More and more Villagers are calling for the abolishment of the anonymous complaint system here in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
An order to force widow Mary Santos to cut down hedges at the back of her premier home in the Village of Valle Verde after more than 20 years appears to have been the last straw when it comes to anonymous complaints.
“The anonymous complaint system should be abolished. When we first moved to The Villages about two years ago we heard about this complaint system. Right away we thought this could open up a whole new can of worms,” said Fred Carr of the Village of Sabal Chase.
He said the original intent, to preserve harmony in neighborhoods, was probably well-intentioned.
“But there will always be people who are looking to beat the system and cause grief to well-meaning people.With all the activities that are available to the residents, some people need to get a hobby. It’s time to own up to our grievances, quit hiding behind the curtain and clear the air,” Carr said.
Villager Jeff Albert said the anonymous complaint system “is childish and cowardly.” He agrees it needs to be abolished.
Only Community Development District 5 has taken the bold step of refusing to accept anonymous complaints. CDD 5 supervisors have been monitoring data closely, and it appears the decision to stop accepting anonymous complaints is working.
Many Villagers are ready to see their elected leaders follow CDD 5’s example.
“I feel that the anonymous system should be abolished and if a person wants to file a complaint, then they should have the guts be have their name given,” said Jan Husak of the Village of Santiago.
She points to the ongoing saga of the little white crosses, including a Village of Tamarind Grove couple locked in a legal battle to keep their little white cross, which was the target of an anonymous complaint.
“We are ‘one nation under God’ and yet people complain of a white cross?” she asked.
Anna Graniello of the Village of Mallory Square agrees that residents have a right to know their accuser.
“Anonymous complaints are wrong in every way. And the ‘enforcers’ are breaking the law every time they knock on a door and tell the homeowner ‘you must remove your cross, your flag, your frog’. But that same enforcer passed a dozen other homes with similar ‘violations’ and turned a blind eye,” she said.
She also voiced her support for the immediate end of the anonymous complaint system.
“I must step forward and agree with those who are against anonymous complaints here in The Villages. Our national legal system is not set on anonymity for the complainant. If someone has a serious issue about a problem, that person should call and give his or her name and the specific complaint to the CDD. Otherwise, it should be left alone! Let’s do away with this anonymous complaint system. It is not creating harmony; it is creating frustrated anger,” said Jan Lindsey of Village of Palo Alto.
