Developer Disolves HOA Advisory Board

We have learned that the Developer, Harpers Mill Community Developers, LLC the company still controlled by Mercedes Homes and their Creditors, has dissolved the Advisory Board which started out as our Board of Directors.

So now the homeowners have no representation and say in any matters concerning our HOA......

The annual meeting is December 4th at 7pm registration starts at 6:30pm

We urge everyone who can to attend, let them know we care about our neighborhood and we are watching what they do!

Harpers Mill Animal Regulations!

This is a reminder to all homeowners, we know there has been some controversy and confusion about certain breeds of dogs that are not allowed in Harpers Mill, so for clarification Section 11 of the CCR's states the following breed of dogs are not allowed to be kept at any residence in Harpers Mill, this includes: Pitbulls, American Staffordshire's, Terrier's, and Rottweilers.

All homeowners agreed to abide by these rules when they purchased their home, and if you are a renter it was the responsibility of the homeowner to make you aware of the rules of the community when you signed your rental agreement.

It was mentioned in the Community Newsletter published last week by Kuester Management, that they are in the process of investigating several complaints about dogs of the above breeds residing in the neighborhood.

Kuester is asking anyone who would like to register a complaint about these type of dogs living in the community to please email them as much information as possible about the animal to: support@kuester.com 

A link to the original document is here.

To aid in identification  and to provide more information specifically about the breed of dogs(banned  that are banned from Harpers Mill, we have provided the links below:

Information about Pitbull's can be found here

Information about American Staffordshire's can be found here

Information about Terrier's can  be found here

Information about Rottweiller's can be found here

HOA Inside our Homes?

A homeowner has just informed us that he has had a long standing dispute with the HOA, over some electrical work that was done at his home. The homeowner states he had an email from the York County building inspector that his home meet all building code requirements, and he paid for a licensed inspection of the specific items of concern to the HOA.

The homeowner was informed today that the Board of Directors is still not satisfied, they want a full inspection done inside his home, which he is adamantly against. He states they have no legal right to inspect anything on the inside of his home, leaving him no choice but to file suit against the HOA.

This is important because it will set a precedent allowing the HOA to enter the home of any homeowner to do an inspection if they want to. they told the homeowner they believe they have that right under the guise of safety.

Of coarse this means that our monthly HOA fees will go to an attorney to represent the HOA, in this matter, and if the homeowner wins he will ask the court to have the HOA pay all of his legal fees as well.

But the homeowner believes the fight is well worth it to stop the HOA from entering our homes at anytime, for any reason.

We will update you as soon as we hear more.

Disturbing Fact #4

Dennis Kiplinger is listed as our Treasurer and Secretary, of the Board of Directors, now Dennis as a homeowner is eligible to hold such a position (or in this case 2 positions) and many homeowners knew him when he lived here and he cared about the neighborhood very much, and was very active in the community,none of that is in question.

However more than 6 months ago he moved to Alabama. and is renting out his house here, now he is holding two Board Positions and Treasurer and also as Secretary, a Secretary should be at all Board meetings to keep notes on each meeting. as a resident of Alabama he cannot carry out his duties, as he cannot attend the monthly board meetings, or the annual meeting for that matter, nor can homeowners contact him as they should be able to contact each and every Board member.

We ask Dennis Kiplinger to resign his positions on the Board of Directors and ask Kuester and the current Board to hold open and fair elections to elect current homeowners to the two positions that would be open.

UPDATE: It has been reported that a for Sale Sign has been posted on his property which he has been renting out while he lives in Alabama, I guess now we know the rumors of his return are not true.

See Below:

Disturbing Fact #3

As homeowners we have a RIGHT to know who OUR Board of Directors are, heck they are all supposed to be elected by their fellow Homeowners, as far as Harpers Mill this is not the case, as outlined in each and every Disturbing Fact we are posting today.

Listed as our member at Large is Julia Colleen Jones, no one I have talked to knows who she is, in fact a search of York County Tax Payer documents and GIS Property Records reveals she is not even a homeowner here, if she lives in our neighborhood she must be a renter.

So again we ask Kuester Real Estate Management and the Current Board of Directors to STOP their Illegal Activity, remove Julia Jones as a Member at Large of the HOA, and hold an open and fair election to elect an eligible homeowner to that position.

See the tax search results below:

Disturbing Fact #2

In the latest Harpers Mill newsletter Kuester Management Group is listing themselves as a member of the Board of Directors, we do not know if this was a mis-print or not, however if it is true they should immediately remove themselves, a management company is supposed to be impartial, they are there to carry out the wishes of the Board of Directors.

One of the biggest expenditures we have is paying for a management company, an HOA is supposed to be run by homeowners, who elect a Board of Directors to represent them, the Board makes all financial decisions, if the management company has elected themselves to the Board of Directors, it would be a Direct COnflict of Interest and more than likely illegal as well, as they are not a homeowner.

We call on Kuester Management Group to immediately clarify if they do hold a seat on our Board of Directors and if so to immediately resign that position, and hold an open and fair election to elect a homeowner to that position.

If Kuester does not respond and we know they read this, than we can only assume they do hold a position on the Board of Directors, or maybe they can clarify at the December HOA meeting.

The image below is taken from the latest HOA newsletter listing the current Board of Directors:

UPDATE: Kuester in their latest mailing no longer lists them as a Board of Director, so this may have just been a mis-understaning, lets hope so.......                                          

Disturbing Fact #1

Mercedes Homes is currently listed as the Vice President of the HOA, however Mercedes Homes does not exist, They should have been removed from the board and a homeowner should have been elected to replace them, when they dissolved the corporation.

We believe they are listed on the board in an effort to continue to control the HOA giving the Homeowners no say.

We demand the current board of directors, and Kuester Management Group stop their illegal activity and remove Mercedes Homes from the Board of Directors immediately and hold a open and fair election for a new Vice President.

See below website from the SC Secretary of State showing Mercedes Homes as a dissolved entity a of 3/18/2011

Annual Meeting! December 4th 2012

The annual Meeting is December 4th at the Pine Grove Baptist Church, the agenda is as follows:

Update on a new Builder

Financial Report

Job of the Board of Directors

2012 Review

2013 Goals