It all began on January 1, 1960. We have lovingly called it Del Webb's Sun City even though he never came to the community til the first year anniversary and the opening of Town Hall South (Fairway). He was owner of DEVCO along with Jim Boswell. It's was Webb's people who really made it come to light. L.C. Jacobson, Tom Breen and Joe Ashton were the three primaries, but there were countless numbers that came along behind them. Literally thousands of employees across all sectors. In 1965 when the community was in trouble, John Meeker was sent in to fix it or kill the age restricted experiment and contain it south of Grand Ave. He was successful beyond anyone's wildest imagination. It's easy to focus on DEVCO and the employees but truth be told, it was really the new home buyers who embraced the concept of community. They called them "pioneers," and in part, they were. They came knowing little but were willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. Hundreds of volunteers the first 5 years serving on boards, shaping the community. When Meeker came that construct exploded ten fold. Thousands of volunteers, creating a sense of community. It was amazing to watch and even still today the history is captivating, at least for anyone willing to pay attention. When DEVCO left to build Sun City West in 1979 it all intensified. The community was caught in an internal struggle, move forward or stay the course. Common sense prevailed as residents found middle ground and found solutions. Our history is amazing and better yet it's all at the Museum. I could tick off dozens of volunteers over the years who made Sun City unique, special. Not a single one of them was ever the general manager. In fact, their role was relegated to running the day to day operations. That's it, nothing more nothing less. At today's board meeting i witnessed something i thought i would never see. It was shameful and embarrassing as things were said that our history could prove to be little more than nonsense. Nonsense written to fit a narrative to support abuses that have gone on for 15 plus years now. Sadly, the community, over that same 15 years has been changed to insulate those running it from those of us living here. I will tell you, it was not how we were built, it's not why we were successful. Today was a tragic day in Sun City's long and storied history.
Did you know, Sun City West dumped the Del Webb name a couple of years back? Yup, now it is just Sun City West. I was disappointed to see it, but the community made a decision to move forward with his name removed. The logic was they wanted to establish their own identity, their own brand if you will. Here's the oddity of it all. They (Sun City West) have remained more true to the tenets of the community than we have. They lost the name and clung to the values, we kept the name but divorced ourselves from many of the principles we were founded under. For most that statement won't mean much. Mostly because they don't know; they moved here and started to try and enjoy their lives in an active adult community. I get it. Rather than drudge on about sense of community and an ownership mentality, let me tell you one that i shared yesterday after the meeting with a couple of folks. I've said before, we shopped 5 different Del Webb communities before we bought in the original Sun City. Every one of them were newer nicer and more expensive. Not one of them felt so comfortable, so much like a place we would fit in, feel at ease. Sun City West was close. In the end we chose Sun City. As i grew to understand the history, i came to appreciate why this one was right/best for us. The community was filled with average working men and women, people from all walks of life. Then i found out it was one of the "tenets" John Meeker was most proud of. The simple fact the most expensive homes were built alongside the least expensive. There was no class separation, hell, nobody cared what you did for a living, how much money you had or how"successful" you were outside the walls. When someone asked me yesterday about our future, about an increase in the PIF and overall expenses i said this: My vision for the future of Sun City is it remain affordable for average working women and men for years to come. Those from all walks of life; school teachers, retail workers, business owners, doctors, service workers, tradesmen and women. My list would be endless, because those were the opportunities built into the community from the beginning. It was one of the things that helped make us unique, shape us. I would have been agreeable yesterday to raising the PIF to 4 k. It would have generated another million dollars a year, so between 8 and 9 million yearly assuming sales stay in the 2000 plus number each year. We all know what is going on in the housing market and for most who sell their home elsewhere, the PIF is like the proverbial pimple on the elephants ass. Unless of course you are just coming in with the bare minimum of savings and disposable income. Ultimately we have to be able to pay for the improvements and there is only way t Which leads me back to the overall actions during the past 15 years. The day we changed to a "lot assessment," we changed the community dynamic. No question, we made budgeting easier for the gm. But if we are to be honest, we have simply told single home owners they will subsidize couples. Both pay the same $496 yearly. I know all of the arguments, so spare me. What i also know is it is inherently unfair. Especially now that we know those rec fees have been used to prop up golf courses, which they were never intended to do. This community used to be affordable to the single person who lost their spouse through either divorce or death. I know, ugly discussion, but the realities of life. As we all wander down that road, what message are we sending? Welcoming? Or something else? Or, maybe no one cares?
