Mr. Porter, Tri-fold, Vicki?

What do these three things have in common? Everything and Nothing!!!

First, thank you Mr. Porter for opening the country club and golf course. I have been thoroughly enjoying the gym and pool. I'm not a golfer. And I've enjoyed your fine restaurant with family and friends. I will miss them.

The tri-fold, well were to start, first I was chairperson of A.C.C. until April of this year. Having gone over the tri-fold many times, yes I have a copy; there are only a few things that the A.C.C. did not go along with when I was chairperson.
1. Making people have to scale drawing of their project.
2. Did not require members in Tuolumne to put in a request for tree removal, it's not in their C.C.&R.'s.
3. Did not require members to put in a request to burn on their property.
4. We also did not require 16" eaves on any structure.

What we did do was require members when asking to put up metal buildings for a drawing of size and placement on property. At which time, I would go to the site and check if it would interfere with the appearance, view from road, or just stand out to much in the area.

This is the only real changes that the A.C.C. did. If the building was to be constructed of wood we pretty much accepted it with county approval was ever it was placed, no one is guaranteed a view here. Also, since one and a half pages (of the tri-fold) was for violations the A.C.C. turned them over to that committee. That is the extent of changes.

It is true Vicki gets very passionate about her beliefs and thoughts. She will go after a project with everything she has. And when she truly believes in something she has a hard time letting go. She has a vested interest in this area as a property owner and member, just like a lot of us here. Her energy and personality is not liked by some people in the area; especially insecure males who have beliefs of women have a place and it's not in the work place or any other businesses. Vicki has some great ideas for solutions with the LDPCSD.

I have an idea about charging everyone the same monthly fee including those lots that have not been built upon yet, instead of a yearly stand by fee.

From what I have heard about Jason he has already saved the water department a great deal of money, make him GM. In the past, before Kent there was a woman GM who did not work out in the field.

This much I know about Vicki, she will exhaust herself working for all the members whether it is appreciated or not. We do not always agree on things and I do not hesitate to tell her this.

I do know she has never lied to the members.

Mary Brown

STFU (Shut the FOOL Up)

HOW THE MANAGEMENT QUIT!!!

This is to inform all members as to the real reason the management quit LDPOA. It was because of Clem Brown, Vicki Keefe, and Ken Kennedy. Miss Lucy didn't care about the members or what they thought.

Some information, when Vicki was Treasurer she was denied access to the accounting records of this association. When Vicki was president and the board at that time had an open seat Vicki, Harding, Cummings, Ken and Carolyn voted to accept Clem on the board. He was then nominated for Treasurer.

When Ron was still president members started coming to meetings who live out of the area, to complain about unjustified charges being made to them from a company called ALS. Clem, as a private member, talked to each of these members after the meetings and kept in touch with them and there situation.

To be fair Miss Lucy stated in her letter that it was because of members, but this is not true.

When Clem started digging into the records, he found a lot of problems in the book work and the actions of ALS and TMA. ALS was hired by TMA, Miss Lucy. This checking was done with the complete knowledge of Vicki and Ken.

There was a court case in L.A. against ALS and one of our members was in touch with these lawyers, and was testifying against ALS and there practices. They called Clem and subpoenaed him to testify. He agreed and when he received his subpoena TMA resigned.

You see she was accepting $100.00 for every case she turned over to ALS for collection. Finder fees. Unfortunately, the case was a draw with neither sides winning. If they had won there case against ALS we LDPOA could have gone after ALS for the money we paid them and help all members with what ALS had charged them.

Also FYI, we had the management monthly fees for 8 months of Vicki's being president. So with all the spending for that year which included all 12 months of a management company; the board was able to save over $20,000.00 to be put in the reserves. So our reserves started out $20,000.00 ahead with $5004.00 to be put in the reserves every month with the new budget.

This current board did not have that much left with 12 months of not having a management company. And they stopped putting money in the reserves as of Feb 2009, because they did pay the total insurance costs to Feb 2010. This does not explain the spending because we are talking about $20,000.00.

Were did all that extra money that was not sucked up by a management company go???

Mary Brown

Anonymous Said

Yes Lew we do sign our name as anonymous bacause, if we don't have the same out look on this community and life in general as you do, you will blast us on your blog. You seem to think you are the only one that has any idea of what is going on in this area, and you think you are always right. Well I got news for you.

By the way people used to put comments on your blog under fake names, What is good for the goose is good for the gander., You cannot stand someone else putting news out to the people on a different blog.I hope all absentees read this blog and read the trueth instead of believing just what you say.Is this freedom of speech or are you and Bill the only one that law applies too.

LDPOA member

CSD DIRECTORS GONE WILD

From my understanding the purpose of this “special meeting” on August 10^, 2009 is to censure Director Barton for his “Letter to the Editor” in the July issue of the Foothill Express.

I want to ask, what makes you god with ability to punish anyone for exercising his right to free speech?

Director Barton expresses his favoring of a recall of this board; I support that opinion 100%. This board has wasted so much time and energy on worthless pursuits. For example, this meeting today is a waste of District resources. Any censure at this meeting or at any time on this issue is a violation of rights to freedom of speech. Directors Barton and Punte only have the best interest of the District at heart. One director acts as if he doesn’t care about much and the other two only care about themselves, adding a feather in their cap, playing big shot and tooting their own horn.

