[HappyTraveler]

Originally Posted by Road-Runner

Has The Villages considered using the same Gate Cards to enter pool areas and pickleball / tennis courts? It would be a significant cost initially as well as ongoing maintenance, but likely cheaper than hiring several full-time personnel. I've seen this done at apartment complexes.

That is a MUCH better idea than some of the others I've read posted here - some of which have too much ongoing cost, commotion and are overkill considering the small size of the problem.

Having said that, I still don't remotely see TV or the Districts spending the time or effort attempting to solve an issue that is presently so minimal. From their POV it would be making a mountain out of a mole hill - which isn't a good way to run anything.

[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

those few folks who worry about raindrop stains on their fine leather upholstery just refuse to open their windows to press a red button or pass a card across a card reader. The same mentality as those who would never pull a weed out of their own garden because they wouldn't want to break a fingernail.

Hmm. I sense some disdain for your fellow Villagers. Not sure why, 99% of the people I meet here are lovely. Obviously YMMV

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Speak for yourself and count me as one who will not be supporting that..

MANY (perhaps not most) have complained about their yearly amenity fee increase. MANY are calling for a cap on the amenity fee to stop the increases from eating Into their fixed income. MANY will not be happy to hear about an exceptionally large increase to fix a problem that MANY do not experience.

The size of the increase that MANY see as too large: $4
Your proposal: A $5 to $10 increase ON TOP OF the $4 increase which would be the largest increase in recent history.

BTW: Wasn't the number 168 over the five months? 168 non-residents over a 150 day period or about 1.1 non-residents each day or less than 0.011 non-residents per pool each day (or 0.33 non-residents per pool each month). Sure, that number is an undercount, but it needs to be a LOT larger before I would be willing to pay an extra $100 just for pool monitoring.

$4???? That's $4 WHOLE DOLLARS???? Too Large?????

Yeah, I guess some people would have to only order 1/2 of a Big Mac each month. If how much it affects any one individual is the argument, then what about school taxes???? Not too many Villagers with kids in school.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by HappyTraveler

That is a MUCH better idea than some of the others I've read posted here - some of which have too much ongoing cost, commotion and are overkill considering the small size of the problem.

Having said that, I still don't remotely see TV or the Districts spending the time or effort attempting to solve an issue that is presently so minimal. From their POV it would be making a mountain out of a mole hill - which isn't a good way to run anything.

This will likely not be an issue unless and until an unauthorized person gains access and harm is caused to an authorized person. The subsequent legal actions and civil penalties will cause a paradigm shift in perspective and budget priorities to prevent same from occurring again. At the very least mitigating culpability and responsibility. Not sure if a CDD has deep pockets or can be held liable, but the Developer, who initiated the CDD structure, could be held liable - and personally so if punitive damages are awarded. Just sayin...

It's the same reason hotels go to such effort (and expense) to prevent unauthorized person(s) from accessing their building, amenities, hallways, and rooms.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Road-Runner

I've seen 'pool crashers' become a severe problem over time at one of our previous communities. It started slowly, but as others heard about the lack of security many more began using the pool, the tennis courts, etc. until the community funded cameras and a security guard to randomly check for IDs. Either the amenities are for the sole use of the residents who pay for them or they aren't. I vote for non-Villagers to go elsewhere.

Has The Villages considered using the same Gate Cards to enter pool areas and pickleball / tennis courts? It would be a significant cost initially as well as ongoing maintenance, but likely cheaper than hiring several full-time personnel. I've seen this done at apartment complexes.

Exactly my point---better to stop a smaller problem now than a larger problem in the future. I wish the same philosophy could be applied to Airbnbs

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

$4???? That's $4 WHOLE DOLLARS???? Too Large?????

Yeah, I guess some people would have to only order 1/2 of a Big Mac each month. If how much it affects any one individual is the argument, then what about school taxes???? Not too many Villagers with kids in school.

Have you not been reading the comments about the annual amenity fee increase?

School taxes are also rising too quickly but they have nothing to do with pool monitors and are not under the control of the AAC/VCCDD or PWAC/SLCDD.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Have you not been reading the comments about the annual amenity fee increase?

School taxes are also rising too quickly but they have nothing to do with pool monitors and are not under the control of the AAC/VCCDD or PWAC/SLCDD.

But they are under control of the school board. And income taxes are under the control of Congress. And food prices are basically supply and demand. Prices go up. Is your point not to address a problem??? Or not to address it until it is out of control. How would you feel about your wife alone in a neighborhood pool when 4 teenage males come in???? Comfortable?????

My amenity fee was $145 in February of 2014, now it's $195, a 34% increase. Compare that with food, gas, housing etc. In the same time the value of my home has more than doubled, so I wish people would stop whining, especially about $4/month

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

But they are under control of the school board. And income taxes are under the control of Congress. And food prices are basically supply and demand. Prices go up. Is your point not to address a problem??? Or not to address it until it is out of control. How would you feel about your wife alone in a neighborhood pool when 4 teenage males come in???? Comfortable?????

We can discuss any number of things but this thread is about the use of (or preventing use of) Villages facilities.

And yes, I would be completely comfortable with that situation. It would be odd since our pool is rarely empty, I would likely be with her, and I haven't seen a teenager in the area in quite a while, but I would be comfortable.

One might wonder where that example of 4 teenage males in a neighborhood pool came from (other than the same thought process that somehow connected the topic of facilities with food prices). I don't believe any of the comments on here mentioned 4 teenage males in a neighborhood pool happening. She and I *have* discussed the situation mentioned in this thread, workers using the restroom, and we both agree this concern says more about the fearful woman than it does about the use of the restrooms.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

We can discuss any number of things but this thread is about the use of (or preventing use of) Villages facilities.

