Candidates discuss what concerns residents

The five-member Canyon Lake Property Owners Association Board of Directors are collectively responsible for the management and operation of the CLPOA’s business affairs. The board members are elected for staggered two-year terms.

Two of the five seats are up for election on May 10 when the two-year terms of Paul Queen and Dale Welty expire. The candidates, in order they will be listed on the ballot, are incumbent Dale Welty, Dudley Thompson and Jim Barringham.

In the weeks leading up to the election, The Friday Flyer will feature a series of questions to the candidates. During this period, residents will have a chance to hear directly from the candidates and learn what they hope to accomplish if elected to serve.

In this fourth installment of questions for the candidates, The Friday Flyer invited them to answer the following question in 500 or fewer words:

Question: What do you think residents are most concerned about in this election and how will your being elected make a difference?

Dale Welty

Photo by Donna Ritchie

The community’s biggest concern is the quality of life in Canyon Lake. My primary goal is to keep Canyon Lake a first class community. Canyon Lake will always need to be “A Bit a Paradise.”  We need to continue to attract residents to this community that feel that spending a little extra for a home and monthly POA fees are worth it. They need to feel the community provides amenities, services and activities that are first class.

The security of the community is extremely important. While we can hire more security and raise the height of our fences, our security is largely determined by the character of the residences that live in the community.

I attended a city Round Table meeting on Monday. At the meeting, the sheriff had a long discussion about the known criminals being called in by members of the community.

Saving money by lowering the quality and not updating our amenities will only result in lowering the quality of the members of our community. So I do not agree with the goal that we need to be the cheapest community in the area. If I was looking for a cheap place to live, there are a number of older neighborhoods with little or no amenities and I would have moved to one of those areas.

I am the board liaison to the Lake Dredge Committee that is looking into what is needed to dredge the lake. The Lake Dredge Committee includes two former Canyon Lake POA Directors, two former Elsinore Valley Municipal Water Directors, two engineers and two members with a strong construction background in major construction projects.

The committee is at the beginning stages of exploring the options regarding the dredging of the lake. We are contacting the permitting agency to see what is involved in the permitting process.

What we do know is that sediment is coming into the lake and very little of that sediment makes it over the dam. At some point in the future, the sediment is going to have a significant impact on the East Bay.

When there was a small chance Canyon Lake members would lose surface rights when the lake lease lawsuit was unresolved, understandably the real estate community and homeowners were up in arms over the loss in value of Canyon Lake homes. The loss in use of the East Bay for recreational use is not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

If the lake lowers to the penalty level in the lake lease, middle sections of the East Bay will only have two feet of water and the large section of the south shore will only have 16 inches of water.

The lake historically has gone up over one inch a year.  In 10 years,  it is likely we will see the closing of the East Port launch ramp in periods when the lake is low. When this happens, the impact on many of the home values in Canyon Lake will be devastating.

Dudley Thompson

Photo by Donna Ritchie

I think residents are most concerned about their property values and their other concerns are issues that either directly or indirectly affect those property values.

Security is a major reason people purchase homes in gated communities. It is also the most expensive amenity in Canyon Lake. If the level of security is not appropriate and security issues exist in the community, it can affect property values.

In talking to residents, many are concerned about gate security. There appears to be a lack of consistency in how admission to Canyon Lake is handled.

There should be one set of procedures at all gates. Our gates now have RFID entry points and free RFID stickers for vehicles are available at the POA office.

Use of RFID entry points should free up security personnel to allow appropriate scrutiny at other entry points to identify users with valid passes and deny access to all others.

Significant dollars were spent on resident/visitor gate equipment and it must be used to maximize traffic flow. This is an issue I’m well aware of and will continue to monitor for improvement.

Speed limits on Canyon Lake streets are a concern to many residents. Our security company is responsible for speed control as well as individual and crowd control in our amenities, i.e. parks, beaches and lake.

Increased reliance on our radar equipment to monitor and control speed is being emphasized and should continue for the protection of all. Residents need to feel safe when using any of our amenities.

Improving access control at the gates will help deter unintended users. Strong enforcement of our public places rules and regulations is a must that I do and will fully support as a director. This includes access to the lake for boating and fishing.

Canyon Lake is a “residential” community. Conversion of single-family homes into weekend or less than monthly rentals can have a negative effect on property values. Who wants to live next to a “party house?”

The POA has rules and regulations regarding property rentals. Both the city and the POA are pursuing ways to implement stronger measures requiring permits and strict enforcement. I will be an advocate for these rules to protect full-time property residents.

Amenities like the lake, golf course and security are major attractions to Canyon Lake for most residents with whom I talk. Amenities are major components of property value.

I think the proposal for an “all-inclusive assessment” is not a good idea. It eliminates additional fees for golf, cart and vessel registration, facility use and others. I believe it disproportionately benefits a small number of residents at the expense of all even though it includes dining/bar credits at POA restaurants.

I’m a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility. I believe my experience will allow me to make decisions that will be in the best interest of our property owners and their property values. A vote for Dudley Thompson is a vote for improving property values.

Jim Barringham

Photo by Donna Ritchie

A major concern would be safety and security within our community. Whether it’s speeding cars, vandalism, thefts, or one of the many other violations, I feel there is room for improvements. I want our families to feel safe.

I hear from many members of their concerns with young people hanging out by Sunset Beach, Sierra Park, tennis courts, of drinking alcohol, smoking pot, playing loud music and using profanity. This is not what our community should look like and we need to stop this.

I agree with the members who are concerned with having to leave the community in order to enjoy amenities elsewhere. We should be adding those amenities to our “Little Bit of Paradise.”

The request to build the BMX bike pump track was initiated by many homeowners last year in support of our youth in our community. The approval and funding for this project are set for May 1, our next POA Board Meeting. In the event it is not, I will continue to support this project.

In our many travels, my wife and I have noticed many splash pads with the kids having such a wonderful time. I would like to support this amenity as well. This would serve so many of our families, including grandparents and kids of all ages. As we know, it gets extremely hot in Canyon Lake and not everyone wants to jump in the water.

I hear there are concerns about the sand at the beaches. I feel we need to look into this, as the beaches are utilized by the entire community.

Other concerns have been the consistency of our restaurants and security. With your help, we can work on solutions.

As we do not allow motorcycles inside the community, it would be nice to responsibly update the motorcycle parking areas. Adding covered parking, lights, cameras and security fencing, would give them some protection. This is the least we can do for our motorcycle enthusiasts.

Keeping our dues affordable without lowering our standards is also a big concern for the residents of our community. The “All-Inclusive Advisory Vote” that will be on the ballot is a big concern to our residents. It doesn’t make sense to raise our dues for all members across the board to support all amenities when not all amenities are used by the members.

I will be the eyes and ears of the community as I represent you, the homeowner.   I am looking for your input on how to make our ‘Little Bit of Paradise’ better and yes members do matter.

With any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at jim.barringham@hotmail.com or on Facebook at Jim Barringham for POA Board Director. Endorsed by President Paul Queen.