New Board Communications Discussions Announced at 2/19 Board Meeting
At their February meeting, the HSV Board of Directors decided to start an ongoing discussion on bettering Property Owner Communications. After careful and thoughtful contemplation for about two seconds an idea occurred to us:
Be forthcoming
Don’t spin it, don’t hide it, don’t hype it, don’t fudge it.
Please add your thoughts.
Posted by Chuck and Melinda Alvord on 2/20/2020
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Click here to watch the HSVPOA Board of Directors’ New Board Communications Discussions
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Board Chair memo to the Board of Directors on improving communications with POA Members
142-19-20_Board_Communication-Plan_memo
Tom Blakeman
02/20/2020 — 2:27 pm
Change only comes when those in charge set the example. Deeds, not words.
In our case, realization of any new “Board Communication” initiative will only occur when all of the incumbent board members (save for one) along with their hired leader are replaced.
Meanwhile, this is nothing more than window dressing in the port holes of a Titanic.
John Sowers
02/21/2020 — 1:20 pm
You are so right Tom about deeds and not words.
POA board member Tormey Campagna prepared and sent out an article in the weekly Village Digest about the deeds (listing of their work responsibilities and recent pictures of their work) of the Public Services staff and employees and the volunteer POA Public Services committee members.
Cheryl Dowden recently asked me to provide this type information and I told her it would be something the POA board leadership could address, and Tormey did that. And there will be follow-on communications from the Public Services director, as he and his work force keep HSV up and running.
So Tom, what volunteer POA committee do you serve on, and why don’t you attend our volunteer Public Services committee meetings held at least twice a month, and after been invited to attend those meetings?
So again Tom, deeds and not words.
Thanks from John Sowers
Kirk Denger
02/21/2020 — 9:25 pm
John, your participation as a committee volunteer will be eliminated next by your esteemed board liaison Compagna as he proposes and votes for Board members to take over all committees, which is completely contrary to community involvement in guiding our Village. By the way, why does it take 8 service crews and a backhoe to fix a sewage sub-station on Baleric by the POA office when it was just supposedly just replaced this year along with 63 others? Deeds not words.
John Sowers
02/22/2020 — 6:59 am
Mr. Denger. So the proposal is that board members will become members of volunteer POA committees; now they are liaisons. And I can assure you that as a volunteer, I have no problem with that.
The only thing that bothers me is that you aren’t a volunteer on any committee and don’t attend any of our Public Services meetings and just complain, criticize, shout, and support law suits against ourselves.
And your complaint about repairing a sewage lift station is at best misinformation. Did you go to the POA workers and ask why they were working that lift station. We will be repairing and maintaining lift stations continuously; it could be replacing or upgrading a motor or electrical controls, installing new odor control devices, etc. etc. And why 8 men? Go ask the work leader, maybe road safety control, etc. Did you ever climb down in a lift station?
Yes, you are right, deeds over words and sidewalk superintendents.
Kirk Denger
02/22/2020 — 8:26 pm
How many “volunteer non board members or non staff were on the Governance committee for the last couple of years? Maybe if you are elected to the Board you can “volunteer” for that committee and keep your tight lips. By the way you did not know what was happening with eight crews at the lift station that was just replaced last summer along with 63 others. Can we expect the new replacements to last 6 months?
Your lack of words are not deeds.
John Sowers
02/23/2020 — 2:56 am
Kirk Denger02/22/2020 — 8:26 pm
How many “volunteer non board members or non staff were on the Governance committee for the last couple of years? Maybe if you are elected to the Board you can “volunteer” for that committee and keep your tight lips. By the way you did not know what was happening with eight crews at the lift station that was just replaced last summer along with 63 others. Can we expect the new replacements to last 6 months?
Your lack of words are not deeds.
Mr. Denger. This is about POA board members perhaps being members of volunteer POA committees, instead of only being liaisons to volunteer POA committees. And since I am a volunteer member of the Public Services committee, I have no reason to object to that change. If you have concerns about the Governance committee, go talk to the POA board.
And the second issue is your complaint about 8 crews (I think you meant 8 workers) working at a sewage lift station. You did not ask their work leader what they were doing, and why 8 workers, and hadn’t this station been repaired this past year. And yes, in 2019 all lift stations were fully operational. Again, our over 60 lift stations for this 26,000 acre village are key components of our two sewage plants operations. These lift stations operate 24/7 and must and will be maintained and repaired continuously unless you would like sewage overflows and offensive odors in HSV. I suggest you contact Wesley Carpenter who is lift stations “super” who manages this program. And yes, deeds trump your words.
