ElectEve

Ever watch those old movies where the heroine is out of control screaming and writhing to free herself from John Wayne? He is only trying to keep her from hurting herself until she calms down. He finally slaps her out of her hysteria. She looks at him as if she had awakened from a dream.

I sometimes believe that this is our BOD and the Lake Forest Homeowners group. For years the homeowners permitted the BOD to have free reign on spending, making up their own rules, voting the homeowners out of the picture. Homeowners complacently let that happen. Just don’t raise the dues.

Fast forward 20 years and there has been a turnover in the neighborhood. New owners with higher expectations are calling for accountability.

The BOD approved raising dues in 2018 with two back to back increases without a real explanation of how dire our circumstances were. Rumors flew in the hysteria of debt, rumored back door deals, and favoritism. From the outside the BOD appeared out of control.

The Lake Forest Homeowners Group was formed and slapped the BOD with questions, statements and demands of communication and accountability.

It is my wish that the BOD recognize that we are not the enemy, just John Wayne trying to get your attention.

I encourage you not to drink the $10 Kool-aid!
I’m sure we are all grateful hearing about a possible dues decrease of $10 per month.
But let’s not swallow the hook for a temporary reprieve. Homeowners deserve more. We need to freeze dues.
Three years? Five years? That should be up to you. When the board wants to increase dues or impose an assessment, it should be prepared to detail the need over a series of public meetings. Then, let members vote.
Every politician knows it’s good policy to cut taxes in an election year – even if you raise them the next year.
We have an election in March, and it is pivotal because it has the ability to change the board majority and return association control to the homeowners: dues, bylaws, communication, transparency and accountability. The next five years of the association – and how it treats its homeowners (taxpayers) -- is at stake in March.
So embrace the proposed dues decrease. But don’t be lulled into complacency by a board that suddenly wants to appear friendlier by dropping dues and responding to members’ questions at a couple of meetings.
Sure, we liked actually getting responses, even if they were vague. But I fear we are like the beaten cur who is just tail-wagging happy to go a day without being kicked or beaten.
Make no mistake: this board majority has an agenda that most likely is in conflict with yours.
It sidelined a board member on bogus charges so it could obtain a majority in naming an interim director to replace Gary Gray. An interim director who placed next to last in a field of nine when he last ran for the board.
And by the way, it achieved that majority by unduly influencing another board member with promises it couldn’t fulfill.
Don’t see this board action as anything but a desperate attempt to hold power come March and keep its favorites in positions on undue influence on policy and spending.
Speaking of spending, let’s parse this dues decrease.
Since the first dues increase in 2017, homeowners have paid an additional $1,030 in fees, netting out the $50 assessment that was allowed to lapse in 2020. An offer of $120 seems insufficient.
I say it seems that way because this board has never provided a full accounting – even when you go to the office and look at the books.
But it hasn’t even had the courtesy to keep members updated on its tax filings. Its latest report to the IRS – called a 990 – was in 2019, which makes it in violation of federal law (the 990 “must be filed by the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of your organization's accounting period.” – IRS rules).
This has to stop.
Freeze dues until you have a board willing to work for you.
Resist the insincere overtures of a self-absorbed board interested only in justifying bad decisions. Vote to achieve a new, honest majority in March that puts homeowners first.