[patbbb]

I was surprised to see that forum "Thank goodness for the POA!" was closed while such informative, lively posts were appearing. It was only started around two weeks back. Along those lines, I felt compelled to post the following in a new thread, which hopefully will allowed by the powers that be (if not, we must ask who is controlling Talk of the Villages):

Those saying the POA refuses to work with the developer have it backwards. The POA has repeatedly tried to work with the Morse’s and has been rebuffed time after time. Going back many years it took a David vs Goliath lawsuit to wake up The Villages to the reality of the POA standing up for the community. Since the POA truly represents the residents, the developer should be obligated to listen to and work with them to make this an even better place instead of shunning their efforts in favor of the HOA, which was actually formed by the original developer.

That lawsuit settlement of $40 million paid for redoing of the multi modal trails north of Hwy 466 and many other costly improvements, including replenishing depleted accounts. It also forced the developer & CDD’s to set up proper reserves to pay for long term maintenance and replacements. Those who remember Joe Gorman & Elaine Dreidame, former presidents of the POA and the late Rich Lambrecht know how they worked tirelessly with the POA for the residents, taking on the developer when he refused to willfully cooperate. Those who don’t know of their efforts should read past bulletins at the POA4us.org website and the Orlando Sentinel archives.

Every resident should be a POA member as all are receiving the many benefits they’ve fought for in our behalf.

[Bogie Shooter]

It was closed because later posts had nothing to do with the POA.

[patbbb]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

It was closed because later posts had nothing to do with the POA.

Reviewing the thread it appears to me that most posts were on subject, However, if the moderator disagrees, it would be a simple matter to delete the inappropriate posts.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by patbbb

I was surprised to see that forum "Thank goodness for the POA!" was closed while such informative, lively posts were appearing. It was only started around two weeks back. Along those lines, I felt compelled to post the following in a new thread, which hopefully will allowed by the powers that be (if not, we must ask who is controlling Talk of the Villages):

Those saying the POA refuses to work with the developer have it backwards. The POA has repeatedly tried to work with the Morse’s and has been rebuffed time after time. Going back many years it took a David vs Goliath lawsuit to wake up The Villages to the reality of the POA standing up for the community. Since the POA truly represents the residents, the developer should be obligated to listen to and work with them to make this an even better place instead of shunning their efforts in favor of the HOA, which was actually formed by the original developer.

That lawsuit settlement of $40 million paid for redoing of the multi modal trails north of Hwy 466 and many other costly improvements, including replenishing depleted accounts. It also forced the developer & CDD’s to set up proper reserves to pay for long term maintenance and replacements. Those who remember Joe Gorman & Elaine Dreidame, former presidents of the POA and the late Rich Lambrecht know how they worked tirelessly with the POA for the residents, taking on the developer when he refused to willfully cooperate. Those who don’t know of their efforts should read past bulletins at the POA4us.org website and the Orlando Sentinel archives.

Every resident should be a POA member as all are receiving the many benefits they’ve fought for in our behalf.

Kudos to you for an excellent post!

I hope more residents will read it.

[thetruth]

Originally Posted by patbbb

I was surprised to see that forum "Thank goodness for the POA!" was closed while such informative, lively posts were appearing. It was only started around two weeks back. Along those lines, I felt compelled to post the following in a new thread, which hopefully will allowed by the powers that be (if not, we must ask who is controlling Talk of the Villages):

Those saying the POA refuses to work with the developer have it backwards. The POA has repeatedly tried to work with the Morse’s and has been rebuffed time after time. Going back many years it took a David vs Goliath lawsuit to wake up The Villages to the reality of the POA standing up for the community. Since the POA truly represents the residents, the developer should be obligated to listen to and work with them to make this an even better place instead of shunning their efforts in favor of the HOA, which was actually formed by the original developer.

That lawsuit settlement of $40 million paid for redoing of the multi modal trails north of Hwy 466 and many other costly improvements, including replenishing depleted accounts. It also forced the developer & CDD’s to set up proper reserves to pay for long term maintenance and replacements. Those who remember Joe Gorman & Elaine Dreidame, former presidents of the POA and the late Rich Lambrecht know how they worked tirelessly with the POA for the residents, taking on the developer when he refused to willfully cooperate. Those who don’t know of their efforts should read past bulletins at the POA4us.org website and the Orlando Sentinel archives.