Thanks from John Sowers
Kirk Denger
02/23/2020 — 6:49 am
When you make the determination that simple questions are complaints, that signifies you are on the defensive. What are you trying to hide? Shouldn’t you as a member of the committee know what your department’s major operations are? Words hide deeds.
Andy Kramek
02/20/2020 — 2:51 pm
And did anyone else notice the changes to the Mission and Vision statements?
Here are the current statements – from POA Website (find under Member Resources -> Governing Documents) and the (draft) replacements:
Mission
In Hot Springs Village, our mission is to provide opportunities and lifestyle choices, from the most vibrant to the peaceful and serene, for all property owners and visitors alike.
To be replaced with:
“Enhancing our community through the member experience
Vision
As a natural paradise nestled in the center of the U.S., Hot springs Village is America’s premier active lifestyle community.
To be replaced with:
“America’s premier active lifestyle community”
More gobbledygook. How much time was spent on this vital work?
Julie
02/20/2020 — 3:55 pm
Totally agree. You actually can’t “enhance” a community through the “member experience”. This statement is not only ridiculous, but obviously so foolish as to be meaningless. If you have a mission statement that is this nebulous, silly, and inane, how will you ever know if you have fulfilled it?
You will not ever know and that is the whole point.
All the stuff these crazies come up with sounds like is is straight out of some communist manifesto or 1984!
I have a better idea for the new mission statement:
Preserving Hot Springs Village by removing the “ceo”.
Cheri Nelson
02/20/2020 — 2:53 pm
They still don’t get it. The Board still has their collective heads in the sand. We the Property Owners Not members, We The Property Owners Know how hard the rank and file staff members work. We know they are working under stressful conditions and are short staffed. We are all Thankful beyond measure for everything they the rank and file workers do. It is You the Board members with the exception of Diana, and the CEO that are deaf. You still believe that you sitting on your high and mighty thrones, are smarter, than us lowly property owners. You still believe after everything that has gone on, through protests, through 2 voting sessions, that the only voice you need to listen to is the one in your head. I pray this next election will wake you up. If it doesn’t, I predict HSV will become a ghost town.
Anne Shears
02/20/2020 — 3:30 pm
To little, too late.
Ralph
02/20/2020 — 3:37 pm
The purpose, mission, and vision, from the document can not be implemented in any way, shape, or form with gates that are wide open. Seriously.
To think otherwise is ridiculous.
Mark
02/20/2020 — 3:47 pm
There is no way we can ever be America’s premiere active lifestyle community with all the onerous, excessive, crazy, and unnecessary fees that are attached to everything we could possibly ever want to to. No other community in the nation has such a fiasco of fees. Not one.
It is accepted fact that when you raise fees on things then fewer people will participate. This has happened in HSV – golf is down, bocce down, lawn bowling down, concert series down, tennis down, pool use down, etc. All these things have gone up in cost each and every year and they continue to do so with the same effect. Reduced participation and actual reduced revenue.
You can make up any slogans you want – it won’t make them true. In fact, if you have to tell people you are the premiere active lifestyle community in America, the chances are very high that you are not.
Is HSV more active than The Villages? Than Sun City? I think not. And they don’t brag about it or make patently false statements about it…precisely because they don’t have to. Those communities sell themselves. Ours, sadly, no longer does.
Nor will it ever with the gang that is currently running the show. This much we know.
Minn Daly
02/20/2020 — 4:11 pm
Tom Blakeman is correct, CHANGE will come when we elect Lloyd, Tucker, & Dick to HSVBOD! When we restructure POA & have BOD members actually control POA, a GM who reports to BOD & a BOD that listens to Property Owners . Getting budgets in line. Discarding CMP, Governance , restructuring bylaws & takeing our community to its vibrant sane status. Minn Daly
Drake C
02/20/2020 — 5:02 pm
As long as the West End housing resales continue to be marketed for pennies on the dollar, we will continue to have an influx of lower-middle class residents, with families, growing the population. With this will come congestion, increased competition for amenity resources and worse, crime – lots of crime. That’s just the way it is.
This is the future reality of HSV. Slums and slum lords in the West End and a segregation of class structures evolving into an us and them environment. And unfortunately, even with a change of guard, it’s simply too late to do anything about it.
We had a chance to secure our quiet and peaceful community by making it a legitimate 55 year old active lifestyle retirement environment but we are letting anybody buy into our dream. That dream is now crushed. There is no going back.
Our For Sale sign is up and we are hoping to escape this downward spiral asap!
For those of you who remain – good luck!
