HSV Board of Director Candidate
My Platform and Bio
My name is Diana Podawiltz. My husband Jim & I have been property owners for 21 years, residents for 15. In 2001, I sold my tax and financial services practices. Two years later Jim retired from Caterpillar and we moved to the Village. I was then only 48. I’ve since had time to play golf, bridge and pickleball. Now it’s time to give back and I have a lot to offer.
My background includes a BS in Business Administration/ Accounting. I first worked at Caterpillar until the birth of our son. We then made a family decision for me to primarily be a homemaker. To help with finances, I started a small home-based accounting practice. I also developed and taught a course for the Small Business Administration. A transfer to Mississippi led me into substitute teaching. I also participated in volunteer activities including: serving on Director Boards for a country club and an education foundation; being an officer in the Parent/Teacher organization and becoming President of the Women’s Golf Association. Upon returning to Illinois, I earned securities licenses and opened a tax preparation business. Besides taxes I also helped clients with their financial and investment decisions. My approach was common-sense oriented with risk/reward always at the forefront. My clients did well. I also taught accounting for a junior college. Since living in the Village, I served on the last Strategic Planning Committee and have done volunteer work.
My primary goal in serving on the POA Board is: Improve our Finances. This means reality-based budgeting and spending. I am concerned with
will help. Quarterly town hall meetings with electronic access are a must.
We need to heal, stop airing our dirty laundry in the Voice and on the internet. Be civil when we interact. I will work for changes that make it possible for property owners to access the information they seek. I will bring a common-sense accountant’s mentality to the POA Board.
Give me a chance to work for you to improve our financial health, restore trust, peace and tranquility to the lovely place we want to or are calling home. I’m 63 and I hope to have many more years of living in a community called “Heaven on Earth” by many residents. I ask respectfully for your vote. Thank you.
Linda Van Scotter
12/27/2018 — 12:46 pm
I don’t get the healing part. We’re in a fight. I actually consider it or
Miriam Shively
12/27/2018 — 3:32 pm
What issues did your particular Strategic Planning Committee address? How much input did you exercise regarding any CMP-type plans? What problems did you help solve or shed light on? Did you seek input or opinion from property owners not on the committee?
What are your interactions with Lesley Nalley like? Are you two more–or less–on the same page about central issues like the Declaration changes that just got voted down. Or the Articles of Incorporation proposed changes, etc?
I read what your opening statement said about marketing to Millennials, but what parts of the CMP do you support, and which parts cause you concern about the future of our Village? Do you support the proposed changes/redevelopment to the area around Debra’s, the Cortez Pavillion and Carmona? Lastly, do you support Lesley Nalley’s determination and Bob Cunningham’s stated agreement that the CMP will be implemented regardless of the will of the property owners??? Are you supportive of Kirk Keck’s visions for our future metropolis out and around here?
Do you support a forensic audit of past POA BOD spending? Are you comfortable with more regulation of non-urgent expenditures? Do you believe budgets should have line item proposed expenditures based on the taking of competitive bids that include use of existing POA departments and skilled workers where applicable? What about the formation of a Finance Committee? Or a Governance Committee? Or restructuring the morphed power pyramid between the CEO and BOD? Do you feel secret “executive sessions” are in exceeds and not justified by defonition? How do you envision the proper role and power of the ACC? Do you support or disagree with the “Compliance Police” concept.
Will you be present and prepared to discuss your answers to these and other difficult questions in person (and even in print!) by the time of the up coming meet and greet at Linda Scotter’s office on Jan. 7?
Thank you for your consideration of these and all those other little matters that will undoubtedly change your retirement. If elected you will certainly have to make some unpopular decisions. I admire your ability to offer yourself as a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. I wish you well at the ballot box, but I would very much like to know more about how you think, especially all the above mentioned concerns.
If you do not already have one, go find the most wonderful new pillow you can, maybe even a new mattress, a lavendar eye pillow and a Dodow machine. (Google it)!You will soon be needing all the sleep aid’s you can muster. And remember, eat your dessert first…
Diana Podawiltz
12/27/2018 — 5:11 pm
1. I was on the Financial Committee for the Strategic Planning Cmte. Back then we had very antiquated accounting systems that didn’t interact well. We spent a lot of time digging information that is more readily available today. We could see what was happening with lots being returned, we had major gaps in fleet management, we had no idea what equipment we really had or needed. We advised that the pool was nearing the end of it’s life and would have to be replaced in the next few years. Yes we sought input from other property owners outside the committee.
