This is a high def time lapse drive through Gatlinburg, Tennessee from the Sugarlands Visitor Center which serves as Park headquarters for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The turn at Light 3 in downtown Gatlinburg is 13.3 miles to Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.

As always, the video is definitely best seen in high def and full screen!

Consider Gatlinburg for your family vacation – lots to see and do in the Gatlinburg – Pigeon Forge Tennessee area!

Here is a cool excursion fairly near Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.  This is especially great with a convertible or a motorcycle.

Dragon Tail – 318 Curves, 7 Cops – All In 11 Miles – May 2011
Hi Def Time Lapse — The Complete Run
Deal’s Gap, NC To Foothills Parkway, TN
50 Minutes Compressed To 9 Minutes

The following is our video on YouTube.  Much better seen full screen and in hi def!

Dragon Tail – 11 miles of road with 318 curves. A great drive with the top down and especially for motorcycles. One end is at Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort and the other end is at the entrance to the Foothills Parkway. Most of the road is in Tennessee. This was our second time on the tail….the first time was last fall with all the fall foliage. Both time with the top down on the convertible – which accounts for some of the windshield glare. Sorry about that – but was too beautiful a day to leave it up! Last time we drove the Dragon, we saw 3 wrecks – all motorcycles – so be careful. Don’t end up with bits and pieces on the Tree of Shame!

The day we drove this for the photos and movie, we counted SEVEN cops – almost all speed traps. Enjoy – but drive safely. (See if you can spot all seven!)

BTW, Movie Trivia: Where we pull off the road, you can see the dam used in the movie, The Fugitive, with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones – where Dr. Richard Kimble jumped from the dam to escape Deputy Samuel Gerard. The freight train wreck that was staged for the movie is down the road from this shot, just outside of Dillsboro, North Carolina. The train wreckage is still there.

Wow….4,500 trees leveled with an F4 tornado that hit down the road here in the Smoky Mountains National Park a month ago…amazing to see how wide and how long the path of damage in the video.

Massive destruction…but thankfully all isolated in the back country with no injuries or buildings damaged. Lots of trail closures…but better here than the havoc and personal tragedies of a Joplin or Tuscaloosa.

Roaring Fork Motor Trail in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a treasure for all visitors to the Park. It has rustic cabins, waterfalls, hiking trails, mountain streams and wildlife including black bears.

Absolutely best seen full screen and in hi def!

As locals, we drive this at least a dozen times each year…usually with the top down on the convertible to really appreciate the experience.

How To Find Deer Ridge Mountain Resort

How To Find Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Coming From Gatlinburg After Turning At Light #3 Onto Hwy 321 And Driving For About 10 Miles To Get To This Point Here.

Deer Ridge Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee can be hard to find since it is WAY out in the boondocks. So many tourists on vacation here get lost that we decided to do this quick video to make sure you know where to turn.

Note: If you click on the symbol in the bottom right corner, you can watch the movie full screen. You can also choose hi def or to choose to watch it directly on YouTube by clicking the YouTube symbol.

Note that a lot of GPS units continue to route folks the wrong way to Deer Ridge! Make sure that your route shows that you get to Deer Ridge by turning left onto Butler Branch Road off Highway 321. If your GPS or Internet map shows anything else, you will get lost!

Boondocks Living – With A View

The view here is fantastic…but if you really want to be near the action, near restaurants, entertainment and activities for the kids for your family vacation, just be aware of how FAR you are from all of that when you buy or rent a condo at Deer Ridge.

The following short video shows a Hi Def Time Lapse Drive To Gatlinburg And Pigeon Forge Tennessee. The video is best seen in full screen mode and in hi def.

This video shows the drive time and road scenery of 321 from Deer Ridge Mountain Resort back to civilization. We have the best view in the Smokies – but get your groceries and shopping done on your way here to avoid the LONG drive back to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Kroger’s, Wal-Mart and Tanger Mall in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Several more videos are planned showing various drive abouts of the Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park – to help with your mountain vacation plans.

Stay tuned – and subscribe to our DeerRidgeOwners Channel on YouTube!

In my opinion, Larry Ohm, CPA, Treasurer and “board” member of GGRC, aka Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, has been lying to owners for years. Click the YouTube icon to watch in high def and full screen so you can see the numbers.

He attests that the books that he and Joe Thomas cook up are a fair reflection of the operations of both GGRC and RML. In my opinion, these are fabricated lies to mislead the owners at Deer Ridge.

