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The
two central districts of The Villages (the VCCDD and the SLCDD) recently
passed a new Activities Policy that substantially restricts the rights of
Villagers to assemble, demonstrate, and protest.
The POA views this as an unconstitutional restriction on our rights of
assembly and free speech. This is
a serious issue. Read below and
on the following pages the thoughts of some POA members: ******************************* The
Villages is a wonderful place in which to live.
It proclaims itself as “America’s Friendliest Hometown.”
In
most regards this is true, because the people, who have chosen this as their
place to live, are friendly and easy going as a group.
They love America, support our troops, believe in our wonderful
Constitution and the freedoms of religion, speech and the right of assembly it
grants to all Americans. Unfortunately,
the Developer of the Villages has chosen to subvert and pervert, for his own
profit and best interests, the Chapter 190 law that regulates the Community
Development Districts (CDDs) in which we live.
The
developer has done this by creating his own permanent, un-elected Boards of
Supervisors, the VCCDD and the SLCDD, which make all the big Villages
decisions. Residents Rights are dumped by the wayside.
Residents have no vote. But,
we pay millions in amenity fees that the developer’s hand-appointed
supervisors spend without our approval. Residents
have no say in how this money is spent. Resident
opinions don’t count. Now,
the developer is fearful that we, the “peasants” in this kingdom, might
rise up and protest or contest this state of affairs. Accordingly,
the VCCDD and SLCDD recently approved a new “POLICY,” which states that
one or more persons shall not gather to speak, parade, protest or picket,
etc., without first applying for and obtaining a Special Activity Permit from
the District Manager, Mr. Pete Wahl. Among
the sixteen (16) requirements to be included in the Application for the Permit
is a requirement for a certificate of liability insurance, naming either the
VCCDD or the SLCDD as beneficiary in a $1 million insurance policy. There
is another provision requiring the posting of a cleanup/damage deposit of up
to $500 for any group of residents wanting to assemble or demonstrate.
The
remaining fourteen (14) requirements to be included in the Application are not
quite as extreme. But
taken as a whole this new “POLICY” is clearly aimed at obstructing anyone
or any group planning to exercise the rights of freedom of speech or assembly
within the confines of the Villages unless they are approved by Mr. Wahl.
Only Wahl-approved organizations can assemble, meet, or protest. Probably
less than 1% of the Villages are even aware of the fact that this “POLICY”
was enacted and signed off on by the VCCDD and the SLCDD in September and
October of 2005. To make sure that
residents did not attend the meetings of the VCCDD and SLCDD where this
“POLICY” was approved, the agenda for the meetings camouflaged this fact by
making no reference to the real subject matter of this “POLICY.” If
the initial application to Mr. Wahl is denied, an appeal to either the VCCDD or
SLCDD can be made. But, these two
central district boards often follow the wishes of Mr. Wahl, so any appeal may
be futile. It
is clear that the new “POLICY” was designed to insure that no individual or
group be allowed to demonstrate against anything that the Developer does in
“his” Villages or that “his” appointed boards do not approve. The
“POLICY” was also designed to stop our traditional Christmas parade after
Mr. Wahl decided he no longer supported this activity.
Where can you even purchase a $1,000,000.00 liability insurance policy,
on short notice, for a parade or a
gathering? As
far as demonstrating goes, as we did for the Chula Vista Club closing, we
certainly believe this must be tested to see if the City Police and County
Sheriff’s departments will enforce this “POLICY.” Isn’t
this a real slap in the face of residents?
Aren’t we proud to live in a democracy where every vote should count.
But here the District Manager, Mr. Pete Wahl, never asks residents what
we want and only does what either he or the Developer wants. Yes, lots of things
in the Villages are wonderful, but living in a dictatorship run by the Developer
or his henchmen isn’t one of them. When
are Villages residents going to wake up and realize that they are living under a
dictatorship? Only concerned
residents can put a stop to this form of government.
Over
3,000 Villagers have joined the POA to support our efforts to get an elected
government. Numbers count. Please join the POA today and help us in our efforts to get a
representative and democratic form of elected
government here in The Villages. Ask
yourself these questions: Did you
move to the Villages to live under the heel of a dictator?
