Letters and Opinions


If you would like to post a message and/or photo, please email opinions@QuailCall.com.  Lake San Marcos Community Association provides this forum to foster a robust dialog on issues important to the residents of Lake San Marcos.  Also please read the guidelines for publication.

________________________________________________________________________________

 


Does anyone remember when we had quite a variety of retail outlets like a full service grocery with fresh meat, liquor,  sub-post office, pharmacy, quality gift, a couple of  dress shops,  barber, women's hair solon, bakery, banks, full service filling station, etc?.  This was even before the Hunter Valley, Country Greens, Sunrise Pointe, The Colony, Lion's Gate, The Fairways, Panorama and Windsor Rose population increase. Due to lack of  community patronage, one by one,  all these business outlets folded except for LeeAnn's coffee shop because of outside competition.    
 
I never knew  what to think when a resident would  tell  me about driving over to Escondido to save two cents for a gallon of gasoline,  or to Von's to save three cents a pound on bananas. I wondered  what they did with the money they saved?.  Maybe it helped pay for their new cars, cruises, golfing etc??  WHY DO I BRINGTHIS UP?    
 
I noticed the new Lake San Marcos Salon and 'Spa that opened recently across La Bonita from the Quails Inn. I stopped in to say hello and asked them if they also cut men's hair. They couldn't take me immediately but gave me an appointment. My hair was cut so well it even pleased my wife. It is really a first class operation and I WONDER HOW MANY RESIDENTS WILL EVEN GIVE IT A TRY??  I talked to a customer who was there for a second time. I will also return. 
 
Hank Sanford
August 28, 2009

I have noticed that the golf course is not being cared for as in past years. I spoke with one of the maintenance men and was told that the maintenance staff has been cut back to 7. I have also noticed that it is not being watered much and things are looking more brown around the edges including a messy eucalyptus tree near my property. The drains are plugged with leaves and debris. I was told by a man from Vallecitos that Lake San Marcos golf course has it's own wells. I hope this trend doesn't continue because it will affect the beauty and quality of the Lake San Marcos community.
Also we were told that several of the streets in our community would be resurfaced this last spring. So far nothing is happening. This has been a big disappointment for our street which is probably the worst one in LSM.
And lastly, I think someone should check out the condition of the American Flag at the entrance on Lake San Marcos Drive. It is faded and torn at the top edge.
I was pleased to hear that the LSMCA Board has voted to establish the Lake San Marcos Community Foundation. Perhaps the foundation can address these concerns.
 
I would like to thank the volunteers on the Board of Directors for the time you give to help maintain our lovely community.
 
Judy Holston
1231 San Julian Pl
July 29, 2009



I too am saddened,  (May Quail Call Letters to the editor) however for different reasons.

 

 It saddens me that CDC is now controlling (dictating) who you can and who you cannot invite to enjoy a ride on your boat even though you are paying them $580 a year to keep it in the water.  What I don´t understand is why that is acceptable to some boatowners.

 

 It saddens me that CDC is controlling (dictating ) who can and who cannot belong to the clubs at the Lake.  You can join a club, you just can´t go to the meetings held in the Pavilion.  Aren´t they all?  Does that make any sense?

 

I remember when one of the clubs (Fishing and Casting, I believe) had a party at the Pavilion one New Year´s Eve. CDC, with Security stepped in and announced that they (F&C) could not serve the wine provided by the club, but instead had to purchase it from CDC as well as hire their servers.  As I understand it, it caused quite an uproar.  Another example of CDC using their intimidation methods to control.

 

I am saddened there are those who can´t  enjoy someone´s friendship without thinking, "Now, what street do they live on?"  I happen to think we have some pretty darn  nice people in the Fairways.   I find it hard to believe anyone would turn their back on friends because they live in the Fairways or Country Greens. 

