A RESIDENT WRITER SENDS US A LITTLE "CAESAR" THIS MORNING, WITH A QUESTION

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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.

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HERE IS THE RESIDENT EMAIL - UNEDITED:

"Is it possible that our board vice president attended the Julius Caesar School of leadership?    

CAESAR:  "Let me have men about me that are fat,   Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a-nights.
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.   He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous. (1.2.202-205)"

Is there a Cassius amongst the other members?"

TWO NEW ARTICLES WERE ADDED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. ONE EARLY THIS MORNING. UP NEXT: MOST OF THIS BOARD IS MISSING IN ACTION EVEN IF THEY ARE PRESENT AT THE BOARD TABLE

SOMEONE ELSE IS FOLLOWING THE RIDICULOUS HISTORY OF ACCOUNTING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THIS BOARD ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2013

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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.

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Readers, when I checked the back page of the blog stats this morning, someone else must be concerned about our accounting - a term that I wouldn't use for the mess this board has been building on for years - prior to 2013, but certainly a marker on the grave of sound business practice here in Wedgefield.  Reviewing this documented article again this morning, quite frankly just irked me - an insult to most people's intelligence!  I found it timely to republish this 2013 article.  I stand by my research, and comments then, and even more so today.  Why?  All the promise to legitimize this critical function of the board, after a glimmer of promise during the December 2017 WPA board meeting - our treasurer was going to look into a accountant, was somewhat   dashed immediately following the meeting, when your fellow residents began to call almost immediately following the December meeting, laughingly telling me they had a good guess of who the accountant would be - someone close to the Wedgefield clubs.  I still had some hope.  I was sure this "we have all the expertise - we know what we are doing - trust us" board was turning over a new leaf, as it relates to this tarnished accounting function.  Surely, a proper request for proposal would be written, a  sealed bid process put in place, and a review of bids, a motion, and a discussion, and a vote at the board table - out in the open as should be.  As I sat in the January meeting, nothing had really happened, and there was nothing to report.  It just appeared to be the same old action plan - throw something good out there, and then just go back to their regular type of cloak and dagger operation.

Do I expect too much?  I don't think so.  Another resident stood at the annual meeting and asked about accounting, and an accountant, saying it was the responsible thing to do with over a half million dollars in reserves, and a place this size.  I suspect that when I printed the fact that some residents were guessing who the treasurer had in mind, and the accountant would come out of the club friendships, that the board had been found out, and they just stepped over the issue completely.  Really?  We deserve an accountant, a sound statement of expectations, credential requirements for the industry, and a process that meets our governing document requirements for contracting, and has sound business practice fundamentals.  Wait a minute, at the same January meeting, the reserve study traveled down the same ridiculous path.  Why would anyone expect anything different from this board??????

PUBLISHED ON THE BLOG MAY 25, 2013
"THE ACCOUNTANT JOB DESCRIPTION"
PLEASE NOTE:  Designed by then board member DeMarchi, and approved then by board members, most of which continue to sit on this board.  Here's the article.  
I visited the office on the May 22.  One of the items that I wanted to review was the Accountant Job Description.  I did not request a COPY when I wrote.  I try never to put our staff Kathy in the middle of things, so I hand copied it word for word.  I've typed it for you.

ACCOUNTANT JOB DESCRIPTION

The accountant performs a variety of general accounting support tasks in an accounting department including:

*Verifying the accuracy of invoices and other accounting documents or records.

*Up date and maintain accounting journals, ledgers and other records detailing financial business transactions (e.g.), disbursements, expense vouchers, receipts, accounts payable.

*Enters data into computer system using deferred computer programs

*Compile data and prepare a variety of reports with supporting reports (e.g.), P & L income statement, cash disbursements, aging reports, etc.

*Reconciles records with internal transactions and management, or external vendors or customers.

*Recommends actions to resolve discrepancies and investigating questionable data.

Qualifications:

*Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel and Outlook

*Organizational, verbal and written communication skills a must

*Attention to detail and ability to multi-task is an asset

*Requires 2 years experience

*Must sign a "Confidentiality Agreement" regarding financial and personal information relative to the association.

