March 2024 Board Meeting Notes

Becky: I’ll start by saying the reason why I made this motion is because Matt with the most experience on the board and with budget and finance and DRC experience previous, he is the best of any of us to run that committee; design review committee Jenn has come up from the committee level to the board and we’ve always tried to develop and work committee members up to the board level and then give them responsibility for those committees; facilities committee I have been on previously in my first term years ago and then was just appointed back to it over the last few months. Crystal has been on landscape committee for several years, and worked through the contract with AAA so she’s very knowledgeable with that, and did an excellent job with the committee last year and then again it was between Mike and Ken, there’s always one that doesn’t get one so I figured you would want the one Ken because you were most vocal so I put you down for the Village.”

Ken: “I am not a fan of seniority.  That is not the most important and effective way to run an organization in my opinion.  I was a Board president for previous HOA’s, Town of Gilbert Boards.  From a professional and educational level, design experience and of all of those things, I think my talents and experience are completely being overlooked.  While I like the Villages, I do not feel that is where I can be most effective.  Design Review needs a lot of help! “

Becky: “I have served on the Board and not received a Committee assignment. We don’t always get the ones we want.”

Ken: “I think what is being missed is that there were 600- 1000 homeowners who voted for change and here we are making decisions based on seniority.  I believe Mike and I have talents that are not being utilized. It is an ignorant decision.”

Becky yet again attempting to deflect responded: “So are you calling us ignorant? Is that what you’re saying?”

Ken sounding frustrated said: “I said it was an ignorant decision.  To me, if you are going to suggest placing people on Committees it needs to reflect their professional and educational background.  Not because of seniority because what has happened in the past is obviously not working.”

(Homeowner Maggie tried to speak but was cut off by Becky).

Jenn Rotta attempts at making a pageant speech says: “Yeah… I know… I can… I think…what I’m hearing is that you are unpleased with even being nominated for a committee, um which is kind of sad, right? um, we’re here to serve everybody, everybody here, um, and love our neighbors and do whatever we can in any capacity so hopefully you see this as a positive. I mean, I think even being nominated to be the committee chair even if not as the DRC, it’s an honor and an opportunity to serve and love of my neighbors, um,  in a unique fashion and being on the committee has made a lot of changes over the past few years and I look forward to making even bigger changes and maybe even discussing those changes with the board so it’s not just a private one off meeting but it’s something we all can be a part of.”

(Becky opens up floor for homeowners discussion).

Homeowner in the back: “The budget and finance, I see is one of our biggest problems and so I, nothing against Matt, he seems very nice but I would love to see, I guess we’re talking about old people and new people, I would love to get a fresh perspective on our budget and finance because that is a big problem and we shouldn’t be putting the same people on budget and finance that have been involved with issues in the past.”

Homeowner Luke:“Power Ranch is facing a lot of changes, a lot of problems and when you mention about seniority committees and moving up yet these same people who you are suggesting for these positions are the same people that were there when the issues happened, at this point we need fresh eyes to look at the problem, look at the issues, and maybe administer it in a different fashion but what I am hearing is people who claim to have been on the committees for this long and say they know where the problems are, well it reminds me of what Einstein said, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ All I am saying is that here is an opportunity to look at things from different eyes.  Everyone has the same motivation but I am hoping we can consider having different eyes on the issue.”

Homeowner Kristi: “I agree with Ken in that I feel like, and I am going to be honest this is only my 2nd board meeting but I am dedicated to immersing myself in the process so that over time.  I do believe that part of the last voting process we had a lot of Board members leave, we had 2 positions where the people left and we put people in that weren’t part of the voting process only because there were vacancies but I do see that we do have the same people in the key leadership positions.  To the homeowners, when they say, ‘We want change! We want something new. We want to be able to know and understand what you know and understand.’ I see that as super important to listen to that. I can kind of see the frustration over here because they ran on a ballot of change but we’re not seeing the change.”

Ken added: “The votes were supported by the most homeowners in the history of Power Ranch elections.”

Homeowner Tony: “There’s a few things that I think are important.  There’s data, there’s judgement, and then there’s feelings. Data is what is true, facts, what cannot be argued.  Judgement is what your opinion is about all of that.  And feelings are all those wonderful and fluffy things that are being thrown around the stage tonight.  Your sentiments are lovely (referring to Jenn Rotta’s speech) about service and are noble and wonderful but that same kind of thinking that got us into problems around here and that is the problem but I think at least if there are not new members stepping into these roles, there should be some kind of assignment of co-chairs for accountability.  As a marketer for 30 years, I see advertisements stating that a company has been in business for 20 years, I think to myself, so what? All that means is that you survived, doing what? Doing a sh*tty job for 20 years? Experience itself is not proof of competence, so there has to be…..I can stand and say I am a man of integrity but if I refuse to allow for someone to check and balance me how can that be proven?  I must be open to have people question me and be held accountable.  I would love to see some of the new Board members have an opportunity to be co-chairs for accountability.”