 

Much has been made about "Lifestyle."   Before we moved to the Lake, we lived in Orange County and when we retired decided to downsize.  For three years we looked for a home that was:  one story,  about 10 years old,  between 17-1900 sq. ft., had a small yard (they don´t come any smaller than ours), 3 bedrooms (2 and a den, close enough), an inside laundry, an eat-in kitchen, and hopefully a vanity in the master bath.   I couldn´t believe our good fortune.  Everything we wanted was wrapped up in a neat package.  Even the price was right.  But I will tell you this3;.if this house had been in San Clemente, Capistrano, Dana Point, Oceanside, Carlsbad that´s where we would be today.  It was not the "Lifestyle" that brought us here, it was the house itself.  When our realtor pointed out the Rec Lodge and facilities,  we thought, "That´s nice," but it couldn´t have mattered less.   We were more than satisified with the Fairways pool.  All we wanted was a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, with nice people and that´s just we found at the Fairways.

 

   If "Lifestyle" had been our concern we could have moved to Leisure World, a gated community with over 200 clubs, 7 clubhouses, one of which is a theater, 5 pools, 36 hole golf course, stables, tennis and lawn bowling courts, library, art classes of every discipline, bridge  from sunup to sundown,  garden plots, RV storage lot,  Saddleback College Emeritus classes, a weekly newspaper that covers everything that happens, closed circuit TV channel,  mini-bus service to grocery stores, every major church,  a mall, doctor´s offices, and hospital right across the street.  Now that´s "Lifestyle." 

 

Some, who neither live in the Fairways nor Country Greens  seem to be making it a personal crusade to get involved in our business.  If I were living where they live my question to CDC would be, "What are you doing with the money I´m sending you every month3;..buying more rocks, wrought iron fences and tacky banners?"  La Jolla Developments "owns" the Lake.  Part of ownership is keeping up the property.  Instead they expect us, the residents, to do that and make the improvements too.  If we are dumb enough to do it, we deserve what we get.

 .

Jane Roletti

1315 Camino Lorado

May 11, 2009

The June Quail Call informs us that the County is going to do another car count of pass-through traffic on lower San Pablo. Happy as we are to hope that something will get accomplished through our community's hard work to keep this issue on the County radar, we have to question the wisdom of getting the car count AFTER Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College students have gone home for the summer--and San Marcos High School is about to do the same!

Anybody who lives on San Pablo knows these great institutions of learning are also creating a great deal of the pass-through traffic we experience. And anybody who's tried to pull out of their driveway when a student is late for class knows first hand the speed and fury of the driver because we got in their way to school.

But thank you to the Association and its Board for continuing to work on the traffic issues. We likely cannot stop traffic from cutting through these beautiful neighborhoods, but if we could get speed limits enforced, we'd all be a lot safer when they do cut through.

Carol and Felix Bonomo
"Lower" San Pablo Drive
May 30, 2009

 

In case do not know, I would like to inform the residents who live in Country Greens that Betty Furgeson the president belongs to the country club and as a member is able to use all the facilities, pool, tennis, pavilion, clubs, etc. So therefore, she is exempt from the CDC lease situation. It is obvious she does not care how the other residents feel since there was an overwhelming majority of residents that want to belong-

Darlene Rounsville
760-304-4176
May 26, 2009


Citizens Development Corporation has recently sent a letter to all of the clubs that use the Pavilion asking for a list of their members who live in either the Fairways or Country Greens HOA.  The Clubs have been instructed to contact those members and advise them that they cannot attend organization meetings held in the Pavilion as they are not leasees of the CDC, have paid no fees for the use and maintenance of the facilities, and are therefore banned from attending any functions held there.  The clubs are asked to police this and if found to be allowing residents of Fairways or Country Greens into their meetings, those clubs will lose the privilege of using it for their organization meetings.  Some of our clubs are going to lose some valuable members and that's sad.  I wish the residents of Fairways and Country Greens would get together and vote for new board members that would reflect the wishes of their communities.

Jacque Baker
April 9, 2009


I wish every homeowner in Lake San Marcos would make a practice of looking at the Quail Call and Quailcom.com on a regular basis.  Every homeowner in LSM and member of LSMCA should be aware of the objectives of the Quail Call publication and web site as you have presented in the response to my recent letter.  I agree with the Association objectives but feel that the LSMCA has not aggressively pursued the interests of the homeowners when there are disputes and when there are obvious violations of pool and spa regulations (see Virginia Graeme Baker Law) that could subject CDC to serious penalties for non compliance after 12/31/08.  The pool fences are also in violation of County Law,  I´ve observed that the hotel pools are also non-compliant;

