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Grapevine for October 2006
10/31/2006
Some of our Lake
Forest tennis players participated in a World Team Tennis tournament
this weekend over at the Herrin Lakes Country Club. While they did
not bring home any trophies, everyone agreed that the whole weekend was
loads of fun.
10/31/2006 From a director . . .
Mrs. Fassbender and her staff have been acting quickly and properly in getting the situation corrected. I would expect that the ratings will be much better, if not perfect, this next month. The board has been made fully aware of the causes and corrective actions taken. I will add that one inspection came on the heals of a complaint, apparently by an anonymous party. Once again, if one of our members notices something is wrong, the suggested method for correction is to report it to the staff and management rather than the health department. Unless, of course, your aim is to produce a negative image of the association or its management.
We would certainly
hope that a member would take his or her concern to the general manager
first. As our readers know, we often refer questions or complaints
directly to the GM, so that she can investigate.
10/31/2006 From a director . . .
I have no way of knowing how many people feel that the elections were not handled properly. Even if it's just one person, I appreciate your concerns. The ballots this year were NOT altered. At the end of the day, however, everyone must feel elections were handled fair and proper. I suggest you bring your ideas in front of the Board. Read on....... I will be working on election reform at the next Board meeting. My concern with the elections are completely different from those who feel that the ballot's may have been altered. But I will be pushing for other changes. So while we're at it, let's get your input as well. Together, I'm sure we can make progress that allows elections to be non-controversial, efficient, and fair. Clint Martin
10/30/2006
I think a correction is in order. It was hard to tell from the NBC reporting but I understand that the 19th hole passed with flying colors, over 90, but the downstairs kitchen and Yacht Club failed their last Health Department Inspection.
When I saw the
report on the NBC story, I was surprised. I have known the two
ladies who run the 19th Hole for years and know that they have always
taken great pride in acing those inspections. In fact, when they
made the 90, I bet they were very disappointed. Thank you for the correction.
10/30/2006
Now that almost two weeks have passed since the meeting, a few stray thoughts have entered my mind. How can it be verified that if a large number of proxies are delivered by one person that all the signatures on them are real? The election process is open to many ways of manipulation, frequent votes, mass mailings. If each property owner were to receive ONE ballot with the unit and lot number pre-printed then only that ballot would count, not duplicates. What if our current process were used by government for elections? The courts would be packed with lawsuits contesting the voting, but we think nothing of it and then complain about our finances, amenities, ad nausium.
On your report of the organizational meeting. I remember two years ago attending meetings when every other comment was interrupted by "point of order" and a zealous rendering of Roberts Rules. In several meetings last year and apparently at this last one "Mr. Point" ignores or glosses over the rules. I certainly hope the GM did not pass off as her own, instructions and guidelines for board members for the different committees. These guidelines were developed several months ago by Steve J.
10/30/2006
Perhaps lost in the euphoria over the election/meeting, the matter of the clubhouse demolition has not been addressed in a while. Those people who wanted to keep it were pleased with the report of its soundness, but missed is the question of -- Who Paid For The Inspection??? Did this come from the GM's permissible expenses? The President's discretionary fund? Apparently the matter was never brought to the board for a vote on the feasibility of doing a study. Where did the money come from and how much was it?
Such an expenditure
would fall within the general manager's authorized limit, especially
when instructed to do so by the president.
10/28/2006
I attended the Annual Meeting, which would have been humorous, if it wasn’t such a mockery of our Board of Directors and the organization that is supposed to represent us all. The Lake Forest attorney found it important to review the definition of Proxy, making a point of saying it was used by corporations all the time. Our new General Manager told me that the proxy was really an absentee ballot and were needed for those unable to make the general meeting to vote. When one looks at the tallies, it appears that the folks voting for the gang of five also voted lock step for all of the amendments. Could it be they were filled in by one person or worse forged? I wonder if we should not have a recount and ask a large sampling of the Proxy/Absentee voter if they actually voted or just signed a blank ballot . Is there an audit of the votes? We did not receive any information on what, if any, plans for Lake Forest were in the offing that seemed to be hinted at in our monthly Spectrum (now called the Lake Forester). In a related issue, what can be done to publish current meeting minutes in the Lake Forester? July’s minutes are not relevant to me in October.
The Organizational meeting Wednesday was eye opening. Henry Lawson was again elected President, defining himself as making mistakes, and thanking the excellent Board that corrected him. Thank you John Peterson. I felt that Henry Lawson was telling the new members how to perform and follow the party line. We have a Government that operates the same way. It feels as though our Property Owners Association has been high-jacked by professional politicians. We all must hold this board accountable and make our voices heard. The issue of voter fraud and a recount, especially with the discrepancy of the so-called proxy/absentee ballot feels real.
Don’t let the fear of Lake Forest’s past smear campaigns keep you from getting involved. Start by going to all meetings!
10/28/2006
Nice Health inspections featured on NBC last night, Lake Forest FAILED all inspections. Great way to encourage participation from the members? " I don't know anything about Food and Beverage, or Golf, but I'm the best candidate for the job."
This is an
important matter the management must deal with soon.
10/26/2006
The new board
started off with a long, long organizational meeting last night.
It was actually more than an organizational meeting. It was also
something of an orientation meeting. In years past we have had
special meetings dedicated to orientation, so when we consider that both
were going on here, it was actually a pretty short meeting.
Unfortunately, it was not a particularly good orientation meeting.
Henry started things off with a long speech on things he thought the the board would need to address this year. I took it to be a campaign for president speech. He made some interesting statements. For example, he suggested that the board needed to become more involved in City of Daphne business. Now, he did say that he did not mean they should try to tell the City Council what to do exactly. He just meant that they should flex some Lake Forest muscle in city politics. This writer will have to let someone else figure out what the difference is. An example he used was the recent news that the city was contributing a million dollars to the high school stadium with more money promised. Henry's complaint was that it was borrowed money. He said that they build streets on a pay as you go basis, so why can't they do that with the stadium project. Let's hope that the Lake Forest Board of Directors will concentrate their efforts on association finances. The City has some pretty high paid professionals to deal with theirs.
Finally, he came to the vote for officers. Bryce Cocke nominated John Peterson for president and Jim Moss nominated Henry. Clint Martin asked for some discussion from the two candidates. John said that he worked full time and could not be expected to spend as much time around the club as Henry, who is retired. Editor's Note: Actually, things would probably run better if Henry didn't spend so much time in the GM's office. John said, though, that he would do the best he could if elected. He did point out that he has a good relationship with many who are connected to the City of Daphne and has knowledge and experience that will be helpful to Lake Forest. Bryce and, I believe, Willie also made some supportive statements for John. Jim Moss spoke for Henry and in the process brought up inflammatory issues that he used to smear his way to the board the year before. He didn't know what he was talking about; nothing surprising there. The vote went 5 - 3 for Henry Lawson. Henry did not cast a vote. We can probably assume that had the vote been tied 4 - 4, he would have voted to break the tie. Next came the vote for Vice President. Jim Moss and John Peterson were nominated. John was elected by a 6 - 3 vote. Joe Mosley was re-elected treasurer and Sherrie Weller was elected secretary.
