ROCC Meeting November 9, 2009

About six residents attended the meeting. Two or three were there concerning missing or nonfunctioning gas lights. (Just as an aside, these things have been a problem for a long time. Why doesn't the board just step in and repair them. I don't think anybody has looked at the cost. It could be minimal.)

Here are some other topics that came up at the Monday 11/9 meeting:

(1) I described my encounter with the Golf Course owner. One board member asked me why I was continuing to walk the path and enrage (or some such term) the golf course.

My answer was, because I want to demonstrate that we have not surrendered our access to the bike path. And as for the threat that I could be arrested for trespassing, I addressed that and, since some of you expressed concern for me, I will explain my reasoning in a separate email. But for now I will just say that a resident at the meeting understands what I am doing and said, "Let him get arrested, I'll pay the fine". Well, we will split the fine.

(2) We hope to meet soon with the ROCC lawyer to compose a letter that says, because the bike path is on many resident's property, residents will continue to use the bike path. I have also been thinking, rather than just that letter, maybe we should ask the lawyer how to best leverage this ownership to our advantage.

(3) I asked some questions to get a better understanding of how the January 11 election will be conducted. I am concerned about how difficult it could be to get votes cast for our candidates. The only way for a resident to cast a vote for any candidate is for that resident to attend the January 11 meeting and cast their ballot.

If they cannot attend the meeting they can mail in a proxy BUT the proxy can ONLY be assigned to the board president or another board member. A resident cannot vote another resident's proxy. Since in a typical election, very few people show up to vote, the board typically has enough proxies to carry the election their way.

(4) I asked how a person becomes a candidate. There was some discussion about the person providing the president a written description of capabilities, etc. I pointed out that it sounded like the board controlled the candidates. The letter requirement was withdrawn. I said I want to be a candidate and would have two more candidates to run for the three open positions.

(5) Gene Zambarda expressed interest in being appointed to an open board
position. This position would not be one of those to be filled in the next
election, it extends for another year. In my opinion, Gene is an ideal
candidate. He and I have discussed many Ransom Oaks issues, from enhancing
the appearance of our area to the bike path. He has the time, the initiative, and the ability to become a real asset to Ransom Oaks. We may need a demonstration of support by us to get him on the board. I may have to call on you all in the future to help make this happen.

Pete

I Met the Golf Course Owner Yesterday and He Wasn't Very Nice

Well, I was walking the bike path yesterday. I take a route that follows sections that are owned by residents. There was a crew removing leaves and one of the men informed me that the bike path was closed. I told him that we had been informed by the golf course lawyer that we could use the bikepath (as long as there were no golfers and I didn't see a single one that day). He told me to take it up with the owner and pointed to a man further down the path.

I walked that way and he shut off his leave blower and told me the bike path was closed. I told him the same thing I had told the employee, your lawyer informed us we could use the bike path. He denied it saying he talks to his lawyer everyday and the lawyer never said that.

There was more conversation including his asking me if I was "Pete", to which I replied in the affirmative.

He also said he would have me arrested for trespassing.
I informed him that he didn't own the bike path.
He said he did.
I said we have the survey.
He said he has the survey.
He said he has easements.
I could have said the easements (where ever he may have them) may give him rights to use the bike path but they do not give him the right to exclude others but by then he restarted his leaf blower so I went my way.

And so it goes.

Pete