A more positive view

Time and distance help me appreciate some of the positive governance changes in process. They are, in my opinion, long overdue and would not have come about but for the sacrifices made by volunteer members. The list positive changes include:

1. A dedicated group of volunteers crafted a new foundational document: The Mission, Vision and Values Statement. In this statement our community sets forth our vision for the next 60 years. Please read it carefully.
2. We opened our books! Our new financial process is open for all to see and participate in! The Finance, Budget and Audit Committee has partnered with management to develop and recommend the budget. The budget is presented in town halls so members can comment on it. Comments will be taken into account in the final budget (I hope.)
3. Revisions to the capital allocation process are under serious review in the hopes that it will become less ad hoc/squeaky wheel based and more data based. The LRP committee is more involved than ever in planning our future.
4. We have faced a reckoning: Our facilities are old and will require expensive remodeling or rebuilding. In order to meet this challenge, we took the unpopular step of raising the PIF. In the past we simply kicked the can down the road.
5. Our technology is antiquated and our technology committe is tackling the challenge of updating it.
6. Our governing documents are undergoing a professional review and revision.
7. New volunteers have stepped up to address the future challenges. I dare say that it is time for those who have given so much to their community over so many years to step down and enjoy what they have helped preserve and improve.

Some may view these changes as negative while others may view them as positive. Only history will tell which they are. We are the descendants of a new way of elder life, and it is kind of cool and challenging to be in that position. Bring it on!

 

Well said John. The jury is still out on the new GM and how he is working with the board. History has taught us that ability to balance the interactions between management and the board has always been challenging. More importantly, history has taught us the ability to evolve and grow to meet those changes has never been easy.

I like a lot of what i see and hear. Clearly stuff (repairs) are getting done at an accelerated pace. On the other side of the equation is the lingering questions of the reserve study, the long range plan and the Mountain View remodel. I've always been a fan of doing it right over just getting it done, but some of this stuff just seems to drag on longer than it should.

It sounds like there are a number of candidates interested in running in the coming election. The more the better. Hopefully those interested will be able to clearly articulate why they are running.

With what is going on around the country in senior communities in the southeast, Texas and California, Sun City has an enormous opportunity to market itself in a way where we become a destination of choice. Home owners insurance rates are exploding and the condo fiasco in FL with their HOA fees pricing them out of the market makes us a viable option.

Hopefully a new board and an aggressive management team will capitalize on the opportunity.

 

I agree with Bill that there is still more work to be done on our governance process. Granted the new GM has made some mistakes and I hope this is part of the growing process. My hope in advocating a written long-range plan (by whatever name you call it) was to help give the GM, future boards and members strategic direction. As we know, the board's preferences change every time new board members are elected. The current board has expressed preferences ranging from buying or constructing expensive buildings (to house the theater group, the best friend's dog club or our administrative personnel) to completely redoing the Quail Run golf course. And of course there is Pickleball. Moreover, we seem to be caught in a perpetual cycle of amending bylaws. Hopefully the current round of bylaw amendments will be the end of that for a while. So, when the dust (or ash) settles it would be nice to have a foundational document like the long-range plan in place to guide our future leaders. Hopefully, that is what we will be discussing at town halls this Fall.

 

Finally, a decent thread that is worth my time . . . . . a good list John. I hope the Board rethinks their taking control of a few projects before BP16 and listens to members (many of them) that don't believe $14M on a PAC or $6M on an executive 9-hole golf course is a smart investment of OUR money. LRP committee members were shut down on commenting on these (as you thought), as they are already "approved". Convenient.

I went to Grand on Friday for an event with friends and they have such nice facilities (yes, newer) - they don't have a PAC (use a ballroom), fees are more (less homes), and all home owners vote on new builds/modifications, etc. . . . . . oh, and no number of time limit on guests, just wouldn't be able join their "clubs" - can be invited to play, however.

We pay for our facilities, we should be able to invite friends/family along (yes, a max at one time seems to make sense). However, we need the mileage limit to prevent people from buying a rental here and using our facilities. Grande doesn't have that issue for obvious reasons.
E.g. - I should be able to use the pool for self-water aerobics with whomever I choose. 14-day limit would leave me lonely and fat or forced to go to my guests facilities all the time instead of use the ones I pay for ........

 

I think I disagree with you on most things.

Sun City has 3 times as many homes as Grand so I don't think they could support a PAC. $6M for what they will do at Quail Run isn't a bad price. People like Quail Run but won't play it because of the condition of the course. The last thing I would want is people voting instead decisions being made by the people we voted for. I am completely in favor of limiting the number of visits per guest. I think it is too high now! We do pay for the facilities, but a non-resident should never be a regular attendee. They always have the option of moving here. You have 30,000+ choices to choose a person to do your water aerobics with.

 

The above discussion is one of the problems that every board encounters, members have a variety of ideas on what we want and what we need. Then throw in, as John pointed out, the revolving door of new board members and it becomes easy to understand how disjointed we are. As i have written a hundred times, self-governance is hard.

The oddity is when Sun City first began the task of governing itself, there was a 1 year term limit. By the end of 1964 there were three separate organizations and the elections, even with the small number of residents, had 2o candidates for each open position. Those living here were involved and committed. They quickly increased to 2 year terms and finally 3 year terms. It wasn't until the mid 2000's when the articles of incorporation were changed to allow a second 3 year term.

One would think that would work to the members advantage. We could debate whether it helped or hurt, but it's pointless. I've long been disposed to believe the smartest action, the one that would make the biggest difference, would be far better board member training/education. That's neither a new nor novel idea, it's just one that never really got any traction.

Ultimately, in my opinion, the challenge for the board is the relationship with the GM. Our documents are clear, the board's oversight of how the RCSC functions is limited to the one single employee they have complete say over...the general manager. Rich Hoffer used to say there should be a symbiotic relationship between the board, GM and members. It sounds really good, not so easy to pull off.

One of our biggest problems came when our focus was to be the cheapest (most affordable) senior community was we had people who moved here for that reason; it was a cheap place to live. Now as we scramble to play catch-up, we have those non-users complaining about the increases. I get it, but the alternative is let things fall into disrepair.

Marketing this community to those who want to live here and enjoy the amenities is an easy sell. That said, it doesn't happen by accident. Hopefully next years board will understand the importance of marketing and promotion.

 

We can agree to disagree, however maybe it's because you're "old and tired". ;-)

 

I occasionally agree with Bill P and on this I must agree. I felt that the director training prepared by the new GM was lacking. My suggestion was and still is to outsource the training to one of the many firms that specialize in these type of things.