A number of other issues were discussed. John Peterson reported that NRCS wanted a hold harmless agreement before they would start work on D'Olive Creek. The group agreed the provide one with some reasonable stipulations in the wording. They will have to call a special meeting to take the actual vote, when the attorneys finish writing the agreement. Toni presented a manual for board members that she had assembled with some useful information for all the directors.
They also voted on a Code of Conduct and a Code of Ethics or something like that. Bryce wanted to know what would happen if a director refused to sign them. Henry said he didn't have to sign them. He said that if the board passed them, the directors would have to honor them. The answer to Bryce's question is actually "nothing". Only the members can remove a director and the board has really no recourse if one of the directors objects to any of these codes. They brought up the Conflict of Interest policy for discussion, but a motion was made to table it. They voted on the motion to table, which I believe is not required, and the motion passed. I may be mistaken, but I believe a motion to table passes without a vote. The members should actually consider changes to the bylaws before they vote on them. In the opinion of this writer, these are pointless, meaningless and do nothing but clutter the bylaws. That's just one member's opinion. By the way, all the other votes went 8 - 1.
They then went around the table asking for directors' opinions for what seemed like forever. Joe Mosley pointed out that they have a cash flow problem, that cannot be solved by reducing expenses. He said that the association's labor force is already cut to the bone. He said that they must increase revenue. There's nothing new in that thought. He brought up the free pools, as if to suggest that maybe there could be revenue in that there water. Toni said that the pools cost about $90,000 to operate this year. Joe said that the last board had agreed to make all three pools free. I guess he was suggesting that doing so may not have been such a good idea. Willie popped up and said that it was Mitch Davis' board that had made the first two pools free, allowed members to play on the hard surface tennis courts without charge, and came up with the $5 golf on the Lake Nine, so they really should not blame the last board. I'm paraphrasing here, so the wording may have been different, but that was the impression that came from the statement. On a side note, let's not forget that it was Mitch Davis' board that returned the privileges that the members deserved, reduced the association's debt, eliminated the assessment and, under very good management, always had a positive cash flow. Anyway, back to our report, Clint Martin made a very good point. He asked how much revenue the pools earned when members had to pay for them. Bingo! He's a winner! Toni said that the previous year, when there was a charge, they earned about $4,000. Clint correctly pointed out that $4,000 for something that so many members enjoy is not too much and charging for the pools was not going to solve any financial problems. Actually, that $4,000 number was for a year when two of the pools were still free. I believe that the last year members had to pay at all pools, that the income was something on the order of $18,000 for the year and that figure may be high. Our members contribute around a $100,000 a month to support this association. They deserve to have their families enjoy their pools without additional charge. They also deserve for them be to be safe pools. John Peterson suggested that perhaps the lifeguards were an unnecessary cost. This writer does not agree.
At some point in the financial discussion Henry pointed out a report that Toni had given them. I believe he said it was dated October 21st. In it, Toni had said that they needed over $90,000 to be current with their payables. You have to watch carefully when people throw out numbers like that. The 21st is near the end of the month. On the first of the month, only a week and a half later, that $100,000 in member dues, give or take a few thousand, start coming in. This is not to say that we don't have a cash flow problem. We might. But, our little association is a long way from being on death's door. There were three former board members sitting in the audience. At one point during this financial discussion one of them turned to me and said, "We're in trouble." I don't think so. These directors just need to put their heads together and figure this out. They probably do need to keep a close eye on management, though.
10/25/2006 From a director . . .
The Organizational Meeting for the new board will be held Wednesday Night (Tonight) at 7:00 pm at the 19th Hole. They will be doing all required under the By-Law change made at the annual meeting and electing officers for the coming year.
10/25/2006 From a director . . . (Note: the director signed this contribution as shown, which indicates to the Webmaster that he intends for his name to be published)
Let me clarify a little about what I said at the annual meeting. I did not mean to insinuate a shortcoming in the personal integrity of previous board members. As I know first hand, it takes a lot of personal character and sacrifice to serve on the LFPOA board. As volunteers, we all make mistakes from time to time but its hard for me to fault anyone who genuinely cares about Lake Forest and has only good intentions in mind. However, it was obvious in the past that LFPOA was perceived as a huge litigation risk from the City's standpoint along with the County Commission, ADEM and many general members. Its hard to communicate the desires of Lake Forest and negotiate resolutions when people and organizations fear a lawsuit. I hope that the current board is able to work through personal differences to resolve matters with each other along with general members as well as be active with every decision that is made. Lets move forward together and quit poking at the past whether we agree or disagree. Lake Forest has many great people with lots of talent that has served in the past and will, I hope, continue to serve in the future. Joe Mosley Treasurer,
This writer, for
one, appreciates the director taking time to respond to the comments in
yesterday's Webmaster submission about the "integrity"
remark. It is
certainly true that perceptions can be misleading. For example,
the suggestion that "it was obvious in the past the the LFPOA was
perceived as a huge litigation risk" is not accurate either.
Previous boards with very few exceptions had good relations with the
City of Daphne. As has been reported in a number of
sources, the previous president and the former mayor got along well. Another
former LFPOA president is now the chairman of the Daphne Utilities board.
Another one was a close campaign advisor to the former mayor.
Mayors and Councilpersons have met with LFPOA boards on many occasions. Our
former general manager had great rapport with the City public
works directors and the current public works director was at one time on
the LFPOA board himself. Lake Forest benefited greatly from these
relationships. Certainly there were occasions when there was
disagreement and individual members may have annoyed some in the
City at one time or another, but the same can be said for the current
LFPOA leaders.
I don't recall an occasion when the LFPOA board authorized any kind of suit against the City, County or any other government entity. Legal actions against members were taken only when they were warranted in the opinion of our attorney. These were almost always cases where the members were in violation of covenants or bylaws. Unfortunately, there are those even in Lake Forest, who will not do the right thing unless forced to do so by the court. It is true that there are property owners in Lake Forest who have filed suit against the City at one time or another. However, the association never supported those actions or assisted in any way.
I agree with the director that many great people with lots of talent served in the past. I am certain that many of them, including this writer, will be more than happy to help in any way they can. Thank you Mr. Mosley.
10/24/2006
This is an invitation from Hunter's parents to come out Wednesday night to the Country Club for the Karaoke with Tony Allen from 7pm to 10pm. We think you will be pleasantly pleased with her talent in singing. We're sure she would appreciate her neighborhoods support.
