Lehrer & Lenefsky RESIGN! (Large and In Charge)

Board Director Resignations Announced

RCSC Members are advised that resignations have been received from Dale Lehrer and Allan Lenefsky effective immediately.

Information announcing the process to be used to fill these vacant RCSC Board of Director positions will be released shortly.

RCSC email blast Wednesday, March 1, 2023

 

Thanks for posting eyesopen, i was going to start a new thread with this header: Large and In Charge.

Over the years i've written volumes about the challenges of both board members and RCSC staff who come to their positions knowing about for profit businesses, but are freaking clueless about how non-profits function and what their actual jobs are. I don't mean that to insult anyone, it is simply the reality of how organizations that are created to serve a purpose and a population become fixated on acting as for profits. They are ying and yang.

So the fact that two more board members resigned is of no surprise. Both were a part of the majority status board who just did as they pleased. Having lived most of my work life and all of my retired life working with boards of non-profits, you quickly come to understand the majority rules. You also know that as part of the minority you get out voted. If you realize that, you are faced with the difficult choice of staying to fight for the things you believe in or quit.

I spent three years on the board being out voted. I did however stay true to my beliefs and voiced my minority opinion loudly and emphatically. In the end, i also accepted the premise that all boards function on and under; the majority rules. Over the years, the RCSC strayed from the principles; one board member one vote and embraced the idea the officers were more important than those not holding office. That drove me nuts, but when you are LARGE AND IN CHARGE, you just start doing as you please.

I've been an outspoken critic of a couple of the new board's decisions. They're getting better. I've watched as the new majority took ownership of the process while still allowing the minority to state their opinions. It's how it is supposed to work; no one board member is more important than the next. In the end though, the majority rules. It's how it works.

Apparently for the two who quit, they only wanted to participate if they got their way. It's a reflection of what happens when folks get elected who think we are a for profit business rather than a non-profit organization. Hopefully those watching all of this unfold learn from what is going on. If you only want to serve on the board so you can be large and in charge, you have run for the wrong reasons.

 

Wouldn't it be kinda nice if WE, THE MEMBERS got to read their letters of resignation too? After all, WE were the ones who elected them in the first place!

The interesting part of this is who will fill those vacancies?

 

BPearson, “i was going to start a new thread with this header: Large and In Charge.”
Now incorporated in the title! Thanks.

 

Application Process Announced
RCSC Members interested in filling the current vacancies on the RCSC Board of Directors are encouraged to submit a letter of interest and resume by Friday, March 10, 2023 to the RCSC Corporate Office at Lakeview Center or by email to boardoffice@suncityaz.org.

Those interested must meet the following qualifications:

• Must be at least fifty-five (55) years of age; Must be Member in good standing;
• Must not reside with or be related by marriage or birth to any other Board of Director, Board candidate, or Senior Management;
• Must reside in Sun City, Arizona and be available at least ten (10) months of the year; and
• Must meet the requirement to hold an Arizona liquor license

Those selected will serve as Director for the remainder of 2023.
(Anyone?)

https://mailchi.mp/0295348f29ea/board-resignations-announced-7513550?e=f18f779945

 

IF there are no additional “surprises,” we elect four directors in November!
ELECTION 2024
Four Director Positions Will Be Open
* Elect three for terms ending 2023
Sue Wilson
Dale Lehrer
John Nowakowski
* Elect One year term ending 2024
Allan Lenefsky - Resigned 2023

The board as of March 1st, 2023
* R - Resigned. *D - Dismissed
2021 - 2023 Term
*R Dale Lehrer - Three year term (*resigned 3.1.23, a one year replacement will be appointed through 2023)
*R Sue Wilson - Three year term (*resigned 12.31.22)
Denny Nichols (*one year replacement for Sue Wilson appointed thru 2023)
*D Karen McAdam (*Dismissed June 2021,
Gene Westermeir appointed through 2021)
John Nowakowski - Elected, two year term (*remaining McAdam’s first term 2022 - 2023)
2022 - 2024 Term
Karen McAdam - Three year term
Kat Fimmel - Three year term
*R Allan Lenefsky - Three year term (resigned 3.1.23, a one year replacement will be appointed through 2023)
2023 - 2025 Term
John Fast - Three year term
Steve Collins- Three year term
Jean Totten - Three year term

 

I don't belong to any other Blog sites but just wondering if anything interesting has popped-up?

