[bonnyej]

I was really sorry to hear about the Buffalo also. Enjoyed seeing the calves--I did not try to pet or feed them. People should know better. As often happens, the many are being punished for the thoughtless few.

[rdmills]

No one mentioned the greedy lawyers who take the cases of dumb people versus animals then ruin it for the masses.

[DickY]

They were in the pasture by the tunnel under 466 and Morse This afternoon.

[beady]

One more point...... There have been several calves born recently, and coincidently some issues with the buffalo. In defense of the animals, the mothers are very cautious and easliy threatened with new calves. Perhaps that is where the problem lies with the litigation. They most likely became aggressive toward the possible threat from humans.The developer has been "raising " buffalo for some time and should have known that perhaps some aggressive behavior was possible with the birth of the calves. Maybe they should have isolated mothers and calves to a nursery area for a while.
I just hate the fact that we will not see then any longer. I am going to write a letter to the newspaper, maybe we all should.

[chelsea24]

Beady. We should write to the newspaper.

[REDCART]

This article appeared in today's on-line version of The Daily Sun, and mentions the fate of the buffalo in TV.

News

Villages president touts progress in community, cites hometown pride

By CURT HILLS, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — An overwhelming 97 percent of the thousands of residents who took part in the annual survey indicated they would refer friends and family to consider living in The Villages.

Mark Morse, The Villages president and chief operating officer, urged residents to take that satisfaction and appreciation for the community a step further.

“Stay engaged,” Morse said in remarks he made Wednesday evening to the general membership of The Villages Homeowners Association. “You were part of the process, you’re going to be part of the process.”

Speaking before a full Scarlet O’Hara Theater room crowd at the Savannah Center, Morse said residents all across the community have an opportunity on several fronts to embrace the VHA mission of protecting and enhancing The Villages lifestyle and property values.

Morse said it was long his father’s intent to put residents in a position to be heavily involved in the decision making that would impact the community’s lifestyle. He pointed to Gary Morse’s open letter to residents in 2006 in which he urged community development district leaders to find a way to let residents living north of County Road 466 participate in the process. The request led to a straw ballot poll in which the majority of residents polled agreed, but movement stalled in gaining total district approval. A class action settlement was later approved, which included the provision for a resident-elected committee.

“What the agreement did is exactly what was proposed in the letter,” Morse said. “We’re looking forward to seeing it come to fruition.”

And residents now have the opportunity to make sure the process works, Morse said.

“Do what you guys do — get involved,” Morse told the residents. “Elect some good, level-headed people that will protect and enhance our lifestyle and real estate values of the community.”

Morse promised that a similar resident-elected committee would be incorporated for residents south of County Road 466 in the coming years.

On May 29, the community is expected to surpass 70,000 in population, based on estimates and home closing sales, Morse said. And that’s an audience, Morse said, that needs to be able to elect all of its county commissioners to make decisions that affect their taxes and services. In all three counties, residents currently have that opportunity. But there’s a petition movement in Sumter County that’s seeking to reverse at-large voting for commissioners, Morse said. Those supporters want county residents to be able to select only the commissioner that represents their respective district.

Morse said that The Villages community was “disenfranchised” and was not treated equally by commissioners when single-member district voting existed prior to a movement called One Sumter, which returned the county to its historic roots of being able to vote for all five board members.

“As I see it, a vote for Reverse One Sumter is a vote against you,” Morse told the residents.

He pointed to higher tax rates of $9.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value when commissioners were elected by only those living in the same district. Later, voters approved a return to countywide voting selection.

“That created accountability, which is a sweet thing,” Morse said.

At-large selection was followed by a lower tax rate that now sits at $5.44 per $1,000 assessed value, Morse said.

He said the average home in The Villages today carries a tax bill of $1,128. A return to the $9.25 tax rate would equate to an average tax bill of $1,985 for a Villages resident, an increase of $857.

Morse said The Villages has withstood the nation’s economic downturn.

“You can’t tell it here,” he said of a housing slowdown, noting that 85 more homes have been sold this year than at the same time last year.

And the news on home value is good news for homeowners, Morse said. For Villages homes sold between January 2001 and March 2007, the average home sold for $127,000 and its resale value jumped to an average of $179,000, creating an annual 14-percent return on residents’ investment. For recent transactions since April 2007 to last March, the resale value is still worth an 8-percent return, Morse said.

“Your home investment in The Villages is very strong — congratulations on a good choice,” Morse said.

Criticism unfounded

Morse spent part of the evening expressing his disappointment with outside critics, whom he said, often speak without facts or twisted information.

For instance, its been alleged that Morse and his family “own The Villages.” But using a large satellite image of the community, Morse pointed to a few small parcels his family-owned corporation owns, then he used a laser pointer to scan over the vast majority of Villages property.

“You guys own the town,” Morse said. “I don’t know if it’s jealously or what, people from outside want to paint a different picture.”

He said others are trying to cast a different image of Villages contractors and the homes they build.

“We build a great house,” Morse said.

He pointed to recent criticism over vinyl siding installation and threats of litigation from those alleging faulty workmanship. Morse said the experience has allowed them to make changes, but it’s also allowed them to see where homeowners can unintentionally damage their own siding by making alterations. And he said some are “stirring the pot” to make matters worse.

“The cure is worse than the perceived problems,” he said.

Morse confided that his attorneys are recommending that The Villages only honor a one-year express warranty, as required.

“We don’t want to do that,” he said of the drastic change, but said the threat has The Villages moving toward changes.

“It’s unfortunate that there’s a few people who are using you and your house to fight against me in a personal vendetta,” Morse said.