Thanks, Roger and Martha Davidson.
10/24/2006
I found the Baldwin
County Yard Litter in my driveway today. I flipped through
the thing on my way to the trashcan and found another Letter to the
Editor about Lake Forest. The editor of this rag has never found
trash about Lake Forest that he didn't like. I guess he's just mad
that the former general manager only wrote off a couple of thousand
dollars of his delinquency and not the whole thing. It is handy
for him that he doesn't have to operate by the same standards as a real
newspaper. Anyway, this piece was written by one of our long time
grouches. Like a few others in the subdivision, he apparently
thinks that the rules should have changed when he moved in.
Wouldn't it be nice if these people would look at the rules first and
decide that they should just move somewhere else? Either they
think they are above the rules or they are just too stupid to understand
them. Anyway, as with others who have contributed to the Garbage
Gazette, this one mixes some of his out and out fantasies with some
skewed views of actual events. Oh well, it looks like some of the
current LFPOA regime may now have to suffer at the hands of the same
character assassins that they used so effectively themselves over the
last couple of years.
Here is an interesting story about the grumpy writer. He has a lot near his house that someone cleared to build but then backed out of building. He has repeatedly complained about the lot, accusing the former GM of approving the excavation. Of course, the general manager did not approve it and, in fact, made the contractor stop work until he could get architectural approval. Anyway, old cranky would frequently come before the Board of Directors to complain about the same lot. It was as if he thought that they could glue the trees and bushes back together or something. One Christmas morning at about 7:30a.m. this guy called the former chairman of the Architectural committee to complain about someone dumping trash on that vacant lot. The Chairman, a young lady who was eight months pregnant at the time, was just getting ready to take her two year old son down to see what Santa had brought. Yeah, this guy is a real prince. He is truly one who brightens a room by leaving it.
10/24/2006
Here's one more
comment about the last election. I just happened to catch the
Mobile Register report on the vote. In it was a comment from
Director Joe Mosley. Most of what he said was OK, but he had to
finish it with one of their typical disclaimers. He said that the
members had voted to "revive the Board's integrity". That was, of
course, an insinuation that there had been a lack of integrity
previously. That's too bad. It would be so nice if the
present regime could just go about the business of the association
without trying to degrade the previous people who served. Little
cheap shots like that one demean them much more than they do those who
served honorably in the past. In spite of what some aligned with
the "slates" would like for us to believe, negativity is not limited to
our contributors. There is more than a fair share being spread
around by the other side.
10/21/2006
Here is another
observation about the annual meeting this week. That is the first time I can recall that the president and the general manager did
not make a report of any kind. One of the purposes of the
annual meeting is to allow the people responsible for the health of the
association to report on their progress.
Does this mean that they just didn't have anything to say. ;)
10/20/2006
If anyone is
wondering why no one was at the stated meeting last night, remember that
the day of the stated meeting was changed in the by-laws amendments at
the last general meeting to the fourth Monday of each month. I
think the time is now set for 6:00.
10/20/2006 From a director . . .
The responses to the pictures of the overflowing spillway/dam are typical of those with little knowledge of the type of dam and spillway we have at Lake Forest. The reality is that the dam and spillway were doing exactly as designed. The flow over the dam is a planned and designed event. Why else would the entire thing be concrete? The dam functions as the emergency spillway for the lake. Yes, it IS that simple. To claim that this overtopping event is somehow to be avoided shows a lack of knowledge and understanding of the dam design and function. As to the hand wheel communications by the Lake Chairman. Very simply, a board member took staff reports at face value and reported them to the members as fact. There was no attempt to deceive or "lie" to anyone. This lake chairman had several discussions with staff about the hand wheel. This lake chairman sketched pictures for a machinist to gain an understanding of what was requested. This lake chairman followed up with staff and received reports that the hand wheel was constructed, tried out, and was being modified to better reduce torque. Those are the facts. Now, the question is, why is there no handwheel? Why is it not attached? Who, or what group has intervened? The answers remain with staff and staff only. The lake chairman had asked about it, asked for pricing, okayed getting it done and was told it was getting done. There is no reason for the Lake Chairman to misrepresent anything to anybody. Thirdly, let's clear up the issue of opening the gate. The lake chairman has stated at board meetings that the gate will not be opened unless there is board approval for required maintenance or the City of Daphne Emergency Management Director has requested it to be opened. Neither of those requirements were met. Nobody flooded, the water rose and fell as designed to. The gate's purpose is to drain the lake below the control level. Does anyone looking at those pictures believe that the gate being opened would prevent the water level from being a foot above the dam? The reality is that raising the gate would more than likely have only allowed debris to fill the gate and possibly restrict it from being shut. Would we want, each time it rains significantly, to have to drain the lake and clear the gate? It would not make sense, would it. Look, very simply, the idea that stage levels would have stayed below the spilling over height by raising the gate is not a true picture. The water over the dam is a planned event. The gate is not designed or used to prevent that from occurring. Just look at the pipe that is already half full flowing and compare that to the amount of water coming over the dam. Could that pipe keep all that water from coming over the dam even if it was flowing full? There is no way the water does not go over the dam, the pipe is not designed for that purpose. The water level will only be controlled by the amount of water going over the dam. I hope that this clears up the misconceptions about the dam and its function.
The next time the
lake is lowered for whatever reason, would it be possible to install a
grate in front of the opening to the gate so that the gate could be
raised during these heavy rain periods without the passage being filled
with debris?
10/20/2006
In response to the comments made by the Director or 10-19. Why did you not dispute the Facts comment concerning the outright proven lies that this slate mislead the residents with: for example last year's slate has saved $150,000 when in fact they've lost over $170,000 compared to the previous board, etc., etc., etc. Then there is your slate who last year was out presenting a pre marked ballot and questioned by a resident why an appointed board member wasn't marked, that slate member told the resident that the board member didn't need to run. And when one person casts some 200 pre-marked photocopied ballots there is no cause for concern? Sir, your board of directors is ethically challenged, proven by your "secret meetings" and, unethical unqualified GM hire. If the Secretary had done his job and overseen the ballot process instead of turning it over to the incompetent GM, this fiasco wouldn't have happened. Finally, I pay my fees, and I spend money at the amenities, which by the way Director Cocke proved that the majority of the board do not, my expectation is that you should be able to get everything done that is required without soliciting volunteers. But since you obviously can't, you will be held accountable for your ineptness.
10/20/2006
Did you notice in the election results that there was one amendment to the By-Laws that Friday Construction wanted. It was the 30-day rule on business brought to the membership at the annual meeting. Isn't this the rule that Mitch Davis wanted. What tie is there between the two? I guess it is a good thing he can no longer vote for directors.