Do you want to live in a community where, in effect, the mayor and common
council commissioners are all appointed by one special interest?
Why should we put up with this here in the Land of the Free?
If you want your voice to be heard and your vote to count, join the POA
today. Tuesday
January 17th was an exciting day. It was the day that the Sumter County Board
of County Commissioners (SCBOCC) had its first meeting here in The Villages. This is recognition of the fact that Villagers are a viable
voice in the county. We
all agree that we are lucky to be living here in The Villages. Where else on
earth can you find beauty and recreation in such abundance at affordable
prices? You can’t walk down the streets without seeing someone who will give
you a big wave and a smile. That
is what you see in The Villages, and it is an indication of the friendly
openness of those living here. But what about some of the NOT so friendly
policies that the district administration, an arm of the developer, sneaks in
or fosters upon us. A
group of us, Citizens for Clean Air And Water (CFCAW), had an issue that we
wanted to protest about before the Sumter County Board meeting. We got our signs
together and were ready to roll when Megan Shannon’s article came out in The
Daily Commercial January 6th. The headline read: “Villages Clamps Down on
Dissent.” It
stopped us in our tracks, but not for long. In
essence the “Policy” states that we needed permission to “gather, meet,
rally or have a parade.” “Permission” that is down right UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
The Constitution of the United States insures that we have a RIGHT to protest.
We do not need any PERMISSION. This
“item” was recently listed on the VCCDD/SLCDD agenda as “Approval of
Policy on Special Activities Related to District Facilities.”
How could anyone know that this meant that we need to get insurance of $1
million to protest? This is absurd! Mr.
Wahl stated that this policy was put forth in the interest of our
“protection.” (Funny, that phrase sounds too uncomfortably familiar.)
Somehow, taking away the right to demonstrate and voice dissent is more
like an invasion of my constitutional rights than an attempt to protect me. To
me, it appears to be a big bullying tactic. Keep any dissent out of the papers
and the entire world will believe that The Villages is Nirvana, and Big Brother
knows best. “We will protect you, take care of you, trust us!” I
don’t buy it! There have been too many instances where our rights have been
taken away. There have been too many instances where the developer clearly has
hoodwinked us and has not had our best interest at heart. This
POA is our best hope. Yes, small groups and individuals should always express
themselves. But through the POA our
voices, in unison, make a much stronger statement. The POA mission statement
declares that the POA is here to, “make the Villages an even better place to
live, where the residents’ rights are respected, and local government is
responsive to the needs and interest of the residents.” Commissioner
Mike Francis commented to the news that he was “annoyed” by the
demonstration! Too bad! Our
small group, CFCAW, contacted the ACLU over this travesty of justice. The
ACLU spoke with Mr. Wahl, and Mr. Wahl has reassured me that the policy will be
reworked, and that indeed the language was not clear. I
suggest that the POA consider bringing in the ACLU to look at some of the other
sweet deals that the developer, through the district administration, has
surreptitiously gotten away with. We
should never get to the point where we think we are too old or it is too
unimportant to stand up for what we believe in, what is right, and what we are
entitled to. As you could see from the media, even a small group of people
standing up for their rights CAN make a difference. Our voice was heard. This is
not the end. We intend to make sure that our concerns are addressed. Sue
Michalson Below
is an email letter sent by Joe Gorman, President of the POA, to Mr. Pete
Wahl, District Administrator of The Villages.
