In just a few weeks, the Walden Lake Community Association Board of Directors will be back to its full nine members, and the split votes that have plagued its meetings since late 2014 will cease. The annual meeting and board of directors election will be held April 9.
Eight new candidates are running for the three open positions on the board: Lynn Buehler, Robert Farkas, Joshua Hall, Blake Meinecke, Dan Orrico, Daniel Pinero, Robert Rogers and Dave Sollenberger. Jan Griffin, current director and chair of the landscaping committee, is running for reelection.
WLCA Acting President Rich Glorioso said there had been some problems with unauthorized campaigning in the community. Political signs and rallies are allowed only on private property with the owner’s permission. Some subdivisions in Walden Lake do not allows signs, even on private property.
“I believe everyone has a right to vote, and every candidate has a right to campaign,” Glorioso said. “But every candidate has a responsibility to follow the rules,”
Glorioso urged candidates to check with subdivisions to determine whether signs are allowed.
“It’s not authorized, it’s not right, it’s not fair to the other candidates,” Glorioso said. “Each one of them should have the same rules … and that is, you can’t campaign on Walden Lake property.”
Walden Lake Preservation Inc., a group of residents who oppose Visions Golf’s rezoning of the golf course, submitted a request to speak at the meeting. The board members voted to allow the group to speak unofficially after the meeting is adjourned, but they are looking for someone to represent the other side of the issue.
Glorioso said the opposing view is not necessarily just employees of Visions Golf but also be could Walden Lake residents who support the rezoning.
“We all probably have differences of opinion, and it will probably get fleshed out over the next six months, but the board has already taken a position against the current amended rezoning application,” treasurer Bob Hunter said.
IN OTHER NEWS
• Brewington’s Towing Service will begin towing vehicles parked at the lake without resident stickers May 1. Guest passes are available at the office. The cost to reclaim a towed vehicle will be $125.
• The landscaping committee and Complete Landcare have chosen four entrances that will take priority for work on irrigation, plants and masonry. Based on initial estimates, costs (excluding lighting expenses) will be: Park Wood ($745), West Oaks ($3,480), Forest Club ($1,740) and the main Alexander Street entrance ($3,775). When these projects are complete, the committee will select the entrances to be updated next.
• Funding for the pier project will come partially from the board’s reserve accounts. The C1 Bank reserve currently holds $47,583. A CDARS account at BB&T will mature Apr. 9, holding $40,000. The board will pull $75,000 between these two accounts to fund the pier project. Another CDARS account that will mature at the end of year, holding $90,000, will remain untouched.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.