COMMENTS:
First, take away the paid staff person and the new contractor.  The following comments are "in general", under sound business practice, in dealing with the financial resources, collected from approximately 577 individual property owners, to be managed by a board in benefit of the place we live, fairly, and with sound judgment. This is not individual home finance or a little "mom and pop" private enterprise. The comments are not directed at the staff or contractor.  This is a situation created by our treasurer and board, and not about individual staff or service provider.

Where are the real qualifications:  the education requirements, professional designations such as CPA, accounting degree, or as may be the case - bookkeeping.  They can't be found anywhere.  This description could have been written by President Clinton, known for dissecting words like the, and, an, of, etc.  If I needed an accountant and I asked you who your accountant was, I'm sure it would be a CPA.  The board spent some time at the May board meeting going around the merry go round of the word accountant, when asked if the new contractor was our accountant.  I believe we may have been left with two bookkeepers, one reviewing the other's work, managed by our board treasurer - the accounting department????  Does the treasurer have an accounting degree?  I don't believe so.  I don't believe anyone on the board is a CPA.  At least call it what it is, have the guts to publish it for review and comment, as required by our newest by-law.

Often, if an employer has an individual they would like to fill a position, whether the individual is currently employed in the company, or from the outside, they will write the specifications to meet the skills, ability, and education of the person they wish to hire.  Is that the case here?  This move often, is not in the best interests of the organization, but tailored to meet the agenda of the interviewer, the supervisor.

We were advised by the board at the May meeting that the new person is a contractor.  Was this "contractor job" put out to bid?  There were other contractor jobs put out to bid and the bids were opened at the May meeting.  Why not this, unless the description was written to match the skills of the candidate someone on your board had it mind?

All the requirements have been reduced. During the May meeting, our treasurer made a motion for the WPA to pay up to $400 per year to bond our employee and new contractor, at $50,000 each.  A few years ago when McMillin changed the wording - dumbed down the CPA to really - bookkeeping, he also reduced bonding from $200,000 to $100,000, because that was the level of bonding "his favored candidate" could provide.  McMillin stated during the May meeting, that his person had to pay their own bonding.  This is a big downward slide and you are going to pay for reduced credibility and security.  In the end, McMillin stated that the new contractor, "worked cheap".  RUMOR IS the contractor will work for approximately $50 a month.  You get what you pay for and we deserve first class management of our assessment dollars.  

If your treasurer and board were proud of what they were doing they would have handled all of these decisions, discussed openly - not in closed meetings, followed the newest by-law and published this watered down version of a job description, contracted for services properly, and told us EXACTLY what it was going to cost.  The board has taken us backwards, because you allow it.

 P.S. What experience?  Where?  How long?  HOA experience? Was it just the experience that will fit what this treasurer and board want to do?

RESIDENT WRITES WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT MISSING BOARD MEMBERS

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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.

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HERE IS THE RESIDENT'S UNEDITED LETTER

I read your latest posting on the Examiner.  Thank you for keeping us updated on the board.   

Your posting concluded with a question, where was our board President was during the January meeting?  I would like to add, what's up with Keith Johnson?   Is he still invested in this community?   He missed the December 11th and 19th meetings and left the January meeting early.    The Johnson house is for sale..... he appears to have one foot out of Wedgefield.  So what's driving him to keep his seat?     Just appears that he's biding his time til he's out of here or is he just holding on to a vote in favor of dredging?     Whatever his excuse, if he can't make the meetings, he should step aside.   That would be the "professional"  and considerate thing to do. 

THE DECEMBER 2017 BOARD MEETING BROUGHT HOPE. THE JANUARY 2018 BOARD MEETING DASHED IT, AND BROUGHT A STAGE THEATRICAL PRODUCTION THAT ENDED WITH MORE OF THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD - THROWING CRUMBS TO THE PIGEONS, AND THEN SWEEPING THEM UP, AND TOSSING THEM AWAY

IF YOU ATTENDED THE DECEMBER 2017 WPA BOARD MEETING, YOU MIGHT HAVE COME AWAY WITH SOME HOPE THAT PLANNING, AND SOME SMALL STEPS TO GOOD GOVERNANCE WAS ON UPCOMING AGENDAS.

AFTER, THE JANUARY 2018 WPA BOARD MEETING, MUCH OF THE HOPE WAS DASHED, AND WE WERE OFFERED THE BOARD'S JUGGLING ON THE STAGE OF WEDGEFIELD'S GOVERNANCE, INSTEAD, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF IT WASN'T SO RIDICULOUSLY STAGED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A COMEDY.

