Welcome to the New Holly Lake Voice Pembroke Pines Community Website

The Holly Lake Voice is the only secure website dedicated to long-term nonpartisan advocacy for Holly Lake residents. We are proudly independent of any interference from our Homeowners Association (HOA), and the Association’s neglected hollylakehoa.org site.

Read More About Our Mission Statement

New Board Fining Policy

After reappointing themselves by denying all other candidates the right to run, the 2019 Board has ramped up its efforts to collect $1,000 fines plus legal fees after first notice, denying due process, just for innocent failures to follow illegal rules.

Click Here to See if You will be Next

Holly Lake Pembroke Pines Board Meetings

The December 06 Board meeting that was announced in E-blast, on website calendar, and street billboards for after the Annual Meeting was never convened, even though a quorum of 5 directors was present to conduct the Association’s business. Our Bylaws require the Board to hold a meeting every month to attend to the needs of our 785 members. Terry Moody said that directors had nothing to discuss, despite the many problems enumerated above on this page. Apparently, Christmas party time was more important to the 2018 Board; critical repairs and access to amenities can wait until 2019. As Tony Migiliore declared, “I’m finished for the year!”

On December 19, vice-president Migliore was forced to attend a Emergency Meeting called to resolve 2 pool repairs that Terry Moody said were not needed 2 weeks earlier. The agenda failed to approve any other business. The Board then decided to defer any more work until January 17, 2019.

All 5 officers were present at the January 17 meeting to begin their reign as 2019 roll-over Board. Tony Migliore wanted to remove all volunteers from the Advisory Committees and “start all over,” ignoring the many registered volunteers in 2018 who were never called to serve. New business included issues with PPines detail police, the new violations policy, and the need for posting new pricing for private use of the rec hall.

Only ten members attended the Board meeting. Of these, two were protesting demands by the Association’s attorney to pay $1,000 and sign a waiver to their constitutional rights under FS 720.305 (2b) to a hearing before our impartial Covenant Enforcement Committee, just for buying a house without prior Board approval. No damages to the community were even alleged. The buyer, a single mom, had paid $200 screening fee and presented her application to Next Gen, then waited weeks in vain for the Board’s decision to accept or reject under its 2018 Rules. Failure to pay the $1,000 fine and the attorney’s fees immediately becomes a special assessment and potential lien on the house. Buying, selling or renting our homes is always time sensitive. Subjecting applicants to the duress of unreasonable delays causes economic harm. President Moody announced that many others had been fined $1,000 plus attorney fees for such minor failures of process.

Recently, the Voice has learned that potential buyers or renters are being told that they cannot pre-qualify to be accepted as future residents under criteria detailed in the Board’s new Corporate Resolution. Instead, they must first contract to buy or rent in Holly Lake, a process that often requires weeks of searching, negotiations with us homeowners, and perhaps services of a broker, all wasted, if they are later denied the right to occupy their home.  Bankers routinely pre-qualify home buyers for mortgages, so that sellers can accept initial offers, knowing that the buyer has funding secured.  Any Board rule that makes buying a home more difficult in Holly Lake seriously degrades the market value of our property, usually the major life investment for many of us. Brokers won’t show our homes, when their clients may face weeks of delays from Next Gen’s approval process and then be denied the right to live here.  The better families can avoid our grief and go elsewhere. What other west Broward HOA’s screen prospective residents so thoroughly, while denying them the ability to pre-qualify? The goal of screening, to secure better residents, is defeated.

The Board needs to explain this counter-productive policy. Its only visible purpose is to squeeze us homeowners and their buyers for $1,000 fines plus attorney fees, when the buyers are forced to occupy before Board approval can be obtained, which is forbidden, even when no damages to community welfare are evident. Except for investors, any buyer who wants to reside here first had to vacate a prior home or apartment. A later Board denial or delay can result in being homeless.

How is this policy in our “best interests”? You can read the 2018 Corporate Resolution under the “News” drop-down here or at the Association’s website. Its stated purpose is to gather information before offering a right of first refusal, limited to appointing a committee for 60 days. Before 2006, waivers of the “first refusal” right were routine. Our Association has no legitimate interest in buying houses. So why is it used now to screen and deny prospective residents?

Since January 17, when the roll-over Board’s new fining policy was first revealed in public, its illegal persecution for violations of its procedures has multiplied. These $1000 fines are demanded only for minor and often accidental failures to secure Board approval to transfer home titles, which itself damages nobody. Enforcement is selective. Some citations are for failures that predate the Board’s May 2018 Rules & Regs by several years, without any complaints from neighbors.

Victimized homeowners have emailed dozens of protests to the Voice. If you have been cited unfairly for violating procedures, then you are invited to join others in securing legal resources, emailing the Voice at:  michener@bellsouth.net. This offer is not for failure to pay dues, nor failure to keep a “neat & clean” home site, nor for misbehavior in common areas nor violations of PPines Code.

At the March 07 Board meeting, fee to replace magnetic cards for access to clubhouse gym and pool was set at $10; the first card per unit will be free. Fee to replace mailbox key is now $15. The rec hall rental fee is now $150 for private parties. No fee to reserve picnic pavillion at family park. Both facilities require $50 deposits. The picnic tables west of clubhouse still lack one pole BBQ pit and a gazebo, approved and purchased in 2017.

April’s Board meeting was rescheduled for the 18th, Thursday before Easter week-end, when many Holly Lakers were out of town. Only 12 members attended. The Board moved to buy 12 pool chairs but tabled bids for new playground equipment. Mail room issues were discussed. The Board then approved fines for 40 homeowners without any inquiry into the merits of each case. These included property violations prohibited by City Code, but also heavy fines for unapproved tenants and use of LLC’s to avoid excess liability and probate risks.