The director's
playing with me here, folks. Yep, Friday and I are tight.
When the vote to toss Underwood and Deloney was made, he came to their
aid. When a similar vote was make about me, he was very quiet.
10/19/2006
It is with great
sadness that we report that long-time Lake Forest resident, Roger Kersh,
passed away Tuesday night. Roger was an avid tennis player, who
would very often be seen teaching the game to some of the kids, helping
with the various school teams or just helping out around the Racquet
Club. He was doing one of the things he loved best, playing
tennis. He was a good friend and will be missed by everyone.
10/19/2006
Some of today's
contributions were submitted BEFORE the ballots had been counted.
10/19/2006 From a director . . .
The results should be ready today, in the early afternoon. There is quite a bit of effort in the multi-page ballot counting. Now, as for the idea that someone has altered or changed signed ballots. This type of accusation actually has no place in Lake Forest. For one to think that people, their neighbors, are so set on getting into office that they would cheat to do it is unfortunate. Why is it that these same people are out there volunteering and doing things for Lake Forest? Why is it that those who are accused are the ones who walk the neighborhood discussing ideas with our members? Does the accuser take these actions? Does the accuser do the work of these people? Does the accuser contribute to the community in a positive way? Let's leave the innuendo and accusations out of Lake Forest and let the people who spend the time and energy working to develop the support of their neighbors have their day. To taint that effort is sad, it should be applauded.
10/19/2006
I've requested a ruling from the Collins. Interesting conversation prior to that when I approached Henry, while he was talking to the GM. I pointed out that I didn't think the 2 page, photocopied pre-marked ballots, would stand the test of rotating name positions. The gm chimed in that she knew for a fact that they did because she had made sure of it! Meaning of course she was involved in trying to get the pack "slate" elected. Maybe it's just me but this seems like another example of a conflict of interest, that she doesn't see anything wrong with doing? It also makes me wonder if any LFPOA assets were used, copier, paper, etc?
10/19/2006
I attended the annual meeting and was a little disappointed in the President's opening remarks. Rather than issuing a "state of the association" type speech outlining the things that happened this year, he hardly mentioned anything, just went about the business of elections. Maybe that had something to do with the modest crowd. I think that Henry Lawson should have spent some time preparing an outline of the year's events. Speaking about upcoming items important to the association and things accomplished this year. Maybe with the election, a change in leadership is coming. We shall see .
Let's hope so.
10/19/2006
Our current “lake person” had a article back in
March advising that there was a new “hand wheel” made to open & close
the gate at Lake Forest lake. He also advised us that the General
Manager is no longer responsible for opening & closing the gate.
Evidently whomever does has that responsibility either does NOT have
that apparatus, or the common sense to OPEN the gate when “flash flood”
warnings are in effect.
The attached pictures, (more coming), are the results of someone’s lack of responsibility. Back when Jake Bodiford was our G.M, that gate was always opened when flash flood warnings were in effect.
The
Lake Photo Journal was updated today.
10/19/2006
Did everyone read the City Council decision to give Daphne High $1,000,000 for stadium improvements. In the article one of the council members stated that the County gets lots of money from the City and the County should be willing to help out with this project. This sounds a lot like Lake Forest's position with the City.
10/19/2006
I hope everyone takes a good look at the new pictures added to the Lake Photo Journal. The water is flowing OVER the dam. More flooding for the property owners. In the March 16,2006 minutes of LFPOA board of directors, the lake chairman reported that Kenneth Eggers has been working with a local machinist to build a hand wheel that would raise and lower the gate on the dam. Not in the minutes, but reported, was that this wheel would be in place within the next two weeks. It has been over six months since this announcement and still nothing. We have no way to open the gate, thus more flooding. From the board's stated minutes and what they have done to follow through with them makes me believe that we have been lied to (do you think!) Respectfully yours, Flipper
10/18/2006
The
election results are posted.
Congratulations and good luck to the winners.
10/18/2006
Where are the results?
I don't know. Apparently, they did not finish the count. So
far there has been no explanation of why.
10/18/2006
There is an update to the Lake Photo Journal
10/17/2006
OK, now that we are
over our disappointment regarding the poor turnout at Monday night's
meeting, let's talk about why it was so low and how little happened.
Granted, the weather was lousy, so that could partially explain why so
many stayed home. Not much has been accomplished this year and
there seems to be no burning issue that would bring people out.
Some have told me that they are so disgusted with Lake Forest politics,
that they just aren't interested. All these are possible reasons.
But, when you just get straight to the core of the issue, it is really a
matter of most people in Lake Forest not caring one way or another about
the association. Blunt, maybe, but true. Most people in the
community may feel that those who have the time to play golf or tennis
everyday, will make sure that things don't get too far out of whack.
That could also be true. In fact, we know that it is true, because
we saw it happen a couple of years ago during the restructuring attempt.
This is potentially a very dangerous attitude for us to have. If
we don't take the time to investigate what our board is doing, things
could get so far out of hand that it would take years to recover.
Some may not know it, but this has happened before. We don't have
the experienced management we used to have. We don't have the
experienced board we used to have. Good intentions or not, the
people in charge have been feeling their way around for a year and they
still have far to go. Everyone had better be watching closely this
year. By the way, I didn't see our two restructuring leaders there
last night either.
Now, what happened last night? Well, at least thirty to forty-five minutes were wasted talking about amendments to covenants that have no chance of passing. Not one word was mentioned about the "study" of the state of the Country Club. In case you missed it, the study came back reporting all the ways that the existing structure successfully fulfills its mission and how little needs to be done to bring it back to top notch condition. All the candidates did a fine job of stating their qualifications and ambitions. A couple complained about people running as a pack (slate). A couple complained that it was not really a pack (slate), but a group with good intentions. The slate group promised to establish a good relationship with the City, which has not existed in the past. Unfortunately, they didn't know what they were talking about, since the City of Daphne has always been very supportive to Lake Forest under previous administrations as well as this one. It appears that the motto of the slate is "Hat in hand, here we stand". Let's hope that this year, the board will start taking some actions to solve a few of the problems themselves without relying solely on volunteers and government aid. There was a good bit of discussion over the ballot/proxy and what needed to be done with that. After the meeting one candidate reported to this writer that there is no way the results of this election could be trusted because of the way the proxies were delivered and collected. Since the only page that was signed was the last page, it is possible for someone to switch out pages on proxies that were collected door to door. This individual suggested that he might dispute the election. That is about it. For some reason, it was difficult to hear most of the speakers including the president, even though they were holding microphones. All in all, it was a pretty uneventful meeting.
10/17/2006
Tonight's annual
meeting, what can we say? Sad, sad, sad. Maybe 120 people
showed up, TOTAL! That's out of almost 3000! While those who
weren't there didn't miss much, they still should have shown enough
interest in their community to attend.
