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By: Michael Delemma

For those of you who did not or could not attend the Woodlands Homeowner Association meeting last night, it was brought up that our Section Presidents are not attending the Woodlands Neighborhood Improvement District meetings, which is ironic since all but one, voted it into existence.

Only one Section President who did mention this along with one other, vowed to attend in the future.

Let me reiterate how important it is for every Section President to attend these meetings. By attending, they can relay information back to their residents and help alleviate any misinformation and educate them about the District. Once the “mystery” surrounding the WNID is suspended, then we can obtain useful feedback from the community.

Last night at the WHOA meeting, just like a broken record, it was brought up again “Well, this is not Coral Springs.”

Oh don’t worry we will never be confused with Coral Springs, Plantation, Parkland, or Boca. I wish we could compare ourselves to them and aspire to be more like those areas. They don’t have crumbling neglected walls, perimeters with trash and half dead ficus trees, chain-linked fences with vines on them, or weed-ridden shrubs. Oh no, we wouldn’t want to have such high standards like they do, after all we are in Tamarac.

Here is a message to the “No” group of people that constantly try to sabotage any efforts to improve our community. There are many others, including myself who do aspire to higher standards, it’s called pride. Pride in where we live.

The idea that we live in a “Private County Club Community” but can’t get a public wall fixed or painted, because as our WHOA president says, “It’s belongs to the homeowners.” Then tell me this: Why is the city not fining those homeowners, if it indeed belongs to them?

If we neglect our homes. we are given fines. Are we not?

Do we all have to suffer looking at that disgusting wall on Commercial Blvd for years, because the City, the WHOA, and Code Enforcement can’t do anything about it? Are we to believe that we should just accept it because there are those who don’t care or think we are setting to high of a standard?

Last night we were asked to paint it ourselves. Maybe when a house needs painting or a lawn needs mowing we should volunteer to do that work for the neglectful homeowner, that would really show them. This is a bad joke that keeps being told.

Lenny Hixon was right when he said the city spent plenty of money across the street to plant shrubs to hide their badly maintained fences. Why can’t they perhaps step in and help us with the wall?

The truth is, the WHOA has plenty of money to hire someone to paint the wall, but they would rather just say it’s the homeowners responsibility. So just clobber those of us that want to see this place improved.

The only way to improve anything is to first recognize that it needs improvement, discuss it and then take action. There has been lots of talk as the months and years roll by, but very little action.

We bought into a dream here and it has turned into a nightmare, because a few don’t want to see improvements because they are afraid they may have to contribute money towards it.

If condos and other developments don’t have the money in reserves to pay improvements, they charge an assessment. Why should we be any different?

When the taxes and the water bill goes up, do you circulate a petition against it?

Eventually, as this neglect continues, and the economy eventually improves, residents with high standards and expectations will leave, and the “No” group can be left to deal with the crime, the low element that will be buying in here, the rented rooms situation and the residents who have car repair businesses in their driveways.

We will be long gone and living in a better place, learning from your mistakes.