Copies were sent to Ms. Janet Tutt, Co-Manager of The Villages, and
Messrs. Terry Upton and Mike Killingsworth, chairmen of the central district
boards. ******************************* Pete:
I
have been reading the news and talking to people about the new Activity Policy
passed by the central districts in the September meetings. And, if I could, I
would like to make a suggestion to you: I
think that you should rescind the policy immediately. In
the final analysis, you really don’t need the policy. I can’t think of a
resident protest, demonstration or assembly in The Villages in my seven years
here that has caused much of a problem. No pedestrians have been hurt; no
clean-up problems stunk-up the squares; no trees have been damaged; no
businesses have been disrupted; no cars have been overturned; no windows have
been broken; no bonfires have been set. And,
you don’t need the $1 million liability policy – the central districts
already have sufficient liability insurance coverage for any problems. Thus,
it looks like the only reason for the required $1 million policy is to erect an
insurmountable obstacle to constitutionally-protected rights of assembly and
protest by residents. So,
what has this policy gotten for you? It has gotten for you a large amount of
unfavorable publicity about restricting constitutional rights. You have to
recognize this as a huge public relations problem for The Villages. Think of the
headlines: -
Villages Restricts Residents; -
Villages Squashes Constitutional Rights of Residents -
Gestapo State in The Villages. This
is not a pretty picture for The Villages. All this for an ill-conceived policy
that effectively gains you nothing. If anything, you have just provoked
residents and bought yourself bad publicity and a variety of headaches as
residents react to this policy. You
should just rescind the policy immediately. If you do so, you can counter the
negative publicity from this public relations nightmare and turn it to your
advantage. Put out a press release when the rescission is accomplished saying
that The Villages is an open community where the constitutional rights of
residents are respected and open dialogue about community issues is encouraged.
Apologize for the ill-conceived policy. Admit that in your zeal to protect the
facilities so valued by residents, you may have overreacted. People
will understand this and give you credit for admitting the problem and
eventually doing what is right and in the best interests of residents. Freedom
of Speech and Assembly – these are like apple pie and motherhood. You can’t
go wrong championing these concepts in a positive manner. Don’t
be like that community in Ocala that tried to ban Hurricane Katrina families and
got clobbered by the press and various citizen’s groups for being insensitive
to human suffering during a crisis. You really don’t want bad publicity like
that. Pete,
these are just some thoughts for your consideration. I hope these are helpful as
you think about what to do. Best
regards, Joe Gorman ******************************** As
of press time, no response had been received from Mr. Wahl, over a week since
the email was sent. The Activity
Policy is up for possible modification at the meeting of the two central
districts in early February. What,
you say, are Red Herrings? Red
Herring is a slang term used to describe an irrelevant argument used to divert
attention away from a more important issue. The
usual example is of a group of people debating an important issue when someone
throws a real Red Herring onto the table. All discussion stops as the group’s
attention is diverted to and focused on the Red Herring. The
Red Herring is the irrelevant distraction from the main topic of importance. The
VHA has a big Red Herring that it refers to as its Annual Spaghetti Dinner. Now,
let’s be clear: a homeowners organization should focus on relevant homeowners
issues and concerns. Right? But,
the VHA has a Spaghetti Dinner. The
Spaghetti Dinner has a worthwhile purpose of raising scholarship funds – but,
it is a Red Herring in that the VHA avoids comments on the important resident
issues while it serves up spaghetti. For
example: -
Did the VHA support the POA call for the developer to take responsibility for
the Lopez golf course pond sinkhole repair?
No! -
Did the VHA support the POA comment that the Activity Policy of the central
districts was an unconstitutional violation of the rights of residents to
assemble and speak out? No! -
Did the VHA support the POA on its opposition to the Sumter County hospital tax
and the giveaway of 20% of the tax to the foundation of the Villages developer?
No! -
Did the VHA accept the POA’s invitation to a discussion/debate about issues in
The Villages as a way of informing residents about these important matters? No! -
Did the VHA support the POA on its call for the direct election of the central
district (VCCDD and SLCDD) supervisors by all residents in the Villages?
No! These
are very important issues. What
does the VHA do instead? It has a
Spaghetti Dinner! This
is the VHA version of a Red Herring. The
VHA avoids the important homeowner issues -- while it serves up Spaghetti. If
you think the POA is being too critical here, just ask yourself why the VHA did
not support the POA position on these important topics.
Don’t you think that a homeowners’ organization should comment on
these important matters? Perhaps
next year the VHA can substitute real herrings for spaghetti at this dinner.
Bon Appétit!! The
current disclosure language given to buyers at the time of home purchase in a
CDD is much too general. This
language is in Section 190.048 Florida Statutes and should be revised.
Revisions should apply to any sale of a property in a CDD by a
developer or it agents. The
POA has drafted a Disclosure Reform bill and submitted it to Representative
Hugh Gibson and Senator Carey Baker for consideration in the upcoming session
of the Florida Legislature. Both
were asked to be local sponsors in the House and the Senate, respectively.
