By Frank Leeming, January 29, 2019
Tell us what you think are the key issues facing the POA board
A year ago before the POA election, we asked candidates what they thought the most important issues were facing the Board of Directors. Here are the top 15 as ranked by the candidates, and what the board has done about them in the last year:
1. Resume monthly board work sessions to make the governance process more open. Nothing was done.
2. Create a marketing committee to devise a detailed marketing strategy for the Village. Nothing was done.
3. Determine which “corporate” policies/bylaws adopted in the last two years should be revoked/revised. Nothing was done.
4. Adopt transparency as a priority goal for the POA and its board. No changes.
5. Reform how the POA budget is prepared. Establish a Finance Committee or restore the Research and Special Projects Committee. Finance Committee created after 2020 budget was prepared.
6. Abolish the Governance and Recruitment Committees. Recruitment Committee abolished, Governance Committee made stronger.
7. Replace the CEO; change the title back to GM. No change.
8. Postpone indefinitely plans for a DeSoto pool. $1.2-million DeSoto pool is under construction.
9. Get the POA out of the real-estate business. Accomplished.
10. Dust off the blue-ribbon Food Services Committee report, follow its recommendations to get POA out of the food business. Nothing was done.
11. Ask the Public Works to develop a year-round crack-sealing program to help Village roads. Crack sealing was said to have resumed in the fourth quarter, but details have not been made available.
12. Create an ad-hoc committee to oversee revamping the POA’s weak website and make it more useful to property owners. Nothing was done.
13. Task the golf department and golf committee with developing new ways to increase golf revenue. Golf rounds fell 2 percent last year, continuing a 12-year slump. Revenue per round fell to $26.88, a drop of 91 cents, or 3.3 percent.
14. Develop and use a reliable public-opinion survey system for property owners. Nothing was done.
15. Develop a five-year plan to make lots productive again. The number of unproductive lots (those 61 days or more past-due in assessment payments and those in the POA inventory) rose to a record 11,316 at the end of December – 33.1 percent of the total lots in Hot Springs Village.
* * *
The three candidates elected last year from a list of 10 were Tormey Campagna, Diana Podawiltz and Dick Garrison. Campagna turned his back on his campaign promises and allied himself with the board majority. The board majority kicked Garrison off the board, leaving Podawiltz as a minority of one.
Now we’re approaching the next election. There are again three seats open on the seven-member board. Five candidates are running. Ballots will be mailed Feb. 28 to property owners in good standing.
What do you think are the three most important issues facing the next board of directors? Send me an email with your three issues. I’ll compile a list and ask the five candidates how they stand on the issues you think are the most important.
Get your list to me no later than next Monday, Feb. 2. My email address is fleeming@sbcblobal.net.
Thanks.
By Frank Leeming, January 29, 2019
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Kathy Henderson
01/29/2020 — 6:06 pm
Good commentary, as usual, Frank. All that weren’t completed are still important! Getting rid of the CEO and her job description is number 1.
Henry Ewersmann
01/29/2020 — 7:34 pm
In June of 2014, the total unproductive lots were 8,822.
Delinquent was 6,477 lots and POA Inventory was 2,345 lots.
This high number was one of the main reasons for the 2 Tier Assessment.
How is LN doing?
Fred
01/29/2020 — 7:54 pm
Obviously the primary key issue is dropping the CMP in its entirety.
Minn Daly
01/29/2020 — 8:18 pm
Frank, eliminate the CEO position, seek a qualified GM, terminate the entire CMP & Governance Committee, reduce unneeded overpaid staff, Open the books for a forensic Audit. We need some common sense operating our POA as well as intelligent, business minded individuals who love our community & can realize that we are in 2 counties & will never be a CITY. We have lots of room for that At the west gate on HWY 7 @the east gate on Hwy 5. Recognize that we should not be in the development business , totally recognized Cooper as HSV developer & cooperate with his team. Have a BOD that respect membership & share info, no secret agendas. Thank you for all you do! Minn Daly
Vicki Husted
01/29/2020 — 11:06 pm
What Minn said! Well, that may have been more than three…but we need more than 3 of the things listed to be completed!
I putting my faith in LTD: Lloyd Sherman
Tucker Omohunro and
Dick Garrison
for BOD Candidates that I believe will send us back in the right direction.
