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First the lawyers on both sides of the lawsuits resulting from the last dredging would have a field day, with the information provided blatantly by this board's spokesman legal/compliance chair/vice president, Garrison during the WPA August board meeting. What was even more appalling was the fact that not one board member questioned Garrison's reports - broad statements of power - not policy, or commitment of a large amount of money - today approximately $115,000, without public meeting including a vote by the board. It shouldn't matter what your private agenda is regarding the canals or the golf course, the discussion here is our covenants, by-laws, policy manual, and legal, ethical governance. Sift through those documents for yourself, and you'll certainly discern that this board had no right to allow Garrison to speak as though the board in it's entirety, stood behind Garrison, when not one of them can, or bothered to claim that they had discussed this business at the board table in the presence of the membership, and voted. The WPA August board meeting presented a bird's eye view of how far down a slippery slope this board has taken us.
Rather than reprint all the governing documents, I've chosen to use the words of a board attorney of record - Attorney Moran, who was hand picked off and on for years, by people of Garrison's ilk - and political leanings - no dredging - the board speaks, and you don't get to question. This quote comes from a letter to the board, regarding meetings, in 2011. At the time, the board was calling a lot of CLOSED executive meetings, and then just telling the members at monthly board meetings, what they wanted to, and the resulting vote. Things have gotten even worse today, because it appears that the board has had to have been meeting, making huge decisions regarding the canals, and the golf course for Garrison to speak to consensus of the board, and even allocating a huge amount of money, without even telling us they were meeting for months! Go back to the board website, and look for yourself. Go back to the minutes, and look for yourself. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011.
On April 11 , 2011 Bob Moran sent a letter to Jacky Walton,President, and John McBride, Legal Chair in which he specifically addressed Reorganizational Meetings.
Bob was the attorney of record and re-iterated his concerns about the Board conducting meetings in secret. He specifically mentions reorganizational meetings. His written opinion was, and I quote:
“Initially I reiterate my advice to the Board to refrain from conducting business in executive session.There are very few purposes of conducting meetings which are not open to the Membership. Members may be prevented from participating in the meeting, but they should be given the opportunity to attend. This includes the organizational meeting conducted at the conclusion of the Annual meeting and, by implication, any subsequent re-organizational meeting.”
There haven't been any meetings on the record, by the board, or committee in 2015 or 2016, let alone discussions, and a vote. Yet Garrison announces the following at the August WPA board meeting:
1) There as a meeting on August 11th of the water amenities committee, board members, and the canal lot residents
2) The plan the committee presents is contingent on a long series of steps
3) At least two thirds of the total cost of dredging will be voluntarily paid by the canal lot owners, and the WPA will not be involved in the collection of the funds.
4)One third of the cost, not to exceed the amount in the canal reserve account - no borrowing, no assessment increase. The board already has the reserves set aside, and it won't be used, until, or unless the canal lot owners agree.
5)Garrison states the board unanimously is in favor of this.
6)The dredging would take place in 2017
7)Each canal lot owner will be asked to contribute $400 each to cover a $20,000 expense for studies on spoil site, and canals. Not refundable if unable to proceed.
8)Expense for dredging anticipated to be in the $300,000 - $350,000 range. It appears the voluntary participation for 2/3 of this expense would have to be collected by the volunteers, before the 1/3 reserve could be used.
Never, does Garrison say under what WPA governing documents these decisions were made, or when they were discussed by the board, and voted on. Additionally, you need to remember that above all this the board has committed WPA funds - a promise to pay, if conditions are met, under secrecy. Don't care? You need to care. The steps that our governing documents require are at stake. The future of Wedgefield's governance is at stake.
An important note to canal lot owners, from the history of Wedgefield. Canal lot owners voluntarily donated all those expenses leading to securing a permit, leading up to the 2009-10 dredging. A board, as suspicious as this one let them. Just as they were about to secure the permit, they pulled the WPA plug, and it took a judge, and a lot more money, for the judge to tell that board that they needed to allow the permit process to proceed. What are your chances when the board has ignored all legalities in the current process?
PART II - THE GOLF COURSE -ADDED LATE ON THURSDAY!
The golf course enters at two points in the meeting, as with the canals, legal/compliance chair/vice president, Garrison speaks about the golf course during the legal report. He states that he has talked to Kevin Wolf, Paramont Capital (spelled as I heard it), lender to the current owners. The property is entering foreclosure. Paramont intends to take possession, and clean things up by the end of September. Their intent is to make it operational again. They are looking for a golf course management group - top priority.
We next hear of the golf course during resident comments. A resident from the Francis Parker area, starts by saying that we heard talk about the canals for about 20 minutes during the meeting, and the golf course less than 5 minutes. He asks what we are going to do about the golf course? We don't own the canals. He says take a look at what the the old 16th hole looks like. We're soon to look like Jurrastic Park, with out mowing. He supports whatever we need to do - something - it effects everyone's property.
Board member, Cline jumps in, and says that she has talked to Bob Garrison back and forth, and her position is that it is important to at least do the front as you come up on Wedgefield Rd. to the gate. Get permission - sign a not hold responsible. Hire professionals.
Garrison jumps in and says we're talking to the owner, if they don't do .....we'll have to do something.
At one point after mentioning we have to have permission to even mow, Garrison says he talked to Cosby (board attorney of record). Garrison asks the assembled group of about 25, how many think they'd be interested in buying the golf course? My estimation of approving hands is roughly half.
Board member, John Walton says he would like to see something done for the golf course, he feels bad about it, he'd take care of both the canals and the golf course.
Garrison talks at other points that the golf course could cause the assessments to go way up. He throws out some figures.
Another resident states again that we have to take care of everything - like look out for each other's property values. He talks about a place in the south that he had lived in that had all of these amenities (sounds like), including a restaurant like the Plantation House, and when he talked to someone recently they had 2-300 people lined up for a dinner offering. He went on to say that it seems here that if we tore down the Plantation House, and built (name brand chain), that the residents here would drive by it, and go all the way to Myrtle Beach to eat the same thing. Later he said something about having to leave here if things remained like this. I turned and suggested to him that maybe he wouldn't have that option if things remained as they are, who would buy his house?
I stated that a new resident had asked the board months ago, if the board intended to hold meetings so the residents could talk about this. No one from the board said, well let's do it!
You get the drift of what took place. Go to The Wedgefield Times, and listen to the tape. The website editor usually gets the tape up quickly. The comments are about 15 minutes from the end of the tape.
Once again, like the canals, I wonder why your board hasn't put this topic on the agenda, and talked to us? Instead, once again with no agenda, no discussion at the board table, no vote, Garrison announces the board's position in the Wragg, and in a few minutes report. Yet, two board members come forward in this discussion. Additionally, Garrison mentions that he has talked to the board attorney. When, how, and did he bother to get the opinion in writing, and when did he ask the board to expend the funds, to contact the attorney?
I thanked Cline, and John Walton, for expressing their thoughts on the subject, but that is as far as it goes. We need the board to start following our governing documents - not shunning the residents, and governing openly and honestly in the best interests of our community as a whole.
