In the past couple of weeks the Independent Newspaper has had comments about people who do not love Sun City perhaps finding another place to live. Being a bi-product of the 60's I've never been a fan of the "love it or leave it" mentality. There's always room (at least in my mind) for honest differences of opinion. I know there are some who feel the outcry by the handful of anti-RCSC leadership is tantamount to criminal behavior, but those folks have a right to voice their displeasure as much as we have the right to crow from the mountaintop about how good we think it is. Just the way it is (IMHO). Here's the thing; we all know talk is cheap. Anyone can say anything they want these days, especially with the internet as a forum for "free speech." Accusations seldom breach the tenets of defamation. Most people are able to walk the line and avoid "slap suits." I (and most of you I suspect) have become accustomed to folks talking a good game. We all know how easy it is to say things. The true measure of those throwing out either accusations or applauding success should always be weighed in the outcomes, not what is said. Pretty simple really eh? So let's get to it: Sun City has existed for more than 53 years. We are unlike any other age restricted community in existence (Sun City West is the only other community even coming close to us). From the very beginning, those living here embraced the concept of ownership. Very early on we understood if Sun City was to survive and flourish we would have to do it because we were the ones that would make it happen. Here's the bottom line (especially for the critics of where we are today): * We have the most amenities. * We have the lowest cost. * We have no debt. * We have rebuilt our amenities so those living here weren't burdened with excessive cost. * We are self-governed. * We are looking to the future. * We understand the importance of getting more people involved. * Our future is spectacularly brilliant in that we will invest 50 to 60 million dollars in our infrastructure over the next 10 years (all from the PIF). Staggering stats and rather than inviting our critics to "love us or leave" invite them to try and respond to these outcomes. It should be challenging to say the least.
I'm with you Bill, but I've attended RCSC mtgs and spoke at them, sat in at various RCSC committees to put in my two cents and it was always the same--thanks, but the committee has already decided, the committee will decide and recommend to the board, join the committee or run for the board, etc. it seems there are few ways for a regular interested citizen to really hold any sway, so no wonder the showing is poor at the mtgs. The power needs to be brought back to the people by soliciting their input via various means, not making running for office or showing up for mtgs the main source of input. They should be soliciting via forums like these, setting up tables when we hold large events, phone polls, surveys--so easy via computer now, writing in the papers, etc. Committees should solicit from the residents, get a feel for their desires, then take those into consideration when making their recommendations to the board, then the board should present findings to the members and get them to vote or have their say, then the board can vote. Residents are too often cut out of the loop. Residents should have more of a sense that the committees and boards really do represent them, but they don't feel that way, so most never even cast votes in elections. An engaged citizenry needs to be cultivated and it isn't happening.
I just came across this post jack, wandering through the forums tonight (yeah, I have way too much time on my hands). I think you have hit on a common theme among Sun City residents, at least some that I have talked informally with. There doesn't seem to be any viable avenue for citizen input. It's a climate of we and they....we who live there, and they who run the RCSC and the various committees. I got kinda excited when BPearson ran for the board, I thought, at last, someone on the board who seems genuinely interested in what we think and in changing the climate of governance of SCRC, but even he has admitted that it is hard to change the direction of the board even from within. Perhaps we need to do more to encourage new people to run for the board, and in turn encourage those running to look to the citizens for ideas, not just to the board.
I like your optimism Emily, but the newbies in my neck of the woods don't want the involvement, this is their second home for as little as 3 months out of the year, so again, I'm hoping for more targeted "recruitment" for those who are more community minded and come with that as a lifestyle choice. archer, glad we're on the same page. Still don't know how to go about it other than as I've suggested here and on that other What Would it Take thread and elsewhere. Start with open forum at annual mtg to get pulse of community of upcoming issues--it's a start. Rather than board presenting what will be done, solicit what might be done, etc. Open mic style, rapid fire, idea generating, 1 min. limit, etc. but I repeat myself with the other posting....
I don't think you can repeat yourself often enough jack..... The squeaky wheel and all that. We can start by supporting BPearson, not just here but in person at any and all meetings the public is invited to.... And talking to everyone who will listen.
Thanks Emily and the others as well. The problem of course is there is no sense of impending doom if we don't change to a more open type of governance. We've survived nicely for years and consequently there's no urgency to try and be something better. My frustrations are simply knowing the remarkable potential Sun City has and then not aggressively pursuing it. Everything happens at a snails pace, as is almost always the way organizations function. I guess the good news is we have a plethora of candidates this year and there's some discussion the candidate forums will have an entirely new feel to them. There's been suggestions to try and make them fun and entertaining are breath of fresh air. Hopefully we'll have candidates who will express their vision for Sun City clearly and it will give residents choices. We do need grow the circle of those interested in the community as a whole, and not just their little niche.
