I will maintain this Website along with my e-mail to communicate with Property Owners both resident and non-resident PLUS publish a Newsletter with my view of the "state of the our Village" to Property Owners that supply their e-mail addresses.
Note: DISCUSSION TABS:
Property Owner Interests - Golf is HSV’s #1 Amenity -Private Golf Carts
Budgeting Process - Allocation of Assessment Dollars to Amenities
HSV’s Strategic Plan Reviewed - Marketing Plan (tba)
And don’t miss the TALKING POINTS and GOLF TAB
I believe in the HSV concept initiated by Coooper Sr. as a self contained gated community with amenities for the enjoyment of our retirement years for financially solvent retirees. Properly managed it could be a real asset and benefit to Members/Property Owners and a highly sought after locations by retirees that would only enhance property values.
I am concerned that the direction that the Board will take this community will lead to municipal incorporation founded on misinformation from POA management and Board representatives. This will lead to removal of our gates and the ushering in of social problems encountered by our neighboring cities. What a shame!
Why shouldn't you be interested in what is transpiring in HSV, after all you have an ownership interest, an investments and fees directly affects your daily cost-of-living.
Are you aware of what is going on in your POA, as a Member you should be:
1. In prior years when a fee was increased greater than the CPI the Board at least presented it at a Board meeting to notify the Members and give the rationale. Last year the CPI was 1.7% but many fees were raised much greater than that with little or no notification to the Members. The Golf Surcharge that was supposed to be eliminated begining in 2011 was rolled into the base golf green fees and golf annual fees without a word. On top of that the Golf Green Fee was increased 13% with little justification.
2. Did you realize that your water bill was increased. This was by reducing the base allocation from 5,500 gallons to 5,000 gallons with no change in the base price, this has been going on for several years and therer has been not increase in cost of water in HSV over that time period. When I moved here the base allocatioin was 8,000 gallons for the same cost. There is no justification for this artificial increase in water rates.
3. Did you realize that your sewer rate was increased by $2? Look at your water bill! This may not seem like much but since I move here 5 years ago the utility costs have increased 10% excluding the ambulance service and not including the addition charges for water resulting from the Board decreasing the base allocations.
4. Are you aware that the 5 Year Capital Budget Plan was regularly posted on the website but since being critizied for senseless items in it, it was removed last fall and has not been re-posted. Does that give you confidence in your Board?
POA Board Makeup!
Something most members (Property Owners) don't take the time or have the interest to look in to, it that now we have 4 Board members that have membership in Diamante CC and a 5th member whose campaign was funded by a Diamante group. This results in 5 of 7 Board members that are representing the interests of all Property Owners with a very narrow interest view and leads to the possible (and likely) slanting of Board decisions toward the interests of a small group of people in the Village at the expense of the whole. Think about it!
And What About Municipal Incorporation?
The claimed existance of funds $3,000,000, on the low end (POA Mgmt), to an outlandish $1,000 per resident, on the high end (supposedly "prominant" community leader), from outside sources as a result of being incorporated are FICTIONAL at best. Historically the pot of money dolled out by the state as "turnback" funds in recent years has been ~$80 million state wide. Just contact neighboring cities and ask what their "turnback" funds are, it equals approximately $63/citizen, for HSV that would only be ~$800,000, grant monies that they qualify for are specific in nature and limited in amount. With dilligence and expertise HSV might garner another $100,000 or so. In exchange for this citizens would get to pay property and sales taxes for the benefit of HSV in addition to assessments and fees, very similiar to Bella Vista AR. Non-resident property owners would tend to flee their obligations rather than pay higher expenses on an already marginal investment. This will further pressure the limited resources of many of our retired residents. Keep in mind that a City Council in Arkansas can levee a 5-mill property tax without a vote or referendum!
Face reality, HSV's only real attractions, if properly managed, is the gated community, quality and affordable golf courses, a good spectrum of companion amenties to go with golf. Open the gates and increase the costs and HSV has little to offer once the golf starts to degrade or the cost gets so high that no one can afford to play.
Non-resident Property Owners may be absent in the present but should not be forgotten in the Board's deliberations, they do represent the most likely future residents.
We need to identify and implement a make sense approach to recover lots from Property Owners no longer interested in that ownership and return them to the marketplace.
The Board should implement a policy of project reviews to identify the good, the bad and the ugly occurrences to improve our policies for future project accomplishment.
The budgeting process must identify and limit expenses to only those necessary and essential to maintain our investment in the current economy.
I believe the Board should serve the Property Owners and is obligated to communicate all proposed changes clearly and openly, with extra effort when changes affect costs or property interests.
Our future is through growth, attracting new resident Property Owners, not through fee increases.
Let me hear from you via e-mail at: FrazerHSVPOA@yahoo.com or sign the Guest Book.
Please respond and answer 3 questions: 1) What was the primary reason you bought in HSV? 2) Do you plan to move/retire in HSV? 3) Are you satisfied with Board actions?
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