As of press time, we have not yet heard from either state legislator as
to their support plans. The POA will follow the progress of this bill in the Florida
Legislature and report to residents as we learn more. Several
issues need to be in a comprehensive Disclosure Reform bill as follows: 1.
Timing of Disclosure - The currently-required Disclosure is often
given to potential buyers too late in the buyer’s decision-making process,
or often delayed until the time of closing, or afterwards.
The Disclosure should be given to a prospective purchaser: (a.) no less
than ten (10) business days prior to closing; or, (b.) at an earlier date when
the buyer first exhibits serious interest in a property; and then updated at
least three (3) business days prior to closing. 2.
Receipt for Disclosure - Buyers often complain that the
currently-required Disclosure was never given or was delivered after closing.
A developer or its agents should be required to obtain a signed and
dated receipt from a potential buyer indicating when the Disclosure was
delivered. 3.
Separate Sheet of Paper - The currently-required Disclosure is often
buried in other lengthy closing documents. The Disclosure should be on separate sheets of paper, clearly
identified. 4.
Dollar Specifics - The currently-required Disclosure is not
comprehensive and specific as to dollar amounts.
The Disclosure should contain reasonable estimates of the dollar
amounts for the first three (3) years for each tax, assessment, and/or monthly
fee. Any bond obligations to be
assumed by individual residents, the related interest rates, and repayment
options should also be identified. 5.
Undisclosed Liabilities - Any significant
underfunded or unfunded liabilities of a CDD, potentially to be paid by
residents within the next ten (10) years, should be identified, explained, and
fully disclosed. 6.
Special Agreements - Any agreement between a developer, a district,
and/or any other party, which could have a current or potential significant
financial impact on current or future residents in the district within the
next ten (10) years, should be identified, explained, and fully disclosed. 7.
Covenants and Restrictions - These details applying to the property
should be fully listed and explained to a layman’s understanding. 8.
Disclosure of Problems - The Disclosure should specifically disclose
and explain any obnoxious, troublesome, or unsavory physical properties or
characteristics of, on, or in the surrounding land within a ten (10) mile
radius of the property of interest to a potential buyer. 9.
Procedures to Follow - Many complaints in the past refer to sellers or
sales agents not following proper procedures, or, at the worst, actually
misleading prospective buyers on disclosure issues.
The Statute should require specific disclosure and compliance by
sellers and/or sales agents. 10.
Noncompliance Fines - These requirements for specific disclosure and
compliance are substantially weakened if a penalty fine is not specified and
enforced. The Statute should
specify a penalty fine of at least $2,500.00 for each violation of these
Disclosure requirements to be paid within thirty (30) days by a violator to a
prospective buyer affected by a violation upon notice of the violation from the
prospective buyer. The total fine
shall double each thirty days until paid up to a maximum of $10,000.00.
Any legal, court, discount, or collection fees required to accomplish the
collection of a fine shall also be paid by the violator above and beyond the
previously mentioned $10,000.00 maximum. 11.
Annual Reporting - Developers and commercial
sales agents should be required to submit an annual report summarizing their
compliance with these Disclosure requirements, any instances of non-compliance,
and detailing the payment of any required fines, under penalty of a separate
$50,000.00 fine and any other criminal penalties identified by the Florida State
Legislature for non-compliance with any part of this annual reporting
requirement. The
POA urges all Villagers to contact their Florida Congressmen to urge support,
sponsorship, and passage of this legislation.
Representative
Hugh Gibson can be reached at: hugh.gibson@myfloridahouse.gov
Senator
Carey Baker can be reached at: baker.carey.web@flsenate.gov
. We
should caution that getting any bills through the legislature is a formidable
task. We are cautious and optimistic, but the odds are against us.
We anticipate that realtors, developers,
and other groups and their lobbyists may oppose this legislation.
Thus, we need a grass roots campaign to contact legislators and a
realistic understanding of how difficult this all might be.
But, we are going to try. You
will recall that earlier this year residents of CDD#3 were faced with the
decision as to how to handle the cost of repair of the “RECREATION TRAIL”
that runs adjacent to Buena Vista, et al.