I repeat that your publication has become more of an instrument of CDC than a publication that communicates our homeowners concerns and views.  Lastly, I will not consider myself a "TENANT" of CDC as long as our HOA has no lease and CDC can lock the gates whenever they choose if they think it´s legal.  The golf courses will be, or should be, self supporting.  They are open to public membership.  Our lease fees are not a factor.  We did not all "buy into this situation".  Many individual homeowners on San Pablo are not tenants because they did not (and do not) have leases and the homeowners in the Fairways did not because there was no existing lease.  Those in Country Greens had a lease that has expired.  They are not tenants.  They have no lease.  We applaud the LSMCA effort to support individual homeowner leases.  That would satisfy the majority of our homeowners.  If CDC made membership worthwhile, we might all decide to participate.  Paradise regained.

Dick Hartmann
Feb 25, 2009


What a delightful surprise to see the familiar faces of our former friendly wait staff at Gordon´s on the Greens, now under new management.  $10 Sunset Specials are served 4:30-6 PM from a menu of varied choices.   

We encourage residents to have lunch or dinner at Gordon´s. Let´s not risk the loss of this restaurant by taking it for granted.  Use it or lose it!

 

Marianne and Keith Plank

February 21, 2009

Response to Dick Hartman Letter to the Quail Call

By Bob Kreis, as a 14 year resident of Lake San Marcos, a Member of the Mall IV Property Owners Association, a past 6 year Board member of LSMCA and as Editor of the Quail Call.

The Quail Call was established by the Lake San Marcos Community Association in May, 2005. It stated it´s objectives in that issue.  They are reprinted below:

Lake San Marcos Community Association objectives are:

1. To represent Lake San Marcos in discussions and negotiations with county, city and state agencies and other organizations having influence or providing services to Lake San Marcos.

2. To maintain service agreements with Citizens Development Corporation and/or its successors.

3. To provide liaison with Citizens Development Corporation for operation of the recreation facilities in a manner that will appeal to all life styles, whether retired or working.

4. To augment enjoyment of the lake with an overview of maintenance and of lake water quality, the lake shore, the docks, the boat repair facility and the picnic grounds.

5. To maintain an Architectural Control Committee as provided in certain recorded Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R*s) and enforce the provisions of the CC&R*s.

6. To disseminate information and improve communication and understanding within the entire community.

7. To interface with the property owners and future developers of property within the lake and adjacent areas.

LSMCA has always had the policy of printing letters that it has received whether in praise or "critical"..  LSMCA has held meetings to learn and report both sides of the issue.  At one of the meetings facts and figures were presented by a member that home values are greater in Lake San Marcos as opposed to other comparable areas.  These were facts gleaned and verifiable from reliable sources, not claims.

The LSMCA filed a lawsuit vs. CDC in September, 2005 to define the responsibilities of CDC regarding the leases.  Mediation meetings were held in 2006.  An excerpt from the March, 2006 issue follows:

The LSMCA / CDC Lawsuit continues.  Defendants were not successful in a demurrer to the complaint alleging LSMCA did not have "standing" (the legal right to represent homeowners in a lawsuit).  The court ruled in our favor.  But, we are aggressively pursuing mediation.  We had a meeting with CDC February 16th and have one scheduled for February 28th.  We were able to discuss openly with CDC the problems and goals of LSMCA.  We pointed out to CDC that while they have a sizeable investment in the Lake San Marcos Community, it doesn´t even come close to the one billion two hundred million ($1,200,000,000) investment that ALL of the residents have in the community.  This investment represents the life savings of many of our residents and we will still be here even if CDC should go by the wayside.  We pointed out that it is in our best interests also, to have CDC continue in a professional and responsive manner to the residents.

This lawsuit was dismissed in July 2006 after CDC agreed to 16 items affecting the residents use and enjoyment of the recreation facilities.

Any party subject to a lease of a specifically described area of land encompassing the recreation area and the lake are certainly "tenants" of CDC who owns the land.  And, this I might add was known to everyone who purchased a home here whether in a HOA or as an individual. As a matter of law, CDC would be unable to develop a time-share on property you have leased from them.

The LSMCA has supported the option of HOA members having individual leases, but there is greater power in numbers and a collective group in a HOA would probably get better lease terms than an individual negotiating with CDC.

