By Lorri Street, March 10, 2020
I have been selected to participate on the day of Election Committee to count ballots. Today [3/10/2020] the POA held an informational meeting for all the selected day of Election Committee members. There will be a total of 30 committee members counting with various POA staff on hand to supervise the process.
Questions were asked and not all were adequately answered
Many questions were asked and answered by Mr. Jerry Yeric and Renee Haugen. Two questions that I felt weren’t adequately answered were:
- Why was there not any identifying information on the ballots such as member signature and/or Lot, Block, Subdivision? If I’m recalling correctly two answers came forth from our trainers. One was that “in the past” Property Owners did not want to disclose their identity or LBS, and secondly, it’s not in the current bylaws as a requirement. IMHO…that was the past and certainly circumstances today in the Village should have dictated such.
- I asked Renee Haugen for the name of the vendor who was hired to print and mail out the ballots. Renee’s response was, “it was a vendor in Little Rock.” I proceeded to push past her vague reply telling her there was Villagers suspicion that perhaps the CEO’s husband’s printing company may have been the vendor. Renee emphatically replied that it was not the CEO’s husband’s company and went on to say his company just sells and repairs printers. I asked again if she would share with us who then was the vendor. At that point, she stated that vendors of the POA have asked the POA not to disclose their information. And, taking it even further, Renee stated that the POA was having a hard time finding vendors who wanted to work with the POA, so the POA felt it best that they not share vendor information.
Request to view ballot printing/mailing vendor invoice
On my way home from that meeting, I stopped at the POA and filled out a Request to Review Records form specifically asking to view this year’s ballot printing/mailing vendor invoice. Hopefully, I’ll be given that opportunity so the suspicion can be put to rest once and for all.
Lost votes
On another note…two members who were selected to be on the ballot counting committee shared with us all, including the trainers, that they had not received their ballots. One member/owner reported he had two physical addresses here in the Village and a total of four lots. The other member/owner reported she too did not receive her ballots for her two properties. Jerry Yeric indicated to Renee Haugen that that part of the voting process was not something he was involved in. Renee Haugen passed the ‘hot potato’ to Board Chairperson Cindy Erickson and Board Director Tormey Campagna.
As a side note: The current HSV Board of Directors made a policy this year that NO additional ballots would be given out under any circumstances.
So that’s six lost votes…we have to wonder how many other Property Owners are in the same boat? We can and we will do better in the future!
By Lorri Street, March 10, 2020
Linda
03/10/2020 — 5:38 pm
We can do better. I will put a similar request in writing. Do they think we are stupid?
Placate. The word is placate. Doesn’t work with us, does it?
Good job Lori
Mark
03/12/2020 — 5:43 am
They know we are stupid. We have done nothing to stop these crazy people from ruining HSV, so I suspect we are stupid.
Sam H.
03/10/2020 — 5:58 pm
Not disclosing the ballot vendor’s name tells me that Lesley has something to hide – as per usual.
If I did not get my ballot I would be very angry. And the fact that the BOD and Lesley made up yet another new rule “not to replace missing ballots” tells me that they knew ahead of time that there would be missing ballots and as a “strategy” they decided against doing the right thing.
I surely hope you’re correct Lorri when you say, “We can and we will do better in the future!”
Sue Sutley
03/10/2020 — 6:51 pm
Thanks Lori! So appreciate you sharing this info in the spirit of transparency and information. Another issue to be addressed next voting cycle is the return address for undeliverable ballots should NOT be the POA building! Please let us know if your request to view the invoice is granted.
Vicky
03/10/2020 — 6:52 pm
Great article Lorri!
I wonder why vendors don’t want to work with the POA??
Walter Chance
03/10/2020 — 6:54 pm
I would be furious if I did not get a replacement ballot. I would also wonder why the mystery of the printer, and further, who has access to the PO Box. Again, no transparency, no explanation, totally BS.
