SIGN THE PETITION

Why a Petition to remove Mr. Lefko from the BOT:

Recently, BOT President Mr. Bill Lefko, went on a public internet forum known as NextDoor Concordia to remind us his long list of accomplishments.  Following are some of his "accomplishments," omitted from his “not bragging” list. These facts are not being published as a personal attack, but rather as a critique of our board PRESIDENT in his position as the leader of this community, and to illustrate the need for his removal.

NUMBER ONE: 
The Golf Course and Concordia have always been two separate corporations.

In 2011 Bill Lefko – who was at the time BOT liaison to the Golf Course - presented an hour-long PowerPoint on why it was vitally important for the community to purchase the golf course. He pressed for positive votes.

In May 2011 two-thirds of homeowners voted to purchase the golf course. The ballot included the following three provisions:

A. Purchase of a minimum of fifty-one percent (51%) of the outstanding Golf Course Certificates of Participation (COPs); and

B. A favorable Internal Revenue Service ruling to allow Concordia Homeowners’ Association and the Golf Course to maintain a “Not-for -Profit” status; and

C. If approved this purchase must be closed within 12 months after receiving a favorable IRS ruling.

The vote was carried by an overwhelming vote of 1161 in favor to 170 against.

Mr. Lefko - who had convinced the community to vote in favor of the sale - reversed his opinion after a couple of years* telling us that the value went down. This despite the fact that no price was stated no the ballot, nor was there any stipulation regarding the value, income stream or loss, of the GC. 


This community-wide vote in favor of purchase has been to date ignored by Mr. Lefko and the BOT in violation of our by-laws.

Now, foreclosure is imminent, and though it is currently zoned for ONLY a golf course or park:
    - the bank is obviously going to sell to the highest bidder
    - developers have no problem getting zoning changed

As a result of the vote being ignored, in violation of our bylaws, we may lose what security we currently have and our property value may plummet. All this on Mr. Lefko's watch!

NUMBER TWO:
In 2014 at a very well attended meeting about the Golf Course, an elderly resident came to the mic with a walker. Mr. Lefko mocked his slow pace. At the end of the meeting, he said "Good Night Gracie” as a show of disdain and sarcasm.

At the Open BOT meeting None. 2014, Adrienne Fein, Past President of the BOT raised a question and read a direct quote from the CAI (who just awarded our BOT for their membership) manual which showed that the board had erred. This enraged Mr. Lefko who was not president at the time, but was on the board.  He responded to her argumentatively.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Lefko was heard by many to say: “Adrienne Fein should drop dead.”  He then darted over to her, got in her face, cursing and screaming: “You need to go fuck yourself and fly away on a broom” and repeated this  over and over in front of 30-40 witnesses. He was so aggressive and so out of control that another

broad member, Ira Winter and the Editor of our newspaper, Mort Perlman had to physically restrain him and escort him out of the building via the back door.

Board member, Alvin Blumenfeld escorted Adrienne to the parking lot for her protection as Mr. Lefko continued screaming at her through the rear lobby and into the parking lot. 

This threatening behavior, clearly, in violation of our Rules and Regulations against cursing on Concordia property should have resulted in Me. Lefko being removed from the BOT and banned from the clubhouse, and would have if it was you or me!

Adrienne wrote a letter to the board, which was overseen at the time by Marvin Brother. Her letter addressed Lefko’s rudeness at the Golf Course meeting, Mr. Lefko stating he did not support clubhouse activities or groups because ehe is uncomfortable opening time with the elderly and sick, and his attack on her. 

She received a reply from Marvin brother, President that said: "m management has taken action regarding this matter."  She was subsequently told that a “letter of reprimand” was placed in his file!!

Why wasn’t he banned from the clubhouse and/or fined for his vulgar outburst and a clear violation of the rules?

Not suffering any consequences of his extremely inappropriate, unprofessional behavior - behavior totally unbecoming of his position in this community as one who should model respect - his snarky comments and rudeness have continued unabated.

