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Sounds of the Grapevine
The Sounds of the Grapevine is a
meant to be a fun, information and gossip column that should not be
taken too seriously, but may give the readers some insight into
happenings in Lake Forest. The webmaster makes no promises of
accuracy, but does promise not to print out and out lies like other
community publications. Vulgarity will not be allowed.
Nothing that could be considered libelous will be printed. Anyone
who is interested in Lake Forest is welcome to contribute. Unless
the contributor specifically asks that we do so, we will not print his
or her name. However, we will not accept anything that is
anonymous. The
text that is seen in italicized print is usually a cut & paste of
someone's contribution. Anything submitted may be filtered to
avoid the above mentioned no-nos. Determining what will be placed
on the Sounds of the Grapevine column is at the sole discretion of the
webmaster. Statements proceeded by a
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4/30/2006
I just read that my friends Tim Craig and John Spence helped with the new website. Nice work guys. Henry's piece was almost comical. He wants so bad for the membership to say "go ahead and knock down the clubhouse to build your new golf facility." He's just so devious, he can't just come out and say that is what he wants the board to do. Instead, he has to write month after month about how old and pitiful everything in Lake Forest has become, hoping that when they do make the move, no one will care. This month the tale of woe has to do with the cost of insurance for our "decrepit' old buildings. The insurance didn't go up because we were just hit by a couple of major hurricanes and the projection is for several more years of serious hurricane activity. Noooooooooo. Our insurance went up because our buildings are made of wood. Please!!! Do you think that no one else's insurance has gone up? If they really want to tear down facilities and build new ones, why not be upfront about it? Put together a committee to decide what the facility should include. The committee would consider the requirements of all those who are currently using the clubhouse and administrative offices. Then, hire an architect to come up with a design and determine what the new place is going to cost. Accountants can then tell them whether or not the new facility will actually save significant money over the old one. It probably will not, but that's just an opinion. Then they can come up with a financing plan and give it to the membership for a vote. To remove any facilities in Lake Forest or to spend an enormous amount of money to replace any facility without a vote of the membership would be just begging for serious troubles. Listen. A new clubhouse is not going to create greater usage among the 3000+ membership. Sure, the golfers may enjoy it, but it probably won't even increase participation among them. If the board wants to build new facilities, they must first create a demand by providing services that will excite the membership. Apparently, breakfast at the 19th Hole doesn't do it. The Sunday afternoon menus may have merit. How much excitement do you think a Yacht Club that doesn't open until 4 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon is going to generate? We sure could use a little imagination at the top. 4/30/2006
4/29/2006
4/29/2006
During a brief check of the packet for next Monday's City Council meeting I ran across the minutes of the Beautification Committee. Two items caught my attention. First, Roger Davidson apparently is no longer on the committee. His name did not appear this time. Second was the following item. Crepe Myrtle Trail – Anne Talton gave a report from the second meeting of this sub-committee and their suggested areas for crepe myrtles. These areas are Lake Forest intersection of Plaza Circle and Ridgewood, The triangle called malfunction junction, Main Street from the Summit Building to the D’Olive Creek, and the intersection of Lake Forest Blvd. And Windsor. A motion was made, seconded and voted upon with a unanimous approval to accept these areas for crepe myrtles. The choice of the intersection of Lake Forest Blvd & Windsor seems poor to this writer. Visibility for a driver moving from Lake Forest Blvd to Ridgewood is poor right now. One wonders how more shrubs will affect that visibility. While this writer did not see much directly related to Lake Forest, you are encouraged to look over the packet yourselves by selecting the City of Daphne link from our Home Page and the selecting the Legislative Button. 4/27/2006
4/27/2006
4/26/2006 You have now mentioned that the financials are in great condition and we have excess revenues over expenses of over $100,000. You indicate that this is attributed to a lack of spending on necessary improvements or maintenance. You are wrong on both instances. There is regular and special maintenance ongoing at all times at the amenities. Repair work is continuing at the Yacht Club and pools every week. So, what can we attribute this money to? The major expense that is removed is the general maager position. In total, the LFPOA spent $137,000 on the GM position last year, including benefits, performance bonuses, and retirement rewards. Not having that expense is one reason why the money is adding up. You can add to that golf revenues that are up because of the fair weather this spring and more participation. Also, consider this; the Yacht Club slips and dry storage were not closely monitored and poor record keeping accounted for lost revenues. We also added 7 more dry slips by more efficient parking of stored boats, all rented immediately. But, more than anything, it appears that spending is monitored closely by the Interim GM, Steve Jernudd. He has done an excellent job for us and deserves credit for his work. Better and more streamlined management along with no GM in place has given us the dollars; it is definitely not due to a lack of spending. Ask Kenneth Eggers if he is busy with anything, and he will tell you.
FYI: The general manager’s salary in 2004/2005 was $80,420. That salary was earned after over ten years of service. The remainder of that compensation package included a vehicle allowance, medical, vacation, 401K and other benefits normal for a Chief Operating Officer of an organization like the Lake Forest Yacht & Country Club. The director’s total compensation figure may be correct. A basis for comparison was a report from the Club Manager’s Association of America, which put our GM at number 15 of 18 in Alabama in terms of compensation. If the board still plans to hire two managers, a financial and operation manager, it will be interesting to see how their total compensation will compare. If they decide to make Steve or someone else the permanent GM, it will be interesting to see what they think the job is worth. 4/25/2006
Regarding that submission, there is something about having an excess of over $100,000 at this point in the year that just does not seem right. Does it mean that the association is not performing the maintenance and repairs as it should? Does that explain why the marina repairs seem incomplete? 4/25/2006 From a director . . . I want to thank those in your audience that both attended the board meeting and support my efforts as the new Lake Chairman. When I was asked to take on that issue, little did I know there would be willing helpers at every turn. In the few months I have been involved, everyone, without exception, has understood the problem and the need for direct action. There are too many to thank for their efforts in establishing a plan and seeing it begin. From government employees to politicians to ordinary citizens, the support has been wonderful. I told someone the other day that more was going on than I could have ever imagined with the lake. The city, county, state and federal governments have come together and stood together to get a plan for restoration underway. I truly would have hoped that the BOD would have given us a commitment of dollars for government to match for immediate action. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. But we shouldn't be overly concerned about this first effort. It was hastily put in front of the board trying to take advantage of low flow conditions coming into the lake. We are still forging ahead in helping the state and local governments identify problem areas and immediate projects that will aid in sediment reduction and water quality improvement. There are many people working for the long term benefit of our lake and its health. There are immediate projects being planned AND FUNDED as we speak. What better evidence is there that our voices are being heard than to see the money being spent on our problems. We must recognize that the LFPOA, one day, will have to take some maintenance responsibility. Is that 10 or 20 thousand a year, every year? We will soon know the answers to these types of questions with the studies that are being done. Then we will see where we stand on the board.
