LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 03.25.10

+ Ranch IDA failing residents

Dear Editor:

I read with interest your March 18 article about the IDA board’s unwavering support of Lakewood Ranch Community Manager Bob Fernandez and the board’s lack of interest in investigating questions raised about his style of management.  

The IDA’s duty to the thousands of Lakewood Ranch homeowners it represents demands that it seek the immediate transparency that would give those homeowners assurance that serious questions about possible toxic employee morale at Town Hall are unfounded.

I therefore take strong issue with the IDA’s willingness to look the other way. Fernandez is, after all, the handpicked appointee of the IDA chairman. The board, therefore, has an obligation to seriously review his job proficiency under these circumstances.

Fernandez’ management style is of particular importance in light of his controversial decision to cut the opening of Town Hall from five to four days a week, a move that has raised repeated homeowner complaints of limited accessibility. Adding insult to injury is the IDA’s reported suggestion that Town Hall employees vote on whether they think Town Hall access should be cut by one day. The decision is clearly one for the people who pay the bills — the homeowners to whom Fernandez’ IDA bosses have been elected to serve.

Steve Edwards
Lakewood Ranch

+ HOA reform must occur at state level

Dear Editor:

My name is Lewis Laricchia, candidate for State Rep. District 56 in Hillsborough County.

Your paper means well. However, no one can stop the out-of-control train headed by the legislator and the state senators — not even the useless governor or his opponent for us, Sen. Marco Rubio, who also was and still is an enemy of HOA reform when he was speaker of the house.

Explain to me how an HOA can fine the Ronneys more than $2,000 in fines when the Florida statute 720.305 paragraph 2 states fines are not to exceed $1,000.

(2)  If the governing documents so provide, an association may suspend, for a reasonable period of time, the rights of a member or a member’s tenants, guests, or invitees, or both, to use common areas and facilities and may levy reasonable fines, not to exceed $100 per violation, against any member or any tenant, guest, or invitee.

A fine may be levied on the basis of each day of a continuing violation, with a single notice and opportunity for hearing, except that no such fine shall exceed $1,000 in the aggregate unless otherwise provided in the governing documents.

A fine shall not become a lien against a parcel.

In any action to recover a fine, the prevailing party is entitled to collect its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs from the non-prevailing party as determined by the court.

Wake up, America. It’s the same old politicians who destroyed the state of Florida now running for another position to further this madness. 

Vote all state representatives and senators out of office and put in fresh blood with the exception of representative Julio Robania that will help people living in an HOA.

Lewis Laricchia
candidate, State Representative District 56
Hillsborough County