CLS (Community
Lifestyle Committee) Integrity
Does it Exist in Sun
City Anthem?
This is an article I never wanted to write because it casts doubt on the integrity of the Sun City Anthem Committee system, a system we have always wanted to believe, had the best of intentions.
We've learned that...
Joan Roth, vice president
of the CLC (Community Lifestyle Commitee) may
be disguising her opposition to the removal election through email
correspondence.
We
received a copy of the following email sent by Roth,
to various members of the Sun City Anthem
community:
"I
am passing along this email from a colleague of mine for those of you who may
not have good information about the impending recall vote. Bob is a member of my
Community Lifestyle Committee, President of the Chicago Club as well as an
attorney. He is well respected and makes some good points for you to think
about. If you agree with Bob's assumptions, I urge you to pass this information
on to others who also may not have the correct information.
Thanks."
What email was Roth
sending?
This is the email forward by
Roth:
...from a man named Bob
Godfried, who also happens to be a member of the
CLC (Community Lifestyle Commitee) and
President of the Chicago Club.
"Dear
Folks:
Early next week you are going to receive a ballot in the mail
regarding a recall of three SCA HOA board members. During the four years that
I’ve lived in Sun City Anthem, it has become apparent to me that our HOA board
members are elected in free and fair elections, open to any candidate who
decides to run. We have an election every year, in May, alternately for three
or four of the seven board member positions. If homeowners do not support
current board members, those homeowners have been, and continue to be, free to
find candidates who they do support, and to vote for those candidates, in duly
held regularly scheduled annual elections. For that reason alone I am opposed to
the recall, quite independent of who is currently on the
board.
Moreover, the recall petitions do not allege any criminal conduct,
fraud or other dishonesty, or gross abuse of discretion on the part of the three
board members. While the law does not seem to require such culpable conduct as
a prerequisite for recall, shouldn’t we, as responsible, mature people, require
evidence of criminal conduct, fraud or other dishonesty, or gross abuse of
discretion, before we take the extraordinary step of recalling fairly elected
board members? Or are our annual elections simply a charade, a waste of time,
subject to being reversed at the will of a dissatisfied minority, regardless of
the merit of their claims?
Indeed, the overwhelming bulk of the allegations against the board
members seem to me to be emotional in nature, phrased in vague language, with no
examples given or facts cited in support. What the allegations reveal to me is
that there are some people who live in Sun City Anthem who simply disagree with
decisions made by some board members, or who simply do not like some board
members. I don’t agree with all of the decisions made by the board. But, in my
view, that is simply an insufficient basis to overturn the results of free and
fair elections, results that the supporters of recall are apparently unable to
achieve through the election process.
A successful recall election could be expected to chill the
willingness of qualified residents to serve on committees and boards. Why would
anyone want to do so, knowing that they will be subject to personal attacks and
vilification? Would you want to serve under such conditions? People who serve
on the board and on SCA committees are our neighbors, and in some cases our
friends. They are all volunteers. They freely devote substantial amounts of
their time to our community. I believe that they act in what they honestly
believe are the best interests of the SCA community, as a whole. I have seen no
evidence to suggest otherwise. Are they perfect human beings, incapable of
making a mistake on an issue? No more or less than any of us. Why then are
they being portrayed in such an abusive manner?
A successful recall would also likely have a negative effect on all
of our property values, since potential buyers who research SCA on the internet
will become aware of the turmoil and instability that a successful recall would
no doubt generate. Would you want to buy a house in such a community? I
wouldn’t.
If you believe, as I do, that the recall should
be defeated, I urge you to cast your vote promptly, by carefully
following the instructions you will receive along with the ballot. We cannot
take the chance that the recall might succeed. I view it as vital to the
continuing wellbeing of SCA to defeat the recall, and to do so resoundingly. A
successful recall would set a dangerous precedent for our community. We would
then be likely to see recall elections after every board election, because no
one candidate is going to satisfy everyone all of the time. Chaos would
result. That doesn’t make for a community that I, for one, would want to
continue to live in. Would you?
If you are unsure how you are going to vote, or if you support the
recall effort, and there are any questions that you have about it, please do not
hesitate to contact me. I may be able to provide you with facts that you don’t
already have. I would welcome the opportunity to at least discuss the issues
with you.
Best regards,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This is where the questions BEGIN and
REQUIRE EXPLANATION.
Whereas another blogger looks at this as some form of acceptable behavior to be commended, we consider it UNETHICAL and just another example of ELECTION INTERFERENCE when conveyed to others while a member of a standing committee.
Therein lies a basic difference between the two philosophies:
vs
You decide which camp you wish be included.
If "unethical" is your answer, we now have "Anthem...gate" to deal
with in our community.
First, the contents of email verbiage
are literally identical to the BERMAN & OSCAR
playbooks.
Second, we
believe Goldfried's emails, as a member of an official Community Committee, are
inappropriate, leave an unethical taint on that committee, and were intended to
interfere with the removal election.