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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.

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Readers, I've provided a quote from a posting I wrote after the December 2017 board meeting.  It was positive.  Here it is:

"A few more thoughts and comments, on my own observation of the meeting.  Residents, you missed something new from this board.  I left the meeting for the first time, in years, feeling that just maybe there was some change in the air - just maybe your board was listening, and trying to do something about some of the issues.  I felt for the first time in a long time, that a resident could stand up, ask a question, and wasn't attacked by a member of the board.  I appreciated the restraint that that might have taken by some on the board.  We've deserved better if we are interested enough to attend these meetings, and it looks like we are on our way to respectful tolerance.  Thank you board!" From another December posting:  "The highlights presented give us reason to feel positive, if the board moves forward with actions according to our governing documents, and cleans up some of the problems that exist in certain potential projects.  I advised hopeful caution to the reader as I wrote the article."

Here are the items discussed during the December meeting that made me think that maybe there was hope, and an update on each of them during the January meeting.

*From the December meeting I said:     "Our treasurer made a motion to allow the finance committee to look into another CPA.  Will the committee put forth a proposal of requirements, and bring it to the board for review, and seek requests for proposal, and then select a CPA?  We can't know in advance.  The committee is composed of board members, with one lonely non board resident.  If the board moves forward on this at first glance positive move, in an open, good business approach, the whole board will review the process, at an open meeting, so we all know that the process was handled in a positive "in the best interests of Wedgefield" manner.  Why the hesitation on my part?  I've had a few contacts from fellow residents who laughingly said that they were pretty sure they knew who the accountant would be.  After considering what they said, I think that they could be right.  I'm keeping the name to myself, and hoping for a process in finding a accountant comes out of it, not the popularity of the members of our social clubs."

During the January meeting it was stated that there was no report on this yet - no update on the role an accountant might play - a job description of sorts that might indicate what role the accountant would play, no indication of what the selection process - request for proposal would look like.  Are these questions to soon, to much, to expect in a month?  I don't think so, based on the inadequate system, we currently have in place, and how we got there through this secretive board.  Remember, there were people speculating after the December meeting that they knew who would be named - and it came out of Wedgefield's clubs.

*From the December meeting I said:   "Our vice president/legal chair/member of many board committees, made a motion to investigate the cost of updating our current reserve study.  This in itself is great.  In fact, a resident member - not me, asked about it at the annual meeting.  Wonderful!  Will each board member get a copy of the current reserve study, and ask questions about it's development?  Because there are a lot of credible questions, that speak to compliance, and how it was developed, and approved.  We heard an item of concern at the annual meeting, when questions arose, and a sitting board member said that there were two finals!  Board meeting recordings during that time indicate that the president of the board signed one, and a check was written, and then cancelled.  Details of the development of the existing reserve study, indicate that there was some secrecy in the development, and a sitting board member was denied the ability to sit in on a conference call with the developer of the study, by some still sitting on the board.  At that time, a resident asked if the canals were included in the reserve study, and your board president said it was in the proposal, but not the final.  I don't know which "final" I was allowed to review at the time.  I now have a copy of the reserve study.  I don't know which final it is, but am told that it is being used by the board."

I left the January meeting feeling we were going no place with the reserve study.  Why?  Garrison reported that he had researched a price to update the old reserve study with the current vendor.  The price was $3,246,00.  He went on to say that this vendor was the most reasonable at the time.  McMillin jumped in and said several things.   The current one was not realistic.  That there were errors. He didn't think that it it would give us anything we don't have here.  The board has a fine record of knowing what they are doing.  No one else on the board appeared to have questions, and no one moved anything forward.  It appears that the board was just bouncing balls in the air in December, and by January ready to leave this important consideration air bound to land in the pile of mismanaged board debris.  Does anyone on that board think for themselves, and work in our behalf toward good governance?  I stand by my researched review leading up to the last reserve study, and minus a few new board members who didn't speak up, we got the same self serving crew.

There is more to add to this article, but we continue to have medical issues in our home, and I'm a first things first kind of person.  Part II will be added ASAP.  What's next?  Compliance, a new committee, spoil site, and where was our president during the January meeting?