Seems all's quiet on the western front?

 

Some discussion on Sun City Advocates Facebook site. Of course, Mr. Twain, is disappointed about the possibility of the theater taking longer than hoped. Not much else that I know about.

 

Don't mean to be nasty but I think Mr. Twain shouldn't be holding his breath waiting to perform at a new theater even IF they do break ground next April!

And Mr. Twain needs to realize that a new theater/Performing Arts Center isn't for his or the Player's exclusive use.

Seems the whole world has decided that everything is only about "ME"?

 

Social media has become challenging with the hit and run comments along with the commenters inability to engage in a meaningful dialogue. "Mark Twain's" implications that the giant conspiracy/scam to blow up the Players hopes for a theater are at the heart of the past several years efforts by the Sun City Advocates. He apparently isn't capable of grasping the foolishness of spending a fortune on the MV project as long as he gets his.

The reality, at least for me, as a i think about the massive amount of stupidity that unfolded in 2021 and 2022 cannot be overlooked. With the release of the "new and improved plans" for Mountain View at the June, 2021 meeting and them shoving them through in fear of the backlash with the final reading in September, it spoke volumes to us. There would have been a myriad of questions and the board knew and understood the challenges of having to answer them.

Then they compounded it all by firing Karen the end of June, 2021 as she was leaving the country. She was just one of a couple of no votes on the project, but they were apparently terrified by the impact of her commentary. That's truly when the proverbial shit hit the fan. I know they are incapable of any type of rigorous honesty, but they brought virtually all of this on themselves. One has to wonder, had they just let her voice her no votes, if any of the craziness that followed would even have happened?

In my humble opinion, had they not been so foolish, there would be no Sun City Advocates group. They would still have their concentration of power. They wouldn't have had to spend the entirety of 2022 trying to garner votes for their chosen candidates by promising everything to everybody. Thank goodness for their arrogance in believing the membership didn't care and would buy into the promises attached to massive price tags.

Sun City home sales are down; dramatically. It isn't a Sun City thing; due to high mortgage rates and inflation home sales are flat everywhere. It's not so much on the buying end here, but on the selling end of where they would be moving from. It's too early to tell if this is an ongoing trend, or just a short blip on the screen. Board members have an obligation to pay attention to that. Failing to do so has the potential to leave our future plans in a true quandary.

I would hope (and expect) one of the potential candidates to be a member of the Sun City Players. I told that group years ago to do just that and rather than make the commitment, they hoped others would carry their water for them. The cry often becomes but what about a "conflict of interest?" I guess you would have to ask the board members who were golfers as we shoveled 50 million dollars into golf courses. Nope, not arguing it was wrong, just stating the obvious; if you are serving on the board and a project needs to be done, then vote to do it or in the worst case scenario make your arguments and then recuse yourself from the vote.

Rebuilding and refocusing on the membership's involvement is a slow and tedious process. The great news is, that process has begun.

 

Just as the RCSC has taken Bill's advice to advertise to fill the board vacancies and accept resumes' from ALL the Members who may want to serve on the board for one year, which is the first time they have ever done it this way as far as I can remember. They need to involve the entire Membership on exactly what the COMMUNITY wants at the Mountain View location.

What do we need more, another Recreation Center (number 8) with all the typical amenities when Fairway is less than one mile away, or a state of the Art Performing Arts Center?

This decision needs the entire communities input. After all, it is OUR money!

 

Bill mentioned conflict of interest, which brings up an interesting an overriding point. Karen was criticized mightily for COI for speaking up for pickelball. Keep in mind, everyone that is involved in ANY type of club probably has some type of bias or a vested interest - think golf advisory (wondering why fees haven't been increased as expenses rise), think clay and ceramics (presumedly given budget priority for Club expenditures), think Grand Avenue facility (how did we suddenly get a large 8th center that started from a car club facility)...the list goes one. What policy is in place for Board AND committee members for signing a COI statement. Disclosure and transparency is essential. But taking this further, the scenario we find ourselves in goes back to the lack of an adopted master plan! This lack of strategic, thoughtful planning allows the Board to throw things on to a spreadsheet, put a placeholder/temporary dollar figure on it, and then see how we roll. Thankfully, the LRPC is back on task, but we are dangerously behind the 8-ball at this point.

