by George Sorrell, September 26, 2019
Thinking about the next election for new board members
I must admit what I am about to say may be pure fantasy. But if what I’ve heard about our election process is true, then this must be brought out into the public for intense scrutiny. I should say I heard this independently from two reliable sources.
It is my understanding that when we elected the last three new members to the board, following the assembly of all the ballots, The CEO takes these into her office and closes the door.
Is this a true statement? If true, what is she doing with our ballots?
It is no secret that this CEO (as she is called) has no credibility with most property owners. She certainly does not have credibility with those who were defeated in the last election.
I open this up for discussion and/or refutation if appropriate.
Personally, I would prefer to pay a trusted third party to count our votes than to trust anyone in the HSVPOA.
What do you think?
by George Sorrell, September 26, 2019
Mary Odom
09/26/2019 — 4:56 pm
She should not touch the ballots! The individuals we are voting on are her bosses or suppose to be!! Yes we need a 3rd party!
Mary Szczepaniak
09/26/2019 — 5:01 pm
I agree that we need a third party to count. She should have nothing to do with it & that 3rd party should not be her relativrs or friends.
Tom Blakeman
09/26/2019 — 5:14 pm
Part of the issue here is why one election (Declarations Vote) is done one way and another (Directors) is done another way. So far I’ve not heard any credible answer to this question.
Walter Chance
09/26/2019 — 5:21 pm
What do the bylaws say about tabulation? Lloyd Sherman?
A Drama Free HSV
09/26/2019 — 9:49 pm
Mr. and Mrs. Dowden your site has become negligible, given your severe lack of due diligence before approving and posting content. A retired Arkansas Supreme Court Justice was the most recent Election Day Committee Chair. You might take the responsible step of asking him about how the count occurred and what he witnessed and certified.
Mr. Sorrell, you might also take the responsible step of asking those who served on that committee about their process. Hatred has apparently clouded your better judgement.
Pathetic.
George Sorrell
09/27/2019 — 11:26 am
If you will reread, my opening statement, I “heard” this rumor and that it might be pure fantasy. The purpose of the article was to draw out the truth. Nothing in what you’ve said refutes the reported action of the CEO. I was aware of the presence of the esteemed Justice but I doubt if he counted the votes for the final tally.
Our ballots should never be in the possession of any HSV owner, the CEO or any individual with an agenda. We need a certified independent 3rd party organization (in my opinion) that can be trusted. There is just too much at stake with this next election.
If in fact the rumor I heard is invalid and it can be certified that all the counting was done above board and by a neutral party, than I stand corrected and my apology extended to all injured parties.
I would like to hear from eye witnesses if you would care to either correct my rumor or else confirm it is true.
I do not know anyone in the HSVPOA or the CEO. Therefore hatred is the wrong word. Distrust is the right word.
Dan
09/28/2019 — 2:26 pm
You could also ‘draw out the truth’ by asking people that were actually involved. Using rumors as our platform is making us look incompetent. We are loosing ground with all this conspiracy BS!
HSVP C
09/28/2019 — 3:10 pm
Dan, there are legitimate concerns about the board election process. We are not losing ground. George had a legitimate question and he stated this. Are people not allowed to ask questions now? You sound very much like the “other” folks.
Lloyd Sherman
09/26/2019 — 5:31 pm
Unfortunately, the way the system was set up last year is open to scrutiny and question. I brought this issue up at a board meeting last year and it was pretty much ignored. Given that there is a high level of distrust and regardless of whether it is justified, there can be the appearance of impropriety. That is not healthy given the current climate in the Village. I for one support this process being conducted by a disinterested, out-of-state resource and needs addressed by the board soon. Being one of those candidates that were not selected last year and running again this year, I want to ensure the voice of the property owners is heard.
Dave Sintich
09/26/2019 — 5:38 pm
“IF” this posting is true, Then the person who gave her the ballots and she should immediately and without fail, be terminated for tampering. If a vote of such importance within our Village can not be handled in a more legal and honest way without ANYONE besides the designated talliers handling them until the total is handed to the PROPER AUTHORITY then as the saying goes,”Their IS a skunk in the wood pile”. And again, if true, it should be brought out into the open as to show transparency and honesty from our Board and past directors. There is enough “CRAP” going on within our gates and voter tampering SHOULD NOT be tolerated in any way, shape or form. These two or so people should report their observations to the Police Chief and let justice prevail. NOW…
Minn Daly
09/26/2019 — 6:17 pm
My thoughts on my vote is it should be handled by a third party. No one connected to BOD/CEO should be the responsible party. All votes should be processed the same way. Minn Daly
Fritz
09/26/2019 — 7:38 pm
I don’t trust that lady to count my vote. She can’t count money! This is all insane. It is like a sketch on SNL or something. I am sickened by the idiocy of these people. And the malfeasance. Sickened.
