I am writing this letter because of the lies that have written about Roy Walker and myself. No one knows the countless hours that Roy has spent working to make Hideaway Valley a better place for every lot owner.
Here are some of the lies and the truth:
1. Lie: Roy had the asphalt road torn up between Tee Pee Ranch and the Pavilion on his own.
1. Truth: Roy has hand written notes of the Board Meeting dated 8/18/08, written by Kristin Hatch, stating that Tom Crisp will tear up that section of the road. Roy took the blame because the minutes had not been written yet. The minutes that were wrote and posted on the web are not correct and are not signed.
2. Lie: Roy took over the books from Carpenter and would not let the treasurer do her job.
2. Truth: Kristin took Carpenter's books to the bookkeeper and left them with her. The vice-president and treasurer were out of town on business trips and were unable to do their jobs. Connie, the bookkeeper called Roy for help on the mess Carpenter had on his statements. She could not get in touch with Kristin so Roy stepped in and worked with the bookkeeper to get the assessments statements correct.
3. Lie: Some peoples 18% interest and late fees from Carpenter's charge were dropped and others were not.
3. Truth: All 18% interest and late fees that Carpenter charged were dropped off all accounts. Roy has the proof of this in black and white.
4. Lie: In the first few months of 2009 there was mention of fraud about the money collected.
4. Truth: Every bit of cash and checks that has been paid, is documented in three different places, the bank, bookkeeper and the books Roy has recorded them in.
5. Lie: Roy only needs a company answering phone line, instead of a full service line.
5. Truth: Roy gets calls from members any time from 7:00am to 10:30pm any day of the week from members wanting some information. He has tried to answer any questions they ask him. If he doesn't have an answer at the time of the call, he will get the information and call them back. He has never refused any call or refused to help anyone who needs help.
6. Lie: Collection Resolution for past due accounts not voted on.
6. Truth: In the July 15 2009 Board Meeting, the agenda idem was to review and approve the collection resolution. A motion was made and seconded to approve and adopt the collection resolution as revised and to send a copy of the resolution to the members of the association. Mr. Walker, Mr. Taufer, Me LaFavre and Mr. Johnson voted in the affirmative. Mr Widdop was not called for a vote. The motion carried. Ever member was sent a copy of the Collection Resolution and a sample of a demand letter for payment of unpaid dues.
7. Lie: People will be put out of their homes because of foreclosure.
7. Truth; There are less than ten people that live in Hideaway Valley that are behind on their dues. Foreclosure is the very last thing that could happen.
Why is it alright for some people to not follow the By-laws and Protective Convent, yet some board members have to follow them to a tee? The board of trustees are not lawyers, so they rely on a law firm to give them legal advice. The law firm wrote the Collection Resolution, so we feel the law firm knows the laws. They have read our governing documents.
There has also been comments about me that I would like to clear up. There was a letter faxed to me, on my personal fax machine and my personal phone wanting every HVPOA member to have a copy of the letter they wrote about how unhappy they were with a trustee who trespassed and cut a road through their lot. This letter was not sent to the Board of Trustees.
Shelly Marshall said I wasn't a voting member and I shouldn't be involved. I own my property right long with Roy. My name is registered at the county as part owner of Plate D Lot 409 since 1986. I know we only have one vote between us, but if for any reason Roy doesn't choose to vote by a mail-in ballot or at a members meeting, then I still have a right to vote. Just because I'm married to a trustee doesn't mean I can't have a voice along with ever other member. It is hard for spouses of board members not to be involved because of all the calls coming to their homes along with the e-mails and propaganda on their computers and telephones.
There has been some miss conceptions about the association records being at our home. The only so called records we have are the two statement books from Carpenter & Associates, copies for house plans and copies of all incoming cash and checks and the check book. The financial records are kept with the bookkeeper. Roy does get a monthly and quarterly statement from her. Roy has taken these statements to the board meetings, but no one has asked about them, not even the trustees. Each board trustee should take it upon themselves to have a copy of the governing documents, board meeting minutes and financial report.
All the old records of the association are stored at a storage unit in Mt. Pleasent. I would not want to find a storage place in my home for years and years of old association records.
We have members that complain about the assessments being to high. If the association had an office off site and a person to oversee it, what do you think the cost would be?
Remember that your trustees are not getting paid any wages for their services. They volunteer their time and money to try and make this a better place for every lot owner. There is so much to be done and so little time to do it in, they sometimes make mistakes.
Why don't we all look a little harder at the good being done by the board instead of being so quick to find fault with the board members.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONCE A LIE IS TOLD, IT IS ALREADY OUT AND PUBLISHED AND YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK. THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.
Thank you for reading this. Rita Walker
Friday, October 16, 2009
6 comments:
Any one is allowed to make comments. You can use your real name and lot or an assumed name. Please be respectful of everyone, especially our trustees who donate a lot of work for us. Even if you believe they are not acting in our best interests or following our documents, stick to the facts--no name calling or innuendos and unfounded accusations. We want to set a good example for our trustees.
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Rita, thank you for keeping lines of communication open. Unfortunately we see things from a different perspective, yet I was involved in a few of the incidents you mention. Some of the difficulty in our association is like the telephone game we played as kids--each kid in a circle whispers a message to the next kid and by the time it gets to last kid in the circle, its not recognizable anymore.
