Rebuttal: HPP Comments from the President

[JoAnne Backman]

March 13, 2010

To: HPPOA Board of Directors
Regarding this excerpt from Bob Rainie’s Comments from the President (Bold Face/Italics):

“Bobbie Alicen asked why the HPPOA attorney had resigned. The chair said that the resignation letter was in the office. The chair also stated that it was his opinion that the attorney’s area of expertise was in employee relations and that it was his opinion that the Association needed an attorney who was more experienced in liens and foreclosures.

The attorney, Ted Hong, wrote a Confidential letter to the HPPOA President detailing his resignation motives. We cannot dispute an arbitrary resignation.

JoAnne Backman said that it was her opinion that the attorney was a fully qualified general attorney.”

What I recall saying is that while Ted Hong’s focus is labor that does not mean he is not qualified in other areas of the law. I also stated that I had a copy of Ted’s resume if anyone cared to review it. That is still the case.

Excerpt from Ted Hong Letter, dated August 29, 2007, to President Hawaiian Paradise Park Owners Association:

“As you can tell, my primary area of practice is employment and workplace law. However, my practice includes advising and representing a number of clients in other matters. I currently advise another Owners Association in Hilo and handle a broad range of matters for them, including filing liens and foreclosures, employment issues, and operational issues. I also advise other Boards and Commissions on a broad range of legal issues.

I have had the privilege to advise the HPPOA Board on a variety of legal matters ranging from personal injury actions (traffic accidents), Board procedures and foreclosures as well as employment matters. I was retained by the Association in 2001 and helped close the decades long lawsuits challenging the Association’s by-laws and authority…”

The letter the above was excerpted from was provided to all directors serving on the board at that time, which included Bob Rainie and Dale Watson.

I believe it would be in order for Bob Rainie to provide a copy of Mr. Hong’s resignation letter to all board directors, so that each of you will be wholly informed in making any decision regarding Ted’s resignation and when selecting new legal representation. The board director I asked about receiving a copy of Ted’s letter had not seen it. Have you?

When you work on next year’s budget, be sure to increase legal fees; it’s doubtful the Association will find representation at the same preferential rates that Mr. Hong has billed us.

Regards,
JoAnne Backman
Cc: www.punaweb.org

[missydog1]

Um, from the title, I thought President Obama was making remarks about HPP. That's what "The President" means to me. You might want to edit your title to make it more clear.

[mdd7000]

My goodness. The English grammar police are at it again. It seemed clear to me - and like you - I don't live in HPP either. Maybe try to give people a break and not be so quick to always correct everyone, huh?

[JoAnne Backman]

Below is an unedited email received from Bob Rainie, followed by my unedited reply to him.

---

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: President/Vice President Response to Owner Input


JoAnne:
I'm sure you expect responses to your messages.
1. The Board consists of volunteers elected to manage the affairs
of HPPOA. Let them do it.
2. Your actions are known as harassment.
Bob


My Reply to Bob:

Bob,

I do not expect responses to my messages. I expect the board to be open and forthcoming with Association members and to hear and consider what they have to say. I expect folks who volunteer to serve the Association with integrity and transparency. I am not only willing to let the board do it's job, I am imploring them to do it.

I'm not surprised that you see my asking the board to look deeply at important issues and stating my viewpoint to be harassment. It is clear from you behavior now, in the past, and especially at the membership meeting that you are not willing to hear input from owners unless it mirrors your own viewpoint. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. This is not Bob Rainie Park - it is Hawaiian Paradise Park, I am a member of the Association and I have a right to speak. You as an officer of the Association have a duty to listen.

If you think otherwise, see Article III of the current bylaws.

Regards,
J.

[missydog1]

It's just feedback, mdd. If I were to go grammar police here it would be a lot more frequent and ugly. Plus I'd have to correct myself. ;-) I was just lightly saying I thought it meant Obama ... to me, no one in HPP is The President. LOL Were you traumatized by an English teacher and now the slightest ref to reading comprehension makes you mad?

I am not sure what the point is JoAnne. Is it to show the escalation of tensions? I mean, why is it coming to a public forum, to gather support? Has anyone in this forum said anything critical to you about this matter? Is it that you expect everyone to be abreast of the situation, so no detailed explanation is needed?

[DanielP]

JoAnne,

Better not to have 3 seperate threads on the same topic. Confusing.

[JerryCarr]

For those of us who live in HPP, this is very important stuff, or at least it should be. JoAnne is a newbie, and can be forgiven for not knowing all the blog protocols. I agree that the threads should be consolidated, and maybe Rob can help with that. I'm sure JoAnne wouldn't mind.

[Kelena]

Sounds like HPP lost a fine attorney who was charging less than the going rate, probably over politics. The details of this political situation are probably hinted at in the resignation letter. Thus the request for disclosure. How'm I doin'.

[Youser]

I believe Joanne has posted here because she wants to reach as many HPP members as possible. She is trying to encourage those of us who live here (a large contingent of Punaweb members) to get interested, involved and worried about what is being done with our money by our BOD (Board of Directors). I will certainly attend the meeting she mentions, after reading her posts.

KathyH, thanks for your input, but please don't pick at semantics here. Some of us are just trying to post our views and we may not all have a degree in English Lit. FYI, since I arrived in HPP I've seen Joanne Backman work very hard for the HPP members. She obviously feels strongly about the Board's recent actions and is trying to encourage as many of us as possible to attend the next meeting and ask questions. This is a great forum to reach a lot of HPP residents.

Oh, and by the way, when I see HPP and President in the same headline, I am pretty sure it's not about Obama. I mean, really - is Obama directly Puna related?

Joanne, to avoid any further confusion, perhaps you could explain briefly what this is all about as not everyone who reads Punaweb is involved in HPP Board matters.

[dmbwest]

Bring it all on JoAnne and others ... I'm listening. THANK YOU for putting htis edit: this up here.

Signed, the President. I mean pog. Apologies for confusing you Kathy.