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The
POA believes that the Home Warranty Department has decided to wage a
two-tiered campaign: First,
against the POA trying to discredit its reporting of the Vinyl Siding
problems, and, Second,
using delay, denial, and sloppy work tactics against homeowners reporting
vinyl siding or other house problems after getting an inspection. Its
tactics are to attempt to discredit the work of the Vinyl Siding committee,
deny that there are any problems with Villages-built homes, discredit the home
inspectors finding problem-after-problem with these homes, and capitalize on
The Villages Daily Sun as a propaganda machine for the developer.
Then, the department stonewalls, denies, intimidates, stalls, and tries
to focus resident attention elsewhere. It
seems that the Department is so concerned that someone might scrutinize The
Villages homes and find some problems that it is trying to undermine the
reputations of all home inspectors through articles in the Daily Sun.
It appears that this is an effort to discourage residents from having
their homes inspected by outside companies. In
two articles by Gary Corsair published in the Daily Sun on Wednesday, November
21st and Sunday, November 25th, Mr. Dennis Stradinger, manager of the Home
Warranty Department, refers to these home inspectors as “so-called
inspectors” because Florida does not require certification for this
occupation. We
think Mr. Stradinger is indulging in a bit of scare-mongering.
Most home inspectors are well-qualified, experienced, and conscientious
professionals, who come by their credentials honestly, regardless of whether
the state certifies their occupation. Take
AmeriPro, for example. This is an independent home inspection firm from
outside of the area that the POA asked to get involved.
Its qualifications include certification by both ASHI (American Society
of Home Inspectors) and FABI (Florida Association of Building Inspectors), and
it is a Certified General Contractor (CGC #058730) and Licensed Engineer. It
is a member of SBCCI (Standard Building Code Congress Int’l.) and is a 203k
Consultant. With
over 25,000 inspections completed throughout the state in over 15 years in
business, this company is well-qualified to inspect homes. Those of you who
want to know more can visit its website at www.ameriproinspect.com.
With credentials like these, we don’t think that this firm should be labeled
“so-called” as a way to denigrate their capabilities or services. But
certification is not the only thing we’re looking for—in a builder or an
inspector. Certification is not the same thing as conscientiousness. In our
opinion, conscientiousness on the part of a worker, a contractor, or an
inspector are just as important as the piece of paper in their wallet or on
their wall. And AmeriPro has proven that they are conscientious in performing
inspections. AmeriPro
provides a thorough, written report with photographs of issues it feels need
the homeowner’s attention. They do not do repairs or refer “preferred”
contractors, nor do they recommend contractors “in good standing” as does
the Warranty Department. Contrary to what Mr. Corsair's articles imply, bona
fide inspectors have nothing to gain by “finding ‘problems.’” Mr.
Stradinger knows well that hundreds of homes have had vinyl siding problems
and many also have framing problems. His department has sent crews out to do
the repairs, sometimes as many as six times for the same house. We are talking
about building a house right. And there’s more to it than whether the
structure will collapse in a tornado. We
have had reports from homeowners who have been told by Home Warranty reps that
there is nothing wrong with their home or that the repairs have already been
made. Yet when our Siding Committee volunteers look at the same home they find
many workmanship flaws. Why aren’t the Home Warranty reps pointing out the
same things and correcting them? This would be the responsible and the
honorable thing to do. And
why would Sumter County Building Official Bob Kegan, also quoted in Mr.
Corsair’s article, say that home inspectors finding issues in “cosmetic
areas” is “creating a problem” for them?
Home inspectors seem to be finding problems in many important areas,
from what homeowners tell us. And
just because some of a homeowner’s concerns may not be code-related does not
mean those concerns should be disregarded. For example, the home with split
insulation batts (code violation or not?), or ground wire and vent duct not
hooked up (code violation or not?). Is
better that these problems remained undetected? Who
is really creating a problem here? Isn’t it the builder and inspectors who
let these things slide by? As for “cosmetic areas,” why wouldn’t the
county building department back up the Florida Building Code that says siding
should be applied in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions? How is
bringing up any of these issues “creating a problem?” Perhaps the Building
Officials, along with the builders, should be looking for a solution to
improve quality control. Our
question for Mr. Morse, Mr. Kegan and Mr. Stradinger: Do you feel that
residents of The Villages should accept shoddy workmanship just because their
home is unlikely to collapse in a tornado? Why does Mr. Stradinger seem so set
on keeping these inspectors out of The Villages? His protestations and
name-calling are suspicious. And,
while we’re discussing qualifications, we’d like to know more about Mr.
