THIS BIG GUY WAS IN OUR CANAL THIS WEEK. COULD WE GET HIM TO RUN FOR BOARD, AND ASK HIM TO CLEAN UP THAT MESS?
It is time to stand up, and let other residents know that you are concerned. Your comments, agree or not, are welcome, and will be published without your name. Send your emails to: wedgefieldexaminerthe@yahoo.comThe Wedgefield Examiner is providing a comment that was posted on FaceBook earlier today. I have removed the name of the writer. Please take the time to read through the resident posting. The issues that thread through it go beyond the golf course. The Wedgefield Examiner has not met this resident, or sought their opinion beyond their written word. I do provide comments at the end in red. With that said, anything that I comment, does not mean that the resident writer agrees.
HERE IS THE RESIDENT FACEBOOK POSTING:
"I have not lived in Wedgefield very long as a matter of fact just a week or so out of every month since December of 2015. Even then the original owners Bridie and Murray stayed extra time so as to get packed up since Murray was ill. We did not purchase in Wedgefield for the course but it was certainly a plus and open at the time, little did we know.
Since then we have tried to stay on top of and involved with the meetings and all the goings on with the course. My suggestions then are the same now. We the residents of Wedgefield need to own the course and the mansion and the pool. At the time the course first went up for sale even prior to Mitch's proposal we heard the number to purchase was around 450,000 now it's something like double that.
Right now according the the Board they have about 456,000 in the bank which is more then enough money to get the bank holding the note on the course to talk to us. The problem seems to be that the Board wants nothing to do with the course at all they want to wash their hands of it a walk away and that is not in the best interest of our community.
I am reading in post here many concerns about the county purchasing the course or any government involvement due to what has been mentioned as performance issue with the county. I am reading about concerns for our pool and our privacy and even adding a key pass..all understandable given changes happening all around us. We need an answer and we need our Board to be working for us.
Let me just put this out there, what do you get for your HOA fees? Trash pick up? Proper water drainage? Spraying for mosquitoes? These are just some of the things others receive for their fees and there are management companies for residents that can make that happen. It seems to me that the Board has forgotten like our Congress that they do work for us . I have been in several meetings where residents are ridiculed and laughed at simply for asking a question, including I am ashamed to say when a Veteran wanted to request a reduction in his HOA fees. Neighbors of Wedgefield and wonderful neighbors I have found you to be, we must come together on this issue. I am a golfer and I would love to see our course stay open but if that is not to be, then I would at least like to see us in control of her destiny and our home values."
COMMENTS:
I was delighted to see another resident speak up, not only about their concerns about the golf course, but about the real elephant in the association - the board. You'll note if you follow the blog, that many more residents are speaking up by writing to the blog, or posting on FaceBook, because they can't speak up at meetings, and if they do, they'll get a "no", or a cackle, or an attack, and it usually is brought to you by vice president/legal/compliance chair, Garrison. Say thank you to our lame duck president Walton for naming him chair of those critical committees, and for not pounding the gavel and shutting him down when he answers on almost every issue, and is inappropriate. Say thank you to the corrupt board who sits back and doesn't say a word to help residents be heard, or demand that our governing documents be followed by this board. This board, has brought Wedgefield to the destructive place that we are in today, and harmed the values of all of our properties, and the quality of life and enjoyment of our community.
Residents, this board has developed its own "home grown" resident apathy to such macabre degree, that our residents are sitting by, drinking the board coolaide, and by their complacent silence and non action, assisting this board in destroying Wedgefield, as this illegal board proceeds with their varied illegal agendas, that serve their individual egos, and fail Wedgefield miserably. I'm glad to see some residents begin to speak out. You need to do more, and your speaking agenda has to be more than issue related - the canals, golf course, swimming pool, etc. You have to take action at the core of the problem - the board. Some of you are already taking positive steps. Some are looking at how to legally remove the board. Some are searching for new people to not only run for board, but putting together strategies to win in the next election. Talk to your neighbors, and find those that are on the same page, and add to your group, and organize, and don't stop until you have a winning plan.
I think your plan needs to include putting a campaign together that includes an adhoc committee charged with reviewing every contract of this board and the process to award and payment, every legal invoice back up documents - written opinions, the settlements regarding dredging - one was forged, investigation of the current dredge proposal motions - as compared to the minutes - other handouts and writings, etc. Garrison has been working for over seven years on a personal agenda using our assessment dollars, and has lead us to the point that he doesn't want to discuss purchase of the golf course, because what he hasn't told you, is that he was responsible for a by-law change that says the board can't take a loan of over $15,000 unless they bring it to a vote of the community. I've been in non profit board work for over 25 years, serving on boards large and small, and reported to a board as an executive director, and NEVER have seen a board limit their power to serve their client base - in this case the resident members and their properties.
