Response to Excerpt from the FOCUS ~ Mary Gage

Sean you are exactly correct in all of your statements. It is people like you that we need on the board. We need to see open, honest people that understand what a community is all about, THE PEOPLE. I would like to state a few facts from events of just the past few days. This is how the board has used our resources, hence the reason they will eventually need a dues increase.

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Response to Focus article by Sean Mandaville

Reading the focus letter from the board I feel I must respond. Although I am not directly involved with the petition at this time, I do support it and have signed it. To answer your question, “My question to you is, how did a half dozen people with such hatred in their hearts for Diamondhead ever choose to live here?” I have not met anyone working on the petition or anyone who has signed  the petition that has hatred for Diamondhead. In fact these people love Diamondhead and desire to see it succeed. The people you are talking about care about Diamondhead and the property values for every property owner. Now you may have been able to say that these people are aggravated to a point that it came to a petition to remove the board and why is that. Well, I have that answer for you. Diamondhead is a great community and when you buy a home or lot in this community you are told how great it is and how well it is run. Then you go to a town hall meeting and you find out that the board hides the problems of this community because it would negatively affect people buying said property or lot in this community. Then you realize that the board has no desire to listen to the community who elected them to their position to represent our desires. Even worse you watch as the board stays on the same course that has proven over and over again to fail at fixing the problems Diamondhead has. So should property owners be aggravated about this – OF COURSE THEY SHOULD! They have made a huge investment only to find out they have been duped about the condition of the community and the true lack of effort to fix it.

Board members you got to ask this question and I have provided you a response. I would like you to answer the following questions for all property owners.

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Preparing for a mail-out

GM Buddy Hudson and several Board members are stuffing envelopes for their next mail-out.  Who is paying for the postage?  The Concerned Property Owners of Diamondhead paid $347.00 for stamps out of their own pockets for the membership to hear there side of the "Recall Issue".

Response to Board statement in FOCUS

To everyone in Diamondhead:

First of all if you have not read the latest Diamondhead Focus and have not seen the articles about the board and the article “What the Heck is Going On ?!?!” we wish you would read it.  It will help you to understand our following response.  

In response let me, Alan Thornton, and Mary Gage, address the issues in both articles. First of all I am not sure that we would describe ourselves as “highjackers“.  We would agree that we are residents that are gravely concerned about the direction and lack of wisdom that is holding Diamondhead hostage. But there are not just a few of us. There are many unhappy residents and the articles make this evident. No one in Diamondhead has ever told any property owner that they had to be an elected official or a long-term resident to have a vote or to voice an opinion as the article indicates.  No matter whether you have lived here one day or 100 years, if you are a current dues paying member, you have the same rights equally.  We are not “these people” we are residents and concerned citizens of Diamondhead and our future. An ethical and fair minded board with maturity would understand this.

In response to the next statement that “we finally have a General Manager with the strength and business acumen to run the daily business of Diamondhead and allow the board to make policy decisions” we must bring to light a few facts.  While bankruptcy is not a disqualification from employment, it is a strong indicator of financial irresponsibility. Public records show our current GM   filed chapter 7 in 2004 and filed chapter 13 in 2010.  As far as mentioning the issue of bankruptcy, this can all be attributed to the board’s actions and the GM’s invitation to research his background.      

 Suzzi, you are our board President.  Please do not refer to us as despicable people who only want to humiliate a person because of their misfortune.  Our biggest concern is the poor decisions of this board  and the impact it will have on all of the hard working residents of Diamondhead and protecting their investments.  The articles in the Focus, written on behalf of the board, attacks concerned residents, and that is despicable.  It is also deplorable when a GM (who is a Taekwondo black belt) tells a resident that he will deal with them one-on-one. How about chasing a resident to their home?  How about accusatory and unprofessional e-mails from curent board members to residents?  Does that sound like professional management? Is this a POA board that is steering the ship or one that is being led down a financially disastrous path?  Let us focus on the reason that brought us together.  We love our community and we hate to see deceitful bullies and incompetent people ruin our neighborhood.  The article is correct about one thing.  It is time for the madness to stop!  That is what we have been trying to do!!!  

