Dear Somerset Residents,

As we approach our upcoming SCA Annual Meeting on Thursday, Jan 23rd at 7PM, we want to encourage every member to attend and actively participate in the decision-making process that will shape the future of our community.
At this meeting, we will be electing five new members to the Board. This past year, we’ve been inspired by the incredible response from our community, with so many members stepping forward to volunteer their time and serve on the SCA Board of Directors.

We are thrilled to recommend five exceptional nominees for election to fill five spots on the Board. These individuals represent a highly qualified and committed group of Somerset neighbors, and we couldn’t be more excited about their potential contribution. The nominees bring a wealth of experience from diverse industries, including technology, banking, law enforcement, and medicine. Each of them has raised children in our local schools and, with an average of living 14 years each in Somerset, they deeply understand the importance of maintaining our neighborhood as a beautiful, welcoming, safe, and vibrant place to live.

Meet the Recommended Nominees for the 2025 SCA Board of Directors

• Lawrence Chiu has lived in Somerset with his family for 22 years, with a family history in the neighborhood spanning 40 years. Having witnessed Somerset’s growth and evolution, Lawrence is eager to contribute to its continued success and vitality.
• Nikhil Gore grew up in India and now works in the tech industry. A proud Somerset resident, Nikhil has young twins attending Somerset Elementary and is passionate about ensuring the neighborhood remains a wonderful place to raise families.
• Jiawei Gu, originally from China, works in the banking industry and has been a Somerset resident since September 2020. Jiawei is an active PTSA member with a daughter attending Newport High School and is dedicated to building strong community connections.
• Fred Huang is a physician and practice administrator who has called Somerset home for 18 years. He and his wife raised their three children here. Appointed to the SCA Board in the Fall, Fred has been instrumental in shaping the community’s plans for 2025.
• Lisa Young has lived in Somerset for 17 years and raised her son in the neighborhood. A retired law enforcement officer, Lisa now runs her own security consulting firm. Since joining the Board in the Fall, she has been actively developing a Neighborhood Safety Initiatives Roadmap for Somerset.

In addition to the Board member election, we will be addressing important issues, including:

Community Security: We will discuss a proposal for installing cameras to enhance the safety of our neighborhood.
Community Safety Preparedness: Hear about vital projects aimed at improving our preparedness for any future emergencies.
Covenant Review Committee: We will ratify the appointed 2025 CRC members, per the bylaws.
2025 Budget Presentation: Our Treasurer will walk through the 2024 expenses, and the 2025 budget, which we will vote on.

Please submit a proxy vote to the SCA or vote in-person, to ensure your vote is counted. Your voice matters, especially in electing the right leadership and contributing to discussions on key projects that impact us all.  Only members can vote, so if you haven’t already, please send or submit your dues payment and proxy vote online (somerset98006.org), only proxies received by January 22 will be included in the vote count.

Dear Somerset Residents,

A group of individuals called the “View Crew” lead by Charles Bofferding is challenging the SCA and your property rights. Bofferding and Crew’s goal is to take over the SCA Annual Meeting and elect their “Crew” so that they can force the SCA to adopt an invalid amendment with new property restrictions — one of which attempts to give ANY of your neighbors within 300 feet absolute power to veto exterior changes to your property for ANY reason. THIS WILL DRASTICALLY REDUCE YOUR PROPERTY RIGHTS AND NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR PROPERTY VALUES.
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HOW THE CREW PLANS TO TAKE OVER THE MEETING AND ELECTIONS:
View Crew is actively spreading false claims about how view protections recently changed in an effort to prevent people from returning their SCA Annual Meeting proxy votes. View protections have NOT CHANGED for over 20 years — spreading lies that they’ve changed harms meaningful conversations. View Crew has now started a new campaign to collect an alternative proxy that was not prescribed by the SCA and therefore not in accordance with the SCA bylaws.

The details of the situation with an explanation of what is FACT VS FICTION are disclosed below. We have also included the original legal opinion from SCA attorney Peter Eglick and his recent rebuttal dated 1/8/2025 responding to Bofferding’s attorney’s (Amy Meharry) letter — a letter which is “fundamentally flawed in its analysis”. Amy Meharry is also suggesting legal action against SCA. The SCA refuses to accept liability which could result from the enforcement of Bofferding’s faulty amendment. Please reply and let us know if you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help us.

CALL TO ACTION

1. DO NOT GIVE BOFFERDING’S VIEW CREW YOUR PROXY VOTE or sign any document they bring to you. If you already signed, notify the “View Crew” that you are revoking the signature you gave them and copy the SCA at [email protected].
2. YOUR VOTE MATTERS: Pay your dues [Click HERE to pay online] and submit your proxy vote for the SCA [Click HERE to submit proxy online] if you are not voting in-person.
3. Read the attachments below. SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
4. Attend the Annual Meeting and get informed about what is at stake!
   Location and Time: Thursday, January 23 at 7:00 PM at Forest Ridge School.

Your vote and support for the SCA is crucial in protecting the neighborhood. SCA Board volunteers are homeowners just like you, and we work for you!


SCA Board of Directors

Happy new Year from the Somerset Community Association!

By now you should have received your annual dues invoice in the mail. Thank you for supporting your Somerset Association!

The annual meeting will be held on Thursday, January 23 ay 7:00 PM at Forest Ridge School..

Dear Somerset Neighbors,
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As the year draws to a close, we wanted to share some important updates with you. Here's what's been happening:

Partial power loss to the Newport Way Entrance: We are working with an electrician to assess how to restore power so that we can light the trees along the back wall.

Holiday lighting re-installed today: We have installed new lights on the big maple tree on the entrance island. We hope this gesture helps to keep our community's festive cheer alive! The lights will remain on throughout the winter season.
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2024 Somerset Membership Directory: Thank you to all members who paid their dues promptly in 2024, as this may be the last directory produced by the SCA based on the choice of many members to not publish their phone numbers, we've waited until the end of the year to provide the most current data possible.  For those of you who paid dues in the first 4 months of 2024, your Directory will be arriving in your mailboxes in January, thank you for your commitment to Somerset, and your support of the SCA.


Wishing you a great 2025!


Warm regards,
SCA Board of Directors

Dear Somerset Neighbors,

As many of you have noticed, the festive lights installed on the trees at the front entrance have not been lit. Unfortunately, we've had a combination of vandalism to our lights, and damage to the electrical power source, to an extent that they likely cannot be repaired in time for Christmas.

We are currently coordinating with contractors to restore power and install new lights. Our goal is to have the lights back on for New Year’s and to keep them shining throughout the winter season.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to restore the festive entrance display.



Happy Holidays,
The Somerset Community Association