Wedgefield controversy

Like most of the residents of Wedgefield, my wife and I bought a home there looking for a peaceful place to retire.

We did not realize at that time that a few residents would soon shatter that dream and turn what could be a harmonious community into one where neighbor vs. neighbor is the order of the day.

In October of 2007 we moved in and we soon became aware that the canal dredging issue was to come to the forefront of the HOA agenda.

 I became very aware of the issue in “April of 2009 after a presentation by one of the spouses of a current member of the Board of Directors.

 In that presentation he said that the canals were owned by Wedgefield because a Quit Claim Deed had been issued. Well, a Quit Claim Deed does not pass title.

There is no warranty deed in existence for the canals, so in my opinion, the canals do not belong to Wedgefield. This was later confirmed by the Attorney General’s office when a letter was issued to the Board stating that the State of South Carolina did not relinquish any claim it might have regarding ownership of the canals.

 The permit to dredge the canals even states that the canals are navigable waters of the State of South Carolina.

The position of some outspoken canal property owners soon changed from “we own the canals and have an obligation to dredge them because we must maintain the common areas of Wedgefield” to “it doesn’t matter that we don’t own them, it is our obligation to dredge them anyway.”

 From April, 2009 until the August Board meeting of 2009, I wrote several letters begging the Board in power during that period to take this issue before a court or to arbitration before spending over $1 million of Wedgefield property owners’ money.

 The Board refused in no uncertain terms and claimed that they were on “solid legal ground” and that they did not need a court’s opinion.

 The opinion of the HOA’s attorney was good enough for them. My question is what was the rush?

At the August 2009 Board meeting where the Board of Directors voted 5-4 to dredge the canals, a motion was made before the vote was taken to table the issue in light of the aforementioned letter from the Attorney General’s office.

The motion was denied and the canals are in the process of being dredged.

We appear to have two opinions at Wedgefield concerning the canal dredging.

 Most of the canal owners’ (and a few others’) opinion is we should dredge them even though we don’t own them. The vast majority believes we must own them to dredge them.

 Imagine you are a retired resident living on Social Security and are suddenly forced to pay 40% more annual assessment to your HOA for an amenity that you cannot use and only directly benefits a very small percentage of the community.

 Would you be a bit upset with the decision of your Board of Directors and the residents who support the canal dredging?

 I certainly hope that at some point in time harmony can be restored to Wedgefield.

 I believe this can only happen if some dedicated jurist in this state were to rule that “Wedgefield Plantation Association has no legal obligation to maintain property it does not own and to do so would violate the rights of the majority of property owners.”

 Hopefully, the issue would then be closed and life at Wedgefield could be pleasant and peaceful.

Roger Armistead, member, Board of Directors, Wedgefield Plantation Association

Wedgefield dispute

 You wouldn't believe the dirty tricks that were played  on the Wedgefield Concerned Citizens group trying to stop them from having a place to meet.

At first St. Mary's Church agreed to let the WCC meet in  their hall. The Pastor first got an anonymous caller claiming there would be  violence and other lies, then a letter, then a visitor spouting more lies.  Father had to cancel.

Then the WCC got permission to use the auditorium at the  Middle School. Again, the school administrators got the same treatment as the  pastor. They then cancelled.

 FINALLY, the  Senior  H.S. allowed us to meet in their auditorium. I'm sure the liars tried their tricks  again, but the principal didn't budge!

 Now you don't think some pushers and supporters of  the dredging could have done any of this, do you?  

Stan Lechwar

 Wedgefield WCC    

Youth summit

On March 5, Service Over Self, a youth organization of Georgetown County whose mission is “ethics of service” held its annual Youth Summit Day.

Students from all of Georgetown County’s intermediate and high schools, Lowcountry Day School, the Georgetown Marine Institute, Howard Adult and Community Education Center, as well as students who are home schooled, participated   in a day of “Diversity.”

This was one of the largest youth summits ever held by Service Over Self. An undertaking this large requires a lot of preparation, time and volunteers to have a successful event.

The Youth Summit was held at St. Paul’s Waccamaw United Methodist Church in the Litchfield Beach area. A special thanks goes  to St. Paul’s.

The board of directors would like to thank the volunteers who gave of their time, energy and commitment for the entire day, the students who attended and the staff of Service Over Self for a job well done.

Joyce Jerow

President

Board of Directors

Service Over Self

Higher education

 I was surprised when I read Mark Hendrickson, Ph.D.'s, opinion piece published March 1.  While I cannot disagree with anything stated, my surprise comes from the lack of analysis of factors underlying the huge cost of present day public higher education and the assertion that solutions are elusive.  Perhaps space did not permit.    

 I would respectfully suggest that any analysis of the burden imposed by repayment of student loans should consider why the cost of funding public higher education has become so enormous.

  No serious person can honestly assert that our nation has made public higher education a priority.  If we wanted the tax cuts under the prior administration, we cannot now bemoan the lack of funding for public higher education.  

That lack of funding resulted in higher student tuition, a major reason for borrowing money.  It isn't only the young students who lack an ability to connect the dots.

 Nor can we now lament too much the burden of student loans while we kick and scream about those tax and spend Democrats.  

Our current President proposed that student loan repayments be abated in exchange for a period of teaching or other public service.  

The loud SNORT that followed this proposal drowned out the fact that recent graduates whose loans were abated contributed to keeping our economy alive during this recession.

 They didn't pay the bank, they put money into local enterprises.  Yet I hear shouts that the stimulus didn't work.

 I ask readers to consider how many parents of public school students have been unable to contribute to their children's education for lack of work and how lack of work is a result of deregulating the financial system under the prior administration.

Yet again, we protest oh-so-loudly more government regulation.

  Ya just can't have it both ways.  I betcha!

Tamara Savage

Pawleys Island