4/25/2006 From a director . . . The contributor is correct that all dry storage slips are rented. I have mentioned it twice now at successive meetings that with a 100% occupancy, we should locate additional space for this type of storage. We currently have a few acres left vacant at the Swim and Racquet Club. With some expense in grading and fencing, a nice storage area for the community could be built. These storage spaces roughly bring in $30 a month apiece. With the creation of 75 spaces, that would generate $27,000 a year with little or no expense. The revenue would be recurring and the expense minimal. Why doesn't the board look seriou sly at this issue? We have to start using our assets in ways that generate positive cash flows. Some have even suggested trying to build mini-storage units there. This is one way that we can provide a valuable service to our members, reduce covenant violations, and make money all at the same time. Sound like a move long overdue? We should encourage the board to take real action to improve the financial condition of the LFPOA. With the extra money, maybe we can afford a breakfast on weekends or even take on major renovations of the facilities. 4/24/2006 I think this is a befitting quote to describe our "slate of five" from a local newspaper. Don't leave decision-making and priority-setting to zealots who have an ax to grind--or to the blindly ambitious people who emerge in every election. I can only hope that we make better decisions next Oct. when four board seats expire. 4/24/2006 Total food an beverage deficit for the YTD ending March 31, 2006 is $39,160. Composed of $32,651 Sales and $71,790 Expenses. On pace to be about a deficit of $160,000 for the year. Guess breakfast isn't the answer. I wonder how much the Sunday afternoon bands at the Yacht Club are contributing to this deficit? Director Fassbender noted in her Yacht Club and Marina report that it is a "wonderful time". She also reported that all of the dry storage is rented, only half of the slips are rented. Concerning Friday Construction-Director Peterson wanted to establish a dialog with them and the "officers only" of the board? Didn't elaborate on what "issues" they want to discuss with them? Probably the best thing that came out of the meeting was that they have made ALL 3 pools FREE to members this summer. Henry did request that they open earlier. Of course I'm sure he doesn't realize that will only add to the deficit they generate. They have been working on the pools with YTD deficit of $8,399. On a positive financial note current before depreciation numbers are $604,520 revenue, $499,126 expenses for an excess of $105,394 YTD thru March. Comparison to previous year is no longer provided at the meetings?
4/23/2006 Dam gate is closed with still a slow leak, but water has filled in quickly with that burst of rain. 4/23/2006 Interesting F&B report from Director Barrow reading from pages given to him after his late arrival he stated that all F&B sites had shown a profit in March. But wait, the P&L for March shows F&B had a deficit of $15,997 for the month???? Seems Mr. Barrow doesn't know the difference between GROSS profit and net profit. All he was reading is that the cost of goods was less than the sales, but there was no labor or overhead in his numbers. Prior to this misleading report Henry spent (wasted) time grilling Steve about how much inventory was in the Pro Shop, and the percentage of that inventory in clubs. Even though Steve pointed out that the pro shop had made $3300 over the last 2 months Director Fassbender questioned whether they should be in the pro shop business and maybe the money invested in the inventory would be better spent on the increased insurance costs. That's using your head, take away something that's making money to fund an Expense? Finally Henry, from the chair, made a motion that the inventory level in the pro shop was not to exceed $25,000, even though earlier in the meeting Henry had tried to make a motion and Director Peterson made a point of order that the chair could not make a motion. Henry's motion was seconded and passed. Seems the rules only apply when they suit them. By the way golfers, after 2007 there will be no carry over of your earned credits on the books, it will become a "u se it or lose it" situation at the end of every year. Even though there has never been a problem with this system in the past.
4/23/2006 What happened to the Friday Construction company? ....have they delayed or just decided not to build the patio homes they talked about. Is the land for sale? Their land out on Hwy. 90 is....surely there is a need for these smaller homes and a demand!
4/22/2006 "Whoever is in charge of the lake needs to get that gate closed immediately or Lake Forest is going to be faced with an ecological disaster of rotting fish stinking up Daphne. Even last night, outside diners at Wings restaurant were complaining about the smell of the lake. It is only a matter of time before the lack of water & oxygen is going to cause a major fishkill that will not be a pleasant or easy job to clean up. Besides the actual ugly, stinking mess this could create will be the similar ugly, stinking impression of Lake Forest & the downward spiral of our real estate values 4/22/2006
4/22/2006
4/22/2006
4/21/2006 Mitch, I, being a golfer, am always mystified by the lack of understanding on the part a huge segment of the residents, who truly don't understand the value of the amenities. I don't own a boat, play tennis, have a horse or swim, but I have no problem that part of the MAINTENANCE FEE goes to preserve those other amenities. Once and for all, "well maintained amenities enhance the value of every residential property in LF., whether or not they are used by each and every homeowner." The second point I would like to make is that although Mr. Davidson is doing a fine job, he is doing it for the City as the City owns the medians. Granted it does present a aesthetic appearance, but it is on City Property and the City should be responsible for the upkeep. 4/20/2006
4/20/2006 Don't think submissions are going to make it to the website this quickly every time. ;) I would like to applaud the efforts of the lake chairman to take advantage of the condition of the lake due to the drought & fix what we can now. Carpe diem indeed! Not only is this prudent & opportunistic, but it demonstrates his willingness to take action & take his responsibility as lake chairman seriously. It may also prevent an even worsening buildup of silt & plantlife, that if allowed to continue for two years, will get uglier becoming a major source of embarrassment to all LF residents & cost more in the long run. I would also like to commend his inclusion of the knowledge, concerns, & efforts of other directors & lakefront property owners. His open discussions & detailed, lengthy responses to my concerns about the lake, go above & beyond the call of duty. My optimism about the future of the lake has never been higher & I have a vision of a big, beautiful lake filled with Lake Forest kids, canoes, fishermen with their fishlickin' dogs, & me in my kayak every evening at sunset. And how beautiful it will look as ALL Lake Forest residents drive across the BayView bridge. 4/20/2006 This came in from a director today. Because of the importance of the issue and the timing of it, I have chosen to put it out immediately. I hope your folks like the contributions from a director. It seems that discussions about communication and openness fail to consider that I "openly" discuss these very issues right here and in any available forum. I am not hiding any positions or actions of mine. If I were, would I even submit you anything? So much for that, now on to bigger things. For Thursday, the Lake Chairman will be informing the board of the need for actual action on the lake. The request will come in the form of the LFPOA funding in partnership with city and county governments, to take clean up action. This will take time and effort to accomplish. The dredging of the D'Olive Creek delta into the lake is a good step in the right direction. Not only that it can happen at an opportune time. The City of Daphne and the NRCS are jointly working to rechannel the D'Olive Creek from the Bayview Bridge to some point eastward. They will remove vegetation and silt in this area. This action will help lessen the impacts to the lake. In concert with that effort, if we could go ahead and do the restoration of the Bayview area, approximately 600 feet into the lake, it would be a great benefit. The problem is that restoration will cost in excess of 200 thousand dollars. If the county and city cost-shared, perhaps the three of us could get it done. The result is better water quality and less intrusion into the main part of the lake. Can it get done? All we can do is work at it and see. The proposal will likely have the LFPOA assessing its members to the amount that the city and county match. If they don't pony up, the deal doesn't go. 4/20/2006 Contribution regarding the lake problem
As my wife has
pointed out, if we do not do something soon to improve the lake
situation, we may need to change the name of our beautiful subdivision
to: “FOREST” – since we may not have a LAKE in a few years. Also,
if the two golf courses in Lake Forest had a perimeter around each one
“dug up” to the point that they could not be used as much as the lake
has been “out of commission” in the past four to five years, I believe
we would have had quite a “uprising” of MANY property owners complaining
about the lack of maintenance on one of our cherished amenities.
