HOA or CIA?

The Budget Audit Committee (BAC) met yesterday (1/25/23) in the Juniper Room for an all day meeting that included not only the Ranch Department Heads, but also unexpectedly the Crooked River Ranch (CRR) Board of Directors (BOD).

The following Directors in attendance: President Kari Vickery, VP Ara Erdekian, Secretary Mike Dries, Sheryl Jones, Richard Beveridge, Sarah Woolverton and Treasurer Randy Peterson via zoom.

Ranch Manager Judy Lapora attended and participated.

The meeting was called to Order at 10:00 AM by resident Herb Parker

Initially Herb Parker stated the meeting was a “Combined BAC/BOD Meeting” and Association members in attendance were only allowed to “observe.”

Parker enacted the following observer rules/restrictions:

.

*No questions allowed from observers-Association members

.

*No copies of the Draft Operating Budget or CRP available for observers to follow

.

*No recordings for Association members

.

*No zoom for the Association members

.

However, zoom was available for Treasurer Randy Peterson only.

Department Heads were scheduled throughout the day to present their operating budgets for the BAC and BOD.

BRIEFLY

Ranch Golf Pro Randy Ballard was the first to present his budget. He walked the BAC/BOD through his individual line items explaining various increases and in some cases decreases to his budget. According to Ballard there was a “significant change” in his departments salaries and wages-an increase of “9.1%.”

Ballard was followed by Ranch Golf Course Superintendent Richard Jensen. Jensen’s presentation was a repeat-procedurally as Ballard. He too reported a “significant” increase related to salaries and wages.

Jensen also addressed higher fuel costs and an extra charge for water usage related to drinking fountains. The fountains will be metered for the Ranch Water Company’s billing purposes.

.

Cathy from the RV Park’s presentation discussed rate changes, dump fee increases-tentatively set for $13.00. Cathy stated the dump fee in Redmond is $6.00 and she expects a lot of complaints related to said fee increase. After a lively discussion the matter was “tabled”.

Cathy also addressed the higher cost of the garbage service related to unlawful dumping by suspected Ranch residents.

Manager Lapora started to talk about something that needed to “stay in the room” and to be held in confidence. She did not want what she was about to say to leave the Juniper Room or appear on social media. Parker stopped Lapora and said it will be “talked about later.”

.

Parker adjourned the meeting at 12 noon for about a 45 minute lunch break.

.

After the lunch break, General Maintenance Supervisor Mike Knoke was scheduled to present his budget report, followed by Ranch Road Supervisor Jordan Jones and Manager Judy Lapora.

Ranch Matters (RM) did not attend the second half of the meeting, but before leaving asked Lapora about her “stay in the room” comment. She confirmed it was a “confidential issue” that involved something to do with a “water contract.” No other details conveyed and she reminded RM Parker “runs the meeting.”

.

NOTE: There was No Notice as prescribed by Oregon law announcing the BOD meeting with the BAC. There was a quorum, the Directors discussed Association business and yet no notice was issued for the members.

.

In the January 16, 2023, Regular Meeting Packet, the following was listed under Announcements: “January 25, 2023-10:00 am-3:00 pm Juniper Room (Supervisor presentation of Operating Budget)”. No mention of the BOD’s joint meeting with the BAC.

.

As an aside, some BAC meetings in the past were available via zoom. Director Randy Peterson attended yesterday’s meeting via zoom, so why not allow the membership as a whole to “observe” via zoom?

WHY ALL THE SECRECY?

CRR IS A HOA NOT THE CIA!