10/16/2006
I wonder if the SLATE of 5 knows that some people are offended by calls asking them to vote for the slate?
10/16/2006
Please drive up & down Michael Loop, this area will lead to mass exodus due to the decline of property up keep. This is a sign of the times! Pay attention to ?<number> Michael Loop. The owners installed a a/c portable window unit in the front living room window along with aluminum foil. Looks like Prichard! Owners continue to park their cars on front lawn, as you can see by the tracks embedded in the yard.
This message was
forwarded to the architectural support person with street number
included.
10/16/2006
That was a nice neighbor helping neighbor story yesterday. I suppose the board will be taking credit for it soon.
10/15/2006
You missed a great
social tennis tournament today at the Lake Forest Racquet Club! We
had a nice crowd and everyone had a good time. Board candidate,
Clint Martin, joined the group bringing his young son to watch.
Both of these guys seemed very nice. Clint and I had a brief
discussion about some of the ideas floating around here in Lake Forest
and I found him to be an intelligent and reasonable candidate.
And, he is a very good tennis player! We could use a tennis player
on the board. We already have plenty of golfers and swim parents.
We can also use some youth on the board. We need people with young
children who appreciate our pools, playgrounds and tennis courts and the
safe environment our community offers its children. Just maybe
this guy can make a good contribution, the way board member Sarah
Coxwell did on the last board. Obviously, we can never know for
sure with a new person. At the risk of ticking off my anti-slate
friends and getting the candidate ostracized by his own slate backers, I
believe I'm going to cast a vote for this guy.
10/15/2006
We received a great
story of neighbor helping neighbor
today. Check it out.
10/14/2006
Don't forget the
annual meeting Monday night!
10/14/2006
I agree that the food at the Yacht Club on Sundays is excellent and so is the service, but it would be nice to have some variety of meat as well as seafood. Looking forward to the catfish and crab cakes. The last time they had crab cakes they were delicious.
10/14/2006
The slate group is at it again!! Dirty politics--sound familiar?? Our yard sign "no slate" has been pulled down twice in the past 2 days !! We all have a right to express our opinions-whatever that may be. Ours happens to be, not to elect the slate to overtake the board ! Please, leave our signs alone. I'm writing in Roger Davidson on my ballot for his very hard work and care he's shown toward our community.
10/12/2006
Tennis Social this weekend!
10/11/2006
I first want to say that the service and food at the Yacht Club on Sundays are excellent. But, my family has moved on, because my husband and family think that Prime Rib every Sunday for two months is a bit much. The price is fine but prime rib every Sunday? Maybe the new General Manager should think through her next project and come up with a little variety of different foods to serve.
10/10/2006
We have a new entry
in the Lake Photo Journal.
10/10/2006
I checked my Junk
Mail folder today and found a few messages that for some reason my
filter had identified as <BULK>. They have been posted with the
group for today. Sorry for the delay in posting, if yours was one
of them. I'll stop that problem immediately
10/5/2006
Listen to this one. It has been reported by some staff that the general manager ordered the computer man to block all traffic to this website! It has been done! What do you think of that one?
I hope that having
employees check this site is the biggest problem the general manager
has.
9/21/2006
Would it be a waste of time to post a positive message on this board? If you knew the truth about the "Slate," and the truth was contrary to the belief of the webmaster that there was a hidden agenda, would you post it?
Nope. Yep.
9/21/2006
You can find more information about the candidates by visiting www.lakeforestycc.com and clicking on the Board of Directors Page. At the bottom there is a link, "LFPOA Board Candidates October 2006."
A link to the
"official" site has been on the home page here since it went live.
10/2/2006
MR. MARTIN, I'LL POST THE TRUTH FOR YOU, "YOU JUST LOST BOTH MY VOTE AND RESPECT".
10/5/2006
In reading Clint Martin's submission about Ray Drake's sign on his vacant lot, what occurred to me was that I too have seen many signs on vacant lots - all belonging to the the Slate. Do they have permission - funny how convenient it is that they are all on Ridgewood. I would also like to point out that one of our friends came home to find a sign for the Slate in his front yard without his permission. It was promptly replaced by a sign for Ray Drake. Also, Mr. Martin you did not insinuate that the webmaster was unethical - you STATED it. At least you apologized. But you should probably get a little bit more true information on the history of Lake Forest before you start spouting off and making false allegations. Be careful who you believe so glibly. The webmaster and MANY others worked very hard to prevent Lake Forest's amenities from being sold for way below market value or just plain given away for free. We worked very hard and won and that is worth more than all of the Slate of Five's accomplishments which are really very little except to malign the ones who actually accomplished so much. I wonder where they stood in that battle or if they even lived here then. Did you? And as for the new Slate working in lockstep with what remains of the Old Slate, that just means that the voters will have absolutely no say in what happens. But watch out because Save Lake Forest can still come back when it's needed.
10/9/2006
We went to the Yacht Club for lunch again on Sunday. It did not look like there were nearly the number of guests as there have been. I hope they aren't already/ losing interest.
Over the years
management has often tried events like the Sundays at the Yacht Club.
Hopefully, our management will be able to keep the enthusiasm and
participation up this time. Prime Rib and Shrimp make for some
expensive waste.
10/9/2006
It is really
impressive to see the signs popping up from independent candidates for a
seat on the LFPOA Board of Directors. We've all seen the signs
from the group running as a pack. These independent candidates are
having to absorb the entire cost themselves. They aren't sharing
the cost with a bunch of others. When you consider that a
director's position offers no pay, the only reason that anyone would run
is to serve the community. To want to serve the community for free
and be willing to pay for signs to let people know about it says a lot
about their desire. Those independent candidates deserve our
consideration. However, signs or no signs, we as property owners
should consider the qualifications of the candidates and not be swayed
by anyone's marketing attempts.
10/9/2006
My husband and I have lived here over 12 yrs, and we have never seen the neglect this past year, our amenities suffer from, until this slate of 5 (trying to up their number to slate of 8) took control. This group has had their focus solely on tearing down the club house, they were trying to let it fall down ! Well, the joke is on them-- it's a sound structure that needs some responsible care and updating.
10/7/2006
Hello, It seems that this website is read regularly by board members, old and presently sitting....the weeds that I wrote in about growing up the chimney have been pulled down....I understand a makeshift railing was put up going into the pro shop....watch for other repairs since the report came in that the club house is a sound building and other problems that the board complained about are just "problematic" and can be solved. We can't afford to build a new club house and should keep this building up....the board has allowed for it to go into disrepair, I really believe that!
10/7/2006
I think it would be helpful if you had a history of Lake Forest on your web site, along with some statistical data regarding the number of homes built (maybe the number by decade at least, if that is available) as well as the number of lots that are vacant, etc. Just a thought. Thanks!
