Editor:

If you were a member of an organization where the board of directors publicly chastises you during meetings, is being audited by the IRS, changes governing and non-governing documents and increases fees and fines on a whim with no input … wouldn’t you want to resign?

Well, you can’t …welcome to the Discovery Bay Property Owners’ Association (DBPOA).

For the record, our taxes pay: Contra Costa County to maintain the streets, sidewalks, parks, police and fire protection; and the Reclamation District 800 to maintain our levies.

So why do we pay the DBPOA annual dues? What is the DBPOA’s purpose? What does it really do? Volunteers keep it alive. Are these volunteers enamored by “Corporate Title” or possess some innate desire to dominate others?

The DBPOA’s “volunteers” say they maintain our property values. First, the economy determines our property values; and second, when have you ever seen a DBPOA “volunteer” cut your grass, paint your house or help the elderly in the community? True “volunteers” would spend funds to maintain foreclosed properties, which does affect our property values, and help our elderly maintain their properties, not fine them (read DBPOA vs. Grace).

We have seven board members telling us what they want our individual properties to look like, and if they don’t like it, we get fined, liens placed on our property, and sued or brought to small-claims court. In reality, these board members constantly (frequently) change through resignations, annual elections, and appointments; therefore, what was “in” and “approved” one year is “out” and “disapproved” the next year. Hence, there is no consistency; only changing standards that supply an endless pool of fine money for the DBPOA.

Just this year, the president, the vice president and the treasurer resigned, and the newly appointed treasurer just resigned after two months. We currently have two open board positions just waiting for the next “volunteers.” Perhaps the DBPOA’s corporate logo should be a revolving door, with broken dollar-sign handles.

An analysis of the DBPOA’s financial records show its cash balances decreasing approximately $29,000 each year. How long can they last? Personally, I recommend that the DBPOA dissolve “now” and give the remaining funds to the Red Cross (as per its Articles of Incorporation) rather than continue squandering what is left of our dues, and what they have collected in fees, fines and lawsuits against us. (Over $266,000 was spent in the past 3½ years – secretarial, inspection, and legal fees – on enforcing outdated CC&Rs.) They’re only now, in 2009, trying to reduce expenses …

For the history of the DBPOA (and DBPOA vs. Grace mentioned above), read the public records on the Discovery Bay Property Owner’s Association Coalition’s Web site, www.dbpoac.com. If you agree the DBPOA should dissolve, send the coalition an e-mail. It only takes a vote of the DBPOA members. Let’s close this operation down “now” and put the money to better use with the Red Cross.

Frank J. Visintin, Discovery Bay