ReplyDeleteI remember Roy telling me about the road thing--the harsh letter he received from Tee Pee Ranch, how so many angry members showed up at the next board meeting berating the new board. Each member of the board said clearly that they discussed the road but DID NOT VOTE on it, minutes were there but no one would sign them and they told Kristin to rewrite them. Those hand written minutes do show that the board did not vote on that issue. The note "remove" written on those notes in Kristin's writing were instructions from the board to remove everything other than motions and votes. I thought Roy was so brave taking the blame himself and he said to me, "I thought we voted but every board member told me we didn't so I had to accept it and take responsibility." He was very hurt that the entire board remembered things differently than him.
I had several conversations about the bookkeeping with Kristin and you. I don't remember the situation like you do, but you know what? That's over and done and Kristin isn't here to defend herself.
I know that Roy keeps saying that people are accusing you and him of indiscretions with our money--I don't know where those accusations are coming from and as far as i know, no member has written anything about it. There are trust issues with the budget and all members need to be reimbursed for their contributions to the lawyer, but other than that----
As far as asking for the financial records, I think you are mistaken. Ms Kunz did mention at the August 19 meeting that the board needed month end records for the other trustees to see and I requested them in June (it took months to get them). If trustees asked, I don't know but the records and the bills paid should be reported and discussed at the beginning of every board meeting and no one should have to ask. A treasurer's report is expected and normal protocol. I don't recall reading in any minutes a motion and vote to dispense with a treasurer's report as is expected in any corporation.
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ReplyDeleteAs far as the letter to the members about Cliff. You are the wife of the president and must avoid the appearance of any wrong doing. Any communications to the board or the members MUST go through the board, that letter was addressed to the members, not the president's wife. That solicited letter (or why would it go to your personal fax?) was intended to smear another board member and should not have come from you. That is not the first letter you distributed in order to smear him. In addition, by the time you taped the smear letter to the tables at that meeting--YOU KNEW that those people no longer owned a lot here. The new owner has no problem with Cliff. Your personal problems with another board members have no business in our association business.
And finally the "voting member thing." Rita, that was taken out of context. I was using that example to reply to the news that Roy and Jim intended to send a letter to a lot owner and tell them they were not a voting member! Technically you are not a voting member either--I was sticking up for the member they intend to exclude based on a technicality. When we were putting the by-laws together, there were a few who wanted to prevent members of a corporation or spouses serving on the board simultaneously (it was originally directed at Cliff and Kristin). Also, Rick wanted to prevent a corporate take over--so instead of using common sense--members of the documents committee began fashioning complicated definitions of what a "voting member" is.
I was against complicating the by-laws just to try and prevent Cliff and Kristin from serving at the same time. I knew it would have unintended consequences. I pointed out if Fred Smith wanted to take over or a husband and wife wanted to each serve on the board simultaneously, they could easily circumvent the carefully written definitions by simply putting lots in different names--it seemed silly to do this. As a result, you, Rita, cannot vote if Roy doesn't! Read the document--under "Candidacy. 2: If a husband and wife own one lot, only the Voting Member may be nominated." And since only the Voting member can serve on the board, you are not a voting member and cannot vote even if he is in the hospital--you will not be able to vote until he no longer serves on the board and you become the designated voting member for your lot.
I want you and all members to vote, mentioning you was an example of unintended consequences from over regulation. thanks again for trying to clear up some misconceptions. You are right--once a lie is told, and repeated when we know it isn't true only adds to the disharmony among us. But we (all of us) are trying to make things better and I am proud of that..
I personally had not heard most of what Rita shared. I sorry the Walkers feel they have been maligned. The are good people and have been good neighbors to our family. Rita has a right to her opinions and should be allowed to speak her mind. Even though there can only be one vote per property, I believe any resident or co-owner should have a right to speak concerning their opinions.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I have one concern. In Rita's attempt to vindicate her husband (which she shouldn't have to do), she has shared HVPOA business. Spouses often are privy to sensitive information about their partners affairs and this is a sacred trust. It is inappropriate to share sensitive information even in the defense of a spouse without the expressed permission of the organization the spouse represents.
My heart goes out to the Walkers and I hope they can feel the love of their neighbors. They deserve our love.
My name is Gary Beach. Kathy Beach is my wife and she owns Lot 281 Plat C. We lived in a PUD and well aware of what you have posted. My heart goes out to you who are on the board. I worked as a property manager for several years at a PUD in West Valley. It can be a thankless job being on the board. Could you folks direct me to where I can find out what the rules for constructing cabins.I would like to know what the rules are. We are interested but are not aware what can and cannot be done.my email is gbeach1955@yahoo.com thank you for your help. Gary and Kathy Beach
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gary. Our board does try hard. They have done some great things, including getting us some pretty good documents. The problem comes in when we don't follow the documents, the law, and proper procedure. things would run so much smoother if we just did things by the book and didn't cut corners on proper procedure. I'll bet Gary, that you were not allowed to order and sign contracts on your own and that you could not have the attorney draw up documents without board approval?
ReplyDeleteI believe in my heart that we would have much less heartache here if we went by the book--anyway, welcome and we need to think about getting you on the board!
Hi, my name is Aracely Razo and I'm the owner of lot 56 plat B since 2000. I just would like info about the meetings and how can I get some of the newsletters that Hideaway Valley members send to owners. Please if you have any info you can send me an email at aracely.20@live.com Thank you. ( I also would like to know who is selling in that area)
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