Get Real !
The GM, Attorney, & Board
Are Responsible for the Removal Election Costs of $73,000+
Sometimes I wonder...
Are some people really that ignorant?
My conclusion... MANY even more so than I originally thought they were...
...especially if they are so emptied headed and believe what some say without having the basic intelligence to logically think things out !
This article is dedicated to those who really believe the removal election costs were the result of those who favored removing the various Board members.
Those who choose to believe that nonsense are those who are literally unable to accept that "us ordinary folk" have no intelligence in questioning how OUR money is spent in our association...
...that the elected officials and their "hired guns" must, for some reason, be placed on a some kind of pedestal, and be obeyed, no matter how ridiculous their decisions have been at times.
They really believe they have all the answers, but are so blinded by a need to control, they can't accept the fact that those whom they consider "experts", are, in so many cases, just like them; inexperienced, bureaucrats who believe what they want to believe without exercising an ounce of common sense...
...but all along the way, making sure those whose success far exceeds their own, pay for the mistakes they make !
The losses on the many restaurants have been staggering, but how will that be addressed?
Likely...with another one, and if that one goes down the tubes, that will be homeowners fault as well.
Lately this can't be better demonstrated than by the recent removal election where it was announced the tab was currently $73,000 and counting...
...and that additional CPA firm and legals bills are also on the way as well.
The Creed of Bureaucrats ?
It's Always Someone Else's Fault
Come on folks, open those eyes, smell the foul air of utter waste, and just for once, get a reality check !
I would love to have even one of those "esteemed" individuals come forth and state the removal election process was on the "up and up", wouldn't you?
What kind of person can actually say the removal election was handled in a manner that was efficient, much less fair?
Actually, that's an easy one to answer...
...BUREAUCRATS...who look for "legal" reasons to accept unethical behavior, while protecting and refusing to accept their inept abilities.
...BUT...
What none will ever admit is one basic fact:
Those who favored the removal election DIDN'T MAKE the decisions to spend the dough, THEIR "esteemed" Board DID.
No one held a gun to their heads....except an association attorney and a General Manager who were exercising an unnecessary need to...
In fact, none of that close minded bunch haven't even had the decency to acknowledge that those who favored the removal, made alternative COST EFFICIENT suggestions, have they?
Who was the person who determined that an outsider should handle the removal?
Not the proponents...NOPE...
...that decision was based on the "sound" advice of a new association attorney along with a General Manager who looks at the Sun City Anthem kitty as an endless source of funds to make sure she can control the lives of seniors in every way possible, day in and day out....
...a General Manager who had over 800+ people say by way of a signed petition, SHE WAS NOT ACTING IN A MANNER THAT POSITIVELY AFFECTED THEIR LIFESTYLE.
Other than the current $73,000 of waste SHE RECOMMENDED and the Board APPROVED, how about looking as some of the "and counting" costs?
Just WHY was the association attorney present ALL DAY at the count?
We had the Ombudsman and a few of his assistants there to police any improprieties...
...individuals who came to our association because of the MANY problems and complaints "ordinary honest folk" were concerned about...at NO COST !
But that didn't seem to satisfy a General Manager, did it?
Of course not, after all there's so much money in the bank, let's have the Attorney sit there all day doing nothing but yawn with his arms across his chest...at billable hours...
...with of course, 2 paid security guards present to prevent the "grey birds" from rioting !
So...to you BUREAUCRATS...PLEASE answer why you felt those expenses were necessary, and WHY any of you would feel the proponents were to blame?
And of course, we can't forget the "efficiency" demonstrated by the CPA firm the Association Attorney strongly recommended...
...you know, the one who sent ballots that never distinguished they had anything to do with the election, a number of residents stating they never received one, and were forced to travel 25 minutes to obtain a substitute from their office.
But...to cap it off, 2 formal complaints have been filed that clearly stated they did not properly count the petitions correctly, carefully "making sure" that one guy fell 2 signatures short of being placed on a ballot.
All this...through the "competence" of advice from advisers that to date have cost us $73,000...and counting !
Well now, somehow along the line, none of the "blind" seem to have brought up the fact that 2 of those removal candidates voted to DUMP $40,000 in unpaid restaurant loans on our laps as a result of their "expertise", have they?
None of them seem to have brought up the $1,100 of meeting room rentals at the M Resort, the $100 pots of coffee, the $40 of sweet rolls trays each day, and a $1,000 celebration dinner, or the private party for themselves they authorized and paid, or the tab on a private plane in the recruiting of the GM, have they?
So to you blind individuals who refuse to look at the complete picture and have the audacity to actually suggest the removal proponents pay for the removal election costs, how come you didn't make the same demand of your leaders when they squandered those funds?
Of course you won't.
BUREAUCRATS are never capable of saying they erred or saying "I'm sorry"...because in their minds they never make mistakes.
Ergo...when have you EVER HEARD any of them acknowledge a mistake or apologize for ANYTHING that their INEPT actions have cost owners thousands of dollars?
They reserve using such words for others to cover up the incompetence and waste they are allowed to exist again and again.
However...wouldn't it be wonderful if the true CULPRITS, the ones who did authorize and spend all the loot, would be held personally responsible?
Is it possible? Until a day ago, I thought not, but...
...The Common Community Commission just dropped a hammer on another General Manager of a Self-Managed Homeowners Association making her personally responsible for "advice" she thought was sound from their association attorney to the tune of $20,000 in fines.
Perhaps our General Manager might wish to take note.
