VERY IMPORTANT TCMOA INFORMATION ON ITS WAY TO YOUR MAIL BOX

Dear Turkey Creek Property Owners,

A vote of the members will take place on February 15, 2012 to add an amendment to the TCMOA Master Declaration. This amendment will allow the Association to collect an Amenity Fee from the property owners once the Club is sold to new owners. The “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee believes that the amendment, if passed, will help attract a buyer for the Club. We believe that the decline of our property value is going to be greater than property value decline in other areas of the county and state.

No money will be collected from property owners until the club is sold and reopened by new owners. The amendment itself clearly states that an agreement will not be entered into by the Association with Plantation Oak GC, Inc. or any of its shareholders.

The price to each homeowner will not exceed $15 per month and will allow each homeowner access to the pool and tennis courts located on Club property. The amenity fee will not be billed to the owners until a new buyer has opened all of the facilities and entered into an agreement for use with the Association.

Some people may consider the amendment vague but please remember there is no one at this time to make negotiations with. Also the intent of the “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee is NOT to open or manage the club. The intent is to attract a buyer by showing that we know how important having the club open is to our community to not only our property value but our ability to sell our homes if we ever need to.

I have said before and I will repeat it here, the one common denominator that the current owners and all other owners who have failed to succeed at the club is that they have never had the support of the entire community. Please join me and the “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee in showing potential buyers of the club that we do realize how important our support is.
If the amendment passes and a new owner is attracted, the Association will negotiate an agreement for the residents to have access to the pool and tennis courts. The “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee looks at this access as a byproduct of the agreement. The main purpose is to slow the decline of our property value.

On January 17, 2012 at 7pm there will be a presentation at the clubhouse explaining the purpose of the amendment. The “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee has lined up several speakers for this presentation to speak on the importance of having the club open. Among the speakers will be a representative from the City of Alachua Police Department, realtors, a golf course broker, and our county property appraiser.

If you have ever wondered “Does my vote really count?” I want to tell you that every vote is an important one. There are approximately 1200 parcels in this community and in order for this amendment to pass, there has to be an affirmative vote of 75% of them. This is one election that your vote really could be the one that makes the difference.

Over the next few weeks, a representative of the “I Love Turkey Creek” Committee will be knocking on your door. If you have made up your mind and want to turn your proxy over to them, you need to choose how you want your vote cast and sign the bottom. There will be an envelope provided for you to put your proxy in and the committee member will be glad to turn it over to TCMOA for you. You can also drop your proxy off at the TCMOA office, at the mail center in Box 1000 or you can send it by US Mail. The important thing is to vote and have it counted. TCMOA will be accepting proxies beginning immediately and continuing until 6pm on February 15th.

Please forward this email to as many people as you can whether or not they live in Turkey Creek. It is important that we use every outlet available to get this news out to our residents.
Please attend the presentation on January 17, 2012. The purpose of this presentation is to learn what the “experts” are saying and not to hear again the “gut” feelings of a few fellow residents.
As always, I encourage you to respond to this email or comment on the blog but remember, IF YOU WANT YOUR COMMENTS POSTED YOU MUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN IT. I have had several comments that I would have loved to have posted but they were not signed.

Theenie Smith

Comments to any posts must be signed

I urge you to sign your comments.  I will not publish them if you don't identify yourself.  I have received several comments over the last couple of days that I would love to publish and a few that I am glad I don't have to.  Neither positive nor negative comments will be published without the writer identifying themself.

Theenie

Homeowners with more than one lot please read....

I've had several emails concerning owners with multiple lots.  I called the property appraiser's office this morning and asked them if there is a remedy.  The answer was yes and it is a very simple procedure and there is no cost involved.

If your property in Turkey Creek consists of more than one parcel, and you don't wish to pay the amenity fee for multiple lots (if the amendment to charge the fee passes) you can combine your lots into one parcel.  The process is free and can be done by simply filling out a one page document and returning it to the property appraiser's office.

The form can be found  on the property appraiser's website.  If you don't have access to a printer, I will be happy to print the form for you.http://www.acpafl.org/pdf/combine_parcel.pdf

Theenie

I'm back with what I consider good news

After the August 22 presentation, when I asked for homeowners to join me on a committee to try to preserve our property values by showing a potential buyer of the club that the community would support it, I was overwhelmed with response by people who were willing to volunteer for such an endeavor.  There were about 80 people at the meeting and 32 people signed up that night.  Our committee has grown to over 40 homeowners.

