This OpEd is by neighbors with over 50 years cumulative residence in PMC, who have served on PMCPOA committees and the board.

On Saturday, April 16,  the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association Board of Directors voted to pass the budget for fiscal year 2022-2023. They also approve the proposed assessment to be charged to the homeowners of PMC.

This year, the “POA tax” bill is $1,788, a $164 increase over last fiscal year’s 2021-2022 assessment of $1,624.

Only Director Philip Gabriel voted “no.”

In his long opening remarks, he said he was for an increase for the employees, but he was not clear on the rest of the budget. He thought there should be an increase, it seemed, but he did not propose or explain a clear number that would be more reasonable.

Director Ellen McClellan was appointed to the board by Chairman Bill Lewis II after she chaired the PMC Budget and Finance Committee. She won 581 votes when she finally stood for election.

McClellan said, “The only mistake we made was to not have increased [the assessment] more last year.”

What Auditors Found

The audit by CPA firm Stern, Kory, Sreden & Morgan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, showed $296,181 in excess revenue.

The nonprofit PMCPOA’s expenses were $296,181 less than its income from assessments, greens fees, pro shop, lounge, cafe and equestrian center sales, plus income from fines to members who allegedly broke rules. PMCPOA did not give the excess revenue back to the homeowners who were overcharged.

In FY 2019-2020 the association kept $469,360 in excess revenue.

In these two years alone, the audits show, the nonprofit kept…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

PMCPOA Collects Massive ‘Excess Revenue’ In Most Fiscal Years, Yet Still Increased its ‘POA Tax’ for 2022-2023.

FY 2019-2020 $469,360 revenue in excess of expenses
FY 2020-2021 $296,181 revenue in excess of expenses
= $765,541 overcharge to homeowners in 2 years

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This is part of the April 22, 2022 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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