Barony Place I/Barony Place II

There was a very strong turn-out of homeowners and residents at last night's Board Meeting.  The meeting started off well with an explanation from Board President Brenda Bryant of how the meeting would be conducted.  Committee reports were presented to the Board. Not all of them contained correct information, but the board did not correct errors. Chaos erupted when the meeting moved to Public Participation. Use of the microphone was abandoned, making it hard to hear and understand what was being said. Some speakers had soft voices; at least one wore a COVID mask.  Hopefully, the Board will conduct an after-meeting evaluation and determine what corrections should be made before the March 3rd BOD Meeting. Several homeowners had very good comments and good questions. The Barony Place Voting Member asked about the 2024 Annual Audit. It sounded to me like the Board President said it hadn't been completed yet. Last October 7th the Board approved $7,039 to L. Douglas Johnson CPA...

Years ago somebody in Colorado called me a "nosy parker." I had to look up the term. I found it to be accurate. Why do I continue to stick my nose in the affairs of The Summit's HOA? It goes back to the response I was given, when we (where I live) received a parking violation notice. A relative's car had been parked on the street in front of the house for three hours one afternoon. After two years of digging, I determined that the HOA has no authority whatsoever over parking on the streets, which are Richland County property. The Governing Documents apply to Common Property. The streets are public property. I started attending Board meetings. I saw a lot that was wrong. And I have continued to see a lot that is wrong. The "new" Board (as of November 18, 2025) inherited a slew of problems. They have solved one important one - the illegal lawsuit filed by Danny Trapp in the name of the Association  but without the approval or authority of the Board and in viol...

Will Gus be a friend or foe? Before the HOA's lawsuit against me was dismissed, I said, "If they are fair with me, I'll be fair with them." The HOA's lawyer had mailed me a three-page Settlement Agreement and Release. It started with, "For $5.00 and other good and valuable consideration," followed by conditions, restrictions, and a lot of whereas's, if's, and's, and but's. I rejected it. Then I re-considered. I wrote the lawyer that I would accept it ... IF they raised the $5.00 by $99,995.00. Just make it an even $100,000. Shortly thereafter, we agreed by Stipulation (no conditions), and it was over. I could have held out for a lengthy, expensive (for the HOA) negotiation of a settlement. I could have held out for a trial that was going to be scheduled for this week, Feb. 2-6. I didn't demand anything. The HOA didn't offer anything. We just agreed to end it. I was fair with the HOA. It didn't have to spend $20,-$30,000 on leg...

On  May 7, 2024 the Board of Directors considered a Motion for a forensic external audit for 2023. The Motion was tabled. ("Forensic" means, generally, very detailed.") On June 18, 2024 the Board approved ordering a forensic external audit for 2023. The Board also approved a forensic internal audit for 2023. When were they done? Were they done? When were they completed? When, if ever, did the Board receive them? Why haven't they been mentioned or posted on the HOA's website? I subscribe to a newsletter that is reporting on the HOA for a large condo in downtown Chicago, in what had been called the John Hancock Building. A CPA and forensic auditor was hired to examine their books. His email to the HOA Owners in Chicago starts off with, " Owners at  175 East Delaware Place  have been told for years that the building’s finances are sound, professionally audited, and responsibly managed. " After reviewing more than a decade of the Association’s own records,...

The February meeting of The Summit's HOA Board of Directors will be held Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at the North Springs Park Community Center, 1320 Clemson Road. The meeting will start at 6:30PM. Arrive early to sign in (if you wish to) and to look through the hand-outs on the back table. Multiple sign-in sheets and pens may facilitate faster entry to the meeting. You may notice and appreciate a change to how the meeting is conducted, so that it is smoother, faster, shorter, friendlier, more civil, and more polite and respectful to all. If you have suggestions for board meeting content or conduct, please email them to the office at  summithelpdesk@tcgrd.com   Your email should be distributed to all seven board members.

When the Board of Directors of The Summit's HOA holds a Special Board Meeting and conducts business of the HOA, should it follow all the rules? Should it give Notice of that Special Meeting by email blast to all Members (property owners)? Should it publish an Agenda for that Meeting, stating what so important that it can't wait for the next Regular Board Meeting? Should the Special Meeting be open to Members, just as Regular Board Meetings are? Should Minutes be prepared and published on the HOA's website, just as Minutes of Regular Meetings are? Do Members have the right to know what the Board is doing in those Special-Called Meetings? The answer to each and every one of those questions is "Yes".