What is to prevent CDC from locking the gates to the recreation area and permitting only card carrying members to have access to the meeting rooms, the pools and the tennis courts?  Who would water , groom and maintain the golf course if CDC elected to or prevented  not do it?

Fortunately or unfortunately, however you might look at it, we all bought into this situation.  My previous "Letter of Opinion" was just that, no "scare" tactics were intended by me...just the facts.
 

Bob Kreis


I am very disappointed with the content of the last couple of issues of the Quail Call.  I thought

the LSM Community Association existed to represent the views of LSM homeowners and to

report on the ongoing activities of our social clubs.  It appears that this publication and the

Community Association have become instruments of Citizens Development Corp. (CDC) by

criticizing and shaming the boards of HOAs that resist signing Lake and Lodge leases instead

of presenting both sides of that issue.  Claims that home values will deteriorate, golf courses

will go to seed, clubs and churches will cease to exist, and the lake will become a stinking

cesspool are tactics that seem to be intended to scare our senior homeowners into

submission.  Where is the cry for bringing the recreation area swimming pools and fences into

conformance with current regulations?  Why don't we see a plea to clean up the pool and

pavilion area bathrooms and dressing rooms and make them handicap friendly?  Is it possible

that CDC neglects maintenance of those recreation facilities because they are destined for

removal in the near future to make room for a hotel and timeshare complex?  Is it possible that

CDC keeps the nonconforming pools open to avoid having to reduce existing lease fees for

failure to provide the facilities listed?  The lake aeration equipment seems to be out of order. 

Where is the demand to trim and/or remove trees on the Executive golf course that are dead,

dying or are a fire hazard to homes?  It appears that erecting tombstone signs and chain link

fences are more important ways to improve our environment.  The editor seems to have fond

memories of how it used to be when the Quail restaurant was a community gathering place. 

That was before La Jolla Development Co. acquired Lake San Marcos.  He needs to be

reminded that we are not "tenants" of CDC.  We are home owners in San Diego County.  Why

do dissenting HOA boards get bad-mouthed in the Quail Call by homeowners  and Community

Association officers that do not live in a Homeowners Association?  They have the privilege of

choice as individual homeowners to either sign a lease or not.  Why does CDC not offer that

opportunity to the residents of Country Greens or other Lake communities and why doesn't the

Community Association support that option? 

 

We are members of the Community Association and we believe, as members, that we have the

right and obligation to be critical.  We hope this is taken in the spirit it was intended.

 

Dick Hartmann

Fairways resident

760-510-9606

PARADISE LOST

Fourteen years ago I thought I had found a beautiful island in the sun.  My wife, Mary and I had moved from a large home with no neighbors and very few social contacts in Rancho Santa Fe to a beautiful community we had visited many times before.  We were immediately introduced to the social life at Lake San Marcos.  We joined every club possible and thoroughly enjoyed the social contacts and all our new friends who shared the relaxed life style with us.

We bought a home on the lake in Mall IV after being made aware of all the costs involved.  In addition to paying our Mall fee, we were informed of a special fee for living on the lake.  Our lake fee payable to Citizens Development Corp is approximately three (3) times more than other homeowners pay that do not live on the lake for the CDC lease/recreation fee.

In addition to our CDC fee for maintenance of 1) the entrance property along Lake San Marcos Drive, 2) the bridge, 3) the general lake health and clean up, 4) the picnic grounds, 5) the small park on La Plaza Drive, 6) the Pavilion, 7) card room, 8) billiard room, 9) the 4 tennis courts, 10) the 2 swimming pools, 11) the parking lot and 12) the private road La Bonita Drive, and this greater lease fee we pay maintains ½ of the boat dock and the lake frontage of our lot.

When the County of San Diego approved the master plan for the development of Lake San Marcos and the subsequent subdivision into buildable lots, they required CDC grant an easement over the two golf courses in the County´s favor.  This easement requires the golf course land to revert to its natural open space should CDC not maintain and operate them as golf courses.  If CDC does not get enough revenue from the operation of these 2 golf courses, they could simply stop watering, fertilizing, mowing and grooming the courses.  Of course, the grass would then become overgrown, turn an ugly brown and weeds would sprout.  Do you want to look out over a brown, unkempt field of weeds?

