After considerable analysis, it has become blatantly obvious the HSV CEO needs to be replaced.
Many debacles
The lawsuits, the CMP fiasco, gate-gate, the Jessieville sewer endeavor, hiring inexperienced managers, mismanagement of POA funds, poor marketing acumen, a consistent and persistent march toward urbanizing HSV and a variety of other managerial debacles make it clear she doesn’t have the skills to manage HSV. She is grossly under experienced for this job and her management style is not conducive to seeking reliable guidance. I cannot imagine a CEO not availing themselves of the plethora of knowledge that is available here in the Village. One who refuses outside counsel and insists on “my way or the highway” approach to everything is bound to fail, especially when this is his/her first CEO job.
Good but not “stellar”
Increasing utility rates and the release of escrowed money from the two-tiered fee system were operational gifts. Achieving more favorable audit results, improving cash flow/reserves and striping DeSoto Boulevard are good but would have fallen under the functions of a CFO or operations manager. These are not “stellar” achievements, especially since we are in a dire need for revenue, and in no way are they the basis for extending an employment contract.
Why is CEO still here?
Why is she still here?
The problem we have is that the POA Board does not have the confidence nor experience to dismiss her and, most obviously, go about finding her replacement.
Hope for the new three board members
In general, we have mostly elected past board members (hope is alive for the three new members) based upon popularity and their inventory of “good ideas”. This works fine if their responsibility is mostly governance and maintenance oriented. In our case, where we have a marketing and revenue problem and our ultimate solutions are business-oriented, we do not have the expertise on the board to effectively manage Village affairs. Since the board does not have the experience to make CEO type decisions, they have been ineffective at managing or directing the CEO.
Retaliation
When you have a POA board that is under-experienced, and over their head, a strong-willed and control oriented CEO can, and will, manipulate the board. The POA board knows we have problems but they don’t know what to do about them. Most have worked in jobs where the revenue just showed up (including the CEO). They never had the need of building or fixing business revenues. Our current challenges exceed the board’s background and experience of deciding how many pencils to order next year or re-arranging a work schedule because Tom called in sick. We are facing business problems that few are capable of understanding. So, the board takes their leadership “from the CEO” versus providing direction “to the CEO” because she sounds like she may know what to do. And, they don’t have the experience, knowledge or fortitude to challenge her. She is very good at developing and sticking to her talking points. When she gets pinned down, she simply misrepresents the facts or changes the subject. If a board member or employee crosses her, she is quick to retaliate.
CEO is involved in most details
The CEO controls everything. She is on every committee, attends every meeting and corrects board members if they get astray of her message. We have witnessed her caustic admonitions of board members and how they seek her permission on everything they do. The board is afraid of her. HSV employees are afraid of her and she rules by intimidation and her “talking points”. The rehearsed “talking points” sound good, initially, but after further analysis appear weak, without substance and cannot withstand the scrutiny of those with established business experience.
Board afraid to cross CEO
The POA Board is afraid. They are afraid of the CEO! They are afraid to fire the CEO because they don’t know how to manage the Village. They don’t have any workable ideas on how to create revenue. They don’t have a clue about locating and hiring a CEO replacement, let alone dealing with her contract. Her contract was extended primarily because the board didn’t know what else to do. In fact, her original hire from CFO to CEO was because the board didn’t know what else to do. Making appropriate decisions would take experience in these matters which the board does not have. So, it is easier to defend her, and the CMP, and hope it somehow works out.
The board cannot even discuss her termination with legal counsel or others as she has complete control over those entities. And, they are afraid to cross her.
When people are faced with stressful situations and they don’t know what to do, they become irritated. They lash out, refuse to answer questions, fall back on the “we can’t talk about that issue” argument and, in general, develop a “we versus them” attitude. They dig farther into the hole and will do or say anything (even if untrue) to defend their positions and justify their decisions.
Change needs to happen
So, until the POA Board develops some leadership and decides to replace the CEO, nothing will change. The CEO and POA Board will continue to conduct their “Forward Together” forums, “Let’s Talk” sessions, using a CMP committee to promote a plan that cannot be implemented and hold meetings touting their manufactured “transparency”. These are all compensatory efforts to try and make the CMP a viable plan for HSV and to cover the fact that the CEO/Board are woefully under qualified for the job.
