[BaylorBear]

Originally Posted by ncr2482

How about giving most of the credit to the old man Harold Schwartz? He was the visionary who started this place. The family has done a great job of continuing his legacy.

I met Mr. Schwartz in 1989 at a dinner party given by my future in-laws (Len and Rosemary Bigelow) at Orange Blossom Hills Country Club. He was their friend and a very gracious gentleman.

[Larry Wilson]

I read some comments on a Montana newspaper article that Wildlife mangagement had gone undercover. So to 1blsdam who said an employee must have exposed the Morse poaching, you are probably right in some of the instances. Also, it may have been someone from Wildlife mangement posing as an outfitter on some of the charges.
Again, thanks to 1blsdam on such an intelligent and understandable post.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

The Morse's are not seen often here in person, in fact almost NEVER ,so people have to guess what they are really, really like and what they are up to.

I think Gary Morse is in his 60's, a very good business man and a perfectionist. I think I would like him if I knew him personally.

Can't wait to see what you have to say.

Bump

I started this thread and there was NO intention for it to be so negative.

This is a copy of the first post.

I will be forever grateful to the Morses for starting this lovely place and I have seen very few such thought out places on this earth.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by downeaster

I do not have a perception of Mr. Morse. I have never met him or heard his presentations. The only available input I have for forming a perception is contained in this forum. Not a good source.

Speaking of perceptions, I have been able to develop perceptions of many TOTV members. This forum provides a great deal of fodder based on members own words.

How would you react if someone started a thread "What is your perception of (you name the member)? I think such a thread would be in very bad taste and I am inclined to think this thread, picking apart a private figure, leaves something to be desired

That was NOT my intention.

[K9-Lovers]

Gracie, no need to fret. There is no person that would ever think you would try to create a negative post here on TOTV. Your intentions are always honorable.

[2BNTV]

Gracie:

Don't worry.

Anyone that visits TOTV knows you have good manners and are concerned about the welfare of others. I know it was started with intention of positive comments.

You post was started on 10/23/10 at 8:34 AM and the Morse story in Billings Montana was posted on 11/4/10 at 7:30 AM.

Unless you have a crystal ball to know this was to happen, I don't see how you or anyone else would know that a negative story would be reported at a later date.

If you do have a crystal ball, PM me with winning lottery ticket numbers.

[redwitch]

Also, it might help if people noticed you specifically asked about GARY Morse, not Harold Schwartz, not Mark Morse, not The Villages. I agree that I can't imagine you ever starting a thread and looking for negative comments. Any thread you start is going to be with the very best of intentions.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Also, it might help if people noticed you specifically asked about GARY Morse, not Harold Schwartz, not Mark Morse, not The Villages. I agree that I can't imagine you ever starting a thread and looking for negative comments. Any thread you start is going to be with the very best of intentions.

Redwitch, I have you completely fooled. I have an enormous hug that you didn't pick up this morning.

I will save it until next time.

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

That was NOT my intention.

I think we all know you well enough to know it was not your intention, Gracie.

It is unfortunate a person's good intentions are used by others as a means to - to- to-. Oh heck, it has; been a long day and I have run out of gas. I think you get my meaning.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by downeaster

I think we all know you well enough to know it was not your intention, Gracie.

It is unfortunate a person's good intentions are used by others as a means to - to- to-. Oh heck, it has; been a long day and I have run out of gas. I think you get my meaning.

I knew that downeaster. I think you are the greatest.

[Annabelle]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Bump

I started this thread and there was NO intention for it to be so negative.

This is a copy of the first post.

I will be forever grateful to the Morses for starting this lovely place and I have seen very few such thought out places on this earth.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Bump

I started this thread and there was NO intention for it to be so negative.

This is a copy of the first post.

I will be forever grateful to the Morses for starting this lovely place and I have seen very few such thought out places on this earth.

Gracie,
The first time I read through this thread I did so very quickly, however as I came to the end, I was puzzled by your comment (above) and would like to reply to you since you are the author of this thread.