After many meetings, (one each Monday night since then) and some very good ideas, the committee decided our first step was to get an amendment made to our Master Declaration to legally enable TCMOA, on behalf of a new owner of the club, to collect $15 per month from each parcel in Turkey Creek.  The committee’s efforts are because we strongly agree that the club being closed is going to adversely affect our property value.  The committee also agrees that the community should receive something in return for the money and access to the pool and tennis courts on Club property is what will be asked for.  State law requires that 75% of owners vote affirmative for purchase of such "memberships" and our documents require 75% approval from owners to amend them.  The committee views the privilege of access to the pool and tennis courts as a byproduct of the $15 charge.  The committee feels that the $15 will help insure our property value.  The committee hopes that being able to show that a new owner that they would have guaranteed participation and support from the community will attract a buyer to reopen the facilities.  Since there is no potential new owner on the horizon at this time, the committee felt it best to leave working out the details of such an agreement to the BOD or a committee appointed by the BOD and a new owner, if and when the club is sold.  Last night the BOD voted to hold a special meeting for the community to vote on the amendment.  They have tentatively set the meeting to happen the same night as the February 15^th BOD meeting. 

If the amendment passes NO money will be collected from owners until the club is open for business by a new owner.

Many people view the percentage of votes required an unattainable number and I agree that it seems almost impossible but stranger things have happened.  It will be very important to get as many owners as possible to turn in a ballot or a proxy, so that the votes can be counted.  Please, if you believe that having the club open will decrease the decline of your property value, talk to your neighbors and make sure they vote. 

Theenie

Interesting Article

http://www.privateclubadvisor.com/focus-mandatorymbrship.htm

If you don't believe it ask a realtor

I challenge everyone in the community to call a realtor of their choice.  Call as many as you want and ask these two question.

Has the recent closing of Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club decreased the value of my home?

Has the recent closing of Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club limiited my ability to sell my home?

I would love for you to post your answers as a comment.  If the realtor wants a little free advertising, include their name.  Please remember to identify yourself so that I can allow the answers to show.  I will need first and last names.  I will not post answers from those not living in Turkey Creek.

If you would rather email me your answer my address is  turkeycreekcc@gmail.com

I will be happy to post the answers upon your request.


Theenie

A note from Mary Cain (for those who don't know it's Wallace's wife)

Wallace bought shares of Plantation Oaks GC, Inc. with the idea of selling the 8 acres around the clubhouse and pool for development of condo’s which would pay off debt and bring in more members for the pool and golf course.  Getting the lots rezoned was a long process and when it was finally passed, the bottom fell out of the real estate market and it was too late.  In addition the county bought an adjoining 300 acres that was to be developed for additional residences which would have potentially generated more memberships for Plantation Oaks.  But then the county closed off the property and took it off the tax rolls.

So for the next few years Wallace poured our personal money into keeping the course open.  The course, at times, generated enough money to keep itself running but as with everything else in the economy, it became harder and harder to maintain itself.  Wallace always took up the slack.  The other owners who have 44% of the stock in the course were for various reasons unable to chip in and help keep the course going.  The course was starting to look unkempt, the sprinkler system needed a lot of attention and the maintenance equipment was wearing out.  More and more money was needed and that money came from Wallace.

A lot of people in the community are unwilling to contribute even a small monthly amount towards helping to keep the course open.  Even though, in my opinion, a closed course decreases the value of their property.  Even those who do not live directly on the course are affected by it.

There are a few rumors flying around that I would like to address

1.       Wallace has never made a cent on the golf course.  We have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into this course and never took a cent out.  Wallace has always paid his membership fees and other charges.

2.       There are not two sets of books.  The accounting books have always been open to anyone who wants to look at them.  The office staff has more important things to do than creating a false set of books.

3.       Wallace does not have cancer.  At least we don’t know about it yet.  What kind of person would start a rumor like this!

4.       Wallace is not taking this action to trick or pressure people into joining the club.  He is not making foolish idle threats.  That is not the way he does things.  He is not laughing at people thinking that everyone out here is a bunch of fools.

Wallace is sad that the course is closed.  We moved here thinking that we would live here the rest of our lives and that he would play golf on his favorite course.  We love looking out our back door seeing beautifully maintained course with golfers enjoying themselves every day.  He misses playing with his friends and stopping at the sports bar afterwards.

Now we see people fishing and walking their dogs on the course but this will not keep your property value up.

Here’s what I know for sure about Wallace Cain.

                He is not going to re-open the club again.

                He will never be involved in managing the club again.

    He would like to sell his controlling interest (56%) to the Homeowners Association or any other legitimate buyer and he would be willing to work with them regarding financing.

Mary Cain