Buffalo leaving

Litigation threats are also bringing the end to public viewing of the buffalo, Morse said. The herd has been a focal point of the community, often placed throughout for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. But Morse said in the past 45 days, there have been three incidents with buffalo that are resulting in legal filings.

“We just can’t control the critters, both inside and outside the fence,” Morse said. “No matter how many signs we put up, we can’t control that.”

He said the buffalo would be removed and placed in fields not accessible to the public.

Green before being green was cool

“We take a lot of heat for being a big, sprawling retirement community,” Morse said in regards to attacks on the community’s environmental practices.

But he said those jabs are unfounded.

“We are environmentally conscious, we were green before green was cool,” he said.

He said The Villages has completed a variety of enhancements, such as reducing turf areas to save on watering, using grass that requires less watering, installing the most efficient air conditioning units, using reclaimed and lower quality water for irrigation, providing 43 percent of The Villages total space for wetlands, uplands and golf courses, as well as featuring the world’s largest Audubon International certified golf course program. He said The Villages is a golf cart community in which 76 percent of the trips start in The Villages, end in The Villages, and save gas, Morse said.

Adding curbside recycling is the latest in a series of environmental steps, Morse said. He said he’s heard the criticisms, such as having to use clear bags as opposed to recycling bins.

“It mimics our trash system. We choose not to use bins because we don’t use trash cans,” he said. “When it’s picked up, you can’t tell it’s trash day.”

He also pointed out that without recycling, residents would be using the same number of bags to dispose of their garbage, but now it can be divided up, including less expensive recycling bags compared to thicker trash bags.

Morse reported the program has a high participation rate.

“Our average is 60-percent participation, which is about three times the national average,” he said.

Progress ahead

Morse also touted the recent and upcoming commercial arrivals, such as Fresh Market, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bonefish, JoS. A. Bank, Amigos, and Big City Grill. He also mentioned the improvements to health care, with a Veterans Affairs regional specialty clinic set for groundbreaking in The Villages this summer and Promise Hospital — an extended care hospital slated for neighboring Wildwood.

But Morse said none of the progress would have been possible without the residents.

“I’m proudest of you guys — you make this place,” he said.

Curt Hills is an editor with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9319 or curt.hills@thevillagesmedia.com.

[Lucko]

If the Buffalo are not going to be visible in The Villages any more, perhaps the school mascot should be changed from a "Buffalo" to a "Litigator" !!!!!!!!!!!!

[MnGirl]

Didn't you all hear of the man that was injured because he climbed the fence to feed the buffalo?? He thought he had made them his pets by feeding them, and when they didn't approach the fence he climbed inside and got trampled. He had to be airlifted out of there. Write the Daily Sun if you want, but, it is all about liability.
I thought it was a way to weed out the stupid.
I love the park idea, but unless your going to get garden clubs to maintain the beds, it could be too expensive to maintain.

[GERALDINE]

Originally Posted by Lucko

If the Buffalo are not going to be visible in The Villages any more, perhaps the school mascot should be changed from a "Buffalo" to a "Litigator" !!!!!!!!!!!!

Too funny...but your're right!!!

[GERALDINE]

Most of you are right it is SAD...but it's more than "SAD"... it's a major change to our surroundings and it's not fair that the majority is punished because of the stupidity of a few. It's just like everything else...the vocal minority win out over the majority because they dare to stand up and be heard...or in this case...were idiotic enough to climb over a fence!!! There's an old saying about things like this, "...when they came for the Jews I said and did nothing because I wasn't a Jew..." Remember this whole saying???? What it boils down to is if YOU AND ME don't take a stand for what we want and what we believe then nothing will change and things will continue to be taken away from us...little by little by little until TV doesn't even resemble the reason we all moved here.

Yes, a "Park" would be nice...but NOT at the expense of losing the Buffalo grazing in their fields. Put the park somewhere else and BRING BACK THE BUFFALO. Put up a double fence, put up more warning signs (...course anyone stupid enough to climb over a fence into a buffalo herd probably can't read!!!) but PLEASE don't punish 69,997* of us because the other 3 are IDIOTS!!!!

*Based on recent statistics and for illustration purposes only!!!

[inholmdel]

The real problem is the people that sued. This is a major problem in this country. Just take a look at what has happened to the medical profession and the cost associated with medical insurance.
Wise up America. The trial lawyers are killing you.

[GERALDINE]

Originally Posted by gallinaro

The real problem is the people that sued. This is a major problem in this country. Just take a look at what has happened to the medical profession and the cost associated with medical insurance.
Wise up America. The trial lawyers are killing you.

[The Great Fumar]

One Albert Switzer reject stuck her arm through the fence and tried to pet a baby buffalo and the mama slammed her arm and broke it ...
Now she is suing for a million bucks.......Don't know her name but I wish I did...........

enraged fumar

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by the great fumar

One Albert Switzer reject stuck her arm through the fence and tried to pet a baby buffalo and the mama slammed her arm and broke it ...
Now she is suing for a million bucks.......Don't know her name but I wish I did...........

Fumar, we agree on something! That is just wrong. What a dumb :edit: move. I don't understand how someone can stupidly put themselves in harm's way and then sue. Next thing she'll be standing in the middle of 466 waiting for someone to run her down. That should be worth another million.

[checkman]

Instead of removing them from sight, why not double fence them in? Many horse ranches around Ocala have double fences with a space of about 4 feet or so between them. So you can stand at the outside fence and look at the horses, but you can't touch them or feed them. Why not do the same with the Buffalo pastures? This way we can still have the pleasure of seeing them and yet no one can be harmed by touching them or feeding them? Also, more no trespassing signs, so if they try to climb a fence, then they are breaking the law and can't sue for injuries.