Posts: 10
Threads: 2
Joined: May 2015
LOCAL LOCAL MAIL & SHIP, in Keaau, has private mail boxes for rent TODAY! We are conveniently located across from Keaau Public Library. For those of you who cannot keep waiting for a p.o. box from the U.S. Postal Service, we are an alternative solution. Depending on post office, the wait can be from 1-5 YEARS. Please also note our store provides a PHYSICAL address, so folks can better receive parcels as well. Phone 339-7813 for more info. quote:
Originally posted by terracore
"What would you folks like to see on our community lot?"
Nothing is free. We could post a huge list of things we WANT but that seems kind of pointless without a budget to work with. Nanawale has a pool, BBQ and picnic areas, playground, etc. Ainaloa has a playground and longhouse etc. For me, I would be happy with an empty lot with a container and tarp if there was some way to GET MY MAIL. I don't know how long the wait list is for the OLE mailboxes but I've been on it for 3 years. To me, critical infrastructure like mail delivery and broadband internet service is much more important than playgrounds (my child is grown and gone), pools (I don't swim where people pee), public BBQ (I have a BBQ that doesn't have somebody's else's moldy mystery glaze all over it), meeting facilities (seems like there are plenty of those that sit empty 90% of the time).
I guess my point is that Orchidland doesn't really NEED a community center. We need more basic things like mail delivery/pickup and broadband internet. Or what about water spigots? Maybe instead of investing our resources into a community center that 99% of us will never use, we can focus on the basics.
I vote for water spigots, broadband internet to my house, and mail. Find a way to cram that into a community center and you have my vote.
ETA: I drive from OLE to Ainaloa's community center all the time. To dump my mail into their mail box.
Posts: 14,106
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
private mail boxes ... our store provides a PHYSICAL address
Note that PMBs have special limitations; other merchants often maintain a list of their "physical" addresses, which are then not considered "valid" for purposes of accepting checks, renting videos, or other transactions.
PMBs are also on the ITAR blacklist for export-controlled technologies, but that's not a problem for "most people"...
Posts: 1,163
Threads: 32
Joined: Aug 2009
I'd strongly encourage all Orchidland property owners to read the *approved* minutes for the Board's Special Meeting in April ( http://www.orchidland.org/pdf/minutes/Bo...pecial.pdf ). As you're reading these minutes, they're so bizarre you may think you're reading "propaganda" from the anti-Board constituency, but these are the actual meeting minutes approved by the Board and posted on the official Orchidland website. The following paragraphs give just a taste of what the entire document contains (note: these paragraphs are copied exactly as written in the *approved* minutes):
"This Special Membership Meeting was to be convened to swear in the newly elected Board members; however that order of business did not take place and a completely different Agenda was distributed to the audience and covered instead and with no actual swearing in of the new members because it was stated that formality wasn’t required for them to do business nor did they feel that they had to follow the rules of posting the Agenda for the Special Meeting per the Bylaws and doing only what was called to be done by the announcement of the Special meeting as per what was written on the website announcement in regards to the meeting.
The following Agenda was distributed, but also no vote occurred to approve that unadvertised Agenda Change for the Special Meeting that was specifically called for swearing in of Officers only, per the Bylaws.
An unadvertised and then unapproved Special Agenda for the meeting was distributed at the last minute during the meeting and occurred instead of the swearing in of Officers as was to be done and advertised as such on the website.
The first item on the last minute replacement Agenda distributed that night was to Approve the last Board meeting minutes of March, 2015, but that could not be done because it was not advertised to be part of the Special Meeting and thus was not legal, per the bylaws to be approved, as were none of the following motions that were made and approved by the Board including the new directors who have yet to be sworn in because that was deemed an “unnecessary formality” although required by the OLCA bylaws. "
Their own minutes document the fact that they are ignoring the association Bylaws, with one Board member questions who would go to jail if Bylaws are not followed. The Board then voted to suspend the Bylaws, though there isn't any provision in the Bylaws that gives the board that power. It's like a murderer who writes "Stop me before I kill again" on a bathroom mirror... or Nixon saying "when the president does it that means that it is not illegal."