Stradinger’s, as well as those of Mr. Locke, the head inspector, Home
Warranty Department. It
certainly appears that The Villages Home Warranty Department doesn’t want
anyone looking closely at their work. Why?
If there are few or no problems to find, as the Daily Sun articles suggest,
The Villages should welcome and encourage inspections by independent,
well-qualified inspectors. The developer and contractors should be constantly
seeking to improve the quality of our homes rather than trying to hide
problems by denying their existence. If
The Villages Home Warranty Department is so concerned about residents spending
money “needlessly,” as the second article indicates, perhaps The Villages
should have given us a better quality product to begin with—or fixed the
problems we bring to their attention without name-calling, arguments, evasions
and denials—then we wouldn’t need to spend money to back up our
observations with qualified inspectors. Perhaps, if we hadn’t paid top
dollar for these homes, we wouldn’t expect good quality workmanship. We
certainly do agree with Mr. Stradinger’s statement in the first article:
repairs cost “good money.” But, as we said, bona fide home inspectors have
nothing to gain by finding “problems.” They earn the same fee regardless of
what they find. And because of the potential cost of making repairs, that’s
all the more reason for homeowners to be diligent about locating any issues that
exist and having needed repairs done as soon as possible, while your home is
still under warranty, if you can. We
have to wonder why Mr. Stradinger is so adamant in both the articles about not
having an inspector look at your home. Could it be because, Mr. Stradinger, you
may be saving “good money” by not finding problems and not making repairs
that would ultimately have to be paid for by the developer of The Villages? Is
that, perhaps, why you and your head inspector, Mr. Locke, continue to tell
homeowners that there is nothing wrong with their homes when Vinyl Siding
Committee volunteers are able to spot numerous problems within a few minutes? If
not, then what is your reason? Over 400 homes have been observed by our
volunteers. There was not one that did not have problems. Not one. We observed
these problems; we did not create them. Do you still want people to believe that
we are just “troublemakers?” Mr.
Morse, Mr. Stradinger, Mr. Kegan: stop trying to focus our attention elsewhere,
on tornadoes and hurricanes, assuring us our houses aren’t going to collapse.
Stop trying to deter home inspections. Stop the name-calling. Stop protesting so
much. Just go back, fix the mess—make it right! That’s customer
service—Job No. 1, remember?—you said it. Then we can all move forward. By
all means, homeowners should call Home Warranty, as Mr. Stradinger suggests in
the second article—but you might also want to get an independent opinion, from
a reliable source, of course, or educate yourself so that you can recognize
problems yourself. For vinyl siding issues, the Vinyl Siding Committee volunteers will provide you with their observations at no charge. To make arrangements, call Eric at (352) 753-7745. The Vinyl Siding Committee
If you have been following the articles in previous Bulletins about the Hometown Democracy movement and petition, you might have considered it a tempest in a teapot, or, at the most, nothing to worry about. Well, the issues in this debate are having an effect on you right now in your home. The result is more and more development, traffic-clogged roads, over-packed schools, higher taxes, muddy streets, reduced wildlife or natural areas, threatened or depleted or contaminated water supplies, and air that is often dirty, dusty, and sometimes unhealthy. If you thought that you were insulated from all this in The Villages, think again. First, the rates increase again. But, there was no explanation included with the bills. Second, there is a higher rate coming for high-rate users that is intended to punish these excessive water users. Maybe this is a good idea, but, can you, the reader, see where this slippery slope is going? Now, you ask how this relates to the Hometown Democracy movement? There is the brand-new Waterfront Inn on Lake Sumter with about 100 rooms. Then there is the new Marriott behind the Rialto Theater with about 50 rooms. Then there is the new Hampton Inn with about another 100 or so rooms. All these hotels rooms are nice and perhaps needed. But, can you imagine the water usage and the demands on the aquifer in central Florida right here in our own backyards due to these high water-usage facilities? And, coming in the next few years is Freedom Pointe, a huge retirement and senior living facility. Can you imagine the water requirements for this immense building? And, who has to bear the brunt of the sacrifices for the excessive water usage? Hometown Democracy wants to take the power to approve out of the hands of the politicians, who never saw a development project they didn’t like. If the Hometown Democracy referendum is approved in November, any significant deviation from a community’s development plan would have to be approved by voters. This doesn’t mean that development will stop. Worthwhile projects will be approved. But, developers will have to make the case to the affected voters about roads, schools, water, taxes, air, etc. If they can make a reasonable and compelling case for their proposed development, then voters should see the benefits and the rationale for approval. So, you can see that the Hometown Democracy proposal is not some foreign proposal that has no relevance to you and your life in The Villages. It addresses issues that significantly affect you and your way of life right here in The Villages. The Hometown Democracy website can be found at its internet location: http://www.FloridaHometownDemocracy.com You can see the petition there, download a copy, and sign and return it. Please, consider doing it now. The time for gathering signatures on this petition is rapidly drawing to a close. You need to act now.