CMP will not work
The CMP is not a viable plan. It doesn’t matter how many committees we engage for its implementation, it still won’t work. You can surround the CMP with committees, add marketing and finance sub-committees and recruit members to direct its efforts. But, it is not going to be successful. On our current pathway, we will continue to waste money and time trying to arm twist the skeptical residents into buying in to the CMP. In the meantime, we will continue to throw money at it, with poor results, and lose the opportunities we should be pursuing. Not far behind will be more lawsuits, POA fee increases and “special assessments” as we try to kick start this impossible project called the CMP.
Waste of funds
We will seek developers for lodging and other CMP projects. It is likely in these negotiations, we will end up with the “short end of the stick”. We might get so far committed and disorganized that we end up becoming the developer. We want to pay cash for a pool, yet are considering borrowing money to pay for maintenance projects. We want to negotiate to buy out CCI, yet we can’t pay our maintenance bills. We have a water meter replacement project that, if properly implemented, could save us $millions in operating costs and generate cash to spend on hotels/pools/whatever. Yet, we ignore this and seek to waste money.
Need someone to get Village on right track
These are basic business issues. Neither the POA Board or the CEO can see the fallacy in how they are operating. We need someone who understands business and can get the Village on the right track.
But nothing will change until they replace the CEO.
Editor’s note: The author of this article wishes to remain anonymous. If you wish to reply to this article and remain anonymous, just type in your comment without your name. Hit reply and your comment will be anonymous. We understand why some folks are more comfortable with replying anonymously and we wish to give those individuals a place to express their ideas and opinions. As long as comments are polite and respectful, they will stand.
Connie
05/22/2019 — 3:03 pm
Agreed! Board should start a secret search for a replacement
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:28 pm
No SECRET–let her know she’s being replaced!
John
05/22/2019 — 4:39 pm
Absolutely
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:15 pm
First of all I not only agree with everything said. I also understand about retaliation.
I have been reading up on the redesigned rules and governance since the current village manager (we laughingly call her CEO) has had most of them changed and added the “protective covenants” that pertain to all except the builder guild and special business and property interests.
One item that is very glaring – there is a full page on how to remove a Board Member but there is not even a sentence on how to remove a CEO. Trying to be heard and obtain reasonable action from this “team” is like trying to teach a pig to sing – it annoys the pig and frustrates the instructer. That’s the way most of the dues paying property owners feel.
HSVP C
05/22/2019 — 3:18 pm
Just to be clear, we fully support our 3 new Board Members. We had hoped the older 4 would not remain steadfast in following the lead of the CEO, but it doesn’t look as though that is going to happen.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:32 pm
Reading this weeks Hot Springs Village Voice newspaper made me sick! New board member Diana Podawiltz wanted a discussion added to the agenda, the three newly elected directors voted in favor, the four existing directors voted against it and Cindi Erickson voted against it. Sounds like we’re already having a “us” and “them” vote! Doesn’t make for good outcomes!
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:39 pm
She’s very good at retaliation and stepping on people’s right of free speech.
Anonymous
05/25/2019 — 7:50 am
That’s a fact.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:45 pm
All true.
Board needs to “man up” and “woman up” and get on with it.
Sure it will cost us something now but in the long run will save us tons more, not to mention the peace of mind and tranquility that will ensue.
Replace HSV CEO!
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 3:55 pm
It is an unfortunate reality that whatever minor changes the new board members can impact while the previous members continue in their state of denial, nothing of significance will change until there is a change at the top of the management chain. There are adequate resources within the Village that can assist with the management of the Village while a search is conducted. Send her home and continue to pay her for all I care. Just get her out of the decision making position. This ship is leaking badly and will be in jeopardy of sinking if a change is not made!
Mary Odom
05/22/2019 — 4:17 pm
Totally agree. We do support our new members but we need the others to join the party and get her out of there now. I would not do it secretly just call a Board Meeting and tell her she’s done. There is nothing to be ashamed of in standing for what is your and this Village is ours…NOT here.