MinnDaly
03/10/2020 — 7:21 pm
Lorrie, thank you for your digiliance in dealing with this mess. So sad that we can’t trust our BOD to make any decision for owner members. Can’t wait to get LTD on this BOD. Maybe next time out it will be smooth going. Again thank you for all you do! Minn Daly
Moe
03/10/2020 — 7:33 pm
These people are unreal in their intentional malfeasance.
Coleen Curtis
03/10/2020 — 7:52 pm
Lorri, I’m so glad you are involved in our voting process. I know if anyone can fix the problems, it would be you. LN and her minions should not be involved in any part of the process. The voting process was already breached before anyone received a ballot. Thank you so much, Lorrie, for all you do for our Village.
Kirk Denger
03/10/2020 — 8:37 pm
There once was a man who wanted to stop his HABIT of drinking tea. He first tried by removing the H from his HABIT but he soon found that he was still consuming “A-BIT”. So he took away the HA from his HABIT but he still had a “BIT”. Then he took away HA&B away from his HABIT, but he still had “IT”. Determined to stop his HABIT he took away the H, the A, the B and the I, thinking that he surely had dismantled his HABIT until he looked and saw that he still had his “T”.
I highly agree with the attempt to revise our economy saving voting process.
COMPLETELY removing any possibility of the perception of a conflict of interest will only happen If the Board COMPLETELY removes yourselves and the CEO and staff from the voting process.
Lloyd Sherman
03/10/2020 — 8:54 pm
The election process yet again this year is riddled with issues. Of concern to me from the report provided by Lorri goes to a couple of what I consider problematic.
1. LOST VOTES – This is really a two-pronged issue. One is non-receipt of ballots. Given 6 votes were lost out of 30 volunteers indicates that this problem could exist with as much as 20% of the votes. That obviously is a high-end number, but number of the magnitude indicates we could have upwards of 4,500 votes disenfranchised. The other is the returned ballots going back to the POA and no procedure in place for that eventuality. So if we have the possibility of at least 20% of the votes being disenfranchised, added to those that are returned simply for a bad address, or some other reason, how many votes are going back to the POA and EXACTLY HOW ARE THEY GOING TO ACCOUNTED FOR? This opens up the possibility these envelopes could be opened, marked and put right back in the mail and no one would be the wiser. Think it can’t happen? Anything can happen if you don’t provide a process for it.
Given the level of distrust that exists within the Village, I would think the POA would want to remove themselves from situations like vote tabulation. There are huge concerns not just here but all over the nation of people potentially tampering with voting totals. No accusations, just the reality of voting. So the first people to touch the process is the POA and the last people to touch the process is the POA. Count totals will be given to a POA employee for certification and then to yet another POA employee for entering into the master worksheet. From a previous auditor, that does not square with best-practice audit procedures.
THE BOARD NEEDS TO REENGAGE AND ENSURE THAT THIS PROCESS IS TAMPER-PROOF. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL ONLY RESULT WITH FURTHER DISSATISFACTION.
Here is what I presented to the Board last year when I had concerns:
“Urgent Request to POA Board
3/19/2019
In our current environment, suspicion seems to be running rampant, and while efforts are being made to become more open and transparent, a general lack of trust still exists.
A current one centers around the upcoming vote count for the POA Board and is generally related to a fear that it won’t be transparent. So, in the spirit of showing transparency and at the same time garnering some trust in those who continue to distrust, I recommend that at a minimum you ensure the following is done as part of this process:
1. Provide a copy of the invoice reflecting how many ballots were printed – simply providing a count that can be challenged will not be deemed as being transparent.
2. Provide a count of the ballots mailed to residents.
3. Provide a count of the ballots mailed to non-residents.
4. Provide a count of the “replaced” ballots from the affidavit log.
5. Have the remaining non-voted ballots counted as part of the counting day process.
6. Provide this accounting immediately following and in conjunction with the election results along with a copy of the invoice for the printing.
7. Post-election and when available from the post office, update the accounting to include postage-paid numbers provided by the Post Office. While this will by itself not prove anything, it does show another sign of transparency.
