Written by Lloyd Sherman
Hot Spring Villagers’ Expectations – Now that a few days have passed since the unfortunate events of the latest board meeting, I have been reflecting on our path forward. As I looked at the videos, talked to people who were in attendance, and then reflected on the information gathered, I found myself at a point where I still couldn’t put a finger on the catalyst that spun the meeting out-of-control. Was it:
1. The motion attempting to move the discussion on a Finance Committee into this meeting?
2. Was it the “Decorum” document outlining the new rules of conduct?
Hot Springs Village Board Meeting Decorum Rules
Board-Meeting-Decorum3. Was it the ludicrous suggestion that the comment period was moved from 2 to 3 minutes and then a 10-minute time limit put on that item. After all, that would mean only 3 people would get a chance to speak.
4. Was it Brian Darst continuing to point out that we ARE NOT conducting our meetings in compliance with Roberts Rules?
5. Or was it the appearance that nothing was going to change and it was business as usual?
I suggest to you that it is probably a combination of all the above and maybe others that other individuals had with the business as usual appearance.
I would like to remind everyone that we had the realization that we might still be one election away from regaining control of the Board. For me, I think my biggest disappointment was the realization that we, in fact, will most likely have a 4/3 divided board on most issues this year and that our hope was not a realistic expectation.
It’s time for cooler heads to prevail and to moderate our hopes to what is most likely reasonable expectations. We voted three like-minded individuals this year and I believe that while they are not having the impact we had hoped, they are having an impact. Let’s give them credit for beginning by supporting the increase of the 2-minute comment time to 3 minutes. There are at least discussions of a Finance Committee. There are at least discussions of a Marketing Committee. What I am suggesting is that what we need for expectations at this point is BABY STEPS.
I am going to continue to make my concerns and comments known to the entire Board, with a few only going to the Board Chair on protocol issues and I suggest those wanting to be involved do the same.
Mostly, I suggest we give our new board members time to accomplish what they can. I know they are working hard towards change. Reality is that it’s not too late to start thinking about organizing our candidates for next year and make sure we get two more to finish out the transition that must take place.
Written by Lloyd Sherman, May 18, 2019
Valerie
05/18/2019 — 8:52 pm
Excellent comments, very thoughtful and much appreciated. We all need to continue to work together offering encouragement to the BOD members to govern responsibly and with intention for a better future for HSV.
Kirk Denger
05/18/2019 — 11:19 pm
Lloyd, thank you for your conscious observations of the many factors involved in the 5/15/19 regular HSV POA Board meeting. With well over 1K views on YouTube in just 3 days, it is likely to become viral nationally. What better marketing could be done to show all national property owners that HSV POA Members are taking control back from errant BODs. We all stand with Directors who are committed to democratic principles. This is not a 4/3 Board, as we have already seen 5/2 and unanimous decisions made. Let’s give all the board our support to use their independent thinking abilities to govern our association. When the 2 illegal and non-elected board members are removed from the legitimate 7 member elected board, independent thinking will return, and with it common sense.
Tom Blakeman
05/19/2019 — 7:31 am
To add to Lloyd’s list of possible catalysts I think we must recognize the outcome of the board retreat as reported. Some examples:
Things like the idea of a lodge having time wasted on it are a problem. We don’t need one. We have already plentiful rental by owner properties here. We have a time share operation inside the village that no one talks about. There is significant hotel construction going on or planned in Hot Springs. Plus, there is no hotel suitable property in village without issues of easements or other issues to be dealt with.
Then there is concept of now having the Government Affaires Committee report quarterly on broadband. That isn’t going to do a damn thing. It is only a sound bite designed to make us feel good. That same committee has supposedly been the focus of the broadband issue for years and virtually nothing has been done. Forget the idiocy of more meetings and committee reports, what we need is some action.
Then we have the pocket neighborhood “path forward” malarkey. No one can figure our why the holdover board members and Nalley still have not gotten the messages sent in the two elections recently held. But here we go again wasting staff time and our money on something that is not wanted and likely not feasible, again due to easements and other prohibitions such as the Declarations and/or CCI.