Every resident should be a POA member as all are receiving the many benefits they’ve fought for in our behalf.

If, you read any thread you will see opinions so of which people will agree with and other people will not. A human problem is people think people who agree with their view are right and people who don't are simply wrong. Often that wrong THOUGHT, results in the assumption that anyone who does not agree with ME is stupid, uneducated etc etc etc.

Things are never perfect with anything-any where.

I for one fear the inmates running this place. Imagine some want to enhance handicapped access. Others want to improve ????? golf, pickle ball or whatever. Much study, petitions etc etc etc etc and the conclusion it IT WILL COST AND EACH PROPERTY OWNER NEEDS TO PAY $$$$$$$$$

Aside-I picked handicapped, golf and pickle ball no to offend anyone but because I do not use any of them and yet see all kinds of opinions on them.

[billethkid]

Self deleted my post.

[patbbb]

Originally Posted by thetruth

If, you read any thread you will see opinions so of which people will agree with and other people will not. A human problem is people think people who agree with their view are right and people who don't are simply wrong. Often that wrong THOUGHT, results in the assumption that anyone who does not agree with ME is stupid, uneducated etc etc etc.

Things are never perfect with anything-any where.

I for one fear the inmates running this place. Imagine some want to enhance handicapped access. Others want to improve ????? golf, pickle ball or whatever. Much study, petitions etc etc etc etc and the conclusion it IT WILL COST AND EACH PROPERTY OWNER NEEDS TO PAY $$$$$$$$$
Person
Aside-I picked handicapped, golf and pickle ball no to offend anyone but because I do not use any of them and yet see all kinds of opinions on them.

No offense intended, but I don't comprehend how your comment has anything to do with my post or the basic subject of the POA representing residents.
So that this thread is not closed or removed as was the one it tries to replace, I hope future posters will keep on the subject of the POA and representing the residents of The Villages.

[Moderator]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

It was closed because later posts had nothing to do with the POA.

Correct..the prior thread had derailed. You don’t see all the posts we had to delete.

Let’s hope this one stays on topic.

Moderator

[JoMar]

We belong to both......gives us a wider view. patbbb has it correct....if people don't agree with one view they are wrong. And the singular support for the POA by bias means if you somehow agree with the VHA you are on the wrong side. Can the Developer supporters always be wrong?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

In any efficient government, there are checks and balances. An organization founded by the owner, with members selected by the owner, and subsequent elected members elected by those previously owner-selected members, will usually serve the owner's best interests.

An organization founded by the consumers, members selected by the consumers, and subsequent elected members elected by those previously consumer-elected members, will usually serve the consumer's best interests.

In the case of the villages, the "owner" would be Schwartz and the Morse family, and "The Villages" as a corporation, whose primary "consumers" are the homeowners. They (the "owners") are the creators of the Villages Homeowner Association.

The owner benefits when the consumers are, if not very happy, at the very least, content as a whole. The consumers benefit when the owners profit, because the owners can simply close down if they cease to profit. They (the "consumers") are the creators of the Property Owners Association.

It's a precarious balance, and the two need to work with each other, to ensure that neither tilts too far to one side, lest the entire structure crumble.

I plan on becoming a member of the POA but I will listen with an open mind to anything the -[edited] VHA offers, and be thankful that they want whatever is in the best interests of the Corporation known as The Villages. Without those efforts, the Corporation would fold.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

In any efficient government, there are checks and balances. An organization founded by the owner, with members selected by the owner, and subsequent elected members elected by those previously owner-selected members, will usually serve the owner's best interests.

An organization founded by the consumers, members selected by the consumers, and subsequent elected members elected by those previously consumer-elected members, will usually serve the consumer's best interests.

In the case of the villages, the "owner" would be Schwartz and the Morse family, and "The Villages" as a corporation, whose primary "consumers" are the homeowners. They (the "owners") are the creators of the Villages Homeowner Association.

The owner benefits when the consumers are, if not very happy, at the very least, content as a whole. The consumers benefit when the owners profit, because the owners can simply close down if they cease to profit. They (the "consumers") are the creators of the Property Owners Association.

It's a precarious balance, and the two need to work with each other, to ensure that neither tilts too far to one side, lest the entire structure crumble.

I plan on becoming a member of the POA but I will listen with an open mind to anything the HOA offers, and be thankful that they want whatever is in the best interests of the Corporation known as The Villages. Without those efforts, the Corporation would fold.