Yes, we did say “RECREATION TRAIL” as that is the name given to
them in the LEGEND on the Developer produced map called “The Villages Street
Map.” The fact that Pete Wahl
and the Developer friendly attorney to the CDD Board want to refer to them as
“multi-modal transportation paths” DOES NOT RELIEVE the Developer –
and/or his assigns, the VCCDD – of its contracted responsibility to provide
and maintain all recreation facilities. Our
contracted amenity fees should be paying for the repair/replacement and
maintenance of all of the “RECREATION TRAILS” throughout the residential
CDDs 1, 2, 3 and 4. The
residents should not have to pay for them through ADDITIONAL CDD assessments
in the residential CDDs. We
understand why the CDD#3 Board of Supervisors did not pick up on this as this
is a breach of contract issue between the Developer and the residents, not a
CDD jurisdiction issue covered by the Chapter 190 law that regulates CDDs. The
“RECREATION TRAILS” are used by all residents, as are the executive golf
courses, recreation centers, pickleball courts, etc.
Therefore, it even makes sense that the expense of maintenance and
repair should also be shared. It
would have been had the Developer not breached his contracts with the
residents. We
each signed a Declaration of Restrictions agreeing to pay a monthly amenity fee
in return for the provision of recreational facilities.
We have NO CONTROL over this amenity fee.
We have agreed to let the Developer adjust the fee proportional to the
percentage increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index from the date of
sale to three years from said date and each subsequent one year period
thereafter. If you have lived here
over three years, you know that the Developer is taking full advantage of this
clause as the amenity fee continues to increase (and we can assume that it will
into perpetuity) since we signed off on it originally.
Further,
we agreed with the Developer that “the Amenities fee is a fee for services and
is in no way adjusted according to the cost of providing those services.”
So,
what the developer does not use for the provision of the facilities can be put
in HIS pocket. We
all love living in The Villages and we all signed the Declaration of
Restrictions even though we knew we were giving the developer a “blank
check.” So, let’s HOLD HIM
ACCOUNTABLE to his covenant with us to perpetually provide the recreation
facilities. The
Board of Directors of the POA urges the leaders of CDD 1, 2, 3 and 4, be they
board supervisors or concerned residents, to pursue legal action for breach of
contract against the Developer and/or his assigns, the VCCDD, for the repair
costs of the “Recreation Trails.”
The POA Board of Directors ******************************* ATTENTION: MR PETE WAHL THE
NEED FOR LEGAL ACTION COULD BE AVOIDED EASILY.
We
ask you to consider this position and agree that it has merit and that the
expense for the care and maintenance of the “DEVELOPER IDENTIFIED –
RECREATION TRAILS” will forthwith be assumed by the VCCDD. Mr.
Wahl, we know of your great influence with the VCCDD board; we ask that you make
this recommendation to the board members immediately. Thank
you for your consideration.
The POA Board of Directors The
recent POA Survey asked a question about having mail delivery directly to
homes rather than to a central postal station as is now the case.
The reaction to the question was generally negative. However,
there was a small but distinct group of residents who thought the idea was
good. These were either sick,
disabled, or shut-in residents who have trouble getting their mail from a
postal station on a regular basis. This
group needs a way to have the mail delivered to their homes.
The
Bulletin speculated last month that some group of Villagers might be able to
form a “Pony Express” home mail delivery service somewhat like the
“Meals On Wheels” service where volunteers deliver meals to shut-ins.
This Pony Express might get keys from residents, with a doctor’s
order or under a doctor’s care, and pick up their mail 2-3 times a week and
deliver to their homes. This
service could be organized on a village-by-village neighborhood basis.
This
needs to be a grass-roots effort throughout The Villages.
So, come on, folks, see if you can organize something like this in your
neighborhood. Read
the Letter to the Editor below: *******************************
Many
of our elderly seniors are shut ins, some are handicapped and may have undergone
surgery or become ill. Some of the elderly are no longer able to drive a vehicle
and don't own a car or a golf cart. Getting
our mail becomes a serious problem. Especially
during times of the year when neighbors have gone north for some periods of
time.
This leaves we widows and widowers with a problem.
We can put our mail on hold until someone becomes available for pick up;
but parcels and packages not picked up quickly are being returned to the sender.