Not even LTD are going to be able to resolve this problem!
Very sad to watch this once wonderful community crumble before our eyes.
steve bylow
02/20/2020 — 6:11 pm
To Drake C
I wish you well selling your home. We’ve been in the Village for 10+ years and love it and look forward to full-time retirement.
The fact that we’ve got a bunch of talented folks (LTD) who are willing to take time from their retirement to get HSV back on track is a key reason we will not be selling.
Andy Kramek
02/20/2020 — 6:12 pm
Ala, I fear you have hit the nail squarely on the head. We left at the end of last summer – lots of reasons but the direction of the Village was definitely a major factor in that decision. Meanwhile, we still own property in the Village but, unless we see a major change after this election, we will selling up and getting out completely.
Andy Kramek
02/21/2020 — 9:18 am
Just to clarify – I agree with Drake that the village is currently in an accelerating downward spiral. I sincerely hope that Lloyd, Tucker and Dick will all be elected to the Board, and will be able to put the brakes on, and eventually reverse course.
Upper Crust
02/20/2020 — 6:20 pm
Drake, “Lower middle class with families causing increased competition for amenities”? Our amenities are in dire need of increased competition! “Families bringing in crime”? Families do not typically bring in crime, regardless of their economic class. Many retirees love children and have time to spend with appreciative children. Happy trails, Drake C.!, although you will NEVER be happy!
Cheri
02/21/2020 — 8:08 am
Drake, You sir are unfortunately exactly the rude, Grumpy and bigoted type of person, folks outside the gates believe all of us Villagers to be. Please take your curmudgeonly old attitude and head for one of those other 55+ villages you so admire. Our beautiful Village will do just fine without you. please don’t delay!!
george chelf
02/21/2020 — 9:37 pm
Drake C that is one of the most prejudiced statement that I have ever heard. There are many wonderful people who live in the west end of HSV in beautiful homes who I am privileged to call friends. I also have friends living in the east end. We live in the middle. In your theory, guess we are just mediocre. Good luck with your move. Sonja
Karen Bump
02/22/2020 — 11:00 am
Excuse me Drake, but in our west gate neighborhood we had one rental with a family. Our home prices have steadily gone up every year since we bought our home in 2015, and 6 homes have changed hands on just two of our seven streets, all have been purchased by retirees. I take offense at you calling the West Gate a slum.
You must be speaking about a higher number of rentals on the west side as being below market. Even so, I would not characterize as any of our neighborhoods as anything remotely like a slum.
Save our village
02/20/2020 — 5:10 pm
We will look into how to be more truthful and forthcoming . seriously? Such Denial.
"Unless"?!
02/20/2020 — 5:15 pm
“Unless the Board leads the community discourse…alternate communication channels develop”?! NEWS FLASH – Regardless of which way the wind blows, “alternate communication channels” are part of contemporary society. Gangs of cyber bullies rule NextDoor (in our case, it’s the minority of Board suporters), so our Board likes that channel, but our Board cannot control the discourse on this “channel”, so this one they don’t like! They do not comprehend that it is not just what/when/how things are said, but what/when/how things are done or left undone that folks take note of.
Keith
02/20/2020 — 5:49 pm
It will be great to have LTD/DP in power and watch them make their first decision with only themselves to blame. Welcome to the big leagues. Change is indeed coming.
Kirk Denger
02/21/2020 — 9:44 pm
Keith, you cannot welcome anyone into the big league when you are playing Daddy ball with adolescents.
steve bylow
02/20/2020 — 7:11 pm
A few thoughts:
1. I like the fact the Vision is shorter with an emphasis on “active”.
2. The Mission statement reference to “member experience” sounds like consultant talk.
3. I notice the “Communication Plan” references “informing property owners” but does not say anything about about “listening or soliciting input from property owners” and “transparency”.
I think the CEO and some Board members under value the importance of “candid feedback” and “transparency”. The common excuses I recall are:
1. We don’t want to “air our dirty laundry” because people won’t move to HSV.
2. The CMP is a great document – people just don’t understand it.
3. HSV is a corporation and we can’t share that.
4. The Bylaws state….
From what I’ve read; Lloyd, Tucker, and Dick understand the importance of candid feedback and transparency.
In regard to Board candidate Nikki Choyce, I understand she would not allow information from her POA committee to be shared because it was “dirty laundry”. While I understand her well intended logic – I disagree with her under-estimating the value of being transparent.
Robert Busse
02/27/2020 — 12:03 pm
I was always taught the true “communication” was a 2 way action. BOTH
entities interact back and forth. Each has input. Each listens to what the other says, so each entity can understand what is being said. That is true communication!
