Open Letter to Fairfield residents

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An open letter to the residents of Fairfield @ Long Neck

On July 4, 2014, Guy and I will have lived here in Fairfield for 8 years.
This has been our home, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week/12 months out of the year. Our “Full-time” residence.
We have celebrated holidays, enjoyed the births of some of our grandchildren, and sadly mourned the loss of loves ones while living in our home here in Fairfield.
Fairfield was my choice to buy because of being close to work and close to the beach but still having a home environment not just a place to eat, sleep and back to work kind of area.
Over these past 8 years, I have watched this community go through some good things and some not so good things. The changes in management companies, styles and people have at times been the best thing going for Fairfield and then sometimes not.
I will be the first one to admit that I have not put a lot of effort into working with the Management Company or our HOA other than an occasional going to the meetings and occasional email registering a complaint or a question.
I think though that a lot of you will agree, that the environment and status of Fairfield has changed. What I think started out as more of a seasonal, beach status/vacation home kind of community is now, due to our country’s economy become more of a permanent place to live, as well as rental properties for long term and still some occasional seasonal needs. Due to this, we have more people staying here year round and with that brings year round issues.
With that in mind, I hope to become more involved in my community and be allowed to make more decisions as to what happens within our community.
This past year, we have had our trash collections taken away, brought back on a limited basis. Told what kind of storm doors only can be installed and what our patios only can be made of. Others have decided what is considered “art” and what is allowed to be decorating our doors, our windows and our homes and for how long it is allowed to be there. Where we are allowed to park and for how long and the latest on what is and what is not called “common areas”.
Yes there must be guidelines and restrictions imposed in order to keep our community from becoming an eyesore or even a dangerous environment but when have any of these “decisions” been presented to us in the community who should have a say in making these decisions.
We have been told that at those two meetings in a year we have that there is not enough people present to make a vote or rescind a by-law or create a new by-law.
We are given a time when we must all be present and that’s it. We are given an amount of time to speak and that’s it or not at all. Yes, I know that there have been issues presented that then get discussed beyond reason and end up in a quarrel and yes we have some who won’t let things rest, but maybe if we were given an opportunity to speak or meet on a less formal basis and less formal gatherings and more often, we might be able to settle our differences and make community decisions and actually get to know more of our neighbors.
Personally, I am really getting tired of the “notices” and “warnings” being sent to us from the Management Company. Being threatened by “fines” and having our pool access being “taken away”… This is our home. Let us decide who or what or where “fines” and restrictions should be made.
That being said, I am not trying to “blame” our current Board as being too set on appearances and a desire to have a more “controlled” status but let’s be honest .. I have said before, we are made to feel very “beige” around here and I really think it’s time to add some color to our homes and our neighborhood .
Ed Rutecki has done a wonderful job of keeping this place looking great with the homes being repaired and the wetland areas kept clean and thriving and I apologize to you Ed for not getting more involved in the great work you have done here.
Sandy Carl each summer season has made it a very easy and complete (and fun) pool pass set up and I’m sure has been kept very busy behind the scene on making it an enjoyable and safe pool for all of us.
Patty and Mattia are very diligent on maintaining and improving our financials and keeping Fairfield in the black under some very difficult issues.
I would like to see this community become a place that people can not only be proud of their homes but be a part of making this community a nice place to live.
On that note, I am looking for suggestions, ideas and plans on getting together and having a real “meet and greet” gathering and to get others opinions, feelings about Fairfield.
I can be reached by email at teresa_dixon@ymail.com .
Thanks for your time.