SAVE OUR PARK AND TRAIL SYSTEM?

What are we saving our Natural Parks from? Being Natural? Are those pesky gophers massing at Carmelita Pond along with the 101^st Airborne Mallards for a full on sneak attack? ROFLOL (rolling on floor laughing out loud)

If we go along with one outspoken director’s opinion that the P&E trails belong to the community and the association has a right to govern them then if you have a P&E easement on your property this is what I suggest.

You should figure out what percent of your total acreage is easement and send the association a bill for the percentage of taxes you paid for that easement. Also if you receive a citation from Cal Fire or Mariposa Fire for not clearing the brush on that easement you should also send that bill to the Association for payment. If the brush needs clearing contact the association and have them come clear it at their expense.

Sounds pretty ridiculous doesn’t it? Got your attention didn’t I?

OK here is how it lays out without the usual Chicken Little approach.

Of the roughly 85-100 miles of trails in the subdivision only about 10 miles (trails on our park sites) total actually belongs to the Assn, the rest belong to the members that have recorded P&E trail easements on their property. The enforcement of the ordinances on the P&E Trails is the responsibility of the respective counties.

The counties have the power to make adjustments (variances) regarding all easements and have done so many times.

I agree that the counties should enforce their own ordinances.

I don’t agree that the association should try to enforce county ordinances nor should it get involved in any issues regarding easements disputes between members. That is something for the courts to decide.

Sean Keefe

Lake Don Pedro Owners Association Board of Directors

I grew up at the Hacienda as a child and have been a part of this wonderful community for over forty years, both as a property owner and as a real estate broker. I am extremely disheartened and offended by the Board's decision to publish an extremely cruel and malicious cartoon of a fellow property owner and businessman, Tom Porter in the May issue of the "new" Discoverer.

I have never witnessed such irresponsible and juvenile behavior by any Board that has served the citizens of our community. I believe your collective lack of good judgment, common courtesy and taste has placed our entire membership in legal jeopardy.

When is it appropriate for an owner's association, or anyone, to attack one of their neighbors with malice and forethought? I have to ask the serious question whether any of our Board members possess the moral compass or good judgment to have seen how terribly wrong their editorial decision was. You should all be ashamed of yourselves


Mr. Porter did, in fact, donate the expensive sign for our children's high school. He also provided high quality jobs for our neighbors, built custom homes, when he could have filled our subdivision with eight hundred square feet manufactured homes, and invested over $20 million dollars into renovating our long deserted golf course into something we can all enjoy and be proud of.

I could continue to tell you of school scholarships and generous donations to almost any good cause in our community. Mr. Porter also served his country as a proud member of our armed services. I find this boards treatment of Mr. Porter to be completely unacceptable by any standard of common decency. I know the good citizens of our thoughtful community would never condone this mean-spirited, pitiful excuse for humor that some of our Association Board members seem to find humorous. I believe you owe a collective apology to Mr. Porter and our community.

Due to my obvious strong, philosophical differences with this Board's editorial responsibilities, I can no longer in good conscience continue to support the "new" Discoverer with my advertising dollars.

Harry Alfier

Lake Don Pedro Realty