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WHEN WILL THE WEDGEFIELD EXAMINER START UP AGAIN?

The Wedgefield Examiner will post a new article on January 26th by end of day.  I attended the January WPA board meeting.  The promise of hope discussed on the blog after the December meeting, was a bit dashed after the discussions from the board table in January - it is a mixed drama - or comedy, depending on the subject.  Stay  tuned!

THE WEDGEFIELD EXAMINER WILL NOT PUBLISH FOR A FEW DAYS

MY FAMILY HAS ANOTHER EMERGENCY HOSPITALIZATION.  IT IS ALL MANAGEABLE, BUT AS ALWAYS THERE ARE PRIORITIES.  WE'LL PUBLISH AS SOON AS THINGS SETTLE DOWN.  TAKE CARE.

RESIDENT WRITES AND COMMENTS ON FROG PRINCES AND LIGHTENING POSTING. THE WRITER IS NOT SURPRISED BY "THE EMPTY OFFERS" OF THIS BOARD

RESIDENT WRITER SAYS, "I'm not surprised the board keeps coming to you with empty offers to help them do their job, but it's more likely this is all just a pathetic attempt to silence you.      I'm sorry our board plays games like this."  The entire letter is posted below.

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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.

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HERE IS THE UNEDITED RESIDENT LETTER:

Madelyn,

This is in regards to your latest blog postings about board members empty requests for help. 

The board blowing it out of their butts is nothing new to the level headed and mindful residents of this community.    In November 2015 a Wedgefield resident questioned then Welcome Committee Chair Inge about the lack of welcoming her committee does during the Annual Meeting.  He had been living in Wedgefield for 18 months and no one bothered to contact him.   Inge appeared so taken back by this person questioning her job performance that the resident felt bad and called her later to apologize.   The resident also offered to be on her welcome committee should she need someone to help her greet new residents.  There was no direct response to the offer or follow up from Inge after this phone conversation.   During the December 2015 board meeting, Inge nominated this resident to her welcome committee and it was unanimously approved, (see meeting minutes dated 12/15).   Almost 2 years later I asked this resident why he wasn't serving on the committee and he had no idea he was on it.  No one gave the resident another thought after voting him on the committee.   I went back into the meeting minutes archive and showed him proof of his nomination.  SURPRISE!   Unfortunately, Inge never told the resident of her plan to nominate him or of his acceptance onto her committee.    You can only speculate Inge's reason for not following through.   But the bottom line is ... the resident was dismissed and it's unfortunate because this he would've been an awesome neighborhood greeter.    

So I'm not surprised the board keeps coming to you with empty offers to help them do their job, but it's more likely this is all just a pathetic attempt to silence you.      I'm sorry our board plays games like this. 

PLEASE NOTE: PART TWO WAS ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POSTING ON 1/16/ 2018, AS PROMISED. TODAY WE WRITE ABOUT FROG PRINCES, AND LIGHTENING STRIKING TWICE, AND AN UNWILLINGNESS TO EVER BELIEVE AGAIN, THAT ANYTHING CHANGES IN THE BEHAVIOR OF OUR WEDGEFIELD BOARD

There is a statue of Prince N'Boots in my front yard.  It was created from a picture in an old french story book that my husband's father use to read to him from.  I had an artist in Canada craft it as a gift to him.  I had a plaque added that says, "Sometimes, fairy tales do come true."  For you that should mean that I do have the ability to try and find the good in a situation.  I've tried to work with this board a number of times, and yet once again, just when I think one of them has gone from FROG - failing to follow sound governance, and harming those who would speak the truth,  to PRINCE - let's take a look at this and try and do the right thing, this board falls back to governance trolls.

I'm usually smart enough to avoid lightening striking me twice.  It has struck me twice in the last year in the governance convoluted storms brought almost daily to you by this board and their interior one up man struggles regarding their self viewed powers - own individual behind the scenes fighting.  The good thing about lightening strikes is that the person who is struck makes sure that they are not the target of another strike.  I allowed two, and you may label me uncooperative - whatever, but trust me, it will not happen again.  Perhaps, you should start really looking at the Wedgefield governance storms brought by the winds of this board, and the lack of truth in their made up weather reports, rather than just taking them at their word.