No name
05/22/2019 — 4:28 pm
She should be gone ASAP. We do not dare put our names here or she will send her pit bull dogs on the compliance staff to find something wrong with your house and property
Dave Sintich
05/22/2019 — 4:53 pm
How many reasons are needed to get rid of her. The gate mess, having Twiggs on the payroll after he left. The CMP no one wants. Having OUR police heavily guarding her meetings instead of patroling and safeguarding the Village. Letting anyone in,our gates for sales. concerts and activities and not knowing if they ever leave. Failure to upkeep our infrastructure. The Jessiville sewer bail out project. Not enforcing retailers upkeep their areas. The land and homes waste of money. Poor internet service. Failing roads and culvert repair. Poor housekeeping of roadways and buildings. Attempts to oust the original
developer. Attempts to over ride the original developers rights and properties. And the list goes on. Time for a knowledgeable replacement.
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 11:32 am
YUP!! Right on…..
Anonymous
05/25/2019 — 7:54 am
Wow what a list. We need to act now before she continues to damage our village.
Anonymous
05/25/2019 — 8:53 am
Dave Sintech: If you are going to call for the CEO’s removal, let’s keep the conversation honest. The BOD gave Mr. Twiggs a consulting agreement for $7,000 a month. What he submitted the first month they didn’t find satisfactory so they cancelled the agreement. He was paid a total of $7,000 by the BOD. Let’s wait for the lawsuit determination on the gates before jumping to the conclusion as to who is responsible. Our CEO has been very transparent sharing all correspondence and the contract. The Contractor has shared nothing in writing. We only have the “word” of the Project Manager and what do you think he is going to say. Letting outsiders in our gates to attend church, concerts, and other activities has been going on forever. Our infrastructuure is in the best shape it’s been in years and the POA is still working to improve it more. The Jessivelle situation is so misrepresented I can’t believe it.. The Developer says we will reach a point of no capacity for residents when we near build out. The reality is that 3,000 lots have been turned back into the POA and the Arkansas Land Office has 7-8,000 lots that defaulted. Do you really believe him when he says we are going to get to full build out. That is just ridiculous. And yes, we need to definitely get CCI out of control so we can work with whatever developers we choose. He will block whatever is not in his best interest. He told us a year and a half ago what his true interest is in the Village when he wanted to sell his interests to us for 14.5M dollars and that didn’t include his easements. He is just playing with us to get us positioned where we will have no choice but to give him everything he wants.
Anonymous
05/27/2019 — 3:43 pm
Twigs is still on the payroll from what I hear.
Anonymous.
05/27/2019 — 4:01 pm
Not true.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 5:50 pm
Our Village will never have PEACE until this CEO is gone. She has alienated property owners, real estate agents, and builders. The Board must do what is right for the community and not renew her contract!
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 6:12 pm
Please replace Nalley before she destroys The Village.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 6:35 pm
This relationship (CEO and her minions vs. most HSV members) has reached such a polarizing and undeniable toxicity that we can never be able to do the day to day order of business that our village requires just to function properly. She wore out her welcome, with so many amazingly asinine decisions, a long time ago.
We need to start talking about our future here in the village as if this person has already vacated the premises. The ground swell of disdain for this CEO is growing exponentially.
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 10:34 pm
It is about time someone has decided to make a statement about our current CEO! It is time to show her the door and tell her not to look back. She had done nothing to improve the Village and much to improve her net worth, it is absolutely time to replace her now! I love where I live and want nothing more than a voice in the governance of this wonderful place, which I have not seen since moving here! Please, Ms. Naylor it is not a statement of whether you are liked or not, you are simply not qualified for the position that you currently hold.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 6:40 pm
I hate her guts
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 7:12 pm
In one or two years she will be gone, by her choice or a new board decision. We are just prolonging the inevitable by “hanging on” to her.
There should be a board committee formed to begin the search for a replacement. This will be a BOD agenda item. How soon is the question.
This would calm the POA members and employees. (Other than a few of her direct reports, who know they would be gone if she was.) The cost of replacing her can be offset by the removal of 4-5 directors and the intangible “peace” that would be restored is priceless.