This video shows you why I believe that to be the case.

Find the detailed math at www.DeerRidgeOwners.com/realrml

Prove me wrong if you don’t believe me. But don’t be fooled by the lies and the small checks you get from RML — you are losing a LOT more money than you are netting from using RML. Help stop the bleed from RML — Now!

We have filed a $3 million lawsuit against Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Gatlinburg, Tennessee, its General Manager and all individual board members. Several of these issues may be decided very soon in response to our Motion for Summary Judgment.

This video gives the background on one of these issues: The illegitimacy of RML, a wholly owned subsidiary of our HOA costing us $152,000 / year and has squandered nearly AT LEAST $1.3 MILLION over the past 16 years.

Our $3 Million HOA Lawsuit is against the HOA, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, AKA Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club (GGRC) HOA. It is also against General Manager and “board members” Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, David Barone and Tom Reise, all as individuals.

Full details on lawsuit at: http://DeerRidgeOwners.com.

Primary goals of lawsuit:

1. Force HOA Board and General Manager to abide by both Tennessee State Law and Deer Ridge governing documents.
2. Do away with RML and Ridge Resort Realty as illegitimate ultra vires entities – and stop the $152,000 a year loss to our HOA, GGRC, each year caused by RML.
3. Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by the Master Deed Percentages and stop financial discrimination against 36% of all owners.
4. Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners by a whopping 82% each month.
5. Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners for assessments, water, and other services.
6. Stop the board from making any alterations or additions to the Common Elements without both the 75% vote of all owners AND the 90% vote of all mortgage holders for all units at Deer Ridge.This is a specific requirement of our Master Deed but has ALWAYS been ignored by the Board. Over $200,000 illegitimately spent in last 5 years.
7. Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by Tennessee State Law and finally provide the REAL books and records in the format required by the Horizontal Property Act of Tennessee.The Board has continuously fought providing these books and records to owners for more than FIVE YEARS. (Makes you wonder why, huh?)

We will have separate presentations on all four issues for Summary Judgment — so stay tuned for those videos at our blog and our YouTube Channel!

New Video Posted On Our DeerRidgeOwners Channel On YouTube!

Summary Judgment Goals On Our $3 Million Lawsuit

Issue: The GGRC HOA Board Is violating the Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Master Deed and Bylaws by overcharging all 30 owners of one bedroom units by a whopping 82% per month!  This means that all 30 owners have been overcharged during the past 68 months an aggregate $408,540.

This is just the overcharge — not the total paid!

We have filed a $3 million lawsuit against Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Gatlinburg, Tennessee, its General Manager and all individual board members. Several of these issues may be decided very soon in response to our Motion for Summary Judgment.

Our $3 Million HOA Lawsuit is against the HOA, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, AKA Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club (GGRC) HOA. It is also against General Manager and “board members” Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, David Barone and Tom Reise, all as individuals.

Full details on lawsuit at: http://DeerRidgeOwners.com.

Primary Goals of Lawsuit:

1. Force HOA Board and General Manager to abide by both Tennessee State Law and Deer Ridge governing documents.
2. Do away with RML and Ridge Resort Realty as illegitimate ultra vires entities – and stop the $152,000 a year loss to our HOA, GGRC, each year caused by RML.
3. Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by the Master Deed Percentages and stop financial discrimination against 36% of all owners.
4. Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners by a whopping 82% each month.
5. Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners for assessments, water, and other services.
6. Stop the board from making any alterations or additions to the Common Elements without both the 75% vote of all owners AND the 90% vote of all mortgage holders for all units at Deer Ridge.This is a specific requirement of our Master Deed but has ALWAYS been ignored by the Board. Over $200,000 illegitimately spent in last 5 years.
7. Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by Tennessee State Law and finally provide the REAL books and records in the format required by the Horizontal Property Act of Tennessee.The Board has continuously fought providing these books and records to owners for more than FIVE YEARS. (Makes you wonder why, huh?)

This presentation deals specifically with just one of those four issues up for Summary Judgment: The GGRC HOA Board Is violating the Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Master Deed and Bylaws by overcharging all 30 owners of one bedroom units by a whopping 82% per month!  This means that all 30 owners have been overcharged during the past 68 months an aggregate $408,540.

This is just the overcharge — not the total paid!

This amount also does NOT include the OVERCHARGE for water, cable TV and special assessments!

