And if we want a neighborhood where people feel safe to speak, disagree, participate, and belong, then we — the adults in the room — must be willing to look honestly at how narratives form, how they distort relationships, and how we can break the cycle early.

Once a narrative forms about a person, every new action is filtered through it — no matter what the documents say. This is not about anyone being bad or malicious. It is about how stress and emotion turn into shared stories that shape how an entire community interprets one neighbor. And once systemic bias takes hold, that person can do nothing right, because the story has already been written.

Interrupting a speaker during community comment is never neutral. It is a communication act — and it reveals who is allowed to define the story and who is not.

It is important to say clearly: We understand that many of the people who spoke or wrote most strongly this election — including board leaders and candidates — genuinely believed what they were saying. Believing something strongly, however, does not make it complete or accurate.

Sunshine laws are rules that make decision-making easy for the public to see. In Washington, two sets of rules often get mixed together: The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA, RCW 42.30) The Homeowners’ Association Act (RCW 64.38) Only the second one applies to HOAs, but both help us understand how meetings should work and how to keep things open and clear for everyone. This article explains what each law does and what it means for our meetings, hybrid formats, a

Disagreement is expected in any election, however it is unusual for HOA materials to focus so extensively on a single neighbor’s character rather than on governance issues. While the first flyer used contrast-based political framing, this second flyer escalated that tone— centered not on competing ideas or visions, but on a series of personal allegations and warnings. Because this flyer significantly shifted the emotional climate of the election, this article looks at the

During the 2025 election season, neighbors received two different types of campaign flyers. Many residents later commented that “both sides” seemed equally divisive. Because the messages did not use comparable communication styles—or make the same types of claims—this article looks directly at the communication approaches themselves to assess; how equal were the candidates in this? This installment focuses on tone, structure, and strategy, without assessing the factual acc

Ken Lake is made stronger when neighbors feel informed, respected, and included. Reviewing the claims made in this election is one way to support that shared foundation. When we understand what was said—and what the documents show—we create room for clearer conversations and more trust across differences. Whatever our perspectives, we all benefit from a community where information is accurate and participation feels safe.

When the tone changes overnight from “existential threat” to “open discussion,” it’s worth asking: Was the pre-election messaging truly about policy, or about winning? What other choices were made in pursuit of your vote?

This post explains how we communicate, how we correct misinformation, and what residents can expect from us going forward.

No matter how this election turns out, we’ll still see each other around the lake, and we’ll still wave as we pass by. That’s what makes this community special — and worth taking care of, together.

At its core, Robert’s Rules of Order is a framework for fair, orderly, and democratic decision-making. It’s been used for over a century by organizations of all kinds — city councils, nonprofits, and neighborhood associations — to make sure that meetings are both efficient and fair.

Every neighborhood has invisible work — but without it, nothing else functions.

Generosity isn’t only about giving — it’s about how we interpret each other’s actions. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves when something doesn’t go our way.

Last month, while seven familiar names appeared on the ballot for the board election, there was supposed to be an eighth. Toni Holm.

This post was submitted by Paul Pearson, 2025 candidate for the LCC board of directors My name is Paul Pearson and I'm running for the Ken Lake HOA Board. I have been a resident of Ken Lake for 5 years and care deeply about maintaining the quality of life and sense of community that make our neighborhood a great place to live. As a professional brewer for over 14 years, I work every day with precision, planning, and teamwork to bring complex projects to life. Brewing requires

When rules, laws, and ethical standards are followed, the board can focus on working on important neighborhood issues with less contention a