Her playing the victim card is getting old. Fearing for her safety at every meeting. Sounds like she is setting us up for a lawsuit after she has a mental breakdown. I am not kidding about that. I have seen similar things happen.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 7:58 pm
Gone Nalley gone, Nalley’s gone. Gone Nalley gone, Nalley’s gone away….gone away.
Can’t wait to sing this song. Needs to be today!!!
RAB
05/22/2019 — 8:22 pm
I ask the 4 incumbent Directors a couple simple questions, “do you honestly believe that with the current environment and feelings toward the CEO, that she will be able to change the way that large segments of members see and feel towards her, her ways and what she is doing in the CEO position”? “Do you honestly believe that given the same circumstances any or all of you 4 can change things to the point that the Village can move positively forward and tackle the myriad of problems facing HSV”?
I ask these two questions because, if the atmosphere and trust of leadership (particularly the CEO) does not change soon, our Village will NOT have a favorable future. If one or more of you 4 Directors answers No to either or both questions, it is your duty to resign your position on the Board and give/allow new blood the ability to address the termination of the CEO and kick-start a change of governance and operations which Villagers can support and trust. There would be no shame in resigning, probably respect and praise from folks. But, with Leslie Nalley at the helm of HSV, the Village has little to no chance of positive resolutions to our problems or a reasonable chance at a future we all wish for.
SS
05/22/2019 — 8:22 pm
Whoever wrote this editorial is very knowledgeable and well written. Obviously we have hundreds/ thousands of intelligent people to draw from here. Is there any way the Villagers could file a class action suit to rid ourselves of Nalley and take back control over our destiny? Surely there’s someone in this group that is a lawyer, or knows a lawyer, that we could get an opinion from as to how we go about effecting the needed changes in order for us to have a BOD and a Village Manager that actually works for us?!
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 1:18 pm
Be careful of hiring or talking to a lawyer. At $250/hr that cost will hit the multiple thousands in no time. It sounds so easy, let the lawyers and courts help us out of the mess, but the local courts aren’t always on the side of Villagers. Especially the Garland judges, too many financial connections. Maybe Saline, especially since the POA bldg. is in Saline.
Anonymous
05/27/2019 — 3:44 pm
There are retired lawyers living in the Village who would not charge that much. Move forward. No excuses.
Anonymous
05/22/2019 — 9:28 pm
The article says everything so many Villagers believe to be true. 👏 Nally has been the most divisive person to enter the Village in our 49 year history. She has mis-read our community on almost every issue and has taken a power grab approach to governance. Healing will not take place until she is gone. The Board needs to act now and restore our community to the peace and tranquility we all expected when we moved here. She must go!
Kirk Denger
05/22/2019 — 11:23 pm
It is clear now that the CMP is not the CEO’s plan, but a scheme from the Congress of New Urbanism of which the CEO only a pawn. Many communities have succumbed to the hierarchal laws of the Congress of New Urbanism and it’s charismatic dictator Andres Duany who was raised in Cuba during the revolution. HSV has become a victim of this cult group. Our past GM/consultant and current CEO and Placemaker are all agents of the Congress of New Urbanism. This cult behavior manifests itself in our unwillingness to question the judgment of our leadership. Authoritarian regimes use social engineering in efforts to influence social behaviors on a large scale in a targeted population to achieve desired results in human subjects. Removing the CEO will not stop the entrapment we find ourselves in. Every change to our governing documents since our past GM/Consultant arrived has tightened the chokehold on our Village and must be annulled. We shall not give the Devil/CNU/CMP a place to stay in HSV. Inform the Elders of our Churches and the rest of the membership about the dark powers of the New Age Congress of New Urbanism. Take up the full armor of God, so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the CNU. Fill us fresh with power to adopt a comprehensive defense strategy, for we wrestle not only with the sociopathic syndrome of enslavement by cult agents, but against dark principalities and dark powers. A members meeting can be called to evaluate the BODs performance and decide which Directors are to stay and which are to be replaced to facilitate the removal of this parasite from our Village.
John Sowers
05/23/2019 — 12:10 am
And you consider the following polite and respectful, anonymous Tom Blakeman?
