Update on 10/21/19 at bottom of this article
Cynthia Ganz gave a presentation on October 11, 2019 to the Comprehensive Master Plan Advisory Committee on a proposed Neighborhood Alliance in Hot Springs Village. This alliance is being proposed in order to facilitate communication between the Board of Directors, Management and the Villagers. This presentation was met with mixed reviews by the CMPAC members, but mostly good reviews from the community on Nextdoor and in the audience. Thank you, Cynthia, for your diligent efforts in trying to find a solution for better communication in the community.
Click Below to View Ganz’s Presentation
cynthia-intro-letter-hsvnaClick Below to View Ganz’s Powerpoint Presentation
Hot-Springs-Village-Neighborhood-Alliance-V3Click Below to View the Proposed Charter for the Hot Springs Village Neighborhood Alliance
proposed-charter-hsvnaClick Below to View the Hot Springs Village Neighborhood Alliance Mission Statement & Candidate Qualifications
hsvna-mission-candidateClick Below to View the Hot Springs Village Neighborhood Alliance Idea Request Form
hsvna-issue-idea-request-formCommentary on Ganz’s plan from the CMPAC
Chairman of CMPAC, Keith Keck, said the plan is a potential way of communicating at the grass-roots level.
Clint Blackman said, “This is not in the CMP. I don’t know where she should present it, but I question whether it is here because it is not within our purview.”
Vice Chairman of CMPAC, Nikki Choyce, said, “The fact that it has a two-way communication modality built into is good. People need to feel heard and people need to feel like their voice is being represented. However, only as a communication tool, because we have a governing structure here and that cannot be changed at this point.”
Board Director, Buddy Dixon, said, “Everything she is talking about involves operations. The Board does not get involved in operations. So if they come up with problems with potholes or streets or drainage or whatever, that’s got to go to staff, not to the Board.”
Blackman, stated, “and it assumes that potholes are not being taken care of.”
Ganz, said, “It doesn’t assume that. That was an example.”
Blackman asked, “Why re-create another wheel, when we have plenty of committees and places that people can plug in and help?”
Pam Avila said to Blackman, “I hear what you are saying and I understand. But I think that a lot of, and this is just my own personal feeling, I think that a lot of the challenge for the Village right now is that people don’t feel heard.” The residents do not feel the committees represent them. This provides a mechanism for grass-roots communication. “The committees that we have, the process that we have now, is not working.”
Blackman stated, “This is working. This divides up our community! This divides up our community! And we have seen this before in other municipalities where they go to a division plan and then people start taking sides. This is the start.”
Avila asked, “And you think people in this community haven’t taken sides now?”
Blackman, “I think they are a minority.”
HSVPOA Director of Placemaking and Development, Stephanie Heffer, asked if Ganz was looking for an endorsement?
Ganz said she was sharing information and is not asking permission to do this. “I am asking cooperation if this gets done.”
“I need somebody to cooperate and listen to us and respond to us, in writing.”
Ganz said there have been many ideas for use of the Balboa Clubhouse and she didn’t know if the Board saw these ideas.
Rolland White said his only concern is that this system doesn’t become a chokepoint.
Avila asked that the meetings for this be in the evening in order to be more inclusive of the working population.
Some comments from the audience
Diane Bielanski (audience) said she is one of the leads on Nextdoor and that every topic on Nextdoor becomes a complaint session and there are not any positive next steps built into the Nextdoor infrastructure. “I myself, as a lead, would welcome the opportunity to at least pilot such a notion.”
Marcy Mermel, “In 2015, I put together a program much like this. We called it the House of Representatives.” Mermel offered her assistance to Ganz.
Nancy Luehring applauded the efforts of Ganz.
YouTube Video of Cynthia Ganz’s Neighborhood Alliance Presentation
Meeting on November 14, 2019
There is a meeting on November 14th at 1:00 at Ponce de Leon in the Ouachita room to try and firm up the boundaries for the 21 districts.
Update: Cynthia Ganz’s 11/20/19 BOD presentation
BOD-speech-11.20.19The next Neighborhood Alliance meeting time and date are to be announced.
Roger
10/14/2019 — 7:35 pm
The very fact that a neighborhood alliance is something that many feel needs to be created demonstrates just how bad things are in HSV.
