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SCA Faces Board Recall, A First for This Community!
Some might say this has been a long time coming, others who oppose it, like former board director Carl Weinstein states, “This whole situation boils down to the fact that we have a ‘group’ of aging residents who have nothing to do with their spare time but grouse and complain, forgetting that in a democracy the majority rules.” However, more than 800 residents have signed the recall petition asking for a special election to remove Rex Weddle, Bob Burch, Aletta Waterhouse and Tom Nissen.
Another uninformed comment came from former Election Committee chair John Burke who said, “Do the administration plan a random check of those signing the petition to verify both that they signed the petition and that all owners of the unit agreed?” As former chair of that committee, John should know that (a) only one member of a household MAY vote and, (b) let’s face it, how often do a husband and wife actually agree on who to vote for. Why would John presume that both partners must agree to one signing a petition for one’s signature to be valid?
And finally, we have a statement made by blogger David Berman who states that he will do all in his power to defeat the recall movement. He stated that he has many volunteers to help him and “In addition, we have an advisory group of respected former Board officers.”
It is my opinion that one of the contributing factors in enabling the recall supporters to gather the needed signatures, plus the additional 100, was the buildup of many years of frustration with non-responsive directors.
Under the presidency of Jack Troia, SCA was heralded on The HOA Hall of Shame by newscaster Darcy Spears for his treatment of an 85-year-old owner whose two little dogs had been attacked by coyotes.
Under the presidency of Mike Dixon, Bob Frank, who received the highest vote count of any resident in this community, began the trend of standing firm for what he felt was decent and right. Because this often was not in lock-step with his fellow board members, it became the trend we see to this day. If a board member differs with the rest of the board, ostracize them and make them a pariah to the community if possible……. And so, it continued, board after board and still does today.
In my opinion, many of our residents have had enough of this aberrant behavior. In each election our candidates promise transparency, to work for our residents, for the good of the community, and yet answers are rarely forthcoming.
Spending for years has been uncontrolled. When considering self-management for example, with a conference room at Liberty Center, in the administration offices in Anthem Center, the Green Room, none of these were good enough for our board to meet in to talk. They had to go The M Hotel and rent a room. When Ms. Seddon was hired, the board took her for a celebratory dinner at The M to Anthony’s Steak House, where the tab was over $1,000.
Let us look at the treatment of our clubs, 60 to date, they are the second to the last to receive dates for rooms, where in the past only the board took preference. Now the order is (1) the board, (2) standing committees (3) activities dept. (4 ) clubs made up entirely of residents who pay for the facilities (residents who want to book private events.
Is it any wonder there is a revolt at hand? I don’t think so!
Rana:
I would like to expand on several points that you have brought out, and by the way, you have accurately assessed the problems growing in our community. I am going to go back a little further in history to assess the boards that I have had contact with. The following is my opinion:
Favil West: My first encounter with Favil was when he was president and I had not been here a year. I spoke up to him when homeowners were talking to Favil and his vice-president Bob Berman. I challenged him on the subject of fiduciary duty. He leaned over to Bob and said, “Who is she?” My next encounter was at Buckman’s. He was sitting there and motioned me to sit down. I at first declined and said to him, “If you think you can intimidate me, think that again”! His demeanor immediately changed and he softened his stance and then asked me to sit down and talk. What anyone may personally think of Favil and his Foundation, you cannot deny that they have brought much needed help to this community and ultimately to other senior communities as well. For a board to throw his foundation out without seeking a solution to the “war” between the Foundation and the Community Service Group is unconscionable. Case in point: Recently, a homeowner needed equipment for his spouse coming home from the hospital. Community service group did not have the equipment needed and one call to the foundation delivered what was needed.
Mike Dixon: Mike was one of the most intelligent people I have met here (IQ wise), but that did not make him a good president. He thought that because he had superior intelligence, he knew more than anyone else and had no patience for anyone who held a different opinion not in line with his.
Jack Troia: Here was one of the most arrogant and nasty individuals I have ever observed in my eleven years in SCA. He also gave our community one gigantic public “black eye” and put us in the “HOA HALL OF SHAME” with investigative reporter on ABC news, Darcy Spears. He was rude, crude and liked to punish innocent homeowners such as Norman McCullough and others.
Roz Berman: Roz tried to be a decent president, but was in over her head and ultimately was responsible for the initial Liberty Center debacle. Those that followed her, also bear a great amount of guilt because they simply ignored the center’s leakage problems for years. Only when mold was discovered within this center and had to be closed down as a health hazard, were repairs made.
Jean Capillupo: Jean was way in over her head and couldn’t seem to do anything without checking with then HOA attorney, John Leach. The mounting legal bills attest to those facts. Just because she was an educator in her former life, did not make her a good president.
Bella Meese: Bella’s reign became known as Bellagate and she also viewed monies collected from homeowners as her own personal treasury and spent our hard-earned money as her own personal bank account while often making unilateral bad decisions on her own.
Rex Weddle: He, in my opinion, has become one of the worst presidents in the history of our community. He has brought the festering wounds within this community to where we are today. His blatant disregard for treating ALL board members equally is but one example of his very poor leadership.
What do all these presidents described and most of their respective boards have in common? What comes to mind is governance in the form of a serfdom and arrogant entitlement by them and their fellow board members. With rare exception, their distain for homeowners was and is a horrendous real eye opener. In addition, the words arrogance, ineptness, sheer stupidity, little common sense, rudeness, and lack of honesty and humility all can be ascribed to most of the previous boards and the present one.
Where do all the homeowners fit into this? We’re merely their personal piggy bank with our input and rights constantly being trampled upon.
Sandy Seddon: I have watched our GM with great interest. Judging from the number of signatures on the NO Confidence Petition regarding her, I would say that quite a number of homeowners are angry with her often-rude demeanor, how she handles her duties, and often overstepping what a general manager for our community should be doing. Her edicts to homeowners, club members and others, do not set well. BUT, and this needs to be taken into consideration, she would not be able to get away with all of this if Weddle’s board didn’t give her total freedom to do what she wants.
Hence, you have the petitions against four board members as well as one against Sandy. Homeowners have had enough of this outrageous aberrant behavior.
Again, this is my opinion and perspective of what I have witnessed during the time I have lived here.
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