completed. Their next task is to import all the measurements into the site database and begin designing the revamped basin within the permit guidelines to meet the required capacity for spoils. The preliminary drawings should be available in another week, and once approved by the Canal Committee, the topographic survey will be completed.
Earthworks also obtained the 2002 and 2006 canal system hydrographic survey data in electronic form from the previous Engineering contractor, GEL of Charleston. Those earlier surveys were paid for by voluntary contributions from canal lot owners.Earthworks’ preliminary analysis indicates that the old data, once correlated with thecurrent survey, will be adequate to recompute the required dredge volumes and should make a new full hydrographic re-survey unnecessary. A final determination will be made next week.
Once WPA approves the drawings, Earthworks will generate a bid specification package. They will then solicit proposals from qualified contractors, and at last give us valid hard data of projected costs of spoil site preparation and dredging itself.
We are still actively seeking additional volunteers for both the Canal Committee and the Funding Subcommittee. Please contact our Chairman Karl Gettmann through the WPA office if you would like to get involved, or to submit constructive feedback, suggestions, comments, or questions.
JULY 2009 CANAL REPORT
Canal Report: Karl Gettmann requested Mike Davis give the report.
Since the last report in June, our Engineering contractor, the Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, completed the design for the rework of the old spoils site, which the Canal Committee approved after some minor changes. The design meets the capacity requirement of the US Army Corps of Engineers Permit with about a 10% surplus to allow for settling of the perimeter dike over time. It also includes a clever water quality baffle in the design, which should help meet or exceed agency standards for turbidity in the water returned to the environment.
Earthworks validated and successfully imported data from the 2002-2006 GEL hydrographic surveys into their drawing package, which eliminated the need for a new survey. This will substantially reduce the final bill for their contracted phase one services.
Last week Earthworks issued bid specifications packages for both the site work and the dredging work itself to over one dozen prospective contractors. The sealed bid reply date is in early August, and will provide the Canal and Funding Committees specific projected costs of spoil site preparation and dredging itself to work with. Once WPA and the Canal Committee have opened bids, they will make a summary available to interested residents.
The Funding Subcommittee has been hard at work seeking outside funding but recent negative publicity about Wedgefield is proving to be a major obstacle. Once they have the firm cost quotes, additional specific requests for aid will be made. They are also analyzing various funding strategies and should make a preliminary report to WPA with one or more action plans to evaluate and consider before the August Board Meeting.
We still need additional volunteers for both the Canal Committee and the Funding Subcommittee. The most important and difficult task of finding a way to fund restoration of the canals that the majority of our fellow residents can accept is now on the table. Please contact our Chairman Karl Gettmann through the WPA office if you would like to get involved, or to submit constructive feedback, suggestions, comments, or questions.
Since the last report in June, our Engineering contractor, the Earthworks Group of Murrells Inlet, completed the design for the rework of the old spoils site, which the Canal Committee approved after some minor changes. The design meets the capacity requirement of the US Army Corps of Engineers Permit with about a 10% surplus to allow for settling of the perimeter dike over time. It also includes a clever water quality baffle in the design, which should help meet or exceed agency standards for turbidity in the water returned to the environment.
Earthworks validated and successfully imported data from the 2002-2006 GEL hydrographic surveys into their drawing package, which eliminated the need for a new survey. This will substantially reduce the final bill for their contracted phase one services.
Last week Earthworks issued bid specifications packages for both the site work and the dredging work itself to over one dozen prospective contractors. The sealed bid reply date is in early August, and will provide the Canal and Funding Committees specific projected costs of spoil site preparation and dredging itself to work with. Once WPA and the Canal Committee have opened bids, they will make a summary available to interested residents.
The Funding Subcommittee has been hard at work seeking outside funding but recent negative publicity about Wedgefield is proving to be a major obstacle. Once they have the firm cost quotes, additional specific requests for aid will be made. They are also analyzing various funding strategies and should make a preliminary report to WPA with one or more action plans to evaluate and consider before the August Board Meeting.
We still need additional volunteers for both the Canal Committee and the Funding Subcommittee. The most important and difficult task of finding a way to fund restoration of the canals that the majority of our fellow residents can accept is now on the table. Please contact our Chairman Karl Gettmann through the WPA office if you would like to get involved, or to submit constructive feedback, suggestions, comments, or questions.
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