Small Town News

Disagreements flare over roads

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Disagreements over how best to solve problems with the condition of roads in Montezuma Estates flared between leaders of the development's property owners' association and one of its former officers at a meeting Aug. 18.

Gary Krupa, a Montezuma Estates resident and former Montezuma Estates Property Owners Association officer, organized the meeting to discuss a number of concerns including road conditions in the subdivision where he lives.

MEPOA leaders, who tried to talk Krupa out of hosting the meeting before he resigned from the association, challenged Krupa before an audience of roughly 20 people.

By forming Lake Montezuma Property Owners and Residents, a separate advisory group, Krupa was unnecessarily duplicating the official association's efforts to improve more than 5 miles of dirt roads Montezuma Estates residents drive on, MEPOA President Steve Kulchar said. Krupa, who resigned his MEPOA post in July, said the association wasn't moving fast enough and was leaving too many of the subdivision's residents out of the process.

Kulchar said after the meeting the delay was needed to allow MEPOA to start a bidding process over. Bids submitted by contractors earlier in the year lacked important information, he said.

"We're trying to save every penny we can," Kulchar said.

Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Chip Davis, who attended the meeting, urged Krupa to work with the official homeowners association "for the good of the community."

Davis told the gathering a special taxing district was not needed to finance road improvements, which could be paid for with a road maintenance assessment imposed by MEPOA.

To accomplish this, the community must speak with one voice.

According to Krupa, MEPOA pledged to begin road improvements in June, but residents are still waiting for work to start.

Kulchar said the all-volunteer MEPOA board was trying its best to get the work done, but jobs, family concerns and other personal issues sometimes interfere with the volunteers' ability to move forward.

"The only way MEPOA will earn the community's confidence is by completing work on the roads," MEPOA board member Tom Robison said.

Krupa disagreed.

"There are many other ways that the association can earn our trust, such as reaching out to the community as I have," he said after the meeting. "MEPOA also keeps its members more informed about progress on the roads, even if it's just by sending e-mail bulletins or posting announcements on its Web site."

Some who attended the meeting said they believed Krupa misrepresented himself and the nature of the meeting in flyers he distributed to advertise it. Some flyers identified Krupa as MEPOA treasurer even though he resigned from the post in July.

In a follow-up letter to Davis, Krupa thanked the supervisor for attending the meeting and apologized for the disagreements that ensued.

"I apologize for my inappropriate conduct during the meeting," Krupa wrote. "The confrontation I had with the MEPOA representatives wasn't something I planned."

Krupa, an accountant by trade, said after the meeting he would continue organizing grassroots involvement in the affairs of the subdivision as he searched for employment.

"We can accomplish more together than individually," Krupa stated after the meeting. "We can have better roads if we want them."



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© 2009 Cottonwood Journal Extra Cottonwood, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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