Supposedly,
this was a choice made by village residents when they elected in favor of the
postal stations rather than having home mail delivery.
Also, the developer wanted this and made an agreement with the USPS.
If this is true, no one that I know of was given the option to chose
between mail delivery to our homes and the personal pick-up system now in
existence. Supposedly,
the developer did not want postal boxes defacing our front lawns. I see no
reason why we can't have mailboxes attached by our front door as they do in the
suburbs of various towns. Is
there not some way to make provisions so that we may receive mail and parcel
deliveries to our homes and rescind this agreement made by the developer?
Perhaps
the postal service could hire part time carriers to deliver the mail to the
sick, shut-ins and disabled residents on a few days a week.
I suppose the first step is to meet with the postmaster and get input and
then approach the developer after we have some idea about how many residents
need home delivery and how many carriers would be needed for this tri-weekly
delivery. When
the early settlers look back, they realize that Harold gave to his people and
cared about every resident. I'm,
beginning to think that the elderly are being discriminated against.
If you don't or can't walk, drive, or find a volunteer, the developer
gives you a choice to tough it out or move out. Doris
DuBreuil
The
POA needs some volunteer help from members as follows: We
plan legal initiatives on several governmental matters in The Villages and
could use the help of an attorney. A
background in local governmental law, real estate, litigation, or contracts
would be helpful, but not essential. Call
Joe Gorman at 259-0999. The
POA now has about 1,000 email addresses in its membership database.
We would like to have the capability of using this database on occasion
for communicating with members. Someone
with experience in managing an email database could help us tremendously.
Call Joe at 259-0999 We
need help serving coffee and donuts at our monthly meetings.
Call Beverly Drennan at 750-1296. We
also have a number of openings on the POA Board of Directors.
If you are interested in getting more active in the POA, please call
Joe at 259-0999 for more details. You
might find that the time requirement is not as great as you might think and
the personal rewards are truly gratifying. We
are now delivering the POA Bulletin ourselves.
But, we need paid route delivery people to help deliver the Bulletin
once a month for two to four days. A
dependable car or golf cart is needed. Routes
near your home are possible. This
work is compensated. Call
Pete Cacioppo at 259-9774.
In
the recently completed POA Annual Survey, we included a section at the end
for volunteered comments from residents completing the survey.
We were almost overwhelmed with the response.
Many of the comments were thought-provoking. So, we decided to reprint a selection of verbatim comments in
the Bulletin on a continuing basis. This
selection continues on page 10 which has been the Local Government Page in
past issues. The Local
Government Page is now located on the POA website.
For this month’s issue, here is the first installment of what you
and fellow residents said: ******************************** ·
The Villages grows better as it ages. Because
of the futuristic views and planning by the Morse family, they certainly
deserve the profits they are taking. I
spent eight years traveling full time and searching for a good place to
retire when I stopped working. The
Villages is by far the very best. ·
Since we moved here 2-1/2 years ago, we are seeing an erosion of some of the
nice ideas that brought us here, e.g. loss of buffalo on El Camino, less
parades and shorter ones (2 squares needing parades), more emphasis on
commercial expansion rather than residents attractions and conveniences. ·
You should have asked about the condition of the Saddlebrook Softball
Complex. scoreboard: lights always out for months at a time; snack bar
closed - make the rent reasonable so someone can make some profit. Fields
are not dragged during the day as before, increases injuries. Daily Sun -
sports reporting very good, Star & World News is exclusively Associated
Press which is not an example of reporting all views. Example: AP never has
good news about accomplishments over the years in Iraq. ·
We should recruit and support Village residents who could run for each and
every local form of government. ·
I feel the historic side of The Villages is neglected - especially the post
office area and medical gate and the walls in that area. I was told by Mr.
Wahl that some areas belong to commercial owners. So nothing is done to
improve the area. We already pay an indigent tax for Lake and LRMC
Hospitals. ·
Getting to appreciate the POA every time I read your bulletins. Thanks for
your efforts and informative reading. ·
I want the property owners to elect district manager and administrators.
Common property appraisals seem to be way out of order.
