Lies and Misinformation Not Only Deceive – But Cost Residents Money

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Following a continuous trend of misinformation from the WHOA, once again letters were sent to homeowners with distorted facts. The problem is, though the letter is on WHOA stationery, no one even had the courage to sign their name to it.

So who sent the letter?

Several delegates that I spoke to that are on the WHOA said they had no idea and never authorized this letter.

Once again, it looks to me to be the work of WHOA President Patti Fox, who used hundreds of dollars of WHOA money to advance her personal agenda. See a copy of the recent mailing sent out to residents of the Woodlands except for the 53 in sections 3 and 4.  (Letter below)

In my opinion, before the WHOA uses homeowners’ money to sway your opinion, they really need to get their facts correct.

In the unsigned and undated letter by Fox, homeowners are reminded about the February 25, 2015 commission meeting regarding the dissolution of the WNID. It states that “It is important that your voice be heard on the dissolution of the WNID or it could remain in place and you [sic] taxes will increase”…….

The letter goes on to state that:

“There is a misconception that there will no longer be legal fees for your sections because people will be paying for some services on their tax bill. That is not true, The HOA fees for your section cannot all be charged to your tax bill. You will still have section fees and if some people do not pay their dues and your section will still have to pay legal fees for the collection of the remaining portion of your HOA fees…”

Fact

The single largest expenditure of the WHOA is for the extra police detail above what police presence the City provides. Enhanced security is one of the four purposes listed in state law for which money from districts like the WNID can be used. If this expense was transferred to the WNID, the County would collect it from 100 percent of the properties in the Woodlands, including sections 3 & 4 and Laurel Circle, which are not part of the WHOA. The sections would not need to hire lawyers to collect these funds. Currently, the only members in the WHOA are sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, & 8 and these 6 six sections are paying 100 percent of the cost for the extra security detail. If money is collected from 100 percent of the property owners in the Woodlands for extra police security, the amount in your section dues for this expense should decrease, resulting in lower section common area maintenance charges.

Misinformation from the WHOA

But misinformation isn’t anything we haven’t heard before from the WHOA President. In October, Fox mailed letters to property owners for Sections 3 and 4 – despite the fact that those sections are not part of the WHOA and over the objections of their section Presidents. In that letter, Fox claimed that Sections 3 and 4 lost “…all insurance coverage and BSO security…”

The section presidents had to then go into damage control to set the record straight, because while the letter says that Sections 3 and 4 have lost all insurance coverage, the only insurance coverage ever provided by the WHOA was for errors and omissions, also known as E and O coverage, for that Section’s officers and directors. There was no other insurance ever provided by the WHOA. Whether or not Sections 3 and 4 are part of the WHOA has nothing to do with property insurance, flood insurance, umbrella or any other insurance a homeowner may have gotten on their property. Simply put, the only insurance at issue is for officers and directors of the section and nothing more and E & O insurance is available from the general market.

Even worse, is the statement in the WHOA letter claiming Sections 3 and 4 have lost BSO security. The City of Tamarac provides police coverage throughout the city including all sections of the Woodlands. This police protection will continue to be provided by the City regardless of whether or not sections 3 and 4 are part of the WHOA.

All of these senseless threats to Sections 3 and 4 residents were at the expense of Sections 1,2,5,6,7, and 8 as the WHOA continues to needlessly spend money on printing, postage and handling that does nothing to help our community.

Vote for a new WHOA President in March

Our recommendation: Elections for the WHOA officers are in March. It is time for new leadership at the WHOA. Just like many government officials have term limits, so should the WHOA. Residents are urged to tell their section Presidents today that it is time for a change so that instead of misinformation and scare tactics which divide our community and needlessly cost residents thousands in excess legal and postage costs, we can have leadership that works to unite the Woodlands and bring our community together.