HERE ARE THE TWO RECENT LIGHTENING STRIKES, BROUGHT TO YOU BY ME - THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT THEIR FAIRY TALES DELIVERED BY A BOARD MEMBER PRINCE, WHO IT APPEARS ONLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RAIN GOVERNANCE NIGHTMARES ON OUR COMMUNITY.

Lightening Strike # 2 - most recent:
I have pulled the following quote from the article I posted on November 18, 2017 - titled - "The WPA Annual Meeting Results, And Comments", regarding questions from residents at the annual meeting, including mine.  I post this quote from the article for you to realize that I consider what I print, and stand by what I say, and it starts bringing us up to date about the most recent lightening strike, by the president of our board.  Here is the quote from that article:

"Resident # 8, and more numbers, because it is me, Madeline Claveloux, and I stood up a couple of times.  This gets complicated.  I will only report what I asked, and what I was told.  There was some interaction with a board member after, that I will not discuss until I see if it unfolds.  That was my commitment.  I wasn't asked by the board member to keep it to myself, but I chose to in attempting to move forward.  

I'm reporting to the best of my ability.  I can't take notes when I am talking.  I have great recall.  I have readers who were present at the meeting and I ask that if you find error in what I say today, that you write the blog, and note your concern.  I will remove your name, and publish it.


I asked how my board could have passed numerous changes to the policy manual, without posting first reading on the WPA website as required by a by-law that was submitted by a resident for a vote at an annual meeting, voted on, and passed a few years ago?  I asked where our legal and compliance committee were that they had allowed this to happen for at least a year and a half, with numerous changes to the policy manual, voted on by every member of that board repeatedly.  The board's answer was that they'd take a look at that!  I came back and stated that every board member at that board table was responsible for knowing the by-laws - governing documents, and it went beyond compliance, and legal, when they all voted to approve without following the by-law.  They sat looking at their hands each and everyone of them.  I further asked if they'd have to recind any of those changes, until they did the right thing?  They'll have to look into it.  Comments:  Residents, call me outspoken, trouble maker, whatever you want, but this is blatant disregard for our governing documents, and our operations in the best interests of Wedgefield.  Hot dogs and votive lights will not buy me.  The fact is, your individual board members and president all ignored this intentionally, and don't care.  If you review the changes to the policy manual they made, they gave themselves higher spending limits, etc.  At times, they ignore what even they put in the policy manual in regard to requests for proposals, bidding, contract development etc.  It is costing us all, and they are thumbing their noses at us, and handling our governance and our very homes, and lives like we are a herd of dumb animals.  The fact is, it hasn't been just a year and a half of this stuff, it has been about 3 years, and I called them on it once before, and they did nothing.  I talked to the actual resident who had submitted this by-law change regarding posting between first and second reading and a vote to change the policy manual.  That resident said that after the by-law had passed requiring this, that he/she was serving on the compliance committee to review and change as needed the policy manual.  When the board wasn't following the by-law requirements then, he/she met with our current president, and he said it would be remedied, and they were false promises because it never happened, and he/she was no longer a member of the committee." 

(PICTURE POSTED IN THAT ARTICLE)

END OF QUOTE FROM NOV. 2017 ARTICLE

Now, for the rest of this particular "fairy tale".  The board member who spoke to me twice at the annual meeting was President Walton.  The first time, I had asked my question, and we were at a place in the meeting where we were on break waiting for the ballot count results.  I was sitting with my husband minding my own business.  President Walton approached, and in regard to my compliance question, he stated he really didn't know, didn't realize, and I told him pretty much what I stated above, that it was every board member's responsibility to know, let alone the president.  He asked if I would meet with him to discuss it, and I said that I would.  The conversation was decent - not combative.  The second time that day, I was exiting after the meeting, and he followed me out the door, and spoke to me on the sidewalk, again stating that would meet, but he didn't even know whether this board would elect him president again.  Should have made no difference president, or not, he would still be a board member, with rights to follow up to do the right thing.