Without doing this process as a minimum, this entire voting process is, and will continue to be brought into question. Just because this is basically how it’s always been done, won’t be acceptable given our current trust issues, and keeping in mind that the environment has changed. I suggest this should have been foreseen and taken into account during the establishment of the voting committee.”
Sue Sutley
03/10/2020 — 10:09 pm
That’s why Ms. Nalley is paid the big bucks….to forsee! Once again, complete ineptitude on her part. No wonder vendors don’t want to work with the POA. If I were a vendor, I wouldn’t waste my time with the POA and it’s current lack of leadership! But, she’ll receive her bonus. And yet, some people wonder why others want Ms. Nalley to go. Just another example of her total lack of knowledge and expertise for the job.
Melinda Alvord
03/10/2020 — 10:24 pm
I was also in attendance. The reason given for the return address being the POA office is because that is who the bulk rate permit is issued to, and according to postal service regulations the return address must match the permit. I do not know if this is true, I’m merely stating that this is the reason given.
Mr. Yeric did state that he will allow candidates to observe the ballot tallying from inside the room, if they so desire. All other observers must remain outside the room.
I still advocate that the “two envelope system” will allow for lot and block numbers to appear on the outside envelope so the ballots can be checked off fron a master list, but the inside envelope has no identifiers on it at all so voting is completely anonymous. It’s past time for us to be logging ballots in board elections!
It’s interesting that one of the two property owners in attendance who had not received their ballots was also involved in consulting with the task force that created the revisions that were approved by the board in January…. ironically is now the “victim” of the very policy they helped develop!
Moe
03/11/2020 — 5:01 am
Serves them right. These people, as I have often reminded you all, could not run a successful business if their lives depended on it. They are totally incapable of doing anything without making mistakes. This election is proof positive.
I suggest a subcommittee look into these voting issues and report directly back to the board with recommendations. Then the board can discuss, delay, fulminate, ignore, sweep under the rug, and do nothing, just as it has done so often in the past.
Then we can all be assured of a failed voting process for the next election.
Great work if you can get. And they have it.
At our expense.
Dan
03/11/2020 — 9:45 am
When you vote in a state election, Federal election do you sign your ballots or put any identifying information on the ballots? You register when you come in and show picture ID and ok what info is on the books. Then you are given a ballot with no information on it. I don’t remember signing it.
Lorri Street
03/11/2020 — 10:20 am
In yesterday’s HSV Voice a Letters to the Editor written by Rocky Peebles said this. “Got my purple ballot, envelope, and other stuff they put in. RED FLAG jumped out at me. The big envelope that everything came in had the return address as POA 895 DeSoto Blvd HSV.” “IF that envelope is non-deliverable and is returned to the POA admin office, ANYONE IN THAT BUILDING and you know who can easily open the envelope, fill out the ballot the way they want the election to go and simply mail it in the inside envelope.” Please tell me they really didn’t set it up this way. One more time was it deliberate or just more stupidity from the POA Admin and you know who.”
(Lorri speaking now)…the day before yesterday I received from the Post Office a returned LTD Mailer that had gone to a Conway, AR., address. The company that printed the mailers and also mailed them using their postal permit, nonetheless, because the mailer also had the address, “Because HSV Matters, 62 Arjona Way, HSV, AR, 71909” it came back to me. I have taken pictures of the returned mailer to corroborate what I just wrote should anyone want me to send them the pictures. Just ask.
Also during the training meeting yesterday Renee Haugen told us members of the Election Day Committee that although the POA had clearly put up a sign on their outside ‘drop box’, they have been receiving ballots in that box. Renee went on to say that a designated POA employee each day checks the drop box for mail and whenever there’s a ballot(s) that person walks across the parking area and drops them into the U.S. Postal mailbox in front of the POA.
steve bylow
03/11/2020 — 11:27 am
Lori
Sorry if I missed it but who is collecting the “return to sender” envelopes that go to the POA?