Great idea!
Anyone know where we can start gathering that kind of information?
10/7/2006
Sorry I missed your appearance at the meeting. Joe Mosley and John Peterson were down in Foley watching their sons in a Daphne Middle School vs Foley Middle School football games. Each has a son that quarterbacks for the middle school. The special meeting was discussed at the stated meeting and our understanding was there was no need for it. The report you mentioned did raise some concerns about the building and its components, but I agree, nothing that would warrant a complete destruction. There are some areas that are not covered that we need to address as well. Accessibility is one. As for the zoned air conditioning. For a building of that size, the dollar amount would be pretty substantial. In all likelihood in excess of $150,000. I would really have to see the return on moneys spent to warrant such an investment. The next board, in my opinion, should look at what they spend with a focus on gaining a return on the investment. For example, if we rebuild many of the docks at the Yacht Club, can we get a return through slip rentals? If we improve the dining area there, will it create more revenue? If we build a community dry storage area for boats, campers, and utility trailers, can space rental be earned in a quantity to provide recurring revenue streams? For Lake Forest to maintain financial strength, revenues must be coming in at a sufficient amount to allow for maintenance and repair to a higher level and continuation of the services provided. One way, is to create revenues from our assets. Much like the Yacht Club Sunday Dinners are doing. Since their beginning, they have created a profit each week for food and beverage. That is a profit above food and labor costs. In all, there has been anywhere from $300 to $500 made each Sunday, I believe. This will show up in the September monthly financials. Our assets is what we generate revenue from. Another area to consider is the tennis courts. There have been recent complaints about the clay courts. Those may need to be rebuilt this coming year. With newly built courts, should we raise user fees to help generate money from our assets? Again, trying to get a return on investment. With the money we spent in pools last year, Should they have really been free? That was an example where there was an investment with zero return. From a business model sense, that investment was unsound, right? These are the issues that the board should be discussing and having an understanding of. Where can we put our money to help create revenue for the association. As costs continue to go up in all areas, excess revenues will slowly be wiped away. Then all that will be left to do is raise dues and/or user fees. That is the path that our boards have taken for a number of years now. Smart investment in and use of our assets is a must. Our assets need to produce for our members, not just be there for them to use.
With all this
discussion about "return on investment", we need to remember that this
is a residential community in which the property owners are required to
support the amenities with their monthly dues. It is not optional.
We cannot resign. The term "pools are free" is not really correct.
Nothing in Lake Forest is free. Every family pays around $400 per
year to support these amenities and they should be able to expect to use
them without paying as much as they would if they did not pay that
monthly maintenance fee. The goal should be to keep user fees as
low as possible for our members. The best bet for increasing
revenue is probably to promote "non-voting" memberships, which will
allow others outside the community to help pay our operating costs.
Regarding the comment about tennis courts, I as a tennis player would like to see brand new surfaces. But in this writer's opinion, the surfaces we have will do just fine, while the management deals with the more pressing problems that have been discussed recently. The profit or loss on the Sunday dinners will be clear after a while. Three or four weeks of operation does not tell us much. Finally, as to the cost of a zoned A/C system, you will probably find that it can be done cheaper after an HVAC technician evaluates the existing equipment and ductwork.
10/7/2006
We don't need to go back and forth about the Drake sign on my lot, but I was out of town when it was removed (by a person who happens to know it's my lot, but not associated with the Slate or this election). When I got back in town Friday afternoon, I immediately retrieved the sign and called Drake. I spoke with the Slate member Drake referred to exactly 3 days after I had already called. I understand a political jab every now and then, that's O.K. But you're really fishing on the sign issue. Now I'll sit back and wait for the Baldwin County Press comments. Go easy on us fellas!!!! Go easy!!!
This sign
discussion is beginning to get a little dull. Speaking of the
Baldwin County yard litter, I noticed that the "Slate" has two ads in
the current edition. Clint probably doesn't need to worry much
about comments from that one. ;)
10/7/2006
Check out the
notice for the Daphne High School Fund
Raiser on the Home Page.
10/6/2006
There was a special
meeting of the board last night. Out of curiosity, this writer
decided to attend and it was FASCINATING! As it turned out, the
inspector who has been studying the Country Club structure was there to
make his report. The bottom line of the report was that the
building is structurally sound and the few problems that exist can be
fixed! The most serious problems had to do with the flat roof, a
plumbing leak under the kitchen, some water damage under the bar in the
Bayview Lounge and some poor workmanship pertaining to some of the air
conditioning systems. However, when discussing each one of
these the inspector would remark that, "This is problematic, but can be
fixed." A few of the electrical panels can do with a little TLC
and he recommends that an HVAC pro come in and design a zone system for
the air conditioning, which will reduce power consumption considerably.
The general perception of this writer to the report was that the
building is showing its thirty-five years, but for the most part, is
looking pretty good. In fact, the steel skeletal structure of the
place makes it a fortress. The majority of the issues can easily
be resolved at little cost. Hopefully, we may have heard the last
of the "dilapidated facilities' remarks.
Another item of discussion had to do with the recent change in policy stating that company vehicles used by employees can only be used for association business. The general manager brought up a request from one employee for a car allowance. This particular employee has always been allowed to use his LFPOA truck for personal business, so this new policy amounts to a cut in pay for this individual. The board agreed to extend the deadline for implementing the new policy until January and advised the general manager to bring a recommendation to the board for a raise in pay for the employees that are affected by the new policy.
The disappointing thing about the meeting was that there were so few members in attendance. In fact, the only candidates for the board that were there were directors Ed Kirby and Willie Robison. Directors Joe Moseley and John Peterson were absent. The audience consisted of one director's wife, a young lady, one another couple and yours truly. That was it.
10/6/2006
Dredging Update: We were informed yesterday that the contractor for the city grant project dredging behind Lakeview Loop has opted to begin another part of the contract first. It will be four weeks or so before he gets to the Bayview area. It was something about specific equipment he needed that wasn't available until later. It is my opinion, that since the portion in Lake Forest is around $80,000 and the total contract was $1.5M, He just went to where he could get more work done, faster.
10/6/2006 Reply from Ray
Clarification for Mr. Martin, one of Ray Drake's signs did show up on his vacant lot, Ray Drake did not put it there. It shouldn't have been there without permission. It is interesting that Mr. Martin called me after I had called one of the slate telling him my signs were being damaged and removed. Finally, Mr. Martin doesn't seem to care what his name appears on, or the accuracy of the statements made.