Anonymous 05/22/2019 — 6:40 pm
I hate her guts
Reply
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 12:49 am
It’s childish john sowers. We are not age restricted. You are focusing on a 12 year old?
Rick B
05/23/2019 — 7:04 am
Its time to make a change in direction and that starts at the top with dismissing the CEO. The downward spiral has started and if we don’t take corrective action and replace the CEO and bring in someone with experience to work at the constituents of the Village’s priorities and have a POA Board that starts reflecting the needs of the Village and not just a rubber stamp to the CEO’s whimsical ideas, the Village will ultimately be lost to those of us who care about the future of our Village. We have great amenities here and are not utilizing to our advantage and maximizing the income these amenities provide while maintaining the integrity of our Golf/Retirement Oasis.
Rick B
Andy Kramek
05/23/2019 — 7:49 am
Maybe I am wrong, but it seems to me that posting negative opinions about the BoD and CEO on this site is pretty much ‘preaching to the choir’. While it may make satisfying reading it is not likely to achieve much. There certainly seems to be a pretty widespread feeling that our CEO is not doing a good job for the village. The question is, just HOW widespread is that feeling?
Obviously there are some people who think she is doing just fine, and who have no problem with any of her actions. Equally obviously, the majority of posters on this site think precisely the opposite (include me in that group – for personal reasons if nothing else!).
What we are lacking is factual evidence of the true level of dissatisfaction that could be presented to the Board. After all, we are all members of the POA and, as such, hold a similar position to shareholders in a commercial corporation. When shareholders are unhappy with the CEO they request the board to take action. Usually a special ballot of shareholders is then held in order to ascertain the level of support for any proposed action. That is not something we could easily do, however, there are plenty of on-line systems for taking surveys (including FREE ones).
So I suggest that an on-line survey be set up, and be publicized as widely as possible to property owners both resident and non-resident. Perhaps a facility could even be made available where residents who don’t have access to the internet could go to cast their vote (e.g. the Library). Questions need to be worded carefully (and factually!) without any emotional bias and there has to be sufficient time for people to respond.
Once we have a result, the Board can be given factual information and, if it is as negative as respondents here think, they will have little option but to remove the CEO. Conversely if support for the CEO is strong, it will be an endorsement of the CEO and her policies and the carping and complaining will have to stop.
In short, we need to either back opinion with fact, or stop complaining.
CNS
05/23/2019 — 11:37 am
A vote by all of the Village residents to keep or replace “Any” CEO sounds like a plan to me…
Tom Blakeman
05/23/2019 — 9:12 am
A poll is a nice idea. An actual referendum vote would be better. The only issue with either is that the four holdover board members are still unlikely to go along unless the results are what they want to hear.
Remember the Tom Weiss sermon at his last board meeting? He proclaimed that his board had voted unanimously to extent Nalley’s contract. For those remaining members to now reverse that decision is unlikely.
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 9:14 am
Anonymous? Why should we give credibility to an anonymous posting? Could be anyone: a competing community, a Cooper employee, a disgruntled resident who lost a proposal to ACC… The author describes the board as inexperienced and ineffective. Well I got new for y’all. You’re not going to get any better. These are good hard working people who spend hours doing the best they can, while reading letters to the Voice about how bad they are. With all the criticism they receive from postings like this one, why would anyone run? Before Tom Weiss moved here, he was a turnaround management expert with great success. He gave his all trying to get the right things done, and his reward was being “loathed” by a few residents. (Yes, he actually got an email with that word). Cindi Erickson had an executive position at John Deere, yet you call her incompetent.
Our CEO? In only two years of getting her team focused on results, average home sale price increased about 10% after several flat years, days on the market dropped from 103 to 71, the Village balance sheet is strengthened, member equity is up, after years of decline, and $784,000 has been added to reserves. Golfers say the courses are in better shape than ever because the CEO brought in a professional agronomist, and except for excess rain days, revenues would be up. New director of Tourism convinced The Arkansas Dept. of Tourism, for the first time ever, to put great videos about the Village on their website, and to pay for the HSV booth at the recent Ideal living show in Chicago. He has developed Discovery Packages, the Gold Star home program, and the Ambassador Host program.
