Very serious issue....
I can not stress enough how serious a situation our association is in right now. Those involved with the asbestos pipe in any way, past and present, are the subject of this investigation. This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
I have been advised that It is my right to disclose this information.
Because it is an active investigation, I will limit what I say here at present.
I advise that when you are contacted by a Special Agent from the agency, you cooperate fully and honestly. This, I have done. To do otherwise, would be a serious mistake.
The truth does and should have a way of coming out. That is what is happening now.
Our water is safe to drink...This investigation has nothing to do with the safety of our drinking water.
63 comments:
Frightening to think this blog is the ONLY resource members have to hearing the truth about the goings on. This matter will certainly take the HOA down. Please keep up the good work, George. Your efforts are vastly appreciated.
yup, the more of a big deal we make it, the more of a big deal the $tate will make it. Because of all the exposer on thi$ blog They'll want to make a BIG example of u$ instead of a $lap on the wri$t. Thank$ George.
8:35 so just shut up and don’t talk about it and it will go away? It is a big deal when it comes to the safety and health of asbestos handlers. Have some compassion. This can’t be swept under the carpet like other mismanagement decisions in SHOA.
Go back to hiding under your rock. George provides a valuable public service.
This Homeowners association stinks like bad fish. Try banging on your buddies for a while, instead of attempting to shoot the messenger.
Are you implying people knowingly, and willfully took these actions?
Why is George being questioned by special agents??
11:41.... There is no question that everyone involved, from North Beach Water, to Surfside Board of Trustees, to the S.S. Water Dept. - all knew that all of this was going on. The dangers of asbestos have been well known for 50 years or more, and a complicated procedure of disposal has been mandatory for decades as well.
Apparently this is a case of everyone passing the buck. Without having a clear expectation that the EPA required procedures would be adhered to without exception, the attitude that out in the country you just leave debris in piles, or buried in a hole prevailed.
It will be difficult to determine WHO specifically should be disciplined, but we will undoubtedly be fined substantially, and the amount of material to be disposed of will add to the expense.
The problem may really be that we can afford fines, and no one will be held personally responsible. No one has the leadership to insist on changing the way things are handled in Surfside, so there may be no lesson learned or awareness of what went wrong. This is the audacity of our current president and his supporters. They are not concerned about wasteful spending and lack of respect for the law.
The Board has approved for the second year in a row, this proposed covenant change limiting shed roof overhangs to about 14 1/2 inches. There are dozens of sheds in the community that are beautifully built, and have large overhangs and porches. Surely many of these have been approved in some form, if not all of them. There are about 8 easily viewed along G St. No one's trying to hide 'em !
The BOT doesn't know what the hell they're doing !!
3:05 the board does not micro manage the staff, it would be the responsibility of Neal to manage the handling of the staff. If he directed them to do it wouldn't he be responsible? If he did, why did he change the way pipe is buried one time? If he did, would he even tell the board that's what he directed them to do?
Since the Board flattened the management structure, they have been hip deep in day to day operations.
Deflection won't do much good this time.
You must be staff then 3:57 to know what they are doing day to day
If you think that Neal isn’t micromanaged by certain board members, you should pay closer attention.
anyone who could be micromanaged into putting people's health at risk with exposure to asbestos gets zero respect. this man should be fired in the most humiliating manner possible. shame.
Keeping your eyes open is good for that as well. Try it sometime.
3:05 sez ...My point is that the BOT is responsible for oversight of all operations in Surfside. They hire the staff, set wages and budgets, and direct the Water Dept. to replace waterlines annually. They have been fully aware of methods of work, asbestos in the pipe, and that Federal and State guidelines specify proper disposal requirements.
They micro-manage when and where they choose. There is apparently no clear chain of command and oversight which makes no sense at all. The Trustees are volunteers elected by about 15% of the electorate. They are not elected as experts in any field, and their responsibilities to manage the community are somewhat vague.
Who but the BOT would oversee operations at the Water Dept. ? Who would presume that one individual with limited background can run the Dept., with responsibility for the health of the entire community, without oversight ? Mr. Neal has often attended Board Meetings to offer answers to member questions, so has made himself available to the Board on many occasions.
Mr. Neal is at fault in this matter, but the responsibility is shared by the Surfside BOT, and possibly North beach as well.
to 933, get your pocket book ready, your going to be a little liter in the loafers after they fine us. They'll want to make an example of SS
So Bob - Aren't you special !!!
Don’t like transparency huh 3:10? Finally, someone standing up to their convictions and having integrity unlike the BOD and Neil.
RE: September 27, 2018 at 3:10 PM
Well now that you asked "So Bob - Aren't you special !!!"
Yes I am!
Bless your heart
Go Bob!
Where has the BOT been during this discussion? Note that Williams has not been here for awhile. If this problem is as serious as it sounds here, don’t you think the BOT and the Business Manager have the responsibility to let the members know about it? Hope Williams absence dosen’ t mean he is out spending more of our money on legal advice!
We have been preaching all along that the members ARE NOT informed and kept in the dark. Let’s hear a follow up on this situation: Williams, BOD, office staff! Transparency is what the members deserve...
If management of the water system has been contracted out to North Beach Water, then it is North Beach Water which is responsible, one would think. Why pay them big bucks to manage our system if they are not actually doing that?
If a fine comes out of this, it is management, NOT THE MEMBERS, who are responsible and must pay the fine!
Trustees are shielded from personal responsibility in most matters, as is stated in the Bylaws. That is true in most HOAs. The membership will have to pay, as it is not likely any one individual can be held responsible. Does North Beach actually have an official role ? That seems unclear, though doubtful.
No, thanks to an inept Board, the burden will fall on its its members.
BAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN SHOA!
9:27 and 9:35 I thought that the indemnity clauses shielded people like the BOT carte blanche as well until I attended a Governance Institute Conference last year, tailored specifically to Board activities. There I found that Boards and individual members of Boards can be sued for negligent actions or approval of negligent actions or activity. So I believe that if we are fined, we need to finally get organized and make them pay for their negligence.
maybe if we're fined insurance will help. But if it really is the BOT involved, any of those knowingly involved should be dismissed. I cannot believe if any board member was involved should be able to continue to be on the board.
Re: September 30, 2018 at 11:12 AM
Insurance pays, probably not for such a blatant willful criminal act
BOT water dept trustee for last ten years was Jim Flood / Gary Williams ?
Bill Neal has been responsible for overall operation since 2010 ?
Gil Gonzales has been responsible for daily operation since 2010 ?
So who goes?
Who loses their certifications = job loss
So, who pays for this willful procedural change disregarding all regulations?
The rot starts at the top. This Board cannot be allowed to gloss this over, then use our money to pay the fines!
How far back do they dig to find the start of the rot? Kirby days?
To my experience with Surfside, it would take going back at least 12 years which is before Kirby's time. Look to Flood to find the root of a lot of problems.
Definition of rotten: corrupt or morally offensive. wretchedly bad, unpleasant. Sound like SHOA to me.
I believe it is time this situation becomes public and goes to the newspaper.
Wouldn’t they love to get their hands on this tidbit!!
Some new coverage might help to blow some of the stink off of this mess.
Too bad we don’t have a real newspaper!
It unfortunate most people don't read news papers anymore
They read George’s blog. That’s where u will find out the secret information in SHOA. You won’t get it in the WEAK ENDER!
One would think the Observer would be interested. Wonder why they are not?
No serious reporters, only fluff.
Probably haven't been tipped off on the story.
3:22 - I would bet that over half of SHOA members don't even know there is a blog available to read and post comments on. A huge percentage of the other half read for entertainment value. Most all probably realize the dubious nature of the " facts " presented here. A real newspaper would not publish most of the information posted here since it can't be corroborated. Asked to prove their comments most posture and get indignant and say that it's not their job to back up their statements.
I have stated facts that could very easily be backed up several times in the past with my name attached. To no avail, and silence after my statements. The board and any members that say they care, did nothing. This is why most don’t bother to use their names. That, and how those that do use their names have been treated by those that don’t have the guts to use their names, and “position”. Our local paper does not have any investigative reporters. Word travels very fast on the peninsula, so don’t think for a minute that our local paper is unaware. They are just not equipped to pursue a “real” story.
I post comments on this blog but have never used my name because of the vindictive group called the elitists. There is no limit to the revenge that they exhibit if you disagree with their narrowminded views.. Ask Patrick and Deb. Good people who were forced out of this tainted BOD in SHOA.
Deb was not forced out, she quit, partly so she could do her failed coup attempt and partly for not having the time due to wanting to travel.
It is not a " coup attempt " to use our bylaws to remove one or several Board members at the Annual Meeting. It is, in fact, the only remedy available to the membership. And the continued ignorance of how proxies work continues to baffle me. Fill out your ballot properly and assign it properly and it cannot be altered. If a handful are able to affect change that's okay with me. That will teach the silent majority a valuable lesson to get off their asses and participate.
I agree 9:15,
The problem for the members is that information with facts is kept from them. They sure don't get anything from the "WeakEnder"
How about you pick up a phone and make some calls, maybe actually ask questions instead of getting all your news from fox, aka the blog.
Yeah, you can call n they will tell you what they are supposed to. They like their jobs. Aka cnn,abc,cbs,msnbc, etc,etc,etc..........
Sorry, if you don't inform the ENTIRE membership so they can vote accordingly before hand and instead bring in your group to try and circumvent the real voting process, it is a coup plain and simple.
You mean like the Bod keeps the membership informed? The Bod was sure informed it was going to happen, as they were more than prepared.
Face it supporters of Blagg, she tried to pull a fast one in order to achieve her personal and self interested ideas about how Surfside should be. A minority of rule breaking or wannna be rule breakers persist in supporting Blagg even though it is been clear over and over again that she is not a person to be trusted. Kinda reminds me of the mess that is our current national politics. Seems to be a matter of a minority of troublesome people who can't ever admit that they might be wrong. This crap is undermining our country and our HOA for no good purpose. Please step back and take a hard look at reality. Then pick sensible battles that truly support a community that pulls together for the good of the most. No, it is not a matter of decent and affordable health care for everyone or overtaxing the less able to pay as it is at the national level. It is a matter of a self serving minority in an HOA who can't live up to what they agreed to do when they purchased their property in Surfside.
Well said comrade.🇻🇳
Do you really think that repeating yourself over n over, changes anybody’s mind? Goebels said “ if you repeat a lie loud enough and long enough, it will become the truth”.
9:42 You failed the logic test - again. Go take a nap. Repeating a lie loudly or for a long time does not make it the truth. Only the liars would believe that.
are You really that dense 11:53? Obviously not a student of past history and current events.
12:53 Are you a sociopath?
If there are any sociopaths out here, my money's on you, 1:05. Or is dementia, considering the repetitions?
The only repeats that I discern are those who keep saying that a comment is a repeat. It looks to me like there are more than a few people who share similar thoughts about the small RV group that presses for changes that almost nobody wants for the association.
Prime example☝️, lol
3:28 must be the same crack pot who often accuses me and other commenters of being someone named Kirby or a board member. Delusional
That has happened to me a couple of times. I am not Kirby whoever and I am not a board member.
Post a Comment