Sylvia
01/31/2020 — 2:50 pm
Exactly. In total agreement with everything you mentioned. We need to demand for this. Ha. Without a lawsuit.
Linda Anderson
01/29/2020 — 8:44 pm
Great Work Frank. Property owners should look at what you have pointed out and wonder why Board members voted Nalley as CEO making almost twice the Governor’s salary and then make it very difficult to remove her ?? The Board /CEO have to be the most corrupt in the history of HSV. The new board members will have to take back our village. It will be a struggle and they will succeed.
Donna
01/29/2020 — 10:41 pm
1) Dismissal of the CEO and hire a GM. The CEO is the common denominator of all our problems. Dismissal of all unnecessary directors. Way to top heavy for a retirement community.
2) Disband the CMP completely and upgrade our current facilities to more modern facilities and internet service throughout the village. With less directors we will have the money for upgrades.
3) Marketing, saturate the country with what we have in this peace of heaven. I get Southern living magazine and I don’t think there is a month that it doesn’t have something about South Carolina. Repetition is a great tool.
Vicki Husted
01/29/2020 — 11:08 pm
Donna, I agree 100%.
Tom Blakeman
01/30/2020 — 7:01 am
Something Minn said makes a lot of sense and might be the solution to the “ceo” contract problem: “eliminate the CEO position”. While the board might need 6 of 7 votes to terminate her perhaps just eliminating the position would be an end run around that issue. Something for LTD to think about and get legal counsel on once 1 or more (hopefully all) of them are elected since they will still have at least 2 duds still on the board to deal with.
Mike F
01/30/2020 — 7:25 am
Dear Frank,
Thanks for your service to HSV. You have been a blessing.
You are asking all of us out here to give a top 3. That is really hard. There is so much that needs attention.
Where to start with my list? I guess my number one thing, that is nearest and dearest is to fix golf revenue model. It can be done I’m sure. This is our #1 revenue source and it is headed south. The price point is wrong IMO. They need a quantity of golfers not quality. That is also a spillover effect when we have more golfers. Target marketing gets them here. Phil Lemler was right on target with his seminar, but they were too wrapped up in CMP to listen. IMHO
Quote from Phil. The unfortunate news is that we cannot build our way to prosperity. There is no way we can pay for our current financial responsibilities by building more homes, apartment buildings, commercial centers, etc. Do the math! Aggressive development plans, like the CMP, do not solve our financial problems and actually push us farther away from prosperity. Unless, we all want substantially higher POA fees and special assessments, we need to find a way to generate more revenues from our existing assets. The good news is that we have some wonderful assets to use, especially golf. Using our assets to generate revenues decreases the amount we have to rely on from POA fees. Why would we (Villagers) want to pay for amenities and maintenance if we can get someone else to pay for it? We do need new home construction and other development, but it will not alone solve our financial problems.
Also and # 2. Start comprehensive maintenance plan. Too many buildings, roads, golf courses, infrastructure being neglected.
Get the RFID system on our gates that is already 80% complete, up and running. We need the gates to be more secure.
Nalley and her CMP gone would be #1 if realistic.
If any newbies out there want to see Phil Semler’s seminar here is the link
https://youtu.be/Y0XL8dvpgvs
Phil Lemler
01/30/2020 — 9:35 am
Mike … thank you for the kind words. In addition to the seminar, I had written a detailed business and marketing plan for HSV. In the research for this plan, I spoke with several people (PGA, large fortune 500 corporations, etc.) that were interested in bringing large golfing events to HSV. These events (with green fees and other promotional elements) would have solved HSV’s financial problems, generated revenue to pay all past due, and future, maintenance and kept the Village healthy!
I offered to present this plan … as well as serve as a general contact to get large firms coming in here (bringing not only paying golfers but a parade of potential residents) … to the HSV board. The CEO ignored me … Tom Weiss ignored me … as did Dixon, Luerhing and Erickson. In addition to ignoring me (and many others) … they called me names, sent me ugly/pejorative emails and refused to me with me on numerous occasions. I was only trying to help and for FREE!
They are inexperienced and lost … and as such, they continue to cling to the CMP … because they don’t know any better!
