My Bylaw Amendments for the Members Meeting

SCG - Please read the amendments. Is building an indoor dog training facility an example of how broken our decision making is today? Do you realize THE BOARD APPROVED THIS PROJECT AND WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO BE REVIEWED BY THE LONG-RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE. There is a long-range planning committee tomorrow and, as a member in good standing, you are entitled to attend AND LISTEN. You may not speak. I hope to see you there.

 

Readers. I copied this from the Wickenburg master plan draft. I think it gives a good overview of what a master plan is.

The master plan provides an understanding of the function of each space within the broader system, as well as its character and performance. It also looks at the system in aggregate to understand where there are surpluses and deficits of overall acreage and specific amenities compared to the town population.

 

God Bless you

 

Summary
These motions to amend the Bylaws require RCSC to fund, develop and follow a Master Plan that the members approve. A Master Plan is an expertly developed plan with options for spending and fees that guides a community on how to get the most bang for its buck and how to avoid ad hoc special interest decision making. A Master Plan is based on real data, including cost and fee data, analysis of trends and analysis what other 55+ communities are doing. It can only be properly developed with lots of member input and strict budget controls. Substantially all parks and recreation departments have adopted a master plan.
Note to Reader – Changes to the bylaw made by the amendment are indicated by italic typeface.

 

Topic: MEMBER APPROVED MASTER PLAN
Presented by H. John Fast
Reason for Change:
This amendment requires the transparent development of a Master Plan for RCSC by an expert which is voted on by the members. Adoption of a Master Plan will minimize the wasteful spending on large special interest projects that currently takes place.
MOTION LANGUAGE
I move to amend Article III – Assessment and Fees to add new section 4 which reads as follows:
ARTICLE III – ASSESSMENTS, ANDFEES, AND MEMBER APPROVED MASTER PLAN …
SECTION 4: MEMBER APPROVED MASTER PLAN
The Recreation Centers of Sun City, Inc. shall formulate, adopt and follow a data-based Master Plan prepared by an outside expert that takes into account broad member and management input, amenities and activities offered by other 55+ communities, current trends and other market and demographic factors. The Master Plan shall be adopted by a majority vote of the members at a membership meeting at which a quorum of members is represented. Annually thereafter, changes to the Master Plan shall be approved by a majority vote of the members at a membership meeting held at which a quorum of members is represented.
If members are unable to assemble a quorum or reject the Master Plan or changes thereto at any members meeting which includes the Master Plan as an agenda item, the Board may adopt the recommendation of the Long-Range Planning Committee with or without Board recommended changes by majority vote.

 

Subject: Bylaw Amendment for March 11, 2025 Member Meeting Agenda
Topic: Two Year Limitation on Changing Member Amendments
Presented by H. John Fast
Reason for Change:
This amendment is necessary to clarify the period of time which a voter approved bylaw may not be changed by the Board. Without this clarification, voter approved bylaw amendments could be deemed permanent or only effective until the next Board meeting following the vote if the Board votes to reverse the amendment.
MOTION LANGUAGE
I move to amend Section 4 of Article IV - MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS as follows:
SECTION 4: MEMBERSHIP MEETING RULES AND REGULATIONS …
The Bylaws may be amended, modified, revised or revoked by the Directors or by the Members. In the event of conflict concerning the Bylaws as amended, modified, revised or revoked by the directors, the action of the Members will prevail. With limited exception Bylaw and Master Plan amendments passed at a membership meeting at which a quorum is present may not be amended within the two-year period starting on the date of adoption except by another member vote at a duly called membership meeting at which a quorum is present.

 

Subject: Bylaw Amendment for March 11, 2025 Member Meeting Agenda
Topic: PRE- MASTER PLAN PIF EXPENDITURE RESTRICTIONS
Presented by H. John Fast
Reason for Change
Subject to specific exceptions, this amendment will prohibit more wasteful PIF expenditures on projects which appear on the PIF forecast currently approved by the Board with an allocated amount on any PIF schedule of greater than $750,000, regardless of prior board approval. Once a member approved master plan has been adopted the limitations becomes null and void.
MOTION LANGUAGE
I move to amend Article III – Assessment and Fees by adding a new temporary Section 5 to read as follows:
ARTICLE III – ASSESSMENTS, ANDFEES,MEMBER APPROVED MASTER PLAN AND PRE-MASTER PLAN PIF EXPENDITURE RESTRICTIONS …
SECTION 5: RESTRICTIONS ON PRE-MASTER PLAN PIF EXPENDITURES:
Effective with the passage of the amendment to this Article III, no PIF funds may be expended on any PIF project with an amount allocated on any schedule dealing with PIF spending of over $750k until a Business Case Analysis as required by Board Policy 16 is completed, the Long Range Planning Committee has recommended the project for inclusion in the Master Plan and a member vote has been taken at which at least 10% of the total membership votes and a majority of the members vote for the PIF project to be included in the Master Plan when adopted by the Members or the Board as the case may be. The foregoing limitation shall not apply to:
a. Any PIF project that is currently required to meet regulatory requirements provided that any component of the project which is not required to meet regulatory requirements shall be subject to the limitation and
b. Any PIF project that can be shown through a data driven risk analysis to significantly enhance the safety of the members or that addresses an urgent safety need and
c. Any capital repair necessary to the continued use of an existing amenity and
d. Remodeling the Mountain View pool area.
The above restrictions shall be null and void and stricken from the bylaws after the date on which a Master Plan is adopted by the Members.

