GALA Board Members Sound Off

In a letter to the Editor, Glenwood Acres Landowners Association Board Secretary Billy Sipes and At-Large Member A.C. Floyd express their shared views on the ongoing tension between the board and unhappy landowners.

By:Billy Sipes and A.C. Floyd

The time has now come for we two Glenwood Acres Landowners Association board members to make a statement. It appears that Mr. Tim Cariker is trying to make his statements as if they were the ideas, thoughts and views of all board members. We would like to set that record straight.

We believe that the board is, and should be held accountable for its actions. In the past, as well as now, it seems that things have gotten out of control insofar as what the true, legal and just actions and duties of this board consist of. We are the caretakers for the monies for the Association, and as such, we should be ever mindful that wasteful, careless and unnecessary spending should stop. We owe it to the people to spend their money wisely and for good reason. We further believe that the people have a right to see with their own eyes what is being done with the monies. What has happened recently is that monies have been spent without board approval and other directives have been carried forth, also without the complete board membership being involved in the decisions.

We should never lose sight of our duties nor our goals. When any money is spent, it should be carefully considered and weighed before such action is taken. The people who pay their dues have a right to know where and for what their dues money is spent. A full accounting should be made to the people. The idea of ruling any board with the concurrence of a select few is not acceptable in any way. We are entrusted with the duties of making certain that whatever we do is for the betterment of Glenwood Acres and at the same time it is not infringing on the rights of others.

If one will look back in history, they will find that any attempt at controlling a group of people with tyranny and total disregard for their constitutional and civil rights will only serve to cause a justifiable uprising of the people. This is what is now occurring here at Glenwood Acres. The voices of the people are crying out for equality, justice and a desire to be heard. But these same voices are being silenced by a few board members who feel that the people have no say-so and should just let the few continue with their actions.

The situation of allowing a paid employee to dictate who can and who cannot remain on Glenwood Acres property is not acceptable either. This paid employee could use a course in attitude, as well as a course on how to treat others who enter the office of this association. If you owned a business, it would be beneficial and profitable, not to mention imperative, that you greet your customers with a warm and friendly dialogue upon their entering your establishment and not make them feel as though you are doing them a favor to see to their needs.

The validation of the petition to impeach board president Jason Lundy was a farce. There were names who were stricken because their dues were not paid by January 12, 2009. We find it not only improper, but very strange that this was done. It appeared to us that the paid employee was seeking to discredit and invalidate as many signatures as she possibly could in order that the petition would fall short of the needed number. We also find it appalling that a target number was never provided in order that the person who was directing the impeachment drive would have no idea what the actual number of valid signatures he would need to bring the matter to full vote actually was. The request was made several times for the total number of members in good standing, but that number was never provided.

We hold steadfast in our beliefs that the board does need some changes and that those who are not willing to serve the citizenry with faithfulness, honesty and with compassion should resign their respective positions and then they could be replaced by others who are willing to be a voice for the people without regard to their financial, political or personal beliefs. It is also our belief that a mockery should be made of no one because of their disabilities or impairments.

This association is supposed to be for the people and by the people and certainly not the wishes of any one board member or select group of board members. Sadly, what is now happening is that if you are not in favor of the old business-as-usual group, without any accountability, then you are considered as "against the board". That is not the way it is, at all, because we both know that it can be done with the interest of the people at the heart of all matters and that the old business-as-usual tactics are not in the best interest of the people nor the association.

We are both willing to be representatives of the people and will insure that the rights of the people, as well as the voices of these same people be heard and not silenced. At present, that is hard to do because of a certain few who do not wish to do the will of the people.

The time has now come for those who wish to serve honestly to step forth and be recognized and those who do not wish to do the same should vacate their respective seats in order that someone who will work for the benefit of the members and the association can then be placed in that capacity.

We would like to thank Mr. DeWayne Spell of the Upshur Advocate for his honest and unbiased coverage of the matters at hand concerning Glenwood Acres.

Thank you to all who have taken the time to read this open letter and if we can be of assistance we are available to give you our undivided attention.

Respectfully,

Billy G. Sipes
A.C. Floyd

Editors note: The Upshur Advocate will gladly publish opposing viewpoints on this issue, or any other. Letters may be submitted by fax or email. See our Contacts page for submission information.