POA Bulletin more venomous than normal?
 

I got the Dec issue of the POA bulletin today. I thought the primary headline attacking the Home Warranty Department was vicious even for POA standards. In the 16 page tabloid, the vast majority of space not dedicated to advertisement or self aggrandizement was used to attack the home warranty folks. And I know those who've not had an opportunity to glance through this issue will be surprised to know that basis for the attack boils down to ???"vinyl siding." :bigthumbsup: Oh, and of course there's the usual smear of the VHA, the confused opinions on recycling, and politicking for "Hometown Democracy".

Surprisingly, I respect the POA. It's unfortunate that I cannot become a member (my parents were married to one another.). However the organization does raise some important issues that have a significant impact on all our lives. Unfortunately, the attitude of the POA is such that they can do little to adequately address those issues and to find and implement solutions. For the POA, the developer is always the enemy. He's always wrong.

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There are some people that are just negative and love to fight. It builds up their ego. I came to the villages to enjoy life and not listen to people arguing. I glance at the poa news and dismiss it from my mind. Then throw it in the trash can . I do not believe the negative comments. If it was so ,the Villages would not be as successful is it is. There is no place like it. Their success speaks for it self. Sure there are problems but I have always gotten a prompt courteous response from home warranty. Even regarding siding.

I think these negative people need a life !!!!

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Is there a link that we can access the POA news that you are talking about??

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Re: POA Bulletin more venomous than normal?
 

Can't say about December as only November was on line when I checked. I haven't found it to be "venomous" in the past. Just wondering why people are having so much trouble with siding and getting it fixed right. I don't think they are writing those letters to the editor just for fun! I agree with POA that more disclosure should be given to prospective buyers in advance of closing. Does this mean people posting on TOTV have experienced no difficulties? If there are unresolved problems, isn't it ok to say so withour being called "venomous"?

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Your "parents were married to one another"? Who's being vicious now? We read everything that comes along, here in The Villages, not knowing most times, the real truth or research sans personal agenda/gripes, in the contents. Just settle down & consider it all food for thought, with the idea that you'll keep your eyes & ears open. That gives your mouth & typing fingers a rest.

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I don't belong to either organization but I really enjoy the POA paper. They keep me up to date and pretty much tell it like it is. I scan the VHA paper to see what the developer has to say.

It's a great community and the developer has done a great job but lets face reality, it's all about making money. If they can turn a good profit it happens, if not it's dead.

I agree with you carole that was a pretty cheap shot. Almost sounds like muncie might be a card carrying VHA member. ;D

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I haven't seen the Dec issue, but I do look forward to reading it. Their paper nearly always bring out some issue or another, sometimes important and at other times a nuisance. The POA has done some very good work in the past to help the citizens of TV when the VHA has declined to offer the same support. BUT the biggest issue I have with the POA is that all too often they attack something and raise some very negative issues but fail to provide an acceptable or workable solution except get rid of the developer and Pete Wahl. I realize that they have some legal constraints concerning their (POA) direct interaction with the developer, but if you've got a complaint at least offer a solution. To me, that is where they loose their creditability.

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Not sure but I do not think the articles attacked ALL building inspectors!!!

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Fran,,,,I do not understand your comment about having to find the POA on your own. The POA bulletin shows up on my driveway each month. How can I "shut it off"? I do not want it...lets save a tree and space in my trash can by allowing us to unsubscribe. BTW...When the builders pour a new driveway the POA claims their subscribers increase by one(1). Whats with that.

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When we visited TV last Sept. we rented a house for 2 weeks. The POA paper was delivered while I was there and I read it. The POA addressed some issues that I had no idea about.

You can all draw your own conclusions about the POA. But whenever you have just one source of news or opinions, how can you make a viable conclusion? I will make my own conclusions, but please give me enough info to make them.

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Okay, this is a bit off topic but it follows a thread that has developed. A common complaint often heard in the forum is that The Developer (TD) owns the newspaper, that the newspaper only prints what is good for TD, and that the Daily Sun is the only newspaper, and it not only is a tool of TD but is ultra conservative.

Last one first -- I have the Orlando Sentinel delivered to my home daily. It's available at all postal stations. I also read the St. Pete's Times and occasionally the Ocala SB. And before it went belly up, we all got The Reporter, a publication of the Star Banner. All of these papers are quite liberal in reporting and editorial views. All are quite happy to print anything negative about TV and TD. Not always but frequently the Reporter and the SB were actively antagonistic toward TV.

