This information is based upon what I saw and read. The question of posting meetings on YouTube along with other forms of recording/sharing live meetings was put to all of the Board candidates at the first Candidate Forum and all were in favor. At the November Board/Member Exchange the same question was put forth to the 7 of the 9 board members in attendance with 4 showing some form of favoring the idea and 3 would not answer. After that Member/Exchange there was a Board Work Session to discuss the matter. Several days later there were headlines in one of the newspapers stating that RCSC would remain OLD SCHOOL in their meetings with the article going on to state that any recording or live-streaming of meetings was NOT under consideration. There may be other versions of this out there but that is my take on it.
Don't hold your breath waiting on that one E. Our best hope for a more progressive board is after the turn of the calendar and we get 4 new board members. The current ones are locked into following managements lead. Jan is no fan of recording and playback and boards thus far have been unwilling to push to change that. I had written a lengthy post following the last member exchange but it got lost when my computer froze (goodness i hate that). The member exchange was fascinating in that the boards efforts was all about the voters and how they put the board in a position they just hated. I won't belabor the point here, i did so in another thread, but the reality is there's plenty to be learned from this past years efforts. Let me start with a simple premise i cling to from my years of running a non-profit and from serving on countless boards: Boards set policy, management carries it out. I know all too often the balance of "power" in these kinds of settings is challenging, but when one side becomes greater than the other, there's a potential for issues to arise. Need to step away from the computer for a bit, but there's more to this saga and i will continue when i return.
You would think that discussing taping and archiving meetings and important town hall type forums would be an important topic at the RCSC Communications Committee meetings. You would think in the monthly summary it would show they are encouraging the RCSC to send out important information via email blasts. The agenda and proposed motions to be voted on should be emailed prior to the monthly Member Exchange so members could attend if they have questions. Right now the Committee is hung up on planting flowers to make the centers more welcoming. Ugh......I certainly hope the 2017 Communications Committee has better leadership and tackles matters that really concern our Sun City RCSC cardholders and privilege cardholders. It's great to run on the platform of better communication and transparency but let's see them back it up with action.
Points well made aggie. Committees often seem irrelevant when the chairs only deal with minutia rather than letting them sink their teeth into the issues that are more complex and of greater impact. Organizational structure is fascinating to watch; as an outsider you only get glimpses while as an insider you see the dysfunction. If you think not, look at the former RCSC board members who come to meetings and implore existing boards to do things differently only to be ignored. The concentration of control within the 9 member board and management has been an ongoing spiral for the past 10 years. Hopefully this new board with 4 being elected will begin to reverse that process. It's not impossible to consider, as a simple majority of 5 can quickly come together and make the needed changes. The challenge will be to overcome managements push not to. We already know from the candidate forums they have said the want to record for playback board and member exchanges and they also committed to reinstating the long range planning committee. Only one candidate waffled on both those issues. This massive increase will push the board to be more proactive in meeting community expectations as we go forward.
Residents keep commenting in various ways, saying they want recordings. I read it in the Independent, and of course on this site.Yet the response I read was they had no plans to do it. What kind of a blow-off answer is that? If the new board does not do it (most said they were in favor of it) maybe some of us need to carry big picket-type signs into a meeting to get the point across. Or does it really take a lawsuit? Its a simple thing really residents are asking for. Very small but being made to look large by their refusal. "Jan is no fan of recording and playback and boards thus far have been unwilling to push to change that." So then basically at this point we live in Jan City? Or should that be Dan? See if I could actually watch a board meeting online I could relate to the people. True I don't live there yet, but I own a house and pay my dues.
I have no factual idea why the board/management are reluctant to allow audio and/or video recording of meetings. In the past they've said members would be reluctant to speak if the were being recorded/videoed. Although there probably is some truth in that, I suspect it's more that the board/management doesn't want a record of what they say since that could become evidence in legal proceedings. As I recall, in the years leading up to the lawsuit, personal recordings were made by attending members which allowed opposition forces to quote misstatements. That aggravated the board and they declared no recordings. FYI, Arizona is a "one party" permission state regarding recording, meaning you don't need the other party's permission or disclosure that you're recording. However, businesses may restrict recordings as they see fit.Recording Phone Calls, Conversations, Meetings and Hearings | Digital Media Law Project
The reality of recording is...people get used to it. And its a very helpful tool, especially in a community where many are snowbirds, home-bound or just find it difficult to get out. If any place needs this, its a retirement community. The refusal is just plain mean and self-centered. One thing is for sure, sooner or later the old guard will be out and the new will be in. It WILL happen.