Our areas of concern in your articles:

DUES INCOME:  It is written that if everyone paid, it is less than $800,000 per year.  Per the calculations as of June 27, 2013 - 1,107 lots were billed, 483 are current $263,235; homes 629 were billed 575 have paid for a total of $485,875 so as of June 27, 2013, we have already received $749,110.  However, if everyone paid the dues would be more like $1,134,820 not less than $800,000.  

FINANCES:  There has not been a financial statement provided to the residents per the by-laws in over a year.  The accounting firm you hired (another bad decision) failed to fulfill their obligation but our curiosity would be why? Were the books in that bad of shape?  Are they now suing us for $23,000?  Is it true there is not an employee experienced in Quick Books or accounting functions?    

First of all the computer system was locked up by our last GM in 2012.  The new computers were paid for in advance (to our GM’s friend) without board approval, more than $10,000.  The computer consultant -Jim Dalton- held us hostage for additional money (some $6,000). However, he agreed to accept $2,000.  He was not licensed to sell the software to operate these computers.  A current board member stated that the situation now is nothing but a mess.  Now the residents will have to pay for another bad decision by the board coupled with the fact that we now have to pay to clean up the mess. 

BY-LAWS COMMITTEE:  At the request of the community?????  Exactly where did a request for a new by-laws committee come from?  Where was it posted and how did this selection follow Roberts Rules of Order?   How did you notify the community so more could be involved in this decision?   Why did the five person committee consist of board members and/or spouses?  Would you consider this (per Roberts Rules of Order) a fair sampling of our community?  

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES:  The article stated the GM was hired and is now part time to save costs?  Is that the truth?  When in fact the GM was hired full time and he requested to go part time due to other obligations in his own business.  So, if not for this, he would be full time.  At the same token he saves money by using our POA office for his personal business.  

DUES:  An increase in dues is coming!   The article stated their plans are to raise your dues which is repeated at every town hall meeting.  Increased POA dues will do nothing but hurt this community and our property values.  

We speak for the silent majority who feel that we need transparency (which we have not had) and clarification on where our money is spent.  Closed door meetings do nothing but breed dictatorial actions and view points.  It draws a line in the sand between you and me.  Diamondhead is our neighborhood.  Our committees are in place to convey to the board what we as residents desire.  We the residents are the main governing body.  The board is in place at our will to improve Diamondhead, not to dictate but to listen.   

We are not children who can be intimidated and bullied or sit by silently while you destroy our community.  This is our home and we will defend it and make it better!  

We can not thank the people of Diamondhead enough for the unbelievable outpouring of support and donations!  We thank each and every one of you for the signed petitions and proxies.  It is because of your support that we can look forward to a better community.  Please continue to support your community and let’s not allow apathy to destroy us.  Please stay involved and voice your opinion.  Mail in your petitions and proxies and let’s all rebuild our community!!!

Your concerned neighbors,  

Alan Thornton and Mary Gage

Excerpt from the FOCUS

The following article was copied directly from the FOCUS as printed and passed out to the membership.

What the heck is going on ?!?!?

Have you checked you mail lately and wondered What the heck is going on?  We so have we.  It seems our community of 1100 owners is being hijacked by a few disgruntled residents.  These people have either never been elected, been removed from the board for cause, resigned when things didn't go their way, or have not lived here long enough to be a candidate.

We finally have a General Manager with strength and business acumen to run the daily business of Diamondhead and allow the Board to make policy decisions as it should.  It is the responsibility of the Board to set the budget for the entire facility and the General Manager and his department managers to adhere to the overall spending for the year.  Our volunteers have long been the backbone of our community, but committees function as recommending bodies, not as the governing body.  You elected board members to oversee all of Diamondhead, not just individual sections.  Many times the committees don't have the whole pictures, the Board and the GM do.

The dues income, if everyone paid, is less than $800,000/year.  And yet we are still able to hire quality employees that are dedicated to their jobs and the wellbeing of the community.

My question to you is, how did a half dozen people with such hatred in their hearts for Diamondhead ever choose to live here?

It is time to stop the madness.  Exercise your voting rights.  Allow the Board to do its job and keep Diamondhead a place we all want to come home to.