Mailroom shutdown within 3 months was revealed at the May 02 Board meeting. After talks going back 6 years, USPS now demands that Holly Lake close its substation, because it cannot comply with ADA access standards. We may need to pick up our mail across US 27, unless a pavillion with outside boxes can be permitted and built at our ballpark. Members are urged to petition our Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. New pool chairs were purchased, and Terry Moody moved to pay for one attendant covering both pools during summer, 4 hours daily. Despite Board concern, the two pools remain open to outsiders. Attendees asked Board to control 2 speeding cars and a derelict boat floating on our lake. Manager Kathryn Sajdak spent 7 minutes again threatening the Voice’s publisher with legal action for disputing her fantasy version of last November’s Nominations debacle. The 2018-2019 Board’s illegal coronation is detailed here, backed by unrefuted audiotape evidence.

The June 06 meeting began 15 minutes late without published agenda nor sign-up sheet for comments from only 10 attendees. Sandy Dunne and our maintenance man Junior Acevado noted problems at the pools. Mag locks must be fixed, all gates are still without spring closures to prevent risk to small unsupervised children wandering in, the 12 new chairs to be delivered for clubhouse pool a month ago had not arrived, another camera is needed to stop vandalism at family pool, and new magnetic gate cards approved 2 months ago were never delivered. The summer pool attendant will be posted 20 hours/week (on week-ends but not Tues/Weds). Several members who had volunteered for Advisory Committees asked why no meetings had been called during 2019 by the Board-appointed chairmen.

Our lawn service quit on 4/27/19 due apparently to assaults and verbal abuse by frustrated residents on 4/24. For the prior 2 months, as reported here in the Voice, we had received NO advance notice as to when Tropic Star’s crew would cut our grass. Those with fenced backyards have no chance to “open gates and clear debris.” Instead of identifying abusers, the Board’s solution is to stop service to ALL fenced lots via new Rules & Regs to be passed at its Special meeting on Monday June 24 at 7 pm. By law, homeowners must receive a copy with minimum 14-day notice. After 5 weeks on May 29, we received another $4,000 cut without advance notice. Negotiations continue with Tropic Star, whose crews have been polite and efficient. The Board also voted 3-0 to spend about $16,000 to replace play equipment at the tot lot instead of repairing it for $10,000. Sidewalk repairs were approved for another $3,831.

The next monthly Board meeting will be postponed to July 18, because the usual first Thursday is our Glorious 4th. The Board will introduce changes to Holly Lake’s Covenants needed to remove the bowling alley as a required amenity and legalize its restrictive screening policy for new residents. Both Amendments require approval by 2/3 of membership or about 515 affirmative votes. The bowling alley in the closed clubhouse convenience store cannot be maintained economically; its removal should be supported. This Board’s unprecedented screening policy is pointless, causing harm to Holly Lakers who need to sell or lease their homes or even transfer titles among family members. As detailed above on this page, we are now forced to pay $1,000 fines and waive constitutional rights to appeal, if any title transfer is recorded before the Board grants its approval, an act that itself damages nobody. Such over-reach must be opposed. The Board will also ask for Amendments to our By-laws that require only a majority of at least 10% (78) of eligible members. Indeed, our outdated By-laws need to be repaired per the “2017 Articles of Incorporation & By-Laws Changes” posted under the “FL Laws” drop-down at top of this page. But instead, the July 18, 2019 Amendment will only reinforce the Screening Covenant and authorize unlimited fines for members who “annoy” or “interfere with” this Board and its manager. Again, all homeowners should receive copies 14 days prior, or by July 4th.

The June 06 meeting ended with 3-0 vote to close the gym at 10 pm, because the PPines detail cops refuse to stay on site after 11 pm. Manager Sajdak urged that we replace rather than repair the 2 pool heaters, now 11 years old, a likely $12,000+ project. All members were asked to call Broward County Mosquito Control to encourage spraying, which may begin June 10.

Click below for details of a SPECIFIC meeting.

Sept 6 Meeting President Terri Moody said having back yards included in lawn service cutting resulted in too many complaints for her to deal with. This would force homeowners to cut their own back yards. The other board members thought it was a bad idea and discussion ended with no action taken.

Oct 4 Meeting Brightview Lawn Service quit after only one cut stretched over 12 calendar days, the Board president again blamed desperate homeowners for delaying lawn crews.

Nov 1 Meeting Terry Moody moved to give Tropic Star a $2,800 hardship bonus. Previously the Board voted to hire L & J Property for 3 days/week at $850/month for clean-up. Contract was rescinded at Nov 01 Board meeting in order to give maintenance job instead to Terry Moody’s most vocal political supporter.

Nov 1 Nominating Meeting President Moody tried to roll over her 2018 Board by declaring lack of quorum. When Ed Batten presented 33 eligible limited proxies to achieve quorum, she claimed that they were “presented late.” Next Gen accepted and vetted them, so that nominations continued. Treasurer Wyant checked her books to determine if any nominees owed money to the Association, so that they could pay before Nominations Meeting was adjourned, in order to qualify per FS 720.306 (9-b). Candidates Batten, Rivera, and Brito were told that each owed modest fee balances.

However, when all 3 offered to pay immediately, Next Gen refused to accept their payments, contrary to the Board officers’ fiduciary responsibility, simply because its staff is “not insured to accept cash.” The decision eliminated campaign competitors for current officers Moody, Wyant, and Badin. Last year, for far larger debts, then treasurer Moody demanded that Trisha Cogan be given 5 extra days to pay. Trisha was seated unopposed for 2019. Except for vice-president, the other 4 officers were ready to enjoy an engineered roll over.