Coto de Caza, California - The CZ Master Association, Coto de Caza's largest homeowners association board of directors has been in power for more than a decade, mostly due to an archaic, arcane cumulative voting system designed to keep a small minority in power. The process starts by selecting delegates from each district, which then elects the board of directors. Using cumulative voting, the board can then use "bundles" of votes to select the "right" board. To add to the obfuscation, elections for delegates is low key, and the application for candidacy itself is limited to 250 words, but the one for the board of directors is less restrictive: When the time comes to elect the board of directors, it is too late for outsiders, since a small minority has already locked in the required delegates.
Below is 250-word or less delegate candidacy statement, followed by additional explanation.
1. Public safety-Property values
Some 20 years ago CNN/Money rated Coto as a crimeless area and the best place. – With current board in power, the community has seen its only 3 traffic fatalities plus crime and vandalism rate in Coto far exceeds other comparable communities.
See:
Accident @San Miguel 11/19/2015 |
CHP Patrol hours for 1Q2015 are 295 compared to lawsuit mitigation strategy of 520.
A 4th traffic
fatality is 1 traffic citation away!
2.
Litigious HOA
Keystone Pacific, James/Harkins and the board,
have turned the association into the most litigious HOA in California. Keystone
& Harkins should be terminated immediately.
See:
- http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2016/02/coto-de-cazas-litigious-hoa-property.html,
- http://www.huntingtoncontinentalvoice.com/, http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2015/10/coto-de-cazas-hoa
- lawyer-loses-one-more.html,
- http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2007/03/overlawyering-of-cz-master-association.html
3. Elections – Property Values
The current board has
been in control of the HOA for more than 10 years enabled by an archaic, arcane
cumulative voting system designed to keep a small minority in power. In power
grab move, rules were changed to have delegates serve 2 years:
Whoever
controls the delegates controls the boards.
Need term limits &
direct elections!:
See:
- LA Times olumnist D. Vanitizian: http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2014/08/cumulative-voting-is-designed-to.html.
- http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html, http://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-long-does-it-take-to-correct.html
4. Subsidies-Monthly dues
Subsidized entities such as the Estates, Villages and the
Golf Club, consume over 30% of the HOA’s resources and paying nothing.
5. Service
Providers – Review key performance indicators for security
and landscaping companies. Currently killing/planting trees with no rhyme or
reason: Barren areas where trees were cut,
Trees cut down several years ago - area left barren: Multiple areas in Vista Del Verde |
while not too far, a couple of blocks away, additional trees are planted in an already overcrowded area, roughly at the same time as when the other trees were cut down.
CZ Master HOA Mantra: To landscape with lots, more will be planted, from those with less, more will be taken |
CZ Masters mantra: Landscaping with less, more will be taken |
Additional Comments Beyond 250 words:
1. Invariably, the current HOA board uses the "property values" argument to justify just about anything. Ironically, just like in the Wealth of Nations, property values are directly linked to the safety of the community and its regard, or disregard for the rule of law.
Just prior to the first traffic fatality, I implored the HOA, Keystone Pacific, James Harkins, Freedom Communications (OC Register's parent company) the California Attorney General and others to do something about it. Nothing was done and consequences were fatal. A fourth traffic fatality is just one traffic citation away.
2. Why does it matter that an HOA is litigious? Because the property manager use the HOA as a personal ATM machine. The outcome does not matter, since everybody gets paid, at the expense of the homeowner. In addition, legal resources are used to stifle dissent.
The HOA's board's legal counsel has argued that they are all beyond local, state and federal jurisdiction.
3. Running against the current board is a David and Goliath-type of fight. My hope is to get rid of the current arcane, archaic cumulative system and go to direct elections, and limit HOA board directors to two terms.
RELATED:
RELATED:
A meeting with the
Coto de Caza Czar
The
HOA Problem in America Today – Part One and Part Two - The American Culture
Cutting Down The Grand Oak Trees Of Coto De Caza
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