Impact fees, bonds and more bonds! ·
I would like to see reduced green fees on championship golf courses for
residents. ·
The “Bulletin” is fair to negative. Please report your side of stories
with facts, not rumors: i.e., Mr. Morse’s yacht was paid for with amenity
fees. Please be fair and give we homeowners facts, not gossip. Thank you. ·
I just want to say that I think it’s very sad that The Villages have
forgotten the old side as far as decorating for Christmas...very sad.
Speeding on The Villages streets is a very serious problem. ·
Home mail delivery only if mail boxes are standard. Hospital is great except
for long emergency waits. Developer and Morse family have gotten too greedy.
Mr. Schwartz would turn over in his grave if he knew what the family greed
is doing. The east side of 441/27 of The Villages is being left behind for
the rich area. ·
All palm trees in The Villages should have the dead fronds removed whenever
they die - for a neat appearance and would enhance the rest of the perfect
landscape. ·
Overall The Villages is doing fine as I’m sure you can tell by my response
to this survey. The developer/family aren’t perfect - but pretty close to
it. And 700 to 1,000 responses to this survey certainly isn’t
representative of The Villages population -- doesn’t even amount to .1%. ·
Would like to see electric golf cart hookups because the distance is so
great now to each town square. Wish the restaurants would make reservations
so there wouldn’t be such a long wait, especially with “snowbirds” in
winter. The tunnels are very dirty with cobwebs, etc. Need to be cleaned. ·
The Morse family – Do they get up 3-4 times a night because of the train
noise? Did they tell us that when we bought here - NO! ·
I was given a mailbox at the very top. I asked them to change it being I was
one of the first in the development and I had a stroke. I had a note from
the doctor. They wouldn’t change it. As a result, I receive my mail
sometimes once every two weeks. ·
We bought this house that we would have Neighborhood Watch at NO additional
charge and garbage pick-up with no additional charge. What happened?? I say
no to those who want to move here! ·
Things are going right downhill! The greedy developers are neglecting the
people who made this place what it is today. They should take a drive on the
Historic side and look at the neglect. The developers should be ashamed of
themselves! ·
The Daily Sun is the most biased, slanted newspaper I have ever read.
Ann Coulter in particular is vicious in her writings. Oliver North is
bad. ·
Security is very bad for a gated village. Let’s tighten it up, anyone can
get in. I don’t feel safe here anymore. ·
[The POA president] has done a consistent heroic job. ·
It is not easy to live in a situation where I feel like a sheep being
sheared in and out of season! Developer’s Idea to Have Residents Pay to
Fix Sinkholes: let the sinkholes sink! ·
It is good to have a “watchdog” – I happen to love The Villages – I
hope that the “watchdog” (POA) doesn’t become so negative that it
completely turns people off. ·
Need lights in all the tunnels. Older golf cart paths need to be widened and
kept up on repairs. The Monthly Amenity Fee: trash, water & amenities
should all be one. ·
It is a great place to live and getting “greater” in dollar terms: that
is the dollars to live here are getting greater and this does not bode well
for the future of we, the “Hoi Polloi.” I thought I had planned well,
but....? ·
My wife and I have lived here 3 years. We feel they nickel and dime us to no
end. It seems that Gary Morse is too money hungry. He and his comrades
don’t have the residents’ best interest at hand. ·
Some gates in The Villages aren’t safe. Anybody can open the gate at
anytime, at any hour . Golf carts in the regular traffic are very slow: 10
to 15 mph. This is the cause of all the accidents. ·
I have lived in The Villages for 8 years. Nothing will change as long as
Pete Wahl is around. I thought we live in a Democratic system of government
in our town, state and nation. It seems everyone does, unless they live in
The Villages. I would not have bought in The Villages knowing this. Pete
Wahl is no different than [...20th century dictators¼.]! ·
Thank you for all you do and say. How can you be more effective? Need to
have legal guru available. If
we are being screwed by real estate prices for rec centers, etc., we need to
stop the hemorrhaging! The Villages Regional Hospital: Beautiful, expensive.
Need better staff. Less money oriented.
Idea of turning Chula Vista into a Recreation Center: Make it unique!