What our leaders of the recent past and present have done or are proposing is not communication. When one entity tells another what is going on, or going to happen, etc., that is information. Providing information is not communicating. Dictators inform. Leaders inform and communicate.
Up to a point, information is good for everyone. But at the point where only one side does all the informing and the other side has no input or feedback, it is not good.
Until our Leaders, and especially our CEO, learn that we need as much, if not more, communication as we do information. What they must recognize is that information leads to communication and not information is communication.
HSVP J
02/20/2020 — 7:54 pm
In my opinion, the problem is the CEO and her devoted legacy board directors +TurnCoat cannot implement the CEO’s New Urbanism vision by being transparent to property owners.
They are controlling the information in order to sell the CEO’s New Urban Agenda to the property owners. The CEO’s vision will cost property owners millions and result in heavily increased assessments.
This is why the CEO and her legacy board are having discussions on Board Communications. Board Communications will always be biased and simply promoting the CEO’s agenda.
The CEO’s agenda (CMP) is a Governing Document and the Board is bound to support it. We can change the course by voting LTD in our upcoming board election.
Betty
02/21/2020 — 6:03 am
Joe is infatuated with our CEO. Poor Cheryl.
Minn Daly
02/20/2020 — 10:08 pm
Drake C, To say that the west side is going to be slums & filled with crime for the future is not logical & not happening. Owners who live here like me have family that they love & want to stay. Families with children who live here pay dues, want a GATED community & a life style they can afford, that is secure, nothing is wrong with that. To say that young people who want to come into a GATED community that has over 70 percent retirees, where they love the features of this beautiful community & can afford to do so is offensive to you, is unbelievable. I have lived here for 32 years with my 2 sons who now also live here not just in the west side but thruout this beautiful community. If they can afford to do so they should have that opportunity. 65 percent of owners live on the west side and pay for HSV amenities. They pay for that right with dues! This is Not a 55 & older community. It has never to my knowledge been marketed that way! Sorry that you do not like HSV, but my family loves it. This is why we are voteing For Lloyd, Tucker & Dick to make changes needed within this community, to keep infrastructure, financial & stop the CMP from tearing our beautiful GATED community apart! You may want to stay & see the recovery. We hope you change your mind. Minn Daly
george chelf
02/21/2020 — 10:07 pm
Minn, well said as always.
Besty B
02/21/2020 — 2:08 pm
Here’s a thought for you all to ponder.
Since Buddy is now leaving the BOD and since now We the People will be voting for 4 new BOD members, I propose the following.
An open letter to Nikki Choyce!
Dear Nikki:
Do something positive for HSV! Please drop out of the race immediately! By doing so, by default, LTD and Kirk will win. Therefore no need to spend $40,000+ dollars on an election process! This will save you the heartache of what’s inevitable – you losing to Kirk!
Simple! Here’s your chance Nikki to prove that you are in touch with real property owners that want positive change.
Just drop out. And we are done! We can all move onward with $40,000+ more dollars in our checking account!
How many chances does one person get to save the Village so much money? You’ll be our champion Nikki, unlike your mentor who writes checks for $500,000.00 like it’s pocket change!
Just do it! Drop out!
Thank you so much for your consideration!
Stephen
02/21/2020 — 6:35 pm
Yes. Then they will all have to work with each other, leaving only themselves to blame for any decisions. Be careful what you wish for….
steve bylow
02/21/2020 — 10:06 pm
Betsy B
I’ll be a contrarian. While I understand the idea of saving money… I’d rather Nikki run so we can get a feel for how popular her platform is with our fellow residence who voted.
If she is elected, we need to understand why and see if LTD’s strategy will address some of their concerns.
If she is not elected, it sends another message.
In other words, In my opinion there is an upside for her running.
Melinda Noble
02/21/2020 — 3:09 pm
Since Buddy is not coming back Nikki could withdraw leaving 4 people on the ballot. If we can do without an election we would save thousands of dollars and could use some of that money as a going away party for Lesley and her group.
george chelf
02/21/2020 — 10:13 pm
Melinda you are Great we will attend the PARTY !!!!!!!!!
Peter G.
02/22/2020 — 11:10 am
An OPEN comment to the candidates running for the BOD.
Regarding your candidacies: Be certain that I am going to VOTE FOR LTD & now Kirk. Nikki Choyce is just a Lesley clone. I’ll have no part of that!