Further, many of us do not use either the Golf Course or the Swim Pools,
but we still continue to support ALL of the amenities here in Lake
Forest and hope that all our neighbors feel the same way. 4/20/2006
Both my wife & I read
your “grapevine” daily & cannot express to you how much we enjoy it.
I have looked at the
NEW Lake Forest site several times in the past few days & have seen
absolutely NOTHING new added since it came up. Looks like no one is
interested in contacting the new site yet. Gee, I wonder why? 4/19/2006
4/19/2006 Haven't checked the site in a while because of computer problems so I had a lot of reading to do today. Found the new "official" LF website and I must say it is very disappointing. Plain, to say the least, but my main complaint is that there is almost no information available on any categories except for Adopt-A-Median, which is all Roger Davidson's doing and even he says he has had no real support from the Board, the Slate of Five, or the Improvement Committee. But of course, they feature him prominently. I think Roger does deserve a lot of credit and thanks from everyone here - I just don't think that anyone else should be claiming the credit that he deserves. I also noticed that one director, who was apparently annoyed by someone called the Executive Sessions "Secret Meetings", said that the Board had no obligation at all to allow members to come to monthly meetings or to post the minutes of any of their meetings. So Much for the GREAT COMMUNICATION OF THE SLATE OF FIVE. As many said at the time it was all a hoax and will continue to be. 4/18/2006
Many of our readers may not believe this, but as I watched I was reminded of our first years in Lake Forest. Shocked? Did you think that Lake Forest members always had this "I bought here because the price was right mentality?" Did you think that the powers that be in Lake Forest always operated like they were trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip? Do you think that there is no way that one could possibly envision our community as the "upscale' part of the area? When Anne and I bought our lot in 1976, that is exactly what the members and, for your information, the rest of the Eastern Shore thought. In fact, unlike Steelwood, we had two beautiful clubs not just one. And, our clubs could lay out a spread as nice as any you will see at any of the other deed restricted jewels on the east side of Mobile Bay today. Every Sunday the Country Club would lay out a menu that you would tell all your family back home about. The staff also treated you like you were royalty, not one of the gold old boys. And, on other days a member might choose to dine at the Yacht Club, where one was greeted by a waiter wearing a red vest, black pants, white shirt and bowtie. Believe or not, the guy also knew your name and you were special. He made sure you knew it. The politicians came and the big-deal business executives entertained here. Boy, it was nice! What happened? Well, for one thing, the developer left. The property owners bought all the amenities. A small group of community leaders took over the operation. As well intentioned as they were, they didn't have a clue about what it takes to run a Country Club or Yacht Club. Apparently, they also were not aware that the developer had been subsidizing all that luxury to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars a year much like the Steelwood developer is doing. They thought they could run it just the same, but they weren't selling lots. They weren't bringing in real estate profits. By they time they figured all this out, the association had a serious financial problem. Fortunately, probably beginning with Hal Pierce, our Board of Directors caught on that what Lake Forest needed was a good manager and a board that would give him the tools he needed to turn things around. So, for the next decade we were in recovery and recover we did. But, here is what may be the downside. We may have become accustomed to not being, as the Army says, all that we can be. Maybe we've come to accept that Lake Forest cannot provide the kind of atmosphere that other clubs can provide. Yes, for awhile we had to tighten our belts and get our finances in order. But, that has been accomplished. Now, can we start raising the bar again? Can we not create a club with staff that makes our members feel special again? Can't we lay out that spread again? Did we learn from our mistakes well enough that we can do it right this time? I'm not sure. We seem to have leaders that think that all we need is a new clubhouse. It's not the clubhouse. It's the attitude. It's the product and it's the service. I've been to some very high end clubs that had buildings that weren't as nice as ours. But, they did have something that we don't have. They had a membership that demanded a quality product and a management and staff that had an attitude. By the way, I forgot to check. What kind of spread did Lake Forest lay out for its members this Easter Sunday? 4/18/2006 I just retrieved a small bag of trash from the lake that someone probably through off the bridge. Had a few beer cans & guess what else, a pay stub. I think this not an uncommon practice as I see this stuff floating by all the time, & I feel like doing something about this. Any idea who I could contact?. 4/18/2006
MYSTERY MAN??
Have you seen this man?
He
was caught in this photo by Roger Davidson on March 24th at
3:05 p.m. as he was walking and picking up trash on the median. He
knows his name is Mr. Lindsey, but has no further information. Many
people have reported having seen him in many different areas, always
with a bag, picking up trash. What a wonderful example for all who live
in
If
you know him, or see him, please thank him and call Roger at 447-0092 or
me at 626-0227 or you may e-mail me at
tomasinawerner@bellsouth.net. We would like to let him know how
much we appreciate what he is doing to help “ 4/17/2006
This came from the Finance Committee meeting minutes: Ms. Briley discussed the agreement between the three cities is now drafted. Discussion continued because of the way the grant application was worded and submitted, the City will need to come up with an additional cash match instead of an in-kind match. Ms. Briley discussed the original $15,000 has already been approved contingent upon the Mayor signing the agreement. Ms. Briley noted right now she needs to know if Council wants to move forward with this grant at an additional cost of $ 150,000. Mr. Yelding discussed it would be hard for the City to not want to be a part of the watershed study. Ms. Landry discussed she would like to see more information regarding how the City will benefit from the study and felt the Council would want additional information as well. Ms. Landry noted the City has so many watershed problems of its own, that she is concerned with spending $150,000 for nothing more than a study that will not actually fix anything. Ms. Briley stated she would ask the engineers to be present at the Council meeting on Monday to answer questions regarding any blanks that need to be filled in before Council can make a decision. Mr. Eslava discussed the original grant was in the City of Foley’s name and was going to be split into the Tri-City Watershed Grant, which would allow those funds to be used for a multitude of things such as storm water management or mapping drainage in town. Discussion continued the City’s original thought was to furnish some City personnel and in-kind services, but $150,000 with the way the City’s crews are already stretched is unrealistic. Discussion continued regarding a further study of the proposed ordinance. Motion by Mr. Yelding to recommend to Council to further study the Southwest Baldwin County Watershed Infrastructure Grant and the special appropriations ordinance in the amount of $150,573. Seconded by Ms. Landry. The following is on page 24 of the packet. Motion: The City Council has considered participation in the tri-city USEPA Special Appropriations Grant and, due to matching fund requirements and the fruition of other storm-water management studies that will benefit Daphne, has determined that it will not participate in the grant project with the Cities of Fairhope and Foley.
