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4 | Fluvanna Review | March 31, 2011
Letters to the editor
Twilight years?
In last week’s Channel 10 “mini–debate”
about the proposal to use funds
from the Lake Monticello Owners’ Association
Emergency Reserve Account
(ERA), one participant likened the ERA
to an IRA retirement fund. Viewers
who found this comparison compelling
should think carefully about what
things are being compared. An IRA is
a fund accumulated to carry us mortals
through the “twilight years” when
we can no longer work to generate income.
But the Lake Monticello Community
and its infrastructure are not
mortal, will never face retirement, and
don’t need an IRA.
Indeed, our obligation now is to see
that our Lake Monticello community
continues to work effectively for the
foreseeable future, and serve many
new generations of “twilighters” and
working families alike. By raiding our
already stressed budget to pay for an
emergency brought on by chronic underfunding
and our unwillingness to
build contingency reserves, we jeopardize
our chances to rejuvenate, beautify,
and modernize our community for
ourselves and future generations. The
unanticipated expense of repairing our
most important piece of infrastructure,
our dam, is clearly an emergency—isn’t
it fortunate that we have an Emergency
Reserve Account?
Paul A.Cheek
Lake Monticello
Follow the finance committee
In 2009, the Lake Monticello Owners’
Association Board of Directors raised
homeowner’s dues $130 per household.
In 2010, they implemented a 3%
increase, raised the trash removal fee,
and asked for another increase in dues
which was voted down. Now the Board
of Directors wants to remove $700,000
from the principle of the investment
account (ERA) which will permanently
reduce the annual income to LMOA.
This board, as well as past boards,
hasn’t operated within a budget. Instead
of spending the money on repairing
and maintaining our aging assets
and infrastructure, they spend money
on special initiatives which add more
maintenance expense to the budget.
More importantly the reserves have
not been funded that would have paid
for the maintenance and repair of the
assets.
The finance committee is the one
group at LMOA that knows how to budget
and manage the assets of the community.
The finance committee has
recommended to the Board of Directors
that funds from the 2011 and 2012
membership dues are available to pay
for the needed dam repairs. The members
of this committee are very knowledgeable
about the finances of LMOA
as well as finances in general. So, why
wouldn’t we listen to the advice of
knowledgeable people?
To emphasize the impact of this issue,
if we don’t listen to the finance
committee, the Board of Directors is
going to remove the $700,000 from the
investment account which will permanently
reduce annual income. Furthermore,
the money that the finance committee
has appropriated for dam repairs
will be spent on special initiatives that
will be an added expense, and you can
expect your dues to increase.
We need to vote “against” the removal
of $700,000 from the investment account.
For members who have voted and
want to change their vote, one must go
to the LMOA office and request their
submitted proxy and then obtain another
proxy to vote.
Joy Bauserman
Palmyra
Tax trouble?
It is very important that our citizens
know that the treasurer, Linda Lenher,
can and will help Fluvanna residents
with delinquent taxes. She has solved
problems for friends and neighbors
in the past and is easy to work with,
completely confidential, trustworthy
and knowledgeable. With 10,000 delinquency
notices going out this year,
24.69% of total billing, I urge anyone
with tax trouble to feel safe and confident
talking to Linda.
Minor Eager
Troy
eliminate Lake police
You know in the old days, people
bought homes at Lake Monticello because
it was a beautiful place to live
and economically a good investment.
Times have changed. Aqua Virginia is
providing water and is processing our
waste, an expensive arrangement. Road
maintenance is not cheap either with
63 miles of roads to cover. There are
shortfalls at the golf course and swimming
pool. The annual maintenance
fee increases. Then at the county level,
there are major construction costs, and
increased taxes are in the future. Unless
we can cut back at some point, being at
Lake Monticello is not a good buy.
I say eliminate our police force, saving
$800,000 annually. Keep the gate
personnel and use Sheriff Washington’s
well-trained police force to patrol our
roads. The sheriff and the new county
administrator have agreed to review
our situation and validate our needs.
With this money we could do the following
without raising the dues:
1. Pay the shortfalls from the golf
course and swimming pools.
2. Put a covering over the pool for
winter swimming. I know many kids
would be very happy they could swim
and compete year round.
3. Completely redo Skip’s kitchen.
This has been a long time coming and
is needed and deserved.
4. Since security will have moved
out, bring administration to the front
gate. Our dedicated personnel deserve
this change.
I’m willing to bet that after one week
of Sheriff Washington’s security coverage,
people will be saying we should
have done this years ago. There will be
funds available to carry out updates,
and no dues increase would be necessary.
Board members, we need a vote
to decide this issue. To the 7,100 registered
voters—Sheriff Washington is
a good administrator and deserves our
support in the upcoming election.
Bob Adams
Lake Monticello
comments from Fluvannareview.com and Facebook
On a March 22 story about illegal drugs found at a school: If you
find kids with drugs in school you do not say you are investigating, the drugs
were found. I think the entire school system should be investergated. – bob
burger
On a March 23 story about the opening of the Farmers Market:
Pam Vick will have hand crocheted afghans, headbands (for joggers), leather
pillows, jewelry, earring holders, belts, and earrings. Also mosaic decorated
wine bottles, vases and luminieres. Plus assorted plants and lavender in
June. – Pam Vick
On a March 20 story about Donald Gaines become the new Fluvanna
NAACP president: Awesome Job Donald!!! Kudos.—Emily Thomas
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