POA votes not to cast ballots on empty lots

There was applause in the board room Thursday when the POA Board of Directors decided not to cast votes on the 587 lots owned by the association in the upcoming May election.

The discussion began at April 10's work session when General Manager Tommy Bailey said the association cast votes as the owner of empty lots in the 2004 election. That was also an assessment increase and failed.

The ballots have been mailed for the election that will include an assessment increase as well as four seats on the board. According to governing documents, all lot's owners "in good standing" receive one vote per lot. The association owns lots that were delinquent on assessments and taken in for back payment. But the association doesn't pay assessments to itself on lots it owns, Bailey said at the work session.

Chairman Charlie Teal moved the discussion of the association-owned lots to the top of the agenda, before the open forum, explaining the board already received feedback from members who didn't like the idea.

Board member Mike Erixon made the motion to refrain from voting the lots because, he said, members seemed to suspect something underhanded.

"It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game," he quoted.

After the vote, several members spoke at the regularly scheduled open forum to support the decision. It was the first time in several months that members had spoken during the open forum.

Other issues brought up at the work session were revisited at the board meeting, including the large monument signs along Highway 71 that were removed recently.

Board member Dave Barfield asked Bailey why there were no drawings of replacement signs ready for consideration.

Bailey said he has spoken with companies the association has worked with in the past, but he needs the board to approve spending money on drawings. He said the board had agreed to his approach at the work session.

Barfield said sign companies would be willing to respond without requiring payment up front. An architect is probably not necessary to design a sign and the project should be completed as quickly as possible, he said.

Chuck Wipf, an engineer from Crafton Tull, was at the work session to present a 10-year plan to replace bridges on several golf courses. He said the bridge near Berksdale hole 18 should be first because of flooding damage and it's not safe for the heavy equipment that occasionally uses it.

Conceding a new bridge might have a design that might better withstand flood damage, board member Brad Morris asked for an estimate to repair the bridge. Bailey said repairs are usually almost as costly, but agreed to get the estimate.

Finally, the board approved the first reading of three policies. Two policies, one to allow the Rules and Regulations Committee to renumber policies and another to allow staff at Riordan Hall to issue temporary parking permits, were termed "housekeeping." The third policy gives the board the authority to approve all employment contracts.

Erixon, the chair of the Rules and Regulations Committee, said his committee is still working on a policy concerning opening bids. Earlier this month, the committee approved a policy that said a board member should be involved when bids are opened, but Bailey said, at the work session, that the bidding process is strictly operational.

General News on 04/23/2014