[rubicon]

I'll post my thoughts here and on the other thread. This is what happens when an institution accepts federal funding as does the Charter School ie you accept funds following federal rules

Secondly the federal laws of ADA say reasonable accommodations. LLC didn't earn enough to pay for the number of people needed to provide sign language at the various locations/courses.

Third it is the modus operandi of The Villages (Developer & Districts) to remain quiet about such legal matters. Recall IRS dispute in the beginning, the bison, the Wellness Center

Fourth don't expect either the VHA or POA to make an attempt to come to the rescue their both just social clubs.

Personal Best Regards:

[golfing eagles]

I really don't think the plaintiff's main motivation was money. Their "leader" has been characterized as an "activist"--ie: fanatic. He has determined his "rights" and wants to cram them down everyone else's throat, regardless of collateral damage. It's all about me and my cause, and screw everyone else, as long as I get my way. He bears the same relationship to reasonable advocates for the hearing impaired as ISIS does to mainstream Islam or the KKK does to conservative policy.

However, it really isn't important to satisfy this lunatic. The LLLC needed to satisfy the JUDGE, which apparently they failed to do. I wish we all knew the dollar cost of satisfying the judge. I also wonder if the judge could order binding arbitration in this matter.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I really don't think the plaintiff's main motivation was money. Their "leader" has been characterized as an "activist"--ie: fanatic. He has determined his "rights" and wants to cram them down everyone else's throat, regardless of collateral damage. It's all about me and my cause, and screw everyone else, as long as I get my way. He bears the same relationship to reasonable advocates for the hearing impaired as ISIS does to mainstream Islam or the KKK does to conservative policy.

However, it really isn't important to satisfy this lunatic. The LLLC needed to satisfy the JUDGE, which apparently they failed to do. I wish we all knew the dollar cost of satisfying the judge. I also wonder if the judge could order binding arbitration in this matter.

Like others here in my capacity over many years had to deal with federal issues of claims for discrimination race gender disability. It can get very ugly and unfortunately corporations more often than not are at a disadvantage especially if they accept federal funding or any part of their operation works in behalf of the federal government.

Arbitration is one solution but I never cared much for arbitration because you have one person making the decision. I skirted away from arbitration every chance I had. This is especially true for federal cases because the federal government is so absolute in its thinking. For instance try on for size reasonable accommodations. sufficient is to say the federal government can be quite creative in their interpretation of reasonable.

Your right about the judge and this is one of the first order of business with a lawsuit. Who is the judge and is s/he plaintiff/defendant oriented based on past cases, have any conflicts of interests, etc. However based on the fact that this lawsuit was filed eight years ago does not bode well for the defendants

Plainly speaking the plaintiffs ought to be ashamed of themselves but the lead plaintiff is a professional litigant..enough said.

[pauld315]

Wow, being a curious individual and having a desire for continuous education (especially on subjects I never delved into during my working years) the LLC was a huge draw for us to TV. We almost signed a contract for a home there this year but then we found out that Mr Hendrick (the guy that keeps getting arrested for trespassing) lived a few doors down, I couldn't, with good conscience, move into a neighborhood with him in it even though it was the perfect home for us. Now this ? I, and I am sure, many other potential buyers are in the process of reevaluating our retirement destination. I hope this decision doesn't affect home values too much.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Trump is irrelevant here.

My ramblings on a tragic situation for us all:

1. The plaintiffs ought to be run out of town on a rail and then burn in hell for what they have done to their neighbors--the residents of The Villages. Remember, the plaintiffs not only sued the LLLC and the Developer, but by including the clubs as defendants, they sued all of us. And without the courtesy of talking to us first!

By resorting to litigation, the plaintiffs have ruined one of the great aspects of living here. Had the plaintiffs publicly explained their difficulties and concerns, before starting a lawsuit, their problems probably would have been handled without the court battle and its resulting consequences-- which now appear irreversible. (As a retired attorney, I would stress that litigation should be the last, not the first, way to resolve problems.) If Villagers had known about the plaintiffs' situation, I am sure that (through volunteer signers or contributions to buy appropriate equipment) something could have been worked out so that the plaintiffs could have been accommodated and the LLLC continued.

2. But not only are the plaintiffs to blame here. Where in the heck was our newspaper, The Daily Sun, which is little more than a marketing tool for the Developer, while this lawsuit was festering for years? Once again, the Daily Sun (as it did when the IRS investigation, which presented an existential threat to our lifestyle, and other events prejudicial to home sales in The Villages occurred) either suppressed the news or obscured it or both. Today's article on the subject, the first that has been published, borders on the incomprehensible. Why are we, the Villagers, only learning about this lawsuit now and why doesn't the article explain the details of what is happened? Shame on you, Daily Sun, for misrepresenting yourself as a newspaper.

3. The Villages Charter School is a for-profit operation run by the Developer. Why did the Developer set it up, since it is probably not very profitable, in and of itself? He obviously did it to encourage businesses to rent from him so their kids could go to school there. Yeah, the LLLC is probably a "break-even" adjunct to the Charter School. But it is "break-even" only because there is not a lot of money to be made in continuing education. The benefit of the LLLC to the Developer: a marketing tool to sell more houses. Apparently the lawsuit was enough of an irritant to the Developer to cause him to walk away from the LLLC now that The Villages is just about built out.

