NOTE: I will relate what occurred to the best of my ability. As always, I highly suggest that you go to the tape of the meeting at the WPA website, or The Wedgefield Times, to verify information for yourself. COMMENTS, are provided at the end of the article, and noted as such.
Again, somewhere between old business, and new business, Treasurer/Drainage Chair, DeMarchi, brings up speed bumps for the front entrance. He adds at another point that Roads Chair, Anderson, was suppose to get a quote for the speed bumps, with his road repair. Anderson says it was cost prohibitive. Garrison asks the equivalent of, "why are we discussing this, the board voted last month"?
At the end of the meeting, during the resident comment section, the same resident who called someone an idiot regarding the gatehouse, stands and adds his two cents. He says it is dangerous coming out at the junction of Wraggs Ferry and Wedgefield, and that the gatehouse should be knocked down, and a tree removed. He also says the board hasn't really decided on the speed bumps. The vote was 4 - 4.
COMMENTS:
Why the headline mentioning two board members? DeMarchi and McMillin, who seem to entangle themselves in a number of projects, each vying to be in charge, have been on this speed bump agenda, off and on, for about two years. DeMarchi brought it up first, and it died. Many months went by, and then McMillin brought it up about three months ago. Now, we've had it dropped on the board table about three months in a row, and even a vote by the board, and a motion not carried, still doesn't do it.
The facts remain the same, and it could appear, that they want what they want, even if the board, and residents don't. Garrison, Vice President/ Legal/Compliance Chair, has reminded them each time that there haven't been any complaints - no substantiation of need, or concern. Previously, he has gone on to say that there are speeders, but the bulk of the residents (with no complaints), should not be penalized for a few. Yet, each time these two bring the speed bumps to the table, they make claims that plenty of people are upset, and calling them, to do something. Note, that each time that they have made these claims, I have visited the office and reviewed the correspondence file, and NO ONE COMPLAINED. Sometimes, they both say that they have been called. I asked in writing to the board, whether every resident could call board members at home, and what was the manner residents were to use to contact the board. I received an answer in writing, that said, residents, could WRITE the board via email, postal service, or stop in the office, and leave the WRITTEN communication. So it appears, that both of these guys either have FAVORED RESIDENT communication, or are making up their own stats. Either option, is pretty shoddy, and could be called corrupt governance.
Our president, and the entire board, contribute to their delinquent behavior. Why? First, except for one time to my knowledge, speed bumps, have never appeared on this board's generic meeting agenda. For the most part, if you pull the date off the top of the agenda, you could just print it, month, after month. It appears to be more of this board's don't tell, don't report, and for sure, don't print it. Why is the agenda so important? First, the individual board members should be able to review it, do the necessary review of materials associated with an agenda subject, and be prepared to question, consider, and then independently vote, AT THE BOARD TABLE. Residents, should have proper notification of what is going to be discussed, so they can make a decision, whether to attend a meeting, and if necessary, WRITE the board, of any concerns that they have on the subject, PRIOR to the meeting. Major decisions are being made. Expensive decisions. In July, $150,000 was approved for road repair. Since the agenda has been sterile for so long, it looked the same as every other month. I'd dare to say, that if you read the agenda month after month, and it continued to say, Water Amenities, and the board voted to dredge the canals, you would have wanted to be at that meeting.
The way the agenda is set up, DeMarchi can just toss speed bumps on the table, even though the board had voted, and the motion hadn't passed, one month ago.
This shoddy manner of administration, has left DeMarchi and McMillin, with the ability to shop projects, poorly laid out, if at all, and leave us hanging, with half baked messes (even when completed), like the pond project, the gatehouse, the Wedgefield Drainage Project, the grounds contracting, and now speed bumps.
Who do they get support from amongst the residents? Well in the case of the speed bumps, the man who spoke at the end of the July meeting & others, but must be a favored resident, because he NEVER wrote the board. In the past, as he spoke, he made claims of hiding where he couldn't be noticed, and observing the speeders. Stats, as vague, and unsubstantiated, as DeMarchi, and McMillin's. This month he disputed the June board vote, because it was 4-4, and wants the gatehouse torn down, and called someone an idiot (Again, I hope it wasn't the board attorney.) It could be he believes callings people idiots from the board room floor, is OK, because board member DeMarchi, set the stage, when he basically called the Wedgefield residents idiots, and said, he "was sick of legislating for idiots.
We, residents, are idiots, if we continue to let these two, hit and run, at will, with their battle for projects, that end up half done, and a half baked mess. Even worse, if we don't call the rest of the board on their administrative antics, and hidden agendas.