More in the packet: This is from the Buildings & Property Committee meeting. Mr. Eady, Planning Director presented a proposal from AIG Baker for a proposed land swap in the Jubilee Square Shopping Center between AIG Baker and the City of Daphne. The swap is for equal parcels of land totaling 12,413 square feet each and would enable AIG Baker to work to bring Starbuck’s to Jubilee Square. (See attached) The City Clerk, David Cohen stated that Mayor Small requested that he research the possible purchasing of beach front property near May Day Park as the current area is not adequate for the launching of boats and parking. Mr. Cohen stated that there are grants available for rest room facilities, boat launch, and parking for the park. Mr. Cohen stated that there is property that could possibly be purchased. The Committee requested further research. This is from the Public Safety Committee meeting. Signage on Bayview Drive - Dexter Morgan/136 Bayview Dr. Capt. Taylor stated the police department has done a directed patrol of this area and the maximum speed was clocked at 43 mph. He further stated that perception has a lot to do with this because of how narrow the roads are and amount of traffic. He stated that the speed trailer was placed on Bayview several times. Mr. Burnam asked that a letter be sent to Mr. Morgan advising him of these findings. DPSEA Annual Golf Tournament Chief Carpenter stated this was for information only. The Daphne Public Safety Employees Association will be hosting a golf tournament on Sunday, May 21 st .
4/16/2006 From a director . . . For Clarification; There are condominium associations that want to buy a corporate membership for $550 and $10 a card. If they have fifty members, they use the faciltiies for a little over a thousand dollars. If they each bought an individual membership at $252 the total would be $10,000 and some change. The definition of corporate member is being tested. Can a condo association or similar group be considered for corporate membership? That is the question.
4/16/2006 Dear Webmaster: I am a parent of one of the three managers of the now defunct teen center, the Dox. I, too, wish the issue to be dropped. It is a dead issue. It is a terrible reminder of just how unfairly the boys were treated. All this by a group who were trying to make all of Lake Forest believe the Dox was a horrible den of iniquity. Of course, we've all seen the real character of at least one of the opponents. That should speak for the truth. I would never want my son to open the teen center again even if they were asked to do so. I'd fear for what would be done to the kids by these so-called do-gooders. I'm tired of these boys being degraded and slandered by people who have no idea what they are talking about. I was also at many of the shows at the Dox, so not only are they slandering the boys and kids at the Dox, but I feel they are also doing it to me and the other adults that were there, and quite frankly, I'm tired of it. Drop it!
4/15/2006
4/15/2006 I guess we see how the new board feels about Derek and Kenneth since they are not listed as staff on our great website. With 6 months to build it must have been an obvious omission. Love the graphics and the color scheme, it really does stand out.
4/15/2006
4/15/2006 From a director regarding last night's special meeting. Special meeting notes:
4/15/2006 Response regarding webmaster's question of what happened at last night's special meeting Nothing. Wrong. They voted to drain the lake and supposedly clean out the spillway and install "the valve actuator." 4/15/2006 I like this website much better than the "official Lake Forest" website. It's very plain and, of course, the picture is the GOLF COURSE!
4/15/2006 From a director... Facts? You want facts? Fine, the night of June 21, 2005. I was at the board meeting when they voted to shut the DOX down. Since there was a concert that night, it was decided to let them continue, but it would be the last one. I personally went to the DOX and walked through the parking lot and to the building. I saw car tags from Mobile, Mississippi, and Escambia County, Florida there that night. (Is that three states?) That is a FACT! No one can dispute that and I have at least five other witnesses to this. The submitter who wishes to call my statements lies has obviously chosen to ignore the real facts and protect some children who behaved inappropriately. Most know my position, and the basis of it, as you have posted it here. Opposition wasn't solely against children as some would want you to believe, but about the proper way to conduct Association business and protecting the interests of its members. I am sorry someone was offended by my statements. While claims of alcohol free, smoke free, and fun environments can continue, the truth cannot be covered (even though many bands who had highlights of their "partying" at our club have since removed them from the web). Do we really want to ask housekeeping about what they cleaned up at that site in a court of law? I didn't think so.
As to housekeeping observations, it should be noted that after any event involving adults or children at any facility in Lake Forest, there will be cleaning to be done. In this case, the boys were under instructions from the general manager to clean up after the events, so that housekeeping would not have as difficult a job as they would after other events. And, the truth is that the GM reprimanded them a few times for not doing it right. After all, the Swim & Racquet Club had been a derelict building that was not maintained by housekeeping in the past. He did not want to add to the burden of an already heavily burdened housekeeping staff. As to the claims of alcohol free, drug and tobacco free conditions, these were more than claims. These were facts and those rules were well posted around the facility. Furthermore, I personally observed the three managers converge on someone who had lit up a cigarette and force them to put it out. Of course, the fact that there was a police officer present for the shows pretty much shoots holes in the claims that inappropriate activity was occurring in the club. Yes, we know the director's position and the basis of it. Too bad. He really should drop the subject of the teen center because all it does is remind the eight hundred plus people who signed a petition in support of it, that the kids and the teenage operators of the club were denied due process for the self-serving reasons of a small handful of members. And, before he jumps up and screams that the eight hundred were not all members, let me say "So, what? Most of them were." Every single newspaper story that came out at the time reported that the board had acted hastily. I don't mind telling you that this writer would love to never hear about that teen center again. It is dead. The parents of the kids who ran the thing will not allow them to do it again for fear of what the kind of adults who worked so hard to close it might do. The whole episode is an embarrassment to Lake Forest no matter which side of the issue one is on. 4/14/2006
4/14/2006 If catch basins are placed at the head waters of Lake Forest Lake then they are on someone else's property and LFPOA could not with in the law go on that property to do anything. The head waters of the lake on the D'Olive Creek Side are at the power line crossing on hwy 90. The head waters of the lake on the Tiawasse side are at the bridge crossing at the No. one hole on the lake 9 golf course. Mr. Bonner is well aware of the problems we are having concerning the lake, as is the Governor. 4/14/2006 Talk about IGNORANCE!!! Talk about bold faced absolute falsehoods. Let’s talk truth! The truth can be proven, it is fact. A few people on a street decided they didn’t want any teenagers on their street and said to the teenagers they would do whatever it took to get them off the street. One of these said it was a good thing that they were doing and he would try to find them another place, but he didn’t even want the tennis traffic on his street. Next, he said he had aligned with a group to defeat the current board because of what had happened at the last annual meeting. Then he and others proceeded to slander and libel the boys (and many members of their families) who were providing a safe, drug free, alcohol free, close to home facility for the youth. They made up every lie in the book they could about what was happening at the teen center. They didn’t care about the truth. I guess they never grew up and learned that you can’t bend or break the truth to fit what you want. Unless of course you are a pathological liar. I wonder. In a court of law you will be call upon to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth with God as their witness. Even a small lie labels the person as a liar, and one to whom no one should listen. God was listening, he knows the truth. These people put their heads together and decided to put a negative spin on everything to get their way. What a ridiculous statement, “teens from three states to party on our property”. I think I heard they found that statement on the Internet. Anyone could put it on the Internet tonight that the slate of five is on the take for thousands of dollars and kickbacks and give something for proof. Does that make it the truth because we find it on the Internet. NO! IF one wanted to find out the truth they would have gone to the concerts and interviewed the boys or watched for themselves. NONE of these accusers EVER EVEN ONCE were present at an event. Only direct eye witness testimony is ever accepted in a court of law. I personally on a number of occasions asked the kids going in where they lived. All of the ones asked responded with street names in Lake Forest, but I would guess that a few would be from Daphne and I know some were from Spanish Fort. Most parents wouldn’t let there teenagers drive even 30 minutes away. Who in their right mind would believe kids would drive from three states to listen to a band! Maybe if they had wanted to know the truth they would have interviewed the churches and youth groups that were down there or talked to some of the parents that were there EVERY night! But they didn’t want to know the truth. They made sure NOT to quote the lyrics of the Christian Bands that were kicked out and told to leave. Maybe they would have watched the policeman who was there supervising. A handful lawyers were also there. If they had noticed anything amiss, they had a duty as an officer of the court to report it, but they didn’t because it was a good thing. The bottom line is I CAN pass a lie detector test, the boys CAN pass a lie detector test, and the parents and other adults and officers of the court CAN pass a lie detector test. Let’s look at who CANNOT. And not just on this issue but others. One of the main ringleaders who many said recruited the slate of five was arrested for domestic violence against his son, and spent time in jail for this offense. This is the caliber of the ringleaders. Birds of a feather flock together. The bottom line is they never wanted the truth. They only wanted their way, never asked what happened, and would only deny the truth when corrected. Excellence demands the truth. This Easter season I am sickened and saddened to see these people. Lord open their eyes, for they know not what they do. Or do they? Exodus 20:16, 23:1-2; Matthew 15:19, 19:18; Proverbs 13:5, 14:5; 12:22 Many have told me that I am not to forget that God can change their hearts. Please pray for this.
