The Lifelong Learning College may be saved afterall!
 

From the other on line Villages News!!

District manager has ‘good news’ on Lifelong Learning College

BY META MINTON JANUARY 11, 20175 COMMENTS

The Village Center Community Development District is going to save the Village Lifelong Learning College, but it is going to take a little time.

An overflow crowd of Villagers crammed into the District Office on Wednesday afternoon, eager to learn if the Lifelong Learning College would be resurrected after it had been shut down Dec. 31.

“I think it’s a good news story,” said District Manager Janet Tutt.

It was not a decision taken lightly, she said.

District staff have pored over the VLLC’s books and have determined that it is fiduciarily feasible for the District to take on the operation.

Tutt said a major part of the decision hinged on whether the District could carry on with the expected level of quality.

“I believe we can,” she said.

The bulk of the resurrection of the Lifelong Learning College will fall on the Recreation Department.

John Rohan, head of the Recreation Department, said his department “many years ago” had offered enrichment programs that were eventually taken over by the Lifelong Learning College. He said it was not uncharted water.

However, he said it would take time to evaluate everything from staffing to equipment needs.

Rohan predicted that registration for the next set of classes could take place in August and September. Classes could begin in October.

Some Villagers had questions about how the District could accommodate the Americans with Disabilities Act demands.

“The programs will be sponsored by the District and will be subject to ADA requirements,” Tutt said.

The Lifelong Learning College likely will physically continue in The Villages’ many recreation centers which were already home to some of the previous classes.

Also, it appears we WON the appeal, the ruling was published today and the judge affirmed the prior ruling which was in OUR favor.

IMHO, I would like to see the VCCDD arrange a rental arrangement with the former building that the LLLC used, and set it up under new management. This should be able to retain a lot of the infrastructure that worked very well.

Yes, from what I read it sounded like they planned to use the rooms at the rec centers. They are so booked already I don't know if that would be possible.

You gotta love it when people immediately see the dark clouds forming on a clear sunny day !!

In addition to the above on another site the resident grump
initials A.E. has already posted twice within an hour that our mutual expenses will be increasing as a result ! Too Much !!

From my reading of the court filings, it appears as if the LLC was a self sustaining operation. Part of the issue was the increased cost associated with providing sign interpeters. I would suspect this cost will be absorbed by TV. We as Villagers pay for all kinds of facilities/activities not used by all residents.

As long as the cost are kept in control, I see no issues with supporting some increased cost in support of the LLC.

Sounds like good news!!!

Can you post the link to the court again? Thank you!

its great news if something like this is opened again. I have so much to learn...

The LLC should be self supporting and not be subsidies by our amenities. People invite a pandora's box by such suggestions and my concern that amenity fees already climbing will go out of control.

If a resident has a burning desire to learn something new I applaud that effort but that resident should bear the cost not the community. The LLC found it difficult to continue financially closing the school down. This is a nice gesture but a suggestion that will move us in the wrong direction.

Increases in the amenities fees are tied to the CPI.

Rubicon, our amenity fees are controlled. It is a percentage increase with a built-in limiting factor.

Oh, and, btw, I do not have a "burning desire" to play golf -- although I do have a lukewarm desire to play golf. But, I have never resented kicking in for golf courses because I know they are good for our property values -- and besides, they look pretty.

Please check the facts for more specifics on the controlled fees we pay for our amenities. My guess is the fees were designed to work that way to avoid that Jets vs. Sharks routine that so often occurs in communities with amenity fees.

Not exactly. Read my post. The amenity fee increases are tied to the CPI.

Thanks. I knew something controlled it so they could not up amenities fees willy-nilly just because nerds like me want to take a few classes.

I bet you can answer a question for me. -- What is it that controls the starting point of the fees for homeowners. I don't think they are all the same. Does it start with the time of sale and go from there? What determines the baseline? Thanks.

That is a good question. I suspect you would need to call your CDD to find out the exact formula they use for setting the starting point. I think the amenities fees are all pretty close (within several dollars) but you will find different numbers if you ask different people. Ours right now is $146.86.

biker:

Respectively.... I understand how the amenities work. what I am suggesting is that if we keep adding what amenities will pay for the day will come when we will be told we go bust or we up the fees.
Think social security, etc. All contracts were made to be broken. We have some residents living here that have a lot of wants and never seem to balance them with need or the ability to pay and believe it should be shared by the community.

How does taking an educational course become defined as an amenity? How does a dog park become an amenity? You want to take a course pay the tuition. You want to own a dog pay the freight and take responsibility for your choice. I do not see these two items as defined as amenities and hence the comparison to golf, etc and the aforementioned are a real stretch.

I play golf but I have never utilized another amenity here and I don't object to paying amenities for rec centers, outdoor pools, golf pickle ball. I understood that when I signed on. However I don't pay for someone's golf lessons or their equipment or their golf cart or their trail fees or their tee time fees or their golf cart garages.