Dear Editor:

This letter is written to represent all Penn Forest Township Home Owners Association volunteers who work hard to represent their communities.As a volunteer board member of the board of directors of a Penn Forest Township Home Owners Association, I feel board members are not given the human respect we deserve for taking time away from our families and careers to ensure that our developments continue to be the safe havens we expect them to be. As board members, we are also homeowners, and as such, are all members with a vested interest in the community.Any homeowner has the opportunity to participate in association business plans and development in several ways in addition to paying dues and assessments. Anyone is able to volunteer for a position on any committee to support their association or become a board member. It is hard to get members to work on a committee let alone become a board member.For homeowners who have never served on the board to imply that the board of directors have misrepresented or abused the by-laws without actual facts is ludicrous. If you act responsibly and attend the yearly general membership meetings, you would realize that a full financial statement is given at the meetings for open review and discussion.Also, every year, an independent audit is done by an outside source. Our facts are indisputable. The board does it's best to protect our property values. The board members give their personal time to hold monthly meetings in their homes, mail out ballots, send out reminder letters, do banking and accounting, etc.… all on their personal time and expense. Yet, a few disgruntled residents accuse their board of not doing enough.We find it ironic that these members who claim to have such an interest in the well being of the association, instead of working together in a positive way, would rather spend so much time and energy destructively. They could use that energy in a more positive attitude by volunteering and supporting the association. Talk to us, we are unpaid volunteers AND your neighbors! We have the same concerns and issues in our lives as you.The primary responsibility of the board of directors is to look out for the best interest of the association and to protect property values. We believe that we have done just that and more........Proverbs 11:9 With his mouth man would destroy his neighbor, but with knowledge the righteous are delivered.Judith SalovayPenn Forest Township