Does Disaster Loom in
the
Sun City
Anthem
Self-Management
General
Manager Agreement ?
(Part Two of Two)
This is our second of two articles in our examining the Agreement offered the new Sun City Anthem General Manager once the transition to Self-Management is concluded.
Yesterday we discussed the "salary/benefit package".
Today we will concern ourselves with
another issue revolving around both COMMON SENSE and
GOOD BUSINESS SENSE...
...to which none of the Board members
seemed to have an answer, namely...
"Do you have a back-up plan?"
Why is this a concern?
It was disclosed at the
board meeting that the duties of the new General Manager were both many and
intricate in nature....and required the expertise of a strong and qualified
individual....to which we are in full agreement.
But...I
questioned...
What
happens if that individual dies, becomes disabled, or terminates voluntarily or
involuntarily?
Who
takes over?
Which board member
assumes the full responsibility WITHOUT COMPENSATION
until a replacement is found?
Keep in mind that the
current individual that was chosen took months and many dollars spent to find
!
Who?
In addition, when one is
granted such power...one also is in a strong position to DEMAND.
What will be the response
of our Board should this particular individual DEMAND a $500,000 salary the following year?
Could this happen? Of
course it could...especially if you create an atmosphere that would allow it to
take place...which...WE HAVE .
We would have no one to
immediately replace that individual...and the potential
result...
..being held HOSTAGE to one individual
who we have made INDESPENSABLE.
That is the fragile
position we, Sun City Anthem, could be placed in without a "back-up plan" to protect our association from this
contingency.
And to that concern, we
ask...
Should there not be a "2nd in
command?"
The moral of this story
is simple....a principle learned many years ago as a young man who ventured into
the business world...with an idea...and a commitment to the belief in a saying
engraved on a wooden plaque that stood on my office desk for 35
years....
It
read...
"People don't Plan to Fail...They Fail
to Plan"
...and these are my
biggest fears as we enter this new world of self-management.
Why have these ideas not
been considered and fully researched seeking out the relevant valued experience
of the business world that exists on each and every street that lines Sun City
Anthem?
Only those who make the
decisions have that answer.
The rest of us are all to
often, bewildered !
Got a comment
?
Send it to us
at:
Dick
Arendt
Anthem Opinions
Administration
-
From Laura Shapiro...to...Anthem Opinions
With regard to your article, Dick, I am completely disgusted and fed up with what's going with our Board and the decisions they are making.
The only ones who will suffer in the long run will be the residents of this community. This is something you read about happening to other communities, not ours. -
From Bud McQ...to...Anthem Opinions
First, I need to get this off my chest. How the heck can the residents expect this Board to govern SCA with self management and provide competent direction to a General Manger, when it has proven time and again it can not and will not manage the lease for the Vic's fiasco with any degree of fiduciary responsibility?
Second, whomever the anointed General Manager is, picked by some ritual to ensure devotion to this board at the expense of the SCA residents, is a nightmare in waiting. A least with FSR or any other management company we have the threat of termination for lack of compliance or mismanagement. But with an employee with allegiance only to those board members responsible for the hiring, if anyone thinks Vic's is a bad deal we haven't seen how bad this board can really behave.
$250,000 salary? Plus, Plus, Plus? They know not what they do, and we stand by and do nothing, so who is really at fault. Darcy Spears where are you?
Thanks for letting me vent. -
From William Linnemeyer...to...Anthem Opinions
The compensation package is ludicrous. This town has many people capable of guiding this association who will work for a whole lot less.
Before moving to SCA I lived in a similar but smaller community. Our amenities were smaller but we did own 27 holes of golf. We had a position of assistant general manager who filled in during the general manager's absence.
-
Thank you for this article. I agree with everything you said about the Café V disaster. However my major concern is the future.
Self management will probably be the biggest mistake SCA could make. Everything I have seen from the board has been positive. I see no contingency planning.
For example, what if the prospective manager does not meet expectations or resigns?
Who will operate as manager while a new person is in place?
Based on the timeline to hire the first person there could be considerable time involved where SCA will be leaderless.
At this time there have been many resumes for manger that have been reviewed. If the resumes were well done, the present or expected compensation has been determined.
Compared to the plan, the committee can determine and REPORT if the expectations when the plan was adopted meet the findings of the process.
A complete analysis of expected costs vs. planned costs must be made public so that residents can see during the process whether expectations from a cost standpoint will be met.
One point I have heard is that even if there are no cost savings at least we will have control, whatever that means.
We have control of so much now, including Café V, but much seems to be a problem.
How long has it taken to decide what to do with the space meant to be a bocce ball court?
Many people have opinions, but no decision has been made. Fortunately there is no repercussion from the delay except possibly higher cost when a decision is made.
My point is that if the decision makers wait for consensus, there is NO control.
Being on a board in an organization such as SCA is non-rewarding and I admire those who undertake the responsibility. I only suggest that the board does not undertake projects that will potentially cause either higher costs or more aggravation for everyone.
Now is not the time in life to attempt to extend ones resume. Instead take a step back and enjoy life.
I was at the meeting on Thursday night and most of the new people included 7 from the pickleball club. These seven have been trying to get the lights fixed on the Pickelball courts for 5 years and thought that the agenda item on lighting was to fix the lights.
Of course it was not but a repair to the panel that operated the lights to restore lighting to the previous substandard level.
This issue has been on going and unresolved. I sent a email to Don Schramski about this and the new self management process.
The self management system has not been well thought out and they would not answer important questions about secession planning for the new position as well as valid other issues brought up under member comment.
There are serious issues with the procurement process of this association as well as oversight of repairs and maintenance issues.
The board does not listen to any other point of view other than thru their convoluted governance system.
What makes them so special is how well thought out they are, that time was taken to address an issue and a position taken....that explained WHY they took it.
Whether one agrees of disagrees with Anthem Opinions or with those who take the time to comment on Anthem Opinions, I sincerely thank all of you for expressing yourselves in a mature and well thought out manner.
How different this is from other publications...and I believe our community is proud of all of you as a result.
Keep 'em coming !
No one learns without making attempts to understand the views of others, and YOUR OPINION is every bit as important as ANY OTHER PERSON'S....We know that...and We'll never forget it !