Thanks
Steve
Lorri Street
03/11/2020 — 1:10 pm
We were told a designated POA staff member does.
Henry Ewersmann
03/11/2020 — 10:47 am
My wife and I were at yesterday’s meeting and spoke afterwards with Jerry Yeric, the election chairman. He is responsible for the accurate count of the returned ballots and then submitting those results to the current ceo.
Jerry is making a number of changes to last year’s procedures. He will monitor our CFO, as she inputs the results into the final spread sheet, to insure accuracy. He will, then, form a small committee [from the counting volunteers] to take a number of samples from the batches and audit those batches thru it’s entire process. He will, then, sign and keep a copy of the results that are submitted to the ceo.
His main goal is the integrity of the counting of votes. He wants to make sure that all of the candidates feel that the vote was fair and accurate.
Jerry knows that the current voting systems can be improved; but, this will be the responsibility of the new BOD for next year’s election.
My wife and I have confidence in Mr. Yeric.
Thanks,
Jan & Butch
steve bylow
03/11/2020 — 11:38 am
Seems really strange that a POA employee would:
1. Not share the name of a vendor.
2. Imply POA vendors do not want potential customers to know they do business with the POA.
If true; I question the judgment of the vendor who does not value word of mouth advertising and the judgment of staff member for informally agreeing to not share information.
Steve
Ralph
03/11/2020 — 1:06 pm
Correct you are Steve. They are hiding something for certain. There is no other explanation possible.
No vendor in their right mind would ask for anonymity – vendors want new business and are proud to speak of the business they have – unless they are a party to the obvious malfeasance.
Perhaps they are.
Who knows? How can we know? They are hiding something big.
I have no confidence in any vendor that hides behind a phony statement about not wanting to be known….this isn’t Cuba, is it??
They are sure acting like it is.
Lorri Street
03/11/2020 — 1:29 pm
As I reported earlier yesterday I submitted a Request to Scedule Records Inspection specifically to view the Vendor invoice for the company used to print & mail the 2020 HSV Board Election ballots. This morning I received the following email from Ella Scotty, Executive Assistant to CEO.
“Good morning Lorri. HSVPOA is in receipt of your Request to Schedule Records Inspection dated 3-10-2020. The document you are requesting “Vendor invoice for company used to print & mail the 2020 HSV Board Election ballots”, does not exist at this time.”
I agree with Bud & Jan’s post above about Jerry Yeric lending his credibility to this election, however, LN’s slight of hand is still very evident and unfortunately even the good guy such as Jerry Yeric is… can’t stop the renegade POA leadership from continuing their “hand on” non-transparent approach to OUR BOD Elections
Sue Sutley
03/11/2020 — 1:50 pm
Maybe they haven’t billed us, yet even though the job is finished? Wait a couple weeks and ask again. If the answer is the same then there’s no doubt about the motivation behind the response. AND if we are paying without invoices being presented, no wonder we can’t track the money. More poor business practices, for sure!
Thanks for the update, Lori!
Sam
03/11/2020 — 4:45 pm
Once again, we have incompetence on full display! In spite of supposedly not being able to shoot in the Village, our “leaders” continue to find ways to shoot themselves in the foot time after time! Why is not surprising that they can’t handle the big things when they continue to flub the smaller things. I. Am. Tired. Of. It!!!!
Daniel Boehmke
03/11/2020 — 8:39 pm
We are residents of HSV but presently in FL since December. We own a condo here and this past month we participated in our Board Elections. The system was EXACTLY as has been proposed by several people here. First one vote per unit/address. After I received my election packet, and my Ballot was marked – I placed it into an enclosed “Plain” envelope, marked “Ballot” and sealed it. That envelope was then placed into a second pre addressed envelope – which I signed and placed my unit number on it. That was then returned – either by mail or in person to the owner/management company. As those envelopes were received the individuals name/unit was checked off against a master list to confirm that they were valid and that there was no duplication. The only thing recorded was a tally to insure the required percentage of ballots were received for a valid election. Then the outer envelope was opened and retained separately – insuring a correlation between ballots received and the final election vote totals. The internal Ballot envelope was then not opened until the actual counting process took place at an open meeting with the results announced immediately. I feel this system provides accountability and a valid election process while eliminating any concerns about protecting individual identity.