The
annual POA elections for officers and directors was held at the November general
membership meeting. The membership elected these positions in an open-meeting
election rather than having these appointed by the board of directors in a
closed meeting as is the case with the VHA elections. Joe
Gorman was re-elected as President. Mary Paulsboe was re-elected as Secretary.
Frank Carr was re-elected Treasurer. Re-elected
as directors were Jack Ryan, Marty Rothbard, and Lynton Goulder. In
commenting on the election, President Joe Gorman thanked the membership for
their vote of confidence and support over the years.
He mentioned that it is an honor and privilege to serve the membership on
the POA Board. Gorman is beginning an unprecedented seventh term as president. Please
join in congratulating these elected POA officials for their decisions to
volunteer their time and effort in support of your POA. We still have director positions open for any member wanting to be more active in the POA. Call Joe Gorman at 259-0999 for details.
The
next POA general membership meeting will be Wednesday, December 19, in the This
is the annual Christmas party and we plan a special treat.
We also will have the swearing-in ceremony for the officers and directors
elected in the November meeting. We
will also have the induction of Hall of Fame honorees.
A special speaker has not been scheduled for this holiday party time. We
also plan to provide an update on the activities of the Vinyl Siding Committee. If you haven’t been to one of our meetings in the past, please join us on December 19. Coffee and donuts afterwards make for a nice social time. And, the discussions and opportunity to meet fellow Villagers add up to a thought-provoking and interesting evening. We
were unhappy to read the recent article by Gary Corsair in the Wednesday,
November 21st Daily Sun, “Village Homes are Built to Last.” We feel this
article was published because the POA has been recommending that homeowners
may want to have home inspections performed by independent inspectors due to
our Vinyl Siding Committee members’ observations about sloppy workmanship. It
is our opinion that the Sun article undermines the reputations of all home
inspectors while artfully misdirecting the readers’ attention to wind code
issues—not the sloppy workmanship issues that we have been writing about all
these months. We
have never stated or implied that any structural collapse can be expected or
that hurricane codes are not being met, simply that there is no excuse for
shoddy workmanship or disregard for manufacturers’ installation
instructions. Since there is no specific code for vinyl siding, the Florida
Building Code simply states that vinyl siding is to be used in accordance with
the manufacturers’ instructions (R703.11). Vinyl
Siding Committee members have often seen the siders’ blatant disregard for
the installation manuals of manufacturers. For
example, finish trim belongs on every vinyl-sided home. Just because Villages
contractors did not want to use finish trim in the past does not mean that it
wasn’t required or needed. It
should be installed for any homeowner that requests it. The
POA sought out an extremely well-qualified independent inspection company from
outside of the area to recommend to Villages residents if they wish to have
their home inspected. AmeriPro is not the only company fully qualified, but we
have confidence in their credentials (detailed elsewhere in this issue) and
their ability. Encouraging
homeowners to have home inspections is not scare-mongering as Mr. Corsair’s
article states. Home inspectors earn the same fee whether or not they find any
problems with your home. An ethical inspection firm is not trying to sell you
repairs like the water purifier salesmen referred to in the article. They
simply bring problems or potential problems to the homeowners’ attention.
And they will indicate whether each problem is a code issue or not. Some
examples of the many problems found in the attic of one home include crushed
vents and sagging ductwork, which caused restricted air flow, and batts of
insulation split horizontally rendering them less effective, causing energy
waste and increasing homeowner costs. Are
we to believe that an engineer specified this or an inspector looked at it?
