The unrest among homeowners in the St. Augustine Shores is growing. As you can see from the two newspaper articles it's not only the factual problem about maintenance problems and the so-called green belts, it's especially the way the board president Terry Brannon treats the homeowners with an iron fist. Remarks like (quote) : "This is not a democracy; this is a board meeting." definitely doesn't help to calm down the emotions. And eliminating free speech, especially that of his opponents, will not lead to a peaceful solution. It seems that Terry Brannon is relying more on the power of his office as president of the association, which comes with the advantage of having the association dues and big law-firms to back him up than the support of his fellow home owners, which he seems to be losing more and more. 
His opponents circulated a Flyer demanding his Resignation at yesterday's meeting, otherwise threatening with a recall action as provided in the Florida Statutes and the bylaws.
And the Petition for the Recall ( Print-Ready ) is ready as well.
It doesn't look like many homeowners in the St. Augustine Shores take too kindly to dictatorial methods of the board. The fight seems to be going on - stronger than before!

A meeting of the St. Augustine Shores Service Corp. dissolved Thursday night into a crowd of angry residents dissatisfied with how their neighborhood looks and is managed.

Nearly 200 Shores residents crowded the meeting hall at The Riverview Club on Christina Drive for the board's monthly business meeting.

The meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m., did not begin until 7:20. And while Board President Terry Brannon told residents that the board, once finished with business, would welcome public comment until 9 p.m., the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 with two names left on the list of speakers. Brannon said those two disrupted last month's meeting and were not being allowed to speak because of that. He also said security was leaving, which meant the board had to leave as well. The crowd booed, hissed and hollered. "Let them speak," said resident Leo Ofarrel. "This is supposed to be a democracy." Brannon replied: "This is not a democracy; this is a board meeting." Brannon several times paused the meeting and asked residents to quiet down.

Alan Mills, left, expresses his opinion at a St. Augustine Shores board meeting Thursday evening at the Riverview Club. John W. Faulk is seated at right.  By RALPH D. PRIDDY, Staff

The public outcry during and after the meeting centered on issues raised both at last month's meeting and in a paid advertisement and letter to the editor in The St. Augustine Record.

The managing of greenbelts -- strips of land owned by the corporation that typically border private homes -- was one issue of concern.

Residents say the greenbelts are turning into unsightly lots of vines and vegetation encroaching on their property and have become breeding grounds for snakes and rats.

Brannon said the greenbelts are being allowed to return to their natural state.

"Those lots are going to be restored to our natural vegetation," he said.

Cries of outrage issued from residents.

Beatrice Racicot told the board, "That's what you're building up to in our community -- you're making it ugly."

Many residents said they would be willing to volunteer to clean up the greenbelts around their property.

But Brannon told them that there was a difference between cleaning a greenbelt and trying to extend the boundaries of their own property.

Earlier, Ofarrel had stood to speak and told the board, "There should be harmony in this community, and I don't think you guys are cutting it."

Ofarrel said letting the greenbelts return to native vegetative states will lower property values.

"If property values go down, you guys have to answer," he said.

Matt Conlon said he recently moved back into the neighborhood and has almost been robbed. He also mentioned newspaper articles about drug busts in the area.

"What I found in this community horrified me," he said.

Conlon said he did not blame the board for the problems, instead pointing at years of ineffective management.

However, he said, "If you can't handle it, then step down."

One of the men not allowed to speak Thursday night was resident John Geiszler. Brannon last month had called the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office to remove Geiszler from the meeting.

No one was arrested that night.

Thursday, Geiszler said he was upset that everyone who wanted to speak was not allowed to do so.

"It appears that this meeting was terminated for the benefit of the president," he said.

A list with the names of residents wishing to speak was handed to Brannon at the beginning of the meeting. Once agenda items were discussed, Brannon opened the meeting for public comment.

Brannon took several moments between speakers to look at the list before calling someone else to the microphone.

County Commissioner Marc Jacalone also attended the meeting, saying he had heard about recent controversies and that he was "here to learn tonight."

Jacalone also took issue with a statement made by Brannon about the county's Road and Bridge Department not responding to calls for needed repairs in the area.

"I am personally aware of it (the department) doing work here," he said.

Brannon replied that the department had not responded to repeated requests about stop signs falling down or rusting and leaning.

Residents also expressed concern over maintenance requests not being fulfilled on time or at all and the way in which the board disseminates information discussed at meetings.