Julie
03/12/2020 — 5:42 am
Of course it was done correctly there. You actually have people who know what they are doing. Sadly, we do not.
HSV is run by people who are totally incompetent, dishonest, deceitful, and nefarious.
We are hopelessly stuck with this confederacy of dunces.
Time to move people.
It might not be too late, but I suspect it is.
Patrick T. McCarthy
03/12/2020 — 7:29 am
You don’t know how important trust is between the Board, POA and Owners until it is lost. Unfortunately it has been lost for some time here in Hot Springs Village. I place this loss of trust directly at the feet of the Board and POA.
No system for voting is absolute or perfect regarding potential problems so any system has to have a way to fix those problems. Designing a system that does not provide for potential problems is unrealistic.
With this voting system and our POA we already have distrust, massive distrust in my opinion. This alone, even before a result, shows what a mess we are in.
The recent Boards and POA have done little to change this growing lack of trust in the Village. Let’s hope this election, even with its flaws, can sweep LTD in and get us back to where we can start rebuilding trust.
As a final note let me say I am disgusted by our Boards and POA. They have so trampled on the owners over the last 3 years, it makes me sick to think about it.
Moe
03/12/2020 — 8:48 am
Amen, brother!
Tom Blakeman
03/12/2020 — 8:50 am
The other word which describes what we do not have is ACCOUNTABILITY.
Sue Sutley
03/12/2020 — 11:22 am
Amen, brother!
Sue Sutley
03/12/2020 — 11:22 am
Amen, brother!
Lloyd Sherman
03/12/2020 — 3:32 pm
We may be in a place where what Henry Ewersmann said about the process to be used by Jerry Yeric is our only option and it does appear there have been some efforts made to ensure the process is as transparent as it can be given the work already done. However, there is one more board meeting before the count and I see no reason why the current board could not still fix the items that are in need of repair. The easy answer is to kick it to the next board. Regardless, I’ve said it before, our volunteers and Jerry Yeric will do the best job they can and I have confidence in them.
Management does not seem to recognize that the continued failure to provide information property owners are asking for only deepens the lack of trust level. Then saying things like vendors asked not to be disclosed because they didn’t want to be stormed is at least bordering on being ludicrous. I have also heard that many don’t want to do business with us for that reason. Really? Maybe it is not the property owners they have problems with?
The other myth I keep hearing about is that we are losing employees because of the disgruntled property owners. Again, I say. Really?
You can’t keep blaming the property owners for the culture that has been created here and I suggest those energies would be best turned inwardly while listening to what you are being told. It’s happening with greater frequency. Happen-chance?
Andy Kramek
03/13/2020 — 10:01 am
There really is no excuse for NOT using a two-envelope system when conducting postal ballots. It is completely standard practice in all elections that are conducted through the mail – whether Federal, State, Local or even (as in our case) by an HOA. The process is really simple:
[1] Your completed ballot is placed inside an envelope that has no identifying marks. This envelope will be provided to the counters and only opened by them. Thus preserving the secrecy of the ballot.
[2] You then place your sealed ballot envelope inside an envelope that shows your voter registration (whether that is an electoral roll number, L/B/A etc.) This is then mailed back to the election authority.
[3] Upon receipt at the election authority the Voter ID is checked off against the master list (to ensure that only one vote per qualified voter is made). The inner envelope is removed and stored in a secure location until needed for counting.
[3] The number of ballots counted is then reconciled against the number of outer envelopes that were received. This ensures that all ballots that were returned, and only those that were returned, have been counted.
This isn’t rocket science and there is absolutely no reason why the POA cannot use it.