If you’ve attended a Homeowners or Recreation Association Board Meeting in 2016, or if you’ve read any of the posted 2016 Meeting Minutes, you may know that one of the hot topics has been Clubhouse water usage. Rick Lord, President of the Remington Oaks Homeowners Association (ROHA) took it upon himself to contact the Oaks Landing Recreation Association (OLRA) and ask them to restrict the use of Clubhouse water by Jack Helfrich who has been voluntarily watering heat stressed trees and shrubs around the Clubhouse on occasion, for years. ROHA and OLRA Presidents, Rick Lord and Theresa Calvert, then joined forces for the first time in many years (maybe ever) to try to gain control over this ridiculous and fabricated issue.

 

As a volunteer, Jack Helfrich aka. “the guy in the blue truck,” had been occasionally using water from the outdoor spigot at the Clubhouse, without incident, to water the trees and shrubs on the property immediate to the Clubhouse for years. He was often applauded for his efforts. He continued to do so, on occasion, as Chairman of the Greenscape Committee and as an elected ROHA Trustee into 2015.

 

Jack resigned from his elected position on the ROHA Board in 2016 due to extreme tension and bullying from the other Trustees but continues to volunteer his efforts to maintain and beautify the common grounds. His efforts included watering trees and plants (many of which were donated by residents and he had planted through the years) with water that he transports from his home, as well as water from a variety of generous residents that allow him to use their water. He feels an obligation to keep the trees and plants watered and is not willing to stand by and watch them die.

 

ROHA HAD THEIR ATTORNEY SEND A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER to Jack on May 6 of 2016, making a variety of threats to him if he did not stop his volunteer efforts on the common ground (but the letter did not mention watering). The threats included a restraining order, preliminary and/or permanent injunctions and a claim for damages. Those who know how much better the Subdivision looks because of the many years of Jack’s tireless efforts know how ridiculous the whole thing is.

 

In spite of the ROHA Attorney threats, Jack continued to beautify and water the trees and plants on the common ground throughout the Summer. In July of last year, he received a letter from ROHA President Rick Lord and the other Trustees informing him that “The Remington Oaks Recreation Board of Directors had informed (them) that effective immediately any non-trustee… is not authorized to obtain water from their water hoses/faucets.” And, “should the clubhouse find someone taking water…, they will contact the authorities to report theft of their water.”

 

It has become crystal clear that the “water theft” issue is another one of Rick Lord’s attempts to discredit and defame Jack and his character. And the Rec Board seemed happy to support Rick's questionable efforts, though Chuck Schwarz (OLRA Vice President) said that he felt they were “stuck in the middle” of the situation, at the OLRA Meeting last September.

 

Unfortunately, NEITHER BOARD CAN GET THEIR STORIES STRAIGHT – making it even clearer that something very underhanded and dishonest is going on just below the surface. Here are a few of the many inconsistencies in their stories regarding the “water theft” issue:

 

WHO STARTED THE WHOLE THING?

• The letter from ROHA to Jack states that “The Remington Oaks Recreation Board of Directors had informed (ROHA) that effective immediately any non-trustee… is not authorized to obtain water from their water hoses/faucets.” And, “should the clubhouse find someone taking water…, they will contact the authorities to report theft of their water.” Implying that OLRA has initiated the issue.

• Yet, according to OLRA Directors (and the Minutes posted from their September 26, 2016 Meeting), it was Rick Lord/ROHA that actually initiated the effort. ROHA doesn’t oversee Recreation/Clubhouse issues. Why was Rick even involved, much less driving the issue? More of his arbitrary and capricious treatment (aka. bullying)?

 

Why was none of this even mentioned in Meeting Minutes from either Board, until well after the fact when they were forced to answer questions about the issue?

• Neither Board can explain why none of the conversations, nor the assumed OLRA vote to restrict Jack from using water, are included in any past Meeting Minutes.

• Theresa Calvert, OLRA President, refused to share emails or discussions that pertain to the fabricated issue, even though they are legally bound to do so. In her words, she "considers this matter closed." 

 

Why did ROHA send the threatening letter to Jack instead of OLRA (who was clearly prompted by Mr. Lord to make the policy)? And, why was neither OLRA nor the Clubhouse staff even copied?

• In the September ROHA Meeting, when Rick Lord was asked why the threatening letter came from him and why OLRA wasn’t even copied, he claimed that they had done it "as a courtesy to Jack since he was a past Trustee." Really?

 

Alleged original approval to access/use water.

• The posted Minutes also state that OLRA “received a request from ROHA to allow their trustees to use the clubhouse water in support of their (Greenscape) committee. Upon receiving the request, the OLRA board voted and approved their request” almost two years ago.

• Neither the assumed request nor the vote were ever mentioned in past Minutes nor was Jack (Chairman of the Greenscape Committee at the time) ever informed that a request was made and approval was granted to “officially” use the Clubhouse water for their own trees and shrubs. Very odd since the request was supposedly made on his behalf.

 

Request from ROHA to discontinue water access.

• The posted Minutes from the Sept OLRA Meeting also state that “OLRA received another request from ROHA that water usage was no longer required so the OLRA board approved to remove the access to clubhouse water by the ROHA trustees.” The Minutes go on to say that “Remington Oaks residents are not allowed to use clubhouse water for plants and trees located on ROHA maintained property…”

  • The “OLRA board approved to remove the access to clubhouse water by the ROHA trustees.” It specifically says that the access to water was removed for “ROHA TRUSTEES.” No mention of residents or Jack. Really?

  • Note that not a single OLRA Director at the September Meeting had ever actually seen Jack using the water. Nor had the Clubhouse staff in attendance.

  • “Remington Oaks residents are not allowed to use clubhouse water for plants and trees located on ROHA maintained property…” The discussion has nothing to do with the “ROHA maintained property.” The Clubhouse water usage was specific to the trees and shrubs on Clubhouse grounds. And, ROHA certainly doesn’t maintain nor pay anyone to maintain the Clubhouse grounds. They don’t even contract anyone to water their own property (other than the few newly planted areas) – if they did, they would have far less dead trees and shrubs.

 

Two separate Boards, combining their efforts to try to keep a resident from voluntarily maintaining or watering trees and plants that will likely die without his efforts. How is this for the greater good of our neighborhood? It’s not.

 

Whatever your opinion is – attend the quarterly open Board Meetings and speak up. Or, send the Boards an email at:

• Oaks Landing Recreational Association Board email: 
  olraboardfenton@sbcglobal.net 

• Remington Oaks Homeowners Association Board email:
  rohaboardmo@gmail.com