“Community Harmony & Spirit”--HOA Style

From: Ruchita Patel <RPatel@tmgainc.com>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2021 at 11:12 AM
Subject: Quail Valley Contractors
To: Steven Lapham <muskratmusic@gmail.com>
Cc: [HOA President] Steve Drake <skdjmbd@gmail.com>, Jennifer Rozier <jrozier@tmgainc.com>

Mr. Lapham,

We have once again been informed by a contractor of Quail Valley [the trash hauling company] that you have spoken with them directly and provided direction to them regarding their job duties.

You have been advised on several occasions that you are not authorized to communicate with the vendors directly or provide direction to them. If you are purporting to be a representative of Quail Valley when doing so, then you are also communicating under false pretenses.

I believe Quail Valley has been quite clear in its direction to you to cease and desist from contacting vendors directly, unless to discuss issues pertaining directly and solely to your property and not the common area. We have informed the contractor with whom you recently spoke to not respond to further communications from you.

There is no need to respond to this message, except to acknowledge receipt.

Sincerely,
Ruchita Patel, Agent for Quail Valley

** *********************** **

May 26, 9pm
Dear Ms. Patel,
When you did not respond to my email message of April 30 about this overflowing litter can, and the crew missed it again on May 3, and they were about to overlook it again today, well ... I though I should do something. I communicated, politely, with other human beings. It worked! Problem solved!
As you know, I write to you every year about missed litter cans, sitting full of trash, and unserviced. I may have found the source of this poor performance, year after year. Tomorrow, I'll provide to you, and to the trash hauler, a list of all the community litter cans in Quail Valley that need service every week. I count 20 of them, so please correct our contract with the trash hauler, so that it lists all 20 litter cans and their locations.
It's a matter of public health to have all 20 litter cans regularly serviced, and it makes the neighborhood look good, too. I note that the HOA has committed to replacing the remaining few, old, open cans with new ones WITH LIDS (to keep out the hungry old crows, who spill the trash all about) by the end of the year, maybe even before the hot summer begins. That's great news!
Have a good evening, -- Steve Lapham

Notes

• The title of this piece is used, without permission, from: “Community Harmony & Spirit,” by the Foundation for Community Association Research, https://foundation.caionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/bpharmony.pdf.
• This piece is Chapter VI in the series at PATCH.com, "Living on Cuckoo Court." The series contains the anonymous testimonies (true stories) and opinions of residents living in HOA communities in Maryland. We hope to collect more such narratives--the good, the bad, and the ugly. Send comments to MuskratMusic@gmail.com .
  IndependentAmericanCommunities.com tracks the problem nationally. Enter "Maryland" in the search box at that site for interesting results.
  The Quail Valley Friendly Team of 50+ families is trying to end these HOA abuses in our own neighborhood in Maryland. Join them by sending a message to the email below. –Steven Sellers Lapham, a 20-year resident, lives at 18737 Purple Martin Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA. 4/26/2021. MuskratMusic@gmail.com