How about the gas line ground wire that was never attached? Or the dryer vent
that was never hooked up? These are serious safety issues, and it’s very
difficult to imagine that an inspector ever actually looked at the home and
approved it before it was sold. But the homeowner was told they did. We
could go on, but residents need to understand that they must weigh the
benefits of an independent inspection with the cost. We
feel that Mr. Corsair is being irresponsible and a discredit to professional
journalists everywhere in trying to dissuade homeowners from having an
inspection, or to refer to homeowners’ concerns as “unjustified.” Mr.
Corsair, in the interest of objective journalism, why is there not one word in
your articles discussing the other side of the story? For example, the
difficulty many residents have had in trying to get needed repairs done—and
done correctly. Or perhaps interview residents who have had their requests for
repairs denied by the contractors or have had to call repeatedly for repairs
to be done over because they were incorrect or incomplete? How about the
homeowner who was told to fix it himself? Those that were treated rudely by
Home Warranty personnel; or those that were told by Warranty that repairs were
completed but were still found to be incorrect by Siding Committee volunteers? And,
Mr. Corsair, why did you never contact any of the Vinyl Siding Committee to
get the other side of the story? Members
of the Vinyl Siding Committee would be willing to meet with you and show you
some homes with problems so you can see for yourself what we are talking
about. Unfortunately,
the POA looks on the Daily Sun as being just a propaganda sheet for the
developer. And, we feel Mr.
Corsair is looking more and more like a cheerleader for the developer rather
than a reputable, professional journalist.
The
POA Bulletin is the only publication in which these concerns can truly be
voiced. If we don’t stand up for ourselves, no one will do it for us. We
hope you will join in our efforts to make The Villages an even better place to
live. The Vinyl Siding Committee The Vinyl Siding Committee requests that anyone who still has one of the Alcoa Installation Manuals please return it to a Committee member or the POA so we can pass the information along to others. Call Eric at (352) 753-7745 if someone needs to pick it up. We frequently receive requests for this information from homeowners who want to learn more about proper installation. The
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007, issue of the Daily Sun carries an article by Gary
Corsair, stating that the “My Safe Florida Home” grants are not available
to Villages residents. Thus, the
article implies, Villagers are wasting
their time getting the Wind Mitigation Inspection. This
is a good example of a misleading Daily Sun article that deflects resident
attention away from the main issue. The
Daily Sun is right that the State program grants are probably not available to
Villagers. We never said they
were. We think it unlikely that
the State grants that were designed to help improve, strengthen, and protect
vulnerable homes, most of which are on the coasts, would be available to us in
our inland residences. The
point of the POA discussions about the program was that reductions in our home
insurance bills would be available to homes in The Villages which meet certain
requirements for sturdy home construction.
All of this to be determined by the FREE Wind Mitigation Inspections. The
problem arose when the state legislature allowed insurance companies to give
premium reductions to homes that qualify under the inspection guidelines.
However, the insurance companies didn’t know which homes qualified.
So, they just increased premiums to all homeowners figuring that the
owners of homes that qualify would eventually provide proof through an
inspection that their homes did in fact qualify for the reduction. But,
the insurance companies were lax in telling homeowners that they needed the
inspection to qualify. In the mean
time, the insurance companies collected the higher premiums. Thanks
should go to our Vinyl Siding Committee and the AmeriPro company for telling
us about the program. Especially
the part about the inspections being free and paid for by the State. We
know of several homeowners who got premium refunds of $300-$500 after the
inspections showed that their homes qualified for the refund. But,
if you read the Daily Sun article, you read about: unqualified inspectors,
additional inspection charges, voiding your warranty, exploitation by
inspectors, bogus inspections, inexperienced inspectors, confusing inspections,
etc. You
also hear about the high quality of homes built in The Villages and all the
inspections that these go through by Villages and County inspectors.
That sounds reassuring, until you realize how shoddy the workmanship is
on some of The Villages-built homes, especially on the vinyl siding issue, and
how lax the inspection process is. So,
please, read any Daily Sun articles on these issues with a good deal of
skepticism because the Daily Sun has shown its stripes as a propaganda machine
for the developer and its reporter, Gary Corsair, has shown himself, we believe,
to be unprofessional in reporting just one side of a biased story. And, get that Wind Mitigation Inspection – it could save you a good deal of money. Mr.