No call came to set up a time to meet in November, even after he was elected President.  No call came in December.  Then, I arrived early for the December 19, 2017 WPA board meeting. I always bring a book and read until the meeting starts so I won't be accused of saying or doing anything, that the board could site as causing a problem.  President Walton approached me, and said he would like me to sit on a new committee - a website committee.  He further stated that if I agreed, he would first make a motion at the December meeting for the board to approve the committee, and if approved, he would submit my name to serve on the committee.  I told him that I would be happy to help, and in that cooperative spirit, further told him that since it was a new committee that he might want to involve some of our newer residents in the committee.  I gave him the names of two residents who have lived here two to three years. He told me that he had ideas of a website that was both public and pass word secured for certain information, and possibly a public comment section, but the committee would discuss that and more, if approved.  I stated that I hoped that in his request for me to serve, that he didn't ask me because he thought I had expertise in website construction, because I didn't - I have the blog, but developed the frame work flying by the seat of my pants.  I welcomed the opportunity, if approved by the board.  

President Walton put both motions forward during the December board meeting, and they passed unanimously.  I have not heard one word from President Walton since.  

A few days ago, I was doing some research and went to  to the WPA website.  The website was public and pass word protected, with public announcements.  Looks, like I wasn't to be included in anything anyway, and his offer to me was nothing more than buying time, and not answering my questions from the annual meeting.  This isn't the first time, that board members have used this ploy - shut her up in the moment, and pretend that we have been listening.  The first - other lightening strike will appear in Part II tomorrow, and the frog attempting to be a "open" board member, trying to go from frog board member to prince board member, is Anderson.

For today, we'll use another fairy tale/nursery rhyme response, to President Walton.  "Ba, Ba, black sheep have you any wool?"  Today's answer from resident black sheep, Madeline Claveloux is, "no sir, no sir - non to be used to pull the wool over my eyes for the moment."

I'M NOT THIS KIND OF RESIDENT SHEEP NO MATTER WHAT YOU TRY.

STAY TUNED FOR PART II TOMORROW
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PART TWO ADDED JAN. 16, 2018 - BOARD MEMBER ANDERSON'S OFFER TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE - SUCH AS IT WAS:

MY LETTER TO THE BOARD:

April 24, 2017

TO:                 WPA BOARD

FROM:          Madeline Y. Claveloux

RE:                 RESIDENT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FIRST HAND FROM

                        BRIAN TUCKER, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT                          

                             FOR GEORGETOWN COUNTY

CC:                 The Wedgefield Examiner, undisclosed group of residents

                        organized to survey every member on the possible 

                        purchase of the Wedgefield Golf Course by the county

NOTE:  Please distribute to the entire board, and place a copy in the correspondence file. 

There is obvious interest by the membership regarding the appearance of the Wedgefield Plantation Golf course, and the possible purchase of the course by the county.  I, and many other residents would like direct information from a county representative, who would answer our questions with first hand information, provided directly from the source.  Additionally, residents are concerned for a number of reasons, about how the board intends to survey, and petition the community for the county.  Basically, we all want first hand information, and we want every member surveyed.

Immediately following the April 28^th WPA Board Meeting, there were over 1,000 visits to The Wedgefield Examiner, in just a little over 24 hours.  Additionally, since then the volume of visits, even on the weekend, has exceeded 100 visits per day, and residents are writing letters to the blog about the potential purchase almost daily, and they are being published.  While the board may not like, or wish to acknowledge the blog, it appears that  members are turning to it as a vehicle to both get, and put out information.  Several residents have contacted me, and I have met with them in small groups, and they want to move forward with a plan to see that we get first hand information, and that every member is surveyed.

To date, I’ve spoken to Brian Tucker, and he has agreed that if a group of residents would like to hear from him, that he is willing to speak to them.  The group has suggested that we develop a mailing to every member that would include a cover letter indicating a date time, and place of meeting, and a prepaid post card addressed to Brian Tucker, detailed with a “yes” or “no” on the potential purchase by the county, a place to indicate the # of lots owned by the member, and a signature line.  The group is working on the mailing list now,  and yes, we have recruited promise of donation of funds for mailing, printing, etc.  The overriding question throughout our work has been, “why isn’t our board promoting this kind of open communication, and surveying on an issue that is so important to so many of us.”

This morning, I touched base with some of the people working on the project, and agreed to contact the board, present the fact that Mr. Tucker is willing to meet Wedgefield residents, and ask the board if they would consider taking over notifying every member of a date, and time to hear Mr. Tucker, and at the same time provide a survey tool to every member.  Are you willing to do this to unify the sharing of information with every member, and seek the opinion to be shared with the county, from every member?  Wouldn’t it be beneficial to the board, all members, in unification and providing answers to the county?  

