Concerns emerged after the April 4, 2026, annual meeting, when some of us began to question whether the HOA governance procedures were being followed by the Board. It appeared that appropriate meeting notice had not been given, there were two different meeting agendas issued, and neither agendum listed voting on a trash collection contract. Members reported they were told only that a concept of unified trash collection would be discussed, and that the Board tabled the matter for a future meeting.
However, it was later revealed that a 5-year contract with Frontier Waste had been signed without member input and without any discussion of contractor bids. The members were never given a copy of the proposed contract. This contract binds all lot owners and includes a termination clause that could expose the HOA to financial risk. The Board signed a contract on our behalf without ever telling us.
When members requested a list of information by certified letter, the Board responded that it would require $743.16 and 47.5 hours of research before releasing anything. Dunnam & Dunnam Law Firm was then retained by us, and they informed the Board that, in their opinion, the Board lacked authority to enter into the Frontier contract. The Board repeated the same $743.16 demand to Dunnam. Mr. Dunnam responded with a second letter informing them that their request was unreasonable and that they were not acting in good faith. The Board has not responded further to Mr. Dunnam.
These events led to the formation of Rancho Lorena Members for Better Governance.
No. The group’s concerns are not about trash collection methods or the contractor. The issue is proper governance, adherence to bylaws and deed restrictions, and transparent communication with members.
The group believes the Board should not have signed the Frontier contract without:
1. Explaining all contract terms to the membership
2. Presenting all vendor bids
3. Allowing members to vote on a contract with a value exceeding $180,000
To correct the situation, the group believes the Board must:
1. Redo the April 4, 2026, annual meeting with proper notice and a complete agenda.
2. Provide a proper proxy form listing all items to be voted on, with clear FOR and AGAINST options.
3. Re-vote on all decisions made at the April 4, 2026 meeting.
4. Revise the Frontier contract to comply with Deed Restriction 2.14, which requires the HOA to pay the contractor directly and recover costs through assessments. This structure protects members from financial exposure if Frontier terminates the contract. Also, members should not have to be bound to both the HOA contract as well as their own individual account with Frontier. Cities also contract with trash collection companies, but the residents pay the city, not the contractor.
This remains undetermined. Further action may depend on legal guidance and member consensus.
What happened at the August 11, 2026 3rd quarter Board Meeting?
Several in our group addressed the board with our concerns. There is a cell phone video of the meeting you can watch under the Video page of this website.
Yes. Any current lot owner may join and be updated. Email rlhoamembers@gmail.com to be added to the update list. The group’s purpose is to promote better HOA management, transparency, and meaningful communication.