This is just ONE of MANY reasons behind our $3 million lawsuit against the HOA, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, AKA Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club (GGRC) HOA. It is also against General Manager and “board members” Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, David Barone and Tom Reise, all as individuals.

We will have separate presentations on the other three issues for Summary Judgment — so stay tuned for those videos!

Summary Judgment Goals On Our $3 Million Lawsuit

Issue: The GGRC HOA Board Is Violating Tennessee State Law – Denying Owners Access to All Books and Records In Appropriate State Format.

We have filed a $3 million lawsuit against Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Gatlinburg, Tennessee, its General Manager and all individual board members. Several of these issues may be decided very soon in response to our Motion for Summary Judgment.

Our $3 Million HOA Lawsuit is against the HOA, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, AKA Gatlinburg Golf and Racquet Club (GGRC) HOA. It is also against General Manager and “board members” Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, David Barone and Tom Reise, all as individuals.

New Video At YouTube

This presentation deals specifically with just one of those four issues up for Summary Judgment: The GGRC HOA Board Is Violating Tennessee State Law – Denying Owners Access to All Books and Records In Appropriate State Format.

Primary goals of lawsuit:

• Force HOA Board and General Manager to abide by both Tennessee State Law and Deer Ridge governing documents.
• Do away with RML and Ridge Resort Realty as illegitimate ultra vires entities – and stop the $152,000 a year loss to our HOA, GGRC, each year caused by RML.
• Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by the Master Deed Percentages and stop financial discrimination against 36% of all owners.
• Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners by a whopping 82% each month.
• Force the HOA to stop overcharging the 30 one bedroom owners for assessments, water, and other services.
• Stop the board from making any alterations or additions to the Common Elements without both the 75% vote of all owners AND the 90% vote of all mortgage holders for all units at Deer Ridge.This is a specific requirement of our Master Deed but has ALWAYS been ignored by the Board. Over $200,000 illegitimately spent in last 5 years.
• Force the HOA, GGRC, to abide by Tennessee State Law and finally provide the REAL books and records in the format required by the Horizontal Property Act of Tennessee.The Board has continuously fought providing these books and records to owners for more than FIVE YEARS. (Makes you wonder why, huh?)

We will have separate presentations on the other three issues for Summary Judgment — so stay tuned for those videos!

The UnNatural Nature Trail

These photos were taken around Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  Most all of these were taken on April 7, 2011. In my opinion, what you are about to see is a dismal indication of gross mismanagement by Joe Thomas, General Manager, at Deer Ridge.

How hard is it to have our existing maintenance personnel walk this trail at least once a week to pick up this kind of trash and debris? It SHOULD be done once per day by a competent property management company!  None of our 3 or 4 maintenance staff have 15 MINUTES a WEEK for this NO COST maintenance?

Inexcusable Mismanagement

This kind of gross mismanagement is totally inexcusable. How do you think this kind of mismanagement comes across to your guests and tourists? How do you think  this kind of mismanagement comes across to prospective buyers?

It’s Been Like This For Months

What you are seeing is not the result of a very recent wind storm or other act of God. What you are seeing is the state of neglect of our nature trail for MONTHS due to what I believe is irresponsible mismanagement. Virtually everything you are seeing could have been fixed for almost no cost – in less than a day.

Good First Impression, Huh?

Tourists see this mismanagement every time they walk the Nature Trail or walk the property. Tourists see this mismanagement every time they take their kids to the playground. Is this the image of Deer Ridge that you want your guests to have when they visit or rent from you?

Get It Done – Now

Solve the Nature Trail problem now. No more excuses. We WILL be watching…everything.

And, we WILL be making more movies…just like this one to hold Joe Thomas and the “board” accountable.

Below is the latest video we just posted on our new Deer Ridge Owners Channel on YouTube.com:

It details the Top Two Dozen Complaints we hear from tourists and guests who visit Deer Ridge Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

You can read the entire review of Deer Ridge at www.DeerRidgeReviews.com along with some other videos that we have posted at YouTube, including one on the Pathetic Pavilion and a complete video I took walking the entire property a few weeks ago.

New YouTube videos coming soon on the lawsuits and upcoming motion for Summary Judgment against Joe Thomas, Luther Parker, Larry Ohm, Margie Duncan, Tom Reise and David Barone.

Stay Tuned!

PS:  If you would like to see all our growing number of videos posted on YouTube.com for Deer Ridge, please click Channel.

