[gonzo1706]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Many have heard about and read about on the other website that the trail fees are going up for executive golf. It's time to set the record straight, to clear up the misinformation. They are not going up.

I'm the Chairman of the PWAC, I was in the meeting when trail fees were discussed, I know what was said and what wasn't said. Many of you know me for my videos and many for my writings on this website, I deal in FACTS and I check my opinions at the door unless I'm actually trying to express my opinion on the topic. I love the community we live in but also know it's not perfect and I'm not afraid to say, even if I upset the developer.

Here goes.

Last year when dealing with the budgets for Amenities it was discussed by the PWAC that when someone purchases a Priority Membership for the Championship courses the trail fees for the Executive courses is included and the Amenity Fund is reimbursed for the trail fees. This in itself was not news to any of the PWAC members, what was news was that the Executive course trail fee was only reimbursed 75%. The PWAC members questioned why this was the case and what are we, the residents, gaining in return. The response was basically "it's always been that way" and "nothing". Neither answer was acceptable.

At the budget workshop held March 24th the issue was brought up again and we (PWAC) all agreed that full reimbursement by the developer was required, and no discount was justified.

We (the PWAC members) lost track of this when the proposed budget was reviewed at the May 10th meeting, and the District Staff never mentioned the topic either (convenient or coincidence?).

At the June 3rd PWAC meeting when the final review and approval was happening, I brought up about the subject of the trail fee reimbursement. Only then were we informed by the District Staff that they were still "looking into it" and that they realized that it had been 15 years since the trail fee rate had been adjusted and that staff was reviewing the current rate.

There was some additional discussion about the rate and the PWAC members expressed their objections to the discount being given the developer. At no time did anyone state that the fee needed to be or should be raised, not the PWAC, not District Staff. The first time a statement was made about raising the rate was on the other website, once again looking to stir up discontent in our community.

At today's CDD7 meeting, I was there, one board member, taking his ques for the other website, went down the trail about a possible trail fee increase with less than all the information. Creating additional click-bait for that other website. District Staff tried to clear up the information, but the board was on a roll and wouldn't listen. The board chairman, who serves on PWAC, was fully aware of all that I've written here and yet failed to step in and squelch the fear mongering by the other two board members or try to set the record straight.

Bottom line is that there currently is no plan to raise the trail fee.

As a District Supervisor and PWAC member I have and take very seriously the responsibility of looking out for the resident's best interest.

My pledge to you, the residents, is that before this budget is approved at the September meeting, either the developer will be reimbursing 100% of the trail fee for the Priority Memberships or they will not receive the Executive course trail fee privilege. How the developer decides to accomplish this is their responsibility, not the residents of The Villages. I see them having 3 possibilities - they can eat the additional cost, they can raise the Priority Membership fee to cover the cost, or they can drop the inclusion of the Executive golf trail fees from their offering.

This is not an attempt to target those residents who've decided to purchase the Priority Membership at the Championship courses, this is simply requiring full restitution by the developer for those services being provided.

Before ever considering adjusting the trail fees we will first recover the funds for the unjustified discount being taken on the Priority Memberships and then a full accounting and justification will have to be made of the current fee structure and associated costs. There is no desire to raise the Trail Fee by the PWAC.

One last thing, these trail fees are paid to the SLAD and RAD funds as part of the revenue stream used to cover the amenity operating costs, this does not, contrary to what some believe, go to the developer.

I hope that this will put to rest the angst many have on this topic. Your District Supervisors are looking out for the resident's best interest.

Thank you very much for this clarification. I hope everyone reads it.