A resident of The Villages continues to sound the alarm about rules requiring residents to give their names when reporting deed compliance violations to Community Standards.
Kim Ruppert of the Sweetgum Villas in the Village of Fenney is the self-described “poster child” of the debate over anonymity when it comes to reporting deed compliance violations.
Ruppert famously found a cardboard sign in her yard earlier this year, accusing her of being a “troll.”
Her bravery in reporting a neighbor’s dog excrement in his yard has won both admiration and scorn in her neighborhood.
Speaking out Friday morning before the Community Development District 5 Board of Supervisors at SeaBreeze Recreation Center, Ruppert described an incident that occurred the previous evening in her villa community.
Ruppert was hosting guests and they walked out onto a public street to look into the evening sky and watch the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Ruppert claimed she was heckled by a neighbor, in front of her guests.
She said her villa community has been torn in two over the requirement that Community Development District 12 residents give their names when lodging complaints.
Ruppert asked CDD 5 to reconsider its position. CDD 5 was the first community development district in The Villages to require that names be given when lodging complaints. Other community development districts have followed suit, in one form or another.
CDD 5 Board Chairman Gary Kadow said he was sympathetic to Ruppert’s situation. He also said he is concerned about “intimidation” that could occur.
Supervisor Jerry Knoll, who originally voted against CDD 5’s decision to require names, made a motion to schedule a public hearing to gather input from residents about possibly altering the name requirement rule.
“I would favor getting back to some level of anonymity,” Knoll said.
He described a situation in which he had to report a problem and give his name, because his neighbors were too fearful to do so.
However, his motion died for lack of a second.
His fellow CDD 5 supervisors said the requirement for names when lodging complaints appears to be working.