OK friends3;and I hesitate to call those residents here my friends if they elect to not participate to maintain the beauty of our community.  How do I have a conversation with my friends if I can´t talk about the great time we had at the 4th of July festivities, or the fun time at the Fishing & Casting party, or the very special Black & White Extravaganza at the picnic grounds.  How do I invite you to be my guest at a function in the Pavilion or on the lake.  We won´t be able to celebrate the life achievements of those who have left us at the Pavilion.  No card room for those who enjoy playing cards with their friends.  We won´t be able to talk about the many philanthropies the Kiwanis supports.  Those who don´t want to continue the leases are tainted, even ostracized by those who do. 

Here is the scenario in a few short months if all of us cannot come together to continue our use and upkeep of the Lake San Marcos properties:

The golf course grass will grow weeds and turn brown and ugly.

The lake will become putrid, the fish will die and the smell may drive all of us to greener pastures if we could sell our home at all, then we may have to deal with the bank on a foreclosure action, which could lead to monetary liability on our part.  In fact, most Deeds of Trust securing a bank loan on your property require that you maintain the property substantially in the same manner as when you obtained the loan and to pay all taxes and fees.  We all knew and agreed to those fees when we moved here and have been paying them for 20 years or more.  Don´t opt out of our society.

The Pavilion would be closed, the Lake San Marcos Community Church would cease to exist, as would the Kiwanis Club.  We would not be able to use the private drives.

I have heard some people say they do not use the Pavilion, go to Church, or use the recreation facilities.  But, many residents don´t use the pool or meeting room in their own condominium development, yet they continue to pay for it.

Some people say, "CDC give us an accounting of where you are spending our money" before we will consider a lease.  Now that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.  Since when does a landlord have to give a tenant accounting for every penny of the rent payment.  It is unheard of and not required by any law.  How would you apportion such things as taxes, fire insurance, liability insurance, supplies and labor costs.      

Do you remember when in December of 2003 a monstrosity of a "Jack-in-the-Box" building started to rise in our paradise.  Originally we thought all was lost; that we would have to look at this mess forever; that it would degrade our property values.  Well, my friends that did not happen.  Many, many residents from all the different properties in Lake San Marcos raised over $125,000 to fight this in court.  After 2 long years we won at the State Supreme Court appellate level.  We did not lose our "Paradise", but only because we all pulled the same oar and kept the ship afloat.  That was a major turning point in our relations with CDC as they assigned all the architectural control on the single family homes to the Lake San Marcos Community Association.  The LSMCA has preserved the integrity and character of the neighborhood.

Please make your voices heard and let your governing boards know that we ALL should support the community as a whole.  Do not fragment it and make it a place where some can enjoy the advantages of this unique master planned community, but your neighbor across the street cannot.

PARADISE LOST, I certainly hope not! Please join me in urging everyone to support the community.

By Bob Kreis

Response to "Letter to the Editor" dated February 4, 2009

I wish that all of the residents of Country Greens and the Fairways had a chance to look at the lease they are voting against!  It is fair and reasonable and negotiated by several HOA Presidents standing together in 2007.  The HOA's formed a Steering Committee in 2004 to deal with the lease agreements and CDC as a unified force. This group had a subgroup which actually drafted what they wanted in a lease.  The lease now being offered to the HOA's is based upon this draft.  The goal was to have something unified that all HOA's could support and then to update the individual leases to be the same.  That is what has happened.  The problem now is that some HOA's (Country Greens and Fairways) have not stood with the rest and have decided they wanted no lease at all. The Lake San Marcos Community Association has taken an active role in making sure this lease agreement is fair and reasonable.  It is in the best interest of ALL of Lake San Marcos residents to have recreational facilities and a reasonable lease agreement governing how those facilities are managed.  It is Country Greens and the Fairways that has broken from the rest of the HOA's to do their own thing.  That is not in the best interest of all of Lake San Marcos and something LSMCA will not support!  We urge residents of Country Greens and the Fairways to get a copy of the lease agreement they are being asked to sign before chastizing LSMCA.

Jacque Baker

February 9, 2009



 

LAKE SAN MARCOS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

 

"QUAIL CALL"

 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

                                                    

COUNTRY GREENS AND CDC by Herschel Kaufman

 

            As a resident of Country Greens HOA and a member of the Lake San Marcos Community Association, I feel compelled to respond to the recent "Letters to The Editors" and "President Messages" that have appeared in the "Quail Call" newsletters.