Phil Lemler
01/30/2020 — 9:36 am
“meet”
Vicki Husted
01/30/2020 — 1:57 pm
Phil Lemler 01/30/2020 — 9:35 am
I have seen much of the extraordinary efforts you made to try to help this BOD and LN, and was disheartened by the treatment you received. I totally agree with your statement “They are inexperienced and lost … and as such, they continue to cling to the CMP … ”
I disagree with the last part of your statement “…because they don’t know any better!” because I think that by now they DO KNOW BETTER, but are not willing to admit it, apologize, and re-group to acknowledge that the CMP is unwanted by the majority of HSV, and unworkable in any event.
Thank you for your efforts to provide good advice, and I hope that it will be heeded in the near future.
Mike.
01/30/2020 — 10:09 am
Lemler, thank you for your efforts.
Vicki Husted
01/30/2020 — 1:41 pm
Mike F01/30/2020 — 7:25 am
Thank you for a great observation on possible solutions. I don’t know the first thing about the intricacies of increasing revenues from golfing, so I generally stay out of the golfing discussions, but your post strikes my common sense as reasonable.
I’d just like to expand on your point of “We do need new home construction and other development, but it will not alone solve our financial problems.”
That WOULD bring in new assessment monies, but the recent permit increases for new construction are flatly COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE to encouraging new homes. I’ve asked twice in recent meetings why our permit fees were increased so far beyond fees charged in Hot Springs and Benton, with no legitimate answers. Director Diana Podowiltz has now brought it up in the last BOD meeting, and hopefully she and 3 new Directors will examine that when the new Board is seated.
I think that LTD — Lloyd Sherman, Tucker Omohundro, and Dick Garrison – LTD for HSV, are the candidates who will join with Director Diana Podowiltz to make that happen.
Sylvia
01/31/2020 — 3:02 pm
Yes, the gates, especially the West gate is mandatory for strictly enforcement of not allowing people in that lie to get in. Bring litter. Also full agreement on elimination of CEO position. I’m against the huge expense of that “seasonal” pool. I moved here due to the gate security. Highly important to me. Back in 2003 when I only wanted to drive thru HSV just to see what it was. Clueless. The guard refused me. Only to go up to the now torn down building. Real estate. I was highly impressed with the rejection to enter.
Andy Kramek
01/30/2020 — 9:03 am
Here are my top three for the short term:
[1] Remove the CMP as a governing document, disband the CMPAC and initiate an immediate review of all CMP-related activity within the POA with the objective of stopping further expenditure/work on the CMP.
[2] Revoke the changes to protective covenants and restore the CCI original version. Look into the role, and cost, of the Compliance Dept (do we really need this?).
[3] Re-structure the POA Management to remove unnecessary “Directors” and “Chief” officers and empower managers to take responsibility for their departments directly.
For the longer term I would add the following:
[1] Create a 3, 5, and 10 year plan for attacking the infrastructure backlog.
[2] Develop a strategic plan for revenue generation that does not depend solely and directly on increasing fees on property owners.
[3] Develop a consistent brand-based marketing strategy for the Village and implement it. Of course that would first require defining what our Brand actually is!
[4] Investigate some of the more questionable financial decisions that have been made in the past couple of years (e.g. loans to Chef Johnna, the way in which contracts with external firms for nebulous “PR” and “Marketing” activities, contracts for RFID Gates and outdoor swimming pool and, of course, the CMP itself) and hold those responsible for any waste or mismanagement fully accountable.
Vicki Husted
01/30/2020 — 2:03 pm
Andy Kramek 01/30/2020 — 9:03 am
I can’t find a single thing in your comment to disagree with. It seems to me you’ve outlined the major issues that need to be accomplished, and in my mind, pretty much the order it needs to be done, to get us back on the right track for HSV. Thank you!
Sue
01/30/2020 — 4:09 pm
1) Get rid of CMP as governing document and all that entails; governance committee, returning protective covenants to prior form, compliance department, firing and restructuring top heavy management to include the CEO.
2) MARKETING: especially to the retired/ing military
3) Gate security returned. ENFORCE NO TRESPASSING! With less management, money available to hire more police and firemen and pay a living wage so will remain.
4) No NEW expenditures (hires, building, vehicles) til our infrastructure is repaired: culverts, road repaving/cracksealing, sewer/waterlines replaced or repaired, stinky lift stations (drive by the one on Balboa Dr.) or whatever the problem is thereaq
5) Fix the website
Sorry! I know you said 3 but I couldn’t stop. I am in full agreement with Mr. Lemler and Kramek