4/14/2006 To add to the suspicion of Underwood's dealings with the board I submit this. Jim Moss and Bob Underwood were business associates for years. While I can not recall the specifics from the meet the candidates forum, I do remember Bob and Jim discussing how great it was to meet again blah blah. I believe Bob use to buy a lot of metal from Jim or vice a versa. It seems to be getting deep.
4/14/2006 NICE NEW WEBSITE !! How many months has it been?? The board can have secret meetings to spend my money ?? This is really over the top!! And, one of the directors told me that she/he was interested in the possibility of a new C.C.--it could happen with this crew without member approval !! 4/14/2006
4/14/2006 Did anyone go to the special meeting tonight? Please give us a report. 4/13/2006
4/13/2006 In response to the director's submission. Wait, I'm sorry, my interpretation must be wrong. Because it sounded to me like he just told the membership that the board doesn't have to tell us anything they don't want to tell us. Something feels wrong when my representative says that to me. I hope everyone was listening when he mentioned the October meeting. "If you don't work WITH us, then you won't work for us." 4/13/2006 I'd like to know if the statement concerning codes for private boards and how they aren't required to hold open meetings is a, shall we say, threat to NOT hold open board meetings. Why would the people of Lake Forest want a board who did everything in secret? I for one, wouldn't. 4/13/2006 From a director I see where once again some contributors want to put words in my mouth and the entire "slate of five's" mouth. Let me clear the air concerning getting rid of amenities. From my position, there is no reason not to look at the improvement of the amenities that we have. That improvement can mean replacement, if necessary. Should we keep the pools as they are? Also, show me where any board member or Slate of Five member has proposed the sell or elimination of any amenity. There has not been one. The only action proposed to date is the revitalization of the country club. That includes looking at bringing amenities there, including a swimming pool and tennis courts. Nowhere in that directive was there anything about closing the other amenities. In fact, the slate of five just voted to spend over twenty thousand dollars at the pools we have to get them ready for this year. They replaced all the old pumps and filters at the Ridgewood and Montclair pools. Does this sound like we are working for their destruction? The reality is that this new board is acting to maintain and upgrade many aspects of Lake Forest. One board member stood up at the Improvement Committee and asked for help in improving the entrances to the subdivision. Specifically, the Windsor and Lawson entrances are targeted for new landscaping and upgrades that would make them more appealing and give our owners pride. This is being done in conjunction with planned city projects. This year, Windsor will be resurfaced by the city. The board wants to get the upgrades at Windsor's entrance to coincide with the resurfacing project. That way the new surface on road is matched with beautification efforts to make a more appealing and attractive environment. That is just one way the slate and board are working to improve the value and desirability to homes in Lake Forest. The other ideas being discussed are those that would only work to the benefit of our membership. Just look at the progress being made on lake issues. For the first time I can remember, every available agency is working to solve the sediment problem and look for ways to restore the lake. The board is getting ready to rebuild and repair the overflow structure next to the dam. That structure has been untouched for years. Where was the concern about safety, liability and function of this structure in the past? Yet, you show the picture of the man who let it get that way and sing his praises? What accomplishment is cleaning up a mess that shouldn't even be there? Cure the problem and the symptoms go away. The shopping carts and trash are a symptom of years of neglect and wear. But this same director will vote to pay a ten thousand dollar bonus to a general manager who allows teens from three states to party on our property? That money could have fixed that structure where carts couldn't get thrown into it, right? Where were the priorities, then? The slate of five does have a purpose. That is to bring back accountability, responsibility, and common sense to this association. To work for the betterment of the community and all aspects of our operations at the LFPOA. To suggest that they are doing anything else is out and out ignorance. There is nothing wrong with expecting excellence at Lake Forest. Excellence in how we operate our facilities, excellence in how we maintain our facilities, and excellence in the way the membership are treated. We are the best subdivision in Alabama, let's start acting like it.
It’s difficult to take one seriously when one continuously tries to justify one’s own performance by pointing the finger at someone else. The man on the dam was B.T. Cocke and no one in Lake Forest including this contributor has worked as hard as he at finding a solution to the lake problem. It was B.T., in fact, who last year brought before the board a recommendation for an actuator to control the flow of water through that valve the dam. It was also he who negotiated the work on Tom’s Cove last year and also did the same thing years before, when that same spot was suffering from abuse. B.T. has stood before many a group pleading for assistance on behalf of our membership. Furthermore, as the pictures shows, he has often rolled up his sleeves and climbed into the muck, himself, to deal with the problem. That’s more than I can say for the contributor. Lake Forest personnel have been maintaining the entrances which are owned by the City of Daphne for years. The board has always provided them and the Garden Club with anything they asked for to improve the appearance of those entrances. Furthermore, I was with the board when director, Stan Keel, spent an entire year working on the renovation of the Highway 90 entrance. Regrettably, it was I who jumped all over Stan when he arranged for the old entrance to be torn down. I didn’t have the vision to see how beautiful the new one would be. He did and I am grateful for it. I did notice that the contributor points out that this board’s contribution to the problem was to stand up at an Improvement Committee meeting and ask for help. Excuse me? Isn't the Improvement Committee an arm of the board? Why in the world would a director be asking for help from a committee? The Board is supposed to provide help, not beg for it! Previous boards did more than ask, they delivered. By the way, we have always been able to count on the Garden Club to keep the entrances beautiful. Fortunately, some of those same people are also offering their help to the Improvement Committee. And finally, the former general manager brought Lake Forest back from desperate straits. He with the support of other boards turned over to this bunch an association in strong financial and physical condition. The director should know that the current president also voted for that bonus to the general manager in appreciation for all that he had done for Lake Forest over the years. This director has repeatedly chosen to make uninformed and insulting statements about former boards and individuals associated with Lake Forest. It is too bad that some of those who have recently found themselves in a position of responsibility don’t have the character to give credit where credit is due. One has to wonder how their record will be viewed by future observers, when their performance this year is examined. 4/12/2006 From a director... I think it fair to inform your readership that laws pertaining to public bodies, like city councils, county commissions, etc, concerning executive sessions have no application to the board of a private corporation, the LFPOA to be specific. If you know of a "sunshine law" application that would apply, please post the Code Section for review. It is funny to hear about secret meetings and what not when there is really no requirement that any board meeting, including the stated ones, are open to membership. Clearly, the annual meetings are for the membership, and this board, as past boards have, allows membership to sit in on and even comment on specific actions at board meetings. There are items that, due to the sensitivity of discussions and issues that are necessarily private, will not be open for membership. Note that any action a board takes can and will be noted and published. The deliberations and decision making can remain private without any law violation or even by-law violation. So enough of that discussion. I would be happy to stand corrected by any cite of law or our by-laws that I have erred in reading correctly.
