By: Mollee Francisco 

The city council chambers were full last week as Jonathan Association residents took the board to task at its annual meeting.

Among the issues addressed by residents was a lack of capital improvements made during the previous fiscal year (ending in September).

Residents accused the current board of letting the association’s assets fall into disrepair as they examine the possibilities of dissolving the association. Last year, the board voted to form a dissolution committee.

Board President Tom Davis said that things were in disrepair long before the current board was in charge. “To imply that the current board is responsible for the degradations within the Jonathan Association is just wrong and you shouldn’t be doing that,” he said.

But several residents disagreed.

“What do you get for your money? For your $190?” asked resident and board candidate Mike Liebe. “Last year it was nothing."

“I pay my money and I’m happy to do so but I want something back,” said resident Bob Moeller. “I don’t want dissolution. I want services, I want improvements and I would like communication and I would like a respectful dialogue and I would like democracy sitting on that platform there.”

“Why aren’t you spending these people’s money to make this better?” asked resident and fellow board candidate Maria Awes. “Why is it that the point of view is, ‘This isn’t something worth saving’? I completely disagree.”

Treasurer Tom Kerber told those in attendance that $90,000 was budgeted for capital improvements in 2007 with $40,000 already spent last fall on trail work.

'Not a city'

In his President’s Report, Davis told residents that although the association was bigger than many cities in Minnesota, it is not a city.

“It doesn’t have the tools a city has, the power a city has or the standing of a city,” he said.

Davis also expressed concern about the governing documents, saying that “the mishmash of governing documents lay down a rather poor foundation to run an association of this size” and the number of residents who are not in support of keeping the association.

“The association has a very large number of people who are not enthralled with the association,” he said. “They don’t particularly like it, they don’t see much value in it and they don’t want their neighborhood to be a part of it.”

Davis’s statements didn’t sit well with the audience.

“I am saddened by your actions,” said resident and former Jonathan attorney Marsh Halberg. “That you have consistently chosen to talk about things from your viewpoint. In your entire President’s Letter not once did you ay a positive thing about this association, about where we live.”

“There aren’t a lot of people who care about your personal battle to get Autumn Woods out of the association,” Awes told Davis who lives in the Autumn Woods neighborhood.

“You have a responsibility to serve all of us in Jonathan,” said Moeller. “Not just the Dissolution Committee.”

Residents also balked at a mailing sent out by the board last week that included information about the dissolution study done by legal counsel.

“A mailing has already been sent,” Davis told the group. “It’s a short newsletter and cover letter and it has to do with the work done by Krauss Monroe.”

“My understanding is that we haven’t had a newsletter in two years,” said resident Mike Sibley. “Right at an annual meeting and before an election, this board wants to send a communication for the first time in two years to talk about your own agenda which is to work with Krauss Monroe and kind of dismantle the association.”

Davis said that the mailing was scheduled to go out earlier but was primarily delayed “by the group of people sitting in front of me.”

When asked if other candidates for the board would have an equal opportunity to communicate with residents, Davis replied that candidate statements would be sent out with election ballots.   

“It really reeks that this newsletter is going out right before the election,” said Awes.

For more Jonathan Election coverage, see our Jonathan Election group.