NUMBER THREE:
Mr. Lefko said from the podium during an Open BOT meeting: “I don’t have to take this shit.”

At the June 2017 open meeting, Mr. Lefko called a homeowner's question about our manager's vacation “an unconscionable question.” How is ANY question unconscionable or wrong to ask? Mr. Lefko also displayed a lack of control of the meeting by not putting a stop to the loud booing and heckling. And, on the same NEXTDOOR Concordia forum as mentioned above, Mr. Lefko said that a “group” of residents “behave like a bunch of terrorists.” (Emphasis added).

NUMBER FOUR:

On June 25, 2017, at 1:54 AM, Mr. Lefko, used the emails of homeowners and BOT members to send a political rant against Donald Trump (available upon request).  Not only was the content totally inappropriate and a misuse of his access to our email addresses, but he sent it in a manner that exposed all recipients’ email addresses. 

NUMBER FIVE:

A great deal – if not all - dissent started as a reaction to the BOT’s interpretations and decisions while Mr. Lefko was president. First Don Macina, then Bill Beiga, and most recently the banning of Gail Neuman. It has resulted in our business being written about on pubic forums like Seniors of Monroe and Jamesburg/Helmetta on Facebook and NextDoor Concordia and our president has jumped right in and joined the public arguments (as mentioned above).

Neither Mr. Lefko nor the rest of the BOT takes any responsibility for having any part in starting and/or perpetuating the divisiveness here, preferring to BLAME alleged “groups” of “terrorist” residents, which continues and exacerbates the cycle of divisiveness. 

____

These are inappropriate acts of malfeasance, the word that was used in the CCC to accurately describe our BOT because it means "wrongdoing, especially by a public official;" an act that is not illegal but is improperly performed.

The word “misappropriation” was NOT used in the CCC, as Mr. Lefko claimed ion NEXTDOOR Concordia on Fri, Jun 23, 2017 at 4:24 PM. Though both words start with "M" likely causing Mr. Lefko's mistaking one for the other, they are two very different words and the difference is quite significant, as the second clearly implies illegality. The CCC never implied anything illegal was done by anyone.

Those in positions of power, such as board President, should be setting the tone of respect and decorum. instead, Mr. Lefko has proven over and over again to be irresponsible and easily set off into displays of anger at open board meetings, via emails and posts to various PUBLIC forums.

One fact we all agree on: The community is fragmented, divided, polarized and it is unhealthy.

We need a leader who is fit to serve and lead, one capable of toning down the rhetoric not amping it up. We need a leader who doesn't mock or snicker at nor allows others to boo at open meetings. We need a leader who can unify this community not by merely using the word respect but who knows how to treat people respectfully.

Mr. Lefko has had years to learn how to be an effective leader. During his tenure problems here have escalated and are now at a fever pitch.  

While, not a simple process, there IS a process for removing someone from the BOT described in our By-laws:

SECTION 4. Removal of Trustees.

The submission to the membership to remove a Trustee or Trustees shall be by a vote of at least five (5) members of the Board or by a petition submitted to the Board signed by at least one third (1/3) of the members.

(Continued)

Any Trustee whose removal has been proposed shall be given an opportunity to be heard at a special meeting called by the Board for that purpose no later than 30 days after the formal submission by the Trustees or the petition for removal by the members.

Trustees may be removed with cause at any annual or special meeting of the members by the affirmative vote of fifty-one percent (51%) of the members eligible to vote at any annual or special meeting of the members duly called for that purpose.

Again, this is not personal. It is about the business of running of our community properly.

If you agree that Mr. Willaim Lefko is a detriment to the community and needs to be removed from the BOT, sign the petition. Print the petition and get your neighbors who may not use the Internet to sign!
 
https://www.ipetitions.com/start-petition

* Footnote: The archives of the Concordian detail all the events of the Golf Course, the vote, etc.