URGENT UPDATE ON SUN CITY LIBRARIES

Let's clarify the Dog Park issue please. It is not an indoor "Dog Park". Sun City Best Friends Dog Club has been asking for a room to use for training classes for years. Not a park! Right now the rent/use space they can get outside of SC. It is obedience "training classes" not a park in any way like Duffeeland. Just a room like Petsmart has.

 

Thanks for the info. So is the BOD/management planning to produce a “master plan”?

 

Is this your idea of a joke?

 

Yeah, she was trying to be cute and deflect.

 

You are correct, HH. I have corrected it in my earlier post. Thanks for the heads up!

 

You tell me Janet? The request is for a 10,000 square foot air conditioned building (they were offered a room and they turned it down). Go back and listen to their comments at meetings and when i hear the words to "build it to socialize our dogs," what does that mean? I've been a member of the best friends dog club, we've taken their training, they do a good job. That said, do you really see us investing 1.5 million-2.5 million dollars on a building that is only used for training? When it is sitting empty in the heat of summer, will anyone be lobbying to use it for something other than the 20-30 hours of training per week (that's assuming 4 plus hours a day 7 days a week)? Do the math, that means the building is sitting empty and unused for 8 plus hours a day.

 

Thank you. Everyone refers to it as an indoor dog park, no clue why.

 

So it has to be designated specifically to dog training 24/7, 365/year? No other clubs share space?

 

That would be a good idea, Jean. I have been trying to work within the system without getting too loud with my concerns about the Foundation. However, I have spent four years listening to how we have limited funds and RCSC is not using their tax exempt vehicle to find outside funding. Our country is in the largest transfer of wealth ever known. The latest figure I read was $80 Trillion dollars will pass from the baby boomers to their children and favorite charities. Smart nonprofit organizations are already profiting from this. Why not Sun City Foundation? It might prevent another increase in the lot assessment for everyone.

p.s. RCSC is a nonprofit 501(c)4. Sun City Foundation is a charitable nonprofit 501(c)3. Donations to a 501(c)3 are tax deductible for the donor. Example: Several years ago, a woman donated a large sum of money, I believe it was $100,000, to upgrade the lawn bowling courts in Sun City. That donation was run through the Foundation so the woman could take advantage of a perfectly legal tax deduction.

 

Thanks, Janet. We have many people putting in a lot of time to make sure we can provide an appropriate document for the Board and the membership. You made many valid points about the need for outside expertise and that is understood. Those shortcomings are recognizeds and being addressed. We are bringing everything we know today to the table based on the most up-to-date available information.

LRP has the PIF Budget; B&F has operations; Capital hss been under the leadership of Mike W; Matthew's Team has been working to compile all data points, fill in the blanks, and create the draft document. The Board directed the GM to have his team report to them by May 15. Moving forward, its expected there will be on-going discussions at the Board level, Exchanges, standing committees, Town Halls and more as we move forward. We need the first step to be completed on time to keep the 2025 budget improved budget process on schedule. A larger overall community "master plan" will require qualified planners...sooner than later. It's why this exercise has been so important. RCSC has had NO plans of any kind. If we wait to go backwards and try to start at where we should have been, we will just kick the can down the road some more.


I'm frustrated the Board voted for the training facility for 2025 without this draft. Moving forward, policies and procedures must change that. As a colleague said, there's an application to charter a club, but something that has lots of zeroes and commas gets put in the budget without any review by, theoretically, the two most knowledgeable committees and only cursory commentary by staff required to carry out the task. We can't operate this way.

As to other Clubs, I am aware that one of our very active Clubs has made a sizeable contribution and they should definitely be "tooting their horn."I hope someone from their Club sees this. It's not my place to do it but it's impressive an amount.

We're making progress. I hope we aren't stalled by the current unrest. This is very important work. There is no hidden agenda - we just have flawed systems and a lot of knee jerk, poorly written, but well intended motions.

 

No, Larry, not a laughing matter for the uninformed who may not even be aware of this eclipse. There are people of “of a certain” age, like the many residents of Sun City, who purposely avoid driving at night.

My comment is on topic. Libraries fiasco is going to dominate the Exchange meeting with mass attendance by members and residents of nearby communities served by our locations.

Information…not to deflect or change direction of discussion.

