My wife and I made the short trip down the street to the Lodge of the Great Northwest to attend the executive session of the board of directors for the Great Northwest Community Improvement Association.In a somewhat subdued version of meetings, we started about 15 minutes late and were finished fairly early. Incredible how quickly things can go when you don't have someone constantly wanting to consult the lawyer... (did I type that out loud?)
Kudos to the staff for posting multiple signs reminding the peanut gallery that this was an executive session, and comments were not accepted from observers in the audience. I think it helped immensely.A few things you should know:
Community Manager Darin Laracuente gave us the word on the latest graffiti situation. He reports that in addition to volunteers like Director Richard Garcia getting out and painting over the taggers mess, the Security staff has been helping out where they can. The City of SA won't provide matching colors for free, but as Director Garcia pointed out, the association should be able to afford the desired matching colors from Wal-Mart for 97 cents a can (just where he and the taggers get it).
Jose Morlett, the DRACO tells us that he went to court and the city is going to demolish the half-completed house in Silver Creek, much to the delight of neighbors, and bill the owner.Fred Murphy, our director of maintenance reports that the people who live along the drainage easement from on Tezel Road all the way to the Lodge Timberwilde are a bunch of inconsiderate A-Holes. Okay, he didn't say that at all; that is my take.
As I had previously written, many of these folks simply toss tree limbs and other assorted junk over their fences into the dry creek bed hoping that floods will carry their garbage away. Seriously, how ghetto is this? Oh, and while cars get washed away in floods at low water crossings everytime it rains, I doubt very seriously that the car engine block you tossed behind your fence is going to move itself out of our neighborhood after a short afternoon shower. This kind of behavior is more than ridiculous. Frankly, if I'm one of the volunteers who will gather to clean the area, I plan to start chucking stuff right back over the fence. (I might need a little help with engine blocks and refrigerators).
Chief Burton updated the board on the new security patrol vehicle. It has been freshly wrapped with logos and soon, the older trucks will get the fresh new design.
Director Guy Pucci questioned Chief Burton about the liability incurred by GNW Security directing traffic if they come upon an accident scene. His point being that if they direct traffic in a way that causes another accident, the board could be liable. Chief Burton pointed out that if his staff simply drives by an accident scene and fails to do anything, it creates an ugly situation. Community Manager Laracuente intervened and stated that he would get a reading from the insurance company, and policy would be set based upon that ruling.My opinion is this: Our security guys have light bars on their vehicles. When they park the vehicle at an intersection where a wreck has occurred, it helps slow the traffic much the same way a police cruiser does. Though not the ideal situation, this is far safer than having just an ordinary citizen with no light bar and no training (as most of our security staff undoubtedly have had) standing in the road trying to direct traffic. I don't want to have the association come under any undue lawsuits - we generate enough of those from within the association, but just seems to me that if an accident occurs and there is a need to direct traffic, having a huge logo on the side of an association vehicle that says "Security" drive right on by an accident for fear of a lawsuit will only generate more disdain. And, I'm no lawyer but there must be some protection under the Texas Good Samaritan Act to help us out. Just my opinion.
Two other quick things: The board changed the wording on one or two bylaws to be votred on at the annual meeting and they will be sent off to the lawyer (of course) to be reviewed. Also, they are thinking of having a raffle at the annual meeting to make sure they get a quorum. Apparently, some of the associations in our general area had to hold multiple meetings to generate enough interest to get the numbers necessary to have a quorum at their annual meetings. We don't want that.Then it was off to the closed session of the meeting where bloggers and reporters are not allowed! We were out by 8:30PM!
2 comments:
My Point was that our security was Directing traffic on Culebra. Not within the Associations Boundries.
If they come upon an accident they should stop and render aid until the authorities arrive. We are not suppose to be providing services outside the properties. Just imagine if while so involved a member called for assistance with a problem and was Told we are busy directing traffic at Culebra and Westover Hills and we can't respond.
Guy D.
Thanks for your response - I always appreciate that you are willing to ask the tough questions of the staff.
In this case, I think we are talking apples and oranges. I may have missed your reference to a specific location.
The two times that I have seen GNW Security directing traffic involved situations at Timberwilde and Timber Path and at the intersection of Timber Path and Tezel. In both of these cases, the accidents were observed in the obvious boundries of the GNW area.
If we have security directing traffic on Culebra and Westover Hills, I am at a loss as to why our security vehicle was patrolling what is clearly a mile outside of any GNW subdivision boundry.
My question would not be why are they being good Samaritans and directing traffic (thus putting the association in jeopardy, but more importantly, why are they tooling around town on the clock and at the current gas prices, in the association vehicle?
If that was the point you were making, then I agree with you. But that was not what I understood the question to be.
Either way, I do appreciate your pressing of issues at the meetings and comments here.
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