To the Homeowners of
SOUTHCHASE PARCEL 45, ORLANDO, FLORIDA. 

It's Time for a Change !
By Stephen Cluney

 
             You are probably all aware that there was a recent attempt to remove the current board of directors.  Late this summer, a group of your neighbors got together to make a change.  Many homeowners were dissatisfied with the current board of directors.  Some were totally disgusted and were thinking about dissolving the association.  BUT, most felt that was not the answer.  After long and meaningful discussions, it became very clear that a change in your association directors was definitely necessary.   So your neighbors decided to strive for a Special Meeting to ask for a Recall/Removal of the current board of directors as provided for in our Homeowners’ association documents and Florida Statutes. 
             Dedicated volunteers went door to door and received signatures for a petition and proxies from over 200 homeowners in order to remove the board.  Between the proxies and the homeowners present at the Special Meeting, the call for the board’s removal had almost 300 votes.  Unfortunately due to a few technicalities and honest mistakes, three unnecessary and costly lawsuits were issued against some of the homeowners listed below by the “Association” (aka, the current board of directors).  This letter and the Special Meeting scheduled on Monday, November 19, 2001 for recall and election are part of the resolution to dismiss the lawsuits, and the voting procedure must now be redone.
            The five homeowners seeking to replace the current board of directors with the help of you and your neighbors are, Valerie Rutherford, Judith Garcia, Kathleen Ghanem, Roger Ellis and Stephen Cluney.  They would like to see a positive change here in Southchase 45 to benefit the community.   A Homeowners’ Association should be more than just collecting dues and handing out violation letters.  REMEMBER, this is your community, not just five board members and a management company.
            Over $160,000 is collected each year from dues.  Where is it all going?  One very important issue is to conduct a financial audit.  An audit is necessary to protect the general membership from the possibility of mistakes or mishandling of funds by those with the power to do so.  At the present time the President and treasurer are the same person.  That shouldn’t be. The board has a fiduciary duty to the association and its members.   An audit has not been conducted in over 6 years. IT IS TIME!
            The current board has prohibited some homeowners from flying the American flag (going as far as fining them).   We feel that the recent restrictions passed by the present board should be abolished due to the current world crises.  If we are elected to the board of directors we will immediately change this rule.   At this point in time if you wish to show your patriotism, you should be able to fly the American Flag in a respectable manner, and without getting approval from the ARB or the board of directors.
 Southchase 45 is lacking a community atmosphere.  The park should be the focal point for our community where functions such as community days, parties, and other activities could be held.  But the park needs many repairs and upgrades so that you and your family can enjoy it.  The common areas along Wetherbee, Bohannon and Sir Winston are not being maintained properly.  The brick walls are in disrepair and in desperate need of power washing.  The walls are falling apart in over 40 areas, where bricks are coming loose or even missing.  All this lessens the attractiveness of your community and may adversely affect the marketability and property values of the homes here.
            The new board if elected will take care of association business efficiently and effectively, to include establishing a web site for obtaining information about our community. We are committed to open meetings, open records, financial checks, FAIR Enforcement of the C&R and bylaws, and in accordance with state statute the homeowners will have the right to attend and record the meetings. 
 
WE ARE DEDICATED AND ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT WORKING FOR THE HOMEOWNERS TO MAKE SOUTHCHASE 45 A COMMUNITY TO BE PROUD OF! IF ALL THAT WE HAVE SAID IS TO BECOME A REALITY…
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND VOTE!!
For comments or if you want to help,
please click here to send e-mail to Stephen Cluney !
        The Special Meeting will be on Nov. 19, 2001,  at 7pm