An independent source of news and commentary concerning Lake Holiday POA in Cross Junction, VA 
Dec 2006 - Issue 03/12
thesummitadvisor.com ... Links & Archive ... Bulletin Board

I've created a new email address, thesummitadvisor@yahoo.com, for property owners who want to communicate with me, Bill Masters, the proprietor of this site, on a more personable, one-on-one basis.  My goal is to make more property owners aware of the basic issues facing our community and to implement positive changes in the way our community governs itself.  While this is a formidable task if attempted by only a few, it can easily be accomplished with the support of many.

The bulletin board at thesummitadvisor.com continues to offer an open forum for discussion.  Based on recent postings, it's become apparent there are enough property owners who are tired of the secretive, deceptive, and extremely poor business practices of the Board.  These problems are magnified because many feel the Board is non-responsive and does not acknowledge these concerns.

Each and every board member should be aware of the major issues and decisions facing our community, but Chris Allison has often bypassed the board.  This was evident at the beginning of the 11/27 board meeting when several board members indicated they were not aware that M & S had voted Trust lots in the October election.  Allison has openly misrepresented the facts and down right lied at public meetings, yet the board members continue to subject themselves and our Association to his antics rather than remove him from the board.  For example, at the 11/27 meeting, other directors were making efforts to increase the information available to members, but Chris Allison convinced the board that he should be given more time to edit the confidentiality agreement he wants directors to sign.

Allison openly and frequently implies the huge legal costs are due to defending the Association from, and I quote, "animals."  I suggest that a proper investigation will establish that Allison has been the principal culprit of extreme and excessive use of legal counsel.  While President, Allison insisted that only he be allowed to contact legal counsel.  While Board rules state that only the President be permitted to communicate with counsel, Allison requested and the board agreed to allow him access to counsel on specific issues even after he was no longer President or even an officer!  When a motion was made by another board member at the 11/27 meeting to obtain a written legal opinion from Association attorneys with respect to the legality of M & S voting Trust lots in the October election, Allison stepped in to say that he would make contact with our attorney and show them why it was legal.  I'd say that's putting the fox in with the chickens. Our legal fees are now approaching $500,000.00 for the year to date, and these fees are so high because Allison has been handling the relationship with the attorney exclusively.

With regard to M&S voting Trust lots in the October election, Allison refuses to address the damage that the Association has and will be subjected to if these M&S votes stand.  Instead, he continues to insist they have the right to vote these lots.  He is ignoring information posted on LHCC's own website, stating that Trust lots were ineligible to vote.  The 1984 Settlement Agreement contains the following:

It is further agreed that Independence Land shall not be a member of Club nor shall it have any vote on the
affairs of the Club by reason of its ownership of Independence Land Property.

Based on a fair and accurate vote count, I would have been elected to the board had it not been for the illegal votes of M & S.  Far more important than my own election to the board is the fact that if M & S voting Trust lots is permitted to stand, our community will have no voting or decision making power far into the future.  If we do nothing now, we will have no ability to decide the course for our community.

I can not impress upon members the urgency that the Association holds every board member personally and financially responsible if they continue to allow Allison to remain on the Board.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and ignorance can not and will not be an acceptable justification if any board member does not gather independent and accurate information to make decisions.  To each and every board member, I'd like to remind you that your legal obligation is to each and every member you represent, not to a confidentiality agreement that hinders the free flow of information to members.

- Bill Masters

Note: An unedited draft of this post first appeared due to a file-naming error.  My apologies to those who found the text garbled.