A Tale of Two Contracts

On April 20, 2023, Alanah Griffith sent a Harvest Creek Homeowner a contract that allegedly represents the contract between Saddle Peak Properties and Harvest Creek HOA. In an email, Alanah Griffith explicitly states that the Harvest Creek Board has asked Saddle Peak Properties to wave the "confidentiality" of the document, and if so, Alanah Griffith will forward the contract to the homeowner. Alanah Griffith then emailed it to the homeowner thereby indicating that Saddle Peak Properties has waived alleged confidentiality.

The contract sent to the homeowner clearly shows that there is no "confidentiality clause" within the contract. There is no attached addendum signed by Harvest Creek HOA Board Members stating that the Saddle Peak Properties contract with Harvest Creek HOA is confidential. Multiple requests have been made for all contracts, board meeting minutes, and actions taken by a board outside of a meeting. None of the documents provided demonstrate that this contract is confidential. There are also no documents showing that the Harvest Creek Board ever voted on entering into a contract with Saddle Peak Properties.

Now, let's talk about the Saddle Peak Properties contracts. Yes, there are two separate contracts allegedly singed on the same day by Doug Morley. The contracts do not match.

The first contract (Contract A) that homeowners became aware of is the Saddle Peak Properties' contract sent to a homeowner on April 20, 2023. This contract is allegedly signed by Doug Morley on Dec 10, 2019.

Cost of liens in Contract A: $150

The second contract (Contract B) was the contract used by Saddle Peak Properties to create a bank account at Stockman's Bank. Stockman's Bank provided this contract. This contract is also allegedly signed by Doug Morley on Dec 10, 2019.

Cost of liens in Contract B: $50

Contract B is not counter-signed by Saddle Peak Properties.

Why would Doug Morley sign two different contracts on the exact same day?

Why would two contracts on the same day be on different templates?

Why is the alleged signature by Doug Morley IDENTICAL on both contracts?

Anyone who has ever tried to insert an image into a Word document will understand why the formatting of Doug Morley's alleged signature is so off.

The template for Contract B matches a Saddle Peak Properties contract with The Traditions HOA which was signed Dec 14, 2016 - 3 years before the Harvest Creek contract suggesting that Contract A is the original contract which means liens would be charged at $50 - not $150.

Why does this matter? That shift from $50 to $150 may not seem like a big deal but it definitely costs Harvest Creek HOA and its homeowners a significant amount of money.

Don't' forget - in only costs $5 to file a lien and $5 to remove a lien at the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder Office.

From 2020 through September of 2024, invoices from Saddle Peak show that Harvest Creek has paid Saddle Peak Properties $33,920.50 for filing liens. If Harvest Creek only paid for liens that were officially filed or removed from the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder at $50, then the HOA would have only paid $3,850.

So which is the real contract?