Update, July 26th

Dear Neighbor,

We have done it.  Together we have elected a board that represents a clean break from the past.  Together we can now put that past behind us and begin the work of restoring Sunrise Lake.

Those of us who've worked hard over the past 3+ years can feel proud of the work we've done and the foundation we've laid for a new way of doing business here in Sunrise.

We will continue to stand strong and work together to ensure that the restoration and management of our community is done as we promised -- with transparency, prudence and consistency.

We will need much help to do that and hope you will continue to participate in making this as smooth a transition as possible.  Your skills, your commitment and your enthusiasm are needed now more than ever -- hopefully now voluntarily employed in happier tasks as we re-build rather than simply fighting for our right to be heard.

There will be people who are disappointed by the election outcome, but we hope they too will come around and participate in productive and positive ways as we all work together to navigate this transition.
 
As this transition completes and the other terms of the settlement between CCSL and  Sunrise Ventures/Sunnylands, Inc. are satisfied, this website will be updated to reflect that satisfaction. Its content remains a piece of that suit until then.

Respectfully,
Volunteer Committee
Concerned Citizens of Sunrise Lake

Dear Neighbors,
 
By now you have received your ballot for the upcoming election for the new board of the Sunrise Lake Property Owners Association.

Mailed with that ballot was a dues invoice statement.

If you owe back dues, while you will ultimately be requested to pay those dues, YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY BACK DUES TO VOTE.  WE SUGGEST YOU DO NOT PAY BACK DUES UNTIL A PROPERLY ELECTED AND SEATED BOARD is in place.

Your dues status has NOTHING to do with your ability to cast your ballot.

The dues statement is only there to verify your lot and block for counting purposes.  Please staple it to the ballot, for ID purposes, and return it either in the mail before July 24th, or in person on July 26th.

Concerned Citizens specifically requested that the block and lot be noted directly on the ballot, but the Ramagosas chose instead to include these statements.

Regardless, PLEASE VOTE AND DO NOT WORRY ABOUT PAYING BACK DUES FOR YOUR BALLOT TO BE COUNTED.  IT WILL BE COUNTED.

Thank you,
Volunteer Committee
Concerned Citizens of Sunrise Lake

 
                  Clarence “Chip” Dingman                 Andrew Mellen                                     
                  Gary Johnson                                     Jack Ritter
                  Lisa Krenkel                                        Lou Sancio
                  DeAnna Margiore                                                          
 

As Sunrise Lake transitions from a developer-run community to a homeowners' association and board-run community, we will post pertinent information about the transition here.

These photos are a painful reminder of a few of our amenities and their current condition.

All amenities, roads and common areas in good working order are guaranteed to all Sunrise Lake owners in our deeds.  And this is what Concerned Citizens has been advocating for since we formed three years ago.

If anyone or any group suggests that either the amenities are fine as they are or that the restoration of them is not a legal issue, they are misinformed.

Concerned Citizens believes that with responsible management of our dues monies, these amenities can be restored without excess fees or dues increases. 

Any suggestion to the contrary is false.

Elections will be held in accordance with the UPCA (Uniform Planned Community Act).  As details are finalized and released to us, we will post dates, locations and any other information we receive here for all to see.  Please check back often for updates.  Thank you.

What follows below is all correspondence between the Volunteer Committee of Concerned Citizens and our email list as it relates to the transition.  If you wish to receive these email communications directly, please follow the link to the left and contact us.  Thank you. 

Update, July 13, 2009

Dear Neighbors,
 
As you know we have been determinedly negotiating with Sunrise Ventures/Sunnylands Inc. to put a transparent and fair election procedure in place.  The key sticking point was the number of board members.  We wanted seven, they were stuck on five.  As you see from the ballot you received, we were able to move them to seven.
 
HOWEVER, we are very unhappy they included a dues invoice statement with the ballots.  We specifically asked that they NOT include invoices as doing so gives the impression that if you owe back dues, you can not vote.  THIS IS NOT THE CASE.  Your dues status has NOTHING to do with your ability to cast your ballot.  We suggested to all our members to NOT pay their 2009 dues because SV/SL refused an escrow account.  When a new legally and legitimately elected board is in place, we encourage you to remit your outstanding dues - NOT BEFORE.  So again, PLEASE VOTE and do not have any worries about whether your vote will be counted.  We are working diligently to make sure this is a CLEAN election.
 