Count me in
09/26/2019 — 8:01 pm
Seems like the by laws are a bit misunderstood/misleading.
The Election Day committee opens, counts & tallies ballots.
Not sure why the each ballot needs to be handled “initially counted” by the POA staff. This would be a good place for a third party drop off.
Certainly, given the current climate, the CEO does not need to be the recipient of the results to inform the board. There should be some trustworthy Election Day committee person, selected by the board, who could deliver the results directly.
Section 5. Each ballot returned shall be counted by the POA staff and stored in a safe and secure place. An ad hoc Election Day Committee, composed of members in good standing, recruited and selected by a blind draw, shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at its regular meeting. The ad hoc Election Day Committee shall oversee the opening, counting and tally of ballots on the date of the election. The Board of Directors shall designate a date as the date of the election. The candidates receiving the greater number of votes shall be elected to fill the number of positions vacant. The results of the election will be submitted to the CEO who will notify the current Board of Directors, and all Board of Directors candidates and issue a press release on the results on the designated election date. The Board of Directors shall certify those so elected at its April regular meeting.
JM
09/27/2019 — 8:04 am
Did the retired Arkansas Supreme Court Justice sit next to the ballot vault in management’s office 24/7 the entire election period ensuring the ballots were not tampered with?
Every day, USPS delivered returned ballots to the CEO to be stored in a vault until the vote count.
Who had access to the vault? Were the ballot totals kept track of daily? On a weekly basis? We do not know. We do know anyone with assess to the vault could possibly stuff in specially prepared ballots favoring or disfavoring certain candidates.
There are other serious issues in the board election voting process that leave the entire process open to possible election fraud.
The Board should change the election ballot process to ensure the process has integrity.
Drew C Kahle
09/27/2019 — 3:32 pm
I was on the ad hoc Election Day Committee last year. When all members are present at the Woodlands we were paired in teams of 2. The ballots were on the front desk in boxes unopened. They were then opened by staff and given in stacks to each team for counting. Each vote is tallied by the team members and counted. When complete the votes are tallied again and if they march the results are given to staff and checkers up front. The process is repeated until all ballots are counted.
. No one else is allowed in the room during this procedure
.We take our breaks and lunch in this room
.All ballots are in sealed envelopes when brought in this room
.At no time was Lesley in this room nor did she participate in counting or talling of the votes.
I can see absolutely no discrepancies or illegal practices being done in the counting of votes or assembling the final count total.
Andy Kramek
09/28/2019 — 9:39 am
You said:
“I can see absolutely no discrepancies or illegal practices being done in the counting of votes or assembling the final count total.”
That, of course, assumes that all the ballots that were returned (and no others) actually wound up in the boxes delivered to the front desk for counting.
Look, no-one doubts the integrity of the count itself, it is handling of the ballots prior to the count that is being questioned. Not that I am accusing anyone, or suggesting anything, but the process used was definitely open to abuse at a number of levels:
First, there was nothing on the ballot, or the envelope to certify it was a genuine response from a member. Any number of additional envelopes could have been added to the boxes prior to counting. Who knows?
Second, there were verified accounts of ballots handed into the POA being put “into a drawer” (hardly a vault!). Again what happened to those ballots, are they still “in the drawer”? Who knows?
Third, at least one person reported wanting to alter their vote, and they were simply given a new ballot form and envelope. The original was also put into a drawer and not destroyed in front of the resident. Was that person’s vote counted twice? Who knows?
Fourth, again, reportedly, anyone could go to the PoA front desk and request a ballot form saying that they never received theirs in the mail. All that was needed was a membership card (which was not checked for current status, nor verified against some other form of ID). Were all these people qualified voters? Who knows?
Fifth, ballots received through the mail were not, as far as we know, subject to any form of checking or validation. Simply printing off multiple copies of the ballot form, and mailing them in, would have allowed multiple votes. Did this happen? Who knows?
As I said I am not suggesting any of this happened, but the process certainly would have permitted any, or all, of these things. It must be tightened up before the next election.
