Category Archives: Board of Directors

A comment on Why am I running for the 2025 IH BOD

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1/18/2025 Cleata Dinnen Lot 1

David, Thank you for making everyone aware of this false information and hoping that the electronic voting is passed to stop this nonsense.

There is a published book which Carol Devine wrote and it is excellent telling the history of this community if you look on page 19 of the book it states that in 1986 there was turmoil in the Hammock and the cause “proxy votes”

Here we are we today 2025 and a few have spread rumors and gathered proxies to determine who will make decisions for this community. It has to stop.

It is awful that we have people wanting to help the IH community by volunteering there time for committees and and the board of Directors which is important to continue progress, amenities and safety of the IH community.

The Board of Directors are important and need competent people that are capable of following the by laws which IH was founded on.

Appreciate you for running and hoping everyone votes tomorrow themselves and not give their vote to someone unless that person will vote on their accord not themselves.

Very appreciate for all this board has done this past year they have worked so hard and helped all of us and very sad that a few are not going to run again, such an asset they have been. Hoping the others on the board are re elected especially Corey he has been an anchor for the financial end of IH and always fair with everyone.

Cleta Dinnen Lot 1

    2025 BOD Election – Rumors Campaign Part 4

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    Email received today from Barrie Whitehead.
    Lot 247

    Good morning Indian Hammock:

      Tomorrow is our election day. 

    I never thought I would send a message like this, to defend myself for having friends, however here I am. 

      I am running for the 2025 Board of Directors.  I will be at the Annual Meeting Tomorrow.

    It is known that a list of ‘Candidates to vote for’ and ‘ Candidates NOT to Vote for’.

      I have been added to the ‘Don’t vote for list’ by someone who has decided that because I have Friends who donated to the Quail Barn, I am not a good candidate.

    I want to point out a few things that may have been left out of the information that was put out there.

    I have been an active member since I moved here full time in 2017. 

    I have always advocated for the best interest of the Hammock.

    I have served as a Member of the BOD, in 3 prior years. 2 of which I was the Secretary.

    I also got the Special Events Committee re- established; I chaired it for 4 years and co-chaired it for 2 more,

     I worked on the Rules Committee for 2 years revising our Book of Rules, 

    Recently I Chaired the Ad Hoc 720 Committee to be sure we were in compliance with the changes in 720 (the state governing doc for our size of HOA).

     Co-Chaired and Chaired Equestrian Committee. 

    Worked with several other Committees including Helping Build our Wonderful Deck at the Lodge.

    Mainly I will address the issue of having friends that supported the Quail Barn. 

    Yes, I do have Friends!

    I also have friends who support the Stables, Equestrians, Pool, Tennis Court, Pickleball Court, Fitness Center, Archery, Horse Arena, Riding Trails, Fishing, Garden, Airport, Shooting Sports, the Lodge, Special Events and yes, Hunting.

    Personally, I have donated to most of these causes over the years with my time and/or money . 

     It makes me wonder why I am called out on this ‘ Don’t Vote For list’. That implies I want to change our Beautiful Hammock into something else. 

    Let me be clear; I love our Hammock; I don’t want it changed into something it was never intended to be! 

     The ‘meeting’ that was held under the guise of an ‘invitation ONLY Party’ has caused a lot of questions and additional confusion.

     Since the ‘Meeting’ I have been approached by several members who have asked me ‘Why do you want to change things?’ and ‘Why are you on this list?’

    My answer is simple, I don’t want to Change things, and I was added to the list because the person or persons that created the ‘List’ added me because I have friends who donated and the ‘List’ creators have opinions they felt compelled to share.

    Thank You for your time, see you tomorrow,
    Barrie Whitehead Lot 247
    — 

    “For I know the plans I have for you…..” Jeremiah 29:11

    Why am I running for the 2025 IH BOD?

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    From David Etzion Lot 246

    I bought lot 246 in June 2017.
    I did not pay much attention to the club documents and did not check or have any idea how the Club is operating.  
    I built our new home in IH and moved Full-time in September 2018.

    On December 15, 2019, during the club’s BOD meeting, the BOD stunned my wife Gloria and me, bringing Gloria to tears.  
    Without following any procedures set up in the Club’s documents, without any notice or warning, the BOD announced that I had committed a violation, Issued a Fine on the spot, canceled my scheduled membership service for a second entrance, and disapproved a Building Application Packet that followed all requirements.

    The following month was undeserved hell inflicted on my wife and me by the Club’s BOD. Hours of pleading, repleading, and arguing our case with the 2019 BOD led nowhere.

    On January 19, 2020, the newly elected BOD reversed the ruling of the 2019 BOD, acknowledging that it was wrong and not in compliance with the Declaration of Restrictions or the By-Laws.

    I realized the damage and abuse any BOD can bring to the property owner.

    I made it my mission in IH to protect property owners from abuse by members of the board of directors.