What we have here is a powder keg of discontent and it doesn’t take much to set it off. That’s on the resident side. On the board/POA side are the expressions of arrogance and contempt which continue to come forth. I ask you, do we really need a board member approaching and shouting down (one could say “threatening”) an audience member owner? I think not.
Karen Lundberg
05/20/2019 — 11:36 am
THANK YOU, Tom Blakeman, for finally addressing an issue which continues to be ignored by our Board and their allies. Out of everything that transpired at that meeting Wednesday, there were only two egregious events that took place. Our Board and allies continue to maintain that a threat was made to Lesley Nalley, which was NOT a threat; yet nothing is said about the spouses of Lesley Nalley and Stephanie Heffer charging across the room and getting in the woman’s face, to the point that the police had to remove them away from her. The police officer himself, with several witnesses stated that she did not make a threat. Why are spouses of POA members being allowed to handle what might be considered a police matter, even though that particular event was not a police matter. No threat was made. Then we have the matter you mentioned of a Board member approaching me, which I choose to say he charged at me, shouting me down, in my face, and several people, including myself thought he was going to hit me. I do believe that if the police had not interfered and backed him away from me, he would have hit me. The aggressiveness with which he came at me scared me, and many other people around me. My spouse, who was standing right next to me did not charge the Board member as the spouses of Lesley Nalley and Stephanie Heffer’s spouses charged a very petite, 5’0 120 pound woman who they “perceived” made a threat. I, personally, think they were there looking for a fight, and took that opportunity to start one. I believe that the Board member’s actions were so threatening and aggressiveness, at the very least, we should have a meeting, which I have now requested twice, and been denied twice. So my question now is, is this appropriate behavior for a Board member, who is held to a higher standard? No, it is not, and this Board member should immediately be terminated as a Board member.
Kirk Denger
05/20/2019 — 9:41 pm
Termination for conduct unbecoming of a Director, and while we are at it, the CEO should be terminated for conduct unbecoming of a CEO as she was slapping Mrs. Noble with her folder from across the room, showing her out of control behavior.
Bubba McGillicuty aka Frank Shears
05/19/2019 — 3:15 pm
Lloyd Sherman, I completely agree with you, we must NEVER lose hope. Baby steps are called for here. It takes some time and small steps to turn this around. It is not a simple thing to do. So, even though we all want it NOW… we must be patient and take the baby steps needed to get to our goal.
Kirk Denger, Who are the two illegal board members?
Tom Blakeman, I’ll wager the VRBO owners would be very receptive to offering discounts to the POA for their “Visit the Village” packages to attract more people owners to move here.
I have seen many other property developers who brought in members of the local real estate community to market and sell houses for them. It works and helps keep the developer costs to a minimum. Why can we not do that here? But, I digress…
Yes, yes, yes! Keep the faith and keep taking the baby steps. If we are all polite and professional with our approach to change requests we will be much better received than if we approach it with anger and frustration tainting our comments and attitudes.
Well said, Lloyd. Thanks again for your observations and comments.
Kirk Denger
05/19/2019 — 10:37 pm
Bubba, what part of 7 is misunderstood? We now have 9.
Bubba McGillicuty aka Frank Shears
05/28/2019 — 1:42 pm
Kirk, Who are the 2 illegal members you mentioned? I apologize for my ignorance, but I am curious which two other people you are tagging as “Illegal” board members.
The only voting board members are elected. Are these other two “illegals” also voting? They most certainly should NOT be attending the board meetings as members of the board.
For what it is worth, if the board is going to have closed meetings, I believe they should be closed to EVERYONE who is not an elected member of the board plus a parliamentarian and a secretary to keep minutes. Neither the Parliamentarian nor the Secretary should be employees of the POA.
