By John Waters, Publisher

Alida Lorio, longtime general manager of Terlingua Ranch told the Gazette during an interview that she has submitted her resignation to the board of Property Owners Association Terlingua Ranch, Inc (POATRI).

Sources have indicated the resignation was submitted back in January and may not become effective until August 1.

When asked for details on the resignation, Liz Demetri, POATRI board president told the Gazette, “As I stated at the [April 25] meeting, we, the board have no announcement to make at this time. Whatever conversation you and Alida had is between the two of you.”

In response to a follow-up after the interview, Lorio responded, “If you are writing an article about the meeting and the whole resort thing none of us have anything to say at this time about my resignation.”

It is unclear why neither Lorio or the board are responsive to requests for clarification.

Said one former board member who wished to remain anonymous, “Jesus Christ himself couldn’t do that job.”

During her five-year+ stint as general manager, Lorio has weathered several storms, including contentious property owner infighting, costly lawsuits, employee layoffs and the shuttering of the ranch’s resort operation in September 2008.

At the April 25 board meeting, no mention of Lorio’s resignation was made public. During the meeting, the board approved a resolution to pursue selling or leasing the resort operation at the July board meeting. The board also authorized the general manager to sell any equipment such as vehicles. Although a manager’s report to be given by Lorio was on the agenda, Lorio did not attend.

A five-year financial plan for the resort prepared by the Budget and Finance Committee estimated losses per year of $693,000 in 2010 decreasing to $385,000 in 2014 that would result in annual property owner assessments of $256 in 2010 and $142 in 2014.

Last year, one local hotel operator told the board she thought if given the chance, she could bring the perennial money-losing operation to profitability in about a year or two.

After a POATRI workshop on April 24, a local real estate investor told the Gazette she had several potential buyers interested in acquiring the resort facilities, adding that the poor condition of the property and covenants included in any sale would greatly diminish the sale price. Another real estate speculator confirmed that several buyers had expressed interest.

During the workshop meeting [April 24], board member Merrill Jordan said POATRI has seen a decline in payment of owner association fees in the last year, from 3,300 to 2,700 property owners.

The audit committee, during the board meeting, cited a lack of internal controls and made the following recommendation: “It is the opinion of the Audit Committee that the single overriding concern of POATRI’s financial operations is the need to strengthen internal controls. Through no fault of the [general manager], she receives income, makes deposits, pays bills, and provides various financial reports to the Auditor and others. There is no ‘check and balance’ provision which would provide an oversight to all these operations.”

After the audit committee report was read, the room erupted in applause.