Write-ins seek to wrest control in neighborhood
Article Courtesy of The Dallas/Fort Worth Star-Telegram

 
Posted on Tue, Sep. 17, 2002
Jessica Deleon
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Two residents are each claiming to be the president of the Park Glen Neighborhood Association.

Two sets of ballots have been delivered to homeowners.

Two write-in candidates for the top offices declared themselves winners after a vote count Thursday.

But the north Fort Worth association postponed its general-membership meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday, when votes from its annual election are usually counted.

The two write-in candidates, who say they are dissatisfied with the board's interpretations of deed restrictions, had their own meeting Thursday night outside Park Glen Elementary School, during which they counted the ballots they had solicited and declared themselves the president and the vice president of the association.

The two -- James Cox, a one-year resident who is claiming the presidency, and Mike Quinonez, an eight-year resident who is claiming the vice presidency -- said they had 404 votes each.

But Joe Yates, the current president, said the association won't recognize that meeting.

"I'm not sure what they had, but it was not an official meeting of Park Glen," he said. "And I'm just really sorry they chose to pursue this hostile takeover attempt [ rather] than to work with us in a fair election in November." The association has tentatively rescheduled the election for Nov. 16, depending on whether it can find a proper polling site that day.

Cox and Quinonez said their platform is based on their belief that the deed restrictions need clarification. They said the board has imposed restrictions on sheds, aboveground pools and flagpoles that are not in the bylaws.

Cox said they are focusing on change, not the election process.

"It's more about shaking up the whole way the neighborhood association is being run," he said. Yates, who originally planned to step down as president after his term and run for secretary of the association, said that the deed restrictions have gray areas and that the board is working to clear them up.

About 30 people -- residents who were wondering what was going on and supporters of Cox and Quinonez -- came to the meeting Thursday.

One supporter, Pat Snyder, said he had received letters from the management company about his shed and wrought-iron fence. He said his real estate agent never told him that Park Glen was a deed-restricted neighborhood.

"I'm all for this," he said. "I'm glad someone's coming out and making an effort."

But others, like Bill Froust, questioned the procedures used by Cox and Quinonez, who had two volunteers count votes, sealed the ballots in an envelope and gave them to another resident to keep.

"I lived here for six years, and I had no problem with the board," he said. "This is an interesting way to hold an election."


 
This definitely sent the old board scrambling! 
They even postponed the scheduled Annual Meeting!
Click here to see the official Park Glen Neighborhood Association WebPages!