Letters
to
Editor
Dear
Editor,
It is my
belief
that
most
residents
of the
Ranch
agree
with
me—”we
are not
happy
with all
the
negatives
in print
about
our
community.
We would
like for
visitors
or
prospective
home-buyers
to read
that
Holly
Lake
Ranch is
an
absolutely
wonderful
place to
live
(and it
is). To
those
with
differences—I
have
friends
on both
sides—you
are all
great
people.
Please
remember
to take
the high
road.
Also why
not turn
our
energies
to doing
good for
our
community
and the
surrounding
area.
There
are so
many
ways
that
your
energy
and
talent
can be
used for
good—to
name a
few:
1.
Volunteer
at
Helping
Hands
2.
Volunteer
at one
of the
local
schools.
3. Help
us with
a fund
raiser
for the
David
Betts
and
family.
4. Help
beautify
the
Ranch by
keeping
a common
area.
5. Visit
the
shut-ins.
6. Pick
up trash
on your
daily
walk.
Lest we
forget—there
is so
much
beauty
here on
the
Ranch—in
the
scenery
and in
the
people.
Kay
Sloan
Kay, the
“puff
periodical”
that you
desire
is
called
the
Holly
Herald
and it
is
published
by Rob
James
and the
Caspers.
Grab
some
copies
and mail
them to
to the
people
who want
to move
here.
Meanwhile,
the
Gazette
is a
serious
newspaper
that
deals
with
serious
topics
such as
Larry
Packs’
successful
challange
of a
wrongful
conviction,
Enough
is
Enough
and many
other
things
such as
that.
W.C.
To: The
Gazette,
attn:
Wilson
Crabtree.
Subject:
HLR Golf
The
people
who
complain
about
the
budgeted
expense
of
managing
our golf
course
need to
understand
Democracy
and
Taxation.
We pay
city and
state
sales
taxes
and that
money is
used by
elected
officials
to
benefit
cities
across
the
state
which we
may
never
visit.
We pay
County
taxes
and that
money is
used by
elected
officials
to
improve
Wood
County
roads in
Winnsboro
which we
may
never
use.
We pay
school
district
taxes
and we
don’t
have any
children
in local
schools
but this
benefits
all of
society
and our
future.
We pay
Federal
Income
Taxes
and that
money is
used by
elected
officials
for a
wide
range of
things
in the
best
interests
of our
country
whether
we agree
with
their
decisions
or not.
We also
pay a
HLR
Association
Dues or
tax
which is
used by
elected
officials
to
manage
and
maintain
the life
style at
HLR that
we all
expected
when we
came
here.
Should
we
complain
because
we spend
money on
roads in
Sec. 8
and we
live in
Sec. 4
and
never
use the
roads in
Sec. 8?
Of
course
not, but
this
sounds
like the
rationale
used by
the
non-golfers.
We are
all
members
of the
same
community,
county,
state
and
country.
Having
visited
HLR many
times
since
1975,
and
having
lived
here for
the past
4 years,
I can
assure
everyone
that the
golf
course
has
always
been a
main
attraction
whether
or not
one
plays
golf. It
certainly
has
attracted
quality
people,
quality
homes
and
significant
investments
in HLR.
It is a
major
responsibility
of our
elected
officials
to
manage a
budget
which
maintains
the
quality
of life
for
everyone
here. In
principle,
it is
the same
responsibility
that the
elected
officials
in the
above
mentioned
entities
have.
Specifically,
this
year I
paid
$1149.50
in dues
plus
$1300 to
play
golf. To
put this
in a
positive
statement,
non-golfers
are
paying
less
than
half of
what
golfers
pay.
That
should
make
them
feel
better.
This is
a great
place
and a
very low
cost
place to
live
with the
high
quality
of
living
that we
have.
Let’s
recognize
that and
work
together
to enjoy
the HLR
lifestyle.
Bob
Linker,
163
Pinewood
Ct. HLR
(Permission
to print
this is
granted)
This
letter
is just
some of
my
observations,
opinions
and
questions
regarding
Holly
Lake
Ranch
golf
course,
the Fore
Seasons
restaurant
and
fiscal
responsibility
of our
boards.
I hope
someone
can help
me with
some
answers.
I have
read the
letters
and
articles
regarding
the
outrageous
loss we
are
experiencing
from the
Fore
Seasons
(and I
hear we
can’t
keep a
chef).