            I cannot state strongly enough that I find it completely out of line for the President and Past President of the Community Association to chastise the residents of Country Greens and their Board of Directors regarding the issue of the contract with CDC, and to further suggest that the residents of Country Greens take action to impeach their Board over this issue. Such comments are, in no way, constructive. On the contrary, they are divisive. If the Community Association wishes to offer itself as mediator in this issue, then that might be an appropriate position for it to take. The mandate of the Community Association is "to protect and promote the interest of residents in Lake San Marcos," and I take that to mean ALL residents, even those who live in Country Greens.

            As to the issue of the contract with CDC, I, personally, support a contract that is fair and reasonable to ALL residents of the Lake. Yes, I believe that ALL Lake residents should give their fair share to support the beautiful environment and amenities we ALL enjoy. To that end, I believe that any contract with CDC should be the same for ALL Lake residents, fairly negotiated, not only by HOAs, but include ALL of those residents not currently part of an HOA, some (but not all) of whom have individual contracts with CDC. There should not be separate and/or different contracts for each HOA and for those individual Lake residents who choose to participate. Of course, it is much easier for CDC to deal with HOAs, who then collect the dues for them and send one check for all residents.

            I am very much aware of the past and continuing behavior exhibited by CDC that has led to this unfortunate situation. This conflict is only one aspect of larger management problems within CDC. To threaten Country Greens with an illegal fence around part of the South Course, the threat of denying Country Green residents use of that public golf course and the canceling of memberships in the Country Club are unfortunate examples of the quality of management within CDC.

            Much needs to be done by CDC, Country Greens and other HOAs to repair the damage in their relationships. At this time, I have very little confidence, trust, or respect for CDC. However, on the bigger issue of contracts between all HOAs and other Lake residents, I would propose a meeting between CDC and a group representing ALL Lake residents for the purpose of negotiating a lease acceptable to ALL parties. This would be the best possible result; everyone contributes equally, which, in turn, would reduce each resident´s contribution. Those residents with special amenities, such as docks and boats would, perhaps, be subject to special assessments. Perhaps the LSM Community Association could act as a SuperHOA for ALL Lake residents. 

If this result cannot be accomplished, then CDC should develop a lease that they would offer ALL individual Lake residents for individual memberships. They would have to determine how much revenue would be needed to support their facilities and then take responsibility for promoting the benefits of participating. They would be required to shift their approach from one of threats to one of mutual gains.

All residents, as well as CDC, benefit when facilities are attractive and well maintained. On the other hand, ALL Lake residents. as well as CDC, loose when they are allowed to deteriorate. What is desperately needed is an atmosphere of respect, cooperation and shared interests.  Now that would be a welcomed change!

Herschel Kaufman
1123 La Casa Dr.   

Feb 4, 2009

Responding to Bob Kreis' excellent letter in the February issue of the Quail Call,  I've had the good fortune to live at the Lake with my wife, Martha, for over thirty two years. I agree wholeheartedly with the points he made, supported by the fact that from the time of our arrival, we've been happy to subscribe to  both the LSM Community Association and the Security Patrol.  In my opinion, the fee is so nominal for what we receive that any residence that doesn't contribute is freeloading on their neighbors. These two invaluable organizations serve our best interests in keeping Lake San Marcos such a desirable place to live, which also helps establish and preserve property values from which we all benefit.
 
Hank Sanford
1106 Calle de los Serranos 
Feb 2, 2009




OPEN LETTER TO COUNTRY GREENS RESIDENTS

By:  Sandra Rhatigan, Lake San Marcos resident

 

It is my understanding that an informal poll of the residents of Country Greens resulted in the fact that the majority of those residents DO want to sign the Lake & Lodge Fee lease agreement proposed by CDC. However, it appears that the Country Greens community is being taken hostage by a small group of residents and/or board members resulting in a refusal to sign the Lake & Lodge Fee agreement that was rewritten by CDC within guidelines requested by the Country Greens BOD.  It further appears that this small group with a clear personal agenda have nothing better to do but conjure up small minded ways to make life difficult for CDC. In my opinion, their stance is unreasonable and should not be tolerated. Furthermore, they are ruining things for everyone in their community.  How many like the chain link fence?  Don´t blame CDC, blame your Board.

