Ladies and gentleman of the board,
I thought that at some point many moons ago we Villagers had gotten at least one point across to leadership. That being that secrecy must go and transparency must prevail. But I guess when you deal with eight individuals, some don’t get it or understand the message. I will restate the issue.
Villagers want transparency
We members of Hot Springs Village deplore, are against, do not want and insist on much-improved transparency from our leaders and government. You probably wonder what brings this up?
Balboa renovation/rebuild is big controversy
Well, the big topic of controversy facing our Village now is the Balboa Golf Course and Clubhouse updating. This has been lurking in the weeks for at least five years and now is the time chosen to face the music. And your music is estimated at $6.8 million dollars. The members have been seriously questioning this project, for and against, for just a month now, as it was just presented to the public at the last board meeting. Many owners have questioned: “How can the board make a decision to spend what many believe is the largest single expenditure in POA history in just 30 days?” Folks claim it’s not possible to research and investigate all the particulars of this project especially when paramount among the items is the amount of debt! How much debt will the POA have to take on, because we most assuredly do not have the assets to cover a huge expense like this. And, how will that debt adversely affect our future financial health?
Directors have no ethical problem holding secret meetings
Now, I will get specific. I have learned from a very reliable source, one of you, that this project was presented to the board at an executive (closed) meeting in June of this year, and it has been a topic of discussion for three months now. So, it is obvious that our CEO and board chairman, along with a majority of directors have no ethical problems secretly addressing a subject of this magnitude and importance in closed, unannounced, executive session. These type meetings run totally counter to what you have told members; that executive sessions are for personnel issues, contracts, lawsuits, and other very sensitive issues.
This should have been handled in public
This huge expensive project is not a sensitive issue and should have been introduced and hammered out in open public meetings from the beginning and not several months after the fact.
Secrecy is blatant disregard for community
I suspect many of you leaders and your followers are asking yourselves, “What is he getting upset about?” Well, secrecy is a blatant disregard for the members of this community. This aloof attitude being shown regularly by some of you really does have an effect on your friends and neighbors in this Village.
Stop it!
You obviously haven’t listened to us. You blow smoke and you often tell slanted, half-truths while going merrily along with your wishes, your wants, and your desires, as if members don’t exist. It is time to stop this foolishness. I beg you, please stop it! If we don’t all get together and move forward as one, we are all going to see our beautiful piece of paradise die an alarmingly tragic death.
by Robert Busse, September 18, 2019
Anonymous
09/15/2019 — 12:22 pm
At least 2 months ago we ran into a couple looking at a house that was for sale in our neighborhood. He works for a company in the Benton/Bryant area (I can’t remember which) that bid on the Balboa renovation. That was 2 months ago! The board can’t tell me this just came up in the past month.
Sam Taylor
09/15/2019 — 2:22 pm
One keeps thinking that this can’t get any worse, but our inept leadership keeps proving us wrong. The person who is supposed to be in charge has NO leadership skills and does not have the skill set or experience necessary to lead the Village into the future. She has proven it time and again!
Anonymous
09/16/2019 — 1:24 am
I do not see the need to spend millions on a golf course. What is wrong with it now? New greens so some old codger can make a better putt? I am an old codger myself so don’t take offense. Wouldn’t just maintenance by the workers be enough? God knows the golf courses lose money every year. I am totally against spending that much money with all the other things that they say we need.
Julie
09/16/2019 — 5:03 am
These morons are ruining a once vibrant place. Enough is enough. Not sure what to do, though, at this point.
Kirk Denger
09/22/2019 — 9:07 am
Julie09/16/2019 — 5:03 am, Anonymous 91609/17/2019 — 5:49 pm, We the members will remove all BOD if need be at a special members meeting, sign the petition to remove and re-elect Board members removed by the majority of those voting, who will then unanimously vote to fire the CEO and rid the Village of the Congress of New Urbanism/DPZ. Monday’s at the DeSoto Club at 5:30. Pick up a sheet to pass around at your church and your neighborhood.