Anyone who has not taken the time to read ALL the posts within this thread may conclude from your own words "so negative" that somehow this very long thread has been nothing more than an ugly assault on the reputation of the Morse family .... since your thread asks for people's "perception of Gary Morse".

Just to make sure that I read the same posts as everyone else (and yet somehow did not reach the same conclusion as you ..... (that this somehow became a "negative" thread about the Morse family) I actually re-read all the posts.

At the time of my writing this post...... thus far there have been 100 posts on this thread. Reading carefully through all the posts, I came up with 39 posts which made very "positive" comments either about the Morse family (or one of it's members) or TV in general.

Only 6 posts stated something about the Morse family which some readers may consider "negative" comments about the Morses. I personally felt those few posts were nothing more than intelligent and honest observations made by posters who are just as entitled to their opinions of the Morse family as those who always want to glorify the Morse's accomplishments and accuse anyone who disagrees as being "jealous."

Also I want to note that most of those few "negative" posts also included praise for the developer and the development.

So, to recap: 100 posts on this thread (thus far) 39% were in praise of the Morse family (or TV) and only 6% found some fault with them. The other 55 posts were comments that were not directly related to your question.

According to my math, surely, NO ONE could or should assume that this thread was "so negative" towards the Morse family.

Annabelle

[Annabelle]

Oophs, didn't mean to post CG's post twice!

[Annabelle]

Originally Posted by Taj44

My thoughts exactly. The question posed here is "what do you think of Gary Morse", not what you think of The Villages. Many of us posting here on TOTV actually live in The Villages, and we love it here with all the amenities, etc. I too am grateful that Harold Schwartz had the vision to get this place started, and the Morse relatives continue the legacy. But from my perspective there is a greedy aspect to the Morse business dealings. Everywhere you look they have their "hands in the pie" so to speak. You can call that good business acumen, or if you're on the receiving end of having to pay out, as we Villagers are, I think it is called taking advantage. Yes, as consumers we have the right to utilize other services, and many of us do. I didn't buy my furniture from Southern Lifestyles, another arm of the developer. I found the same products cheaper elsewhere, for example. But other people living here may not find it as easy to do so.

Another important case in point is the $40 million class action lawsuit filed against the Developer. Its shameful that things had to go that far, just so amenity services and facilities would be maintained. It seems to me that if Morse had really cared about the status of the facilities and services in The Villages, he would not have to be prodded by a lawsuit to do what is good for the community.

The the whole IRS bond thing is another issue the Villagers have been saddled with, thanks to the "business acumen" of the Morses. It remains to be seen how it will be resolved, but certainly has the potential to cost us Villagers hundreds of millions of dollars. If that happened, I expect there would have to be another class action lawsuit to get the Morses to do what is right.

Do I love the Villages? Yes, I enjoy most aspects of it. Do I think the Morse's are taking advantage of the seniors here? You betcha.

Taj44,
Thank you for your comments. Since you are a full time resident of TV, IMO you and other full time residents have a much greater interest in these issues than someone who only resides in TV part time, or rents or owns rental property.

Your perspectives regarding how the Morse family does business, as well as day to day issues/problems facing residents in living in TV is greatly appreciated by those of us who have yet to sign on the dotted line.

Annabelle
P.S. Red thanks for your comments too!

[Annabelle]

Originally Posted by The Shadow

Bump

Shadow,
I didn't know what in the world this photo had to do with the subject matter of this thread.... THEN I saw the other threads. I've not visited TOTV for a few weeks and so I am just catching up.

Now I am really "suspicious" about the purpose of this thread. Am I the only one who thinks the "timing" of this thread is just a bit too coincidental?

Annabelle

[redwitch]

Annabelle -- The timing really is coincidental. Gracie posted this well before the Mark Morse hunting issue was made public. I doubt she had any more knowledge about it than the rest of us. The poaching knocked all of us for a loop. The fans of the Morse's were hit particularly hard, I think.

As to the picture -- I refuse to comment on it but it was first posted on the poaching thread, then copied to here. Does The Shadow have his own agenda? Who knows but it seems so.