Glenbrooke News

1. Why did you decide to run for the Board and what strengths/skills will you bring to the position?

As a resident of Glenbrooke for nearly two years, my wife and I have made a significant life investment in our home and in our adopted community.  We want our experience living here to remain positive and affordable, and to see all our home values rebound in the years ahead.  Effective and open communications between the board and the residents is one critical component in keeping things headed in the right direction.  This is one reason I recently agreed to serve on the newly formed Communications Committee along with four other residents well chaired by Harold Wheeler.

For over 35 years, I served as a senior health executive, nearly 20 of those years with Sutter Health based in Sacramento.  Serving on multiple hospital and medical group boards, appointing boards of directors and training boards in the proper exercise of their community and fiduciary responsibilities was my life.  During this time my budget responsibility was always in the millions with accountability at one time of $750 million.

I hope some of this experience may be of value to our Glenbrooke community both in the operation of the board and in the way we exercise fiduciary responsibility on behalf of our residents.  Within a few short years, the Glenbrooke Board will have accountability for millions of dollars of resident’s funds.  This is a serious obligation that requires sound and consistent financial management practices.

2.  Are you willing to hold monthly town hall meetings with residents to hear their concerns?

Yes, if this proves to be the best way to improve overall communications.  From 2003 to 2007, I served as secretary of a nearby homeowners association board with 250 homes. We met 11 times per year.   From time to time there were communication matters which were mostly answered at board meetings.  However, when there wasn’t sufficient time to properly deal with the issues at these meetings, we held special open sessions at convenient times to give residents a chance to both vent and give the board input on significant decisions.  This approach could also work well at Glenbrooke.

3.Do you feel you can publicly voice the interests of the residents and not be intimidated by the majority three Pulte employees?

My hope would be to work as a complete, unified board for the interests of our community.  As mature adults, we ought to be able to set aside potential conflicts and focus on meaningful objectives that produce helpful results.  Over time, boards tend to “major in the minors”.  We need to avoid this tendency and think about the consequences of our board decisions.  If the Pulte members recommend actions that appear to be inimical to the long term benefit of Glenbrooke, I will not hesitate to both express myself and vote in a resident friendly manner.

4.Have you reviewed the Associations’s finances, and do you think the assessments and funding for reserves are set at an appropriate level?

Yes, I have reviewed the latest financial statements.  Our Association uses the “fund accounting” method.  It appears that the Operating Fund is carrying our current expense level adequately.  It is not possible for me to judge at this early stage whether the Replacement Fund will support future facilities needs.  However, as a board member, I would want to review and understand the comprehensive study conducted by the Board in 2008 regarding the facilities replacement issue for Glenbrooke.

The Replacement Fund has the potential to drive a level of reserves that could mandate higher assessments.  One thing is clear; we must resist finding ourselves in a situation where a special assessment against the homeowners is required.  Additionally, I would not be in support of an increase in our monthly assessments.  We should be able to live within our means at the current level of $159 per month without the need for additional revenues from our residents

5.Thank you for your willingness to serve and the opportunity to get to know you better.  Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you?

Board dynamics is an art, not a science.  While observing my former HOA board for nearly 15 years, I saw some very good decisions made, and at times awful decisions.  Sometimes boards take up causes or directions that defy logic. At times, boards love passing rules that seem to serve ill defined purposes.  I served on my HOA board as secretary for four years on a platform of bringing both consistency and common sense to the board.  These objectives were partially achieved.  I understand setting goals and accomplishing them.  As someone who has done high altitude climbing on four continents for thirty years, I believe I recognize a clear challenge and how to meet it. I hope to bring this level of clarity to the Glenbrooke Board as a productive and resident focused member.  If elected, I would be pleased to serve you.

6/8/10