The push back from the CMP swamp is further evidence.
Applaud the idea and its goals – but am saddened that it is necessary.
Very saddened.
We once had a nice place to live here…not any longer.
And it is all because of exceptionally poor governance at the board level.
And it continues.
On and on until HSV is finished as we used to know it.
Concerned Villager
10/15/2019 — 6:28 am
The comments from the committee say it all: NIMBY – not in my back yard. They don’t want anything to do with such a plan, great as it may be. Especially troubling are the comments from this guy Blackman who apparently doesn’t even live here and is a lawyer. Typical POA status quo promoter.
Good try though Cynthia.
Minn Daly
10/15/2019 — 8:40 am
Question, Mr Blackman the attorney at this meeting if he is not a resident why is he there? Who is paying him for his service? Does every committee get attorneys advice? How much are we paying for attorneys fees? Why does this committee need an attorney? If MS. Gang wants to start neighborhood alliance why should the CMP have to approve this action? Minn Daly
Arthur Majeske
10/15/2019 — 10:48 am
I like the idea , but believe that it is to large a group. I have often thought that the board should be made up of reps from districts within the village. enlarge the board to nine members , each representing a ward, or district of the village. Some areas of the village are never taken into account when decisions are made by the board. There have been boards that have been soley composed of a specific area of the village. there has to be more diversity within the board membership.
Nancy Luehring
10/15/2019 — 12:52 pm
Mr. Blackman is a property owner in good standing. He is not serving on CMPAC in the capacity of an attorney, only as a property owner.
Sam Taylor
10/15/2019 — 2:25 pm
If Mr. Blackman thinks this is divisive to the Village then pray tell what is the branding from the CMP with the nine different names for the parts of the Village do? He appears to be just another person who hasin leadership with a dismissive attitude.
Julie
10/17/2019 — 6:27 am
I am just so proud to be living in Sobo. What a catchy name. I love it. Whoever thought these names up was a genius. Now my life is so much better.
Minn Daly
10/15/2019 — 3:59 pm
Ms luehring, thank you for answering my question on Mr Blackman, can you answer my other questions as well? Perhaps you could explain on financial report where the attorneys fees are & the amounts spent. BOD members should get behind Ms. Ganz project as it would build positive connections Within all parts of this community. She is to be commended for her proposals. Thank you! Minn Daly
Anonymous
10/17/2019 — 5:42 am
I have to laugh at that attorney Blackman. He is so out of touch. His words.
“It will divide the community” when asked if we are not already divided??
“Only a minority” LOL
Anonymous
10/17/2019 — 9:09 am
This plan will not work. Why? Because we have a Board and a “CEO” that will not accept ANY input from Property Owners. Creating another 20 committees will do nothing to resolve our problems in HSV.
What’s needed is the removal of Lesley Nalley and the legacy BOD member including turncoat Tormey. Only then, will Property Owner obtain a voice.
Adding 20 “representatives” to the mix will only complicate and aggravate an already derailed administration. If you think you’ll get 20 Property Owners to agree on ANY issue – you’re simply out of touch and dreaming about a fantasy!
We have failed leadership. The offending members need to be replaced. Focus on doing this one task and the rest will take care of itself.
Focus on the next BOD election. Focus on seating BOD members that will champion the voices of Property Owners. Focus on finding candidates that will turn on us like Tormey did. Put a BOD membership in place with a spine and Lesley will be history more sooner than later.
This is what we need. Not more complicated schemes with 20 representatives!
George K Phillis
10/19/2019 — 11:04 pm
Although I do not care for anonymous posts I do agree with most of the one posted on 10/17/2019 909 am.
It doesn’t matter how good the communications are with all the neighborhoods in the Village…..which good communications is a good thing and a good idea…..the comment that the CEO will not listen to any property owners is spot on in that regard. The BOD is in lock step with the CEO…..except for two, and one had a grievance filed against him by the CEO and was subsequently fired for a bogus reason. What the CEO wants the CEO gets. There has been no transparency from management in quite sometime and despite that being a real source of contention by the majority of the Villagers management has not improved one bit in that regard. In fact they’ve gotten worse. The solution is as described by anonymous.