Eeny, meeny, miny, moe ...

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 legal fees for a trial.

Might I have gone for a jury trial? You know how people hate HOAs and lawyers.

But I wouldn't bet on a fair jury in Richland County.

For the HOA to be fair with me, it should write me a check and cover my expenses and some of my time. And maybe an extra $1 for all the pain & suffering I encountered. 

I'd like the HOA to contact Brookland Baptist Church Northeast and persuade it to rescind the Trespass Notice that it issued to me on September 19, 2025 (and also to Mike Bryant, Dennis Rybicki, and Angelo Moore). The Church did that because then-President Danny Trapp had sent it a letter as HOA President, asking them to ban the four of us from church property. 

That Trespass Notice would have kept three Voting Members from the Annual Meeting of Voting Members at the church in November, and Danny might have survived the election. Instead, the HOA had to find a new meeting location, and Mike, Dennis and Angelo weren't banned from the North Springs Park Community Center!

Danny sent that letter to the Church without Board approval or authority. He wrote as if he was doing that on behalf of the HOA, but he wasn't. I hadn't even been in the church since February 4, 2025. The Church mistakenly didn't ask any questions.

Am I asking too much of the HOA?

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