“Exchange & Eclipse Driving Safety
Many Sun City residents are expected to attend the RCSC Exchange meeting…”

 

It can only be viewed partially in AZ. Arizona is not in the path of totality, but skywatchers will be able to observe a partial eclipse here. In Arizona, the total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, 2024. The eclipse will begin at 10:08 a.m. Arizona time and reach its peak at 11:20 a.m. The eclipse ends at 12:35 p.m. The meeting is at 9am. As thorough as EO is I am a bit surprised that this info was not included. It's highly doubtful it will affect anyone driving here. The path of totality is quite a bit south and east of AZ. Here is an interesting timeline map.

https://nso.edu/for-public/eclipse-map-2024/

 

Exactly as stated in the original posted comment!
“WHEN TO EXPECT THE ECLIPSE IN OUR AREA

Path of the April 8, 2024 eclipse The big picture:
Around 64% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon for the eyes of Phoenix residents — with the eclipse starting at 10:08am and peaking at 11:20am. The forecast calls for periods of sunshine and clouds throughout the day.”

 

As important as this committee work is maybe the BOD could have the meeting videotaped? Sure would help us Sunbirds to see and hear the information. And would be transparent, educational, and eliminate much confusion surrounding the issues. Who is the chairperson(s) for the committee?

 

Bill,

The Board has lost a great deal of trust (including my own) in the last several weeks as a result of their actions and inactions. I take exception with your assertion that what the Board is doing right now is exactly what they would be trained to do... and I know we disagree. That is OK, even you can be wrong from time to time. (remember humor? Not everything recreationally related has to be life or death.) For example, I accept it is plausible you read things that said the GM acted on his own. However, I (and I believe you) know for a fact that the entire Board was fully informed of the expiring leases. And is it credible that someone with an Ivy league MBA would risk his entire remaining career to throw out longstanding libraries without informing at least the top two officers of the Board with whom he meets behind closed doors often? And is it a coincidence that one of the libraries is located right next to the BFDC.
So, what should the Board be doing? Stop taking stupid risks to achieve individual board member's agendas. And what should you be doing - Enjoying this wonderful community! One man's opinion.

Best Regards,

John

 

Thanks John. Great statement as it is both transparent and educational.

 

Only a fool thinks they are right all the time and i have admitted many a time when i have erred. In fact, i learned early on, the more involved we are and the more we put ourselves out there, the more prone we are to make an error. The bulk of those who are never wrong are usually those who never do or say anything.

As far as the libraries, i have no idea how much the board knew, other than what i have read. The one most constant statement was the board did in fact know the leases were expiring (which you also just stated above). Beyond that they have claimed Matthew was the sole force driving the bus. We'll see what he says tomorrow. As an insider you know better than i what was said in the board room or across the desk, or maybe you don't? Because your statement wasn't one of fact but of supposition. I have no idea what they have talked about.

Back to the things i have written; i did write and say the board did exactly what they should be doing. Here's the caveat, they are doing what they should be doing once they found out what had happened. Matthew was out of town (supposedly) when the stuff hit the fan. They arranged a meeting as soon as he got back (assuming it was true he was out of town) last Tuesday and immediately stopped the gm's announced closure of Fairway.

Personally i would have liked to see more than a 1 year time frame, but i am also pragmatic enough to know, the Monday meeting will be the real tipping point. I've written this a dozen times and encouraged members to trust the process called self-governance. In the end it was easier for many of them to just call the board and the gm names and fuel the flames. The difference is i do trust the process, you don't trust the board (your words not mine). I know you understand the difference.

Which is why the Advocates, as well as myself, endorsed you. All nine candidates over the three years all told us they believed the members voices mattered. After 20 years of being as deeply involved in Sun City's governance, i still see members voices playing a key role as we move forward. Once the nine of you were elected, my goal was/is to remove myself from the process and let others (who actually love Sun City and care about it's success) carry the torch.

The community is filled with smart people; members who can add to the equation of whether we are successful. Hopefully tomorrow's exchange meeting will result in a myriad of members interested in a level of participation that goes beyond screaming at them and calling them names. We'll see?

 

Bill, I do not believe the indoor dog training facility is the best use of our PIF funds at this time. Especially with the Mountain View project and golf course water issues pending. It is ideal if clubs and activities can share spaces when possible. Can the Best Friends Golf Club share space with others? Apparently they don't think so because of the heavy equipment that needs to be used. How about having maintenance help set up and take up the equipment?

When I was on the school board, it was said the only facilities that were vacant more than schools were churches. Churches had Sunday services with choir practice and youth activities on Wednesday evenings. Otherwise churches were vacant except for the occasional funeral and wedding. Schools sat empty for three months during the summer. I think both have found some additional uses. Now I may need to add RCSC club space to the list of spaces that sit vacant.

 

One of the four proxies was mine! I know how you love them, Dave. I was going to be out of town that day so I arranged to have a trusted friend have my proxy, mostly to help meet the quorum. There wasn't really any important issue on which to vote but I had hoped to help meet the quorum. Oh well, next time.......