As promised, i will be posting some of the posts from my old blog, Sun Cities Today. With the site slowing down with actual posters, i see we are still getting lots of readers looking for information. Seems only logical to try and help potential buyers get their head around the community so many of us love. This article is again from January of 2011. It is both timeless and timely, with only some minor changes since i wrote it. The Sun City Home Owners dues have exploded from $15 to $20 per year and the Sun City Visitor Center is no longer free standing, now being run by the Rec Centers of Sun City (RCSC). Enjoy: Peeling Back The Skin Of The Onion Like an onion, Sun City has layers and layers of an infrastructure built and based on volunteerism. For many residents, they came to play and found ways to expand their horizons and set them far higher than just chasing a small white ball around lush green pastures. We touched on this in the last blog post, Sun City was about building a new active way to live and evolved into a more high-bred version of what was originally planned. It exploded with an abundance of opportunities for residents to take the skills they learned in their previous life and put them into play in their new community. For years, seniors who reached retirement age often felt they were kicked to the curb and left to sit and wait for the end to come. Oh sure, they had their families who relied on them to babysit the grand-kids or watch the family pet when they vacationed, but it was almost like they weren’t an integral part of society any longer. I know that sounds harsh, but the recorded conversations from seniors who moved here said it time and time again, suddenly they felt they had a purpose again. Don’t get me wrong, they loved the concept of moving to the great big play ground called Sun City; many found taking ownership of shaping of the organizations made them responsible and accountable. Of course not everyone got into the mix, but substantial numbers did and it helped create a sense of community. It was about people pulling together. I once read where a poster said Sun City had a “horizontal organizational table.” It was a brilliant assessment. Almost everything the majority of us know is built on the concept of a vertical structure. Someone was always telling us what to do and when and how to do it. From our earliest days in school, through our work lives we answered to someone above us. Even those owning their own company had the federal or state agencies dictating how to act. It was just how we lived. I would argue, one of the joys of Sun City was the uniqueness of it. Within months of moving here, residents knew there was a difference. Each entity was free-standing, having nothing to say about how others elected to function. Better yet, if one found something wrong, they could get involved and try to change it. Life in Sun City was about hands on and being able to fix what was broken, change what they disliked or add to what was there. It was the ultimate opportunity for those who wanted to give back something to their new way of life. It was that good. The good news is; some 51 years later, it still has essentially the same ingredients. Of course things have changed, some for the better, some for the worse. But for anyone looking for a better way to live, Sun City is still the answer. Play time is unlimited and for those looking to be a part of something, the community’s infrastructure is still run by volunteers. Here’s just a brief sampling of options: * Rec Centers of Sun City (RCSC): The largest organization in the community. They oversee the golf courses, rec centers and other amenities. While there more than 300 employees, there is an elected board of directors and a dozen volunteer committees. * Sun City Home Owners Association (SCHOA): Unlike most home owners associations, membership is voluntary and is $15 per year. Their job is to enforce the CC&R’s (about 8 very simple obligations to all owners in Sun City) and to interact with Maricopa county. They have 10 employees, an elected board of directors and volunteers to assist them. * Sun City Visitor Center: They function essentially as our “Chamber of Commerce.” There is one paid staff, a volunteer board and a large number of volunteers to greet visitors and residents looking for information. * Del Webb Sun City Museum: The first model home has been converted to look like it did opening day and there is a wealth of historical data and memorabilia that details how and why Sun City came to be. One part-time employee, a volunteer board and volunteer docent keep the place running. * Sun City Tax Payers Association: This group is interesting as they have helped ensure the cost of living stay continue to be affordable for seniors. They have aggressively fought for lower rates on any increases in water, utility and property and sales taxes. They also assist low-income seniors in tax preparation and other needs. * Sunshine Service: Perhaps no other organization better defines Sun City. They provide FREE use of medical supplies, home items for visitors (car seats, infant beds and fold away beds) for those looking for short-term use. They do accept donations but this organization is simply a fabulous addition to the community. * The