It is not called the HOA. There are monthly classes on how a CDD form of government functions. Anyone thinking to live here should understand how a CDD runs.

I myself do not support the POA. I think that it seems better than it was when the people who brought suit against the developer were running it, but I can't forget the thousands and thousands of dollars that those people personally received after they won the lawsuit which appeared to be concerned that the developer was not taking adequate care of things like mold in the ceiling of the Paradise rec center. For years I felt the POA bulletin was poorly written and spelled and very anti-developer and did not represent the general views of most people who live here.

[graciegirl]

Property Owners' Association of The Villages, Inc.

[ColdNoMore]

The POA's primary function is to be an advocate for owners, who individually (history is replete with examples of this)...have very little sway in getting things changed.

The VHA's primary function, is to counteract the legitimate complaints brought by the POA...and to minimize costs of fixing issues, of which developer should take responsibility.

It really is...as simple as THAT.


Even those, provided they possess a sense of fairness, shouldn't begrudge those (much less take it personal) who were compensated for their time/effort/money/chance taking...spent on the successful $40M settlement.

After all, those legal monetary awards...is the way the law works.

The POA hit a roadblock in finding a large law firm willing to take on the power of 'The Developer' and they eventually found a lower status firm willing to play David...against The Developer's Goliath.

The eventual outcome, which even the developer admitted to "being good for The Villages owners" shows that even the 'little guy' can win...if they have fairness on their side.

It's very telling, that some people hate the POA...even though the POA advocates for them too.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

The POA's primary function is to be an advocate for owners, who individually (history is replete with examples of this)...have very little sway in getting things changed.

The VHA's primary function, is to counteract the legitimate complaints brought by the POA...and to minimize costs of fixing issues, of which developer should take responsibility.

It really is...as simple as THAT.


Even those, provided they possess a sense of fairness, shouldn't begrudge those (much less take it personal)...who were compensated for their time/effort/money/chance taking spent on the successful $40M settlement.

After all, those legal monetary awards...is the way the law works.

The POA hit a roadblock in finding a large law firm willing to take on the power of 'The Developer' and they eventually found a lower status firm willing to play David...against The Developer's Goliath.

The eventual outcome, which even the developer admitted to "being good for The Villages owners" shows that even the 'little guy' can win...if they have fairness on their side.

It's very telling, that some people hate the POA...even though the POA advocates for them too.

Do you think it is true that the group who brought suit also had difficulty finding a judge who would hear the suit, but found one in Lake County, a county who in the past were anti-villages? Neither side is allowed to discuss the lawsuit, I have been told.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

The POA's primary function is to be an advocate for owners, who individually (history is replete with examples of this)...have very little sway in getting things changed.

The VHA's primary function, is to counteract the legitimate complaints brought by the POA...and to minimize costs of fixing issues, of which developer should take responsibility.

It really is...as simple as THAT.


Even those, provided they possess a sense of fairness, shouldn't begrudge those (much less take it personal) who were compensated for their time/effort/money/chance taking...spent on the successful $40M settlement.

After all, those legal monetary awards...is the way the law works.

The POA hit a roadblock in finding a large law firm willing to take on the power of 'The Developer' and they eventually found a lower status firm willing to play David...against The Developer's Goliath.

The eventual outcome, which even the developer admitted to "being good for The Villages owners" shows that even the 'little guy' can win...if they have fairness on their side.

It's very telling, that some people hate the POA...even though the POA advocates for them too.

Yeah it befuddles me that anyone would begrudge someone from being paid after spending countless hours grinding and sweating and toiling and researching to help support a cause they believe in. Where would the American Cancer Society be, if none of its employees or board members or department heads got paid? Why should the Developers get paid, when "all they did" was tell the towns and cities they planned on building there and showed up at meetings and drew pictures on paper to show the city managers their plans?

Being paid for work performed should be expected, when someone works their butt off on behalf of an entire community. It's time they're not spending earning money elsewhere, and they have bills to pay too.

As for the specific situation mentioned, Paradise Rec Center had to be rebuilt, and funding had to be set aside to benefit ALL of the Villages at the time, as a direct result of the suit. Without that lawsuit, without the POA, Paradise would eventually have gotten someone sick, or injured, the center would have been condemned, and the lawsuits would have been far more significant.

One doesn't need to live in a community to know how to read about it from all available public sources.