By Daniel P. Aylward, November 19, 2019
Dear Board Members:
I just read the memorandum recommending prohibition of recording of meetings. This is a very sad commentary on the state of affairs that the Board of Directors feels it must hide itself from recordings.
Our community has been divided in recent years by the real and perceived secrecy of the Board and staff. Indeed, this has been generated by the lack of transparency in the board behavior and manifests itself in unfortunate decisions that are highly unpopular and unnecessary. These self-inflicted wounds fester in the community and create a difficult environment.
Admittedly, the Board and staff have done this together and have created such a level of distrust that it will be many years before the damage can be corrected. The Board must take dramatic action if it is to correct the problem. However, this action does just the opposite.
Withholding of information is not in keeping with the concept of the POA. This is a homeowner’s association charged with providing services to the homeowners. It is not intended to be a force fighting the residents but rather a positive force for good for the community. Instead, it acts as if the Board and staff are paranoid of the residents ever finding out the truth about what happens at the POA.
This lack of transparency has manifested itself in the hiding of the report from the Budget Committee, the hiding of the historical findings of the Marketing Subcommittee and the attempted hiding of the recommendations of that committee as three examples of which I am aware.
Minutes do not represent the actual events of a meeting and are necessarily skewed by the writer’s opinions and the opinion of the Chairperson. They can never reflect the tone and attitude of the comments that were made. Therefore, they are necessarily an imprecise representation of the activity in a meeting.
Our committees are proud of the work they do in support of the POA. These HSV residents give of their time and treasure to improve the environment in which we live. To assert that they are not adept enough to decide if they wish their meetings to be recorded is an affront to everyone who volunteers their efforts. It is indeed insulting to the intelligence of the committee chairs and the committee members.
I fear the POA is continuing its slide into a confrontational approach with the residents that clearly illustrates a definite disdain for the homeowners who are shareholders of the POA. We elect our representatives to serve the community, not support ill-advised programs and policies at the expense of the residents.
I urge you to strongly oppose this recommendation, insist on greater transparency and bring the POA back to serving the community in the future.
Thank you for your service to our community!
President and CEO
Worldwide Leisure Management LLC
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas 71909
Campagna’s Memo to Revise Open Meeting Policy
14Open-Meeting-Policy-Revision-Memo_New-Business-Discussion
Kathy
11/19/2019 — 4:04 pm
Unbelievable!
Anonymous
11/19/2019 — 4:10 pm
Thanks Dan for setting the gauntlet. We are not just the treasury. We deserve something or they can kiss off. I’d now rather go down in flames than let these pirates fleece me and I never get to hear how it happened??
Frank Shears aka Bubba
11/19/2019 — 5:31 pm
Very well said!
I was recently asked what POA Committees I have served on since moving to the Village 4 years ago. My response was and still is, “I cannot serve on a committee because I do not agree with the POA CEO’s actions, attitudes and policies. This is clearly another case of her trying to gain ultimate control over the Village. Furthermore all committee members must enthusiastically support the full implementation of the CMP, which I do not.”
Could this be another reason the POA is having difficulty finding volunteers to serve on the committees?
Thank you Mr. Aylward.
Mary
11/19/2019 — 5:56 pm
It is exactly the reason no one wants to be on a committee. The majority do not agree with the CMP which has been forced on us. Until she is gone these irrational acts will continue
Julie
11/19/2019 — 7:38 pm
Do not be intimidated by these fops and fools. There is nothing they can do to stop the recording of the meeting. Nothing.
The Americans with Disabilities Act means that anyone with a hearing deficiency can put their hearing aide microphone anywhere they need it to be. There is nothing they can do to stop this and nothing that says what is being picked up by mic can not be recorded.
Nothing would prevent every one from simply hitting record on their smart phones and putting them in their pockets.
Nothing would stop anyone from putting a shotgun mic in their hat and recording the whole thing.
Nothing would stop anyone from bringing a laptop computer and using its recorder to record the meeting.
Nothing would stop a stenographer with a pencil and a pad from “recording” the whole meeting.
Nothing would prevent anyone from having an attorney present while the “ceo” and the POA Board tried to prevent any of the above.
Nothing would prevent anyone from getting rich by suing the “ceo” and the POA Board for denying them the right to record the meeting.
If the people of HSV accept these insane demands from the “ceo” and the POA Board, then they only have themselves to blame as HSV continues to slide further and further downhill.
This would be funny if it wasn’t so damaging. I feel like I woke up in Cuba or Hong Kong. Not HSV.
Enough.
Take a stand.
Let the recording begin.
Kilroy
11/19/2019 — 9:39 pm
Tormey says in his memo that we the members might be confused. Yes, I read that. Got that right, Tormey. I am so confused. I’m confused about a lot of things going on in this part of the world. And not the least of which would be how is it that you suddenly became an enlightened board member. You, who from the Chicago area, with so much prior experience as a board member, promised you would bring your version of justice for the people here in HSV, because you had the “know how”. One year ago you were indignant with this CEO and promised to take your prior experience to the next level and to show us just how to “throw the bums out”. And now? And now you’re writing memos from your desk to keep out and restrict us, the very members that supported you, from learning all we can about what is going on in these meetings here in HSV. I am confused. Mafia style POA must have got you too. Did she threaten your family? Make an offer you couldn’t refuse? I’m confused.
Come back to us and we will put you in the Witness Protection Program.
Anonymous
11/19/2019 — 10:13 pm
This site is for members to know the facts. Fact #1, the CEO is a member of the Congress of New Urbanism. Fact #2, The Congress of New Urbanism is Created by Andreas Duany of DPZ. Fact #3, we now have a CEO who cannot be fired and who has a perpetually automatically contract renewal. Fact #4, HSV POA has been taken over by a fascist dictator. The truth is not slander.
HSVP C
11/20/2019 — 6:41 am
We are not going to allow the author of this email to be smeared. He spent a lot of his own time and effort to work for the community, so go ahead and put your advertisement in the voice.