Robert Locke, the head inspector for the Warranty Department, apparently does
his job well. That is to say, he excels at talking residents out of repairs
that are clearly needed when it comes to the siding installations here in The
Villages. Mr.
Locke, we believe, is a smooth talker, indeed. Just think, if he can convince
all the homeowners who complain about problems that there’s nothing wrong,
Home Warranty won’t have to fix anything! WHY
IS MR. ROBERT LOCKE STILL TELLING HOMEOWNERS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WHEN
SIDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN FIND MANY FLAWS ON THE SAME HOMES WITHIN A FEW
MINUTES OF OBSERVATION??? The
Vinyl Siding Committee strongly suggests that Mr. Robert Locke attend the
vinyl siding classes that we are told are now required for all installation
personnel, AND THEN APPLY THE CORRECT PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES when
conducting inspections. Maybe if he pays attention, he will start to see the
obvious problems. Maybe he will then do the honorable thing and have the
problems fixed properly, instead of pretending they don’t exist HOW
MANY LAYERS OF EVASION AND DENIALS do homeowners have to fight through to get
the proper fixes done??? Hasn’t The Villages learned yet that it’s better
to do it right in the first place, or at least to own up and correct inferior
workmanship instead of defending it and trying to get homeowners to overlook
the mess? We
know of more than one home that had the vinyl siding repaired six times before
they got it right. Siding Committee members are also looking at homes after
repairs are supposedly finished. WHY is there still a problem? WHY do
homeowners have to make callbacks so many times? WHY are they still being told
that nothing is wrong, or that it has been fixed, when all it takes is a good
eye to see the truth? In
a recent instance, Mr. Locke visited a home on Luckily,
this was a Carter built home. A Siding Committee member marked the home and
listed 2 pages of the flaws that still remained, and Mr. Carter came out to
look. He agreed that the home did indeed require further repairs and that all
the listed items needed to be corrected. Finally, this home will get fixed! And
that is because this one builder has the integrity to be honest about what he
sees and to do what is right. But
the question remains: WHY DID MR. LOCKE, ON BEHALF OF HOME WARRANTY, TELL THE
HOMEOWNER NOTHING WAS WRONG AND REFUSE TO DO THE PROPER REPAIRS? Whatever
happened to honesty and straight answers? Whatever
happened to standing behind your product? Whatever
happened to the “quality-built” image we had of The Villages? The Vinyl Siding Committee Michael
Rowan, President and CEO of AmeriPro Inspection Corporation, confirms that like
any industry, including the building industry, there are good companies and
there are bad companies. The
inspection industry is more targeted, however, by builders defending their
products, because it is unregulated. The fact remains however that professional
inspection companies are exceptionally trained, continue to train, and strive to
provide a better service every time. With over 50,000 satisfied customers since
1995 in the “As
professional inspectors, we abide by the standards of practice of the American
Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the nation’s leading home inspection
association, and the Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI), Michael
Rowan is past president of the Florida ASHI, Director of both FABI and Florida
ASHI and has spent many more years in leadership positions and committees to
better the inspection industry overall, including the recent home inspection
legislation committees. “We
do not perform any repairs nor do we benefit from the repairs that are found.
This is a complete conflict of interest and not allowed by our standards of
practice” Rowan states. “We are there to conduct an unbiased third party
inspection, based on the visible conditions present at that time. That is it. We
are not emotionally attached and if there is an issue or potential issue it will
be recorded and reported.” Rowan
also stated that he had a constructive meeting with the developers recently
about the inspections being conducted. In a report to AmeriPro from the
developer, there were only a handful of issues that were in dispute or where
they requested the wording of the reports to be changed based on information
they provided to AmeriPro. Rowan stated that some of these issues were opinion
based and while the developer may not be in agreement with, they will remain on
the reports should they become problems down line. Please contact AmeriPro at its internet address: www.chooseameripro.com Let’s
just quote the 2004 Florida Residential Building Code, R703.11: “Vinyl Siding
shall comply with ASTM 3679 and is permitted to be used in exterior walls in
accordance with the manufacturer’s approved installation instructions.” We
can show residents the manuals from both Alcoa, the manufacturer of the siding
materials used here at The Villages, as well as VSI, the Vinyl Siding Institute.