Third, as of this writing we are now
aware that at least 6 Club Presidents have received the
Roth and Goldfried emails, and we want to know if EITHER Roth's or
Goldfried's emails were received by other CLUB PRESIDENTS?
Fourth, since in at least 6 cases
this information has now been confirmed, both ROTH and GOLDFRIED must resign
from the CLC (Community Lifestyle Committee) IMMEDIATELY to retain any semblance
of integrity and avoid a permanent TAINT on a committee supposedly pledged
toward neutrality.
"Or are our annual elections simply a charade, a waste of time, subject to being reversed at the will of a dissatisfied minority, regardless of the merit of their claims?"
This is
all to similar to the debacle created by Activities Director, Danielle Bartle, that if neither RESIGN,
requires IMMEDIATE REMOVAL pending a THOROUGH
investigation.
Bartle's
email is now the subject of several formal complaints before the Nevada Real
Estate Division against General Manager, Sandy Seddon, and soon to be gone,
Community Association Manager, Lori Martin.
If you or
any individual are a Club president or a member of a Club in which you were
forwarded EITHER of the above emails, we want to know.
This is not a witch hunt, but a demand for HONESTY, INTEGRITY, and NEUTRALITY this committee and its members have committed to
upholding, yet appear to have violated the confidence of the
community.
We also want to know if you or any member of the community has experienced any form of BIAS from CLC (Community Lifestyle Committee) Chairperson, Pat Carroll.
Make no
mistake, this situation constitutes one of the saddest and
perhaps the most scandalous moments in Sun City Anthem history, and these
individuals MUST either remove themselves from CLC or
be removed by a Board if either the Sun City Anthem Board or CLC Committee wish
to maintain the confidence of a community.
We want
your comments on this discovery.
Do the
actions of these emails constitute unethical behavior and require their
removal?
Should Goldfried and Roth resign?
Must the Board act immediately?
Must the Board act immediately?
Should
Chairperson Pat Carroll also resign as the individual
who is responsible for the actions of that committee?
Send your
comments to:
Inappropriate and unethical. A man on a Lifestyle Committee who wants to discuss the merits of his opposing the removal election?
Everyone should have the right to an opinion; but in this case, making it plainly known as being a member of that committee, and Joan Roth, also doing so, is just another example of a the "crony" network that exists by those on a Board who obviously and consistently seem to approve "their kind" for committee memberships.
The comparison to the Nona Tobin removal indicated how hypocritical his email was, and should be taken as just another example of "the system" making every effort to unethically govern SCA.
Keeping both of them on the Lifestyle Committee gives SCA a black eye and both should apologize to the community for what any did.
I received the same e-mail forwarded by Jerry Gardberg, former BOD. I'm assuming he sent it out to all his Hiking Club members (Huge membership)?
There are so many desperate attempts to negate the recall vote - that alone should be indication that there is cause for grave concern.
Taking into account Forrest Quinn and Danielle Bartle’s involvement with his email.
The “Oscar” letter sent out to all residents, the back door dismissal of Nona and her replacement in much the same way without opening it up to the community to replace her, and now the Bob Goldfried email.
If things are going so well and everybody is so innocent, why all the desperate attempts?
If I was someone unsure which way to vote all these flailings would make me very suspicious that there’s more than meets the eye here.
"DO NOT rely on Anthem Opinions for your information. This is someone that rarely attends board meetings, so relies on others to tell him what happened. He appears happy to libel board member volunteers (look at recent articles) and although he allows comments, they are all screened by him. No opposition allowed on his blog."
Right out of Barnum's playbook of "old tricks that never work among smart people".
For the record, opposition is always allowed on Anthem Opinions, but comments that a mother would wash a child's mouth out with soap, are not; as they are more than welcomed on the site she looks to as credible.
Nice to know she considers an ex-lawyer who lost a law degree for forgery, as her "go to guy" for credibility.
Libel Board members Heather?
Where did you get your law degree?
The University of Barnum Blarney or the correspondence course "Yellow Journalism" offered by the same institution?
And by the way, does a newspaper publisher attend things that his associates can handle?
I think, in my cases, that's called GOOD MANAGEMENT, something the individuals on the current Board drastically need, based on their wasteful results that are so conveniently overlooked and unreported by her "credible source" of information.
There is another wrinkle in the already skewed directions regarding the instructions sent along with the ballots. There are at least two homeowners who miraculously received their ballot even though the zip code addressed to them was WRONG. Their ballots were addressed as 89052 zip code instead of their legal zip code as 89044.
This is a "catch-22". If they use the incorrect zip code (89052) on the return ballot, it may negate their ballot. If they use their correct and legal zip code (89044) the company collecting them may also negate the ballot since it does not match their list.
89044 is the legal zip code for many homeowners who bought in stage three of construction of this community. It appears on their drivers licenses, their tax forms, their real estate taxes, their trusts, etc. This was either a careless error or there are several lists out there for ballot addresses. JUST ONE MORE WAY TO DISENFRANCHISE VALID BALLOTS!