Also – please be advised – when you all do take your Seats on the new BOD, if you come asking We the People for more money via higher assessments, the answer will be a RESOUNDING -NO- , that is, until Lesley is removed and can no longer influence ANYTHING that is HSV. Once Lesley is removed we will grant you all the money you need to return HSV to the quiet, peaceful, active adult RETIREMENT community it once was. But not until then!
Listen Carefully! NOT ONE DIME until Lesley is GONE!
So LTD and Kirk – you will have a tough shopping list of agenda items to act upon, and you will most definitely have our (We the People) support in your efforts to remove Lesley from HSV. If her removal is not HIGH, and I mean right at the top of your agenda, you will lose your credibility, support and We the People will line up and express our displeasure if you don’t take immediate action to have Lesley removed – NO MATTER WHAT THE COST!
Just Do It!
Cheri
02/22/2020 — 11:54 pm
Peter, the part you got right was they will have an extremely busy agenda. Don’t let expectations get too high in regards Nalley’s contract. The fact is, the current board will review her contract before they are ever seated. It will remain to be seen what they will do but you can bet the current board will do whatever they can to protect her. Let’s get them elected and give them a chance to get the seats warm before folks start demanding the world.
steve bylow
02/23/2020 — 7:25 am
Anonymous Peter G
I agree a plan is needed with the appropriate staff and oversight before folks will feel comfortable increasing dues.
I also believe many folks are endorsing LTD because they have significant business experience and trust their judgment.
We can agree to disagree on how important it is to take “immediate action” – I trust their judgment to decide what and when is best.
Minn Daly
02/23/2020 — 10:35 am
As an owner member supporting LTD my intent for doing so is that they have EXPERIENCE! My trust in them includes understanding what the legacy BOD may be capable of before they are seated on BOD. They will also have to have legal advice on dealing with transition with CEO contract, structuring or restructure of staff, opening books to see Financial conditions & how to get spending under control. These actions will take time. We need to stop lawsuits not start NEW ones. Lloyd, Tucker & Dick understand what to do, remember they will be on boarding with legacy BOD members. This will be defining months for Our New BOD & they will continue to need all of our support to regain our community & bring Sanity back to operations of POA. They will have no idea the attorneys The CEO has on boarded until the books are opened. After what Dick Garrison went through last year with this CEO/LEGACY BOD they must seek excellent legal advice or be embroiled in legal conflicts. I support the experienced LTD team to deal with these potential issues. Minn Daly
Peter G.
02/23/2020 — 11:42 am
Hey – some of your commentaries here are showing how naive you may be about whether or not the newly seated BOD members should take “immediate” and “decisive” action wrt to the removal of Lesley Nalley.
Let me offer my experience from Corporate America based on real experience with very similar circumstances.
When you have a problem, such as we have with Lesley’s mis-directed leadership, (and I’m being kind here), you don’t waste time forming committees, and analyzing a problem which is overtly evident to anyone looking in at HSV.
Lesley needs to be removed ASAP. The sooner the problem is resolve, the better for everyone involved. Property Owners deserve and are way over due for some swift and decisive actions by our BOD. To prolong her stay in HSV will only allow her to become more entrenched with her anti-HSV motives. And as a result our newly elected BOD member will rapidly lose their credibility. Just look at how quickly Turncoat Tormey lost his positive pre-election reputation after drinking the POA ‘ Lesley KoolAid! The response from Property Owner was decisive and QUICK – and – he will never recoup his good name – EVER!+
Stop trying to treat the potential new BOD members with kid gloves. They’re adults and they should know NOW, how serious and damaging Lesley has been to our Community. She needs to be removed and our new BOD members need to show us that they have a spine and formulate a short term, VERY SHORT TERM plan to replace her with a GM at half the salary and benefits. It needs to be done as a first order of business.
If they do this, then Property Owner will pass any request for assessment increases without much debate. We all know we need it but we all ALSO know that we are not going to grant ONE DIME until Lesley is GONE. Period.
Make no mistake about it. Lesley is the number one problem that needs to be resolved in our Village.
Kirk Denger
03/03/2020 — 6:12 pm
Peter, please contact me.
Minn Daly
02/23/2020 — 12:37 pm
Peter G! Agree with you! Not naive with Knowing the LDT team will do clean up within LEGAl steps on advice of very astute attorneys. We as owner members have no idea how many attorneys are on or been hired by CEO/BOD. We also have 45 plus days for this legacy BOD to extend CEO contract. Legacy BOD does not care what owner members want, thier agenda is still ongoing. I trust in LTD to be very much aware of these issues & complete the task of takeing back our community. Minn Daly