Pre-Election Email Shenanigans?

I hope everyone is adjusting to the changes that this pandemic has brought about in our daily social lives. I hope and trust that everyone is safe, secure, and takes the necessary precautions when planning lunches, dinners, and gatherings with families. Also, I hope that everyone has remembered that even though we may disagree on politics and policy, that we are all neighbors and should treat each other as such; especially in the times we live in today. Another item that this time of year recalls is POA Board of Directors elections. Next month, the POA will announce that any Member in good standing willing to serve on the POA Board can pick up a packet and start to obtain signatures. I remember this time well. It was exciting to get to meet many of the people that live in this area and furthered my aspirations for being able to serve them to the best of my ability. As many of you may know, that did not turn out the way I had planned it. During the campaign, Bella Vista had turned into a mini Washington DC. There were lies and name calling running amuck. Not to mention rumors of some $15,000 dollars being spent to get certain people elected….to a non-paid position!

Oh, and the emails; let us not forget about the emails. How in the world could hundreds of phone numbers and emails have gotten out of the hands of the “confirmed secure” location of the POA offices, so that many lot owners would have received emails and phone calls asking them to vote a certain way. It is very strange indeed. Many speculated that it was sitting board members that released them. Others speculated that it was a private citizen that worked alongside the POA in an effort to inform new residents about the POA. In fact, that is not really speculation at all…it really happened. Below is a screen capture where she is directing member groups to vote a certain way in the then upcoming election (2020). Notice that she does not signal at all that there are other candidates, as their names are missing. She is also using her private email address. I have blocked her personal email address for her privacy.

Mrs. Sorenson leads a group that reaches out to new residents by obtaining emails and storing them to blast out information. By doing this from her personal email, she is outside of the confines and regulations to privacy laws, as also those people are willingly giving their email addresses to her for such purpose. Not a big deal as anyone can do this and has in the past. During last year’s election, there were golf group emails, lake group emails, and various other email lists used to push for certain three candidates. Part of me has no issue with this, as they are all privately owned and were obtained with consent (as to my knowledge).

But it appears that the stage is being set again for the same thing to happen in 2021. Below is a picture from an authorized POA notice to all members.

I would like to just point out a couple of the items in this picture. 1) this effort is being led by Mrs. Sorenson. The same one that had access to hundreds of emails and did not disclose other candidates were running or even mention their name last year. 2) it is no longer a personal email…but if this is POA business, why is it not a POA email address? This practice again is circumventing the rules and regulations about email use and privacy and placing it in the hands of a private citizen to do with at her will. 3) This is contained in official POA communication. This would indicate that the POA is promoting this type of behavior and in the public opinion should likely step back from this. If you recall last year just the appearance of wrongdoing caused phone calls and emails to flood their office from citizen members. If this is going to be the common practice of allowing anyone to gather unrestricted use emails by private members, then the POA should promote all requests from anyone to do this. Why are they allowed to choose who and what they promote? 4) and finally, this is a GMAIL address. Anyone with a birthdate and a first and last name can get these. The POA has money and should set up an official email / committee for this purpose so that it falls into the same guidelines as other business dealings with the POA. Besides, if you remember from last year, the group “Protect BV Property Values” did something very similar and the POA denounced their involvement. Why are they now promoting what appears to be a non-official group of the same thing.

I only want to bring this to the attention of the people that are willing to hear and read this. When I ran for a position, it was to represent ALL Members. It was to bring about a sense of transparency so that POA leadership could work in ways that were above reproach and cast no shadow of wrongdoing. Early this year, my website assisted in gathering over 700 signatures to keep the lakes private. POA Leadership wanted proof of those signatures, but never reached out to me or anyone for that matter. Do you think they really wanted proof?

Again, I have always just wanted to bring to light and spell out things for our Members. We are all 100% vested in our POA. We have a right to know what is going on and to know the plans for it.