LET'S SHOOT THE MESSENGER -- IT'S HIS FAULT!
Another
Flyer from Majestic Oaks Homeowners' Association |
YOU STATE HOW THE BOARD MISREPRESENTED OUR COVENANT TO THE NEWS
MEDIA. THE BOARD (BOB WATSON) WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR
GOING TO THE MEDIA.
I USED TO BE PROUD TO SAY I LIVE IN MAJESTIC OAKS, HOWEVER
AFTER THE PAST WEEK, I AM ASHAMED TO SAY I LIVE HERE. YOU
HAVE MADE US THE LAUGHING STOCK OF OCALA. FROM WHAT I
UNDERSTAND, PRIOR TO MR. WATSON TAKING OVER AS PRESIDENT, THINGS
WERE VERY UNPLEASANT AROUND HERE. HE SINCERELY CARES ABOUT
THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE HERE AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY DESIRABLE AND
FRIENDLY PLACE TO RESIDE. MR. WATSON STOOD UP FOR THE
RESIDENTS OF 89TH STREET WHEN A DEVELOPER WANTED TO BREAK
THROUGH THE STREET, HE RIDES THE CITIZENS PATROL, HE WEEDS THE
GARDENS BY THE ENTRANCES AND REPLACES DAMAGED SIGNS; AND THAT IS
ONLY A FEW THINGS THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE WITNESSED. DO ANY
OF YOU FOLKS DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS?
YOU HAVE DAMAGED THE REPUTATION OF A VERY FINE AND RESPECTED
MAN. THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED IN HOUSE.
INSTEAD, YOU TOOK IT UPON YOURSELVES TO GO TO THE MEDIA TO SOLVE
A PROBLEM WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT.
DID YOU EVER CONSIDER THE FALLOUT AFTER THE STAR BANNER MADE
US HEADLINES? FOR EXAMPLE, LOCAL REALTORS NOW DO NOT SHOW AS
MANY HOMES IN OUR DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE PERSPECTIVE BUYERS DO NOT
WANT TO BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD
YOU ARE AFFECTING, AND IT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR
PROPERTY VALUES.
IF YOU WANT TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA THERE
ARE MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO, DISRUPTING OUR WAY OF LIFE SHOULD
NOT BE ONE OF THEM.
YOUR INTENDED ACTIONS ARE TOTALLY OFF BASE AND UNNECESSARY.
|
An
Opinion By
Jan Bergemann
Published
September 13, 2005
It
seems quite some people have warped minds. The above flyer suggests that
the people who mailed out the initial flyer, disallowing residents to take
in evacuees, are not to blame for the story that made national headlines!
In their opinion, it's the messenger who is to blame that the community
now has a very black eye.
Actually,
we heard this nonsense before, when Vice President Audrey Watson said the
board's action was "blown out of proportion" and that she
apologized only for it gaining media attention.
Obviously,
board members don't seem to be very much in favor of freedom of press. A
reporter of the Ocala Star Banner found that out when she tried to cover
last Tuesday's board meeting. President Robert Watson took her outside --
the meeting took place in a room of the public library -- and laid down
his "ground rules" of reporting about board meetings of the
Majestic Oaks Homeowners' Association.
Lets
face it: The board made the mistakes -- and nobody else is to blame for
it!
-
The
board obviously misinterpreted their own governing documents. Nothing
in the deed restrictions would make taking in evacuees a violation --
as stated in the original flyer.
-
The
flyer was signed with: "Board of Directors."
Obviously, not all directors were informed. Was it "assumed"
that all directors agreed?
-
If
the people in charge would have bothered to read the Florida Statutes
regulating homeowners' associations, they would have realized that
decisions like sending out such a flyer should have been discussed in
a public board meeting. The board took it upon themselves, making
decisions in private conversations!
I
had in my office a sign saying: "Switch on brain before opening
mouth!" I guess that reminder might have as well helped in this
case?
We
see again the fairy tale of the negative impact on the property values
mentioned. We see it used as excuse for anything that goes wrong --
and boards try to keep it secret. Many things went wrong in Majestic
Oaks -- caused by the board of directors -- nobody else!
But,
as usual, it's easier to shoot the messenger than finding the blame with
the people who are really at fault. If you make mistakes, admit to it --
and don't blame others. I know it's more convenient than suffering the
consequences -- but it's definitely not right!
It's
not about being a good guy, or weeding the gardens. It's about a decision
that the president made -- which was plainly off the wall. It was his
decision that may have ruined his reputation, not the actions of the guys
who made his decision public.
And
if he is such a "good guy," as the writer of the above flyer
claims, he would have long resigned to save his community from getting
more black eyes. "Good guys" know when they have made
mistakes -- and don't let a whole community suffer the consequences.
According
to Public Record this is the board of Directors of the Association:
Name |
Title |
Telephone
Number |
Robert Watson |
President |
(352) 291-1515 |
Audrey Andrews |
Vice President |
(352) 237-7086 |
Merrill Theviot |
Treasurer |
(352) 873-0772 |
Ruby Montgomery |
Secretary |
(352) 854-8933 |
Bob Walsh |
Director |
(352) 861-8177 |
Lou Colaianni |
Director |
RESIGNED |
Christine Beers |
Director |
RESIGNED |
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