232 Residents denied agenda item
First I must start this article by stating that Les and Leo are great assets to the community. They are both friendly, seem to get along with everyone and are involved in many community activities. In short, they are great neighbors.
However, this is not about being a great neighbor, it is about the resident elected Board members. I for one voted for them because I believed they would represent the community on the board. I understand that they by themselves cannot get things passed if the Pulte board members oppose. However, that doesn't mean they rubber stamp all decisions.
In last two board meetings the lack of support for the resident requests by our resident Board members is appalling. The latest example of this blatant disregard of representation is when over 200 residents sign a petition to place an item regarding communication on the January 2010 agenda. This petition was give to the Board at the October 2009 board meeting. When the agenda for the January 2010 meeting was posted the residents request was disregarded. When the Board was asked why it was left off the President responded that the board did not want to place it on the agenda. One board member said they were working on a survey to be given to all residents. This appears to have been said just to appease the residents who were at the meeting. Otherwise the survey would have already been sent to the residents, analized and discussed at the January board meeting. Three months is ample time to complete this task.
It takes one member to place an item on the agenda. When over 200 plus residents sign a petition to have something placed on the agenda our resident board members have a duty to ensure the item is discussed. Our resident Board members failed in there duty to represent the residents. This is not the first time this has occurred but it is the most blatant lack of representation I have seen by any board member on any board I have been associated with.
Having said this, I believe the resident board members should resign immediately and let someone who will listen to the residents be appointed. The residents need representation on the board not two more Pulte employees.
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Thanks Glen for your comments. One question I have regarding being a resident board member is this - What are the R & R's for the resident board members when we have our quarterly BOD meetings? Can you voice opposition or agreement vocally? Is freedom of speech denied? This happens to be the only BOD's meeting that I have ever attended...not that I've attended many, where there are never any differences of opinion on the Board. I realize that we are ournumbered in the final vote, but it's hard for me to believe five men agree on everything. I want a resident board member that represents ME! Otherwise it's all a waste of time and energy, just let the 3 Pulte employees run the show. Need your help in understanding this....help this old woman someone.
When I first moved into Del Webb I attended the BOD meetings and back then we only had a few homeowners attend. However, back then it was the same story as it is now our requests, suggestions and concerns were totally ignored. Information was rarely shared and I became so frustrated that I stopped attending these meeting. I went to the last meeting and again it is the same old story except that there were alot more homeowners there and I think that is a good thing. But the bottom line is that until 473 homes have closed we will not be able to bring about changes to OUR community. Not to be negative, but I will not be attending another meeting until such time as we control the BOD as the frustration level is way too high and life is too short. So let just try and hang it there until Glenbrooke is truly our community.
I agree completely Mr. Howard. However, please reconsider attending the meetings. I have thought the same thing sometimes, but it's my community and it's just possible a low attendance at the meetings would be to their advantage. I believe had they put the item on the agenda and answered with the comments they did later, i.e. new web site and sending out surveys, etc. they wouldn't have had the backlash that happened. They made a bad judgement call and I'm not too sure they don't realize that. Of course it's done now and they left a bad taste in somes mouth. This does not speak well of the community that still has a long way to go before we're sold out. Of course, we all know that having our own elected BOD's won't always be a piece of cake either, just that we'll have the option of voting them out.
Gary - don't quit attending board meetings as then you are doing exactly what they want. Maybe it is time to contact the head honchos at Del Webb and Pulte to let them know the attitude of their members on our board. I would find it hard to believe that the other Del Webbs are having the problems we are having with their boards. If they replaced Mr. Van Dam with someone who cares about the community instead of looking at this as a requirement of their job and fighting traffic to attend we would be better off. I was quite impressed that Mr. Germaine voted in opposition to the amended resolution 2009.009 as it became so confusing that the Board didn't even adopt the correct version. I know the feeling of wanting to say the heck with it, let's wait until we have a majority on the board but given the economy that could take years.