    In January 2020, I started a website, Indian Hammock Owners’ Voice, and a Facebook group, Indian Hammock Owners’ Rights.
    For over four years, I have been a crusader against BOD violation of property owner rights.

    I am fully transparent and say what I think. What I stand for is published on my website and the Facebook group page. Some members love it, and some hate it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

    If elected to the board, my Goal will be to protect the property owners’ rights to sole responsibility and control over their 299 Lots.
    We bought all of these lots from the club, and these 299 lots can only be restricted by Federal regulations, Florida State Regulations, Okeechobee Regulations, and the IH Declaration of Restrictions.

    My second goal will be to promote ways for individuals to use their lots and for the Club to utilize common ground to increase sustainability in Indian Hammock.

    My third goal is to convince the BOD members to follow “Live and Let Live,” not just say it. This golden rule governs everyone and requires a lot of tolerance.

    I am not a Hunter; I don’t hunt or shoot birds, but I will support the hunter’s community in improving their facilities as long as they finance such improvements.
    I regretfully don’t own a horse and don’t ride, but I will support the equestrian community in improving their facilities as long as they finance such improvements.
    Members with conflicting interests must compromise on using and developing the Club’s common ground and facilities.

    In short, MY AGENDA:
    Property Owners’ rights
    Sustainability
    Live and Let Live

    Respectfully
    David Etzion
    Lot 246

    2025 IH BOD Election – The Rumors Campaign Part 3

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    In case you did not receive Keith Kidwell’s email today, here it is:

    Dear Indian Hammock Residents:

    As I believe you are all aware I am running for the 2025 Board of Directors and since I will be not able to make the Annual Meeting this Sunday, due to a family wedding, I would like to clear up a few items. 

    First of all, I am running for the board, something I told Nancy-Lynn I would not do again, because I saw a need to bring everyone together, this bickering is not healthy and definitely not necessary. 

    Second, it is true Nancy-Lynn and I did contribute to the quail barn, however, neither one of us ever plan to join the hunt committee or quail hunt at Indian Hammock. 
    Whenever we have been asked to donate money and/or time for any of the committees at IH, we have donated:  Equestrian – even though we will never ride a horse, Pool – been there twice, Fitness Center, Rental Cabin Renovation – Nancy-Lynn co-chaired the committee and raised money, Lodge Renovation – Nancy-Lynn co-chaired the committee and raised money, Shotgun – I co-chaired the committee and helped raised the money for the 5 stand, Beer Tree – made the sign, etc.  Anything that will improve and better Indian Hammock we have always been happy to contribute money, time or both. 

    Third, this rumor that I want to raise the dues, hire more employees and turn IH into another Pine Creek can’t be further from the truth and I know the other members of Pine Creek running for the board, Bret Davis and John Kassing have stated the same. 

    In closing and on a totally different subject, I need the communities help, Nancy-Lynn and I have been invaded by cows! This is one committee we do not want to contribute to.  Does anyone know whose cows these are?   They have been coming and going for the past three weeks.  HELP!

    Best regards,

    Keith Kidwell

    Truth vs Fiction – The Rumors Campaign Part 2

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    Thank you, Corey Miller, for your input about the 2025 IH BOD Election – Rumors Campaign.

    For interested members, here is Corey Miller’s email sent today, December 14, 2025.

    ———- Forwarded message ———
    From: Corey Miller corey@bmhtaxes.com
    Date: Tue, Jan 14, 2025 at 10:19 AM
    Subject: The Truth vs Fiction
    To: Corey Miller corey@bmhtaxes.com

    Dear Members,

    Lauren and I have owned in IH for 32 years. During that time, I have only sent 2 emails, including this one, to the whole community (not including any sent as the Treasurer). The first was several weeks ago regarding online voting for IH, and now this one regarding the intentional misleading rumors that are being spread.

    I do not have any agenda, I do not Hunt or ride, and only wish to share what I know to be facts.