4/12/2006 From a director. The Official Website should be up and running soon. It will likely need some tweaking for a few days or weeks. The address will be lakeforestycc.com. Check it out and catch the opening.
4/12/2006 The Lake Forest membership had better watch out. I get a strong impression from the slate of five that our amenities are going to disappear. The last meeting they agreed to look into building a new country club for the golfers with a big new pool and a tennis court. Their reasoning is because ours is old and could use some repairs. Personally, I think it is a beautiful building and setting. If the roof leaks, why not fix it? If you find a rotten board, why not replace it. It's called up keep. Good grief, are we supposed to tear down all of our homes because they are getting older? I guess so, because Jim Moss keeps referring to our homes as decrepit. I have heard him do this twice and one of those times was when we had realtors as guest speakers for a meeting. Shame on you Jim. I was at those loud meetings put on by Mr. Underwood and Mr. Deloney, when they wanted to get rid of everything and, yes, Mr. Eslava wanted rid of them also. Choosing him as the new general manager would be a grave mistake. Some people bought their homes because of its location and convenience to an amenity that they and their family could use, such a swimming pool. The slate of five wants to build one large pool at the country club. They would then close three pools down. The slate of five wants to build a new tennis court at the country club. They would then close six courts down and park boats and Rv's at the current swim and racket club. This would also eliminate all tennis league play because you need a minimum of four to six courts for a league. The reason for parking boats and Rv's at the swim and racket club would be because we would no longer have a yacht club. It would have to be sold to cover the expense of building a new country club. They expressed a belief that a new club house with a new pool and a tennis court would get more use than three pools and six tennis courts and increase the food and beverage sales. Give me a break!! What kind of idiotic reasoning is this? I do not want to lose any of our amenities, especially our yacht club. It is our biggest jewel and totally irreplaceable!! Please DO NOT hire a general manager who wants to get rid of our current amenities.
We should always be willing to listen to new ideas, but never lose our heads over them. I remember last year, when the rumor started floating about someone offering to pay an exorbitant amount for the Yacht Club. The former general manager and I were talking about it when he said "If they did sell it, they would just fritter the money away in a few years and then Lake Forest would not have the cash or the yacht club." (Actually Jake didn't use the word "fritter" but the meaning was the same.) The idea of bulldozing those tennis courts for a boat storage facility is a great example of that. We have six very good lighted tennis courts that, in spite of what Henry may say, are in fine condition. A lighted tennis court costs about $30,000. So, what we are looking at here, when you consider preparation costs, proshop and so on is a Racquet Club worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 - $300,000. The very thought of just blowing them away is so irresponsible that it would almost be criminal. We have three swimming pools located conveniently throughout the community for our members. At this point a child can walk a short distance to a pool without crossing a bridge. You do know that there is not a bridge in the subdivision that has a pedestrian walkway. So, for a child to get to a single clubhouse pool would be a series of foot races with traffic. If we were to close those pools in favor of a single one at a new clubhouse, we would be effectively disenfranchising most of our members. Many families in Lake Forest have both parents working in order to provide a good lifestyle for their children. A twelve year old is allowed to swim at the pool without a parent or guardian. Ask yourself if you would want your twelve year old walking from Montclair Loop to the country club along Ridgewood Drive. The answer would probably be no. I have spent the last decade trying to make the amenities in Lake Forest more accessible to all of our members. Closing all the community pools would be a move in the other direction. Even closing the main Swim & Racquet Club pool to replace it with a new one at the clubhouse would cut off access for many kids. As the crow flies, the Swim & Racquet Club pool is only a short distance from the club. But, in order to get to the new pool from the old pool a child would have to walk the cart trail on the first hole of the Lake Nine. That in itself is dangerous and unacceptable. So, for a child on Michael Loop to get to the new pool would require a walk around Ridgewood to Bayview, across the scariest bridge of all and then a long way further. There may very well be merit to building a new pool at the Country Club. A new pool would allow the association to build one that would better meet the requirements of the swim team. However, that does not mean that we should close the others. You see? There is more to all of this than just the economies. Our association is in the business of service. Let's hope our board does not forget it. 4/12/2006 From a director. Congressman Bonner attended the Watershed Group meeting at Lake Forest Monday morning. This month, there was Congressman Bonner and his staff, State Representative Randy Davis, The Mayors of Daphne and Spanish Fort, Baldwin County personnel, ADEM, ADECA,NCRS, Mobile Bay NEP and the Corps of Engineers. Also in attendance were some members of the association. David Yeager presented a slide show on the "Lake Forest-D'Olive Creek Watershed Problems" to the Congressman. There was great discussion about the avenues to get funding for the problems. There was also specific project plans discussed where the City of Daphne and the NCRS will be tackling tough streambed restoration efforts in the coming weeks. The meetings are being continued and additional planning meetings are now being set that will allow certain parties (Rep. Davis, City of Daphne, Baldwin County, NCRS, ADEM, ADECA and LFPOA) to prioritize immediate project areas that can be done while the ADEM Watershed Assessment is being performed. Congressman Bonner offered his local and Washington staff to help in formulating the presentation of requests for help at the federal level. Personally, I have never witnessed a more dedicated group of individuals and agencies, particularly, Randy Davis. He has worked like no other person to bring people to the table. I see why he is running unopposed. It is a pleasure to witness the cooperation and sincere desire to help Lake Forest and the ecology. 4/11/2006
Rather than wait, those young people interested in applying should go ahead and submit their names to the Lake Forest office. An application modeled after last year's may be found at this link, Scholarship Application. However, it is suggested that applicants call committee chairman, Bryce Cocke, or the Lake Forest office at 626-0788 to make sure it will be acceptable to use. 4/11/2006
4/11/2006 The new crepe myrtle look good, what happened to the idea we were getting big crepe myrtle retired from hwy. 98? Please tell me someone is watering these new trees/bushes. In this drought situation (no burn) water is so important for anything newly planted especially!