10/5/2006
Ummmmmm, HONEST campaign? I don't take credit for what the Board has done over the past year. My part in that ad was 2007 Goals. The Board has included Cocke and Kirby, so they deserve credit as well. But anyway..... How's this for honesty: Ray Drake put one of his signs on MY LOT. Obviously he didn't ask permission. But that's O.K. It's a vacant lot. Quite frankly, it looks like fair game sitting right on Ridgewood. It was removed, but I called Ray personally and told him I would place it back on my lot as long as he would pick it up when he got a chance. So I personally stuck his sign back on my lot and it sat there for two days (granted, I faced the sign where it was hard to read from the road...come on...that's only friendly competition). The neighbor got a laugh as I was part of the Slate, yet sticking a Drake sign on my lot. I'd say I'm pretty honest. But as Dennis Miller used to say, "That's just my opinion. I could be wrong." -Clint Martin
That's just too
funny. You have to give the candidate credit for a sense of humor.
That will help on the Board of Directors.
10/5/2006
If anyone attended the Improvement Committee meeting last night they would have seen positive things occurring. Councilman Ron Scott was in attendance along with Public Works Director Ken Eslava. They discussed several city issues and fielded a wide range of questions. First, there was discussion on planned roadway projects in Lake Forest. Ron Scott announced that Lake Forest roads Bayview and some areas of Ridgewood were being estimated to be resurfaced. The figure used was nearly $420,000 in improvements. Considering that the total budget for resurfacing is stated at $500,000, it appears the bulk of that money in this fiscal year would go to Lake Forest areas. Of course, we all know this effort is long overdue and conveniently lands near election years. The other main issue discussed was a sidewalk or trail through Lake Forest. Primarily they are talking about the main Ridgewood and Bayview medians being used for this. The estimate was $70,000 per mile of path. There will be an Improvement Committee sub-committee working with the city and the Baldwin County Trailblazers to coordinate a presentation for grants and other funding. Ron Scott was promoting the idea of doing "x" number of miles per year for a four to five year build-out. Each of us should call our council representative and encourage them to support this walking/bike path for our neighborhood. Also, you can get in touch with Tomasina Werner and find out how you can help the committee in this effort. They also discussed the beginning of the streambed restoration and the hope that it would ease some conditions for our residents on Lakeview Loop. That project is set to begin late this week. In the question and answer period, there were the usual complaints about trash sitting along the roads too long, speeding, parking in medians, and the road conditions. There were also strong discussions about newly imposed impact fees being used to help with our lake, entrance improvements being built with the city, and possibly using the power easement as part of the walking trails. It was brought out that the power easement land is owned by Lake Forest and with permission from Alabama Power, could be used for walking or dog runs. In all, the session was good for our members and we should thank those officials for attending. Each of us should also consider getting involved in the improvement of our community. It is one thing to talk about problems we have it is another to step up positively and do something about it.
That sounds great!
Let's hope, though, that they don't use that "microsurfacing".
That looks and rides like little more than a paint job.
10/4/2006
Mr. Martin “claims” to be running a “positive” campaign; however he never mentioned an HONEST campaign.
-
Professes the 06 slate has saved “over $150,000 of your money”. The FACTS are: As of 8-31-06 Excess Revenues over Expenses before Depreciation was $98,409. Compared to the same line item of 8-31-05 which is $164,285 nearly a $70,000 negative difference on revenues in 06 of $1,774,269 compared to revenues in 05 of $1,679,831. Seems they took in nearly $100,000 more and SPENT over $170,000 more than the previous time period before they took control. And one of the slate is the Treasurer?
-
No $50 assessment. FACT: There hasn’t been an assessment since the fees were raised 2 years ago when the “restructuring” failed and that group moved to raise the fees as revenge for what they knew would be the loss of their “restructuring”.
-
Insured the Yacht Club. FACT: The Yacht Club has always been insured, including FLOOD insurance until the premium for FLOOD insurance became too costly. The savings on premiums nearly paid for the Air Conditioner damage. Since then the area has been re-evaluated and I understand Steve discovered this and got the added FLOOD coverage for a reasonable price.
-
Punitive damage insurance- good move but that’s the GM’s job.
-
Hired new GM. FACT: The new GM came from the 06 slate board after she sat in on all the “Executive Sessions”, reviewed all the candidates’ resumes and compensation packages, and voted on each. She then declared that she “Didn’t know anything about golf or food and beverage, but she was the best candidate for the job.” She was then hired by her old slate members, Moss, Peterson, Moseley, Barrow, along with Robinson and Lawsen. By the way Lawsen, Peterson, and Moss and several other couples are all socially involved in a regular weekend dinner that rotates between each others homes.
-
Clearing streambeds. FACT: Nothing has been done on the Lake or any streams that empty into it. The City has made promises, but no action to date per the Lake Chairman. And there is an election year “promise” to do a two (2) year watershed study that still hasn’t started.
-
Fixed spillway gate. FACT: BT Cocke had done most of the work and it still took a year to get done. I can’t personally say it’s been completed? Since it is their assertion I would want to see it with my own eyes.
-
All pools free. 2 of 3 have been free for some time.
-
Landscaping and improvements at several facilities. FACT: The railing outside the Pro Shop has been down for months. Any landscaping credit should go to the GARDEN CLUB.
-
Crepe Myrtles in medians. FACT: The City HAD to remove them from 98 because the STATE made them. They were so big they became a hazard and were violating DOT statues.
-
Design in place for entrances. FACT: There probably is a design but now that the CITY, (it is their property by the way) will not give them any money how will it get paid for? If I remember correctly, the Home Depot entrance rebuild several years ago cost some $70,000 that was paid for by the City.
-
Increased property values. FACT: Property values took a dramatic increase due to the large number of people who lost their homes because of Hurricane Katrina.
The last four are just “feel goods”. I think it makes them “feel good” to say them.
Some years ago, the
City received a grant, about $65,000 of which was used to remodel the
Highway 90 entrance. Lake Forest board member, Stan Keel, managed
that project and the final result is the beautiful entrance we have
today. As for the comments about the streambed, lake and so forth,
the Lake Chairman has submitted an update which follows this submission.
Be sure to take a look at it.
10/4/2006 From a director . .
The Lake Chairman has submitted a report on progress with the Lake Forest lake. It has been added to the lake discussion. Please check it out.
10/3/2006
City Councilman Ron
Scott and Public Works Director Ken Eslava are supposed to be at the
Improvement Committee meeting tonight at the 19th Hole at 6:30.
10/3/2006 Response from Clint Martin (See the original contribution below)
I apologize if you took that as a derogatory statement. And I was not insinuating you would stoop to unethical behavior. It's hard to read emotion into a message, so take it for what it's worth. The bottom line is... I would rather discuss matters in person. That is my humble opinion. Once again, I apologize. Hope to see you at this year's meeting. Also, let's do get together and compare resumes. That would be great!
Thank you.