Homeowner Maggie: “I would like to say this is the first Board meeting I have been to where I feel as though I have a voice.  In all previous meetings I have felt I have been shut out real quick and I have not really enjoyed living here for the past 15 years due to that type of treatment. I would like to ask the Board to have their eyes opened and rethink their preconception about these decisions especially when you have a new member that people have voted in saying this is an area they have some strength in but rather than consider that you go about it reasoning that just because this is the way it has always been done…that needs to stop right then and there.  I think the co-chair is a great idea and see how the new board member does then revisit if needed. But this old way of thinking is not working for us as a community.”

Homeowner Terry: “It has been an interesting year, I kind of see this blocking thing develop. I would like to see leveraging of the entire board.  I understand for somebody new you might have to sit and wait one year but then next year you can be on the Committees or in the leadership positions, I understand that but in between it would be a total travesty if we wasted the abilities of the new people and their skillsets.  I like the idea of a co-chair.  And it would make people feel involved. It is also an opportunity to be closer together because what I am seeing already is that we are not going to do that and it would be a shame. My feeling is that you committee members work with the new members.  That is what we always did it at our boards and as a result we did not have a lot of in-fighting and we ended up with a lot stronger board.”

Homeowner David: “I have been to several of these and I have talked to a lot of people.  The consensus is that this is not what they moved into and if they could afford it, they would move out of here.  So I will tell you internally, I get the tenure thing? That’s not always the best approach. To the old board members, you guys need to shake it up. You need to get out of your comfort zone. Go to a committee you’re not familiar with, learn something new.  You can’t just stay status quo.  People are upset, people want to leave, I am one of them.  If I can leave I would.  We need serious change!”

Homeowner Christine: “There’s a lot of talk about new and old.  Of the committee chairs, who has served on those committees in the past? Who are new to those committees?  Is there information on that? Is there new blood on these committees or…?

(When the questions are not pointed or challenging, it appears Becky is okay with answering them and doesn’t deflect to Open Meeting Law…interesting).

Becky: “So we are not a back and forth.. Jenn, how long have you been on DRC?”

Jenn Rotta: “A little over 3 years…but I’ve never chaired.”

Josh: “I’ve only chaired for 1 year in the Knolls.”

Homeowner Christine: “Are you saying you will be on the same committee as you were before?”

Josh: “Correct.”

Crystal: “I have been on landscape committee for 2 years.”

Becky: “I was on facilities in 2019, 2020 and just got put back on in January. Matt?”

Matt: “I was on DRC in 2009, 2010, 2011, and was on the Board 2012…2022 and just now got appointed back on the Board again this year.”

Homeowner Maggie G.: “I hear how long you all have been on the Board but do you have background? I really fell in love with the other homeowner’s idea to use our new members and I don’t understand why you don’t understand so many people voted for change and you can just sit there with your blank faces, and through your body language especially one of you up there smirking and a lot of inappropriateness going on. We have two new members who majority of Power Ranch members want.”

Jenn Rotta appear to be offended, responded: “I was right there, thank you very much. I got the 3rd highest.”

Homeowner Maggie G.: “I didn’t know we were allowed to interrupt and you won by default because another homeowner was left off the ballot but I’d like to finish what I was saying before being interrupted. People voted for change and you are throwing them to the toilet basically because you get all the good jobs because you have been here longer, it feels like kindergarten! They get the toilet cleaning because they are new or because they have a lot of bright, beautiful ideas and they are going to make you work harder. That’s how I feel and would not doubt what majority of homeowners who voted feel as well. I used to come to Board meetings but it became a big clique 18-20 years ago so what is the point? I see an opportunity for change and you need to start listening!”

Homeowner (no name provided), new to Board Meetings: “I don’t really know what’s going on…but I want to say thank you to everyone who showed up today because people who show up is what makes communities work.  And I haven’t been attending so I walk in here and don’t know what is going on so that is on me. But from someone who is new, it appears that is a lot going on from what I am hearing and a lot of frustration, at each other. After hearing from the panel and hearing from the new member who says he has experience and wants to fix things…I work with builders and when there is a project that needs help and when somebody shows up that has experience, passion and wants to do it, generally we will put that person on the project and worse case scenario they fail gloriously and they won’t be there anymore but I say let the new members give it a shot but what we have be doing hasn’t appeared to work.”

Mike Stone: “In my career I have had the opportunity to work with the country’s and world’s largest corporations, one of the things that makes them successful at the executive level, they will rotate people…directors and above, they will move people to different departments and it extends their abilities and of course they bring in new blood to fill in some of the roles as well.  This is a winning technique and it speaks to the idea that change is a good thing.  I appreciate everyone that has come out; I see a lot of familiar faces.  I also see a lot of new faces that are attending these meetings now and one thing to remember about the committees is simply the chair.  The committee themselves are made up of residents and that’s where everyone else can make an impact so I encourage you and your neighbors to apply.”

Homeowner Dawn: “If you look at the Committee application, it says that you must attend a Committee meeting first and is a requirement before being considered but there have not been any meetings scheduled. “

Jennifer and Irene from CCMC chimed in and said that it is only recommended and not required.  Here is the actual document.