All politics is local...

Once again i have dipped my toe into the political mess that is my homeowners association, and have found the experience to be a complete nightmare. After my last experience about 8 years ago, I shouldn't be surprised, but somehow I just assumed that things would have worked themselves out. The kinder, gentler homeowners association that I hoped to find simply does not exist.

So here's the story...

One of my neighbors came by a couple of weeks back to get my signature on a petition to recall the trustee from my neighborhood. (we call it a village) I gladly signed, since I have had a number of issues with the individual, and told my neighbor that I would happily attend the trustee meeting to air my grievances in person.

On the night of the trustee meeting I was appalled by the dysfunction of the trustees. They seemed to bicker and argue and get nothing done. They must have had some really bad meetings previously because it appeared that half of the attendees were there simply to bash one of the trustees for what they viewed as threatening behavior in a previous meeting. Based on my observation of the trustee in question, I'm sure that if he acted-out in a meeting, it was purely out of frustration at the environment.

So toward the end of the meeting, I gave what I consider to be a rather eloquent speech about the trustees role in representing the homeowners, and their obligation for transparency in their duties. Everyone appeared to echo those same comments, and I'd hoped that the board would move forward with business. Specifically the business of the recall election that was the catalyst for my attendance. That isn't quite the way it worked out. They simply reviewed some old business, and closed the meeting.

The following Tuesday, there was another meeting that was specifically to cover the recreation committees request for a budget to address some issues with the pool and playground. The same core group of people who attended the previous meeting attended to get some answers or action on the recall election. After they refused to address it in the meeting, which accomplished nothing on it's agenda either, they closed the meeting. I took the opportunity to address my trustee about the recall election, and got nowhere with her in the discussion. She simply said that they would have to discuss it further.

Now I'm not a lawyer or anything, but the point of having indentures, and for that matter a process for recall of a trustee, is so that it doesn't need much discussion. When the head trustee is the person who is being recalled, they in good conscience recuse themselves from the discussion completely. But, were not talking about people here who have a lot of sense, or for that matter an interest in serving anyone but themselves.

The community budget is almost $500,000, and that's enough money to make the choice of our trustees an important decision. I intend to continue to "fight the good fight" to get this trustee recalled. Her behavior through this experience has made my desire to see her recalled as quickly as possible more intense.

I'll keep you updated as things progress. If anyone has any suggestions... short of retaining an attorney, let me know.

- ND