We will be speaking with our attorney later today regarding how to proceed now that SV/SL has included the dues invoices with ballots, and we will update you with his response and recommendations.  In the meantime, please attend the "Meet the Candidates Night" on July 22nd at 7PM at St. Vincent's Church.  And VOTE!!!  Vote for CCSL candidates Clarence “Chip” Dingman, Gary Johnson, Lisa Krenkel, DeAnna Margiore, Andrew Mellen, Jack Ritter, Lou Sancio.  
 
They promise transparency in all financial matters, prudent management of the community and conservative budgeting while working diligently to restore our community to the best it can be.
 
Thanks,
Volunteer Committee
www.concernedcitizensofsunriselake.org

Update, July 8, 2009

Dear Neighbor,

We have heard from their attorney regarding account balances:

The balance in the Road and Rec account as of June 1 was $127,549.96.  The starting balance at the beginning of May was $23,592.32.  Their attorney has asked the Ramagosas to provide updated figures when the next statement arrives sometime soon.

GETTING OUT THE VOTE FOR CCSL:

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF CONCERNED CITIZENS VOTES IN THIS ELECTION.

These are the candidates that are running for the board that are members of CCSL:

Clarence “Chip” Dingman

Gary Johnson

Lisa Krenkel

DeAnna Margiore

Andrew Mellen

Jack Ritter

Lou Sancio

Every one of the candidates listed above supports an agenda of transparency in every aspect of managing our community -- and represent a clean break from "business-as-usual," which is what the "Responsible Residents" are offering you -- more of the same.  ‘More of the same’ unfortunately means leaving our amenities in their current degraded condition, therefore, decreasing the value of all our homes and reducing the quality of living in our community.

They claim that CCSL wants restrictive regulations and will raise dues substantially, that we want to change the community from a friendly place to live to a strictly controlled and lavishly maintained community.  This is a deliberate and blantant misrepresentation meant to frighten our neighbors and garner support for keeping our community in its current run down condition.

As we have said repeatedly, we want nothing more than the maintenance and use of the amenities as outlined in our deeds.  As cost comparatives show, other communities maintain their amenities and roads in good condition, and still manage to keep costs low.  We believe that managed properly, Sunrise should be no different.

Every CCSL member running for the board is committed to prudent and responsible management of the community and its resources.  We are all watching our pennies, especially in these challenging economic times.  We want a well-managed community that budgets its members’ dues and fees wisely, conservatively and in a way that's open and transparent. 

CAST YOUR BALLOTS AND ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO VOTE ALSO -- NOW IS THE TIME TO RECLAIM OUR COMMUNITY FROM GREED AND LAZINESS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS!


Update, June 16, 2009

Dear Neighbors and fellow members of Concerned Citizens,
 
We want you to know that the following members of CCSL are running for the association board:
 
DeAnna Margiore, Andrew Mellen, Chip Dingman, Jack Ritter and Lou Sancio of the Volunteer Committee
 
In addition, we know that this member of CCSL is also running for position on the board:  Gary Johnson
 
If there are additional members of Concerned Citizens that are interested in running for the board, please let us know and we will include your names in future email communications and updates concerning elections.
 
As we have been making clear for the last three years, CCSL is determined to ensure that the contractual obligations stated in our deeds are honored efficiently and honestly.  
 
Accomplishing this includes:
 
1) Ensuring that all community financial records and accounting practices are fully transparent to Sunrise owners;
 
2) Ensuring that all projects (repairs, maintenance, etc.) are bid competitively so that the best work will be had for the most reasonable cost and terms;
 
3) Ensuring that all actions undertaken to maintain and improve the community are within the parameters of the covenants of our deeds, including - as stated in our deeds - the upkeep of our amenities and common areas.
 
