by Frank Leeming, July 15, 2019
This is what happened in Hot Springs Village
If you’re looking for proof the POA leadership has been acting contrary to the best interests of its members, look no farther than Judge Robert Herzfeld’s ruling last Monday in Cooper’s case to gain access to Village information.
The Saline County circuit court judge slammed the POA and its arguments for secrecy, something frustrated property owners have been saying for as long as the last few boards and the general manager have been taking us on their misguided “corporate” adventure.
There is good news
There is good news. The POA board (led by the three new members) decided not to appeal the court ruling. An appeal would have no grounds to stand on and be another legal expense the POA does not need.
The judge’s ruling also demonstrates the POA needs a new law firm, one with the gumption to tell POA leadership when it has a losing hand.
Tomorrow will be the eighth day since the ruling was handed down. That’s when a POA eblast last week said what Cooper was seeking will be made available. Will there be a stampede of property owners to the POA Building asking for a copy of the CEO’s contract and a list of member email addresses?
Not too soon to begin thinking about the next board election
It’s not to soon to begin thinking about the next board election.
Director Mike Medica is term-limited and can’t seek re-election.
Board chair Cindy Erickson’s two-year term is expiring. She may run again but would have difficulty winning re-election because she’s embraced the “corporate” direction of the Village despite her campaign pledges to do otherwise. Her unwavering support of an unpopular CEO also makes her a liability on the board.
We need two strong candidates willing to join the three elected earlier this year so we can begin rolling back the “corporate” changes imposed in the last three or four years.
Good links to bookmark
For those who like to know what’s going on in the Village, check out and bookmark these websites:
- For excellent news and commentary about our Village, click on Cheryl & Joe Dowden’s superb website.
- The most complete and accurate weather forecasting for the Village is Weather Underground. (See link below) I particularly like the “10-day” forecast showing what’s coming hour-by-hour over the next 10 days. It’s easy to customize the chart to show cloud cover, dew point, feels-like temperature, humidity, rain chances, temperature and wind speed. And the site’s Wundermap is the best radar view around.
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/ar/hot-springs-village/71909
Speaking of weather
Speaking of weather, everyone’s talking about all the rain. For the record: In the first half of this year, we had 45.55 inches – 16.75 inches above the 28.8-inch average for the six-month period, or 58.2 percent. The total is the most we’ve seen in the quarter century we’ve lived in the Village.
Rain has impacted golf revenue
The wet weather has had an impact on Village golf, our biggest asset and second largest source of revenue behind assessments. But rain can’t be the only reason golf rounds were down 12.7 percent in the first half of the year. The number of days our courses were open for play were down 5.0 percent.
Are we doing enough to attract golfers to our courses? Are we trying to lure Little Rock golfers to the Village after two of their courses were closed last month?
Highlights of What’s Happening in Hot Springs Village
Some highlights of what’s in the attached What’s Happening in Hot Springs Village package covering the first half of the year:
- The state’s 2018 crime stats are out and the Village continues to be a relative island free of bad happenings.
- Capital spending in the first six months was down 37.6 percent from the same period last year. That’s money we didn’t spend repaving roads and doing other improvements. Also down: Assessment revenue (-1.0 percent) and operational revenue (-6.9 percent).
- Good news out of the Recreation Department: Use of the Fitness Center and revamped RV park, and attendance at the Woodlands are all up.
- Home sales are good and sales prices are up. The decade-long flatline in new home construction continues, a sign we desperately need a new marketing program to tell the world what a great place the Village is.
To see more on the weather, golf and what’s happening in Hot Springs Village, click on the attached PDF file.
Click on the PDF below & scroll down to read Frank Leeming’s July 15, 2019, What’s happening in Hot Springs Village
what_s_happening_7_19.01Click here to View Frank Leeming’s April report
Edited and formatted by Cheryl Dowden
Anonymous
07/15/2019 — 5:45 pm
Only one thing, the e-blast said within 8 “business” days they would make it available for Mr. Cooper to make an appointment, not 8 days.
Anonymous
07/15/2019 — 7:20 pm
Well, don’t too surprised if the decision to not appeal suddenly changes to we changed our minds and have decided to appeal.
Karen Daigle Lundberg
07/16/2019 — 7:55 am
Frank Leeming, I love to read your posts and articles because they are always so informative. If you don’t mind, I would like to add a couple of points about the ruling in the CCI case.
First, nowhere in the ruling does it state that Judge Herzfeld ordered an eight day waiting period. Second, in the beginning of the ruling, Judge Herzfeld wrote a brief history of the CCI lawsuit. In that history, please take note that Judge Herzfeld stated that the case originated in Garland County and was moved to Saline County. Almost immediately after arriving in Saline County, the case was moved to Judge Herzfeld. I have found this very curious the whole time, because every other case, at the time, that involved HSVPOA is assigned to Judge Phillips, and that is still the case today. However, in Judge Herzfeld’s history of the case, he specifically states that the CCI case was transferred to him because Judge Phillips is a member of HSVPOA and recused himself from the CCI case. Curiously enough, though, Judge Phillips has not recused himself from any of the other lawsuits involving HSVPOA, especially the ISN case. That makes one go hmmmm.
Then, at the end of the ruling, the Judge states that the “POA is mandated under the law to allow members to inspect all books and records.” He did not say CCI could inspect them. He said MEMBERS are allowed by law to inspect ALL books and records, and he even followed it up to say that the members are allowed to bring in calculators, pencils and pens and paper and even scanning and printing devices of their own to copy any of the books and records they wanted to copy.
Now go back and read Cindi Erickson’s announcement and at the end read carefully who they said they would produce to, and what they would produce to CCI after eight days. Most people read “No appeal” and got excited. But when it comes to Cindi Erickson, Lesley Nalley and the old guard Board members, it is very important to read exactly what they are stating. They have every intention of being in contempt of court, and have no intentions to produce what the Judge ordered. Read it all, and you will see.
Lastly, Frank, I could not agree with you more about the Judge, in a very professional manner, making a laughingstock out of HSVPOA’s attorneys. I do want to know why Judge Phillips is not recusing himself from the other cases. That brings serious questions to my mind.
Thank you, Frank Leeming for your, as usual, informative post.
Myra Sanders
07/17/2019 — 10:49 pm
Thank you Karen for this explanation. This is what I had suspected was going on with the previous lawsuits. Thank you, Frank, for your past service and your helpful information and suggestions. Wishing it had been better received by our officials.
Kirk Denger
07/17/2019 — 11:11 pm
Karen, the “Old Guard” now includes one of the new “Turncoats”, Campagna who is now complicit with the Old Turncoats who doublecrossed their voters.
Claire
07/16/2019 — 9:39 am
They raised our monthly fee to accommodate getting better security, not change their minds and end up using and getting counter sued by that company. Return our monthly fees to what they were in 2016, until you all can get your heads out of your assess.