CLEAR LAKE RIVIERA – Election results for the Clear Lake Riviera Community Association is in and is arguably the most active and controversial election in the history of the community.

With 1,971 votes cast for seven candidates for four positions on the board, the race was very close with only nine votes between fourth and fifth place.

“This was the highest turnout ever,” said outgoing First Vice President Sid Donnell. “We had well over 500 ballots in this election. I think the highest we had before was 412 in 1998.”

There is a possibility of 2,810 ballots that could be cast; the quorum requirement is 10 percent of this or 281 ballots.

The results are:

• Donna Moeller, 324; appointed

• Walter Zuercher, 312; appointed

• Patricia Howell, 286; appointed

• Anthony Gniadek, 280; appointed

• James Irwin, 271

• Darrell Watkins, 252

• Denise Frane, 246

The new board’s term will start on July 1 and the first public meeting will be on July 22 at the association office. They will replace Alan Siegal, Sid Donnell and Sandra Orchard.

The election is not without its controversy. There was a misprint on the ballot's instruction and a followup letter was sent out in an attempt to clarify the error.

Some are claiming that this makes the ballot invalid. Lois Townsend was very vocal during the count, stating that it was an illegal election.

Several residents have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the actions of the association and advocating for it to be disbanded. There has been a letter-writing campaign to one of the local newspapers expressing their opinions. Anthony Gniadek and Darrell Watkins ran on the platform that the association be dissolved.

When asked why the association didn’t respond to the allegations the response was that they wanted to take the high road and not get involved in the controversy.

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