Mr./Mrs. Anonymous criticized the CMP. The 25 year plan is full of excellent ideas, and, of all similar communities, only HSV has secure gates, and none had a plan. A stated enterprise and CMP goal is to maintain the natural character and security of the Village. CMP cost? $37 per resident, or $54.66 per household, less that one month’s assessment for most households. Since our monthly assessment is way lower than similar communities, this is a bargain. The CMP is also designed to show developers that HSV has a solid future, we’re not just a bunch of old people, close to dying off. Entrepreneurs only invest when they can envision long term results.
Our biggest disappointment should be the failure of the amendment that would have allowed the monthly assessment to be increased up to 5% rather than being bound to the COL index. Our current assessment is ridiculously low for the services received, far lower than any other similar community, and our cost curve is increasing much more rapidly than the revenue curve. The NO vote has really crippled us and the thanks for that goes to all those naysayers who posted signs and nasty letters which confused the residents.
I would agree that marketing needs improvement; I also agree that the board was smart to attempt to get the declarations changed before barging in to a heavy marketing program. The CMP is an attempt to assure entrepreneurs and prospective residents that the Village has a viable future. Unfortunately, the declaration vote failed and a few Villagers rag about the CMP in the Voice which really turns off prospects who have subscribed to the Voice.
There now will be a marketing committee, born under the CMP implementation committee and we shall see if they make some startling recommendations which no one ever thought of before. I hope it is successful.
jj2316
05/23/2019 — 9:26 am
A post at 9:14 A.M. today is complaining about an anonymous editorial “having no merit” but their complaint is also anonymous. Nuff said !
Anne M Shears
05/23/2019 — 9:44 am
Here, have some more Kool Aide.
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 10:09 am
You drank the kool aid
Kirk Denger
05/25/2019 — 10:44 pm
54.66 per household?? I know your name but it is not worthy of remembering. When you sell your investment, please post your capital gains—-or loss.
Tom Blakeman
05/23/2019 — 9:25 am
That’s right. Anonymous? Why should we give credibility to an anonymous posting?
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 3:08 pm
Because his posting is very intelligent and makes a lot of sense. I didn’t read one thing in his post I knew to be false, which is more than I can say for most of the posts. Many people have no idea what they are talking about. Your group has made it very dangerous for people to use their names. Just look at what happened at the last Board meeting. One woman even made a “terrorist” comment. I’ve heard stories of school children being taken out of their schools in hand cuffs for saying less.
Lewis Robinson
05/23/2019 — 9:30 am
why is everyone except for a few afraid to sign their name ? I for one am not happy about what is going on in our village and agree that the BOd should remove the current CEO but before we do that we must have in place or ready to take over the running of our village
Andrew Kramek
05/23/2019 — 9:46 am
Fear of reprisals! There are (apocryphal) stories circulating that people who have annoyed the CEO have had the Compliance Division turn up at their house for no apparent reason and find things wrong.
Whether you believe it or not the fact that those sort of rumors exist is worrying of itself. Having run foul of the CEO personally, see https://hotspringsvillagepeople.com/andrew-kramek-story-hot-springs-village/
, I have to say that, to date at least, nothing has happened to me and I don’t actually give such tales much credit either – witness that I have signed my name (again).
Monty Brodt
05/23/2019 — 11:50 am
“After considerable analysis, it has become blatantly obvious the HSV CEO needs to be replaced.”
Really? Blatantly obvious? Folks, I don’t understand why many of you can’t or won’t accept that the CEO works for the BOARD. The Board has two simple functions. They Hire or Fire the CEO and they provide Objectives, Priorities, or Tasks for the CEO to implement. The CEO’s only job is to bring the Boards objectives to reality and handle the day to day activities of the Village.
The way we influence the Board and CEO is by who we elect to be board members. You have already done this task. Let the system work and if you are still unhappy address the board members with your concerns. You and I are not going to fix anything directly or without due process. Remember though, just because you think a board member should do something doesn’t mean they see things the way you do. Relax, that is the way the system is suppose to work.
