I have been a homeowner in Bid A Wee since 1993. The main perk to living in Bid A Wee is the 2,200-foot private beach. Until a few years ago it was available to the general public. It still should be.
There are roughly 600 property owners that, according to the County Tax Assessor, pay higher property taxes because those owners have access to Bid A Wee Beach, which had gates with coded locks installed a few years ago. Here’s the rub: Only people who choose to pay $100 per year to join Bid A Wee Beach Park Inc., a voluntary organization, are given the code to access the beach.
It is Important to note that Bid A Wee Beach Park Inc. IS NOT a Homeowners Association, and membership is strictly voluntary. According to the Bay County Tax Assessor, there is nothing in the plat that says you must pay dues in an organization to have access to the beach. You simply must own property in Bid A Wee.
At the time the gates were installed, the Board of Directors of Bid A Wee Beach Park Inc. claim a majority of owners wanted the gates. This is a completely false. The only owners who were allowed to vote on the gates were members of Bid A Wee Beach Park Inc., which at the time had roughly 240 members. More than 350 owners who have a right to the beach had no say whatsoever.
I believe the county should ask a judge to issue a court order removing the gates or removing the coded locks because homeowners and property owners in Bid A Wee are being denied access to their own beach unless they pay $100 per year to an organization where membership is strictly voluntary. I tried to access the beach Saturday, but the code had been changed, so I was not allowed on my own beach. The county collects higher taxes from those who do not belong to Bid A Wee Beach Park because of the beach access, but those owners are denied the code unless they pay $100 extortion money.
Randy P. Martin
Panama City Beach