“Regretting it already?”
“Ask me after the first meeting.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Audit the fines.”
“Good place to start.”
“And review the bylaws.”
“Even better.”
“We also need to settle the road.”
I looked toward the southwest corner of my property.
“Yes,” I said. “We do.”
The new board’s first major decision was to review outstanding fines and threatened liens.
The records revealed a pattern of penalties issued for subjective violations, questionable enforcement practices, and appeals that had received inadequate consideration.
Not every fine was invalid.
But many deserved scrutiny.
The board adopted a temporary 90-day moratorium on new fines while reviewing the enforcement process and bylaws.
Then it began addressing individual cases.
The Hendersons’ $1,400 balance was cleared.
The lien threat was withdrawn through the appropriate process.
They received written confirmation that the balance was no longer owed.
Dorothy called me after the notice arrived.
I was eating lunch in the kitchen.
“It’s gone,” she said.
“What is?”
“The fourteen hundred dollars.”
I smiled.
“That’s wonderful.”
“They sent us a letter. Carl signed it.”
“I’m glad.”
She grew quiet.
“We’ve been worrying about that balance for so long.”
“I know.”
“Gerald took the notices out of the kitchen drawer and put them in a box.”
I looked toward the window.
“Sounds like a good day.”
“It is.”
She paused.
“I think we’re finally going to enjoy living here again.”
After we hung up, I sat there for a moment.
That was the kind of outcome no judge could write into a road-access order.
It required people inside the association to change how they treated each other.
The Garcia family’s $200 mailbox-post penalty was also reversed.
Their file was closed.
Roberto called Carl to ask whether he could repaint the post in a color that would make everyone happy.
Carl reportedly told him to leave it alone.
It was beige.
It had always been beige.
And the association had more important things to do.
The new board issued written apologies to the affected homeowners and began revising the enforcement procedures.
Meanwhile, the road remained open.
Residents continued driving across the southwest corner of my farm.
School buses passed.
Workers commuted.
Delivery vehicles came and went.
