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Post by Admin on May 8, 2019 10:55:38 GMT -7
Two North Glastonbury Directors Resign Will the GLA Board Correct a Fraudulent Election?
The November 2018 GLA Election was severely and openly marred by allegations of ballot fraud. Hard core old timers scrambled for a way to get a fellow old-timer, Ron Price, elected after he withdrew his candidacy in October 2018 due to health reasons. Many landowners already voted by absentee ballot and any votes for Price were now null and void. Eventually several landowners including then Election Committee Co-chair Charlene Murphy were allowed to pull their already cast ballots and vote again. At the last minute, on the eve of the Election, Murphy changed the election rules without Board approval. She then emailed the new rules to all ballot counters and election workers. Already cast absentee ballots were allowed to be fetched and were openly exchanged for new ballots. Proxy votes were allowed with just a simple email request. The requirement for a signed proxy form as required by our governing documents was blatantly disregarded. In what appeared to be a premeditated and coordinated effort with Murphy, landowner Linda Ullrich gave a rousing speech from the floor on Election day for Deb Degraaf who was not even a candidate. Deb Degraaf arrived late to the Annual Election meeting and was shocked to hear that Ullrich gave a speech on her behalf. Previously Ullrich stated to the Forum that she was working hard to collect votes for candidate Claudette Dirkers.
The ends did justify the sinister and illegal means; old-timer candidate Ron Price was elected. Dirkers lost by just 4 votes and non-candidate Degraaf won 10 votes.
North Glastonbury Directors Ron Price and John Carp have resigned. Carp is reportedly moving to the Ranch at Corwin Springs and will be working with the new CUT Mother Mary hot springs. Ron Price has severe health problems which have worsened.
At the June Board meeting the GLA will have a chance to correct a fraudulent election and appoint Claudette Dirkers to the Board. As a write in candidate she garnered more votes than any other write-in candidate in memory. Dirkers is exceptionally qualified and has served diligently on many committees. She is not a member of the old-timer clique though so her chances and the community's chances of getting a well qualified individual on the GLA Board appear slim.
A post card recently sent to North Glastonbury landowners is below. |
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Post by Admin on Jun 11, 2019 7:39:41 GMT -7
Corrupt GLA Board Thwarts the Will of Landowners A month ago we wrote
On June 10th, 2019 the Glastonbury Landowner's Association (GLA) Board of Directors held their monthly meeting. The response to the post card they sent was zero; not one landowner submitted a written request to be considered for the two open Board positions. This is the first time in our memory that two positions were open and the first time that the old-timers could not find a live person to represent their interests and "volunteer" for an open position.
Claudette Dirkers attended the board meeting and kindly offered to fill one of the open positions. She gave a thoughtful and detailed presentation of her years of service to the community, her active membership on various committees and a list of just some of her many accomplishments. The GLA Board sat stone faced throughout her presentation. Many members of the audience enthusiastically supported Dirkers and asked the Board to appoint her for the longest open position.
Ron Wartman, a North Glastonbury newcomer, came in late in the discussion and stated that he was interested in the other open Board position. He lacked the depth of experience that Dirkers possessed having never served on any committees. Two positions were open and two people were willing to serve. The outcome looked certain. But it was not to be.
Close watchers of the GLA Board have contended for years that the Board is corrupt and dysfunctional. One set of rules applies to old timers and a completely different set to newcomers. Old timers frequently do not pay assessments and traditionally were allowed to ignore the Covenants when building houses. Many were given sweetheart deals when their past due assessments were forgiven and liens were quietly removed so they could more profitably sell their property. The old timer dominated board used their power to benefit themselves, their friends and Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT). At the June meeting it was announced that almost $40,000.00 of past due assessments were written off as "bad debt". Almost all of that was owed by old timers. Some had not paid assessments for twenty years and now they will only owe for eight years. Newcomers are expected to quietly go along with and finance the pervasive corruption.
Dirkers was a breath of fresh air for landowners who expected the GLA Board to act in the best interests of ALL landowners. She was a disinfectant to the stench that enveloped most Board members. Not surprisingly many board members preferred stench over cleanliness. A secret paper ballot vote was taken for both Dirkers and Wartman so no director could be held accountable for their vote. Of the 10 directors available to vote, 9 voted to accept Wartman into their ranks. Just 4 voted to accept Dirkers. Thus only one position was filled and one still remains empty despite a highly qualified candidate with a proven track record graciously offering her services.
Several years ago another hard working North Glastonbury candidate met the same fate. Volunteer North Glastonbury landowner Deb DeGraaf, an accomplished business owner, applied her skills to collecting past due assessments. In a few months she amassed over $10,000.00 in collections. Then a Board member resigned and Deb applied for the position. At the last minute a sleepy elderly man, Richard Johnson an old-timer, was ushered in to the meeting room and Director Gerald Dubiel announced that Johnson was a candidate. The corrupt GLA board disregarded DeGraaf's long record of accomplishments and success. Instead they chose the sleepy old-timer, Richard Johnson, who still sits on the GLA today. That old-timer served on the Road Committee and along with President Dennis Riley has seen that CUT private roads get top priority for maintenance every year even though the Covenants specifically state that only platted roads are to be maintained. The GLA Board decision to ignore Dirkers is part of a long history of corruption, disregard for newcomer landowners and loyalty to CUT. |
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Post by Town Crier on Jun 11, 2019 9:33:42 GMT -7
Very well-articulated, truthful reporting of the facts - which you won't find in ANY official GLA reports, documents, minutes, newsletters, etc. Denying Claudette Dirkers, another hard-working, volunteer committee member who has years of experience and proven effectiveness, a seat on the board further solidifies the obvious: the politically driven, CUT dominated board, is incorrigible! Six puerile sitting directors refused to fill a vacant seat due to their conflicts with integrity and with someone who offers alternative views and solutions to the many problems they perpetuate. Qualifying to serve on the GLA board should not be based on a popularity contest! Good luck, Ron Wartman, and to anyone else who is willing to subject themselves to such insanity!
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