Siding jobs here in The Villages are still NOT being installed IN ACCORDANCE
WITH MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS. Repairs are still NOT being done in
accordance with instructions, either. Villages
residents are getting “lip service” from Home Warranty instead of customer
service. Some contractors are REFUSING to follow manufacturer’s published
installation instructions or the Florida Building Code. Why
are we STILL getting STORIES, EXCUSES and DENIALS? Todd King just REFUSED a
proper repair requested by a homeowner regarding proper lapping of siding panels
and complete installation of finish trim/undersill. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE. On
another home, needed repairs that were approved by the General Contractor were
not performed by the subs, yet the homeowner was told that the work was
finished. We
are tired of this deceit. The Vinyl Siding Committee Nov 15: Someone is making a lot of money charging people $100 for a siding inspection. It doesn't seem right ... especially when residents can get a free inspection. People are now scared to death that their siding is going to fall off their home. Was that the purpose of the POA's "watch dog" approach? To scare people? I hope not. Whoa
!! Wait a minute !! Let’s
spend some time thinking through in more detail this matter of Recycling
before we get locked into something we may not really want !! The
basic proposal that appears to be close to implementation now includes the
following:
Only
one pickup a week (rather than two) of all other household trash, This
decision about whether to recycle or not is being made by the developer of The
Villages. This is because all
Villagers agreed to give the developer the exclusive (and assignable) right in
our home’s purchase agreement to collect our residential solid waste. Recycling
is a good way to do our part to make a better world.
However, let’s be smart, not foolish, in how we do this. We
have no problem with the idea of putting all recyclables into a bag for
once-a-week curbside pickup. This
seems a reasonable way to do things without requiring specialized trucks,
containers, or procedures. However,
only once-a-week pickup for basic household trash is not a good idea.
One of the reasons we have twice-a-week pickup now is that garbage
deteriorates quickly in our heat and the smell can quickly get overpowering.
Stretching out the pickup to once-a-week will aggravate the situation.
And, if you miss a pickup, you have to hold trash two weeks rather than
a few days for another pickup. This
is not a good idea. On
the matter of the additional $2.00 a month charge, why do we have to pay this
when we will get one less general trash pickup a week?
The additional $2.00 fee is directed at the recycling effort; thus, the
trash company will charge the same monthly fee and have the regular pickup
effort and cost cut in half. Remember,
also, that the tipping charge at a landfill will be reduced by the weight of
recyclable materials that no longer have to be dumped in a landfill.
So,
the trash company gets its workload and costs reduced by 50%, gets its
landfill tipping charge reduced by x%, and gets an extra $2.00 (a 12.9%
increase) monthly. Something
is wrong here. Now,
what about the profits on the sale of recycled materials (paper, cardboard,
plastic, glass, and aluminum cans)? Who
gets that? Please
don’t try to tell us that there is no profit on recycled materials.
If there was no profit, then no company would be doing it. Currently,
newspapers are recycled by the local churches; aluminum cans by the Lions Club
and a few others. These
organizations would not be doing recycling if there was no profit in it.
Incidentally, these activities can continue quite nicely, thank you, if
we don’t decide to recycle under this proposal. So,
if there is profit in the recycling business, then Villagers should
participate in those profits. If
there are no profits, then that is what the $2.00 a month is for.
If that does not cover it, then maybe we shouldn’t be doing recycling
in the first place. Ok,
how do we resolve these issues? First,
we ask that the appropriate agencies governing the recycle permit have public
hearings that will allow full disclosure and give residents an opportunity to
understand, question, and comment. We
know the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) is involved and we ask
that it have open hearings before issuing a permit for the recycling. Second,
we ask that the RAC (the Resident Advisory Council in The Villages) also have
open meetings to address this issue. The
RAC might decline because it was formed to only address Amenity issues.
However, it is an advisory body and should consider this question of
vital interest to all residents. The
RAC can advise the developer on the resident’s thoughts on this important
issue. Third,
we ask that the trash removal company (OMI) disclose all pertinent financial
information for review. We need to
know what is done with the roughly $1 million a year coming out of the $2.00
monthly fee increase. And, we need
to know what revenues come from the sale of the recycled materials and what
expenses are involved with the recycling process. In
summary, recycling is a worthwhile idea that we should seriously consider.
However, we as a community should insist on full disclosure and the
opportunity to discuss this proposal in an open community forum before we decide
whether to proceed. Good ideas can tolerate open discussion of the pertinent facts and we don’t need to have the wool pulled over the eyes of residents. And, we don’t need backroom decisions forced upon us.