 

I will be the first to admit that CDC made many mistakes when they first approached Lake San Marcos residents stating. "We are a destination (for outside people) and we don´t care what you think".  They made a major blunder by not realizing that this community is crucial to their overall success as we are the major users of their properties and services.  That bell is difficult to "un-ring" but some efforts have been made by CDC and the various homeowners´ groups to repair this rift.  It is important that we try to reach out and work with CDC.  Hopefully, CDC will welcome the input of reasonable and open-minded residents with a similar goal of wanting the best possible lifestyle at LSM coupled with the success of the CDC organization.

 

My husband and I have been Lake San Marcos residents for 8 years. I have never used the swimming pools, tennis courts, paddle ball courts, meeting or card rooms.  I have only been on the lake twice.  I don´t golf but live on a beautiful golf course.  I am thrilled that our annual Lake & Lodge dues are less than most communities´ residents pay every month.  As several people have so aptly stated, most people moved to Lake San Marcos for the LIFESTYLE it offers.  It is not a matter of paying the annual fee only if you use the facilities.  Everyone moved here knowing that was not the case!  I find it peaceful to sit on my patio and look out over the emerald green course that I do not use.  And, even though I don´t have a boat, the stress of the day washes off my shoulders every time I cross the bridge over the lake because I know I have arrived at my peaceful home.

 

Country Greens BOD, Where was your outrage when Ron Frazar apparently did not use the Lake and Lodge fees to properly maintain our community over the years; creating a mountain of deferred maintenance that now needs to be addressed?  Have you not noticed that The Quail Restaurant is no longer a moldy and dilapidated place to enjoy a meal?...or the complete refurbishing of the formerly roach infested kitchen in the Pavilion?  Can you imagine the cost of mowing the lawns, trimming all of the trees, keeping the lake "healthy", etc. etc. that CDC undertakes? Do you expect every other region and resident in LSM to support the area while you refuse to do so? We can´t all agree on how CDC should spend their money and what improvements should have priority.  This is, after all, their property and they are entitled to make a profit on their investment.  Whether or not you agree with every decision that CDC makes, it is in the community´s best interest for them to succeed. 

 

Clearly, Country Greens has a Community Board that has let their power go to their heads.  They appear to be running their own little fiefdom!  It is up to the residents of Country Greens to take back their community if their board in not properly representing their interests. I have several suggestions for the residents of Country Greens:  (1) Immediately impeach all members of the current board at Country Greens for not representing the interests of the majority of their residents; (2) Refuse to pay your HOA dues to the Country Greens Association until they begin representing ALL of the residents; (3) Force the Board at Country Greens to immediately desist in conducting closed board meetings.  ALL meetings should be open to ALL residents at ALL times and their minutes should be open for inspection by any resident; (4) Circulate a ballot asking residents whether or not they approve the signing of the proposed CDC Lake & Lodge Fee agreement (NOT a survey of LSM amenities used by residents which, apparently, was the basis for the Country Greens Board to promote their renegade agenda). We all, Country Greens residents included, chose to move into a community that has many amenities that must be maintained and requiring payment of an annual assessment for that purpose.  If you honestly feel that you shouldn´t have to pay for amenities you are not using, I suggest you MOVE to a single family dwelling elsewhere in the County where there are no amenities, except for the ones you install (and pay for).  For other communities who may be considering following the path taken by Country Greens, I would ask that you consider whether or not you are cutting off your nose to spite your face for a measly $2-3 per month increase in your annual fee or, worse yet, to make a childish point.  I love living here.  Please don´t jeopardize MY lifestyle in the process


First off reading in the Quail Call regarding the chain link fencing on the Executive Golf Course, I thought it was a horrible idea and then viewing it on-line it is exactly what I thought it would look like.  It is a complete eye sore to such a beautiful landscape and an intrusion to the eye.  I am thankful I do not own property there.  I live on the Country Club Golf Course and very thankful I do not have a chain link fence that would obstruct my view.

Marcia Lehr

A chain link fence is being installed around the Executive Golf Course.  Your Opinions?



_________________________________________________________________________________