By the way, I REALLY like your comments above! Thank you
Kirk Denger
05/28/2019 — 10:18 pm
We both know the CEO has conned her way in as a full Board Member (except voting) along with the CFO which makes 9. This is totally illegal which the CEO claims is OK for the board to make illegal decisions because she tells them that they, like her are above the law. The CEO cannot be the board secretary and the CFO cannot be the Board treasure because that is a total conflict of interest. Check out the last board meeting where the CEO reminds the Board that it is up to them to make decisions regardless of direct conflict with Bylaws. Her mouth needs to be shut just like the rest of us when the Board is making decisions. The CEO has no place at board meetings and needs to be removed from the head of the table, where she is controlling the Chairwoman and the rest of the board.
Linda Anderson
05/19/2019 — 9:21 pm
Let’s get back to the reality of “WHO CAUSED THE BLOW UP AFTER THE MEETING” When the meeting was adjourned, Nalley made a comment and a member who disliked the comment responded. Then Nalley’s husband and 2 other men charged at this women as if they were going to take her down. At the same time Mike Medica charged at another women for her comments. These men had come from the Board seated area into the members area. These were cowardly men who charged at defenseless ladies ( property owners ). Then other men became involved. Therefore, it was the POA that caused the problem. Of course the POA has to blame someone else and they did but not without advising the members that the next step is closed meetings. Why do we ignore the truth?
Kirk Denger
05/20/2019 — 8:22 am
Thank you “HSV People” for not removing inconvenient truths, unlike the CNU’s CEO cheerleader controlled Propaganda of Nextdoor and the Village Voice.
Sue Sutley
05/19/2019 — 9:43 pm
My observations, for what they are worth:
1. The BOD seating arrangement gives the message of old ideas (continuing board members) against new ideas (newly elected board members). I don’t think that image is a step in the right direction for healing the divide in our village which the BOD says they want to do. I don’t know if the “laws” dictate the seating arrangement. But, if they don’t perhaps reconsidering seating might show an attempt at a more inclusive atmosphere.
Appearances are important. It stood out even more when the vote was taken on Diana’s motion.
2. Speaking of that…..the motion was simply for discussion about the finance committee. Something which many of us want. Of course, it went right down “party” lines. Ms. Erickson’s yes vote could have let us know that it was not business as usual and at least I’ve heard you. Instead, her no vote sent the message that once again it’s business as usual. This was my conclusion and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. I believe that this was another catalyst for the day.
Mr. Blakeman, my thoughts exactly. The lodge and pocket neighborhood goals from the BOD retreat are disappointing and nothing but a waste of time and money when there are much more pressing issues! Two of which are creating the finance and marketing committees reporting DIRECTLY to the BOD because they are that important! All of above in MHO.
Sue Sutley
05/19/2019 — 9:50 pm
A question looking for an answer… Could Ms.
Erickson called a recess of say 20 minutes for the situation to calm down and then resume business rather than adjourning and thus in effect ending the meeting?
T H
05/21/2019 — 1:14 pm
If you look at the video real close you can see Ms. Erickson looked to Ms. Nalley for ‘what she should do?’ This is the real problem….Nalley directs the BOD traffic. She assumes, she IS IN CHARGE and ALL of the BOD answer to HER !!!! This is BULL…. She is OUR employee just like the BOD. THEY ARE ALL OUR EMPLOYEES !!! Seems they didn’t get a copy of the ORG Chart.
Sue Sutley
05/19/2019 — 10:25 pm
A question looking for an answer… Could Ms.
Erickson called a recess of say 20 minutes for the situation to calm down and then resume business rather than adjourning and thus in effect ending the meeting?
Linda Anderson
05/20/2019 — 11:14 am
It appears that these comments have not been allowed to be seen by all members. Cheryl Dowden can not see any comments. ???
HSVP C
05/20/2019 — 11:42 am
Linda, I can see these comments.
Bill Gianulis
05/20/2019 — 1:48 pm
Reading all of this stirs my memory. When my children could or would not agree with each other it was, in a funny way, Cute and comical. But, coming from grown adults who have been through almost anything? It is a sad statement of who is running the roost in the Village! How absolutely shameful it is, you all should think about how incredibly imature all of you are perceived. WOW!