It’s a
lovely
facility,
the food
has been
good and
reasonably
priced;
it’s a
nice
place to
have
meetings
and to
show off
to
visitors,
but I
must
tell you
I was
surprised
when
that
construction
began
because
I was
expecting
a nice
little
smoke-free
restaurant
in the
old pro
shop and
just
like my
own
property
- I
don’t
start
improvements
until I
can
afford
them
(which,
if you
have
seen my
property,
is the
reason!).
So who
made the
final
decision?
The
previous
B board?
Rob
James? I
would
think
that the
only
authority
of the B
board is
what is
given to
them via
bylaws.
Being in
manufacturing
for many
years
taught
me how
business
should
work,
i.e., if
you are
developing
a new
product,
you must
have the
finances
and
intelligence
to
produce
it and
the
customer
base to
market
it
successfully.
If you
check
our
history,
you will
find
that we
have had
a few
restaurants
at Holly
Lake
that did
not make
it. I
wonder
why?
Incidentally,
have we
recovered
from the
construction
costs of
the Pro
Shop??
Rumor
has it
that the
project
went way
over the
construction
bid??
And - I
simply
cannot
understand
why
there is
the
slightest
consideration
for
another
golf
course.
How many
golf
courses
could
you play
in the
summer
and not
have
some
waiting
time and
in most
instances
pay some
pretty
hefty
green
fees?
So, we
are a
bit
crowded
in the
summer
months,
but for
what you
pay to
play
golf
here, is
it not
worth it
to have
to wait
for that
little
old lady
in the
group in
front of
you to
hit her
next 85
yard
straight-away
shot?
People
move
here for
the
amenities
and the
friendly
people.
My wife
plays
golf
year
round
several
times a
week
(she’s
probably
that
little
old lady
you are
waiting
on). We
would
hate to
be
priced
out of
the
things
we have
enjoyed
the past
several
years on
the
Ranch
but I
fear we
are
heading
in that
direction.
One
suggestion
by
another
Holly
Laker
was
freezing
the dues
of
Senior
Citizens,
such as
the
property
taxing
authorities
do. (I
like
that
suggestion.)
Despite
what the
Harmony
School
District
thinks,
Holly
Lake
Ranch is
not a
community
of only
“wealthy”
families.
My wife
and I
have
played
golf and
eaten in
restaurants
in
Europe,
Mexico
and
several
states
in the
U.S. and
many of
them had
special
rates
for
“super
seniors.”
We
played
on two
fine
courses
in
Colorado
recently
for
guest
green
fees of
$25
each,
$7.50
for cart
and no
range
fees. We
have
also
visited
courses
where
people
could
walk
around
the
course
at
certain
times of
the day
and
there
were
places
around
the
lakes
where
they
could
sit and
watch
the
geese or
just
relax.
Why not?
During
the
summer
months I
am often
unable
to play
9 or 18
holes
but I
would
like to
be able
to go
out in
the
evening
and
practice
two or
three
holes
(without
interfering
with any
golfers)
but I
cannot
do that
unless I
check in
at the
pro shop
where I
am
charged
a green
fee (or
get
caught
and pay
a hefty
fine -
I’m
told).
Why is
that?
Respectfully,
Dick
James
My name
is
Barbara
Henderson.
I am a
resident
of Lake
Hawkins
and am
writing
this
letter
in
reference
to a
recent
County
Commissioner’s
Meeting
that I
attended
on
August
24,
2007.
For the
last
month, a
petition
has been
circulating
to
attempt
to
convince
the
County
Commissioners
that the
$25,000
that has
been
allocated
for the
Hydrilla
problem
for 2008
for Lake
Hawkins
is not
enough.
I
believe
for 2007
the
treatment
cost was
$50,000,
which
covered
about
one
third of
the
Lake.
The
treatment
has
helped
with the
Hydrilla
Problem.
My goal
is to
ask the
commissioner’s
to treat
Lake
Hawkins
as a
whole,
and to
put
enough
money in
the
budget
($50,000
as they
did this
year.)
I don’t
know if
attending
the
meeting
with the
Petition
of about
400
signatures
has
helped
the
cause or
not. I
will see
when the
budget
is made
public.
My land
value in
1 year
has
escalated
from
$7,220
to
$55,000.00
for
almost
two
acres on
Lake
Hawkins.
Many of
us feel
like
when we
look out
at the
lake we
do not
want to
see
masses
of lily
pads and
growth
in the
water
that
prevents
many of
us from
putting
our
boats,
Jet
Skies,
etc., in
the
water.