We just added a new video on the Deer Ridge Owners Channel on YouTube that highlights the majestic beauty of the area around Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, including Deer Ridge, Cobbly Nob, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Best seen in full screen, hi def mode! (If playback stutters, try clicking the YouTube logo and view the video in full screen, hi def mode directly from their site!  It will open in a new window so you won’t lose your place here.)

…

This will, hopefully, be of interest to those planning on visiting the area and will result in more visitors to our new sites at www.DeerRidgeReviews.com and www.DeerRidgeMountainResortReviews.com.

Additional Domain Names

We just added a couple more domain names to our list: 

• DeerRidgeReviews.com
• DeerRidgeMountainResortReviews.com

These are in addition to DeerRidgeCondo.com and DeerRidgeCondos.com.

All four of these domain names now forward to our new Deer Ridge Reviews Page here at DeerRidgeOwners.com.  Click Reviews to see this new page.

Why Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Reviews?

Deer Ridge has been receiving a LOT of very negative reviews from disgruntled guests and tourists. 

Trip Advisor, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and many other travel related sites contains some very negative reviews and complaints about Deer Ridge Mountain Resort. Our goal with this article is to help get these issues resolved for the benefit of both guests and owners. I personally believe it is unethical the way that many guests are being treated by our property management company, and the way their vacations are being ruined, and hope this page will help to rectify this growing problem.

As an owner, and full time resident, at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, we can’t help but overhear dissatisfaction from many tourists who rent condos here.

Most of the rental units here are managed by Joe Thomas who is in charge of the on site property management company, Ridge Management Ltd. – otherwise known as RML. I personally believe that the reputation of Deer Ridge is being very negatively affected by RML and its management by Joe Thomas – but I invite you to read the article, watch the videos on Youtube.com and make your own decision.

We hear a lot of these complaints from tourists and guests while we are walking the property or when we go to the office for our mail. A lot of times, husbands and wife and kids are even screaming at each other in the parking lot or on the balconies that, “They are NOT going to stay here because of…” A lot of other times, the guests are yelling at the office staff.

The reasons for all of this turmoil vary – Reviews Page  shows the executive summaries of the “Top Two Dozen Complaints” we hear – and what we believe to be the root causes of the arguments and fights. Deer Ridge  Reviews Page  also shows the actual cut and paste from the travel sites so you can see the full review many past guests have already posted for the world to see.

Deer Ridge Walkabout Video

Also, shown below is a video also on Deer Ridge Reviews Page  that shows over five dozen very recent photos of the property – so you know exactly what Deer Ridge Mountain Resort currently looks like. (We have another, more comprehensive Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Review video in the works that should be posted shortly.)

I know that many owners don’t have the opportunity to visit the property often…so this video on YouTube.com will hopefully give you, and prospective tourists, a good indication of what Deer Ridge Mountain Resort currently looks like to everyone who visits or lives here.

Robert

PS:  Be sure and check out the recent video that shows the deplorable condition of Joe’s Folly – Our Pathetic Pavilion.  Just click Folly.

PPS:  We expect that we will be able to capture a lot of Gatlinburg tourist traffic with these new domain names along with the rapidly growing presence of our Deer Ridge Owners Channel on YouTube.com. 

We want to use that newly generated traffic to help owners rent their units directly.  We will be adding a special section to the Reviews Page:  A listing of links or contact emails for Deer Ridge owners who want to rent their units directly and avoid paying the 40%, and other fees, to RML.  Be sure and let me know what information of yours that you want to have included.  There will be, of course, no charge to owners for this.  

Hopefully, we will be able to greatly reduce tourist complaints about Deer Ridge by cutting RML out of the loop.

New YouTube Video Added

We’ve just added a new video to our Deer Ridge Owners Channel at YouTube.com.   As always, you can watch in hi def and also full screen here or you can view it directly at YouTube.com by clicking the YouTube symbol on the bottom corner of the video.

The Pathetic Pavilion

This video shows the current state of the Joe’s Folly Picnic Pavilion at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.  These problems have been there for MONTHS…and it’s inexcusable state of disrepair is an embarrassment and a very bad reflection on Deer Ridge to owners, guests and tourists.

Inexcusable.

These photos were taken around Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, mostly on March 19, 2011. 

In my opinion, what you are about to see is a dismal indication of gross mismanagement by Joe Thomas, General Manager, at Deer Ridge.

