HSV – Did we Lose the Heart?

by Cheri Nelson, September 12, 2019

The heart and soul 

When did our Village lose its HEART?  There used to be a huge pulsing HEART about the Village.  Even as a guest, one could feel it as you entered the gates.  You could almost see it as you drove down DeSoto, saw all the folks on the golf courses, tennis courts, and lakes,  hear it in the noise of laughter in the restaurants. One felt warm and excited to be here, like coming home.   

Heart disease

Heart disease is often insidious, slowly building until the heart is so weak it can no longer function properly and if not treated slowly dies.  Our Village has significant heart disease. This insidious disease, started when we began treating the Villages solely as a business instead of a Community. We aren’t on life support yet, but serious treatment is needed. 

Dual personalities 

 Our Village is unique, in essence, it has a split personality. It has the cold austere corporate personality and the warm friendly community personality. Hot Springs Village has been a corporation almost since the day Mr. Cooper turned the first shovel of dirt to build the first home.   Yet although even back then we were a corporation, our Village HEART and soul was evident.  But with all dual personalities, eventually, the quiet corporate side began asserting itself until it has taken over and the community side has almost been silenced.  It has taken the very soul out of our Village.  

Treatment

Luckily for us, Our Village does have treatment options available.  Some are expensive yet the most significant treatment is not only cheap, it’s free!!

We all understand that we are a corporation, and within the legal boundaries must operate as a corporation, but rules and regulations have their place.  When big projects come up, (like refurbishing Balboa) it’s looked at solely as a business enterprise.  The business (aka the POA) had their work sessions, had their employees advising them on what is needed, what they want to see done.  BUT the HEART of the Project could easily have been strengthened IF they had selected members of the community (aka Villagers) to join the work sessions.  I’m not talking a committee here, I’m talking about bringing in Villagers who would use the venue under consideration, to the work sessions.  Let them speak, let them help figure out what needs to be done, how the venue can benefit those actually using it, what the financial costs are and how to contain the cost. 

I don’t necessarily believe we need a community-wide vote on every big project, that wouldn’t be cost-effective, and would increase the turmoil within our home.   It would constantly pit those in favor of a project against those who are opposed because they likely wouldn’t use the amenity being considered. 

Select a panel of Villagers to come to the work sessions, allow them input in the discussion, the design, the planning.  Let them go out amongst the rest of the Villagers, get their input and bring it back to the next work session.

Hold “Property Owner Days” once a month, in which the POA staff selects a venue that needs work, involve our painters, our craftsman, our creative Villagers under the direction of a maintenance crew to clean up and spruce up our grounds and our buildings.  It would be cost-effective, achieve the goal of completing delayed maintenance and bring the HEART and soul back to the Village.  

by Cheri Nelson, September 12, 2019

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