PRIDE: Everyone visiting Sun City for the first time notes how clean it is; the reason for it is simple, 300 volunteers pick up the streets, medians and roadways. * The POSSE: An amazing organization of volunteers who “police” our community. They have no police powers, but they assist the Maricopa county sheriff’s department and do things vacation watch for those who leave during the summer months. * Banner Boswell Hospital: Sun City exploded in growth and quality medical care for an aging population. The hospital came to be when residents raised a good portion of the money to build it (along with a sizeable donation from Jim Boswell). From the day it opened, volunteers have filled roles as shuttle pickup in golf cars, greeter’s at the front door and assisting with paper work and other activities. At one point there were more than a 1000 volunteers a year, though the number is down a bit now. * Condominium Owners Association (COA); With a third of the 27,000 homes in Sun City being in condo’s or duplex’s, this group of volunteers helps the boards within these small associations get it done right. * 31 Churches: There are 31 Churches within the walls and like everywhere, they rely on volunteers to keep them running. * Senior Centers: There are a number of senior centers assisting residents as they age, most of which are staffed by volunteers. * 120 Clubs: There are 120 chartered clubs in Sun City and every one of them most have at least 4 officers who have term limits they can serve. The goal is to insure there are new folks getting involved in the process. * Meals on Wheels: Like most community’s, the meals on wheels program delivers 7 days a week and has a large number of elderly or sick residents getting low-cost meals delivered to their door. Naturally, all volunteers. * Second hand shops: There are no less than 6 thrift stores in Sun City to benefit various organizations. While they have a handful of paid staff, volunteers are the nucleus behind their success. There’s more, small agencies and groups that rely on residents giving of their time. Suffice to say, the one overriding them is…VOLUNTEERS. Because we are unincorporated and we run ourselves, we were founded on the principle of giving back and becoming a part of something very special. In many ways, early residents had no choice but to step up and do a fair share of the work behind the creation and running of a self-sufficient community. For some it would seem taxing, for many of us, we see it as a chance to enhance a great way to live. Sun City isn’t for everyone. For those looking for a unique and stimulating way to live, you’ll find Sun City is a community where being active, engaged and having fun is the center of our values.
Writings like this made me want to move here. But I somewhat disagree on the horizontal organization idea, now that I know more. Although we can vote for board members, that’s where our voting ends. And those voted in don’t have to listen to any of us because they are not looking for a life of politics—they don’t need reelection. When cities have a government, other uses of money and policies do come up for a vote. Not all, but some. In SC we have no vote, just complaining at board meetings. It’s more hierarchical, not democratic. Of course both ways have ups and downs. And it’s better than a developer run community. But we should have more input to call it horizontal. Sadly, it seems unlikely it could happen again.
It's only hierarchical because we let it be that way C. Sad to say but years back everything was debated/discussed in the public eye. Every board position had dozens of candidates and they ran on platforms. We let it get away from us and it's not coming back unless we take it back. Hard words and maybe not even remotely possible. The sad truth is the whole world has spun away from caring and is more than contented to let somebody else do it. It's why i vacillate between running again and just ignoring it all.
We have to figure a way to give Sun City back to the community. Like you said, Bill, we will have to take it back and it will be a fight I am sure. In my mind Sun City is just not as attractive if the Board decides everything for the community in a vacuum. Yeah, it takes longer and more debate to have community input, but isn't that what Sun City founded on? I'm still an outsider for now, but it won't be long before I resolve that. What attracted me to Sun City was the low cost of living, the vast amenities and activities, and the fact that I had a say it what happens. Well, somewhat recently having a say seems to have gone out the window, that is why residents don't attend meetings.... basically it doesn't matter what they think. It's human nature, if your input doesn't matter you stop providing it. I for one would like to somehow give the power back to the community where it belongs. Also, give the community some teeth, if a big enough percentage don't like something let them solicit input from the community and petition for change. I sort of get it, in changing the rules the board was probably trying to protect itself from 50-100 people forcing an unpopular change. However, there are better ways to protect against that kind of thing than taking away any say the community has. OK, of the soap box for now.
