Fairfield Glade member voters received a letter with their ballots on a controversial proposed amendment to a governing document.
Board President Greg Jones said the community club’s board of directors wanted absentee property owners to know it supports the plan.
The letter, however, includes erroneous information that could influence some property owners on how to vote on the issue.
In a telephone interview with the Glade Sun on Friday, Jones said the letter was included with the ballots because some property owners who do not live in the area might not be aware of the proposal.
“The board has the responsibility to let them know the board’s position,” he said. “Our role is to tell the people what the board thinks.”
The letter lists eight reasons why the board supports the proposal. Those reasons also are on the board’s “fact sheet” that is available on the community club’s website.
But the letter incorrectly states that only owners of entirely undeveloped C-tier lots would be “financially affected” if voters approve the amendment. The board’s “fact sheet” says, to the contrary, owners of partially developed B-tier lots also could be affected.
That there is no reference to B lots in the letter accompanying the ballots is significant because some of those property owners could conclude that they would not be subject to billing for installation of roads or water lines by the community club’s declarant and vote to approve the proposal.
Jones said the error was not intentional, that it was based on a board position statement going back to April and May before the board knew that B-lot owners could be affected.
The proposed amendment to the community club’s covenants and restrictions would grant authority to the community club’s developer to directly bill owners of C and B lots south of Peavine Road for his costs in building roads and installing water lines just as the community club assesses property owners for sewer lines along their properties.
The leading opponent, Zurich Homes owner Isaac Zuercher, said he intends to pursue litigation over what are called the C&Rs because of the amendment.
Voting began Monday and continues through Sept. 6.
This is a developing story. Visit www.crossville-chronicle.com/news/glade_sun/ and see an upcoming issue of the Glade Sun for more information.