As TV evolved, evidently TD realized that there was a need for an in-house media group that would focus on people and events in TV. From this need, the company created the radio, television, and newspaper organs. Did it help sell houses that these resources were here? Of course. It was a smart move. Don't know about you, but I was influenced by the existence of the radio station and paper. And we're not the only consumers. WVLG is heard all over this part of the state. Off campus, the Daily Sun is the common daily newspaper for this area. Not only for retirees, but "normal" residents of the area have the paper delivered. If the Star Banner better served this area, it might be the paper of record. It doesn't, so it's not. Same for the Slantinel. It's got a Lake County edition, but doesn't recognize Sumter.

Now if you owned a newspaper, are you going to do a hit piece on your company? Probably not. In a disagreement between your company and somebody else, you'll likely lean toward your company. This can, of course, lead to problems. The paper must be true to its readers. If it fails, it should get out of the business, and its readers should leave it. I have no problem with the paper taking an editorial position in favor of TD. I do have a problem when/if they distort facts. I'm happy to complain to the editor in that case. If I felt that it was endemic, I'd cancel the paper (tho that would be hard with all the local stuff in there not readily available elsewhere.)

Which, of course, brings us to the last common complaint. TD control the only source of local news. What happened to The Reporter? It failed. But then it was a lousy publication that was grossly overpriced at free. If someone would publish a good local newspaper at a reasonable price, I'd jump at it. Probably not to replace the Daily Sun but to supplement it. The area is full of businesses that are in direct competition with a TD owned or associated business. If they are good companies, well run, with a legitimate market, they prosper. If it works for a mortgage company, bank, or golf school, it could work for a newspaper or radio station.

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Munde ,
Your right on the button . I personally think that the poa is overstepping themselves in some area's with THE SKY IS FALLING additude. thanks for the blog....
My best to your parents.
Fumar

The POA Reporter
 

Until the POA Reporter publishes the bylines and contact information for those who write the articles it publishes, it will find it's way to my garbage can, unread, each time it's delivered.

There certainly is room for news and opinion which is critical of the developer. But when the articles are almost entirely vitriolic rants against the developer and its employees, with all accountability and responsibility hidden by the purposeful avoidance of attribution for the articles published, the POA Reporter is a publication I will continue to avoid.

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:agree:

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:agree: 2

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:agree:
Used to read it---now it is trashed!!!!

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Hey, Kahuna,

You said, "with all accountability and responsibility hidden by the purposeful avoidance of attribution for the articles published, the POA Reporter is a publication I will continue to avoid."

I hope you don't avoid ToTV because we have many people post here who post stuff and purposefully avoid your knowing their identify.
::)

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That's true Tony but one can reply to the sender.

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Have decided I will look through it each month so I can identify the businesses who put ads in it. I for sure will not be using their services any longer.

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Better yet, I am going to contact the companies and tell them I will not do business wth them. I believe the only one I have gone to is Ollies but you never can tell when I might have needed the services of one of the others.

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Allright People, (those opposed to the POA)

Research to find out what is the original homeowners association. Research to discover when and why the VHA was formed and by who and for what purpose. Those opposed to the POA (thank God they are for residents rights), your "lifestyle" in The Villages will be maintained by the POA not the VHA and by the boards of the resident districts. You will reap the benefits of the POA's deligent work without you lifting a finger. You who trashed Hometown Democracy get some information about what is at stake. Can you really live in the "dark". Again thank God our country's founding fathers dared to care and make a difference and not just live the Lifestyle dictated and set by the English.

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WOW :o :o.......anyone have a spare valium ;D

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:agree:
The POA is getting really bad. I used to read it and agree once in awhile. Now it is only good for the trash and I don't want it thrown in my yard. Could I get them for littering?

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It as my opinion as a Villages wanna be, that those of you that are anxious to have the residents run this community are going down a very slippery slope. What qualifies a resident to be a member of the board ? Only their desire to be large and in charge. They will run and win a popularity contest. Then they will govern your lives with absolutely no qualifications or experience. You will find yourself governed by " The butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker " Please tell me what qualifies any of us to be a city manager. Please look around you at the wonderful, beautiful, well run community that you are blessed to live in. How do you think that this community went from one mans dream to an entity of sixty thousand people that the vast majority of, love the place. It's not perfect but, it's as close as it gets. Putting it in the hands of unqualified amateurs will only destroy it. Someone wrote on another thread, stay with the devil you know. I can only add " If it ain't broke don't fix it. "

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There are alternatives to "Ollies". ;D

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The obvious difference between the two is most of us acknowledge this site is primarily recreational, rumor, and unverified information, for the most part.* We take it for what it is.* The POA publication, on the other hand, portrays itself and is interpreted by many as a more serious, accurate publication, intended to have the credibility and legitimacy almost that of a legal document.* I would think it is more important for authors to be known in this instance.

