[The Buckeyes]

Originally Posted by newguyintv

Absolutely right. I for one don't much give a crap for a bunch of old farts who think they are still kids and play softball. The Softball field improvements are a total waste of money that could be much better spent on making our cart paths safer for all the 100,000 + residents, myself included.

People move to The Villages for a variety of reasons which also include recreation....all amenities require maintenance (including softball fields for old farts). Monies need to be set aside to provide for each depending on the maintenance schedule to keep all in tip-top shape. By the way....not everyone owns a golf cart!!!

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by newguyintv

How can you not respect someone you don't even know?

I don't know about you, but I do respect and APPRECIATE the improvements in The Villages, and also appreciate the Villagers who play softball. The game of softball here is very, very popular!!!! I'm sure you have some sort of sport or activity that you like, which is taken care of by The Villages. I myself, play golf, and I appreciate all the improvements done to all the exectuve courses, (by the way, they are played for free) and I definetly like the championship courses, and the care they give them. Hats off to the Developers, and the CCD's that make decisions, that benefit all of us

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by CFrance

That's what I meant when I called the engineering study "skewed." They looked at as little as they had could. It's almost like they had an opinion to begin with and were looking only to uphold that opinion. Who called for this study originally? And what does anybody know about this particular firm--what there area of expertise is, etc.

Were they the same people who suggested the layout of Colony Blvd and the golf cart path intersection?

Ouch! Probably right on target.

[Carpe Diem]

I'm sure that these assumptions are off but I think this is a legitimate way of looking at it. . .

300 teams x 12 players a team = 3600 players
$525,000 / 3600 players = $145 per player

So if you take just one month of each softball player's amenities fees and put it towards the complex and don't take a penny from anybody else's amenities fees to support it - the complex is fully paid for.

Sounds fair to me. I'm sure most softball players would be willing to pay two months worth of amenities fees towards the complex. That being so, IMO the district should go back and decide to put one month of amenities fees ($500k) towards renovations and upgrades every 5-7 years.

[DonH57]

I'm not a really old fart yet but I respect the really, really, old farts that still play softball as I have no intention of doing it. I'm happy doing water activities and golf. I did enough damage to my body during my working years. I can no longer do it and that what sometimes really hurts.

[Carpe Diem]

The cost of striping the paths is really a pittance. It is obvious that the study concluded that statistical analysis showed that - despite our feelings - the multi modal paths are safe and striping would not make them significantly safer - if safer at all. (I've never seen an accident in an area where striping would be done.) In any case, cost was not the reason for not doing this.

Finally, with respect to dog parks. I don't care for dogs much. But I think dog lovers have a legitimate request for dedicating one month of dog owners amenities fees towards creating a few more dog parks. The problem is - most of the land has been turned into housing. I was shocked when I saw that there wasn't more green space reserved for these types of things in the south. Just shocked.

[notdeadyet]

I am constantly amazed when a group hires subject matter experts to study and report on those things the group needs expert opinions on, and when the SMEs give their reports, the hiring group ignores the experts' opinion.
Pretty stupid.

[outlaw]

Originally Posted by notdeadyet

I am constantly amazed when a group hires subject matter experts to study and report on those things the group needs expert opinions on, and when the SMEs give their reports, the hiring group ignores the experts' opinion.
Pretty stupid.

Do you know if the engineer that conducted this study is in fact a SME in this particular subject?

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

I'm sure that these assumptions are off but I think this is a legitimate way of looking at it. . .

300 teams x 12 players a team = 3600 players
$525,000 / 3600 players = $145 per player

So if you take just one month of each softball player's amenities fees and put it towards the complex and don't take a penny from anybody else's amenities fees to support it - the complex is fully paid for.

Sounds fair to me. I'm sure most softball players would be willing to pay two months worth of amenities fees towards the complex. That being so, IMO the district should go back and decide to put one month of amenities fees ($500k) towards renovations and upgrades every 5-7 years.

You might get even more people if you were to poll it and let those that enjoy watching the games count.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

I'm sure that these assumptions are off but I think this is a legitimate way of looking at it. . .

300 teams x 12 players a team = 3600 players
$525,000 / 3600 players = $145 per player

So if you take just one month of each softball player's amenities fees and put it towards the complex and don't take a penny from anybody else's amenities fees to support it - the complex is fully paid for.

Sounds fair to me. I'm sure most softball players would be willing to pay two months worth of amenities fees towards the complex. That being so, IMO the district should go back and decide to put one month of amenities fees ($500k) towards renovations and upgrades every 5-7 years.

I am SO glad that the people who have been managing the monies where I live STILL manage the monies where I live.


Someone asked in another debate on the restored trees....WHERE DID THEY GET THE MONEY TO DO THAT? When I replied that I was sure that there was money for unexpected things budgeted and that we wouldn't be personally charged...., He replied We don't need a slush fund. The idea of being self insured and budgeted for maintenance is new to some, as well as living inside our income.


We just can't have everything we want. And we can't have everything they want, or she wants, or he wants, and still run in the black. Prices will have to go up somewhere.

OH PLEASE DEVELOPERS, continue to run this place as you have. I so respect your good judgment.

[Arctic Fox]

There are really only two ways to run a community like ours.

Either we "pay to play" - you want to swim in the sports pool? hand over some money at the door - or we accept that we ALL contribute towards maintaining ALL of the facilities, whether we use them or not.

I do not play softball, but I am delighted that those facilities are being well-maintained so that they can be fully-enjoyed, just as I hope that non-swimmers are happy to help pay for the sports pools to be kept in good order so that I can get my fur wet.

[yabbadu]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

There are really only two ways to run a community like ours.

Either we "pay to play" - you want to swim in the sports pool? hand over some money at the door - or we accept that we ALL contribute towards maintaining ALL of the facilities, whether we use them or not.

I do not play softball, but I am delighted that those facilities are being well-maintained so that they can be fully-enjoyed, just as I hope that non-swimmers are happy to help pay for the sports pools to be kept in good order so that I can get my fur wet.

Amen!

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

There are really only two ways to run a community like ours.



Either we "pay to play" - you want to swim in the sports pool? hand over some money at the door - or we accept that we ALL contribute towards maintaining ALL of the facilities, whether we use them or not.



I do not play softball, but I am delighted that those facilities are being well-maintained so that they can be fully-enjoyed, just as I hope that non-swimmers are happy to help pay for the sports pools to be kept in good order so that I can get my fur wet.

Well said.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CFrance

That's what I meant when I called the engineering study "skewed." They looked at as little as they had could. It's almost like they had an opinion to begin with and were looking only to uphold that opinion. Who called for this study originally? And what does anybody know about this particular firm--what there area of expertise is, etc.

Were they the same people who suggested the layout of Colony Blvd and the golf cart path intersection?

Kimley-Horn

[Polar Bear]

I dealt with Kimley-Horn many times in my engineering career. They are a very good, responsible firm, in my opinion of course.

The "problem" is, there is nobody who is an expert in MMP's such as those in TV when compared to other fields, such as highways, roads and streets. Golf cart intensive communities such as TV simply have not existed for long enough or in enough numbers to generate the quantity of data that would be meaningful in any definitive sense.