Posts: 7,733
Threads: 686
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 295
Threads: 8
Joined: Jun 2014
i find it strangely comforting that this same madness goes on in the other sub-divisions. is that dreadful of me? its quite amazing. the community associations of hawaii (or maybe just puna) appear to be everything Hawaii is not. judgmental- self-serving- spiteful- self-centered and bogged down in meaningless, inapplicable rules and regs. where is 'aloha' in all of this? i have been on this island for twenty years. most of that time has been spent in areas most would consider 'local'. i have never been subjected to the prejudice i hear about 'the haoles', quite the opposite. i have always been met with respect for my differences. however the controlling bodies of these estates appear to be predominately american. so is this an american thing?? its not that there are not good people in these associations. there are. decent hardworking people with a genuine desire to improve their community. so it must be something to do with the set up??
#10048;
#10048;
Posts: 1,163
Threads: 32
Joined: Aug 2009
birchl, you raise an interesting point, but I don't think it's a Hawaiian vs. Haole/American/Mainland thing. I think folks who serve on association boards are, for the most part, truly community minded people who want the best for their neighborhoods. However, their task is complicated by a number of facts. The county denies all responsibility for roads, yet requires that these roads be open to all. Some local residents want improvements and property value increases and are willing to pay for them, while some residents prefer a more isolated existence and don't care about increased property values that would raise their tax bill). Full time residents see the need for road repairs and community services and are willing to pay their share, while some mainland investors have never even seen their properties and don't feel required to contribute to community improvements. Those who do pay are justifiably upset that their contributions seem to go into a black hole, those who don't want to pay or can't afford to pay are angry whenever fee increases are introduced, and the associations have limited ability to force non-payers to ante up.
It's a no-win situation that can only lead to dissension. Much as I don't want to see our community (or others) subject to receivership, I suspect that that may be the only solution that will enable the associations to get back on track.
Posts: 14,106
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
truly community minded people who want the best for their neighborhoods ... Some local residents want ... some residents prefer ... Full time residents ... some mainland investors
More like: a permanent state of argument amongst different factions of "community minded people", each of which are completely convinced that theirs is the "Right Way" to run the subdivision.
I maintain that part of the solution is for each subdivision to choose a "posture" which is then recorded against every property therein, so that "improvements and property value increases" vs "isolated low-tax existence" isn't a big surprise (and argument) later.
Posts: 403
Threads: 26
Joined: May 2012
That makes sense, Kalakoa, and also Rich. The issue, as I see it, is that some of these subdivisions are enormous, and have hundreds if not thousands of lots spread across hundreds if not thousands of acres. Because of that, it is more likely that there will be significant disagreements regarding the CC&Rs, development versus rural, good roads versus slow roads, being on the grid versus off the grid, etc. Not sure if it is coincidence or not, but the subdivisions with some of the largest-sized lots and largest total areas (Orchidland, HA, HPP) seem to show less uniformity in terms of "posture" than other subdivisions.
I suppose this makes sense, as if everyone has a small lot right next to one another - as in Hawaiian Beaches and Hawaiian Shores (and to a lesser extent, Leilani), the average cost per stretch of road is smaller (since more lots per linear foot of road), and people are less likely to want total privacy when they know that isn't practical with houses all around.
Leilani Estates, 2011 to Present
Posts: 14,106
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
"Uniformity of posture" is probably a historical artifact of original settlement patterns.
Example: highest density in HA is along the paved roads.
In some cases there are no CC&Rs, in which case I suggest the "problem" is that people moved in expecting to make changes without any prior agreement by the entire "community".
Posts: 278
Threads: 18
Joined: Jan 2014
Wow, just got the newsletter. The way it is presented the board really seems to have its act together. I'm supporting all the proposals and looks like they are going to make real progress on the road. Right on.
|