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I'm sorry we commoners are so dumb and naive. Thank God the POA is there to protect us from the greedy developer and tell us what is good for us. Obviously anyone who questions Hometown Democracy is ignorant (and lazy). Thank God for the POA! They're not like those booklicking board members of the CDDs who were appointed by . . . um, a, wait a minute . . . oh, those guys were elected by the residents. But it doesn't matter, since they're not the POA. If they don't do what we want, they're kowtowing.

And of course, there's the infernal VHA. It's all their fault, 'cuz they're not the POA. The two organizations have entirely different reasons for existing. Yes, the VHA was created by the developer for fill a need, to act as a liaison between residents and TV management. The VHA reps answer resident's questions about operations and, if needed, provide a source to contact for assistance. If the rental house next door is unkempt, a lot of folks wouldn't know whom to contact. The VHA rep provides that info. Want to do some major landscaping, the VHA rep will tell you how to get it approved. Need a loaner wheel chair, walker, or crutches, call the VHA rep. A lot of residents know all this stuff, but a lot don't. If there is an issue affecting the community at large, the VHA tries to get the word out. No, the VHA doesn't picket the sales office and doesn't sue the developer. That's not their purpose. Leave that to the POA. It's their speciality. And they're good at it.

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The POA was at one time the ONLY coordination between developer and residents until the residents got on to the developer and decided that they weren't being given the opportunity to see their point of view published. At that point the developer founded the VHA and filled it with their employees as the village representatives.

No, the VHA reps aren't all employees but the majority are. They are employed in varying positions of the developer and I find this a true conflict of interest. The VHA may bring our needs to the developer but has been inclined to back down when the developer so desires.

As for me, I will read the POA and the VHA papers to see who is saying what and then I will decide what the truth actually is. I don't believe it is inmy best interest to simply accept what the developer and their cronies have to say. Big mistake to throw away the POA news folks. Better off throwing away the Daily Sun....shine.....

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You must be reading different newspapers then me.

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I read both the VHA and the POA papers. Before the POA paper was delivered to me directly, I used to pick it up at one of the sites it was distributed to. I also read the Daily Sun. If you read this month's POA paper you would have learned that when recycling kicks in, we will have once a week garbage pickup and once a week recycling. We will have to pay for the recycling bags. When the Daily Sun printed an article about recycling, they mentioned none of this.

Isn't it nice to see a paper that tells the truth about the subjects?

I do agree that the POA does beat an article to death (Vinyl siding) but there are some people that have not seen any of the articles (new people) so it should be rehashed.

I read the VHA paper and everything is hunky dory. Do you believe that?

We need another view and the POA is it.

If you read the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow supplement in the Daily Sun on Friday (12/14),you read that the POA was the original voice of the property owners. At some point, the Village management got upset with the POA and refused to consider their input anymore. That was not good for the community. We lost vital input to the decision process.

You can can the POA paper. You can shred it. But in my opinion you should do that after you read it. There is good stuff in there.

We all need more input that whan the Daily Sun wants to tell us.

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Am worn out by The dailys in my former life reporting in the majority of pages murder, mayhem, rape and pillage. Enjoy my daily dose of "happy news". Very easy to cancel if you don't like their content. Relax, enjoy and look out for "a goat in the road" as a famous author said..

Any more Valiums out there for my friend.......... ;D ;D

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You keep reiterating your claim that VHA reps (now reduced to not all, but the majority) are employees of TV. This is a blatant mistake (notice, I did not say LIE -- don't want to be petty) that has no basis in fact. Where did you get your data? Have you surveyed the reps? How many reps are TV employees? 95%? 80%? 66.666%? 50.1%? or maybe 5%? I don't know the truth behind your claim and have never really cared.

Oh, and could it possibly be that the developer started the VHA because he found the POA was unresponsive to his needs and was not doing an adequate job of speaking for the majority of residents?

I recently heard a rumor that not all members of the POA but certainly a majority were actually employees of Stonecrest or Del Webb. But I don't believe it. :yikes:

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She is! You have been throwing yours away. Remember???? ???

I'll bet a bunch of people with bad siding jobs are glad they read the POA bulletin.

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LOL You got me!!! Still it is vicious trash