I would first like to clarify two things:
1. As I have said in previous posts on the subject, I am a member of the POA, but I have never been an officer or director thereof. I am a former member of the VHA, having joined shortly after moving here. At the time of joining, I mistakenly thought that I was joining a "homeowners'" association. After learning more about what was really going on, I dropped my membership. In any event, the subject here is the VHA and not my relationship to the POA or to the VHA, and I think the posts on this thread should be directed to the subject and not to other posters.
2. Contrary to your post, my "allegation of impropriety by the VHA" has not been "veiled".
To the extent that it is relevant, my motivation in bringing to light FACTS about the VHA is that I find its existence and its relationship to the Developer offensive, and I think many Villagers are not aware of those facts. I would not feel this way if the VHA did not hold itself out as a "homeowners'" association. If it simply called itself something like "The Villages of Lake-Sumter Inc. Boosters Club", my objections would disappear--except my concern about the political contribution by the VHA Foundation.
I will reiterate some basic facts about the VHA, all based on publicly available, but not widely known, information:
1.
VHA consistently sides with Developer. In no case where Developer's interests have conflicted with those of the residents has the VHA sided with the residents. The latest example is the VHA's verbatim republication, on its home page, of the attacks on the POA, regarding the recent class-action lawsuit, that were contained in the Developer's newspaper, the Daily Sun. The following may help explain why the VHA acts the way it does.
2.
VHA established in collaboration with the Developer. The VHA was established, in collaboration with the Developer, to attempt to weaken or destroy the POA, which had been an occasional thorn in the Developer's side. The VHA's own "history" on its website pretty much admits this. Read the history carefully and you will note that, even before the VHA's first meeting, the group had pledged cooperation with the Developer. Think about the Developer's motivation in assisting in the establishment of a rival organization to the POA. The POA was an organization that ended up winning a class-action lawsuit against the Developer that netted $40 million for Villagers.
3.
VHA newsletter printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper. The VHA newsletter, The Villages Voice, is printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper, The Daily Sun.
4.
Past VHA Presidents personally rewarded by the Developer. Two of the VHA's past presidents have been rewarded by the Developer by receiving the Developer's political and financial support in their campaigns for County Commissioner. See:
Search Candidate Reports
5.
Another VHA President on the Developer's payroll while serving as such President. Another of the VHA's past presidents was actually on the Developer's payroll while serving as VHA president and may still continue to be on the Developer's payroll. See:
Roger Kass | Lifelong Learning College | ZoomInfo.com
These facts are just ones available from the public record. I have no way of knowing about any non-public dealings that underlay the decision of the Developer to back the political careers of two VHA ex-presidents or that account for the VHA's siding with the Developer on issues involving residents.
Lest it be said that I am anti-Developer or anti-Villages, I am not. This is a great place, and the Developer has done many things to be proud of here. Unfortunately, the Developer's involvement with the VHA is not one of them.