And yes, I would be completely comfortable with that situation. It would be odd since our pool is rarely empty, I would likely be with her, and I haven't seen a teenager in the area in quite a while, but I would be comfortable.

One might wonder where that example came from (other than the same thought process that somehow connected the topic of facilities with food prices). I don't believe any of the comments on here mentioned it happening. She and I *have* discussed the situation mentioned in this thread, workers using the restroom, and we both agree this concern says more about the fearful woman than it does about the use of the restrooms.

There have been dozens of posts from Villagers who have been at an amenity only to have them invaded by freeloaders. And I haven't even touch on the abuse of golf courses after hours by residents and non-residents alike. Ostriches only believe there is no problem by burying their heads in the sand

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

There have been dozens of posts from Villagers who have been at an amenity only to have them invaded by freeloaders. And I haven't even touch on the abuse of golf courses after hours by residents and non-residents alike. Ostriches only believe there is no problem by burying their heads in the sand

Thank you for pointing out the ambiguous wording in my post. I have tightened it up a bit.

Are you accusing me of being one of your ostriches? You might want to look back at my posts - I am one who has questioned the low count in the statistics. Sure there are non-residents and non-guests in some of the pools some of the time and maybe there are pools where this is a bigger problem than others but what is the real magnitude of the problem and what is the real cost to implement some of these ideas?

What would you label someone who swings a sledgehammer to kill a fly?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Thank you for pointing out the ambiguous wording in my post. I have tightened it up a bit.

Are you accusing me of being one of your ostriches? You might want to look back at my posts - I am one who has questioned the low count in the statistics. Sure there are non-residents and non-guests in some of the pools some of the time and maybe there are pools where this is a bigger problem than others but what is the real magnitude of the problem and what is the real cost to implement some of these ideas?

What would you label someone who swings a sledgehammer to kill a fly?

If that fly was going to grow up to be Mothra or Godzilla, I'd call him a hero with foresight.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

This will likely not be an issue unless and until an unauthorized person gains access and harm is caused to an authorized person. The subsequent legal actions and civil penalties will cause a paradigm shift in perspective and budget priorities to prevent same from occurring again. At the very least mitigating culpability and responsibility. Not sure if a CDD has deep pockets or can be held liable, but the Developer, who initiated the CDD structure, could be held liable - and personally so if punitive damages are awarded. Just sayin...

It's the same reason hotels go to such effort (and expense) to prevent unauthorized person(s) from accessing their building, amenities, hallways, and rooms.

At least the subject apparently has been discussed at a recent PWAC meeting

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

Hmm. I sense some disdain for your fellow Villagers. Not sure why, 99% of the people I meet here are lovely. Obviously YMMV

If by "your fellow Villagers" you mean people who pretend they're the Wicked Witch of the West and will absolutely melt when it comes to rolling down their car window to pass a card across a sensor, then sure.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

We can discuss any number of things but this thread is about the use of (or preventing use of) Villages facilities.

And yes, I would be completely comfortable with that situation. It would be odd since our pool is rarely empty, I would likely be with her, and I haven't seen a teenager in the area in quite a while, but I would be comfortable.

One might wonder where that example of 4 teenage males in a neighborhood pool came from (other than the same thought process that somehow connected the topic of facilities with food prices). I don't believe any of the comments on here mentioned 4 teenage males in a neighborhood pool happening. She and I *have* discussed the situation mentioned in this thread, workers using the restroom, and we both agree this concern says more about the fearful woman than it does about the use of the restrooms.

I think that the "commune" mentality of a few indicates they may be better off in a public living situation which absolutely provides for the exposure to every and any situation when using public facilities.

The Villages is a pay for use community with definite limitations and I don't understand why that is so difficult for some to grasp. If one wants to live with the public facilities and access, it is readily available but why choose a pay for use community at that point and try to make it public?

There are options for everyone but moving into a restricted community and then trying to rewrite the rules is ridiculous.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

But they are under control of the school board. And income taxes are under the control of Congress. And food prices are basically supply and demand. Prices go up. Is your point not to address a problem??? Or not to address it until it is out of control. How would you feel about your wife alone in a neighborhood pool when 4 teenage males come in???? Comfortable?????

My amenity fee was $145 in February of 2014, now it's $195, a 34% increase. Compare that with food, gas, housing etc. In the same time the value of my home has more than doubled, so I wish people would stop whining, especially about $4/month

So, I just checked on the Villages website, and their current count is "over 70,000 homes." No idea when they calculated that, but let's run with it, and make it an even 70k.

70,000 homes * 195/month (I'm paying $198, why do you get 3 bucks discount? WTH)...

Is $13,650,000. Per month. Thirteen million, six hundred fifty thousand dollars, per month.

Times twelve months, since there happens to be exactly that many in a year.

Result: One hundred sixty-three million, eight hundred thousand dollars, for one year. $163,800,000. For one year.

Do we have any annual report showing their revenue, expenses, and so on? The most current one I can find is for 2021, and none of the expense/revenue sheets for any district isolates revenue exclusively from paid amenity fees as a line item.

They do show that they have investment balances, and net balances for the end of the year at over $75M for one of the districts.

It's clear to me that none of them are hurting for revenue, none of them are struggling to pay bills and still have a positive balance. Districts of COURSE have to have some padding, to cover for emergencies and planned future projects.

But I'd be interested to know how much more, or less, they each have "in the bank" than they did in 2021, now that they're splitting over $164 million among them, just for this past year alone.