The following appeared in my email inbox, on April 6th. The first reading of the proposed changes took place during the March 17th board meeting. The WPA Board updated their official web page with the proposed changes, on April 6th, the day the email was sent to me. I did not write the board. I did publish an article regarding the board's failure, once again, to follow the policy manual, on April 1st. Quite frankly, the board tells me that no one reads The Wedgefield Examiner, so why bother to notify the blog. The board should be notifying all of us, that they will delay a vote at the April meeting, because they haven't followed the policy manual.
Kathy Phelan <wedgeassoc.com@frontier.com>
wedgefieldexaminerthe@yahoo.com
Madeline Claveloux <mclaveloux@sc.rr.com>
Subject: Policy Changes
Priority: Normal Date: Monday, April 6, 2015 9:24 AM Size: 2 MB
Attachments: Changes to policy 3-24-2015.pdf (2211.9 KB)
Mrs. Claveloux,
Just for the record I did post the 1st reading Policy Changes on the website the day after the March board meeting and then accidently deleted it by me when I was working on the site. My apologies for the inconvenience. I'm not perfect and accidents do happen.
I have also attached a copy for your review.
Kathy Phelan
Office Secretary
Wedgefield Plantation Association
1956 Wedgefield Road
Georgetown, SC 29440
843-546-2718
843-546-4027
Email: wedgeassoc.com@frontier.com
First, whether our paid staff put it up, and deleted it by mistake, this is Garrison's responsibility, to see that it is there. After all, he holds two titles, as it relates to following our governing documents. He has been named Compliance Chair, and Legal Chair, a ridiculous move by our President, who has the privilege of appointing the chairs. It looks like a conflict of interest to sound governance. Our paid staff, is often made the fall guy, for this board's ridiculous moves.
You'll need to go to the WPA website, and view the proposed numerous changes for yourself. When I wrote the article on April 1st, I was concerned about those changes centering on signs and fires. Today, as I reviewed the changes, it left me with a firm conviction that they were driven by this board's need to cover for board members, who were violating our governing documents, as they stood, prior to these accommodations.
HERE IS WHAT WEDGEFIELD RESIDENTS WERE TOLD IN THE WRAGG, PRIOR TO MC MILLIN'S DESIRE TO BURN
"NO DUMPING
NO BURNING
NO EXCEPTIONS"
Here is the proposed change. I was right when I thought it included "POTS". The following is a direct quote from the WPA website.
"COMPLIANCE-BURNING
SECTION V
COVENANTS
3. COVENANT #7 OUTSIDE BURNING
Relating to Covenant # 7 (noxious or offensive activity) as pertaining to outside burning, the following restrictions and definitions shall apply:
1) Open burning of trash or yard debris shall be prohibited at all times. Trash will be defined as garbage, paper products, styrofoam or any similar materials. Yard debris will include leaves, branches, clippings or outdoor dead plant materials.
2) Contained fires in firepits, burn barrels or pots used for recreational purposes or cooking, outdoor fireplaces and grills shall be permitted."
The board mentions Covenant # 7. Here it is.
"No noxious or offensive activity shall be carried on upon any lot, nor shall anything be done thereon tending cause embarrassment, discomfort, annoyance or nuisance to the neighborhood. There shall not maintained plants or animals, or thing of any sort whose normal activities or existence is in any way noxious, dangerous, unsightly, unpleasant or of a nature as may diminish or destroy the enjoyment of the other property in the neighborhood by the owners."
Your board can't change the Covenants. They can be assisted, through sound judgement, through a procedure, change, or adapt the policy manual, in an effort to provide sound governance. The proposed fire policy, appears to violate the very heart of the intent of Covenant #7, to accommodate McMillin. Here is the evidence.
Intended to "embarrass, cause discomfort, annoyance, and nuisance", as it has an individual resident's house number painted on it. "As may diminish or destroy the enjoyment of the other property in the neighborhood by the owners thereof". Read covenant # 7.
"or thing off any sort whose normal activities or existence is in any way noxious, dangerous, unsightly " - Covenant # 7
Violates Covenant #7, as noted in the other two displays. For one board member who wanted to burn, when we were told,
"NO DUMPING
NO BURNING
NO EXCEPTIONS"
This board, who likes to speak to their cohesiveness, is about to vote to violate not only Covenant #7, but their responsibility to sound governance, in the general benefit of the association, to accommodate, one stubborn, self serving board member's wishes, in my not so humble opinion. If they are left to their usual devices - "we'll vote for his project, then he'll vote for mine", our association will continue on the decline, that they are constantly accelerating. Later, if some one of sound judgement, tries to take it back, they'll call all of this precedent.
We don't have time to cover the signage proposed changes, but you'll note that they have been violated in the pictures presented above.