This process is deliberately established to prevent quick and potentially stupid decisions being made that have not been fully analyzed for their second and third order effects.
I have to tell you that I personally don’t have much faith in anonymous postings. Sorry, I don’t believe that there is going to be any formal or secret backlash for stating your opinions around here. I believe you may be giving yourself way too much credit or significance in what is really a pretty small fishbowl. Sorry, I don’t believe in some overarching evil agency trying to turn our village into a parking lot either. I’m generally just not into conspiracy theories. However, that is just my opinion.
I am a supporter of the current CEO, but I recognize that is only my opinion. I see where the village has elected three new board members who appear to want to change things. I may not agree with them but they have been properly elected and will pursue the best course of action that they believe is best for the village. The same applies to the other Board members. We need to quit demonizing our leadership and let the system work.
Finally, many folks could use a course on civility. We are all neighbors, even our CEO. We can ALL disagree with neighbors WITHOUT resorting to hateful, uncivil, and disrespectful behavior. It’s like my grandma always told me, you catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
Kirk Denger
05/25/2019 — 10:27 pm
The system is working and vinegar attracts fruit flies a lot better than honey.
Anonymous
05/23/2019 — 2:39 pm
She runs this place like a Leona Helmsley (anyone remember her????)….I have not run into one functioning Villager who is pleased with what she and her Board cohorts are doing.
David Vuurman
05/23/2019 — 5:32 pm
The only thing missing is a fire breathing flying dragon.
Sam Taylor
05/23/2019 — 9:16 pm
It is time to move on, and the sooner the better. The handwriting is on the wall that this tenure is done, the next election will ensure that! I almost burst out laughing when I read the comment about how rosy the economic climate was in HSV as a result of none other than Mrs Nalley. I guess they haven’t noticed how much rosier the economic climate has been in the rest of the country!
Anonymous
05/25/2019 — 8:49 am
It is clear the biggest problem the Village has is the current CEO, Lesley Nalley. She has been incompetent and has created a divisiveness in the Village that is unprecedented. Remove the emotion out of this situation and look at the facts regarding the financial situation of the Village, the multitude lawsuits because of inept management decisions, the non-transparency, the strong arm management style, the forcing of the CMP upon the Property Owners who clearly do not want or support it, and the failure to maintain the infrastructure of the Village. The CEO is in over her head. She does not have the skills, knowledge or background for the position. She has engineered a hierarchy that does not allow any input from the BOD or anyone else as she has a personal agenda to make a large amount of money for her and a small consortium of individuals/companies with the CMP being the catalyst to do it. The CMP will fail, the Village will forever be changed and the CEO, along with her inside circle will walk away with a big bank account. She can be fired however it will take a BOD who are willing to step up and do their job and fill their fiduciary responsibility to the property owners.
Anonymous
05/27/2019 — 3:47 pm
At this point the only viable solution is to sell and move…nothing seems to be working and there is little hope for any change whatsoever…..
Andrew Kramek
05/28/2019 — 7:42 am
Much as I hate to admit it, I see it the same way. Moving here has proven to be a huge disaster for me, both personally and financially. I don’t see any signs of change and it looks like things are only going to get worse until we reach the point, in a couple of years, where we cannot change course. That is, I believe, the objective of the New Urbanists – get to the point of no return as fast as possible. So I am packing my bags and getting out while I still can.
Anonymous.
05/27/2019 — 4:01 pm
Not true.
Anonymous
06/01/2019 — 6:07 pm
Nalley is fast approaching the toilet in which she wants to “dump” HSV. Her experience and qualifications are non-existent. Remember the good old days when people truly enjoyed moving/living here and before our assessment fees, sewer/water bills, etc started to magically climb with no explanation. How much money has Nalley made at the expense of the Villagers??? $1.00 is too way too much. Get us a new CEO with some positive experience, know-how, can-do abilities. I remember the days when we had that. Of course, that was before Twiggs and his consortium arrived. Who in the heck hired that bunch of crooks anyway??
