by Bob LeMay, September 1, 2019
Outrageous and disgraceful treatment
I have viewed the video of Mr. Stephen Rust’s address to the August 21st Board meeting. In my view, the treatment he received was outrageous and disgraceful. Mr. Rust, at the appropriate time, and in a non-threatening manner was expressing his opinion on a public matter pertinent to Hot Springs Village to the Board of Directors.
Abuse of authority
Your efforts to bring more decorum to owners comments to the Board has derailed when you act as belligerently as any of the poorly behaved owners have in the past, and you abuse your authority to enforce compliance to what you deem as acceptable opinion. I will further include that this incidence was precipitated by the POA announcement of a Lesley Nalley formal grievance in language designed to discredit two directors who are pursuing a clear mandate given them by the voting owners.
Public embarrassment
This episode is a public embarrassment to the Hot Springs Village ownership, none of it due to the actions of Mr. Rust. The Board and POA staff individuals responsible have demonstrated gross unprofessionalism and revealed their contempt for any critical assessment of POA performance or intentions. For what it is worth, I call on the Board to take action to partially rectify the damage this has done:
1. I call on the Board to censure the Chair for shouting down a property owner expressing his views to the Board in an orderly manner.
2. I call on the Board to censure the person responsible (the video publisher reports Ms. Nalley doing this) for summoning the police to surround Mr. Rust while delivering his statement.
3. I call on the Board to censure the Parliamentarian for endorsing these actions with her silence.
I believe many, many other owners view this incident in the same light.
Bob LeMay, Hot Springs Village Owner, and Resident
Published September 1, 2019
Lewis Delevan, Hot Springs Village Voice article – click here
Anonymous
09/01/2019 — 10:58 am
Well said and totally agree
Vicki Husted
09/01/2019 — 11:03 am
Hear, Hear Mr. LeMay! I salute you for your astute, very measured call to action. One can only hope that the Board will come to its collective senses and act to begin to rectify the disgraceful situations they and some members of past Boards have visited upon this community. Thank you.
Linda Van Scotter
09/01/2019 — 11:04 am
An excellent well written letter to eh board members and administration. Bravo Bob Lemay!
Mary odom
09/01/2019 — 11:16 am
Thank you for this! Agree 💯%!
Minn. Daly
09/01/2019 — 12:13 pm
Mr Lemay, thank you! I witness this action in person & it was very alarming to me. When did we become a dictatorship community? Mr. Rust had 3 minutes to state his opinion, instead he was treated like he was a criminal with NO rights! (To visualize this picture format is even more alarming to me.) To think that our membership dues pay for this treatment, entire BOD/CEO need to retake civics class & manners in how to treat people. Oh! Forgetting they are in charge of all of us simple minded people, they are the progressive ones. They are the spenders who wast our money, even though membership by majority vote it down. Not to worry they are still in charge & will follow through on what they decide is progressive actions for this cooperation, not a community. When will they learn that we live in a free society & we fight back! Respectfully. Minn daly
David Sintich
09/01/2019 — 12:39 pm
First, I admire the Chief and Lieutenant for showing professionalism in this matter. They are also the victims here. I again congratulate Steven for his comments and Bob for this article. There are 15,000 residents here and as many possible on the side of HSVP should also start getting involved in person and not just by posting messages on Facebook and Nextdoor. Get to meetings and voice your opinions to the board and show them how many are really involved and concerned.
Maureen Heenan
09/01/2019 — 12:52 pm
I totally agree. It also placed the 2 officers in a terrible position. They knew Mr. Rust was not doing anything that would be conceived as improper, but they were instructed to intervene. Are we living in a police state, ruled by a Dictator? It is beginning to look like we are.
Sam Taylor
09/01/2019 — 2:18 pm
Totally agree!
P Daly
09/01/2019 — 4:07 pm
There are 14k plus members .. of that , there are maybe 6000 that are following current events with different social media . There is a weekly paper , and last I checked it reached about 5 k , but it doesn’t find this type of news worth reporting and much of their 5 k is following social media sites also , by the time they read it in the paper , there is already other alarming news that needs to be out . The radio station is not a news outlet . The point is , if something like this had happened at a Benton school board meeting it would be all over the media .. if you want to speak to comparisons and you use board member luerings description of our corporation , well then anyone would have to consider this clear violation of human rights and attack of character of a constituent / member by their board chairwoman and the lack of support from any other board member to be quite a Negative . They will have you believe it’s no big deal and they are passionate about their agenda , but then on you tube in front of the world to see , their show of “ passion” exposes them for who they really are and what they are about . This will continue until ppl will have enough and force their board members to react . They will eventually practice this treatment on the wrong person and that person will take them to task for rights violations.. ( check it yourself , The actions against Mr.Rust , exceeds the test for a civil rights case , especially within a description against a corporation as opposed to a HOA or city govt) The board ( all of them ) doesn’t feel they owe him a public apology , and once the membership starts understanding how they are viewed , maybe things will change . The vote back in November should of been enough for most ppl to be able to understand this board ( legacy members ) and their views of member’s and POA employees thoughts . Now it’s been almost a year , we have witnessed some pretty spectacular “ bending” on one side , seemingly to gain some kind of “ acknowledgment “ from them and yet the treatment gets worse . I would suggest keep being cordial to them outside of meetings, support their business, pray for their acknowledgement and forgiveness for your petulance and maybe the next meeting they will just throw things at ppl they don’t like to get questions from lol just my thoughts, everyone has them .. appreciate the opportunity to give it . It is more comfortable when you know where you stand with your leadership.. I am comfortable.
Judy Weatherly
09/01/2019 — 6:24 pm
Mr. LeMay your letter was wonderful! Thank you and all those who have made comments. The BOD minus the 3 new members think all of us are dumb old people. They better think again! Today us 70 yr.olds are yesteryears 50 year olds. Plus a greater majority have multiple degrees and lifetime of great work experience.
Wake up Ms Nalley and BOD!
Sue Sutley
09/01/2019 — 8:49 pm
Raising my glass to you, Mr. LeMay! RIGHT ON!
Moe
09/02/2019 — 4:34 am
Sadly postings like this, while true, will do nothing to solve the problems HSV is facing. Nothing.
HSVP J
09/02/2019 — 7:49 pm
What do you propose, Moe?
Anonymous
09/02/2019 — 6:02 am
Open your eyes comrades
Fred Hale
09/02/2019 — 9:41 am
Well stated, Mr. LeMay.
I also witnessed this event. Mr. Rust spoke his opinion and was not disruptive.
The CEO and BOD Chair childishly attempted to “declare” policy and law at their whim. Was it REALLY worth the risk of unintentional injury?
The officers acted wisely – but their proximity presented an uncomfortable uncertainty for the Mr. Rust.
Mr. Rust behaved admirably.
Thank you, Mr. Rust and Mr. LeMay
HSVP J
09/02/2019 — 7:05 pm
“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”
Harry S. Truman
Our Board of Directors is the Government of Hot Springs Village. Our Board Chairperson seeks to silence the voice of property owners (using police power) who opposes the vision of her CEO.
Earl Koziol
09/05/2019 — 12:03 pm
This kind of behavior by people who work for us is totally ridiculous and should never happened. This should be a warning to all of the property owners as to what kind of people are on the board. They work for us, it is embarrassing to say the least. I know of a few people who are interested in moving here. How could I support their decision to do that when they can see this happening.
Dan Leathers
09/08/2019 — 9:47 am
I agree. Chair and CEO are out of control, and legacy board members do nothing. Censure would be the very least action merited by these outrageous actions.