Open Letter to the Community

We want to pass along news, both good and bad. The good news is that the community and Northern Arizona received much needed rain after too many drought years. We have received more than 10 inches of rain since January 1, 2005 and nearly 20 inches since October 1, 2004. This rain resulted from a series of storms that swept across the Southwest. The following quote from a recent article in Prescott’s Daily Courier. Illustrates the severity of this winter’s weather:

“Two of the major storms caused most of the damage and prompted Governor Janet Napolitano to declare states of emergency. The storms that occurred between Dec. 28 and Jan. 12 also drew a federal disaster declaration from President George W. Bush……storms damaged about 30 miles of paved roads and about 700 miles of gravel roads in varying degrees. They also damaged 30 low water crossings.”

Even in the worst of these storms, the LMR community roads have been passable although we had plenty of mud and our two “bridges” were under water for several hours on two occasions.

We were able to have the roads graded and rolled and 270 tons of base material placed on the worst sections in January, in between two of the storms. The Board has authorized placing additional material and grading the roads again. The Board has also prepared a two year road improvement plan and retained a civil engineering firm to assess the community roads and to recommend maintenance, repair and improvement efforts that will provide safe and economically viable community roads. As part of the Long Term Plan, a Request For Quotations to place three inches of additional base material on all roads has been sent out. This work will require a special assessment.

Six property owners who want the community roads chip sealed have retained an attorney and sent the LMRPOA a letter claiming the Board is not meeting its legal obligations regarding road maintenance and improvement. The Board informed our insurance carrier of the letter, and they have assigned an attorney to represent the Association.

At the February Board meeting, a Board member presented the enclosed ultimatum that demands chip sealing of the roads start immediately. This unsigned “position paper” makes clear that their real agenda is to force the Board to chip seal the roads despite the two to one majority in the poll and chip sealing surveys conducted last fall that indicated it preferred to keep our gravel roads.

Members of this group have also complained directly to the LMRPOA insurance company by e-mail and telephone. As a result of issues raised last year about easements and trails, and these complaints and threats of a lawsuit about roads, the insurance company has decided not to renew the LMRPOA insurance policy, which expires April 27, 2005. The Board is diligently looking for another insurance carrier. However, if we do obtain insurance, it will certainly be at a higher cost.

Despite these problems, Long Meadow Ranch remains a great place to live. The wildflowers should be beautiful this year. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Neil Cooperrider

President, LMRPOA

(928) 899-3321 phone

12110ranch@lmrpoa.org (e-mail)