12/21/21, 3:38 PM
“LISTEN UP”
For those that did not attend last night’s (12/20/21) zoom Regular Board Meeting, President Bill Burt commented about a letter Ranch Matters (RM) submitted to each Ranch Director on December 16 requesting “PROOF OF ACTION” regarding the removal the (False) “Permanent” Trespass Order filed against Ranch Matters News Service-John Stevens and Dave Stangland in 2020 at the golf course.
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Our letter stated, “Dear President Burt and present Ranch Directors, Officers and Employees of Crooked River Ranch: We received our Trespass Removal Letters from the Ranch attorney Bruce Lepore last month. It’s our understanding that the decision to remove us from the order was made in Executive Session. When was the Executive Session Meeting held and where are the Minutes? PROOF OF ACTION? This appears to be a pretend removal that failed to follow Oregon Statutory Requirements. Please place this matter on next Monday’s (12/20/21), Regular Meeting Agenda. Thank you.
John Stevens & Dave Stangland Ranch Matters News Service.”
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CLICK HERE FOR BURT’S VIDEO STATEMENT
Burt’s comments were belittling, inaccurate, misleading, unprofessional and truth challenged. He started off, “I found a letter from Mr. Stevens and Mr. Stangland CLAIMING that we have done some DIRE things…”
He said in his typical condescending manner, “Here you go Mr. Stevens-LISTEN UP.”
Burt then tried to explain away all of the inconsistencies or lies that have surrounded this Trespass Incident and the removal process. He said, “In October 2021, I had a meeting with Sheriff Heckathorn, Judy Lapora, Carl Harbour and myself. The discussion was concerning the active trespass of Mr. Stevens…”
Their discussion continued and included Burt stating,
“It was not a board decision to make. The person who asked for the trespass was Richard Jensen. It was Mr. Jensen and Carl and I, as executive officers, asked Judy to determine if he thought it should be lifted. He (Jensen) agreed that enough time has passed. Since Mr. Jensen is an employee of the Ranch, Judy asked our HOA lawyer to prepare a letter to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office lifting the trespass against Mr. Stevens on Mr. Jensen’s behalf. At the time this was done, I did not realize Mr. Stangland had also been trespassed. A phone call from Mr. Stevens to me alerted me to this fact. I was a little FLUSTERED that we had not got the whole thing right.”
Intriguingly, Burt stated, “It was probably asked if this was a Board decision, because I’m the President of the Board. I decided to ask Judy to ask Mr. Jensen to lift the trespass-I said YES IT WAS A BOARD DECISION. In fact, it was not a Board decision or my decision. The decision to drop the trespass was solely Mr. Jensen’s decision…”
Interestingly, on 11/24, RM contacted Burt by phone and asked him if it was a Board decision to remove us from the trespass order and he stated: “IT WAS A BOARD DECISION AND THE ACTION IS EFFECTIVE.”
EFFECTIVE?
Ranch attorneys wrote the Board detailing in part, how they should conduct their affairs. One section in particular addressed how decisions by the Board must be made. The lawyers quoted from ORS 94.640(8)(c) which states
“{a} contract or action considered in executive session does not become EFFECTIVE (emphasis added) unless the board of directors, following the executive session, reconvenes in open meeting and votes on the contract or an action, which must be reasonably identified in the open meeting and included in the MINUTES (emphasis added).”
BOARD DECISION-NOT A BOARD DECISION?
Although Burt neglected to read our letter he did manipulate the contents sufficiently to suit his narrative.
Burt stated, “At no time was there an Executive Session” contradicting what Ranch Manager Judy Lapora said on 11/29. Lapora told us, “It was something done in Executive Session which will not be in the Minutes.”
Burt lied about what we asked for. We asked for the Minutes, not notes related to Lapora’s Executive Session admission. He stated, “…You asked where are the notes for the Executive Session. There are never notes of the Executive Session.”
Burt ends his diatribe by accusing us of attacking the Board. He stated, “So instead of thanking for the removal you attack us instead. REALLY.”
Burt seemingly can’t get his stories straight, but when you’re a little man with too much unchecked power and a BIG GAVEL you can do whatever you want on Crooked River Ranch.