 

Subject: Bylaw Amendment for March 11, 2025 Member Meeting Agenda
Topic: Master Plan Meetings – Video Recording Requirement
Presented by H. John Fast
Reason for Change:
This change is necessary to assure transparency in the making of financial and long term decisions.
MOTION LANGUAGE
I move to amend Article XII - Committees to read as follows:
ARTICLE XII – COMMITTEES
SECTION 1: COMMITTEES
A committee is a small group of Members,…
All meetings of the Long Range Planning Committee, Finance, Budget and Audit Committee and any special committee whose purposes include facility use, modification, replacement or long term planning will be open, and video recorded. Such meetings that are open and video recorded shall include any meeting in which one or more Long Range Planning or Finance, Budget and Audit committee member is a participating member.

 

Thanks John

 

Thank you for the opportunity to attend the meeting tomorrow/today, but 2 prior commitments has my time already stretched.
In regards to reviewing the extravagant expense of a dog facility, why can’t the board make a motion to rescind the funding? I am asking because I honestly want to know why the board can’t reverse itself or revoke a decision now deemed not in the best interests of the membership, in my opinion? A million and a half dollars can go a long way in the facilities, member outreach, IT support and so on.
Thank you for posting the copy provided for review. It is appreciated.

 

I believe the BOD can change any vote they previously made. They did so on the MV project a few years ago.
I also believe the $1.5 million dog park vote was to “study the issue and to look for a location for an indoor dog facility.”
Please correct me if I’m mistaken.

 

Simply put....the Board can rescind the motion.
The question is....do they want to?

 

That is (was) correct.

 

Looks like the new by-laws present the March of the Dead MBAs from the Black Lagoon. MBA for Master Plan which has no price tag to Business Case Studies for PIF projects with no explanation who is going to carry this task out but I’ll bet an MBA is involved as this title is straight out of Business School and no price tag on this tidbit. Then there is an annual update on the Master Plan with no price tag and will probably involve an MBA.

Some people wonder why I am hostile to MBAs, this is exhibit 1. If this is what you vote for, you deserve whatever happens to you. I urge to vote no on this.

 

If the Board thinks they are going to spend our money building a dog stadium, they've really gone to the dogs!
There is not a retirement community in the country that has a dog stadium. I love dogs, but this is crazy.

 

Sun City Citizens, let's get real. We are the low priced retirement community for a reason. Over 63 years old. Get in your car and drive around, folks don't have enough money to do simple upgrades like paint, new windows, doors and cleanup of there properties.
I still applaud and support the efforts to get the master plan, but folks, please understand, we only have SO MUCH MONEY to play with here.
We are never going to make this place look like Pebble Creek or The Grand because the community is old, very run down in many areas, and no one it seems has enough will, energy or money to keep the place looking clean, fresh and modern.
I am shocked at how dumpy the community is looking on many streets. I am shocked that we are letting this place turn into a massive rental farm without any firm rules or constraints on folks coming in here and wearing out our Rec Centers. I've said this for years, but we need to be charging visitors and guests a lot more to come in and wear down our facilities.
We are being taken advantage of, and if this Board keeps talking about ways to make money, you start right there Board.
You raise the yearly fees on folks who never go, and you allow hundreds of guests plow in and wear the place down. If we charged a day fee of $20 for guests to come in, that's where you start making money and Rec centers would fare better.

 

Eileen,

Your points are well taken and demonstrate RCSC has been operating without a plan for far too long.

John

 

John,

I salute and support all of your hard efforts. I think you have everyone more than interested on hopeful positive outcomes for our community!

 

John, I do applaud all the work you have done in researching, studying, and formulating these motions for next month. Given all this effort, I was surprised that you resigned from the board when that venue seems to be a more direct approach in changing how we operate. You elected to go this route, so be it. I do like your idea of a master plan in general, but the cost and constraints may be a bit unwieldy but that is a discussion for another day. I specifically, would ask you consider the impact of your $750K project cost process changes (as a short title and description ). As I understand it your motion that would stop all the projects we have in motion in their tracks. No ADWR water remediation projects, no PAC, no RV golf maintenance shed; etc. As you know, my concern is on the golf side of the house. For any of the projects to get underway, they would have to go thru the master plan process that you describe (which will not be in place or under contract once this motion passes), injects delays downstream on the other scheduled ADWR projects necessary at all the other golf courses, and effectively freeze any projects for an extended period of time. Is that years? I have no idea how ADWR will react to that hypothetical but I am sure it would not be to our advantage. If that is what you want, passage of this action will definitely achieve that. Golf is a staple of this community and this undermines that amenity in a heartbeat if it passes. To the folks that are concerned about marketing “buy a home in Sun City where you can play golf on dried up courses” is an advertisers dream I must say. I highly recommend you consider the downstream effects of this, and pull this motion. This will bring projects in the works to a stop for years, and we are already behind in a number of enhancement areas. We have a duly elected representative form of governance and yes, they need to make sound decisions in our best interests, If not there are other avenues, to provide your input.

 

John, if you wish to discuss, we can get together. A number of moving parts here to do in a chat.