Civil war brewing in Rayburn Country?
Disgruntled north residents point ire at RCA fees
By SHARON KERR

MIKE CUBBAGE is one of the E-4 residents leading the call to secede from RCA.

The far north of Rayburn Country wants to secede from the association, according to homeowner Mike Cubbage, who held a meeting of disgruntled residents from the E-4 section.

Three years ago, Cubbage and his wife Brenda bought a double-wide manufactured home on a few acres near Lake Sam Rayburn. They specifically asked if the property, several acres on Deer Park road, was in Rayburn County, and they were told by the real estate agent it was not.

"Call me stupid, if you want," Cubbage said, but in the process of signing a stack of papers and talking fishing with the mortgage people, he closed on the home and found out later that he did, in fact, belong to the association.

Cubbage says he wouldn't mind paying dues if he got what the covenants promise, but until RCA starts delivering services, he doesn't believe in paying them.

Jose Narvaez is one of the newest residents of E-4 and has been frustrated by a slippery set of rules that seem to foil his every attempt to enjoy his dream property.

Narvaez is on medical disability, and his hobby is raising shar pei dogs. He planned to move a 30x80 manufactured home to his lot, but was told that manufactured homes had recently been disallowed, even though he had been told otherwise when he purchased the land.

He is in the process of having an older home moved from Jasper to his lot, something that takes a great deal of time and preparation. In the meanwhile, Narvaez has built an airconditioned room for his dogs while he lives in his camp trailer. RCA has informed him he's in violation of restrictions on both counts.

John Soileau missed the secessionist meeting but called The Jasper Newsboy later. He was one of the first residents in E-4 and has lived on Black Squirrel about 25 years.

Soileau complained, "They (RCA) don't do anything for you. No security, no street lights, they don't work on the roads...If the road gets too bad, they'll dump a load of sand on it and when it rains, that washes away."

Soileau says he has written letters and sent pictures of the many problems in E-4. "When they get money to fix roads, they seem to lose it," he said. "Also, they doubled the dues with no warning. They're not supposed to do that without folks voting on it." Changes in the covenants,

dues, and financial decisions are made by the board at public meetings, according to RCA office manager Kim Schroer.

Schroer said they recently spent $60,000 on road improvements, not nearly enough to fix all the roads but all they could afford at the time.

RCA meetings are normally held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 3:30 p.m. at the club house. Because of the holidays, the meeting this month will be the third Thursday, Dec. 21.

Anyone who would like to comment on the situation at Rayburn Country is asked to contact reporter@jaspernewsboy. com or call 384-3441.