[spk7951]

Originally Posted by bebemary

Does anyone agree with me that this matter is becoming blown out of proportion? It's not as if this man was a concentration camp guard, and deserves banishment forever or the electric chair. Yes, he screwed up and it sounds to me as if the original victim did all the right things to report the matter and have action taken. Let Community Watch take care of this bully and move on, at least that's my thought.

No I do not believe this matter is being blown out of proportion. It appears that the conversation has shifted as to how best to handle this type of situation rather than talking about that particular individual.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by bebemary

Does anyone agree with me that this matter is becoming blown out of proportion? It's not as if this man was a concentration camp guard, and deserves banishment forever or the electric chair. Yes, he screwed up and it sounds to me as if the original victim did all the right things to report the matter and have action taken. Let Community Watch take care of this bully and move on, at least that's my thought.

Bebemary, I do agree with you. The Community Watch guy at the gate was on a power trip and was incredibly rude and stupid. He was reported to the office in charge of Community Watch. One of their top managers responded and said "proper disiplinary action would be taken". Talk Host said he is satisfied with the outcome.

I doubt Gary Morse wants to be involved in every conflict that occurs in TV. The CW top manager seems to have immediately stepped up to the problem. Other than tarring and feathering the bad guy, I think the situation has been handled.

[Bryan]

I do not believe the matter is being overblown. This forum was designed for discussion of items of interest to residents. Obviously this incident is of interest to at least some of us.

I am a believer in giving the system a chance to work. Following the proper procedure, reporting the incident to CW and giving them a chance to handle it was the correct thing to do. IF THEY DID NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND HANDLE IT, then it needs to be esclated but again, esclated up the proper chain of command.

It appears the CW management did step up to the plate and that is a good thing.

Does this yokel deserve to be fired over this incident? I don't really know. Let CW management look into it, look at any extenuating circumstances (even long term employees with a perfect record can sometimes have a really bad day - we have no clue of all the circumstances here), and let them handle it. I think it is not unreasonable for the people involved (i.e. Talk Host) to be told how CW management handled the situation, especially if he asks.

The ancillary issue around Mr. Morse is interesting, to say the least. I agree with all those who say he is the developer and has nothing to do with "our" government so need not even be told of this incident. I agree becasue that is technically correct, even if it is far from reality.

"Technically correct" does not always equal reality. Anyone who believes that the Developer is not intimately involved in running "our" government is seriously out of tune with real life.

I personally think we, as TV residents, have way too little to say about how "our" government runs things and the developer has way too much say. This is true throughout TV but especially true south of 466. That is changing slightly and slowely but it is changing. I happen to believe it won't really be "our" government completely until build-out is complete, whenever that may be. Until then, we just have to live with a certain level of "interference" or maybe "influence" from the developer is our governmental affairs. It may not be right, but it is reality.

[bobfl]

Bryan, be careful what you wish for. We have lived in two communities that have gone from Developer control to resident control while we were there. In both cases results were less than you might expect. To replace professional management with a group of inexperienced leaders can often lead to mixed results. Check the web site below and take a look around it is eye opening to say the least. We have found TV to be the most well run community we have seen so far. Of course its not perfect but its about as close as you can get in my opinion.

http://www.ccfj.net/

[Bryan]

Your point is well taken and I actually agree with it. TV is a community of 75,000 residents. "Volunteers" probably should not run it, professionals should! I think my point is that these professionals should be a little more responsive to the residents and a little less responsive to the developer.

I also agree, TV is not perfect but is as close as I have seen. Just because we are close does not mean we stop trying to get better.

[downeaster]

Bryan, your commants make a good point.

However, bobfl's point should be carefully considered.

The last subdivision I lived in was in the early build-out stage when we bought. There was a lot of complaining about the developer. It turns out he was a pussy cat.

Six years later build-out was complete and management was turned over to the residents,(Homeowners' Association in this case). That is when you know what hit the fan. Every special interest group went to war with all the other special interest groups. They were each calling for meetings to plan the downfall of the others. It went from a friendly, pleasant place to live to a war zone.

However there is a bright side. Because of the problems we decided we had to relocate. During that process we discovered The Villages.

The rest, as they say, is history.

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

NO, I don't think it's being blown out of proportion. This is our community. We live here. We need to stay in charge. I think people need to discuss this stuff. If it was a city and a policeman acted that way, it would be big news.

Which brings up a good question, "is this our community?' Are we in charge, or are we living here at the pleasure of those in charge?

Okay TH, you have been caught hijacking the thread. I'd report you to the administrators, TOTV's version of the Dementors, but I can see your point and you raise a good issue, always ripe for discussion.

"Are we in charge, or are we living here at the pleasure of those in charge?" Seems a simple question, but unfortunately is quite complicated. Everything about out governmental structure is determined by the CDD guidelines in Florida Statues Chapter 190, including the evolution from developer to voter control. It's not perfect, but it has allowed for creation of TV and does lead to ""home rule."

By nature of the beast, the older CDDs are more evolved toward control by the voters. The areas north of 466 now elect all their CDD supervisors. These bodies elect the reps on the Amenities Committee (drawing a blank on the name). Yes, the Developer, in his role as land owner and commercial real estate investor, controls the Village Center CDD. In the north, supervisors are elected by registered Florida voters, the same as the Lady Lake Mayor or Sumter County Commissioner. Some may claim that this disenfranchises snowbirds who choose to keep their hope state registration or our Canadian, British, or Nepalese brethren who snowbird or more and cannot get voting rights. Sorry, too bad.

South of 466, we're in more of a hodgepodge. District 5 has been around for quite a bit and we elect most of our supervisors. However, I think we still do the landowner vote -- one vote per lot/house/home, regardless of the voting registration status. Snowbirds, snowflakes, and Brits can all vote, one vote per household. The developer as a landowner is a non-factor in District 5 and now may be gone from 6. District 7 still has a ways to go and 8 is almost all developer land, so he gets almost all the votes. We don't have an AAC or a seat on the existing one, but it's coming. Have no idea what the will do with south of 466A. Will that be part of the Sumter Landing Community Development Districts or will a third unit be created? The answers are out there, but I'm just too lazy/apathetic to ask.

Someone has said TV is a community of 70,000 people. However, it is not a municipal entity of 70,000 people. TV is composed of a whole bunch of quasi-independent entities of 10,000 or so people who operate through a series of inter-governmental agreements.

I'm tired of typing, so to answer your question, "Are we in charge, or are we living here at the pleasure of those in charge?" , I'd say you guys up north are in charge (with some restrictions), we in District 5 are approaching that state, and the folks in CDDs 7 and especially 8 are here at the discretion of the developer. I guess he could put a reactor across 466A from Truman or maybe a pig farm by the Havana driving range.

[graciegirl]

Muncle you are smart as a tack. Everyone I know likes you including me. I love to read what you post!

[bobfl]

Downeaster,

What you describe is EXACTLY what happened to our last community and is still going on to this day! I feel sorry for the folks that are now pretty much trapped until the economy turns around. I always tell my wife how lucky we were to get out of that environment and into the wonderful community we now live in.

[golf2140]

Some very good points are taken by these posts. The residents have started taking some decision making steps north of 466. The ACC has already started a firestorm with some of their decisions. (Cameras in the storage areas, non-residents allowed to attend certain support group meetings.) I have been a resident for nine years and hope that the developer is here when I move away or pass away. Just my thoughts. As we all know when the inmates start running the institution, stuff happens.

Remember to honor our Veterans !!!