·
I would like mail service delivered to my house. I am 88 years-old, don’t
drive, and have had two hip operations which limit my walking. Sometimes my
medication is in your mailbox for a week. ·
Keep up the good work. By exposing serious problems, & researching
solutions, you are providing a valuable community service. Thank you very
much. The Lifelong Learning Center: Too expensive. The Daily Sun Newspaper, in
General: Attractive format. The Daily Sun Newspaper, Objectivity of Reporting:
Lower than zero - abject failure. The Developer of The Villages, Messrs. Gary
or Mark Morse: Too greedy. ·
Transition of VCCDD & SLCDD boards to boards of residents is extremely
critical to future of all residents. The extravagant salary paid Pete Wahl is
sinful. As a puppet of Morse, he should be run out of office by the residents. ·
The CDD laws (Chapter 190) amount to legal grand larceny. Why weren’t bonds
floated to finance our facilities at actual cost instead of developer making a
bundle off their resale and then controlling the bonds for added profit at
homeowners’ expense? ····
To be continued next month!
Have
you ever wondered what those five inch square blue reflectors are that are
glued to our streets in various locations? Well,
wonder no more. Those blue reflectors are put there by The Villages Fire
department to help firemen quickly locate fire hydrants at nighttime. Notice
that the reflectors are located close to fire hydrants and reflect blue
light when a flashlight is aimed at them, even at night time from blocks
away. The
problem is that the reflectors sometimes are missing. Some have speculated
that snowplows scrape off the reflectors. Sometimes reflectors just come
loose with age and dislodge. Sometimes
the ducks eat them. So,
a missing blue reflector needs to be replaced as a safety requisite Call
the district fire department at 205-8280 to report the loss.
Someone will come out and install a replacement.
Afterwards, be sure to watch out for the snowplows to make sure that
you don’t need another replacement or have a fire in the meantime.
The
entertainment division is starting to check for Villages ID cards at a
variety of Village activities. For
now, the check is only preliminary to see how many users of any facility
carry their cards. The issue is
more pertinent in some facilities like the swimming pools, the tennis
courts, Boccie courts, etc., where non-Village residents have been found
using the facilities in the past. At
a future point in time, residents without their Village ID cards may be asked
to leave a facility or activity. So,
the message is clear – start carrying your Villages ID cards.
It
is time to renew your POA Membership for 2006, or to join for the first time,
with the form on page 11, upper right hand corner.
Just clip the form and either mail it to us or bring it to a POA
meeting. Memberships
run from January 1st thru December 31st.
The dues are $6.00 per household.
And, we really need your support.
Thanks in advance for any additional contributions you can make to your
POA.
They moved us again. The February 15 meeting will be in the Laurel Manor Recreation Center. We will be in this room for one month and then back to the Hacienda Center for the next few months . The sexual offender and predator website is http://www3.fdle.state.fl.us/sexual_predators/ We
have the entire local database in a 3-ring binder for viewing at the POA monthly
meetings. If
you see Bulletins lying in the street or the gutter after delivery, or if you
know a house is unoccupied, please pick up the Bulletins and either hold them
for the resident’s return, or discard them.
This is especially important during windy or rainy weather. If
you need help on any elder healthcare issue or problem, please call the Shine
Elder Help line at 1-800-963-5337. You
can also call Harold Barnes, a Villages resident, at 753-8810. Or you can talk to Harold personally at any one of the POA
monthly meetings. He has a table
display and is ready to talk or help.
If
your group or organization is looking for a speaker at one of your meetings,
consider having a POA speaker in for a presentation on the POA, its mission and
goals, and the Residents’ Bill of Rights.
This is a good opportunity for your organization to learn more about the
POA and how it represents the best interests of all residents.
Call
Joe Gorman at 259-0999 to check the speaking and meeting schedule.
There is no charge for this -- other than our normal speaker’s fee of
one donut and a cup of coffee. February
15, 2006 THE
NEXT POA GENERAL
MEMBERSHIP MEETING Third
Wednesday of the Month – 7:00 p.m. The
Laurel Manor Recreation Center A
Sinkhole Forum — Experts Speaking on: The
Causes of Sinkholes, How To Fix Them, And
Your Insurance and Legal Remedies COFFEE
AND DONUTS FOR
ALL AFTER THE MEETING ALL
RESIDENTS WELCOME – COME AND JOIN US |
