Letter: Change comes hard in Surfside

Published 11:36 am Monday, June 13, 2022

A fish rots from the head and so does any organization.

Although past presidents have politicized Surfside Homeowners Association staff, the former and present board presidents have taken this practice to a new low.

In the past two years one manager, who by all indications was not pliant to being politicized against specific members, was abruptly dismissed at great cost to the HOA members.

The board president and some trustees, who were voted out with an overwhelming margin, have hung on to the present leadership to attempt to maintain control over their policy direction by exerting undue influence and interfering with the will of the members.

These “leaders” have used the compliance process in an attempt to stifle some members whose only crime is to question policies that they push forth.

It is a big change here to have some new board members opposing the way things are “always done.”

This has made small groups on either side of any issue to be characterized as enemies and a threat to the very existence of the HOA.

Again, the fish rots from the head the board members who dare to disagree and ask questions have been harassed and bullied. (One board executive member even used his hand to mimic a gun and aim it at another board member saying “bang bang — one for you and one for ____,” and here he named another trustee.) This action was done during an executive meeting around the time of the Texas and Buffalo shootings. The board president did and said nothing when this occurred.

This year, some employees who had been politicized have left due to the toxic environment created. Some of these former employees are still trolling members (some did this continually when employed with the consent of the president of board other members and trustees). Even to the extent of driving by the home of a spry 80-year-old while she sat on her own porch and making an obscene one-fingered gesture.

Another trustee was harassed by same former employee in the parking lot of a local grocery store. He followed her with his obscene gesture and then, seeing her husband he called her an obscene name. This former employee has used the same name online when speaking about this board member.

All these good people have done nothing more than get elected and attempt to represent underrepresented people in our HOA and stop actions based on “we have always done it that way.”

They are bullied by fellow board members even at meetings when they try to bring rational discussion to the table.

There is no peace here. The discord is not due to any rogue element or outside influence but due in a major part to polarizing speech and lies. One only needs to read any of the Weekender editorials from the present president and peruse any of the past president’s writings. It is clear how this has progressed through the years.

Discover the truth for yourselves.

BETSEY NELSON

Surfside