It almost seems like it’s gone too far. The board had ruled themselves into making all the rules. How would we take it back? Really need to change the required number for a quorum. If the board represents the corporation, the residents should be able to decide the number of people required to represent them at the annual meeting. Having the board decide that number makes no sense.
The only way to overcome it C is to set a two or three year plan in place to elect board members committed to the same end game. The funny thing is when the board is sworn in, they take an oath to the corporation, not the community. I'd like to think they are one-in-the-same, but i don't believe that for a minute. Bruce is spot on, none of the board ever try's to make changes that hurt the community, but they often buy into what they are being sold without much push back. Years ago, board members were committing 20 plus hours a week, but since the advent of a real general manager, both their time and effort has reduced greatly. Not a bad thing, just the way it is.
Saw this on the Sun City web site. What’s the history with the membership quorum? The previous membership quorum of 100 was less than one-half of a percent (.3%) of the total membership and left RCSC and its Members at risk of being controlled by a small minority. Someone with 100 proxies could have made changes with numerous unintended consequences that could have done a great deal of harm to RCSC and Sun City AZ homeowners. Following the advice of RCSC’s legal counsel, the RCSC Board of Directors (Board) eliminated this provision thereby causing RCSC to be subject to the default provisions of the Arizona Revised Statutes Title 10 which set a nonprofit corporation’s quorum at “one-tenth of the votes entitled to be cast.” Then the Board formed an Ad-Hoc Committee with the membership at large to propose a more reasonable number. This Ad-Hoc Committee met on several occasions and in the end made a recommendation to the Board who adopted a 1,250 membership quorum on May 27, 2010, which includes proxies. This number is believed to be reasonable and attainable because it has been easily reached by Members present (with no proxies) at meetings regarding utility rate cases as well as other meetings and history has shown that one RCSC Member has voted in excess of 800 proxies at a prior membership meeting. So let me get this right. The board wanted to retain total control so they looked at the biggest issues that got the most attention and set the quorum above that level so they knew it would be unlikely they would ever be overridden by a quorum... smart on their part.
Actually, there is the rest of the story that always gets left off whenever this issue comes up. The by-laws in existence when the quorum was set at 100 also contained a provision that said if there was a motion from the floor that had the support of the body of voters (more than 50%), the board would take the motion back for an impact study and report back to the membership at the next meeting. So, if they were caught off guard, they had a month to look at what the motion did and if it fact hurt the community, they had options on how to proceed. That part is always conveniently left out of the discussion. The argument was someone could challenge that in a court of law, so what? I see President Delano addressed this topic in his monthly column and they talked about proxy votes as well. I will have to look, but it seems to me they changed proxy votes as well. I get it; it's easier if the board and management has the freedom to do as they please but that wasn't how Sun City was built. Sorry, but history does matter, and ours is rich in the process of self-governance being real, not cloaked to look like they care about what we think.
Perhaps because another minority could do great things for the people who will be around for the next 20 years?
All fair questions Emily, and the simple truth is when you trust any body of of people with a free and democratic process you get what you get (any doubts, think about the last year). That is why from the day we first moved here i was both active and engaged in telling the Sun City story. The more owners and potential buyers understand the how we work, why we work and the role they play, the less likely they would be to try and do something stupid. I've always believed education is an ongoing process; never stops and and is an investment in the long range future on virtually any front you talk about. Obviously your fight was with you condominium association as you looked to the future and they only cared about the green (grass, not dollars). Moving was a solution that made sense for you. Funny thing is when their water bills start climbing and their monthly association fees are over $300 they will look back and say maybe we should have listened. It's the classic example of getting out ahead of the curve and getting buy-in. The bulk of Sun City residents love it here, love the way of life and wouldn't do anything to harm it. The handful of whiners and moaners would never overcome the majority. That was why i was always comfortable with the quorum of 100 and the language that sent any motion back for study. By the next meeting the masses would turn out to do the right thing. And if they didn't maybe the action brought forward was the right thing. Because now, sadly what we have is a board and gm that make all the decisions and only time will tell if it was the right thing or not. Keeping safeguards in place for self-governance enhances the process, not detracts from it.
