I understand CCHOA committee members are being asked to sign confidentiality statements. This appears to be another step by the CCHOA leadership to impede open, honest communication to its membership.

If you are a committee member and/or if you are asked to sign a confidentiality statement, please consider the following response to the requestor:

''No, I will not sign a confidentiality statement regarding CCHOA activities. If the Board is concerned about confidentiality and appropriate communications regarding CCHOA activities, the Board should present to the CCHOA the proposed CCHOA Bylaws and Code of Ethics that were presented to the Board in the Summer, 2003. If these documents are passed by the CCHOA members, I will agree to abide by the Bylaws and Code of Ethics, as should the CCHOA Board members and officers.''

Thanks for your consideration.
Pam Voss

Why agree to secrecy in an HOA?

I agree with you that the revisions to the by-laws and code of ethics should be presented to the residents. But under NO circumstances at all should any committee member agree to ''secrecy'' or a non-disclosure gag rule for committee work.
This is an HOA...not the CIA.
The fact anyone in the CCHOA leadership would even suggest that its work or its committees' work should be kept secret from us residents is a slap in the face. It's downright rude and just tells me there's something to hide.
I would hope and trust (two words that are missing with the current state of affairs in our HOA) that all committee members would tell anyone who suggested this star chamber approach to running a HOA to go put in a secret place.

Homeland security or what ?

Secrecy like CCHOA's Steering Committee chairman, Don Abrams, suggested, is exactly what is WRONG with CCHOA.

Instead of shutting down, this HOA should be inviting more participation and open doors to other neighborhoods.


They did do one thing I agree with, however. Just after the Wal-Mart people backed out of their deal on MOPAC, CCHOA formally joined OHAN (Paid the $50 dues and named Don Rojas to represent CCHOA). OHAN (The Oak Hill Association of Neighborhoods which includes some 80 HOAs in our S/W area) is a monthly gathering spot for all of the neighborhoods in our area, including those just to the north of the Escarpment extension.

CCHOA did participate in the Wal-Mart Town Hall Meeting - Jim O'Rielly and Don Abrams were there (they even used Don's laptop for the slide presentations that night).

However, after talking with HOA leaders in 6 other neighborhoods, it's still clear that CCHOA is not in touch with them. Those HOA leaders are working with each other on common issues like commercial development, zoning, OHAN, Transportation, and urban planning.

(Did you know, for instance, that OHAN is talking to Capital Metro about a week-end shuttle bus route from the ''Y'' area in Oak Hill into the Circle C Park area, possibly to include the Library and Sunset Valley shopping area ? Could this help out some soccer Mom's with week-end errands ?)