Board Members Try to Explain Surplus Situation

Board Members Respond to Surplus Funds Matter

Anthem Opinions received such a vast number of resident responses to our original article entitled "What Happens to Sun City Anthem Surplus Funds?",  we decided to send a copy of the article to certain board directors soliciting their opinions and comments on this matter.

And to our pleasure...we received responses that we would like to share with you.

In our opinion, they represent the "openness" and "transparency" that is often promised PRIOR to an election....

...but...

...all to often disappears afterward.

Is this a new beginning as to how a board director should react to questions that residents are entitled an answer?

Is this a new wave in PROFESSIONAL blog commentary that produces A POSITIVE community reaction?

We think so...and we hope it continues in the future.

Here are the comments:

From Board Member: Don Schramski  

There probably will be a surplus, and that was discussed at length during the Board meeting. 

The intermediate conclusion is that we will wait for the budget for 2016 to be finalized this fall, then decide what to do with the funds. 

Keep in mind, there could be $100,000+ for Community Patrol expansion, $100,000+ for the possible Liberty Bocce court changes,  a 2016 fair market value salary for a new General Manager, and all the Self management outlays this year and in 2016. 

There will be savings when FSR is released from contract, but that could be as late as Dec 2016.

Tim is partially correct in that the surplus money should be returned to the residents.

But, that's only after the above costs are considered and after any sums are set aside for reserves. 

Believe me, if there is extra, I'm not inclined to spend it just for the sake of spending it. 

Our residents will receive any overages.

From Board Director: Jim Mayfield

First Response:

I made several points at the Agenda Review Meeting and then made the points again, on the recorded record, at the Board meeting on Thursday. 

If you examine the record, or check with anyone in attendance at the two meetings, you will find that I articulated, in detail, my differences with the Finance Committee and Treasurer on Tuesday on the computation of surplus funds. 

I then proposed several amendments to the motion to adopt the Budget Guidelines to address my concerns about the computation of surplus funds, to reduce the 2016 annual assessment of Members, and to require the surplus funds issue to be addressed in the Budget Guidelines.  

All of my amendments failed either for lack of a second or by a 6 to 1 vote.

As a sitting Board member, I don't use the blogs to promote my positions or communicate with members. 

My comments at public meetings speak for themselves.

To which the following email was sent to Mr. Mayfield from Anthem Opinions:

 Jim,

Thanks so much for the feedback. 

May I print your response?

Jim, I want you to know that we heavily supported you for reelection, and know how frustrated you must be at times.

Allen Weintraub and I wish you nothing but good things, and hope someday, the "good guys" can win a few.

Don't ever lose the fighting spirit....it's what is needed for proper reform. 

Jim, I do disagree with your position regarding community blogs. 

No matter what your personal view of them, they are the most widely read publications...and yes, most convey a certain point of view....and that's a good thing. 

Diversity is what makes intelligent decisions because both sides of an issue are considered from different points of view.

The president memo eblasts say nothing other than board decisions or rather more properly, should be referred to as dictums....never giving a reason as to why they were made. 

Rarely do people attend board meetings....usually about 35-40, and maybe that is the reason.

Why is it that we never see any board member convey the reasons as to why they choose to make the decisions that are made? 

Yes, your comments are on a record....a record that sadly is rarely, if ever read, and most people would be unable to find it.

Long before you arrived here in SCA, there used to be hundreds in a board meeting audience....and that has stopped. 

Why?   

They don't seem to care, and that is a board's fault for not creating interest. 

GOOD objective blogs who welcome open commentary from board members expressing WHY they chose to vote in a particular manner, reaches many that yearn for the REASONS.

Try it some time, you might actually see more people attending meetings, because a board member showed enough interest in them...to express a rationale for the manner in which he or she voted. 

...and if blogs aren't the answer, try making the board bulletins more meaningful by having board members state their rationale for making various major decisions. 

It would go so much further than what currently exists.

All the best to you Jim.  

To which Jim Mayfield responded as follows:

I hope it has been noticed that I don't respond in any of the blogs; I don't play favorites. 

My position should not be confused as lack of support for the blogs.  Frankly, I think they serve a badly needed purpose. 

I am just so burned out by politicians that can't wait to get in front of a camera or microphone or have a guest column written in a publication.

I would like to believe that my standard sends a message, even if in a small-ball environment with limited exposure. 

Namely, egos ( mine is as big as anyone's) and thriving on publicity need to take a back seat to governing and speaking on the public record.

I also hope that you and others have heard my stated view that the Board needs to improve its listening to the message versus reacting to the messenger. 

I love critics, even when they get on my nerves. 

How does anyone expect a democracy to work if critics are suppressed.  FYI, I receive negative feedback because I do speak frequently and directly at public meetings and on the record.

Thanks for your comments and support.

_____________________

We sincerely thank Mr. Schramski and Mr. Mayfield for their honest commentary...

...and...

We would welcome ANY additional comments from other board members as well.

We urge those other members of the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors to send them to our email address for publication as follows:

scaopinions@gmail.com

And to our valued readers....we would also like to ask YOU if would like to see more board member commentary as to the major decisions they make on our behalf?

We anxiously look forward to all responses...with hope that this type of dialogue may bring our wonderful community closer together as NEIGHBORS...not adversaries.

Dick Arendt

Anthem Opinions Administration