Our Home for $57?

The following Letter to the Editor was sent to the Lynden Tribune a few weeks ago, by Intervenor Maureen Dowling.  Here is her expanded, original letter:

Homestead

What price would you put on living in a community of friendly people? A place where there is low crime and strong law enforcement to provide security? Where we have accessible leadership in our city government and miles of scenic trails and open sidewalks for greeting neighbors and exercising in the fresh air?  

Like the well-known MasterCard commercial, most of us would answer, “priceless.”  

But for 11 plaintiffs and 2 lawyers, $57 was the price to file a class action lawsuit. To refuse mediation. To reject a real estate lawyer’s proposal to apply the 2018 state law which would allow us to vote our annual budget. To force homeowners to be included in their class action lawsuit by invalidating their opt-out option.   To turn down a settlement negotiation with all parties present, including the owner.

For them, $57 was worth dividing neighbors who were once close friends. Worth diverting maintenance fees to the lawyers’ trust fund in spite of a pandemic and Canada’s border being closed for nearly 2 years. 

The 11 plaintiffs and 2 lawyers decided, without asking for a vote or feedback from those of us who live here, to go straight to litigation over $57 and then convince us to pay their legal fees. 

And now, the golf course is closed while electric bills, repairs, and maintenance of common space still require our fees. Storm ponds and basins, street lights, fences, bridges, and sidewalks continue to deteriorate while more lawyers have been hired, more hearings scheduled, more allegations made. For the managers, lawyers, and plaintiffs, many of whom do not live in Lynden, our home is their battleground over $57, a difference we homeowners could have worked out, if given the chance. 

Instead, an immigration lawyer from Canada advised Lynden homeowners to file a class action lawsuit, and hire him to represent them – but why? There were no immigration issues to solve, just a straightforward dispute between homeowners and management over $57. And now the plaintiffs’ newest post on their website claim the Intervenors, Duane Scholten, and City of Lynden are against homeowners and against accountability?!?   Since many of us have strong ties to this community, and knowing the integrity of our neighbors, business owners, city council, and leadership, we recognize these absurd lies are to discredit good people. We won’t be fooled and we won’t stop fighting for Homestead!