    1. Our fees will not go to $1,000 per month. There is no basis for this rumor. Should any BOD attempt to do this, the Membership would be able recall the board.
    2. We are not going to hire 30 new employees. We currently have 6 full time and 6 part time employees.
    3. There has been no discussion regarding paving all the roads. At the Annual Meeting several years ago, the Member voted against paving more roads.
    4. The Outback has not been destroyed. I have not been in the outback for about 10 years, and when I heard this rumor, I took my Polaris and rode through the whole outback. It has never looked better – please go see for yourself! The quail hunt areas are a very small portion of the outback.
    5. IH will not become a commercial quail operation – we are an HOA. The revised Quail program revitalized the program that was here when Lauren and I first bought. There was a Quail Barn at that time. Members were and are allowed to bring guests, to shoot with the Member. Keep in mind, quail hunters purchase birds raised by quail operators and bring them to IH to be released and hunted. The hunters are not shooting IH wildlife, such as our deer, but are bringing more wildlife to IH with the birds that are not shot.
    6. The pictures that were shared at Sandy Steinruck’s “secret” meeting Saturday night- showing facebook posts of a non-member’s experience hunting at IH. This person was the paid guide – not a hunter. Shame on those who did not do their due diligence and are trying to use this misinformation as a reason to stop quail hunting.
    7. Also shared at the Steinruck secret meeting, was a list of the people to vote for and those not to vote for. I am on the Bad Boy list! Three of the other Bad Boys were listed because they belong to Pine Creek (I do not – way above my pay grade). Is belonging to another club a crime? Thanks to these individuals, Pine Creek is giving IH dining room tables and chairs. Also, these individuals donated to the new Quail Barn, even though their membership in Pine Creek allows them to hunt Quail at no additional charge.
    8. Two on the Bad Boy list are there because they are friends with people who donated to the quail barn. Seriously?
    9. One person on the Bad Boy list is an Equestrian – why would that matter, unless they also want to prohibit horses.
    10. The quail barn is not noisy and does not smell. Go see for yourself.
    11. Many of the people on the approved to vote for, want to keep IH natural. What does this mean? Tear up the paved road? Stop eradicating invasive plants? Let our trails and fire breaks become overgrown? Should we stop maintaining our buildings and equipment?
    12. The BOD’s actions followed our governing documents. The construction of the quail barn follows our Declaration of Restrictions Article 5, Section 1.

    If you have already given your proxy and wish to change it to someone else, (copy attached) mcomplete a new proxy, be sure to date it, and send it to the office by tomorrow.

    Thank you for your time and reading this lengthy email.

    Sincerely,

    Corey

    2025 IH BOD Election – The Rumors Campaign

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    I am including below the email and the attachment that David Bass emailed today to all members.

    As a candidate, I attended this “Meet and Greet” today and was asked by a few members about another rumor being distributed around.

    These members were worried about a “conspiracy” by a “group” to transform Indian Hammock into another Pine Creek.
    No one of the worried members could provide a single name of any of this “group “ members, nor who initiated the distribution of this troubling “information.“

    We have a better deal than Pine Creek’s members, and only a few of our members can afford the membership cost as currently in Pine Creek.
    Talking to some of these wealthy members, they showed a preference for the Indian Hammock compared to Pine Creek. Otherwise, they said they would move to Pine Creek.

    I could not find anyone who wants to increase the club staff to 30 employees even if the monthly fee goes up to $1000, the numbers quoted by some worried members.

    I ask for anyone who can provide names and written information regarding such troubling claims to provide them.

    Monthly fees will increase, unavoidably, due to inflation and improvements in Indian Hammock. Still, everyone I talked to wants such increases to be minimal, even if it means less improvement.

    Members must be cautious about such frightening rumors and use common sense to decide why they are being spread and by whom.

    I will gladly discuss this issue with any member wishing to do so.

    David Etzion
    Lot 246


    From the desk of David Bass, President

    This message is being sent to all members.

    Today I attended the “Meet and Greet” your Board candidates pancake breakfast graciously donated and hosted by Jason and George Stark.  Thank you to them for donating and volunteering to set up this member friendly format where members got to meet and get to know the board candidates.

    I also received this concerning email from a new member who has permitted me to share with you.  I have heard similar complaints but no one before now has come forward to name names.  None of the statements referenced in the attachment are factual.  They are absolute hogwash.

    Our annual member’s meeting is about a week away and many members are talking with other members about who they will vote for or who to give their proxy to.  This is always an important decision and I encourage all members to vote based on the facts (and not someone else’s statement or opinion). 

    Rumors, allegations, disparaging statements, or unsubstantiated statements about board candidates (spread by other board candidates or members) is disappointing and further escalates community friction.  Undocumented comments about board candidates by board candidates does call into question the integrity of individuals who aspire to be our leaders. It just isn’t necessary and I hope that we can move beyond that kind of behavior.

    If you have questions about board candidates or want direct answers on any of the statements made by other members about a candidate, I would encourage you to reach out directly to the candidate. There is no better way to get the answers you’re looking for than to directly ask the candidate assuring that someone else’s agenda does not influence yours without the facts.

    If anyone else would like to share their experience, please let me know and I will be happy to discuss your concerns.  

    As always, if there are any statements pertaining to the board’s actions this past year, I am happy to explain anything.

    I hope to see you all at both the 50th Anniversary Members Dinner on the 18th and the Annual Members meeting on Sunday January 19th.

    -Dave

    The attachment David Bass refers to

     From: Jon Albertson <glf5@me.com>
    Subject: Jon Albertson Lot 47
    Date: Jan 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM

    To: david.bass@ihammock.net

    David,

    I’m relatively new to the Indian Hammock Hunt & Riding Club. Please help me clarify statements from Tom Brooks about the hunt committee, quail barn and Board of Directors I struggle to understand:

    The quail barn was built outside of “all” the rules absent “any” input from membership.

