Not all live here lot are just empty lot owners, timeshare, vacation condos, no there was money to maintain, some lull in new construction, no boards decided to not use money for maintenance and spend it on unnecessary high salaried positions, 1/2 mil for a map and slides shows, mil for a poorly constructed new pool, pickle-ball courts that didn’t hold up in short time, mil a year over marketing agency vs good advertising, unnecessary trips by management, handing irreclaimable money over to failed deals, high priced external golf management company atop our paid supervisors that charged outrageous for fertilizer, mowers etc., external voting outfit rather than in house, lawsuits over poor decisions…and that’s around time doubled assessments too. So no it was all about mismanaging money in a shell game. Listening to ones who lived here longer is a wise and common sense thing to do, things aren’t always noticeable on surface. Excess of one amenity , was a poor development decision, not sustainable as usage declined as times changed and detrimental to the rest of the place in future. 2 tier assessment, lots(empty no building commitment no resident)vs built( homes and residents) ruined a lot. Garland original older side less golf, lakes and amenities should have been separate HOA assessment while the later Saline newer more golf, lakes, amenities should been a POA (under same HSV umbrella, way its done in other states) Just take a drive between the two and see the huge difference and wonder why there seems to be a imbalance in assessing. Amenities are separate usage charges and are public non owner accessible(owners get a discount). Could charge cart trail fee, and boat dock access fee as other lake golf places do. Charge for everything else, might want to consider public visitor pass entry fee online printable ticket to amenity/event (not a residents guest called in) like owners/contractors are charged for decals to enter. Public non resident does wear and tear on roads, lakes, common property and amenities…There are also grants out there for things like clean up, green energy and such that can be applied for. Really need Balboa club nah you got enough of those plus restaurants and pubs, turn spot into more parking for driving range. Drainage well we’ve had and probably will see more heavy spring rain events, this year 16 inches of unusual snow and will make drainage issues on courses, especially Balboa was built on low swampy land to begin with, don’t drive carts on saturated course greens and if you drive cart into the course ponds you should pay to have it removed. Shortening a few courses could yield a few more golf lots to build on if you approach CCI developer on that or add some landscaped perimeter green spaces for appeal and less land maintenance. Steep banks on DeSoto where energy company sprays saplings we can’t mow, turns brown, well red clover and shorter wildflower seeding, we could get a resident chip into fund perhaps for that. Lot of things to consider than high assessments to supplement type of amenity. Consider inflation and services other than association have increased far more than average senior incomes, not many retirees with great pensions now. Arkansas as is most south retirement (even Florida has old not newer developing and more of a Disney/Universal playground) isn’t about luxury retirement except east/west coastal or wealthy executives, the appeal is cost of living. Average retiring in place or downsizing/moving more and traveling more with their time, age related illnesses, those will affect preexisting communities. Different lifestyles, shrunken middle class, and trends of all ages change, trends aren’t limited to just HSV it goes nationally. It’s only the present and the not too far future with stress of rapid adaptation occurring. Nostalgia is a memory, can’t return to past, time is not our friend. And my last post and wish all better days.