Never
before have the developers been so terrified of a simple reform that will
finally begin to turn the tide and make growth decisions accessible to the
electorate. We are under attack from
all quarters by developers because the power structure is so threatened by the
simple act of people voting! Will
we get to the ballot? That’s the big question. We can with your help - if you
will continue to get signatures on petitions a priority for these last few weeks
of the year. Donations are urgently needed – from $5.00 to $500.00 – all to
be spent on petitions. This opportunity missed would be tragic. A reform like
this will not come again. We
have submitted over 500,000 petitions to the supervisors of elections for
validation. Some of those are rejected so we must collect more so as to net the
required 611,000 total. Please,
please help put this on the ballot. Send all petitions in weekly and then send
more¼.and
send donations! This labor of love isn’t cheap. Lesley
Blackner President
and Founder, HTD HELP
SAVE WHAT'S LEFT OF Help
put HOMETOWN DEMOCRACY on the 2008 ballot. Please download
and SIGN THE PETITION at the
internet website: http://www.FloridaHometownDemocracy.com
Here is a reprint of a news article entitled Community Voices published in the Daytona Beach News Journal on November 05, 2007: Living in Florida, a state that has more than quadrupled in population since I was born (no, I'm not the oldest man alive), has made me grow reluctantly accustomed to seeing things change: Wooded areas that I once played in have become gated communities; beaches you could drive along have severely restricted access; open ocean vistas have been blocked by walls of condominiums . . . And let's not forget the traffic congestion. Therefore, it was with surprise and delight that I read about the Hometown Democracy petition for a constitutional change requiring voter approval of all Comprehensive Plan amendments by local governments. Having been fooled by many development schemes dressed in sheep's clothing, however, I waited for the catch. ("We will protect this, but develop the heck out of that" etc.) But, I don't see a catch. The fact that the major (and minor) development interests in the state are scrambling to discredit this idea speaks volumes in favor of it. Long-term planning, zoning and comprehensive land use decisions weren't made arbitrarily. Local governments spent thousands of dollars on consultants and no small amount of time deciding their own vision of the future of their communities. No wonder that so many residents have watched in frustration as these plans were changed, on a daily basis, as developers trotted in teams of lawyers and advocates, often either dazzling or simply fooling our local leaders. ("This 12-story tower on the beach will really do a lot to enhance the area," said one straight-faced lawyer to a public hearing in Flagler Beach, as the locals hissed and booed.) I don't point fingers at the local leadership: They are ill equipped to deal with the big bucks that big developers can spend to forward their projects. The threat of a multimillion dollar lawsuit, which would bankrupt their community, often serves to wither all resistance. That's why an amendment to the Florida Constitution is so badly needed: It gives the local commissioners a way out. Don't be fooled by the arguments against it. Here are a few, with the obvious ripostes: "We would have to have an election every time we needed a hospital, or police station or school built: We're growing fast, but not that fast. When's the last time you heard somebody say "we need a bigger hospital and we need it tomorrow"? Most of these public facilities are planned over pretty large periods of time, plenty of time to wait until the next regular election. That 600-unit development in what used to be woods, however, needs immediate attention? Give me a break. But the amendment would wrest control from our elected officials and give it to special electors: Yes, but those mysterious electors are actually only registered voters. It's not the Inquisition, it's plain old democracy. And believe me, it would take a lot of pressure off the local governments, freeing them up for designating scenic highways, installing pretty paving bricks all over and other necessary stuff. Nov
10: This is my first time to view this Forum.
Saw it in the POA Bulletin and investigated.
Found it interesting and entertaining.
RECYCLING: Undoubtedly a good
thing. Some people are rabid about it. They'll
travel as far as Nov
13: Way to go. Why are we going
to have to work separating recyclables and pay more for pickup in order to
provide raw materials to a company who is going to make a profit.
They should at least give us an incentive...lower trash fees. Nov 25: Remember that the paper and magazines collected at St Timothy's benefits the St Vincent De Paul Society, a vital charity in he area, helping the needy. So, please don't send your papers and mags to the recycling company.... Bring them to St Tims..
Nov
8: When is the POA going to endorse the effort
to get a new Post Office for the Village? Nov
11: I only wonder what a Post Office can do that The Villages Pack &
Ship stores can't. In fact for the
variety of supplies they beat the P.O.
