July 7, 2002

Raymond J. Vitelli, Ph. D.
6537 Marissa Loop #5
Naples, Florida 34108

Dear Dr. Vitelli:

Thank you for your interest in the Pelican Bay Property Owners Association and a copy of your letter to Mr. Richard Laughlin. Your concern about Mr. Laughlin’s letter of June 6th was shared by most board members. However members had agreed that a letter should be sent although
some of Mr. Laughlin’s claims went beyond our intentions. The disparaging remarks about tennis players were inappropriate. I am not a tennis player but like you, I have many friends who are (including my wife.)

There were several reasons why a letter should have been written and unfortunately these reasons have been obscured by these anti-tennis comments. Firstly, at the May meeting of the Foundation, the Chairman, David Trecker, attempted to limit access to information by members
of the Foundation. There was also an attempt to limit funding of the restaurant. Fortunately, mostly because of a response from members in attendance, these were soundly defeated by a vote of five to two. However shortly after that meeting two of the five majority directors resigned
and a special meeting was called for June 11th to replace the two directors. Appointments to fill a three year term could now be made by only a majority of three directors, two of whom were appointees themselves. The letter succeeded in bringing out a large number of concerned
members who overwhelmingly wanted the board to call for a special election. You have interpreted member participation as mob rule. My interpretation was that these were concerned citizens trying to communicate their wishes to the Foundation Board. After all, two of the newest
directors resigned with no explanation and two former chairmen of previous Boards volunteered to run if a special election would be called. I was away for that meeting and viewed the same video that you did. I was appalled by the conduct of that meeting by the chairman. I have shown that video to many others and they all share my impression. The result of the appointments is that we now have a board made up of four appointees and three elected members. The new appointees may be very fine people but Pelican Bay residents deserve to vote for their own
directors and also a complete explanation of why the resignation occurred.

Secondly, Mr. Ian McKeag did in fact want Mr. Kyle Kinney’s position at a time that as a Foundation Board member he was in position to evaluate Mr. Kinney and also controlled funding which Mr. Kinney needed to perform his job. This was a blatant conflict of interest and we as
members should not tolerate that. At the most recent meeting and in the volumes written by him in the July Pelican Bay Post he never denies this. He skillfully clouds the issue by claiming he doesn’t want the position now nor any time in the future.

Mr. Laughlin regrets his phraseology in describing tennis players in the letter and both the PBPOA Board and the public at large have expressed their concern about it. But there are much graver issues that must be addressed if the Foundation Board is to function as a means of self
government rather than a corporation board. Like most of us Mr. Laughlin has his faults but he does attend all the Foundation, MSBTU, and Fire Commission meetings , not to mention many other committee meetings to help keep all of us informed as to what is going on.

I want to thank you again for your interest and hope that you continue to express your view. In that way the PBPOA will be better able to serve all the residents of Pelican Bay.

Sincerely,



Theodore J. Raia, Jr., M.D.

CC: Members of the Board