Fort Myers, FL
The fact that the Daniels Preserve H.O.A., after a month, is still unable to easily explain by how much and for how long a previous board member was behind on quarterly dues should just be ignored. The fact that that same board member was given a special deal should just be ignored. The fact that another Daniels Preserve resident (not a board member) has been sent a $2,000 bill and threatened with a possible lien should just be ignored. The fact that over 30 residents attended last nights Daniels Preserve H.O.A. board meeting and many were not given a chance to speak should just be ignored.
What should also be ignored, according to Daniels Preserve H.O.A. President Kinley Engvalson, is the Gateway Gazette. He told Daniels Preserve residents last night that the Gazette is nothing more than "sensational journalism" written to stir up trouble with a goal of "making money". I will say this, I do consider the Gateway Gazette to be sensational, but probably not the same way Engvalson believes it to be.
If what I write, in any way, causes more residents to attend H.O.A. meetings to see for themselves how they are being ripped off, mission accomplished. If what I say, in any way, gets people thinking about how to self-manage and fire ALL management companies, yippity dippity doo-dah. If what I write, in any way, causes an elected official to have constipation or a rash, it's a good day.
I've never tried to hide anything and in fact, unlike elected officials, I allow residents to comment and comment and comment. Most come from residents unwilling to sign their names which I take as a sign they are being most honest without fear of being singled out by their H.O.A. crime bosses. Fingers can be lost, kneecaps broken and horses heads found where they shouldn't be, if you know what I mean.
My opinion is always crystal clear. Management companies are thieves given the power to bully residents by power-hungry elected officials who bend the very rules they claim are so needed in every community. They make special deals with people they like while leaving others, who don't kiss their ass, to deal with threat letters from companies like Sterling. If I'm able to generate a few bucks for gas or a trip to Disney on the backs of elected officials, all the better for me and Mickey Mouse. You people screw the taxpayer every chance you can get, I'm just taking a little bit of it back.
Some of that feeling comes from Bob Nielson's attempt at a $7 Million tennis complex. Some of it comes from Ed Tinkle's $100K Wetland project, Bill Knight family insurance plan and pensions for CDD employees. Some of it comes from a Lee County tangible tax, a sales tax, payroll tax, federal taxes, H.O.A. fees etc etc. You all have your hands in our pockets some how. We need less government, less government agencies and less elected officials.
And for a lawyer to accuse me of trying to make money with my piddly little newsletter is comical. We live in a society where one of you people can figure out how to file a class action lawsuit against a church when a priest cracks a fart.
Several Daniels Preserve residents have already told me they were cut off last night when they tried to speak. 30 residents took time out of their busy lives and showed up to your H.O.A. meeting. That's more people than the C.D.D. turns out in 3 months. That board should jump for joy and "serve pizza". Instead, they cut people off. These are the same H.O.A. types that would claim being on an H.O.A. is a thankless job that nobody wants. Try allowing the people to communicate to you in those meetings when they do show up. Stop hiding behind Roberts Rules. Get over yourselves. Your an H.O.A. God's sake. Let the people speak for as long as they want on whatever they want.
It doesn't matter to me whether it's a small H.O.A., a C.D.D., a Senator or a Congressman once people get elected they believe the peasants should bow to their every decision and kiss their pinky ring. And you call me inconsistent not me. You like to hide behind covenants and documents only when you see fit or when they can be used against someone you do not like. You say we need them to keep our neighborhoods looking clean, and our home values high. Then, you make back room deals to certain people without offering the same deal to all the people. Try being a neighbor. Try being friends with them. Try changing your documents so they make sense.
People shouldn't be coming to me with their problems about being raped by their management company. It should never get to that point. You allowed it to get to that point by the way you treat your neighbors. You lack any common sense. If a homeowner cannot afford one quarter, what makes you think accelerating dues for a year will net you better results. Especially when all the homeowners now know you make back room deals with friends. They would have never known, by the way, if Mr/ Sensational here didn't point that out. But, I understand, that's the way elected officials want it. The less known the better. Any reasonable H.O.A. board member with common sense would have read that letter and realize it should never be sent. Instead you either never read the letters or, worse, you read the letter and as you smile you say "let's see how we can stick it to our neighbors today".
