Neighborhood Association Report
January 31, 2019
Dear Fellow Neighborhood Association Members,
This email is being sent to notify residents of financial issues related to LStar that are impacting the Southfield Landowners’ Association (SLA). As everyone knows, the future of LStar’s involvement as Master Developer in Union Point is in jeopardy due to financial issues with many entities in and out of the state.
In December, all the property owners in the Union Point development received a copy of the SLA 2019 Operating Budget. The Southfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) representatives alerted the Southfield Neighborhood Association (The Neighborhood Association) Board of Directors to a potential problem with the SLA budget in December.
The Neighborhood Association Board of Directors began a detailed review of the budget. Part of this review included a meeting with our SRA representatives to discuss specific issues of liability raised earlier. As a result of that meeting, the Dartmouth Group was contacted with a detailed list of the back-up information needed to further review the line items in the SLA budget. It is very important that the Neighborhood Association understand the details of this budget because, according to the SLA documents, we are all responsible for these expenses. These costs not only include our individual areas (i.e., where the houses are located), but also the expenses associated with operating the Delahunt Parkway and Shea and Memorial Drive (landscaping, water, lighting, snow removal, and miscellaneous expenses).
The SRA held a public meeting January 30th to discuss the maintenance of the Parkway and the fact that it has been included in the SLA budget. The Neighborhood Association Board, along with the SRA, have attempted to better understand the reasoning for this. For context, the Parkway is owned by the SRA, and an agreement is in place for the Master Developer to maintain the area adjacent to the Parkway. It is possible that the Master Developer was incorrect in passing this cost on to the SLA, and the residents that contribute to this budget. In order to better understand the agreement that is in place, a vote was taken by the SRA to allow the Executive Director, Paul Niedzwiecki, to retain outside legal counsel to advise on this agreement.
The question regarding the Parkway is one of the many issues resulting from the Master Developer’s failure to perform that the Neighborhood Association directors are trying to understand. In pursuit of that, the directors are proactively having discussions with a number of parties involved with Union Point’s management and future. On Saturday, January 26th, the Neighborhood Association Board met with our Town Councilman Michael Smart, State Senator Patrick O’Connor, and our SRA representatives, to discuss these issues and potential landowner concerns. On the morning of January 30th, several of us met with the Dartmouth Group to review the SLA budget and discuss concerns of the Neighborhood Association. The directors will also set up a meeting with Mayor Bob Hedlund within the next few weeks.
We know this is unwelcome news for all of us, but it is important that this information is communicated to you as neighbors, friends and stakeholders in this community. As soon as the directors have concrete information to share, it will be sent out. Please know that the Neighborhood Association is working with the SRA and our local representatives to use every means possible to navigate the complexities of the LStar situation. While the permanent solution is not yet fully evident, the directors remain confident that by working together, we can weather the turbulence in the days ahead. The Neighborhood Association is committed to representing the voice and interests of all the landowners and to communicate regularly with you as the situation and potential resolutions emerge in the coming days.
Thank you,
Neighborhood Association Board
Brittany Besler Heidi Anderson Robin McNamara Robin White Lori Gover Linda Rubin