SURPRISE, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) -- An HOA management company is reversing its decision regarding a Memorial Day decoration honoring a fallen soldier at a home in Arizona.
Kendall Rasmusson previously said she was told by her HOA to take down the tribute she has in her front yard honoring Sgt. John Kyle Daggett. Daggett was killed in action in May 2008.
Rasmusson reported she had received a letter on May 7 from the HOA management company that said her decorations, specifically the magnetic poster with a picture of Daggett that is on her garage, were a "nuisance."
The company later released a statement to Arizona's Family that stated they were unaware of a conditional letter of approval Rasmusson had received from the previous management company.
In their statement, the current HOA board said the approval letter allowed the banner to be displayed around Patriots Day, Daggett's birthday and on Veterans Day. Also, the memorial could be displayed from May 15 through July 14, which covered Gagget's day he died, Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day.
The board, which took over in 2024, said it was made aware of the letter of approval on Tuesday.
Thursday's statement confirms what Rasmusson previously reported. She had said she was allowed to keep the display up and believed the new management company was unaware of the conditions approved by the previous group.
The management group also apologized for the letter it sent to Rasmusson on May 7, where the display was called a "nuisance," and asked for it to be removed since it violated the community's rules.
"We do regret the category for which our software system classified this courtesy notice, as in no way do we feel the gravity of honoring a fallen soldier/family member falls under the same umbrella as other community 'nuisance' issues," said the company in a written statement.
Officials said they would review their software to be more sensitive to future instances like this one.
The company said officials sent the letter on May 7 because the display had been up for more than five months and was considered a permanent decoration, rather than a temporary one. The HOA rules state decorations can go up 30 days before a holiday and must be taken down 10 days after.