4/11/2006 Mitch, historically the three main items which could be discussed at an Executive Session were-1. Litigation, 2. Security, and 3. Personnel matters which could be embarrassing to an individual. The laws recently changed and many of the items which were previously privileged are now open to the public. One would think that Pat Collins would submit a brief to the membership which outline the new changes and highlight what a Board can and cannot do. 4/10/2006 From a director. . . . As far as I know there is a Special Meeting of the board Thursday. There will be brief board action and then the board will adjourn to Executive Session to speak to Genral Manager Applicants. I think we will see deliberate and thoughtful action from the board. The result will move the club forward. At the last board meeting it was decided to investigate the revitalization of the country club, including funding alternatives and what amenities we might have there. This was asked of the Building and Grounds Committee. Have you heard of Mr. Kirby moving forward on this?
4/10/2006 This submission refers to Ken Eslava's application for GM What I find interesting is that he was a big supporter of Underwood and Daloney. I remember one particularly noisy meeting called by Underwood and Daloney which he attended and sat at the head table with them and even made a speech defending their plan to give away the amenities. Ask <member name> - he was there. Ken Eslava resigned from the board right after the October election that they lost. Looks to me like there is a lot going on behind the scenes being orchestrated by the bad guys. Look out Lake Forest. On another subject, I am told that the Board adjourns for an executive session after each public meeting. There are no minutes taken at the executive meetings and their discussions are in effect closed to Lake Forest members and are therefore SECRET meetings. How's that for a Slate of Five that was so big on increasing communication.
4/9/2006 The Daphne Planning Commission this afternoon 'tweaked' some of the proposed revisions and additions to the Sign Ordinance getting the exact language written. We even saw 2 attorneys who usually are opposing each other due to one representing the city and the other a hotel with a telescoping type sign get together and 'tweak' the Interstate 10 Corridor clause; no promises but possibly the telescoping sign might come down in the future [I know, future is an open-ended word ]. The digital paragraph that had been placed into the proposed changes last week was originally tabled until push came to shove and it went from a proposal of tabling it to eliminating it. Many of you receiving this were there and experienced some of the same emotions - I know, hard to believe about signs - that I did; for me, mainly relief that what the Sign Committee had worked many hours and months on will finally go to the City Council. For those of you unable to attend, this is informational or I can assure you that some of the points that you made to me or council people were reiterated by those on the commission or those who gave informal public input. Fortunately none of us receiving this note had to present our thoughts on the various proposals which in itself was a relief but we had our notes and statements ready. It will not be over with until the City Council has a first read of it then later tweaks it some more, passes, and/or rejects parts or all of it. Thank you for your involvement in this whole process.
4/8/2006
4/8/2006 Very nice job on the wheelhouse info !! The presentation was excellent and very informative-- 4/8/2006 Ken Eslava is interviewing for the GM job. Henry and Moss are pushing him hard. We all now how well Ken did at the meetings. He may have actually made 1 or 2, when he served the board. I find it interesting the one man who works with him, Ed Kirby, is not pushing this candidate very hard. I know I left 14 messages one time, over a 2 month period, before he called me back. I bet the members will just love that. Seeing how those in the public works department do not care for him, how much do you think they will help LF if he gets the job?
We've already reported Henry's dependence on Bob for advice. It's ironic that he ran on a platform opposed to Bob's restructuring proposal. One has to wonder if he was just a wolf in sheep's clothing. If you have seen the current Spectrum, you may have read Henry's article in which he talks about the "dilapidated" facilities. For everyone's information, everything in the part of Lake Forest developed by Purcell is less than forty years old and that includes the clubhouse, Yacht Club and more. Also, all of it has been well maintained over the years. So, how did it become dilapidated since November. Do you get the sense that we are being conditioned? Last night, my wife and I had dinner at the Yacht Club where the food was good and Milton did a great job in providing service. And, the ambiance of eating on the deck with the view of the bay and stars was just fine. I did notice, though, that instead of repairing the sidewalk by the deck and starting repairs on the fishing pier, they removed the steps to that part of the marina and blocked off access with a gate. The picture of this board is still a little fuzzy, but it seems to becoming clearer with each new revelation. 4/8/2006
4/8/2006 I like Ken personally, but he is bad about returning phone calls & coming through with promises. 4/7/2006
4/7/2005
4/7/2006 There was a good newspaper ad in Wednesday's paper for Lake Forest. We need more of this to generate interest in our community and to show off our facilities. 4/6/2006 I recently moved to Lake Forrest and carefully read the rule book provided when I moved in. I was wondering how some of these rules are enforced. Mainly about the upkeep of the yards in Lake Forrest. There are several houses in my area and many others on my way in and out each day that look horrible. Grass not cut, bushes that have not been cut or trimmed back for a long time. Trash cans left out by the curb all week. If we are paying to live in this "nice" area, why can't we expect enforcement of these rules. It looks like you guys are letting too many things slip.
4/6/2006
4/6/2006 From a director. . . If it's the picture with the shopping carts, we cleaned out the spillway box. <Member Name> asked me to help him, because the water level is going down due to the valve not being closed all the way, or its just leaking, and we have had no rain. We are going to get enough material and install it on the valve to make it go up and down just as soon as the material is ready or LFPOA gets an actuator installed, which ever comes first. As background, when the water level is not at full pool, unwanted grass and plants grow. Then, when the water comes back, the plants are now out of the water and will continue to grow catching more silt and hastening the lake filling in. The level needs to be stable for the best ecosystem for a lake. The up and down makes a mud flat. I have a quote to construct a spillway passed the far end of the dam (away from the shopping center) on Lake Forest property. That would allow excessive flow that the existing spill pipe cannot handle to bypass the pipe and run off through the spillway which is at the same elevation as the spill pipe. Thus, no more flooding for awhile. I asked the Corp before I got the quote. They do not have jurisdiction since its private and on our property. They just requested that we keep them informed and said they would help us and give us advice on details of installation etc.
4/6/2006 Didn't you request images of the work the city is doing in Lake Forest. This had me excited at first, but seems to be just a run-off correction
4/6/2006 Meeting was generally optimistic last night with a clear statement from the council that they care & are working toward helping LF 4/6/2006 You asked how the special meeting with the City Council members went last night---Terrible! Showed a complete lack of interest by LFPO's. There was only 24 people present and this included 5 board members. City had 5 council members there. Good discussions were had by the few that attended. If this is the only few people to show concern for our Lake Forest and the City of Daphne then we deserve the lack of recognition that we get from the City
4/6/2006
I have asked board
members to correct the January minutes for a few weeks without results.
I have called Tony Fassbender and Mr. Peterson and was told it would be
dealt with last month. The subject concerning the Jan. minutes was not
even addressed at the last board meeting. I made a statement
concerning the clarification of the tennis fees for Lake Forest
residents vs. non-members. Instead the minutes claim I verbalized
on record, complaints against the tennis pro which is not the case. The
January minutes (only 3 mos.. behind) printed in the most recent edition
(april) of the Spectrum has not been corrected . I called Mr. Lawson and
stated this is why member comments need to be left out of the minutes,
if they cannot be correct word for word- Mr. Lawson said it is
impossible to print them verbatim (what about correctly then?) !-- Well,
I remember there was no problem writing word for word when the former
board was being chastised. Beware! If you speak at a board
meeting your words can be abbreviated and rewritten!!!