There
are
families
that
live on
Lake
Hawkins
that
cannot
get out
in the
lake
from
their
boat
docks
because
of the
growth
in the
water.
In
ending,
I would
like to
thank
the
Commissioner’s
for the
recent
treatment
in 2007.
Please
put
enough
money in
the
budget
to give
Parks
and
Wildlife
sufficient
funds to
properly
and
consistently
treat
the
entire
lake on
a yearly
basis.
Sincerely,
Barbara
Henderson
IS IT
TIME TO
PULL THE
PLUG
?????????????
Wilson,
your
comments
in the
August
4, 2007
editorials
of the
Gazette
concerning
the Fore
Seasons
needs a
little
more
explanation.
Losses
at the
Fore
Seasons
for the
first 6
months
of 2007
are
$185,000.
Losses
for Golf
for the
same
period
are
$172,000,
if you
amortize
the Golf
Card
revenues.
For the
same
period,
the new
homeowners
Initiation
Fee
revenues
are
$165,000.
ALL, not
“most”
of the
Initiation
Fee is
being
“soaked
up” by
just the
restaurant
and is
short
$20,000.
Combined,
the
restaurant
and
golf
loses
are
$357,000
for the
1st half
of 2007.
I want
to
concentrate
on just
the Fore
Season’s
losses
for now,
more on
golf
later.
To cover
these
losses
we are
using
Initiation
Fee
revenues
and
money
from
“other”
places.
Was this
revenue
meant to
cover
LOSSES
for this
or any
other
amenity?
I do not
think it
was….when
we
analyze
the
situation
at the
Fore
Seasons
we need
to look
at it on
a
stand-alone
bases.
We
should
not look
any
further
than
expenses
verses
revenue.
The fact
that we
have
some
money
over
here or
over
there
that can
be
diverted
to cover
losses
is
fortunate,
but it
is not
what we
should
use in
making
decisions
about
operating
the
restaurant.
Look at
it this
way…..IF
the Fore
Seasons
was an
independent
restaurant
on the
side of
FM 2869
and lost
$30,000
in a
month,
the
owner
[not
having
an
“Initiation
Fee”
fund to
cover
the
loss]
would
have to
go to
his
“friendly”
banker
[probably
his
brother-in-law]
and
borrow
$30,000
to cover
his
loss. If
his
banker
was
crazy
enough
to loan
him the
money he
could
stay in
business
for
another
month
………Now,
he has
to make
$60,000
next
month
just to
break
even if
his
losses
continue
at
$30,000
a month.
Oh, his
banker
is a
relative
and is
not
charging
him any
interest
!!!!!!!!!,
at least
not yet.
And the
spiral
goes on
and on.
It is
costing
each of
us about
$16.00 a
month to
cover
the
losses
at the
Fore
Seasons.
If we
shut it
down it
cost
each of
us about
$5.00 a
month
for
40+/-
months.
If the
restaurant
continues
to lose
$30,000
a month
we will
have
taken
$360,000
out of
Revenues
to cover
the loss
by year
end.
Last
year we
took
$436,000
out of
Revenues.
“Fish
Hawk”,
on Lake
Hawkins,
did not
shut
down
because
the
owners
made all
the
money
they
wanted……
Just
because
it’s
there
does not
mean we
must
continue
to
operate
it….
So
Wilson,
I agree
with you
completely,
“these
are
serious
times
and we
cannot
keep our
heads in
the
sand”.
Admitting
that we
have
made a
mistake
is never
easy but
before
we
mention
things
like
“surcharges”
or
assessment
fees or
anything
that
would
add to
our
monthly
Fee
Structure
(Dues)
let’s
look at
the
whole
picture.
Just for
the
record…I
cannot
say that
I was
against
the
restaurant
in the
beginning.
I, like
some of
you
thought
it would
do
better
financially
but, it
has not.
How long
do we
wait,
how long
must we
allow
red ink
to flow
to see
if the
losses
can be
overcome?
Maybe
HLR
property
owners
should
vote on
whether
or not
we want
to
continue
to pay
for
these
losses
or shut
the
restaurant
down.
Let the
“PEOPLE”
(residents)
speak!
If there
are not
substantial
changes
by year
end my
vote
would be
to shut
it down.
Two
years of
these
kind of
losses
is
enough…………
I have a
question
for the
current
and/or
past “B”
Boards…….Did
the “A”
Board/
Silverleaf
have any
influence
on our
building
the Fore
Seasons?
I will
leave
the
reason
for
asking
that
question
to your
imagination.
As
always,
Bill
Orrender.
