Given what I have read and heard, on this site, others, and in public meetings, I cannot square the circle. I think you are in the same place. How many weeks have passed and still no survey from our HOA. This is either laziness, incompetence or something else. Why the delays? Why the reversals, why the opposition? What is the motivation to stall and fight the will of the majority of the home owners (at least at the meeting and by proxy)? Why change the rules on a very important vote that people feel very passionate about? Why not follow Robert’s Rule of Order at the meeting? It does not make sense. Intellectual honesty makes one very curious.

I have stated this before, some young clerk at the Texas RR Commission will soon come in to work and find a petition to drill out here. That will put in motion a series of events that will really put us behind the power curve.

JC

I believe we are all opposed to the drilling as well as the Bridlewood HOA. It is hard for me to believe that any, if not all, residents in our neighborhood could care less about any money received from an oil & gas company. It is such a small amount that it really should not even be brought up for discussion.

Just a question for you.

Do you believe the Bridlewood HOA is corrupt?

This is not a trick question. I just want your opinion.

In a prior post, I wrote:

**** Many Associations have been very successful in obtaining significant increases in the bonus payments by working together as a community. **** Should a formal lease proposal be made to Bridlewood the BOD would establish a procedure whereby each of the 1303 home sites will have one vote, FOR or AGAINST the drilling of gas. Please note, that there has NOT been a formal request made to the BOD to take this action. The BOD plans to support the majority decision made from that vote. Having said that, even if the proposal should get this far, there are still many hurdles to be crossed before the drilling can happen.

**** emphasis added is mine.

Reading this more carefully, can you advise the parameters of the election/vote you would plan to call should this come to pass. A careful reading shows that, “each of the 1303 home sites will have one vote…”. How do you intend to count the homes that don’t vote? What will the parameters of the election be? Will they be limited to votes in person and proxy OR will you consider households that don’t attend and do not submit a proxy to be in favor of drilling? This is an important question, not left to this blog. I intend to call you personally on this matter.

Regards,

JC

All of whom are against urban drilling as stipulated in our meeting. All with the exception of Mr. Walker who’s staunch opposition is a matter of public record (refer to the FM Oil & Gas Board vote on Red Oak).

Message dated May2, 2008….

paraphrasing here….

5) The BOD has been advised that there have been landmen in the neighborhood offering individual homeowners an opportunity to lease their property. Given the production in many areas in this area, this should not be a surprise. The BOD requests that you delay any decision to lease your property until further information can be obtained and provided to the homeowners. **** Many Associations have been very successful in obtaining significant increases in the bonus payments by working together as a community. **** Should a formal lease proposal be made to Bridlewood the BOD would establish a procedure whereby each of the 1303 home sites will have one vote, FOR or AGAINST the drilling of gas. Please note, that there has NOT been a formal request made to the BOD to take this action. The BOD plans to support the majority decision made from that vote. Having said that, even if the proposal should get this far, there are still many hurdles to be crossed before the drilling can happen.

**** emphasis added is mine.

This was sent in May. Any reasonable person would read from this that the HOA party line at that point was “hold firm and let’s get the best deal we can”. This is not a response of a board who is 90% personally opposed to drilling. If that were the case, they would have energized this community to vote on the matter and brought clarity to a needlessly murky state of affairs we now find ourselves in. Again, let me state, in one week’s time I could organize a vote on this and settle it for once and for all. There is no way in hell this community will stand for drilling at Bridlewood. That was evidenced by the showing at the meeting last week. 3 months have passed and nothing. Our HOA’s strategy is clear. Do nothing. Delay at all costs. Make up new rules to thwart the desire of our community. At some point my friends, we will run out of runway. Once a petition to drill is filed our options will quickly diminish. Stand up. Be heard. Move this board to action!

Jim Cafferty

I support your line of questioning. I was the person at the meeting who asked the question. Quite honestly, the response to my question was weak and will probably not be known until we can get under the hood and see some detailed financials. I have tried to access public records on this matter but found it rather difficult. It would be fantastic if some of our more real estate inclined residents, with this kind of savy, took this on.

If you recall, Mr. Long ducked the second part of the question regarding insurance. The crowd attempted to redirect him. I am paraphrasing here but the response was something to the effect that the insurance paid was what should be paid and that was that. I find this hard to believe but am willing to concede the point that I am not an insurance expert. Seems to me that we should by now be able to refute this claim 100%. If Mr. Footlick holds title to the properties it seems natural he should pay 100% of the property tax AND maintain most of the insurance liabilty coverage. Maybe another way to ask this question is have we been paying too much for insurance coverage? Not sure.

Along these same lines John, I must ask the question….
What are we paying this HOA attorney for? From the Bridlewood HOA website dated March 30th:

” A concern of some of the residents is that some community property is not presently deeded to the HOA. Please be aware that the board is mindful of this and has made the developers aware that this property has to be conveyed to the HOA by April 15, 2008.” signed, Michael Long

What the hell happened Michael? I wold further stipulate that if it weren’t for the petition to remove the board, no suit would have been filed. Further, I would ask Mr. Long, will our HOA attorney be seeking reimbursement of legal fees from Mr. Footlick in this matter? Is this even permissable under TX law?

Further, given a state of litigation between the HOA at Bridlewood and Mr. Footlick, there will be discovery and depositions will there not? Again, I am not an attorney but we are missing a huge opportunity to shell this guy with paper after paper, request upon request, etc. etc. etc. Of course from prior posts I know that our HOA attorney is very collegial with Mr. Footlick. How nice for us, eh John?

I have personally met the Reserve attorney. He is highly competent, measured, aggressive, and working for the benefit of the Reserve. Bridlewood is not being well served with our current situation.

JC

There is room in this world for people who disagree. Don’t try to put yourself above me and maybe take the time to listen to people who feel differently than you and we can win this war. Isn’t that what’s important to you? Or do you just want to be “right”?

I haven’t changed my mind at all about drilling…I’m still vehemently opposed to it. I will be one of the first to REJOIN your effort, once it’s directed toward Footlik and Williams and/or governmental efforts. If you guys will take your talent and energy (and MAN, you have a lot of energy) and the organization you have already set up to actually fight the real enemy, I’ll be one of the first over there to help you. But if your focus remains on putting your own Board in place…with all of the personal attacks against those who volunteered to be on the Board (when you and I did not), then I can’t be a part of that. I don’t presume to speak for everyone in my neighborhood, but I don’t know of any person who feels differently over here. Given the fact that your vote the other night missed by a mile, give some thought to what the majority wants….could I be speaking for that majority? I don’t know…but it’s clear that your agenda didn’t reach them.

Highly negative publicity only goes so far to change minds. We only have a certain amount of money, time, and energy to fight this–and only a certain amount of resident interest and good will. I hope you’ll use it wisely. If we are divided as a neighborhood, drillling is guaranteed!