Good First Impression, Huh?

• Tourists see this mismanagement every time they walk the Nature Trail or walk the property.
• Tourists see this mismanagement every time they take their kids to the playground.
• Is this the image of Deer Ridge that you want your guests to have when they visit or rent from you?
• It’s been INEXCUSABLY like this for MONTHS.
• Joe Thomas never walks the property any more?
• We have 3 or 4 on site maintenance people on the payroll.
• None had time during past MONTHS to have one of them fix this stuff that take less than one day?
• The maintenance staff of 3 or 4 does what they are told to do by General Manager Joe Thomas.
• In my opinion, I think it is clearly obvious that Joe Thomas, as General Manager, is doing a pathetic job of managing – and should be fired ASAP for gross incompetence and gross mismanagement.
• Instead, the “board” just gave Joey a 10% raise.

Find Out More – Watch The Video

When you look at this video, try to imagine how this same level of management incompetent translates across the entire property – and even into your own unit.

Stay Tuned For More Upcoming Deer Ridge Mountain Resort Videos

PS:  I am not an attorney and these opinions are my own.  Please be sure and refer to the full disclaimer language in the side bars and the Terms of this website. 

The bears are out of hibernation and already causing some havoc here in Cobbly Nob.

The above photo was taken in front of the 19th Hole – a cabin on Deer Path Lane – a short distance from Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.

Notice the shed door ripped from its hinges.

From what we’ve read, black bears are becoming more aggressive around here.  As a matter of fact, the Park Service has just issued a new regulation that now allows use of bear spray in the National Park.  Click Bear Spray for details.

Closer to home, we have seen black bears prowling around Deer Ridge.  See photo below that was taken from our own balcony.

Bear off of our A Building Balcony 091109

Warning To All Owners and Visitors

We hope that Joe Thomas and the management company will be properly warning owners and visitors to Deer Ridge about the fact that at least one black bear is roaming our property.

I believe it is safe to say that most folks here don’t expect to be confronted by a 400 lb bear when they are walking the property or taking their trash out at night.  God forbid that some small child playing at the playground were to get attacked.

Besides the obvious safety issue for everyone – we need sign postings in the office and rental units about the risks in order to mitigate legal claims for negligence against GGRC and RML.

Be Careful!

Irrespective of the above, please be careful when you visit your home at Deer Ridge – especially taking out the trash at night.  Just because you are paranoid, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look over your shoulder!

Major foundation shaking wind storm at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort today.  Unfortunately, lost another major tree on the small island at the front of the property.  This is the second major tree lost in the island this year alone.

Are we doing something wrong where this year we have lost two major island trees in four months? Considering that these trees have been here for YEARS, what are we doing, maintenance wise that might be wrong for proper root development?

Deer Ridge – The Mind Map

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea.  I use these all the time to work with my clients as a way to convey complex planning ideas.

I decided to use one for the current pivotal problems at Deer Ridge to better convey the issues to the attorneys we will be working with on our lawsuit(s) – and even as a way to make things clearer to the FBI once they start to investigate the activities of Joe Thomas and the GGRC HOA Board.

This image version is hard to see – so click on the image to get a much more readable Acrobat version.

Once you see it in Acrobat, use the magnification controls to zoom in – and then use the Hand control to move around the image.  Sorry it is so big – but then again, so are the problems we have at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort.

Please let me know of other issues I should include on Version 2.

PS:  This is also now under Documents You Can Download.

****   GUEST POST   ***

Note:  The way blogs work is that one person makes posts and others can add comments to each of those posts.  Since I want to give ALL owners a REAL voice in the their property and investment at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, I will sometimes elevate a comment to a posting to increase its visibility to all visitors to the Deer Ridge Owners Blog.

The following is a copy of a comment by Tina regarding Joe Thomas’ despicable tree butchering of our trees for the benefit of non-owners of Deer Ridge:

I know a little about tree ‘pruning’.  The preference for the health of any tree is selective pruning technique.  Selective pruning is a procedure where selective limbs/branches are taken out to allow growth to make the tree stronger. They make a clean cut.  Selective pruning is very healthy for the tree in that it makes the tree stronger by eliminating inner branches that in the summertime obtains lower light with no stubs.

However, this process allows the tree to be a tree and to get larger, appear more natural. They appear MAJESTIC and it puts up a large canopy.  It creates beauty and strength promoting a natural order of health to the tree.