Anonymous
06/01/2019 — 8:58 pm
Coup de etat
Anonymous
06/22/2019 — 7:52 am
CEO Nalley and her BOD minus the three new ones should voluntarily leave their positions. However, they still don’t get it that they are not representing the best interests of we the property owners, so a forced removal will probably be necessary. I hate to think of the damages they have inflicted upon our beautiful Village thus far. Hopefully a team with better skill sets can reverse the negative direction we are being led. Also, those in “power” who are cramming a pool down our throats should be gone. Our infrastructure is in dire need of immediate restoration. Let’s think about that before throwing money year after year into a hole in the ground. I agree with those who have expressed fear of reprisal from the CEO if they sign their name. Who will she call the police on next?
Anonyamos
06/23/2019 — 8:34 am
You can thank Tom “the Traitor” Wiesel for all this. I am surprised he still lives in the Village. The other traitor in the mix is Cindy Erickson. She was elected based on her commitment to change the previous Board but really duped people and is really a clone of the previous Board and minion of Nalley who we thought we were getting rid of. We need one more election to clean the slate.
Dan Stewart
06/24/2019 — 11:59 am
After last years vote of no confidence I believed the response was
“We are listening”.
Ms. Nalley is ignoring the property owner and is full bore on her agenda. Nothing will change until we change her.
Anonymous
06/25/2019 — 12:22 pm
I heard that Cindy Erickson is part of a corporation that owns some Village drinking and eating establishments that are in operation and others about to be in operation. Maybe she would start listening to Village residents if we hit her in the pocketbook. We didn’t have a choice of her being appointed to such a powerful position by the POA, but do have a choice of where we spend our money drinking and eating out within the confines of the Village. Boycott the traitor!
Anonymous
06/25/2019 — 6:06 pm
Getting rid of the CEO is the only hope for our beautiful village. What’s it going to take?
Anonymous
08/27/2019 — 2:48 pm
All cities have a City Manager. The board can simply advertise nationwide for a qualified Manager to come in and straighten this mess out. This is what cities do! The CEO can be replaced by someone who knows how to run the city and clean up this mess!
Anonymous
12/17/2019 — 1:05 pm
I read the Nalley Contract. She has a clause that says, I paraphrase, “Benefits will be paid as part of salary to avoid paying taxes”. I don’t believe that is a legal clause as it violates tax law in my opinion. A contract is considered null and void if it has an illegal clause and is not enforceable by either party. Therefore, Nally should be removed from a illegally obtained position past hast.
I ask that our counsel review that clause for legality and give a legal opinion.
Anonymous
12/17/2019 — 1:35 pm
POST HAST PLEASE!
anon.
01/05/2020 — 7:30 pm
This comment is meant to amplify what the Dowdens have written about the POA Board actions back in 2014. I too, was at that meeting when our HSV board voted to put the current two-tier assessment on the ballot. I recall then-board member Frank Leeming warning, “If we go down this path, future boards will never again be able to pass another assessment increase.” So here we are in 2020 and this board thinks it can pull the wool over our eyes again. It won’t work now because the board can’t raise the $37.52 monthly assessment on unimproved lots, as that will cause even more of them to be abandoned. Folks who own improved lots now pay a monthly assessment of $69.05. Our POA utility bills also increased 6% on Jan. 1. We’ve watched past and current boards waste our assessment money on bloated staff salaries, unnecessary litigation, unfinished projects and the poorly conceived CMP. The upcoming POA luncheon at “Xplore” to smooze local realtors/builders/developers is a prime example of CEO Nalley’s profligacy.
BOD member Tormey Campagna recently summed up our current situation: “We do need to improve, I don’t like the word, ‘trust’, let’s put [use] the word ‘confidence.’ Trust to me sounds like somebody thinks somebody is doing something inappropriate….”
Both nouns describe Villagers’ consensus. The 2018 election on the Declarations showed how little support this current administration can muster.
If our board actually wants to start the process of reconciliation, they will NOT EXTEND CEO Nalley’s 2-year contract when it comes up again this spring. If we are running out of money, we obviously can’t afford to “buy her out.” So let’s see if we can get some actual work out of her during the final year of her contract. Task her to trim expenses and staff from this inflated bureaucracy she and the legacy board members have created. In the meantime, how about yet another committee to find a replacement General Manager?