The vast majority of folks living in Sun City love it. The simple question is this; can it be better? Then compound it by asking and answering; how?
I saw first hand one of the problems with Sun City. We took the tour and enjoyed it, not much to it, but it was informative. The lady who lead the tour was very friendly, loved Sun City and was a part timer (snow bird). The problem is that she is rather uninformed about the governing of Sun City and a few other items, but freely admitted when she didn't know something. She very briefly mentioned the board and elections, but when asked she didn't know how the voting process worked because she had never voted in her 15+ years at Sun City. Her comment was, "I don't vote, I don't really care who is on the board because everything I care about is fine as far as I know." She went on to say that she only cares about the fun stuff she does, someone else can run Sun City, that is fine with her. It takes all kinds to build a community and she is doing her part by volunteering to show off Sun City... good for her. It would be nice if tour guides would talk more about the details of how Sun City is run and the importance of voting. The problem I see is that the 6 - 8 couples on the same tour we took now have the view that voting is unimportant and it is someone else's job to run Sun City.
Spot on commentary BW. One of my biggest failures has been to try and get folks to understand the importance of marketing the community on one of its single most attractive features; self-governance. I've written dozens of articles on it, appeared in numerous videos and answered dozens of interviews where i try and push it. But alas, it would take a commitment by the powers that be to make it a center-piece of marketing it as such. Unfortunately, most don't see it as all that important. Let's face it, it is easier if people are not involved and committed to growing the numbers of folks participating in running Sun City. Every year we hear candidates tell us how they want better, more open communication, more transparency and every year they get in and nothing changes. As my friend Ben R says, if you don't build an action plan to change outcomes, nothing changes. Unless and until a board is elected truly committed to making self-governance one of the core values/assets of the community we will continue to see the vast majority of residents clueless on how the community is run and why we succeed.
it is probable that all the volunteers are given a crash course that covers "everything" but some feel more comfortable dodging the questions that they don't feel competent to fully answer.
If what you say here is true, and I have every confidence That it is, than what purpose is served by the election, other than it is required by the rules, policies, and bylaws. We seem to be cycling through the same people who have been on the Board before. Heck some Board members don’t finish their current term, before they are running for their next terms. Based on what has been said, what is the motivator for running for the Board?
What a great question E. The funny thing is every year we hear the same platitudes about serving the community and the importance of being a board member. And at the end of a board members term, they can look back and see how little impact they had. There was a time when board members, committees and the community at large had a far stronger presence. It has been drastically diluted as community documents have been changed and the power shifted to the hands of the management team. We could argue whether it is better or worse, but for my nickle, losing community input and the concept of self-governance is tragic. There's been an effort to get the community involved on a couple of occasions of late. The ad hoc committees for Grand Ave and for Mountainview were a positive. As far as Grand, i would have loved to have seen the big picture discussion regarding buying the Lakes Club for a community center rather than the small picture Grand Ave project and who gets what space. Yesterday's news eh? More recently we saw a pretty solid effort to make Mountainview everything for everyone. I loved the plan, it just will never come together as proposed. The community has spoken, at least some of them, and now the staff gets the project. That's when reality sets in and the footprint of the property dictates what they can actually do. My problem is we could have avoided most of this had we been more aggressive years back and actually developed a long term strategic plan where golf wasn't the end all be all. That's what happens when you drift from a sense of community to one where the GM and a handful of board members make the decisions. And the answer is yes, we have to have board members in accordance with the community documents...at least they haven't removed that...yet.
