An Anthem Opinions Editorial

Sun City Anthem Life Style Committee

Approves Mini-Golf for Liberty Center...
Now off to anther committee 

An uncaring and unconcerned group of individuals has reversed a previous decision and recommended building a nine hole miniature golf course near the Liberty Center that will cost Sun City Anthem residents THOUSANDS.

Months after previously considering miniature golf...with this conclusion as to its merit in the desert...

 ...recommending tennis court additions and a board saying that funding for additional amenities was not going to take place due to cost....

...the Life Style committee...as a result of an obvious change in its leadership, reversed the Property and Grounds previous decision and recommended building what in our opinion will represent the largest waste of money ever spent...

...and that includes the continual funding for the restaurant operations.

Who is the leader of this Life Style committee?

Sun City Anthem Board candidate...

 Rex Weddle

Previous  Properties and Grounds chairman, Burt Davis, was strongly opposed to that concept; but sadly, this competent individual's term on that committee expired, and he did not seek reappointment as committee chair.

...and that left the door open for an opportunist who we believe....was waiting in the wings....to "cut" some form of deal with the mini-golf advocate, in order to obtain his support as a board candidate.

...and low and behold...

...the day that committee endorsed mini-golf...

...was the same day, the "mini advocate" endorsed Mr.  Weddle for election to the Sun City Anthem Board in his publication.

Months ago people flocked to a Property and Grounds meeting listening and laughing at the mini-golf advocate as he made one argument after another, all of which were premised on a petition in which his volunteers obtained over 700 signatures stating this venture would be "free".

Each and every point he made was refuted successfully WITH DOCUMENTATION by those who listened to his contrived and typical "half-truths" in one distortion after another.

His "free" meant funds taken from the dreaded "Asset Enhancement" or "New Member Fee" funds that are collected when most residents sell their homes....

.33% of the gross sales price of the home...

..a fund that has been used to BYPASS the vote of residents in making vast expenditures for "wish lists", and allowing funds to be spent at the whims of FOUR people who would have a controlling majority of our board of directors...

...a fund only few homeowners associations collect...

...a fund we, at Anthem Opinions, believe, has lent itself

to CORRUPTION and vast expenditures of overpriced  projects that this...and other boards...have continually utilized while rejecting all forms of "checks and balance" oversight.

We shall discuss this immoral fee at greater length in a future editorial.

...but we have also been made aware that the mini golf advocate has.... since that original rejection..

...never wavered in his continual quest in advocating the wasteful expenditure of association funds...

...many, if not all of which....have resulted in disastrous financial consequences to our community.

We have been made aware time and again, that he has approached individuals advocating a "quid pro quo" ("you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours") sales pitch in supporting this venture....lobbying anyone who will listen to him in order to get his way in this senseless venture.

...and...for now...he seems to have succeeded in his "crony" manner of political persuasion.

Does it make sense to spend what we believe will amount to close to $200,000 to $250,000 when all costs are included (demolition, construction, landscaping, water, insurance. annual maintenance, etc.)...in the summer months of 110 degree heat...

...to play miniature golf on a NINE HOLE bland course...when the alternative is spending NO ASSOCIATION FUNDS and driving an additional 2 miles to play an indoor EIGHTEEN HOLE course for $5 or $6 ?

Over a year ago we traveled to Sun City Summerlin and examined their miniature golf course...a beautifully constructed 18 hole course....in 75 degree temperatures...and there was a visible absence while we were there....

NO PEOPLE were playing on the course.

We then asked the people at the desk about course usage and they too confirmed that it was RARELY used, other than during spring breaks when grandchildren visit.

What about the people who reside in that area of Sun City Anthem?  How do they feel about that option? 

What insurance protection do we have AGAINST kids running around and falling in a public outdoor facility ?

"Slip & Fall" cases are the "bread and butter" of many personal injury attorneys.

Our conclusion to this problem is twofold.

First....if this is believed to be as popular as the advocate and the Life Style Committee believes it is...

PROVE IT !   

.PLACE IT ON A BALLOT for property owners to decide if this expenditure should be made....a simple request to obtain the true wishes of "the people"....THE PEOPLE WHO WILL PAY FOR IT.

Second...REJECT Rex Weddle from election to the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors. 

A vote for this man will continue "politics as usual" in our association.

The time has come for residents of this community to stand up and no longer "sit on the sidelines" watching our valuable resource dues dollars spent foolishly on projects recommended by uncaring, selfish and in many cases, incompetent individuals with little experience...and approved by those with even less experience, who will do anything, or make any political deal, to achieve power as a board member.

It takes little...merely casting a vote for those who WILL NO LONGER tolerate financial abuse.

...And within a few days we shall publish another "all telling" editorial that will allow you to look at the various candidates with open eyes...based on past factual activities....for you to consider...

...rather than merely the contrived and often inflated rhetoric placed "half story" candidate flyers THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN VERIFIED as to accuracy or full disclosure....

..or some alternative blogger who, especially in the case of incumbents he recommends,  AVOIDS FULL DISCLOSURE BY REFUSING TO PUBLISH PAST VOTING RECORDS.

Anthem Opinions Administration