    The board hired an attorney to change the bylaws to accomplish alleged quail barn caper.

    Quail barn is much larger than the original quail barn and will house many thousands of birds.

    “Anyone” now allowed to hunt quail at Indian Hammock.

    Owner (member or not) of a hunting dog shot (dead or injured) at Indian hammock will be paid $5,000.00 (if I didn’t love dogs or if this bounty applied to cats I’d consider getting in the business!)?

    Quail barn is phase one of this conspiracy, phase two is a Pheasant barn.

    Hunters have ruined the Outback using their own equipment?

    Hunters will ruin the rest of the Outback once pheasant barn is complete (apparently it’s already been ruined?).

    The board has neglected canal clean outs, fire mitigation & nearly all other duties to secretly conspire about quail & pheasant barns.

    I’ve recently driven the Outback and it certainly doesn’t appear ruined to me. Each time I visit the quail barn I wish to get a list of members responsible for volunteering their time, money & effort. I would like to thank each of them for adding a valuable asset to my community at no cost to me.

    A personal concern. Should I invest around $70,000 to build a new hangar & give it to the Indian Hammock Hunt & Riding Club

    what happens if a small group decides to exterminate airplanes from the Hammock?

    Thanks David

    Jon Albertson
    Lot 47
    406-465-2884
    glf5@me.com

    Upcoming Vote to Allow Online Voting in IH

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    A letter to all IH Membership
    From: Joe Coyle Lot 106/181.
    Topic: Upcoming Vote to Allow Online Voting in IH.
    Hello to all my fellow Indian Hammock members. I have asked, as a member of Indian Hammock since 2017, have requested to the owner of the Indian Hammock Owners’ Rights Facebook site and website to please post this message to all followers regarding the facts of allowing Online Voting in Indian Hammock.

    As many of you know, I was tasked to research and recommend a company, and
    related online voting platform, that could fit the needs of our Indian Hammock membership to allow more members to attend virtually, and vote virtually and electronically, in IH meetings, especially the annual members meeting.

    The goal, and only goal, of this research was to allow members who could not physically attend, to be able to leverage their right to vote from anywhere in the world, on a secure, member verified, platform where all votes are anonymous.
    I am confident we have identified that system. Also, while researching, another goal was for online voting to be additive, meaning in no way does it bypass the voting process for members that we have now, but only adds the ability to vote remotely and electronically, with full knowledge of any changes or motions executed during the actual meeting.
    Finally, with the addition of our recent audio and video technologies, members can now attend meetings virtually, and vote in real time from anywhere in the world, safely, securely, and anonymously, while being 100% verified as the actual member executing the voting.
    I hope you all find this intuitive, and a good starting point for the many questions I am sure are waiting to be asked.
    I will break down my writing into groups, hopefully for clarity.

    Why Introduce Online Voting:
    To summarize along with the above statements, here are the highlights:
    * Online Voting increases member participation on average by 75%
    * You will be able to watch, listen, and participate in the meeting including voting with your vote, and any proxies, from anywhere in the world where you have internet access
    * You can still vote in person.
    * Proxies are fully supported, but hopefully will minimize “Proxy Harvesting”.
    At our last annual meeting, 4 members controlled approximately 25% of the votes

    It should also be mentioned that the 2024 BOD members voted unanimously to hold a special member meeting to ask membership to approve online voting. And finally, this is an additive solution and does not remove the current solution.

    The Company:
    The company selected to support online voting in IH, if approved, is Survey & Ballot Systems. Their website with a wealth of information is: Election Management Solutions & Voting Software | SBS Based in Minnesota, and with over 30 years in the election business, they are more than qualified in the industry. Their product, called DirectVoteLive, is a “Software as a Service” (SaaS) offering that is used by many clubs, HOA’s, Nonprofits, Churches, Credit Unions, and even Governments across the USA. They are fully licensed and certified, including in the great state of Florida.

    The Technology Platform:
    The technology Platform “DirectVoteLive” is state of the art, supporting industry-leading security including Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption, and is SOC2-compliant, which are the current standards for managing personal data. Happy to explain any of this in detail to any member.

    The service runs on the Microsoft Azure Cloud, which is world class and runs workloads for companies around the world.

    A few words about Software as a Service or (SaaS). SaaS has been around in the industry since the 1960’s although until the personal computer came into play, almost no one knew of it, or what it did, unless you are old like me and worked in the mainframe computing days. Today, SaaS is everywhere, used by everyone, every day. During the technology boom of the late 1990’s and 2000’s, two important technologies released the feasibility, and the availability of SaaS. Those technologies were Global Networking, and Cloud Computing. These two technologies becoming commodities launched SaaS. So, what is SaaS? Simply, it is software that runs in the Cloud, and as offered to, as a service, companies or individuals. The software remains under the control of the owner, in this case Survey & Ballots, and is presented to people via an online interface, for controlled usage. There is no installation, no CD’s or DVD’s, no updates need to be done, and no access to the underlying code. You get access to what you pay for, and nothing else. Some other examples, there are many, like the bank access everyone uses in your browser, Salesforce, ADP Payroll, the Google search engine, etc. There are thousands. SaaS is what we are recommending.

