Article Courtesy of TV
Channel 8 On Your Side
By Ryan Hughes
Published October 26, 2020
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RUSKIN — Belmont is a sprawling community of new homes in South Hillsborough
County. If you zero in on one home on Ivory Drive, you’ll see an American flag
flying above another flag with three words.
Those three words have caused quite the stir.
“The first warning
came in August. They said I had to take my flag down, it was
in violation, the ‘Keep America Great’ flag,” homeowner
Melody Swonger told 8 On Your Side.
The homeowner’s association emailed the rules to Swonger. 8
On Your Side obtained a copy of an email written by Gabe
Wilson, the director of operations for MEA HOA Properties.
“Any homeowner may display one portable, removable United
States flag or official flag of the State of Florida in a
respectful manner and one portable, removable official flag
in a respectful manner, not larger than 4 1/2 feet by 6
feet, which represents the United States Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard or a POW-MIA flag,
regardless of any covenants, restrictions, bylaws, rules or
requirements of the association,” the email provided to 8 On
Your Side says. |
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To comply, Swonger said she took down the ‘Keep America Great’ flag. Then
she and her boyfriend drove around the neighborhood.
“And we saw that there were Cardinals flags up, Seminole flags, Other flags
in the yard,” she said.
8 On Your Side checked as well and noticed an array of flags at various
homes in Belmont.
“We put the flag back up, because if those flags are still up and they
haven’t taken those down – I told them I’d take mine down and be compliant
when those are taken down,” Swonger said. “They wrote me back and said they
gave 47 citations. They drove around twice a month and said I’m not the only
one being targeted. I said, why are these flags still up?”
8 On Your Side wanted to know as well. Reporter Ryan Hughes repeatedly
called and emailed Wilson, the director of operations. As of 3 p.m., we have
not yet received a response.
In the email to Swonger, Wilson said, “No one is targeting you. We are
contracted to tour the association twice a month. The board has us do this
once during the day and one [time] at night.”
Swonger explained she was also cited for hanging a political curtain in her
office.
Her neighbors do not understand the hoopla.
“You see Canadian flags, you see Israeli flags around here, you see sports
flags. You see American flags. I don’t see what’s wrong with seeing another
flag under the American flag,” Kim Chapman said.
Swonger believes she is being singled out for her support for President
Donald Trump. She said the HOA threatened to fine her $150 a day if the flag
does not come down.
She explained all she wants is consistency in her neighborhood.
“Make it the same way for everybody. If it’s one way for me, make it the
same way for the people the street over,” she said.
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