In another thread, Emily said perhaps the board was doing exactly what they thought was right, even if it was simply following the lead of the GM. Her further point was Sun City is run well and why would/should we be concerned if there is a minor misstep here or there? Before i begin answering, i have to reveal my curse, the one thing that has buggered me most of my adult life. I seldom look at things and am satisfied; i invariably try and grasp what i could have done different for a better outcome. It's why the day i moved to Sun City i began pondering, questioning and studying. Our history was rich with clues and the future was a blank slate of evolving challenges that would cause us to have to do more than just stay the course. There was little question what was going on outside the walls would impact us inside the walls. Through the myriad of organizations and the countless articles i wrote, i was convinced, we could do better. As i joined the RCSC board i was sure i could make a difference. Sometimes i am that way; foolish. I was i month on the board at the end of January 2012 and was still writing my backside blog from the museum entitled Sun City Today. I always found it cathartic to write and after a coffee with a good friend i penned this next piece posted below. I will break it up so this doesn't read like War and Piece, but i am curious, what would you do if you were king/queen for a day in Sun City?
“If i were king…” The year was 1981 or 1982 and i had just finished a racquetball game with then president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO president Dave Roe. We were sitting in the steam room talking about organized labor and a comment was made about worker’s compensation and the sorry state it was in. I asked him one of my favorite lines and it went something like this: “if you could rebuild it from the ground up, would it look like it does today?” Funny, that question always brings a smile to their face. Seems very little that evolves over time ever ends up looking like we think it should. Band-aids atop broken arms seldom results in well healed fractures. Consequently, it was no surprise yesterday when i stopped for coffee (geez Starbucks is over priced, too bad we don’t have a community living room eh?) with an old friend who is like minded and he twisted the question just a touch to me. In fact, he started the conversation with tag line you see in the header: “If i were king, i would…” It was the exact variation i love to use in looking at what is and wondering what could be done to make it better. What was so interesting/challenging is most of the things we talked about is doable. Let’s be blunt; Sun City is a great place to live, but i have to believe there are things almost anyone living here would love to do (or have done) to tweak it to be even better. It’s the human nature for some of us, to want to tinker and improve on what is in front of us. I suppose some of you are quite contented with the status quo; nothing wrong with that by the way. What was the old line from Sly and the Family Stone? Different strokes for different folks. Just some of us are wired differently and feel a sense of accomplishment or purpose when we can make something work better than it has in the past: Akin to the old car collector who can take that rusted out 27 Ford and make it sparkle and purr like a kitten. The good news is is Sun City is more like a really great 57 Chevy that just needs its engine tuned. Over the years boards have “fixed” problems by simply adding to the documents, changing direction or ignoring the intent and sometimes the content. Nothing evil or sinister, just internal combustion and inertia working over time. Seems only fitting to end this metaphor filled blog with yet another (or is it a simile?). We know in Sun City, chiropractors are very busy. Seems almost everyone i bump into has been or is going in for another realignment. You know, that slight adjustment to get their old spine straightened out. So we stay in everyone’s comfort zone, let’s look at this like a trip to good old doctor Friendly. I’m proposing we start now laying out suggestions to improve Sun City. Nothing too dramatic, we have enough of that going on already. I’m talking just common sense approaches to tweaking either the RCSC or other organizations that will make them more user friendly. Or if you really are daring, why not get out the robe, scepter and crown and see how it feels to be king for a day. Fun.
"If I were King...." I would start off with 2 immediate changes and they are..... 1) start raising the bar for Board Candidate Requirements by adding a simple 4 to 8 hour class/presentation (or more) that a candidate has to attend to be validated as a candidate...the class would be on basic history of Sun City, the amenities of Sun City/RCSC and ancillary groups, duties of the Board of Directors and RCSC Management with a segment on " how it all works" and 2) create a dress code for Directors to follow when they are before the public at Exchanges and Board meetings (only 2 times a month). You would think that this topic would not have to be brought up but there does seem to be at times a lack of pride for the position and a lack of respect for what the RCSC members have to look at (at the minimum get rid of the shower shoes). Raising the bar for candidates to qualify could actually attract more candidates. At the moment the bar is so low you have to get a shovel and dig a hole to find it. I've been told that there should NOT be a dress code because the Board of Directors are volunteers in essence, they are retired and they don't get paid. I am sure that the thrift stores still sell second hand slacks, shoes and socks. It doesn't take much to obtain at least one change of a button down sport shirt, slacks, shoes and socks.
Fair question e, and clearly you didn't in your last post. I have read hundreds of your comments and seems to me at times you haven't always agreed with the board's action's My apologies if i am incorrect, i did try and minimize it with "small missteps." That said, because i am outspoken about governance issues in the community hardly means i think less of Sun City. The challenge for all of us is if we simply stay silent because we don't want to be negative, we fall into that mindset that says, "everything must be okay because people aren't turning out in mass to criticize us." I've listened to that argument for too many years to believe it true. And thanks Gary; love those first comments regarding a heightened board members education. I'd even consider it mandatory for people to be candidates. Almost nothing is more painful than watching candidate forums where people answer questions by saying they have no idea what PIF is, or other topics they should have a basic working knowledge of. Choked a bit on the dress up comments. With all due respect, lipstick on a pig still leaves you with a pig. During my work life i saw any number of remarkably well dressed labor leaders who couldn't find their ass with either hand.
KFAD could be dangerous in the wrong hands... maybe mine. First things first, set a reasonable quorum level that has the possibility of success (aka: power to the people). I don't know what that number is. The number is probably not 100, but maybe it is 300 or 500. Second, make the BOD accountable for their actions. For instance if they decide to spend $40M on something they should have to justify it to the community before money can be allocated. Bottom line... if the BOD can't provide a legitimate and believable justification for something they have decided on then they should be told no, try again. Maybe it is some sort of veto process. I don't know, I'm just throwing the idea out there. Third, I love the idea of mandatory training to even be a candidate. How can you run for a BOD position if you haven't a clue about how Sun City has run successfully in the past. The training should cover past failures as well as successes, typically we learn best from our past failures... well, at least we should. Fourth, establish a reasonable process to oust a BOD member(s) that doesn't have the community in mind. If a BOD member is on the BOD for the feeling of power or prestige then they don't belong there. A BOD member should be there as a servant to the community, not a ruler. Dress code... hmm, not a terrible idea. I'm sure each BOD member could find a decent polo and a shoes in their closet. You shouldn't need to dress like you are going to church or a funeral, but at least take the position serious enough to put some nice clothes on. Basically if I were king for a day I would attempt to change the rules to where the opinion of the citizens actually matter and can make a difference.