    We have rented the platform for 1 year, with unlimited elections. With renewals entirely up to IH.

    What the SaaS Platform Does:
    In summary and as stated above, the platform allows verified members to vote in elections remotely and unanimously from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Securely and confidently. Some more details:
    * The election committee runs the election as always, verifies the members and any proxies, and loads that information into the system under the election.
    Proxies are also loaded in, so if a member assigns their vote to another member,
    that assigned member has an additional vote, just like the paper process.
    * By default, all elections are anonymous and are stated as such on every screen and report. Period.
    * Members are verified by the election committee prior to the election, and the system
    verifies the members in real time by sending a specific link to members for access. No link is the same, and the links are only sent to verified member devices.
    * In real-time, the election committee can load in for example additional BOD members
    elected on the floor for office, any motion made in real time by members for vote at the
    meeting, etc.
    * All information regarding an election can be loaded into the system so remote voters have the same access to information as those attending in person.
    * All members are notified electronically if any new motions, etc. are approved at the
    meeting. So even members not watching via audio/video will be notified in real-time should another vote be needed.
    * For those attending the meeting, voting results will be displayed in real-time at the meeting on our monitor for all to see. For remote voters, they can see the same on their devices. At the end of the meeting, all results are distributed via report to registered voters via the same link that was supplied.

    I would also like to mention that Survey & Ballots also offers a comprehensive hands-on service, where they send a team on site to run the entire election, using the same software, via their team, thereby freeing up our election committee, for a price!

    What the SaaS Platform Does Not Do:
    Again, as stated previously:

    * The platform will not expose who votes, and that information is not available to anyone, including the administrator executing the election process.
    * Will not allow any manipulation of the voting, by anyone, including the platform owners.
    * Does not restrict in any way how IH runs elections. It only offers a more efficient way to execute the election.

    Our Testing Process:
    As many are aware, the elections committee has performed several tests, including 2 tests with the entire membership, to prove our goal of adding online voting both securely and anonymously. Many of you have already participated. This is the reason the BOD voted to rent the platform for a year, to demonstrate to membership, using the actual productive platform, that we can add remote online voting to our current election process.

    How Much Does It Cost IH to Leverage?
    We have purchased the “rental” of the platform for 1-year, unlimited number of elections, for approximately $530.00. 1-year renewals are at our discretion, with no obligation. I am sure prices will vary year by year, but their prices have been consistent over the years, with only minor fluctuations. The price we negotiated also includes a TXT message add-on, that allows us to notify members in real-time via TXT along with the included email in the standard package.

    Some Additional Information:
    It should be noted that even for members attending the meeting onsite, you can STILL vote using the online platform. This is the best of both worlds as you are there in real-time, but can use your phone, tablet, laptop, to vote, not having to fill out ballots with pen, rip off certain colored paper to vote on motions, etc.

    Expecting people to choose to vote electronically even while onsite, the BOD and yours truly have agreed to install a Starlink internet system at the lodge, which all but guarantees us that every member attending can leverage online voting at the lodge, without worry of bandwidth issues.
    Image how much this platform will speed to vote counting, especially as more members choose to vote on the platform versus paper. No more trying to fill the hours of dead air while manual counting occurs.

    To Summarize:
    I would like to start by thanking David Etzion for allowing this post to his followers to happen, as I want to get the facts to as many members as possible.

    I would also like to stress that this post comes from Joe Coyle the member, and in no way has any ties to the BOD, where I also serve the community for this year.

    I am more than happy to make myself available to anyone who has additional questions or would like to discuss anything in more detail. Please reach out and I will spend the time.

    And, we have an extremely knowledgeable election committee that is now well versed in this platform, has run mock elections, and is another great resource to connect with for any details or questions.

    Finally, visit the Survey & Ballots website at: Election Management Solutions & Voting Software |SBS There is a wealth of information available including other users’ comments, case studies, etc.
    It is worth your time, so you are self-informed prior to the meeting on Sunday, December 15th.

    So, let’s get this done. And hopefully let’s not let 4 members control 25% of the outcome of this decision of allowing online voting.

    Thank you all and God Bless.

    Joe Coyle

    Lot 106/181.

    Cell and email on our IH website.

    Rule 1-1 The End

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    On February 13, 2021, I single-handedly started a campaign to remove the abusive Rule 1-1 and replace it with a rule granting the owners control of their lots.
    This was my main goal for all the Owners in Indian Hammock.
    See the full story: https://ihmyhome.com/category/book_of_rules/rule-1-1/

    On January 21, 2024, The Club Board of Directors scraped the abusive Rule 1-1 and replaced it with Rule 1-2 in the amended Book of Rules.