Then again, if she was held personally responsible for the $73,000, it's no big deal.
That would still leave her with about $200,000 left over...
...way more than the $160,000 Sun City Summerlin pays their GM !
The lesson to be learned ?
...and don't be fooled.
They really do believe it they're entitled to spend every last cent they can squeeze from your pocketbook, no matter how little sense it makes at times.
After all...
That's what BUREAUCRATS do best ...Spend other people's money !
Got a comment?
Send it to:
All of the yelling from many in the opposition about the recall backers should pay these costs:
The law in this state gives any one the right with the correct amount of signatures, to ask for a recall election.
It is their right if they feel things board members did were wrong and felt that waiting for the next election was fool hardy.
One big thing missing from all I have read, is the common chant of "well it only x per roof-top".
Why when it is an expense they DON'T want, that is never said?
Just asking, since I HATE hearing that over and over again.
Think about this.
Cost of whatever the 73,000 comes up to.
Could there be another $10,000 yet to be billed?
If so, the $73,000 could be $83,000.
Then minus the cost of printing and mailing ballots.
The election committee would have been free.
Let’s assume the cost of mailing and printing at $1.20 per household. I could not even guess if it were more than that.
7144 homes at $1.20 is $8,574
Let’s assume the $73k turns into $83K
$83,000 less $8,574 (the raw estimated cost if we did it ourselves as Solera just did) is $74,426.
If these assumptions are correct, this BOD just cost the residents of SCA $74,000 because of their stupidity and arrogance.
And these professional advisors got it wrong and removed Bob Birch from the ballot.
Who authorized this expenditure?
Was it the board or the association manager? Or maybe the board abdicated their responsibility to the lawyer.
Who knows if this is another deep secret.
This cost should be assigned to the person or persons that decided and arranged for outsiders to be hired.
Given that our General Manager, Sandy Seddon may have lost the argument that the lawyer told her what to do, it appears that it was her responsibility. With the recent NRED case of fines, there is little doubt.
If the Ombudsman Foger, finds that Birch should have been on the ballot and requires a revote for at least Birch and we use the same numbers, the MINIMUM cost for the Birch recall would be $8,574 IF WE DO IT OURSELVES.
WHAT IF THESE DOLTS SAY, THEY NEED THE ACCOUNTING FIRM AND ATTORNEY TO DO THE BIRCH RECALL?
Holy Moly…could they be that dumb?
Let us place blame where it belongs since it has NO bearing on the folks that agreed with the recall.
I too have some questions.
First, since the Board was so convinced an outsider had to control the removal election ballots, did the GM or one of her subordinates take the time "to shop around" for any alternative organizations to perform the duties that the CPA firm was assigned? After all the task was certainly not complicated.
All that was required:
1. verify the signatures
2. print a ballot
3 mail them
4. collect the unopened returns
5. deliver them to Anthem Center
6. Open them
7. Count them.
These simple tasks required us to us a high priced CPA firm?
I compare that to using F. Lee Bailey to defend you for a parking ticket.
How difficult would it have been to simply make a phone call and ask a few questions as to alternatives, or was this merely done the way an Association Attorney, GM, or Board directed a high priced CPA firm to handle it? What experience did that CPA firm have in such matters?
The owners should be entitled to know WHO was responsible for "calling the shots" as to how and why THAT FIRM WAS CHOSEN, and if others were considered.
Another question I have is "DID THE GM and/or BOARD and/or Attorney approve of the manner in which the CPA firm conducted the mailings?
Who directed the CPA firm to send out the ballots on THEIR STATIONERY, rather than have the ballot identified as pertaining to Sun City Anthem? Or did they just say, "Do it, and send us a bill" without any direction?
Answers to those questions would allow the owners to look closely at WHO and WHY things were handled in what some many owners considered a deceptive manner in which they were conducted.
It also leaves little doubt that money is no object in the mind of a high priced General Manager, as well as, a Board, who approved the expenditures, if none of them come forward and admit WHO CALLED THE SHOTS. This whole affair merits full investigation.
Your tireless devotion at least raised some awareness to some who have no interest or have only the board propaganda at their disposal. Maybe, possibly, the next election will be different because of it.
We had the choice of Summerlin and Henderson. I would still choose Henderson regardless of the unfortunate ineptitude of the board.
Till the next election.
The owners are entitled to be aware of who and why things were handled in the manner in which they were in order to determine if such individuals are worthy of trust and confidence.
One thing I learned after attending a recent meeting of the Nevada Real Estate Division is that Sun City Anthem is just one of many HOAs that are experiencing similar problems.
Within the past couple of years, removal elections have been held with greater frequency in the Las Vegas valley; so many, that questions are arising as to the need for changes in legislation to "clean up the mess" "bully" HOA Boards have created...
Though the removal proponents may have failed in their attempt to remove certain directors at the ballot box, the methods employed by Sun City Anthem management and Board in the removal election have brought to light the depth of how far a group will go to maintain control.
Honest people can look at all this and recognize that. Those who do not share that trait, will not.
Will we ever get an accounting (itemized) of the recall?
Just the "recall" alone and not included with anything else?
You should have that ability by making an email request to the CAM.
As to what they will provide you, my guess is as good as yours.
Dick, what our BOD does not seem to get is that lawyers and accountants will give you advice that generates more billable hours for them. Any business owner that deals with lawyers and accountants understands this.
People that want the homeowners who signed petitions to pay for the cost of the removal election should realize our community would be better served if they came up with ideas to solve the issues our community faces.