June Update
June brought a new first for Celebration. The first referendum ever to be brought by residents against a vote by the Board of Directors. I will say that this brought the community together in a great way, regardless of which way one voted. It also awakened some aggression that has yet to subside. I hope that we can all focus on the future, as there is still much to be done. The problems haven’t gone away; just that singular topic. So please stay engaged, and be open to healthy discussion and respectful debate.
That said, here is my recap of the highlights of my time on the CROA Board of Directors for June:
The 2023 Lot D Referendum results were as follows:
Yes: 1,682
No: 771
As such, the referendum was successful and has overturned the CROA Board’s April 27, 2023 vote to spend $1,536,855.00 on the Lot D project. The Lot D project or a substantially similar project will no longer move forward. Thank you to all of those who volunteered their time to assist in this ballot counting process.
The Finance Committee recommended (and the Board approved) moving all CROA funds out of Pacwest Bank (PWB) to First Citizens Bank (FCNCA) to be with a bank that has a higher (LT IDR) rating. There is continuous discussion about CROA using Truist as its bank for multiple reasons, including the fact that the CROA investment funds will be opened with Truist, so keeping all cash with the same institution would make movement easier. However there is consistent pushback from Grand Manors to engage with Truist at any level, because they would need to make them a “partner bank” on their side, which would require an investment on their part, as well as the amount of time to integrate with the bank. The Finance Committee chairman, Mr. Benenati, along with myself and others on the board and committee, have requested that they look into a relationship with Truist. There has yet to be an answer to this, after two requests over the last two months. It remains a standing agenda item on the Finance Committee agenda, until sufficient resolution is reached.
One topic this month was a request from Grand Manors on June 14 for an emergency approval of a $12,000 expense for the website to have data transferred from the old site to the new one. No data or documentation was provided. Mr. Richards and myself both denied the request due to insufficient information and the fact that it was indeed not an emergency. We were told we were “petty” and “holding the community hostage,” and that we were “tying Lauren’s hands”, and also “unless you know something that I don’t (and I doubt it)…28 years in banking and 8 years working for the management company.” Regardless, we stuck with our vote, and Dr. Anderson, Ms. McFadden, Mr. Grindl, and Ms. Swisher attempted to force the issue with four votes (however seven consenting votes are required over e-mail, so it was delayed until the board meeting.) When the topic came up at the board meeting, documentation was provided. I pointed out that the contract required prepayment and that there was not deadline for the services, both of which were unacceptable. I recommended a modification of only paying 50% prior to work and 50% after, and stipulating a timeline of 14 days to complete work. Those who had previously wanted to force this through with no data agreed, and the motion passed unanimously.
I was unable to attend the Village Talk with the Board, however Mr. Hays, Ms. McFadden, Mr. Richards Ms. Swisher attended and met with residents.
No board members issued recaps of their committee meetings, so a fourth month passes where most board members are uninformed as to the activities of the various committees. I typically issue these reports, however my only committee meeting this month was Finance, and this was open to all board members, so there was no need to report to those who could not attend, as it was open to all board members and public to members.
On June 20, Ms. Swisher (in direct reaction to my request for a “bottom-up budget” view from management) issued an edict to the board, stating “Unless you are the “one-voice” on a matter as designated by the President, it is not acceptable for Board members to email, text, call, or come to Town Hall to meet with staff. All communication must come through either the President or the full Board only, and I, as President will forward it as necessary.” This was disputed by Mr. Richards, Mr. Hays, and Mr. Wise (myself), however no resolution has been reached.
In responding to my concerns about Mr. Grindl’s language with a resident immediately following the May Board Meeting, Ms. Swisher told Mr. Wise (myself) nobody on the board “gives a hoot what your opinions are.”
Ms. Swisher recommended that Grand Manors conduct their own review of Grand Manors and return it to the board. There was strong pushback from Mr. Wise (myself) and Mr. Hays. Ms. McFadden won’t even allow conversation about it with Grand Manors staff included on the communication. Mr. Richards has worked with resident Gary Hudspeth to develop an evaluation process which has yet to be discussed and implemented. It was scheduled for the June board meeting, but got pushed for time. It is now scheduled for the July Workshop.
At the June Board Meeting, Ms. Swisher attempted an apology for the Lot D vote, with her exact words being “As president, I had the ability to change course, but for reasons that don’t seem as important now, I chose not to. For that, I apologize.”
Mr. Richards also made a speech, apologizing to the community, Ms. Swisher, and the board. In his lengthy statement, he said that “ongoing patterns of disrespect are not going to be tolerated. We are leaders in the community, and as such we must set the example.” He concluded wit saying “We are calling on our fellow Board members to make a commitment to each other and to the community here and now to turn the page, move forward without holding any grudges or animosity (be it real or imagined) and to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
As of June 1, there is a $69,133 deficit in the budget.
I (Mr. Wise) requested to add additional members to the Covenants and Dog Park committees. I recommended adding Paul Battaglini and Mathew Blake to the Dog Park committee (they only have three currently) making it a full committee of five members. For Covenants, I requested to add Sandy Chaleski and Shelly Reiche to that committee. Mr. Anderson proposes to have a total of seven members on this committee. Ms. Swisher does not see the point of adding new members at this time, and also questioned my authority to recommend new members to this committee. This was immediately argued by three members of the audience, stating that is not a correct statement by Ms. Swisher. After a brief discussion this will be an action item on the workshop agenda to appoint additional members to the two committees.
There is continuous discussion on the Longmeadow and Spring Park playground progress and the contractor doing this work. Due to the issue currently being a legal matter, I cannot provide more detail until the scope is complete. However, I can assure residents that it is a daily topic of discussion, and forward action is occurring with high attention by the board as a whole. I want to state that this is a topic where the board is fully united, and shares the same goals, vision, and approach to resolution.
That’s my recap! There was more, of course, and this is really just highlights. In June, I was criticized by Ms. Swisher, Ms. McFadden, and Ms. Gunnyon (executive director) for my use of this blog. I am continuously confused why there is controversy over the reporting of direct facts that are publicly available. Regardless, I do find them to be helpful in reflecting on the month, searching for progress, and showing transparency and accountability. I have been critical of myself where relevant, and will continue to share details, transcripts, and facts with objectivity as the year continues.