Please respond.  We’ll continue our work if we must and make our decisions if we must.  Shouldn’t we all be working together for Wedgefield?"

BOARD MEMBER ANDERSON'S RESPONSE AS IT RELATES TO A  OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A SURVEY COMMITTEE:

"I would suggest that you and your group contact the office and join the committee already in place and discuss your ideas openly with the committee. We don't need two petitions going around. That would only create confusion. "

Later in the same letter:

"I feel the original idea was to do the petition first to see if the “concept” is something a large number of residents are open to and THEN have a meeting with Mr. Tucker. The petition spelled out the generalities of the concept. I am not personally opposed to anything that is a reasonable idea. Some of your ideas here seem good. Again, I would recommend you join the committee already in place and work with them to incorporate your ideas into what is already being prepared."
Still later in his letter Anderson attempts to throw a wrench in his good will offering of my serving on the committee by negative assumptions. You'll see in my response to him, that I didn't bite, but offered assurance that I would be happy to cooperate, and serve on the committee. He says the following:

"I couldn't agree more that we need to work together. And that usually means compromise. I will already assume one of your responses to this letter will be that you cannot work with the existing committee because of its chairperson. To my knowledge Mr. Armistead volunteered to head this effort up. To refuse to work with his committee over a 10 year old disagreement on a completely different issue isn't indicative of a “let's all work together for Wedgefield” attitude. I will guarantee you he be willing to work with you and hear your ideas.  So let's ALL put aside our differences and see if we can find some common ground on perhaps the most important issue Wedgefield will ever face."

Adam Anderson

Community Liaison

I respond pleasantly, and cooperatively immediately:

April 26, 2017

TO:                  WPA BOARD

FROM:             Madeline Y. Claveloux

RE:                  COMMUNITY LIAISON EMAIL DATED 4/26/17

CC:                  Wedgefield Examiner, undisclosed groups of residents 

                        involved in a resident project pertaining to the possible 

                        Wedgefield Golf course sale to the county

Please place a copy in the correspondence file, and distribute to the board.

I appreciate the board’s timely response to my email.  Thank you.  I took a little time to contact the various people working on the project I described to you, to gather feedback.  I, and they, want the unity that the board wants, open communication, and a presentation of unity to the county in any information provided.  

First, I welcome the opportunity to be considered by the board, to be a member of the committee.   I realize that it is only an invitation to be considered, as the board votes on committee members.  Yes, I couldn't agree more that we need to work together, and that usually does mean compromise.  That is why I wrote the board.

The project I described to you has been put on hold.  We won’t move forward with printing of a letter, and post card, and mailing.  We will continue the work in progress on the mailing list to all members, not as a threat, but because a few of the groups have discussed other projects that may require it.  I hope that will confirm for you our interest to cooperate.  One of our groups is working with involving new residents in projects.  While I stay out of their finite business, two names – fresh perspectives have been suggested of individuals who appear at this distance willing to work to improve Wedgefield.  I’m told one has been contacted, and would be willing to be considered for your committee, and another has been left a message.  There is no demand, but if the board is interested, I would be happy to provide their names. 

 I agree that we can’t function on rumors.  It appeared most of the concerns of the individuals who have written to me, either to have their letters (names removed) published, or stating their concerns, but asking that their writings not be published, or comments on Face Book, were negative regarding the possible county involvement.  That is why I took the time to call Mr. Tucker, and the realtor, and have taken calls from residents asking what I knew about this, or that group of people walking or driving on the golf course.  I have no stated opinion on the county’s possible purchase. My inquiry has been to the process & value of a survey, and how it would have any value, drove me to make those calls.  I found Mr. Tucker was willing to talk, put the possible county’s very early stage consideration of involvement - to put things in perspective to be helpful.  It appeared to me, and the people who were working on the project I described, that it would be helpful to have that prospective outlined by the county directly to all residents, to benefit residents’ survey answers.   

