Devil's Advocate...

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by BPearson, Aug 2, 2022.

  1. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    The problem with no rebuttal, no responses, no push-back is we become an echo chamber where all we hear is our own voices. I had hoped when the "new sheriff" showed up we would have a legitimate discussion about issues, you know, the other side of the coin. Then when Say What told us he/she was going to dump the big one on us regarding golf, once again my hope spiked, another no show. Then i tried to use Dave's words and tried to rationalize their positions, he moved off of "trusting management" clarifying he was just talking about the 50 k investment for the pickleball courts at Lakeview. Fair enough.

    Rather than let their voices go unanswered, i thought i might take a whack at helping them along through a technique i truly hate; Q and A's on organizations website who are afraid to have open discussions with those visiting their site. It wouldn't be bad if they were real people asking real questions but the answers are pap posted to make you think they are telling you what is going on. Sorry, just my opinion.

    So, to make this more entertaining and easy to follow, i am going to put on my big boy pants and try and write questions with some real meat on the bones, and then try and answer them as if i was picking the brain of those i sat across from in work sessions, countless numbers of board meetings and member exchanges. No easy feat, but i am going to do my best to be objective.

    Question #1). Why did the RCSC decide to call members card-holders?

    There was nothing sinister behind it, because we have so many renters, those with privilege cards aren't really members. Rather than differentiating we lumped them all together.

    Question #2). Why did the RCSC change the slogan to Sun City/The Original Fun City?
    It was a recommendation from a marketing company who felt the "City of Volunteers" would keep buyers from moving here. Boomers aren't interested in volunteering so our message was to move here and have fun.

    Question #3). Why did you rewrite the bylaws and take away members rights?
    Good question and we did it to save the community from a small group of owners who wanted to destroy Sun City. With no membership meetings, they couldn't do the community harm. It was for the good of the community and it's worked well.

    Question #4). Why did you hide the fact the RCSC was subsidizing golf?

    We didn't really hide the information, we just didn't show it. We knew with only about 12% of the population playing golf, they would never support the idea we were investing 2 million dollars a year. Had we taken that information to them, they might have been angry at us and golf is too important to lose any courses.

    Question #5). Why is the RCSC electing to allow outsiders access to our golf courses with full play passes?

    When the pandemic hit and golf saw the resurgence it became clear if we sold these outside passes really cheap, But higher than what members paid, we could keep from raising rates on the membership who did play. By selling them, we keep golf affordable for the members.

    Question #6). Are you afraid of the membership?
    No, not at all. We are only afraid of the ones that show up. We know the "silent majority" love us and those are the ones we care about. The angry ones coming to meetings just hate the RCSC.

    Question #7). Are you afraid of Sun City's history?
    Not at all, we just don't think it matters. We are looking forward, not backwards. That was then, this is now.

    This is just a short list. I suspect if they (management and some of the current board) take the time to read it, they will feel unburdened by finally reading the truth on the pages of TOSC rather than all the crap about history and building a sense of community. After all, as a society we no longer care about the next guy, all that matters is what is in my best interest.

    Excuse me, i need to go take a shower and give my head a shake.
     
    suncityjack likes this.
  2. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    Questions 1-7...who on the Board or Management initiated those changes?
     
  3. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Every organization develops a culture from within. Once it has been established, it takes on an organism within itself. I've never made any bones about how Sun City evolved to what it is today. The general manager hired in 2006 had a vision for Sun City. That vision became imprinted in the minds and hearts of those elected to the board. They solidified when board members were elected to second terms and brought back to fill openings.

    Several of my answers were things i was told while serving on the board. Others were based on things i was told over the years by board members who would call me and complain privately over coffee, but never dared cross the gm. Some of the responses we have all heard while sitting at meetings as the RCSC told us who and what they were. It didn't happen over night, but as sure as you are reading this, it happened because that's where they wanted us to go.
     
  4. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    So...what you're saying is, that most Board members are followers and not leaders! They take the easy way out and let somebody else call the shots and then when it all goes south they have somebody else to blame?
     
    eyesopen, Cheri Marchio and BPearson like this.

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