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The real point
The point is NOT that it's OK to break the law. The point is that you use this message board as a forum to air your grievances and drum-up dissent. It's hard to see how that accomplishes anything other than drawing attention to yourself and casting the board and the neighborhood in a bad light.
Since the board is made up of mostly volunteers it's normal to presume they have the best intentions for the neighborhood, so they get the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Your postings take the opposite stance. They are accusatory and come across as though you believe the board must answer to you in an absolute sense and must bend to your will. If your postings represent how you've tried to ''help'' the neighborhood (accusing the board of not being honest with you), it shouldn't be a big surprise that the board is hesitant to accept that ''help''.
If you think laws have been violated, contact the authorities and make the case.
If you think the board (or certain members) are intentionally misallocating money and failing to fund other obligations as a result, prove it within the proper channels instead of angry rantings on a message forum.
Otherwise, this is just a case of airing sour grapes and needing a new hobby.
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Response
I disagree with your characterization of my actions. I am certainly not trying to draw attention to myself. But, I will defend myself. I believe that our differences of opinion are due to the differences in our values and reasoning which are evidently quite different. I believe that when one provides legitimate questions to the board and the board does not answer them, then it is okay to let others know. I have a right to know how my dues are used and the board has a duty to responsively reply to such questions.
I believe in honesty and apparently you think it is okay for the board to put false information in the newsletter. Where is your proof that what the board said was true? Have you asked the board about this matter? Are you na?¯ve enough to believe that a 52% increase in water usage for watering the entry is somehow reasonable? Or is it that you do not care and think it is just one of the hazards of living in Ridge Pointe?
Moreover, you believe that I should not say anything negative about the board on this discussion board. I disagree. If a homeowner has contacted the board and gets an unresponsive reply, then it is certainly game for discussion.
You say the board gets the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. I have proven otherwise and have offered to share with you that proof. Since you have not called me to see the proof, then I assume you don?’t care what kind of job has been done or you have my letter to the board in 2005 which provides the proof.
If the board would have provided true information in its newsletter, then I would have not made the posting. After asking the board about the matter and not getting a responsive reply, I decided it was time to let other homeowners know about the intentional runaround I received from the board. As an aside, there are other problems with the newsletter that I have not brought up on this forum. However, if I do, I am sure you will hang me for doing so.
An anonymous reply to my posting necessitated my providing additional explanation, which you falsely depict as my drawing attention to myself and casting the board in a bad light. And by the way, you show a lack of character by hiding behind ?“anonymous?”. It may be because you are a board member or former board member. Your points sound very familiar to those I received by email from a board member that left the board this year.
If I had acted on your suggestion of contacting authorities about the violation of laws, then you would have complained about that and told me what a bad person I was for doing so. You would probably say that I should have told the board about it and waited to see if changes were made ?– which I did and am doing. The same holds for how the board has been custodian of dues. It is a no-win situation with you. No matter what I did or did not do, you would conjure up some reason that I was a ?“bad?” person.
By Jim Bruggeman
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The Burden of Being Perfect
I am not on the board, and seeing postings like yours makes me glad I'm not.
Your long-winded responses makes assumptions about my motivation and justifies your behavior, but doesn't address the specifics of your accusations of illegal or immoral activities on the board.
Maybe you disagree with the water bill explanation, but your assertion that the disagreement indicates illegal or immoral activity is hostile and indicates an inflated opinion of yourself. I'm not one to throw money away, but what is the impact of the amount to the overall budget that you're blowing a gasket over? It's a utility payment to the city, not a discretionary payment to some third party, so I don't see where there's any benefit to someone ''lying'' as you assert. Maybe someone is looking into a way to lower the water bill and they figure you're going to gripe regardless.
Since you can't point to the immoral or illegal activity you keep referencing or the other financial obligations going unmet (and I'm not aware of any letter), this has to be about anything other than your viewpoint being incorrect and needing to be corrected.
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Response to ''Burden...'' Part 1
I continue to disagree with your characterizations. If you knew what I knew, you would be applauding my efforts, not criticizing them. I am not blowing a gasket. My activity is not intended to be hostile and I don?’t have an inflated opinion of myself. I am simply trying to bring out into the open, matters that need to be brought out. I like you, do not like to see money thrown away. In addition to the money, there is principle involved here.
Like I said before, you are impossible to please. First you say that I say too much. Now you are saying that I am failing to provide enough information to satisfy you. I will provide to you any information you want. I?’ll discuss this matter with you personally. Just let me know. I want to tell you one thing that you need to understand. I am telling the truth.
I would appreciate the courtesy of your identifying yourself. For all I know, you are a board member, former board member or a partner to such members. I don?’t expect to get a reasonable response from the board of someone that blindly supports the board, because I have not so far. And, debating with the board is like being in an urination contest with a skunk.
If you want a copy of the letter that I sent to the board, I?’ll be happy to provide it to you. It addresses the specifics that you say I have failed to address in this discussion forum. The letter is six pages long plus attachments and will not fit in the 600 word maximum size of a posting on this discussion board. It addresses the violations of the law I have referenced. I?’ll send this letter to you by email, postal service or in a way that you can remain anonymous ?– just let me know. I will explain this letter and anything else you wish to have explained. I will answer each and every question you have with a responsive answer. I am not making things up. They are real!
As far as the board looking into a way to lower the water bill, I informed the board over two years ago of overwatering. The board agreed with my assessment that there was overwatering, but did absolutely nothing about it. In fact, things have gotten worse. The irrigation system had a rain detector at one time, but it is not used. The lame excuse is that when the power goes off, it has to be reset (see the minutes of the 2007 annual meeting since you probably don?’t believe me). Well, that does not happen much and can be easily accommodated. If you don?’t like that approach, then incentivize the lawn service (or get a new one) to reduce the watering frequency and amount when the seasons change. We don?’t need the same amount of watering in December as in August.
[Continued in ''Response tp ''Burden...'' Part 2]
By Jim Bruggeman
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