    Thank you, David Bass and Joe Coyle, for leading a better board of directors and achieving this goal.  

    The new Rule 1-2 declares.
    The Club shall have the responsibility and authority in the management and maintenance of all Common Area for the benefit of all members of the Club.
    Each Owner/Member shall have the responsibility and authority in the management and maintenance of their lot, subject to the deed restrictions adopted in the Declaration of Restrictions governing document.
    The Club shall be managed and controlled by the Board. Only the Board can obligate the Club, and the President must review and sign all contracts.

    Indian Hammock Homeowners Group

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    The Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club, Inc (the Club) is a Florida corporation formed on December 20, 1973.
    In 1973 the Club filed Three governing documents:

    1. Articles of Incorporation.
    2. Declaration of Restrictions. (Amended and restated later, on November 2, 1998)
    3. The By Law.

    These three documents established a governing system (the System) for the operation and governing of the Club.
    A Forth Document, The Book of Rules or Club Rules, appeared much later.
    It was not created with legal expertise and was changed and rewritten at will by the Club’s various Board of Directors.

    The System was created to govern members utilizing the Club amenities like Hunting, Horse riding, Shooting, and Flying small Airplanes. Those members were camping on the bought lots or in weekend retreat bungalows.
    No one can purchase a lot or a home in Indian Hammock without joining the Club.

    About a quarter of Indian Hammock’s 3,600 acres was sold to members. The Club owns the remaining three quarters, with an obligation to manage the common areas for the benefit of all the members.
    The members have “Ownership” of the common areas and the right to use them via their memberships in the Club.

    Things have changed in half a century; we are now primarily a Residential Community of Homeowners, many living in Indian Hammock full time.
    The System is unsuitable for Homeowners living in Indian Hammock full-time or part-time.

    Over the years, the System developed a Club’s lawless culture, creating injustices like:

    I am calling for forming an Indian Hammock Homeowners Group (the Group), consisting of homeowners who are ready to work together to change the existing System while following and obeying the three documents of 1973.

    Until the System is changed, the Group will finance obtaining legal advice and take legal actions whenever the Club acts illegally or unjustly.

    The Indian Hammock “Condo Commando”

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    I was one of the recipients of chain of emails sent today by Ashley Zito.
    I want to share it with Indian Hammock owners.

    Dear Sandy,

    FYI: I am glad that you finally decided to read IH Declarations to see the definition of what constitutes “Family” and what family can access in the community of Indian Hammock. This is what Stephanie Barnes and others have been saying to you all along. For the last year, I have been told that I am not allowed at the stables when I show up to feed my own horse and have recently been told that I am not even allowed to come to a stable committee meeting. My family has been verbally harassed by one of Indian Hammock’s own board members regarding me not being able to operate a side by side in this community, despite the fact that my husband of 13 years and mother whom we currently reside with both own properties here. Not to mention, there are countless other family members of this community that have been utilizing Indian Hammock amenities for years before you and I ever moved here. I do not think I am alone in saying that more than just myself want family to enjoy amenities in Indian Hammock. The inception of this community centered on that very purpose. Your verbal and written threats to send us violation letters regarding us breaking the rules for me driving to the stables to feed my own horse, were completely uncalled for. You certainly owe me and my family an apology as we continue to advocate for fair and just treatment for all members and family that hope to continue to enjoy Indian Hammock. 

    Sincerely,

     Ashley Zito 

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    Over the last few weeks I have had several questions/requests to allow family members (as defined in the Declarations and the rules) to go to the stable without being accompanied by the boarder. Most of the requests have been for adult children, but the Zitos would like for us to allow spouses also.
    The SOP does not address family members at all. My proposal to you is to include a category for family members in the SOP. I am proposing that we allow adult family members who live with the boarder access to the stable to ride and care for their horses.
    I have added the family category to the SOP that is attached to this email. See what you think. We can discuss it on Saturday.

    FYI.
    In the Declarations, Article 1  – this is the definition of a family

    (h) “Family” means a natural person, his or her spouse, the children,
    grandchildren, parents and the grandparents of each and their spouses.

    The rules further define family and what they can access.

    1.6.12. “Family”; is what is defined in the Declarations of restrictions and living with the
    owner/member and the owner/member has given written permission for Family to
    use roads and certain amenities and/or activities.

    Thanks,
    Sandy 
    From: “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    To: “Joe Zito” <joe.zito@ihammock.net>
    Cc: <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>
    Subject: Re: Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 12:26:25 -0700

    Joe, I submitted the violation.

