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Neighbor Forum
Feb. 11, 2018
To all GMPOA members
I would like to address what can be done about Ryan Brown plowing our road in winter. There is a real danger to plowing this road in the winter. Why fight Mother Nature it does not work. We live in the mountains we bought this property knowing it was advertised as seasonal access only. But for 21 years we have lived on this mountain with Jeff going up and down at least 5 days a week to work. NO Problems until recently.
Ryan plowed the road 1 time this winter after the storm in Dec. we came home to our sleds buried in a 3 foot berm of snow, our drive buried in a 3 foot berm no place to put our truck other than the road, and our spring road buried in a 3 foot berm. Hand dug a opening in all 3 we are in. Careful though you have to hit these just right or tip your sled over. Now since the warm spell the road all the way up has 10 inch deep ruts from them driving their pick ups to their houses. It is so bad Jeff said to me the first time in 21 years of living up here, I don’t even think you can get up and down right now because of having to try and balance your snowmobile over these ruts. We have lived peacefully on this mountain ground our only home and have not caused anyone on this mountain any trouble by anything we do. Some one is going to get hurt trying to get up and down, not because of snow covered roads or normal weather but because of his actions. This action is putting all of our lives in danger, a law suit is going to happen who is responsible? The berms of ice will take way into June to melt and all the water is going to run down the road causing more damage because it can not melt or run off naturally. I do not like feeling like I am stuck on this mountain if a medical emergency arises because of the actions of your GMPOA employee.
Can you address this issue, I am not the only concerned property owner with these feelings. I would also appreciate this letter printed on the website so you may get more response.
Paulette Holman
GMPOA BOARD RESPONSE:
Ryan Brown is not a GMPOA “employee.” He is an independent contractor the Board hires in the summer to do specific, narrowly defined road repairs and maintenance. What he does in winter is not under Board control. The Board’s function is to manage the cattle lease income for the benefit of property owners. It does not control how anyone lives, make judgments or rules, or enforce laws. We suggest dialogue among neighbors is the best way to find a resolution to this problem.
March 29, 2018
Dear Garnet Mountain Property Owners,
Thank you for bringing this information about the snowplowing to my attention. I would like to share some facts with you that should ease your worries. But before I do that I would strongly advise those people who have not seen the beautiful plow job to come and look at it before making rash decisions.
It all started with a quick plow with the foot of snow that we had in September. There were no complaints, in fact there were compliments from many of the home owners in the area and I was offered money from many of them with hopes that I would continue. My response was, “we’ll see, it depends on how much snow we get”. As winter progressed we didn’t have much snow at all and so plowing continued. I know Jeff Holman drives in and out on a regular basis (his choice) so I have made sure to leave snow on the road for him to snowmobile if he wanted to. During Christmas time there are three full time residents that live back past Jeff one is a single mother with health issues another is a single man with health issues (he almost had to be hospitalized) and a family with kids with the father who from recent issues has needed to be able to get out for doctor visits and he is unable to ride a snowmobile. My family and I have been up here for 7 years and we know how hard the winters can be so we decided to plow on back past jeff Holmans to these other properties for a christmas present. it was accepted as such and more, the people were ecstatic. On the way back I payed special attention to the entrance to the Hollman residence making sure there was somewhere for them to park. That was the only time that I plowed back that far.
I am not interested in making enemies or hindering someones way of life. I have not been plowing alone there are other neighbors, one with a bulldozer, one with a four wheeler (with a plow on it of course), and two others with steel drags that they pull behind there vehicles.
This is private land up here and we will maintain our roads as we see fit. I do not plan to stop plowing. I believe I have the support of the people on this matter.
If you feel it is necessary you can post this on the GMPOA website so that we can gain support. Where some have said it to be impossible, We have successfully plowed all winter long!
Ryan Brown
April 1, 2018
I just want to put my 2 cents in on the plowing issue. We are one of the families that were ecstatic that Ryan plowed the road back our way–and we do, indeed, consider it a great blessing. We arrange our lives so as to be able to rarely go out in winter, but it is occasionally necessary. Snowmobiling out and back in with kids and supplies and only one adult able to drive a snowmobile is a major project. Having the road plowed even once or twice extends the driving season on BOTH ends (less snow to melt off roads in the spring) and makes the snowmobile trail easier and safer. Currently, the only dangerous spot is the sharp curve close to the Holman’s, where things are drifted–and that would be worse than it is, had the road not been plowed earlier in the winter. As things stand right now, we could most likely get our truck in and out now, but for that drift. We are glad Ryan plowed, and once we get plowing equipment working properly, we intend to join in helping keep the roads as open as practical.
Heather Brenner
We have greatly enjoyed plowing this year. As far as Paulettes “3 foot burms” They came home after more than 3 feet of snowfall and their sleds and driveway were buried long before we came along. I watched ryan spend over a half hour pushing as much snow away from their driveway as possible. I figured it looked pretty good compaired to what it looked like untouched. I’m sorry if you feel inconvenienced, this was not our intention. Seeing what people usually snowmobile over and deal with up here I feel like this complaint of burms is fairly invalid. Although we will continue to do as good a job as possible.
“10 inch ruts all the way up?” there were about a 1/4 mile of ruts for a few weeks below the switchbacks that take us up. Ryan knocked all this down as soon as the temperatures softened the road enough to do so. In unplowed years there is much worse than this, and for further and longer in both length and time.
Burms of ice til June? They are almost gone now (April 1st) and the whole road is melting faster and drying sooner than usual.
I, mother of four am very greatful for being able to drive my kids and groceries home this winter. I’ve done my time on the snowmobile, and that’s fine too. Now we are through with frozen produce by the time we sled groceries home. There was snow on the road all year for the snowmobilers, and in fact the plowing made a much better snowmobile trail. The complainers seem to forget how rough the trail gets with bumps and drifts when left alone. The reason snowmobile trails are groomed, they do not naturally stay smooth. There are more people living here now year round. We have that right, to live here. And we have the right plow our private road in the winter.
Shauna Brown
Sept. 6, 2017
“Resent targeted theft of business signs”
Three professionally made (expensive) signs where placed at the three entrances to our subdivision, with the intent to help fill a service need to my subdivision neighbors. Side note… it’s a wonderful way to meeting my neighbors and saving them substantially. Unfortunately however, all three signs with their stands were stolen all about the same time late August 2017… while all other signs nearby continue to remain untouched. This unfortunate type of action foments community separation by instilling distrust in your neighbor… which is void of anything good as a result. I believe we all highly value our freedom to prosper… why then is someone attempting to restrict my freedom that they themselves demand by their very actions? It’s important to protect your neighbors and their property for a safe and secure community.
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