I would have hoped that the Developer would have felt a greater responsibility to his customers so that he could have worked out some kind of accommodation with the plaintiffs, but maybe the plaintiffs were being unreasonable. You really cannot tell what happened from the Daily Sun article

The bottom line, as I see it: What we, as Villagers, should be doing, rather than looking for someone to blame, is hoping that the Developer's decision to close the LLLC will be reversed. However, the LLLC's closing now appears to be a fait accompli. Since we lack a real homeowner's association, with the power to raise funds by assessing homeowners, and since the Villages Homeowners Association is nothing more than a front for the Developer, maybe the Property Owners' Association can do something to persuade the Developer to change his mind. The sad thing is: I am not sure what, if anything, the POA or anybody else, can do at this point to cause a reversal of the Developer's decision. And furthermore, nothing that any of us say in this forum is going to make the slightest difference.

Excellent - thank you for your commonsense interpretation of this mess.

[Madelaine Amee]

"Deaf Villager appeals for understanding after bombshell decision to close Lifelong Learning College. A deaf Villager who was part of a lawsuit seeking accommodation at the Villages Lifelong Learning College speaks out for the first time since the bombshell announcement that the college will be closed."

See online newspaper for more of what the main Plaintiff in this case has written in answer to this problem.

[Taltarzac725]

VCDD Board of Supervisors

I hope people will make their voices heard on other places than TOTV. Write your community leaders in your District and elsewhere. Just start pestering about this closing. Activism can work for good too.

Especially coming from the teachers at the Lifelong Learning Center and their many many students.

Village Community Development Districts

And copy and paste this thread onto Facebook. Will get more notice.

[NYGUY]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I really don't think the plaintiff's main motivation was money. Their "leader" has been characterized as an "activist"--ie: fanatic. He has determined his "rights" and wants to cram them down everyone else's throat, regardless of collateral damage. It's all about me and my cause, and screw everyone else, as long as I get my way. He bears the same relationship to reasonable advocates for the hearing impaired as ISIS does to mainstream Islam or the KKK does to conservative policy.

I completely agree!!

[Villager Joyce]

I understand the ADA. I'm having trouble understanding how the decision was made that the government (we taxpayers) is responsible for providing medical insurance, SSDI, interpreters, special accommodations, etc. because, due to no fault of ours, someone was born or became blind, deaf and challenged. For example, Are any of the plaintiff(s) deaf because they listened to loud, very loud rock music?

[Taltarzac725]

The Great Courses

If you are itching for education these courses are quite good. Maybe, we could start up informal groups to talk about these courses. Some are available for loan from the Lake County Library System.

Maybe, we can get the library systems in the Villages' area involved with sponsoring some of these groups like providing a meeting room or even get the Villages Recreation Centers involved???

These would be private groups of people meeting though and hopefully not involve government actions. Study groups in other words talking about something picked by the members.

I have heard of local churches sponsoring these kind of study groups and their topic was one of these Great Courses.

[Advogado]

Let's be practical.

Unless the Developer immediately changes course, before the infrastructure of the LLLC is dismantled, the LLLC is permanently closed and, as a practical matter, no substitute will ever be established. Therefore, I would appeal to the plaintiffs, many of whom are undoubtedly following this thread:

Please recognize the immense harm that your lawsuit has done to our community. Instruct your law firm to immediately contact the Developer and make one last effort to work out a settlement that would both address your reasonable objectives and result in the LLLC's remaining open.

[PennBF]

WHERE IS JANET TUTT? WHY DID SHE HIDE THIS FROM THE RESIDENTS AND IS NOT SPEAKING OUT!!!

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I really don't think the plaintiff's main motivation was money. Their "leader" has been characterized as an "activist"--ie: fanatic. He has determined his "rights" and wants to cram them down everyone else's throat, regardless of collateral damage. It's all about me and my cause, and screw everyone else, as long as I get my way. He bears the same relationship to reasonable advocates for the hearing impaired as ISIS does to mainstream Islam or the KKK does to conservative policy.

However, it really isn't important to satisfy this lunatic. The LLLC needed to satisfy the JUDGE, which apparently they failed to do. I wish we all knew the dollar cost of satisfying the judge. I also wonder if the judge could order binding arbitration in this matter.

I agree and wonder if his cause was truly for other's betterment, a big law firm out of New York City was the only recourse? It could have been handled another way.

[kstew43]

Reality is .... The developer giveth and the developer taketh away

and because the people have no agency to object....no say in the matter.....we the residents loose


Remember......Street parades, Katie Bells, Health Care, Moffit Center, Church on the Square........just add this to the list of what we had and lost...

[bbbbbb]

Originally Posted by Codysmom

So very disappointed to read in today's paper about the Learning Center shutting its door because of a lawsuit. Big loss for many of us.

Comment:
Hi it would be nice to get the story on this and so wonder where the real story is. It just does not quite add up, so it seems.
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