I'm 100% for a PAC. I come from a community that has a historic Victorian theater that is the centerpiece/showpiece of our city. In fact, it's on the National Register of Historic Places and listed in the top 10 small theaters in the country - sadly, it only seats about 400 people! But, it is stunning, perfect acoustics, quaint, intimate, and it has hosted performers from all over the country, plus it had been the stage for our community theater for 100 years! As well as a stage for our high school and elementary schools, long before such a stage existed in our modern schools. We need one here. It needs to be done well. It needs to LAST! It needs to accommodate many types of performances.

We have to think about the future. That's one reason why I would like an alternative to placing it in the center of a recreation facility. I think consideration should be given to a stand alone building that can stand the test of time. Our BEAUTIFUL theater was almost torn down by our City Council in the 1950's to make way for a parking lot! Yes...a parking lot. It once also housed our public library. But two very passionate women in our community set out to save her! This memorial to the young daughter of a WI lumber baron still stands today, and provides entertainment to hundreds every month. They've recently added a "Spirit Room" so patrons can enjoy wine and beer before or after performances or other special events. Also, a play on words, because some still believe the theater is haunted by the ghost of Mabel Tainter.

I share this because building, tearing down and rebuilding a PAC just doesn't make sense. I also understand the players angst, and issues with finding an appropriate location. But, maybe it's time to rethink the strategy.

 

This quote is from the news article where Ms. Lehrer and Mr. Lenefsky explain their reasons for resigning from the RCSC Board:

The mission reads, “To provide the broadest range and recreational and social facilities possible to enhance the active lifestyle and well-being of Sun City residents.” The vision reads, “To serve our community with a friendly and courteous attitude,” while the values read, “A commitment to quality, service, communication, cooperation, integrity and fiscal responsibility.”

Can anyone tell me where I can find these statements? I have searched the RCSC Website and can't locate them.

Thanks,
Janet

 

It's in the Recreation Centers of Sun City FAQ's...kinda!

 

Thanks, Tom. I found the Mission Statement, but not the Vision or Values Statements. Must be why you said "kinda". There are two FAQs on the website. I started with the one under the "RCSC" tab and just assumed they were the same. Never assume anything!

 

So I guess because the entire board didn't agree with Lehrer or Lenefsky's vision or interpretation of that quoted statement it's okay to just quit?

 

I find it ironic that she chose to quote the vision-mission-values statements when she clearly led in stark opposition to those ideals.

I really think the news statement reflects poorly on both of them. People truly committed to an agenda and way of thinking usually don't give up so easily and quit.

I say good riddance if that is how they believe board members should behave as they did. Decorum, open discourse and the ability to take on tough issues are exactly what is needed now and we need people committed to our future. Opposition is not a bad thing. Your attitude and listening skills can uncover the best path forward if you are willing to try.

 

Darn, just read the message about volunteering to be a board member, and by golly, missed the cut off date. Too bad for me, another missed opportunity to be a contributng member of the board,one that is cognizant of a new direction and forward thinking enough to keep me involved and entertained. That's me, always a day late and a dollar short.

Good luck to those who make the attempt to further contribute the future of Sun City and restore the values of the membership

 

“Darn, just read the message about volunteering to be a board member, and by golly, missed the cut off date. Too bad for me,”

TOO BAD FOR US! Your voice, expertise and love of Sun City would have been an amazing contribution. There are four director positions open for the November ‘23 election…is this enough notice?!?
* Three Year Terms
Sue Wilson
Dale Lehrer
Nowakowski (*remaining McAdam’s 1st term ending 2023)
* One year term (ending 2024 replacement)
Allan Lenefsky - Resigned 2023

 

Made me laugh out loud! I truly needed the levity in my life right now. My comment was very tongue in cheek, as I could be appointed, but because of two almost prior terms, I am ineligible to run in the future. My comment to that fact would be glad, be very glad!

I feel you are all doing what you can with the knowledge and skills you have, No one has made the indelible imprint on this community as much as you have. I am proud and privileged to know and be a part of the circle that really does support and recommend your actions for today and the future.

Know that I am the new boards biggest cheerleader, albeit from behind the scenes. Keep up the great work as you all move forward, you are great!