Open letter to Highroads POA from Cameron

From :  Cameron English,  Vice President 
Open letter to the Highroads Property Owners Association 

I am writing to advise that I have elected not to run again for the Board of Directors (BOD).    Recent developments have been instrumental in my decision,  and I wanted to depart my position with some comments that the I would recommend the Association should consider factoring in for future selection of Directors.   

Many of you attended the Annual meeting and Bar B Que events that the BOD implemented over the past several years.   During these meetings,   Bert and I did our best to take the pulse of the Association,  to offer the critical decisions to be voted on,   to allow the membership to view in a completely transparent way the decisions that were made with the Association treasury.    I want to point out that through the expertise of their time ,  talent,  and resources,   Bert Hume and Greg Anderson worked diligently to keep the roads and the grading of the roads to a minimum cost.   As an association,  we owe these guys a tremendous debt of gratitude.     

Keep in mind,   prior to the association taking over from Arizona Land and Ranches (ARS)   ,   contracts were set to maintain the roads at an average cost of $45k per year.   Due to the expertise and the contacts and access to capable people and equipment,   we were able to cut those costs to a fraction of the historical costs.   One year,  we managed to repair the roads,   bring in dozens of truckloads of material to rebuild the critical sections of the roads,  and to put the roads right.  All of this work was completed for under $20k. 

A direct benefit to the association resulted with a surplus in the treasury,  reduced dues ,  ($200 from $290)  and ,  after the membership voted ,  a decision to use some of the treasury to buy a blade to maintain the roads.  All in all,  a remarkable accomplishment.  A Treasury that  was a direct result of the expertise  of both Bert and Greg,  and the corresponding savings enjoyed by the association.   If anyone doubts these facts,   take a look at the historical cost to maintain the roads,  and compare to the three years following the association taking over from ARS. 

My point in reviewing this information,  is two fold.    First,  we made a decision as a membership and as a BOD to buy the equipment.   Second ,   the benefit of the work that was done by Bert and Greg are directly a result of the treasury having the funds to support that membership decision.   As it now stands,   certain people have deemed the vote that was taken,  and the general status of the Board of Directors to be invalidated due to technical violations that did not conform to ARS Title 33 rules.     

Along these lines,   the board has acknowledges where ARS33 was not followed to the letter of the law.   The BOD has agreed to rectify the errors that were made in process and execution of the key areas of collecting votes from the absentee ballots.   

Where does this leave us?   Basically,  a few disgruntled people have shut down the plans to move forward with a plan to utilize the grader the association owns.   Consider the fact that a quorum majority of the membership voted to acquire the blade,   the BOD confirmed and re-voted to acquire the blade.   The BOD authorized the expenditure of funds after reviewing and doing due diligence on what was available.  We went as far as reviewing an ROI - return on investment and cost analysis of the strategy to deploy our own equipment.   And 5 intelligent and high integrity individuals voted and the majority decided to move forward.   I was there,  I can tell you this is exactly what happened. 

Now,  one individual has use ARS regulations to shut down your association from doing it primary and most vital job,   to put the blade to work and to get the roads restored to their necessary and safe  level.   I feel that everyone that is impacted by this type of politicking and power struggle,   originating from the simple truth that they did not like the majority decision,   should know why our association is facing a stalemate over what should be an obvious action that needs to be taken. 

For me,  I am not interested in taking part in a BOD that put politics and power struggle ahead of the best interests of the Association.   Your BOD historically prioritized the needs of the association and the interest in bringing the community together as the priority.   Sure,  there may have been mistakes in process,  and errors in execution of policy.  In the end,  I have been involved with groups that allow individuals to become the focal point,  at the expense of the association.   I do not want to participate in politics and to deal with petty bickering any longer. 

I will still exercise my right to vote and be heard,   and to be  a part of the community any way I can contribute.   I served the best I could,   with no other interest other than the betterment of the community.  Although I will not be running,  I urge the membership to vote carefully,  and to appoint people that are more concerned about the associations' interest than their own agenda.   Bert Hume has always tried his best to do the right thing by the association.  I for one will cast my vote for his continuation in the job we started and the role as President going forward. 

Sincerely, 

Cam English