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The homeowners association building on Rappahannock Drive in the Salem Fields subdivision does not have a flag raised, but there is a flagpole in front.
Phil Stack's flag waves at home yesterday, even though his homeowners association ordered the pole down.
Phil Stack looks over the homeowners association covenants at his home in Salem Fields yesterday. |
By DAN TELVOCK
World War II veteran Phil Stack plans to keep a flagpole in front of his home even though his homeowners association prohibits it.
Stack, 84, and his flagpole are the center of controversy in the Salem Fields subdivision in Spotsylvania County.
Yesterday was the deadline the HOA gave Stack to take down his flagpole or he faces a $10 fine per day for 90 days. Stack can attach the American flag to his home, like many of his neighbors, but the flagpole isn't allowed.
"I'll leave it up a day or two and see what happens," Stack said yesterday.
The Salem Fields HOA property manager, who asked to not be identified, has said that the guidelines prohibit "permanent free-standing flagpoles." But the HOA's main office on Rappahannock Drive has a flagpole, that until recently, flew an American flag. The property manager refused to discuss the matter when approached at her office yesterday, and the flag was not flying.
Stack, who spent 30 months overseas and earned five battle stars as an Army cook, said he has a right to fly the flag on the 16-foot plastic pole because of his military service.
Back from a weeklong stay in the hospital for heart trouble, Stack's voice was frail yesterday, his energy depleted. But he said the support he's received from strangers has lifted his spirits. About 15 people have called him and another half-dozen strangers came to his house to chat.
"One girl came here and wanted to paint a flag on my garage door," he said.
A Spotsylvania man left a note on a torn piece of paper in Stack's door: "Mr. Stack, I stopped by to say thank you for your service to this great country!! Good luck with the flag. I hope it keeps flying."
The Free Lance-Star has received several dozen e-mails and letters, most in support of Stack. But some have questioned why Stack is breaking the HOA rules.
The property manager has said that the rule prohibiting flagpoles was created before Stack moved in Jan. 1.
A binder Stack said was all he received when he moved in did not show the rule--Article VII Section 7.12--cited in the HOA's violation letter. Stack's binder stops at Section 7.7.
"They can waive it as I understand it," Stack said about the rule. "They overlooked it here for eight months and then all of the sudden this just pops up."
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
