THE BIG LIE

[Robert Stern]

Participant Alan H on a post asked “ What makes that woman worth over $200,000 a year? Another participant stated that her cost was over $300,000 total package. Well the simple answer to Alan’s question is, she isn’t worth it. Probably no COO @ $3000,000 is but especially not this one. And the Directors on the Board that support her outrageous compensation package not only support this BIG LIE, but they also support financial irresponsibility ( via deficit financing) to the detriment of homeowners.
The fact is that the BOD passes their responsibility via the BOD Policy Manual to the COO and fails an adequate level of oversight. The Audit Committee is ineffective and a joke as it lacks independence. Its current leaders, Director Greg Swenson and Finance Committee Chair Andrew Muha , willingly ignore part of their board directed charter clearly demonstrating their failed leadership. When confronted by the truth they took the smear tactic of their mentor by attempting to kill the messenger. That didn’t work. This form of governance has failed and it is time to return to a management company or at least get a new COO at a reasonable price and change legal counsel. And while a management company performance can be challenging too at least it costs less and puts the performance of the HOA 100% on the board members. If the Audit Committee isn’t going to be independent and really provide assistance to the board as documented then eliminate it. Each board member should be empowered to investigate and gather facts independently rather than be stifled by a group think operating policy and believing the Audit Committee works. It doesn’t.

This COO’s failed leadership coupled with the incompetence of the board majority is apparent. This notion that volunteers should not be criticized is exactly the parasitic infection our governance is crippled by. The board is neither transparent nor truthful at times and management has weaponized counsel to deflect any serious challenges to wrongdoing or mismanagement. The Board of Directors via their BOD Policy Manual cedes so much authority and responsibility to the COO. It makes the Directors willing participants in an ineffective governance structure. Management and counsel feed on that weakness and the board enables their feeding at the expense of homeowners.

I am so sick and tired of homeowners defending perhaps well intentioned volunteers and a COO who acts in a financially irresponsible manner and clearly they don’t have the skill sets to know the difference and don’t act in the best interests of homeowners. And then these homeowners criticize the critics whose assertions are supported by obvious facts and numbers. Some homeowners just don’t like what they call the negative energy and attack the critics but not on substance but only on emotion and middle school instinct. Too many egos with their self interests quash sound governance. HOAs are easily infected by egos that support bad policy. And boy is SCA suffering. It just gets down to where performance by any standard is spun and accountability is ignored as payroll and benefits increase to support the fiefdom. An effective COO would not allow this state of affairs to exist but her self interest is to appease the board to ensure her retention. Homeowners be damned. So much money is wasted as assessments grow and reserves are underfunded.

There is too much power in the COO’s hands and we need to go back where the board President is in fact the Chief Executive with clear accountability to the board and homeowners. We need a competent Community Manager. Eliminate the COO slot. It isn’t an easy task operating within an HOA and those willing to step up deserve our thanks but if they can’t walk the walk then we suffer financially and administratively. We pay the price with bigger assessments. That’s where we are folks.

It is time to begin the process to eliminate this Big Lie. It begins by getting a board majority willing to face the problem rather than trying to spin its way and deflect as it fumbles from budget year to budget year. Board members with another year on their term and hopefully newly elected board members, focused on finances, must begin the necessary strategic planning to get our Community on the right financial footing and an administrative governance that works. Cut expenses. Cut staff growth.
Regardless it’s time to get rid of Sandy Seddon and her exorbitant income package and her weaponized over used expensive counsel as she expands her fiefdom. It’s time to acknowledge THE BIG LIE and do something about it. Alan H nailed it. She isn’t worth it. The pocketbook you save may be your own.
Your votes this election cycle can really create some change. You decide.

[Martin Winger]

Robert,

I agree with your comment.  I have often wondered how our COO earns more than our governor, more than our mayor. and I’m sure countless CEO’s that are in Henderson let alone Las Vegas.  maybe I (we) are missing something so maybe someone, anyone could enlighten me (us) on this issue.

[Robert Stern]

Martin

If you want change it will take a new board majority.

Three new candidates that apparently are focused on finances are our best bet as a beginning,

Four seats are open. Please give one vote each to:
Pamela Williams
Rick Ernest
Bruce Stanley

They are needed to begin the process of change and fiscal responsibility. They are our best hope as the current board and COO have not served the best interests of homeowners. Ballots I’m told are being mailed March 24. New term of office begins May 1.

[Rana Goodman]

Robert, Marty, and anyone questioning who and how many candidates to vote for, in my opinion we should be voting for 4, I agree to not voting Linow and Perlstein.

I don’t believe either of them give a darn about the residents and share too much board business with others. Perlstein has openly, verbally attacked a resident at a board meeting and refused to accept the presidents guidance when he attempted to stop Perlstein’s rant.

I suggest, a vote each for,

Three new candidates that apparently are focused on finances are our best bet as a beginning, Please give one vote each to:
Pamela Williams
Rick Ernest
Bruce Stanley

and Barry Rubinson

[Martin Winger]

Thank you, Rana.  Quite frankly I could not agree with you more!  As to my vote (?), well that’s all I have, one vote, so for both you and Robert I’ll do what I am allowed by law to do and of course vote for those people you mention.  What other people do will or won’t do to make this a better (choice) to live and as we see history will prove what is going to happen.  Hopefully “they get it” and see this isn’t working as it should.

Also, as a side note, what are the COO’s of the other local HOA communities paying their COO’s?

So far no one has offered any reason why our COO is worth what she is getting in the way of salary.  I seriously doubt anyone will, or can.  Maybe she is reading these “blogs” and might be getting nervous enough for her to say, “see ya’ folks.”

 

[Robert Stern]

While I hope Barry Rubinson does survive as the 4th board member elected this cycle I worry strategically that mathematically that voting for him could possibly prevent one of the new candidates from making it. I am just learning about the voting patterns and influences so I really don’t know. But voting only 3 votes , one for each of the new candidates mathematically increases the odds of all three of them making it especially if the other side’s ground game is only pushing the three existing board members.
I really don’t know. Maybe Rana’s approach is better.
We will see after the final tally.

[Author]

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