Sunrise residents hear board hopefuls

DINGMAN — “Are the dues going up?”— Are there going to be a lot of rules and regulations?” — “What’s gonna’ happen after the sun goes down? — Will we get rid of the kids causing the crime and the drug dealing?” These were just some of the questions asked by some more than 220 concerned residents who met Wednesday at St. Vincent’s Church on state Route 739. This was a meet-the-candidates gathering. There are 17 Sunrise Lake property owners running for seven positions on a new homeowners’ association board of directors. There has never been a homeowners’ association in Sunrise Lake. The association’s first election is this Sunday. Sunrise Lake is a community of over 875 homes, where developers Bob and Bill Ramagosa have retained all roads and common properties. They have collected annual dues to support services and amenities. After many years of declining community amenities, which were guaranteed in their deeds, a group formed calling themselves the Concerned Citizens of Sunrise Lake. Their first meeting was held over three and a half years ago out in the open in front of the community swimming pool which had been closed, lacking needed repairs. According to the group’s founder DeAnna Margiore, this was the last straw. Margiore began to organize and collect money from Sunrise owners in order to bring legal action against the Ramagosas over those lost amenities. Now three and a half years later, after lawyers and mediators, the Ramagosas are giving up control of the community to what will be the Sunrise Lake Homeowner’s Association. Concerned Citizens’ candidates and others from a group called Responsible Residents of Sunrise Lake all gave their qualifications and their reasons for seeking election. The two groups differed. Concerned Citizens candidates called for an open board with an eye on repairing the community, restoring the currently decreased home values. The Responsible Citizens candidates’ position was more concerned with keeping the community operating with a minimum of new financial costs to homeowners. This Sunday will be election day for Sunrise. The election ballot counting will be done by Attorney Jim Baron, an independent attorney hired by lawyers representing both the Concerned Citizens and the Ramagosas. For more, see letters, beginning on page 12.