    Talk to you soon,

    Sandy Steinruck
    President
    Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club

    — joe.zito@ihammock.net wrote:

    From: “” <joe.zito@ihammock.net>
    To: “IH Manager” <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>, “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    Subject: Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 05:41:35 -0700

    Sandy,Based on the information that you shared with me at yesterdays board meeting you stated that the reason that you are not able to appoint me as a stables chair is because of the fact that my wife “Ashley” is in violation of the rules because she has been visiting the stables as a guest. If that is true and your sure of this I ask that you please file a formal complaint against us for this violation. That way we can resolve this and move on with it. If she is not in violation of the rules then I ask that you drop this issue entirely and appoint me as co-chair as you previous stated that you would at the close of our July 3rd stables meeting. This is really a simple issue and if you stand behind your words and decision now is the time to back it up. I eagerly await a prompt response back on this.

    Sincerely,
    Joe ZitoBOD2021 

    Joe, I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, as that was not my intention.Julio is very familiar with the horses and the stable and since we have had very few issues lately I think he will handle it just fine. As you recall I said I was concerned about having someone who did not live here and that was when you volunteered. Since I have gathered lots of information I think Julio will do fine, I don’t think we need co-chairs. There is not that much to do.

    Unfortunately as you are aware we have this on-going issue with Ashley going to the stable as a guest. The rules clearly state that guests must be accompanied by a member at all times at the stable. I know you don’t like it. As a Board member it is our job to enforce the rules. Several people have had this same issue in the past. Each of them has fixed it by either being added to the deed or becoming a contractor with a license and insurance. Everyone else has followed the rules and several other stable boarders have complained about this, asking why she does not have to follow the rules. The answer is that she does have to follow the rules. We can not just change the rule because one member does not like it. It is the Committee Chair’s job to ensure others are following the rules. You can’t do that if your wife does not follow the rules.

    I had the same issue with the Hunt Committee this year. The gentleman I wanted to chair the committee had cut a gate in the south fence line. Since he did not respect the rules I could not make him the chair person. How could he tell others to follow the rules when he was not following them?
    Keep in mind that the role of the stable committee does not take much time and is very different than the role of the owner/manager of a stable. The owner/manager of a stable manages the employees and their work everyday. Our Stable Committee does not manage the employees or Bob. The employees do not work for the Stable Committee. I understand the confusion and several people have misunderstood the role of the Stable Committee. The Committee only makes recommendations regarding the horses and their quality of life. We don’t worry about how the employees do their jobs or what they do. That is Bob’s role. The stable committee is a group of boarders who can make recommendations to Bob and the Board on topics such as we discussed in the meeting on July 3. They look at items such as the facilities, communication, horse feed, fly spray, and how excess money is spent. They have no power, just lots of opinions relating to the health and safety of their horses. They also let Bob know if a boarder is not following the rules. In the last few years the Stable Committee has spent the excess stable funds from previous years and made several improvements at the stable. We added large pads in the west pastures to give the horses high spots to get out of the water, improved the drainage in the west pastures, planted 12 trees in the east pasture, provided shelter for the horses in all the pastures, added water and wash racks at the different barns, put concrete and mats in front of the tack room, put lights in the arena, put power and lights in the barns and bought hay for the last few years. This last year the Stable Committee recommended that the Hammock rebuild the paddocks at the horse hospital and at the east and west barns. At the last Finance Workshop I lobbied for the Arena, the fence around the north pasture and the bathroom in the Tack Room based upon the committee’s recommendations.

    We don’t need co-chairs on the Stable committee, where we really need help is on the Equestrian Committee. That committee has a much larger role than the Stable committee. We talked about a Dressage ring – it would be the equestrian committee who would create that. We also need to increase the equestrian community involvement to encourage them to contribute money to pay for the arena improvement. The arena project will be led by an equestrian on the Equestrian Committee because it is for all equestrians not just the stable boarders. The Finance Committee offered $6000 via matching funds to purchase clay or other dirt to improve the footing in the arena.The employees with level and disc the arena for no additional cost. (That may change as we go through the approval process.) I think you offered to lead the effort at the meeting to define what needs to be done and to lead the fund raising. We need your help here and this is a better opportunity for you since you know something about arena footings and it gives you and opportunity to make a difference in the Hammock for all the equestrians. What do you think?

    Sandy Steinruck
    President
    Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club

    — joe.zito@ihammock.net wrote:

    From: “” <joe.zito@ihammock.net>
    To: “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2021 12:11:33 -0700

    Sandy,Thank you for sending me that correction.Regarding the issue of non-boarders or Family members the SOP currently states that if Ashley adheres to one or any of the listed provisions stated in section #3. she has permission to care for our horse. It does not say that she has to obtain additional insurance. She is not an outsider and/or an additional liability to the hammock. She is a family member or in this case a “non boarder”. I’m not sure why this is such an issue? Maybe you can explain why my wife’s presence or her use of the stables is such an issue with you, Bob or anybody else?   Regarding your motion to remove me as co-chair,  I find this to be truly unprofessional, and utterly disrespectful. I personally show you and others the utmost respect regardless if I agree with your point of view or not. However, if I or somebody else doesn’t agree with your point of view or interpretation you are going to assert your authority and make changes to what was previously agreed to from our last meeting? I have been asked by many to Chair or Co-Chair this committee as I feel qualified and ready to help the stables to improve and to continue to approve in the upcoming months. I ask that you reconsider your motion to remove me as co-chair considering the way this has all played out. 
    Sincerely,
    Joe ZitoBOD2021
    — sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net wrote:

    From: “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    To: “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    Cc: <joe.zito@ihammock.net>, <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>, <steinruk@hotmail.com>
    Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:12:22 -0700

    Joe, In the Rules paragraph 2.3 states

    2.3.All committee meetings shall be open to all Owners and/or permitted Family. Written minutes of each meeting shall be provided to the members of the Board monthly and kept on file at office. All actions of a Committee shall be done by recorded motion.

    This means that Ashley is welcome to attend committee meetings even though she is not a member.

    I apologize for the error.

    Thanks,
    Sandy Steinruck
    President
    Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club

    — sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net wrote:

    From: “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    To: “” <joe.zito@ihammock.net>
    Cc: <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>, <steinruk@hotmail.com>
    Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 12:59:02 -0700

    Joe, i am sorry because you and I talked about this. It clearly says that no guest is allowed at the stable without a member accompanying them. The non-boarder statement does not contradict that. The non-boarder statement allows non-boarders to take care of other horses. It does not state that guests are allowed to take care of other horses.

    This situation has occurred several times in the past. Joey Mohanna was added to George Abraham’s deed so she could keep horses at the stable and take care of them. Hilaire Hodgson and Katy Baker got their licenses and insurance so they could keep horses at the stable and take care of them. Eventually Katy’s name was added to the title on one of their lots. We have to be consistent and treat Ashley the same way we treated the other 3 ladies. Another option is for Ashley to get her license and insurance to care of horses at the stable.

    Non-members are not allowed in any committee meetings or the board meetings. Because Ashley is not a member she is not invited to the stable committee meetings. The meeting we had a couple weeks ago was a meeting of the boarders and was not a committee meeting.

    I am feeling much more comfortable with Juilio as the Stable Committee chair even though he is not a resident. At this point in time I don’t think we need a co-chair so Julio will be the Stable Committee Chair person. Thank you for volunteering.

    Thank you,

    Sandy Steinruck
    President
    Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club

    — joe.zito@ihammock.net wrote:

    From: “” <joe.zito@ihammock.net>
    To: “IH Manager” <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>, “Sandy Steinruck” <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 07:04:33 -0700

    Bob,I can see where it can be easily interpreted that any “non member” should not be given rights to the stables without written notice and supervision. However, Section 3 clearly states provisions for “non boarders” with any of the following qualifications (A,B,C,D) (ATTACHED)This SOP is poorly written, contradicts itself in places, and to be honest is not easily understood by many. That is why updating our current SOP is one of my agendas to clear things up to make all of our jobs easier moving forward. I hope this puts an end to any misunderstandings regarding my wife’s involvement at the stables for feeding and caring for our horses.

    Sincerely,
    Joe ZitoBOD 2021 

    — ihammockmgr@gmail.com wrote:

    From: IH Man;”””””””””””;’/ager <ihammockmgr@gmail.com>
    To: joe.zito@ihammock.net, Sandy Steinruck <sandy.steinruck@ihammock.net>
    Subject: Re: Permission Granted for (Boarding Horse) “Galahad” Zito
    Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 15:01:27 -0400

    July 12, 2021Joe,On May 18th you sent to me a letter allowing your wife to care for your horses at the stables. After reviewing the stable sop, guests are not allowed in the stable area unless they are with a member border.
     The sop reads as follows, Under 1. b. All guests at the Indian Hammock stable and related equine facilities must have a signed liability release from the guest and written permission from the horse owner on file in the office. They must be accompanied by a Boarder at all times. Under 2.  .    The terms “visitor” and “guest” as used throughout these rules and procedures shall refer to anyone who is not a Member. 
    The office has been trying to work with you and Ashley for some time now to have her put on the deed to approve her as a member. The last document we received from Ashley and Mrs. Sewell, was a warranty deed. This document looks to be filled out properly and all that needs to be done is to file it with the clerk of courts. Once that has been done we can then put her on the agenda for the board to approve her as a member. Until then unfortunately she is a guest/ family member. Stables, hunting, shooting sports are only allowed by members, and all guests must be accompanied by a boarder/member. 
    If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.
    Thanks,
    Robert Baum,ManagerIndian Hammock Hunt & Riding Club, Inc.CAM41705

    On Tue, May 18, 2021 at 12:17 PM <joe.zito@ihammock.net> wrote:
    I, Joseph Zito,grant my wife, Ashley Zito, permission to care for our horse Galahad Zito at Indian Hammock Stables.Please keep this on file at the Indian Hammock Office for future reference.  Sincerely, Joseph Zito<Stable SOP V2 Updated July 2021.docx>