I haven't posted a position on the golf course, but whatever it is, like you, I should be respectfully heard at meetings, and be confident that my board is not only following the governing documents to the letter, but that they are being honest and up front with me, and residents - THEY AREN'T.
P.S. Why are residents reduced to writing the blog, or posting on FaceBook? First, as you've read the board doesn't want to hear you speak at meetings, or they would treat you with respect. Last month, a resident asked the board if they would host a site for residents to interact on, and the answer was "NO". Board member Cline answered that we already have an opportunity to write the board through the board community liaison. Really????
Right now according the the Board they have about 456,000 in the bank which is more then enough money to get the bank holding the note on the course to talk to us. The problem seems to be that the Board wants nothing to do with the course at all they want to wash their hands of it a walk away and that is not in the best interest of our community.
I am reading in post here many concerns about the county purchasing the course or any government involvement due to what has been mentioned as performance issue with the county. I am reading about concerns for our pool and our privacy and even adding a key pass..all understandable given changes happening all around us. We need an answer and we need our Board to be working for us.
Let me just put this out there, what do you get for your HOA fees? Trash pick up? Proper water drainage? Spraying for mosquitoes? These are just some of the things others receive for their fees and there are management companies for residents that can make that happen. It seems to me that the Board has forgotten like our Congress that they do work for us . I have been in several meetings where residents are ridiculed and laughed at simply for asking a question, including I am ashamed to say when a Veteran wanted to request a reduction in his HOA fees. Neighbors of Wedgefield and wonderful neighbors I have found you to be, we must come together on this issue. I am a golfer and I would love to see our course stay open but if that is not to be, then I would at least like to see us in control of her destiny and our home values."
COMMENTS:
I was delighted to see another resident speak up, not only about their concerns about the golf course, but about the real elephant in the association - the board. You'll note if you follow the blog, that many more residents are speaking up by writing to the blog, or posting on FaceBook, because they can't speak up at meetings, and if they do, they'll get a "no", or a cackle, or an attack, and it usually is brought to you by vice president/legal/compliance chair, Garrison. Say thank you to our lame duck president Walton for naming him chair of those critical committees, and for not pounding the gavel and shutting him down when he answers on almost every issue, and is inappropriate. Say thank you to the corrupt board who sits back and doesn't say a word to help residents be heard, or demand that our governing documents be followed by this board. This board, has brought Wedgefield to the destructive place that we are in today, and harmed the values of all of our properties, and the quality of life and enjoyment of our community.
Residents, this board has developed its own "home grown" resident apathy to such macabre degree, that our residents are sitting by, drinking the board coolaide, and by their complacent silence and non action, assisting this board in destroying Wedgefield, as this illegal board proceeds with their varied illegal agendas, that serve their individual egos, and fail Wedgefield miserably. I'm glad to see some residents begin to speak out. You need to do more, and your speaking agenda has to be more than issue related - the canals, golf course, swimming pool, etc. You have to take action at the core of the problem - the board. Some of you are already taking positive steps. Some are looking at how to legally remove the board. Some are searching for new people to not only run for board, but putting together strategies to win in the next election. Talk to your neighbors, and find those that are on the same page, and add to your group, and organize, and don't stop until you have a winning plan.
I think your plan needs to include putting a campaign together that includes an adhoc committee charged with reviewing every contract of this board and the process to award and payment, every legal invoice back up documents - written opinions, the settlements regarding dredging - one was forged, investigation of the current dredge proposal motions - as compared to the minutes - other handouts and writings, etc. Garrison has been working for over seven years on a personal agenda using our assessment dollars, and has lead us to the point that he doesn't want to discuss purchase of the golf course, because what he hasn't told you, is that he was responsible for a by-law change that says the board can't take a loan of over $15,000 unless they bring it to a vote of the community. I've been in non profit board work for over 25 years, serving on boards large and small, and reported to a board as an executive director, and NEVER have seen a board limit their power to serve their client base - in this case the resident members and their properties.
I haven't posted a position on the golf course, but whatever it is, like you, I should be respectfully heard at meetings, and be confident that my board is not only following the governing documents to the letter, but that they are being honest and up front with me, and residents - THEY AREN'T.
P.S. Why are residents reduced to writing the blog, or posting on FaceBook? First, as you've read the board doesn't want to hear you speak at meetings, or they would treat you with respect. Last month, a resident asked the board if they would host a site for residents to interact on, and the answer was "NO". Board member Cline answered that we already have an opportunity to write the board through the board community liaison. Really????