4/6/2006 FYI: A special session of the Daphne Planning Commission will be held this Friday, April 7th at 3:00 PM in the city council chambers. This Special Session had to be called because a single member of the Planning Commission made substantial changes to the proposed Sign Ordinance to include allowing Digital Billboards in the city of Daphne. (Example is new digital sign at the BP station at 181 and 64) The changes were not voted on as "there is too much to digest on such short notice" so the Special Session was scheduled. A Sign Committee, made up of Council persons, city residents and others, spent weeks creating the original Sign Ordinance with great care and thought. Much research and consideration was given to the issue of digital billboards including hosting a presentation from billboard companies. After all was said and done they decided that digital billboards were not for Daphne and their proposed Ordinance was then forwarded to the Planning Commission as a recommendation. It was at this point that, apparently, one member of the Planning Commission decided that their opinion mattered more than the hard working Sign Committee that represented a cross section of the community. If the Sign Ordinance passes Planning Commission Friday then it will go to the City Council for vote. Let's not let it get that far! Please attend the Planning Commission meeting this Friday, April 7th at 3:00 PM in the city council chambers to show your support. This is Daphne not Las Vegas.
4/5/2006 I have a Question? Don't we have a maintenance Dept.? If we do where is it at?
4/5/2006
4/5/2006
In the news lately have been stories of Baldwin County Schools building a new high school in Spanish Fort only to determine that the site is not suitable; only to find that the new school may already be too small. Where was that leadership with the vision when the planning was taking place on that project? Does everyone realize that the future of our community will be impacted significantly by the quality of education we provide? Will companies like Raytheon and EADS continue to select this area in the future, if we do not provide a well educated workforce? No, they will not. One can project that idea to a discussion of the ramifications of a quality education on the future of our country. Can Baldwin County Schools ever deliver based on their past performance? Could a city school system in Daphne do any better? Would we support efforts to build a world class education system for the sake of our children and the future of our community? Unfortunately, I don't think so. As soon as someone says the T-word, we will probably vote no. "My children are all grown. I will be long dead before that quality education system manifests itself in a way that would benefit me." "They may have to raise my taxes. Forget that!" If they did have to raise taxes, how much money would that be? A 1 mil increase would mean $1 of taxes for every thousand dollars of the value of our home. So, for those of us in Lake Forest with those $250,000 homes, our taxes would go up $250 a year. On a $150,000 house, the tax would be $150 a year. Are we willing to pay another $250 a year to provide for a world class education system for the children of Daphne. "No!" Well, we can not really put it that way. That would make us look cheap. So how can we say no to taxes for education without appearing cheap? How about this excuse. "Why should we spend more money for educators who cannot even plan a school that is not obsolete before it's even built! That would be nonsense! I say absolutely NO to new taxes" When people read in the magazines about those cities listed in the top 100 for quality of life, one of the criteria is always the quality of the education system. Daphne deserves to be listed among the best cities in the nation to live in. "Not if it means new taxes!" "But, wait. My first grandchild starts school here next year. * The material about the industry coming to Mobile came from today's issue of the Mobile Register. 4/4/2006 From a director. Great job, BT. Your service to the community is appreciated. 4/4/2006 Please understand the guys that are working on the dam and clean up of the valve, we are doing this as a service for or neighborhood only. We are just trying to help. Here are a few more pictures. 4/4/2006 From a director. While you are quick to point out that the "Slate of Five" members did not help pull debris from the outlet structure, you did not recognize the "Slate of Five" member who spearheaded the Sunday afternoon events at the Yacht Club, you did not mention the "Slate of Five" members who helped get the city council to have an open forum in our country club or the ones who pushed for the state funding of the watershed study. Should I continue? I think your readership will understand that there are members of the board of directors that are doing great things. They include the "Slate of Five" as well as the others. It is time for you to come clean and admit that these people, the "Slate of Five", are working for the betterment of Lake Forest. While I can appreciate that some submitters may be non-supportive, your continued attempts to disrespect the work of these members with disparaging snippets show a bias to the extreme. Your web site could be a great place to learn about the community, instead you choose to insert innuendo and slanted editorials to injure the reputation of good people and present Lake Forest in a bad light. This show has grown old. You can choose how to support Lake Forest and show the community to the interested public. You choose to show an image I am not impressed with. I am asking you to please present Lake Forest as a community of interested and dedicated members with directors that are looking for improvement. Why show pictures of Lake Forest's lake flooding on the home page with a headline of "High Water!"? Do you think that will encourage someone to buy here? Will that instill pride in our membership? Does that build up our community? Do the good you can with this site and let's all work for the improvement and betterment of our community.
I could find nowhere that anyone has accused the Slate of theft. No one has accused them of misappropriation of funds. There have been no references to censorship. Most of the statements have been pretty tame, an occasional dig for talking a lot and doing little and the few observations of micro-management. And, let's not forget that the webmaster has found it a little annoying that some of them have continued to discredit the previous board without knowing anything about them. As for the director who "spearheaded" the Sunday afternoon events, I have no idea who that is. However, I will be more than happy to give the person praise for the effort. I just assumed that it was our party coordinator with the support of management. Was it the same person who came up with the "Breakfasts at the 19th Hole" that have four or five people participating? There is not a thing wrong with trying out ideas like those. In fact, I encourage whoever is doing it to keep on trying. As to the person who brought all those people together to discuss the lake, is he referring to Malcolm Macphee, the president in 2002 who did if first or does he think that only this year's attempt is worth considering? Apparently, any editorial that doesn't give the Slate of Five credit for someone else's work is "slanted". I don't mind giving credit for the directors' work. Whenever they do some, just let us know. (In fairness, Peterson has been actively involved in the watershed discussions.) Where is the innuendo? I think our contributors have been pretty straight forward in their opinions. Of course, our folks aren't trying to libel anyone and not get caught. What was there about the picture of water that so offended him? Haven't we been trying to generate discussion about the lake problem? Or, would he prefer that we bury our heads in the silt and pretend that a study will solve it? There was no text with those photos, nor was there a link to other articles. Does he think that a photo on a limited-audience website does more damage to our property values than a visitor's view of the real thing when crossing the bridge on Bayview Drive? What could anyone who visits the site possibly infer from the photo? Since we are near Mobile, do the photos bring down property values for Mobile? As for the content of the website, when the "official" site makes it to the web, the director can dictate its content all he wants. But, as for this site, our contributors and the webmaster will decide what is put out here. Speaking of the "Official' site, I believe that in January it was announced that it would make its debut around the middle of the month. Let's see. At the time of this piece, it is April 3rd. Hold on a moment while I go look. . . . . . . . Nope. The Official site is still not there. Well, they didn't say in the middle of what month. But, we won't say anything about that. It might hurt somebody's feelings. 4/3/2006
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