Kindness or threats? PMC residents ask: Do we really want a culture of intimidation to replace a culture of compassion?

  • [Bill Lewis II and Engvig family photos]

    [Bill Lewis II and Engvig family photos]

Mona and Olaf Engvig are from Norway. They came to the United States as young academics. Mona is a Fulbright scholar with a Ph.D. from Stanford, and special interest in leadership. Her expertise is online education. She teaches and consults for over 10 universities. The Engvigs have a home in Ventura with a family cabin in Pine Mountain Club, which their grandchildren adore.

Mona Engvig is concerned about community spirit in PMC.

She wrote an open letter [published June 25 by TME] explaining to PMCPOA Chairman Bill Lewis II the flaws in his guest card policy. It requires homeowners to apply for a unique guest card for each of their guests, with that specific person’s name printed on it in advance of a visit and picked up during office hours by each guest themself. But the business office is closed on weekends.

Bill Lewis, a retired SWAT sheriff’s sergeant, replied.

Mona Engvig then responded. This is that dialogue.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Bill Lewis II: Thank you for providing some input on the guest card issue. It is not as easy a problem to solve as you claim, and we are currently re-evaluating the card situation. I did notice you reference this situation in your [email] subject line as “Renters Pool” instead of the “Association Pool” or the “Members’ Pool.”

Mona Engvig, PhD: Sorry, I did not intend to refer to the pool as “belonging to” renters. In that case, it would have been Renters’…not Renters. The subject line pertains to the subjects: “renters, pool.”

BL: I also noticed you appear to believe the association should be working for you to help subsidize your rental business, from which the association…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

Homeowners in PMC were fined a staggering $21,000 in 2019-2020, many without warnings. Why?

Left: The number of big fines being issued by PMCPO has increased since Bill Lewis II, a former sheriff’s SWAT sergeant, became chair of the PMCPOA board. Auditors reported a 3,718% increase in the amount of fines charged to PMC homeowners. Joyce Mitchell, a 23-year resident, is worried about what this is doing to the feeling of this community, which has always been a caring place to live, in the past..

Mona Engvig sought to have a fact-based dialogue on the issue of the economic impact of short term rentals in PMC, and to express concern about keeping a culture of kindness between neighbors.

To see full stories with photos, please purchase a copy of the newspaper at many locations (click this link for a list) throughout the Mountain Communities.

Or, have your newspaper delivered via mail and include internet access. Just call 661-245-3794. Classified ads are FREE to paid subscribers! See front page at www.mountainenterprise.com for details.

The e-Edition is available now with full photos and stories at The Mountain Enterprise e-Edition. Select the 2021-0730 edition.

(subscriber login required)

This is part of the July 30, 2021 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.