Anonymous
10/01/2019 — 9:03 am
❤️✌️
Tom Blakeman
09/28/2019 — 7:10 am
It often helps to see what other similar organizations do. Here’s a quote from the Bella Vista website on the topic of elections:
“Since 2016, the Election Committee has used a third-party election services company to administer the vote for all board elections and for the 2016 assessment increase vote. By using a third-party election services company, the independence and accuracy of the election process is ensured. The same election services company used since 2016, The Inspectors of Election (TIE), was recently hired to conduct the 2019 assessment vote. This firm utilizes a standardized process to conduct elections and, out of an abundance of caution, the Election Committee does not request TIE to release additional information outside of the results of the election. To do otherwise could result in accusations of vote tampering. How Improved and Unimproved lot owners voted may have been tracked prior to 2016, but the Election Committee feels that tracking such information going forward should not be done.”
Linda Anderson
09/28/2019 — 8:32 am
A couple of days before the close of the last election, I went to the POA Office to personally hand in my ballot. I was told there was no ballot box inside and to put the ballot outside in the mail box which I did. I left with some doubts because I knew that someone would go thru the mail for the day and where would my ballot go if someone decided to hold it up to the light and see the choices I made were not what they wanted and tossed it.
A 3rd party election services company should be the only option for a secure election process.
Anonymous
10/04/2019 — 3:48 pm
Ur right ,it is what it is….. not right but… poa is a cr9xked as they can be. County judge will not step in.
Julie
09/29/2019 — 4:14 am
No one retires knowingly to a community where simple board meetings can’t be held without a massive police presence.
No one retires to a place with 9 poorly run golf courses that lose millions and millions of dollars.
No one retires to a place where the employees have such ridiculous job titles that defy any understanding.
No one retires to a place with a crazy, half-baked lunatic making more than the governor of the state and who seems intent on destroying the very fabric of the place without delay.
No one retires to a place where inept, frustrated, former military career guys become board members so they can finally leave a legacy of further ineptitude.
No one retires to a place that bills itself as a gated community but is, in fact, so porous as to be laughable.
No one retires to a place where the police chief constantly reminds us all of the many things he is unable to do about the lax security rather than actually doing anything. Come on in – we’re open for anyone to use our amenities. No charge.
No one retires to a place that can’t figure out how to contract for projects that don’t end up a disaster (gates, thermal cooling, dredging, etc, etc.) and a complete and total waste of money.
No one retires to a place where the CEO can successfully direct the local paper to not report on anything unfavorable regarding the board or the POA management.
No one retires to a place that illegally holds secret meetings, illegally conducts improper committee meetings, and illegally silences members of the community.
No one retires to a place that has waffle cone vendors on the beach for the non-resident “guests” to enjoy.
No one retires to a place that can’t operate a single restaurant without losing money.
No one retires to a place that signs secret, multi-year, money-losing contracts with shady outfits like Troon that result in nothing but more lost money.
No one retires to a place where property values decline on a regular basis year after year after year.
No one retires to a place that leaves dozens and dozens of rusting culverts ready to collapse in place but builds a crummy little outdoor cocktail pool that is only used 1/4th of the year for twice what it would cost if anyone knew how to contract.
No one retires to a place that raises fees on every possible thing you might ever want to do every single year. Fees that reduce the use of the amenities and that result in less income, not more.
No one retires to a place where the management hides behind their desks and never openly engages with the very people paying their salary.
No one retires to a place that loses every single change they had proposed to our bylaws and then acts like that vote never happened and goes about making the changes anyway.
No one retires to a place that spends massive amounts of money to “fix” an old, dilapidated, run-down, leaking golf clubhouse only to have a newer run-down leaking golf club house that loses money and that few people even use.
No one retires to a place that proposes to throw 6 million dollars they do not have to “fixing” an old, tired, and run-down golf course that doesn’t draw enough players to even break even.
And no one ever retires to a place that pays $500,000 for a crummy, ill-planned, inane, asinine, sophomoric, boilerplate document from some crazy outfit in Florida that is absolutely guaranteed to destroy what we have if ever implemented.
Not a single soul.
steve bylow
09/29/2019 — 12:55 pm
Thanks for the article. While some folks don’t appreciate a questioning attitude – I do. While the majority of the POA Board Members and CEO may be well-meaning, they lack the capacity to lead (check out CEO’s bio on Linkedin) or understand their responsibility to provide oversight (POA Board).
One simple example is the fact the CEO’s contract states her job duties can not be changed without her approval. In my 35+ years of HR with many companies I’ve never seen such lack of oversight.
The good news is we know what the problem is and I’m confident this blog plus a questioning attitude (like Dick Garrison, George Sorrell…) will result in enough property owner engagement in 2020 to get HSV back on the right track.