You’ve managed to alienate one employee already with your hyjinks and exposed the District to a possible lawsuit. How many more employees will you alienate before you drive this district into the ground and force the State to take control? That will spell disaster for us all and the blame will be all yours.

Secondly, the Brown Act violations that occurred repeatedly at the meeting on Aug. 3rd are outrageous. I am seriously considering making a formal complaint to the Mariposa County District Attorney against Directors Marquette; Kinsella and Ross. It is time that the shenanigans come to a halt and you start conducting the board meetings in a dignified and professional manner.

It is quite obvious that you haven’t familiarized yourself with the Code of Ethics in the District’s Policies and Procedures. Policy Number 4010 in part:

4010.1.1 The dignity, style, values, and opinions of each Director shall be respected.

4010.1.2 Responsiveness and attentive listening in communication is encouraged.

4010.1.3 The needs of the District’s constituents should be the priority of the Board of Directors.

4010.1.4 The primary responsibility of the Board of Directors is the formulation and evaluation of policy. Routine matters concerning the operational aspects of the District are to be delegated to professional staff members of the District.

PS: It’s not your responsibility to act as GM. The district has a professional administrator responsible for the business operations of the District. LET HER DO HER JOB! It’s not your responsibility to oversee field operations. The District has a supervisor responsible for this. LET HIM DO HIS JOB!

4010.1.5 Directors should commit themselves to emphasizing the positive, avoiding double talk, hidden agendas, gossip, backbiting, and other negative forms of interaction.

PS: By my count, all five of these policies have been violated)

Basis of Authority

Policy number 4070

4070.1 The Board of Directors is the unit of authority within the District. Apart from his/her normal function as a part of this unit, Directors have no individual authority. As individuals, Directors may not commit the District to any policy, act, or expenditure.

(In short Directors Kinsella and Ross, unless you have consent from the board, voted and approved, you do not direct traffic or inject yourself into any of the operational duties of the District, field or office.)

Since this meeting is about censuring Director Barton, who is it that needs to be censured, I wonder? Directors do not censure other Directors. Gentlemen, it’s time to get off your high horse, settle down, familiarize yourself with policy and procedures, state code, Brown Act and start being a Director. As I stated earlier, this meeting is a waste of District resources and every ratepayer should be as outraged as I am.

I am stepping out of my comfort zone. I don’t like speaking in public or having my words become part of public record. But when it comes to an injustice I have a moral responsibility to speak up. This meeting and censure is an injustice to Director Barton, to the employees of the District and the community.

When it comes to an injustice I have a moral responsibility to speak up. This meeting and censure is an injustice to Director Barton, to the employees of the District and the community. I ask that the Directors responsible for this injustice put an end to this matter and make a public apology to Director Barton.

Jean Barclay

WATERBOARDING, DON PEDRO STYLE

Attending CSD Board meetings for the last 8 months has been a form of torture for any citizen who expects to see their elected officials to go about the community’s business in a professional and businesslike manner.

Three members of the current board have spent half their time criticizing the previous board for its alleged mistakes and the other half arguing with each other. Very little has been accomplished in the job they were elected to do: solve the District’s problems in the current economic climate.

The only potential solutions to the District’s financial situation to come from this Board have been offered by Director Barton, who has spent an enormous amount of time poring over the numbers. While I believe there are significant differences between running a small business and funding a public agency, I very much appreciate Barton’s efforts. The Board’s censure of him is ludicrous.

At one meeting there was a lengthy argument over whether or not to pursue grant or federal stimulus money. Director Ross said he didn’t believe in seeking grant money. Finance Officer Charise Reeves strongly advised the Board to do so, and she did develop and submit proposals. This is a poor attitude by Mr. Ross at a time when no stone should be left unturned.

More disturbing has been the development of a three member power bloc consisting of Directors Marquette, Ross and Kinsella, who seem to have outright contempt for the ideas of their colleagues, Barton and Punte. President Marquette allows the public ample opportunity to speak at meetings, which is good. But he also controls the agenda, not allowing anything to come before the board (and therefore the public) he doesn’t approve of. This practice stifles debate and creative thinking. Every idea deserves to be heard and considered; all five Board members are equal under the law and should be allowed to place items on any meeting agenda.

The Brown Act prohibition against ‘serial meetings’ has been violated repeatedly by these three who have obviously made plans behind the scenes to further their own agenda, particularly regarding the hiring of a new General Manager. Go ahead; ask them about their flip flopping plans for GM.

And what has happened to the concept of Public Relations? Emory Ross is the PR chairman, yet no newsletter has been produced and no articles have been published to inform the public of the Board’s thoughts, plans and activities, with the exception of a paid item in which Directors Kinsella and Ross commended themselves for directing traffic for the work crew (and I shudder to think of the liability risk to the District).

The message board sign reminding people of public meetings at the District office has been taken down, even after Supervisor Lyle Turpin, working with the county Public Works Dept. presented a possible solution to the sign violation problem.

Bottom line, this Board cares more about kicking sand in each other’s faces than the public interest. Though they may not believe it, I want this Board to succeed, as I would any Board, no matter which individuals won an election. I want them to educate themselves, do their homework, use the District engineers and attorney as resources, see the bigger picture, be more tolerant, learn the art of compromise, stop the childishness and get to work. If they don’t they should be recalled.

Ellie Duste