A message to Linda Krivec and those who believe all of us are so evil...
Malcontents...I'd rather be called a malcontent bringing out the truth of how things are run, than a deceptive incompetent who hides it from a community.
Apparently, one Ms. Krivec, who has been a fixture in the "crony" system forever, needs to read NRS 116, the statute that governs HOAs.
After all, she's on an Election committee that supposedly has to abide by it.
We "malcontents", Ms. Krivec, are simply calling attention and trying to mend the many wrongs people like you have disguised year in and year out by actively supporting some of the most wasteful and unethical actions.
When have "your kind" ever disclosed the losses of the restaurants?
Us "malcontents" tried to make a Board with your hero's wife on it aware they were getting involved with a woman whose husband was a convicted felon, serving 6 years in a Colorado pen for robbing 8 Las Vegas banks.
"Your kind" ignored us, and gave the deal to them, didn't they?
Then they sold it to another guy who us malcontents told a Board had a $150,000 judgment against him, that he would have first call on any revenue. And what did "your kind" do?
They still gave him the deal and he ended up closing the door walking out the back with some of our restaurant equipment, didn't he?
What about the last guy who stiffed us for $40,000 on loans "your kind" decided not to vet properly...after us "malcontents" questioned the guy's financials...and "your kind" ignored them ?
I'm on a roll, Ms. Krivec, because "your kind" won't tell the community anything about those actions.
We did...us "malcontents".
When have "your kind" ever disclosed the excessive recruiting expenses of the General Manager or the excessive salaries of her and her subordinates?
When have "your kind" ever given the full reason or an opportunity to Nona Tobin to defend herself as to why she was unseated after receiving over 2,000 votes in the past election?
A comment in Goldfried's email says it all Ms. Krivec:
"Or are our annual elections simply a charade, a waste of time, subject to being reversed at the will of a dissatisfied minority, regardless of the merit of their claims?"
How about explaining that, Ms. Krivec?
How does that statement apply to the removal advocates when "your kind" did what they did?
A message to Linda Krivec and those who believe all of us are so evil...
You see, Ms. Krivec, to any intelligent being, that makes "your kind" hypocrites" by defending a system that has caused the worst of problems to SCA.
So when have "your kind" ever mentioned any of this to the rest of us?
Never, that's when !
That for some reason appears to be "proper business acumen" in your mind.
We sleep quite well despite the abuse we get from "your kind" who embrace a system that keeps vital information from us residents who pay for everything....
...a system that you, as a person of the Election Committee, obviously embrace for the SLIPPERY TRICKS recently displayed with the Removal ballots.
Just HOW does any HONEST person rationalize that action?
Why not comment on that Ms. Krivec?
That is the current issue at hand...
... not individuals who are smart enough to see this latest deceptive "unethical" action laden with corruption and demand it be stopped.
"Your kind" have been responsible for sending out the most deceptive ballots to many people who haven't even been notified a Removal election is even taking place...
...yet that seems to escape your comments.
...and that action by any person having INTEGRITY and a SENSE OF FAIR PLAY, would recognize that as WRONG.
...except that is, "your kind".
So, Ms. Krivec, since you ...and...a number of others...took the time to comment about the individuals seeking justice and how disruptive they are to our community, how about commenting on this latest situation and telling us if JUSTICE was displayed by "your kind" in sending out the Removal ballots in the manner in which they were sent?
All of us are dying to hear your response.
Dick,
I have sent the following by email to the Ombudsman and to Gov. Sandoval. Not sure it will do any good but I felt the need to speak out.
I am a resident of Sun City Anthem, Henderson, Nevada. I have watched the constant disregard for the Laws of Nevada by the Board of Directors and the General Manager of our Homeowners Association with great shock. Yet, the NRED does not appear to be acting on this situation. I do now know what to do and plead for your help.
I understand that you have numerous official complaints regarding the Board, the recall election malfeasance, the illegal firing of an elected Board member, and so forth. I am 87 years old and I do not have the ability to file a formal complaint.
The recall ballots are out and the process has been severely tainted. Ballots have been mailed out without any identification and a significant number (myself included) thought these were just an advertisement from a CPA firm, and were thrown away as junk mail.
I simply want you to know that I believe there is a desperate need for oversight by the NRED on the illegality of the Boards actions. There are many old folks, like myself, whose lives feel threatened by the current administration of Sun City Action. Please help us. Time is fleeting. I beg you to help this community, stop the elder abuse, and make the administration and Board of Sun City Anthem obey the law.
Very best regards,
All who see the injustice and deception in the Removal ballots should do the same thing.
The more correspondence the Ombudsman receives, the more he will realize how severe our association problems are.
Send our letters and/or emails to:
Mr. Charvez Foger
The Ombudsman’s Office
Nevada Real Estate Division
3300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 325 Las Vegas, Nevada 89102
702-486-4480
cicombudsman@red.nv.gov