Article Courtesy of The Sun-Herald Tribune
Published July 30, 2005

DEEP CREEK -- Lee Dunn will be attending tonight's "town hall" meeting of the Deep Creek Section 20 Property Owners Association.

He will not be attending the meeting as its manager, however. His contract was terminated by the association's new board.

"I will be another homeowner to hear what they have to say," Dunn said Monday. The meeting itself is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County, 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte.

Dunn's termination comes two weeks after Kim Jakubaitis, Michael Della Camera and Mike Brown assumed their seats as directors. The trio had fought to be recognized as the lawfully elected directors of the association since December 2004, the last election for directors the association held.

A state arbitrator with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation overturned the association's 2004 election for irregularities and declared Jakubaitis, Camera and Brown the winners. The decision, issued July 6, called for the association to install all three as directors immediately, but they actually have been acting as board members for two weeks.

Jakubaitis, who now serves as the association's president, said the details of Dunn's dismissal will be explained tonight by Brian Beason. Beason is the attorney who represented Jakubaitis's complaint with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and who now represents the Section 20 association.

The overall reason for Dunn's dismissal, Jakubaitis said, was breach of contract, partly due to his role in the overturned election.

"I expected it," Dunn said of his dismissal. "They pointed out all along they intended to get rid of me."

According to his contract, Dunn earns $45,000 annually and is entitled to an additional $30,000, described as an "inducement" for signing the contract. His contract ran until 2009.

The meeting will address other issues, and Jakubaitis said it's her intention to update the property owners on the "state of the association."

"Reaction has been good," she said of her first two weeks in office. "I haven't heard any problems."

The meeting also offers members the opportunity to submit their names to run as directors in the next election. Unlike the December 2004 election, Jakubaitis said a nominating committee, which is required in the association's bylaws, will review the potential candidates.