In the frankness required to work together, you have assumed incorrectly, when you state: “ I will already assume one of your responses to this letter will be that you cannot work with the existing committee because of its chairperson. To my knowledge Mr. Armistead volunteered to head this effort up. To refuse to work with his committee over a 10 year old disagreement on a completely different issue isn't indicative of a “let's all work together for Wedgefield” attitude.”  When I wrote the board in a cooperative spirit, I did not even bring that discussion to the table.  While your reference to a “10 year old disagreement” does not begin to describe the situation that is documented in WPA records, I suggest in the spirit of working together that we not jump to conclusions of one another’s reactions.  Having worked with unions and management in large company shut down situations, providing outplacement facilities, and services for both under the satisfaction of both, I learned to study the issues and personalities of both, meet with them together in meetings, without prejudicing the outcome of common goals.  We have common interests and goals, and shouldn’t assume, and taint an open working relationship.

Again, I appreciate your email.  No response is required, except to let me know, what my next steps are to be considered for the committee. "

HERE IS THE LIGHTENING STRIKE.  HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE OFFER TO SERVE ON COMMITTEE, AND MY POSITIVE RESPONSE - AS POSTED ON THE BLOG ON MAY 26, 2017:
Board Member Anderson, I NEVER HEARD from the board again, after I clearly expressed an interest to serve on the committee the board had formed chaired by resident Armistead.
NOTE:  From the approved minutes of the April 18th WPA Board Meeting: "New Business: Bob Garrison stated that if the County did decide to purchase the golf course, it could take at least four (4) months to accomplish that and in the meantime, the grass is growing like crazy. Bob presented a potential Petition to see if the residents are interested in the County owning the golf course. Bob suggested that we get this out street by street. Would the Board agree to circulating this to get an estimate of everyone who is in agreement? Jacky Walton mentioned that we could appoint Roger Armistead as an Ad Hoc Committee to accomplish this task."   Additionally in that same answer to the board I asked if they would be interested in two additional names of new residents who would be willing to serve.  What is worse is that by the time we got to the May WPA meeting, there was no report during the meeting for the adhoc committee - let alone naming and voting on committee members!  Mr. Armistead spoke during resident comments about inviting Mr. Tucker, and his recent email to him, and a meeting where he would speak, but NO mention of a survey - the very item the board made him responsible for during a vote at the April meeting.  Once again, it appears our board changed direction with no discussion at the table about what happened to the survey/petition.  The mailing regarding a meeting has since gone out, and there was no survey,nor do we know whether it went to every member house hold.  Was the board afraid to move forward with a legitimate committee once I said yes, I'd serve?  Don't talk to me about negativity.  I wasn't, and my board failed all of us.  We are back to your hidden agenda, and you are looking for scape goats - I'll never qualify as that, I'm not only not negative on this issue, I got the problem identified correctly, and it is the board!  It should be noted that immediately following Mr. Armistead's comments, that I went directly to him, offered any assistance that he might need, and told him that I had spoken quite some time ago to Mr.  Tucker, and during our conversation that he had agreed to speak to Wedgefield residents, and that I had immediately notified the board of that opportunity.  I further explained that Mr. Tucker spent as much time as needed on our call, and I felt it would benefit all residents to hear him.  I fulfilled my commitment to work with Mr. Armistead, BUT ONCE AGAIN THE GAME CHANGED. "

TODAY, you've seen the second lightening strike of the board when they put an offer forward, and you genuinely respond, and offer to help.  I'm done attempting to cooperate in any of the board's convoluted, sinister attempts to draw me into cooperating with their illegal (according to the governing documents), efforts. I've never been into game playing, and won't start now.  Since the blog's start I have received many thanks from readers for the efforts to keep the residents informed, when your board obviously won't.  Over the holidays, I talked to a long time reader who told me how proud they were of me for all that I have done for the community in attempting to bringing truth to what our governance in Wedgefield truly is.  They stated further that they appreciated my attempts to work with the board when asked.  I told them at the time that I would do what I could outside of the blog to help.  I hope that individual will continue to be proud of how I operate, but enough is enough, when the board continues to be less than genuine in their offers, and in fact use it as a tool of abuse, to someone who cares.  

If anyone thinks that these board actions have caused me to feel defeated, and shut down the blog, they are sadly mistaken.  In truth, it has spurred me on to continue to tell the corrupt story of Wedgefield governance.  Stay tuned.  I'll never be a sheep cowered by the board herders.