10/3/2006
And for the person who posed a "couple questions" to me on 10/1, I think we probably share the same goals and vision. Would you please be so kind as to introduce yourself at the Annual meeting? Or call anytime. I'm looking to unite people as opposed to divide. I have run nothing but a positive campaign, and have encouraged everyone I've spoken with to research the candidates and make the best choice. I would encourage others who are thinking of standing at entrances "exposing others' lies" to rethink their position. Regardless of whether you agree with the idea of a Slate, the Slate has also run nothing but a positive campaign. If you stand at entrances with a positive message, or reasons why other candidates should be elected, I think that would be great. God Bless America....You have the right to do whatever you wish, but by all means consider the impact you have on the image of Lake Forest. I've actually spoken very highly of a few of the candidates not on the Slate, and have picked up votes for them. Rest assured, they won't be altered. Honesty is a virtue I hold in high regard. Clint Martin, 458-8999
10/3/2006 From a Director . . .
I see the website has gotten a face lift. Looks a little better. You might consider adding a link to the Official Lake Forest Web Site to go with all the other links of interest.
Thank you.
Actually, there has been a link to the "Official" site from our home
page since the day they went live. Check under Community Links on
the Home Page.
10/3/2006
Everyone needs to be aware that they can still cast their own proxy/ballots if it is the last one turned in. As you can see the "slate's" instructions only told them to sign and turn in, nothing about dating them which would lead me to believe they will date them all for the meeting day. The best way to get the vote you want would be to turn in after the meeting DATING AND TIMING the ballot and have the staff attending the ballot boxes initial the time. Sad it has come to this.
10/3/2006
Yes, it is a cold world in Lake Forest politics and if one has a thin skin….
Mr. Martin wrote in and wanted to communicate with others. He got a few challenging comments and now wants to take his toys and go home :(. Last year at the general meeting Mr. Ethington attacked Ray Drake’s performance, Carl Kauffman was often the target of Mr. Underwood, and Ed Kirby was attacked by too many to name. Given the candidates that are running, Mr. Martin was an obvious choice to fill out the new “Grate of Five” (as in grate on my nerves). I fear that Mr. Martin has been set up, as was Mr. Barrow last year. Did the conniving duo of George, and Mike talk both gullible young men into running for office with the idea that other young residents would welcome their input? In their youth (both are relative newcomers) they have not experienced some of the deviousness of that small group of people whose stated goals are the dismantling of what we have come to love and cherish – Lake Forest.
I for my part am going to vote for the “non slate” of four and write in Roger Davidson. If you have already voted and wish you could change your vote, YOU CAN. According to LF policy, the latest received ballot counts. You can change your vote up to Oct. 16.
10/2/2006
About this proxy/vote methods of delivery, The only way for people to know that they voted for whom they chose not added to, or taken away, is when you fill out your ballots, seal it in the envelope given to you by the LFPOA.
10/2/2006
I simply appreciate the opportunity to tell people the truth. Unfortunately, the truth doesn’t come out over this message board, due to the fact that we have no control over what is actually posted. If I gave my opinion, I seriously doubt the webmaster would allow it to go through. So please, straight from the horse’s mouth, call me and I would love to stop by to introduce myself, and answer any questions you may have. 458-8999. Clint Martin 458-8999
Well, Clint, you
might try it and find out. For your information, anytime someone
contributes to this site, their submission is posted. The only
exceptions are clearly spelled out in the introduction to this Grapevine
page; those who are too cowardly to identify themselves and those who
use the opportunity to blatantly say something that would be considered libelous. The only risk anyone takes with a contribution is
that the I might respond, as in this case. I would like to know
where you get off suggesting that the webmaster, who has lived here for
thirty years and who has served this community for many of those years,
would stoop to the unethical behavior that you are insinuating.
Just who are you? How long have you lived here? What have
you done? Would you like to compare resumes? If you are willing to make derogatory statements like the one you
submitted this time, without making any effort to research whether or
not there is any truth to them, then the community doesn't need you.
The only assumption that I can make is that this little teeny bit of
heat is getting to you. Well, if that is the case, you'd better
bail out now, because the criticisms that make it to this site are nothing! Ask anyone who has served
on this little property owners association board how some of the people
behave. You can even ask last year's slate. They've
taken their share of heat as well.
10/2/2006
Lake Forest residents need to rise up against this group A.S.A.P.. Why are we allowing the lies and deceptions to go unchallenged?? we need to organize, print fliers with the truth (expose their lies) and stand at our entrances passing them out and talking to our neighbors. What kind of deal did Lake Forest give the "slate" on the cost of the full page ad?? fair and balanced press---sure it is--NOT! If the housing market didn't tank, I would seriously consider moving, but, who would buy a house in here with all the bad press and that's just from the realtors!
10/1/2006
I agree with the post regarding the outlandish claims of the "slate". It's surprising they did not claim to invent the Internet and take credit for the Virgin Birth!
My LF newsletter
came in today with the new "slate's" full page ad and all I can say is
"Why didn't we think of that!" The past boards could have claimed
credit for a new shopping center right outside the front entrance!
What about the new theater we brought to the Eastern Shore! Wait! Wait!
What about the new schools that were built while we were serving?
We could have claimed them! Seriously, though, what does it say
about the ethics of a group who would run a full page ad taking credit
for actions and events that they had absolutely nothing to do with?
The sad thing is that so few members know what has been going on in Lake
Forest for the last couple of years, that this scheme may very well
work.
10/1/2006
To clarify your question on how they are claiming accomplishments? These "so called" accomplishments are from last years "slate" they are being pointed out because they are in lock-step with last year's slate and will continue with what's left of last year's slate plus Henry, to take credit where it isn't due. Along with this litter is a "marked" ballot and and explanation how to cast the ballot one of which is " Give your signed proxy to a volunteer, who will be knocking on your door Saturday, September 30th."
It was rumored that
some of last year's "volunteers" altered the proxies when they got them.
10/1/2006
I've got only one thing to say. Its Time For Lake Forest to PRAY!
10/1/2006
I have a couple questions for Mr. Martin. Are you tied into the slate of 5 or the former slate of 5 candidates?? Are you running to make your own judgments or follow the pack votes?? We need some independent thinkers that are open to intelligent discussion and compromise for the betterment of our community--with no secrets from those of us that fund the majority of the budget. The board works for the homeowners or it was suppose too !! Please!! stop "the slate of 9" we want democracy in Lake Forest !! Representation for ALL!!!
Clint posted his
phone number here, so that anyone could ask him directly. However,
many people are too considerate to call someone at home like that, so he
is welcome to post his answers here also.
10/1/2006
Mr. Martin--How long have you lived in Lake Forest???
10/1/2006
My husband and I were doing some work in the front yard this noontime. Much to our surprise, we saw the mail carrier in the white jeep, throw a plastic water bottle out the window.