OVA Membership Launches GoFundMe Campaign
8/14/18 Update: Oakmont Alliance announces $6,090 raised (Umpqua Fund & GoFundMe,) and has increased its funding goal from $5,000 to $10,000. An Umpqua bank account set up last month is accepting checks and cash contributions: Oakmont Alliance, c/o Umpqua Bank, 6641 Oakmont Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95409.
A recently launched GoFundMe campaign is seeking OVA member contributions for the purpose of retaining independent legal counsel to represent Oakmont residents. According to the campaign website, the attorney firm will be pursuing membership interests in:
Oakmont Alliance flyer in August 15 Kenwood Press
“1) Deferring for a minimum of 12 months, the OVA Board of Director’s consideration (vote) of providing financial assistance to the Oakmont Golf Club, a separate for-profit enterprise.
2) Facilitating revision of the OVA governing documents to be in compliance with Davis-Stirling (the California law governing homeowner associations), and to mandate a binding membership vote on major projects with a dollar threshold yet to be determined.”
For more information go to gofundme.com/Oakmont-Alliance-Fundraiser
I feel a $5.00 per month raise in ova monthly dues would provide close to $200,000 a year for keeping the club solvent which I feel most residential folks would go along with. Even if we don’t golf
I totally agree, L. Miller. It is well worth $5.00 a month to keep the green open space of the golf courses. If they were to fail, Oakmont would just be another old people subdivision.
Linda Miller, the OGC has asked OVA for $5/mo/person or 4700 x $5 x 12 months = $282,000/year x 5 years = $1,410,000 to help OGC catch up on its deferred maintenance and fund its reserves. We raised our own OVA dues this year to direct more funds to our own underfunded reserves and deferred maintenance and, at the same time, we are considering taking out loans to fill the gap. Why would we divert our dues and borrow money to assist a separate, for-profit entity; i.e., the OGC, with its self-inflicted financial problems? It’s irresponsible and imprudent.
Isn’t it the responsibility of the OVA manager and Board, as well as the attorney the OVA uses to make sure our governing documents align with the Davis-Sterling requirements, and isn’t this part of the reason we pay dues? IF we need to hire another attorney to represent the interests of OVA members rather than a private business (OGC), perhaps we need a new attorney.
I would be happy to contribute to an attorney that understands and is able to demonstrate to the OVA Board, our residents, and the OGC that they cannot legally require anyone, as Elaine Bennett wrote above,
to give any money to the OGC from Oakmont residents no matter what votes they may take. As I previously said, anyone anywhere is welcome to donate to the OGC but none of us collectively or individually can be required to do this. Ms. Miller is wrong – I and many others are not willing to spend our money on the OGC, but more importantly, no dues paying member can be forced to do this.
Thank you Ellen, you are correct we cannot be forced to fork over our dues to the golf club for their maintenance. However, I as many others fear this current Board will manipulate paying the golf course in some way, shape or form. Unfortunately our requests are ignored to understand what/how the Board will be voting.
I encourage residents who want to be represented to contribute to an attorney go-fund-me for that purpose.
Congratulations, Well done. This is a tale in which the plot continues to thicken and the list of potential legal questions grows longer. The money will be needed. Can a non-profit HOA buy shares in a for-profit company? Can it be done without a vote of members? Common sense says no.