The CMP was not part of our planning in any way. All of our work was done by property owner volunteers and there were many people involved.
2. I don’t know Kirk Keck
3. In my day, we referred to a forensic audit as a deep dive. I wholeheartedly support review of cash flow. We have to know exactly what we have coming in ( I think revenues are currently very well reported). What we really don’t have a handle on is just how much we’re spending.
4. I believe discretionary spending needs to be greatly reduced. I feel the new board can reach a reasonable amount. Motions will have to be made & passed to make this a reality.
5. I believe the budgeting process needs to be overhauled & I will work to make this happen.
6. I believe the board needs more power & control of running the association than the staff. In that regard, I believe we need to revamp the organization structure. I was appalled to see the internal job posting for a Grade 18 employee to be a manager of the managers. BTW, what are the pay ranges for the salary grades of our Exempt employees?
7. We need to bring common-sense to the rules that our ACC must follow.
Yes, I will be at the Three for HSV meet and greet on Jan 5th.
Linda Van Scotter
12/27/2018 — 12:46 pm
I don’t get the healing part. We’re in a fight. I actually consider it war
Diana Podawiltz
12/27/2018 — 5:15 pm
Linda we have to make changes, we don’t want to fight with our neighbors. We all have the same goal – the sustainability of our beautiful Village.
Build on the positive. We’re going to need a lot of volunteers to “right the ship”
Jeanette Sherman
12/31/2018 — 9:49 am
I think I am pretty clear. i would rather see her run by herself and not bundled with someone supporting her who has ridiculed people for having “new thoughts” and having other’s supporting her by collecting money for her campaign who have promoted an environment of secrecy while criticizing others for their lack of transparency. Hypocrisy and no “new thinking” is what we don’t need in our Village.
Jeanette Sherman
01/01/2019 — 5:47 pm
I agree that a private Facebook group discussing private issues has every right to keeping their group private. However, I feel a group formed to spread untruths and inuendos about the management of our community is another thing all together. I also feel there were many things said in the We The People forum that were untrue about our POA and BOD. I do not support that secrecy because it is from those groups that so many slanderous rumors are spread around the Village about our BOD and CEO. When I have been challenged without proving my “facts” untrue, I believe this is unfortunate for the betterment of our community. I do appreciate your willingness to have this discussion with me, however, and only hope we can stick to the facts during this election. If we do that, no one should need to keep any group secret and non-inclusive. I thank you for hearing me out.
HSVP WebMaster
01/01/2019 — 7:03 pm
Jeanette,
Click –> https://arkansaspeople.us/showthread.php?tid=34 to continue the conversation. Cheryl Dowden and perhaps others would love to have conversations about the betterment of our community. The link will take you to a discussion forum where everyone is welcome. It could be fun… Cheers!
C D
01/02/2019 — 12:04 pm
Karen, thanks for your input and support. I copied your comment and posted it in this forum, along with the rest of the conversation.
https://arkansaspeople.us/showthread.php?tid=34&pid=53#pid53
Karen Daigle Lundberg
01/03/2019 — 6:15 am
No thanks necessary. I wrote the truth. There are many misconceptions about your “secret group,” as it is called. I, personally, know what a good group it is, and I will always try to help people see it for what it really is, exactly what I explained to Jeanette. What is sad is there are so many people who have the misconception that the two different closed groups are aligned together, which could not be further from the truth. I was horrified to see someone come out the morning after the vote and take total credit for the win. The people in your group need to be proud of what they accomplished, and I, for one, know how very hard they worked for that win. I will always be happy and proud to state that your group had a huge part in that vote, and no one can take that away from any of you. You have some very good candidates, and I wish all of them the best of luck.
Karen Daigle Lundberg
01/08/2019 — 5:37 pm
One question. Jeanette Sherman, who is Tom Bachman?
HSVP J
01/09/2019 — 8:37 am
Click –> Arkansas People Forums to continue the conversation. Cheryl Dowden and perhaps others would love to have conversations about the betterment of our community. The link will take you to a discussion forum where everyone is welcome. It could be fun… Cheers!