This was NOT the process that was done at Deer Ridge.  This was simply ‘topping’. Chain saw, cut off, no more thought than that I will guarantee anyone.

The topping process is very unhealthy for any tree, of any species and WILL in time eventually kill them.  Depending upon the species of the tree of course will determine the time that kill may take.  For example, there was a pitch pine (soft wood) that is already dead.  By topping it, it is killed immediately.  It will appear like a telephone pole next year. The bark will fall off.   Hopefully woodpeckers can utilize it in time before it falls down.  White Pines (soft wood) will continue some growth but look more like oversized bushes. Much like if a tornado went through years prior. The white and red oaks (hard wood) will sustain but they will always appear off balance and appear to be chopped.  Their ‘normal’ lifespan is long (150-200 years or more) for a healthy oak, but this will affect there health and longevity as well.  While the maples (fall color trees) will sprout many re-growths, it is extremely hard on them and their lifespan.  IF topping is continued, it will put them at 1/2 life. Living a total of maybe 40 years.

The problem with topping a tree is that it creates opposite of selective pruning.

It will create more growth, stubs on the ‘inside’ of the tree and therefore makes it weaker.  The ‘stubs’ that get created from chainsaw topping (those are short foot or 18″ sections) die out and rot, water pockets can set in, and fungi, disease and/or insects prevail.  This is actually what kills the tree.

You can already see those sections in back of E block where the trees were topped last year.  A topping technique is what normally occurs under electric lines with little thought or care for the tree itself.

It is best if someone wishes to plant a tree at their home under a line to actually plant a correct size tree at full maturity to the correct area.  The only problem with that is that trees like Bradford Pears are so unnatural and soft, living short lifespans anyway.  They are typically weak to start with and look more like glorified bushes than trees.

There are other species, (dogwoods, red buds, some birch, like river birch etc…) but truly we should respect and take care of our natural trees here at Deer Ridge and do minimal trimming and only do what we have to to obtain our view.  When a good tree trimmer prunes or even continues to top, they need to assess the cut to the species of the tree and then decide what is best for the view/tree approach together.

If the tree trimmer knows trees (which Leo does not and neither does Joe) this process doesn’t take very long. Not all tree’s (there was a wonderful very young Cherry tree back of E block) that was obliterated, which was unnecessary.  It is the lack of thought and caring around here that prevails.

Keep in mind folks the trees that Jan is talking about are on the roadside not anywhere near our condo’s.  For Joe to have permitted this topping along a roadside for a non-owner benefit is despicably outrageous and completely indefensible.

Those trees should have never, ever been topped PERIOD. It will not look much better for a long time.  Nature will eventually reclaim, but the price to us ($) and the tree’s were both done in a GROSSLY negligent fashion by Joe Thomas.

Another problem occurs when topping is done at the wrong time of the year.  Last year Joe Thomas topped our trees in early October, LONG before sap went back down into the roots and prior to fall color.  This is despicable as well, further weakening OUR trees.  At least this year, they did it after most of the sap went down.

I am sure that was luck, as Joe Thomas doesn’t care about being confused by facts.  For him, this place is about one thing…his paycheck, payoffs, secret deals and how he can himself further down the road of HIS financial success…no matter the cost and impact to us Deer Ridge owners.

Yesterday, we have very heavy winds – probably gusting t0 60 MPH.  One fatality was a 30′ tree in the island as you drive into Deer Ridge.  It was quickly cut up and removed by our maintenance staff – even while the storm was still raging.

Nature has a way of destroying things like this tree which has been here for years.  Sorry to see it go.

But this is FAR better than the butchering of DOZENS of OUR trees that were destroyed by Joe Thomas – all for the benefit of a NON Deer Ridge owner of a cabin on the hill overlooking Deer Ridge.

The ONLY property that benefited from the destruction of OUR trees is a cabin called Shadow Mountain up on the hill overlooking Deer Ridge at 3633 Moonshine Way, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

In case you want to contact the cabin owners to let them know how you feel about this side deal of Joe Thomas, then, according to public records, the owners are:

Charles F. and Mary Y Butler
353 Calumet Trace
Murfreesboro, TN  31727

Click  Joe Did This to see the video and photos of the damage Joe caused.

How much did you get for doing this obscenity, Joe?  What were destroying OUR assets worth to you and YOUR wallet?