We would also like to make you aware of the following developments:
 
First, we became aware on Monday, 6/15/09, that Sunrise Ventures/Sunnylands Inc. are attempting to set the terms of the election of the Sunrise board.  
 
The Ramagosas have created a ballot, arbitrarily decided the number of board members for the first Sunrise board, and arbitrarily set a date for the re-election of a new board in February, 2010. 

It's disturbing to see at this critical moment that the Ramagosas may be going 'rogue' and under the impression that they can unilaterally make this up as they go along and run the show, even as they are transitioning away from their role as managers.  
 
This cannot be allowed to happen.  
 
The Volunteer Committee members called the office directly to tell Bill and Bob Ramagosa that these elections must be run according to the law.  Our attorney is also contacting their attorney regarding the situation.  If SV/SL attempts to schedule an election or set any illegal terms not in full compliance with the Planned Community Act, we will file a lawsuit to stop them and have the results of any such election nullified.  
 
Our attorney, Jim Fareri, and our expert witness, professional management consultant Jim Ott, are working on developing guidelines for an election that is in line with Planned Community law.  CCSL is eager  to work WITH the Ramagosas to establish an efficient AND legal process.  But, whether they are willing to work with us or not, the election that establishes our Homeowners Association Board will be open, fair, transparent, and an equal opportunity for ALL owners to vote legally for any individual candidates who choose to run.  We can not start the transition to a new community association with an illegal election run by the very same people who have mismanaged the community for so long.  We simply will not allow that to happen.
 
Second, a group has formed which identifies itself as "Responsible Residents of Sunrise Lake."  It seems this group which is putting forward candidates for election to the board are determined to maintain the status quo here in Sunrise.  That is to say that they do not wish to repair the amenities, and they wish to limit dues expenditures to snow plowing, road maintenance, and mowing - in short, to the same activities the Ramagosa brothers have been performing.
 
There are two issues that need to be made clear:  
 
1.  Our attorney and the professional management company with which CCSL consults assures us that the community association of Sunrise - regardless of who is on the board - will be legally obligated to fulfill the contractual obligations of our deeds.  If they do not, they will be subject to the same legal action CCSL has filed against Sunrise Ventures/Sunnylands Inc.  "Responsible Residents" are misled if they believe that gaining positions on the board will allow them to ignore the contractual obligations of our deeds so that they can maintain the status quo.   
 
2.  Contrary to what "Responsible Residents" may believe, this is not an "us and them" situation between our two groups or two points of view.  We hold in common the fundamental beliefs that our dues should remain reasonable and that our community should be in the best condition it can be.  
 
They are creating a false difference between our groups because they believe that:
 
1) Properly maintaining our amenities will drive dues up substantially;
 
2) Members of CCSL want to transform Sunrise into a Hemlock Farms-like community at great cost to the residents.
 
Neither of these notions is true.
 
All of CCSL members live here because we appreciate the fact that the community is not over-regulated and that the amenities are basic, and all of our members are dedicated to reasonable dues.  
 
There is one true difference between "Responsible Residents" and CCSL:  
 
CCSL believes that with good management and without the 25% markup on all community expenditures  that SV/SL has been charging the community and by competitively bidding all major projects to get the best work done at the most reasonable cost to the community, Sunrise Lake can maintain reasonable dues AND have the amenities guaranteed to us by our deeds.  We want nothing more and will accept nothing less.  
 
The time is now to make a transition to leadership that will NOT overcharge the community for minimal services as SV/SL has been doing for years in order to profit themselves, and instead use ALL dues monies for the proper management and upkeep of our community.  
 
We are unsure why "Responsible Residents" would have a problem with a well -run community that offers the basic amenities we have here for the reasonable dues we pay;
 
We don't know why they would want to get less for our money than what we are capable of getting if the dues monies are properly managed.  
 
Every property owner in the community benefits in terms of property values when the community is well-run and our amenities are in working order.  Why "Responsible Residents" would want less for us is unclear, but we encourage them to do some more investigating of the facts and realize that we can work together rather than against each other.      
 
Thank you for all that you do,
 
 
Volunteer Committee
Concerned Citizens of Sunrise Lake