“We have the opportunity of a lifetime to shape our community and to chart a course that will prepare us for the future. The key to meeting the challenges ahead that we face is the willingness of our members to be informed on issues and to become active participants in the process of self-governance. As the keepers of our community, our members should be willing to ask difficult questions, be willing to hear and accept answers and to participate together to create solutions that are in the best interests of the corporation, the community, and its members. If we are to sustain our community for another 60 years, change is inevitable and necessary.” **More** Opinion piece Sun City Independent online today, no subscription required: HERE
Clearly, this new board gets the importance of letting the members speak their minds. The bigger challenges comes when the question of listening to what some members want rather than what is fiduciary responsible. The classic example will be on display at the September board meeting. The golfers, especially the ones buying full play passes, will be out in force. They will be lobbying for cheap golf and their right to take all the best tee times in season (Nov-April). As i detailed in the thread on Palmbrook, expenses will be exploding regarding golf and if changes aren't made, our courses will continue to deteriorate. No one wants to talk about how the golf courses were purchased and why they should try and at least be close to revenue neutral. In fact, i don't care if we subsidize golf, but i want to know how much we are paying so those full play pass buyers can pay $6 a round.
Exactly! Get it all on paper. Preferably on one page. Actual expenses and revenue available. For everything.
Management and Finance are working hard to ensure that members can see and understand where revenue comes from, where dollars are needed and how those dollars will be spent. Every effort is being made to provide the membership with a financial/budget presentation, including visuals, to make sure all of the details are available in various formats. The Finance Committee will be reviewing a line by line budget for every department that accounts for every dollar. They are committed to full transparency. No secrets. No smoke and mirrors. Bill Pearson provided a good overview of what has been transpiring during committee meetings as they have been digging in to the details of RCSC finances. RCSC members can be assured that management has provided detailed financial information and the Committee has participated in the development of this budget. This is not just a management developed budget as in years past. This year's "team" process is long overdue, and more closely follows best practices for organizations like RCSC. It's important that members attend and/or watch meetings to receive information as it is provided. Nothing is being done in a vacuum.
It's probably no longer true but I was once told by a former Director that if each golf course, on a rotating schedule, would close for one month, golf would be profitable. This was of course several years ago when one of the courses was actually closed for a while and I guess they saw the dollar numbers. Don't know or remember which one. That would certainly save on the wear and tear and cut down on maintenance costs? Maybe even allow bicycles and walking on the cart trails while the course is closed for that month?