Just a question - please advise. Nov
11: The first thing you need to do is compare Pack & Ship rates with
either the USPS or UPS. Pack and
ship has a very significant mark up on shipping costs.
As far as all their supplies, compare them to the office supply stores
or Wal-Mart. Two years ago I
wanted to send a package to PA. The
[Pack and Ship] cost was $17.00 more than USPS.
Be cautious, very cautious of their rates.
The question is why the POA is not endorsing the effort to get one ...
could it be because the Home Owners Association does support the effort? Nov
11: In the previous entry: "The
question is why the POA is not endorsing the effort to get one.....could it be
because the Home Owners Association does support the effort?"
Based on the POA's outright and vocal hostility towards the HOA, I can
understand this question. However,
in view of an obvious (to me) need for another post office for the Villagers,
I would hope the POA steps forward and helps us toward that end.
By the way, I do not understand the position the POA has taken towards
the HOA. They are two totally
different organizations with totally different methods of operation.
Why the POA feels it should continually chastise the HOA is beyond me.
Nov
11: Want the POA to endorse the effort to get a new post office?
Using what as their rationale? Nov
12: A lot of people don't
understand why the POA position is so hostile ... I guess it sells papers.
[Now the previous entry] comes along with some sand for the gears. "And
do you actually know how many want The Villages to have its own post
office?" Won't the drive to get one demonstrate that. (Do I sense some
negativity here?) The only problem
I see to getting a new post office will be the endless debate as to where it
should be built. That should be
interesting. Nov
15: I have heard many people
indicate they would like another post office.
I do not necessarily want "the Villages to have its own post
office." I would just like to
see another one somewhere between the one on the historic side and the one in Editor’s
Note: The POA does endorse the effort to get another post office in The
Villages. It is just an issue that
has not come up in the recent past, so we haven’t commented on the proposal
recently. We did miss the
opportunity to include a question about the post office in the current, ongoing
Survey. Sorry....
On
the other comment about the alleged POA hostility toward the VHA (we assume this
is the HOA referred to): Our thoughts about the VHA are this: 1.
The VHA is a worthwhile organization in this community that makes some
worthwhile contributions to the overall quality of life here in The Villages; 2.
The VHA’s blind support of the developer, and its ties to the developer, have
made it unresponsive to residents on major issues of Residents’ Rights. 3.
The VHA president refuses to resign even though he has a serious conflict of
interests, as shown recently with his blind support of the developer over the
vinyl siding issue. On the final comment that the POA and the VHA are “two totally different organizations...” we agree. The POA is for Residents’ Rights and the VHA is for the best interests of the developer. Looks
like we will not see recycling before January first. The recycling permit will
be considered by the DEP no later then November 30th. Once approved, The
Villages will then let us know when it will start. Thank
you for all your calls about last months article on recycling. Here
are some questions ... and answers. Do
I have to wash out the bottles and cans? yes Do
all the recyclables go in one bag? yes Where
can I get the clear plastic bags? They are called Janitorial bags. I know that
Sam's carried them. Once there is a need here the stores will start to carry
them. How
often will the regular trash be picked up? Regular trash once a week,
recyclables once a week, lawn cuttings once a week. Can
I still take my papers to the church or synagogue? Yes Can
I still give my cans to the Lions Club? Yes Sue Michalson 259-1426 It's
ironic that the article on recycling ("Recycling Now! Village Greens")
in the November issue ran alongside the main article on some residents being
deprived of the right to vote in Village affairs. Why don't we residents have
the right to vote on whether we want recycling? There
is another side to the recycling issue that isn't being discussed. When I moved
into my home up north years ago, I had trash pickup every Monday and Thursday,
just as I now have here. The county then made Thursdays a "recycling
day," and trash was picked up only on Mondays. I lost a trash and garbage
pickup day. I
later mentioned to an employee at the county recycling office that the
politicians had promised the county would be paid well for the recycled
material. She said, "Oh, no, they lied. It costs quite a bit to have it
picked up and processed. It's very labor intensive." The
writer of the recycling article informed me that we really will lose a
trash/garbage pickup day. Our garbage will fester in my garage for a week. I was
also told that our additional household cost would be less than $2.00 a month.
From my experience with recycling, I doubt that figure. Recycling is very labor
intensive and expensive. Allan Stover
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