[M2inOR]

I've been here for 4 years, south of 44. I've ventured far to the both, and farther south, east and west to explore all areas of The Villages.

It's beautiful everywhere, and most of the people I've encountered have been happy and seem to be enjoying their sunset years.

Unfortunately, there are a few that have no idea what it takes to run a business, nor what it costs to build and maintain things.

They seem to live their lives with a permanent gray cloud over their heads, and a permanent frown on their faces.

Me, I cannot believe the cornucopia of surroundings and activities that are available to everyone for less than $299 per month.

Me, I'm quite happy, and I appreciate the developer's efforts to make The Villages one of the best places to live.

Yes, I helped run a small business that grew into a large successful business that operates worldwide. I know what things cost, and how to run a profitable business. To me, The Villages is amazing, and I wonder why there's nothing like it elsewhere. Lakewood Ranch comes close.

[twoplanekid]

It's a beautiful time in the Villages so who cares? Your are invited to see how one board spends 20 million. Please read more info by looking at AMI vs AMR water meter systems

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

As you can see by previous posts, most Villagers do not care to spend their days worrying how their amenity fees are spent. Most simply want to enjoy their retirement. Going to county or CDD meetings, speaking to an attorney, organizing a boycott or similar, fighting the cause in court.... Too much for those who just want to enjoy their final chapter of life. Unfortunately, some may take advantage because they know there is a slight chance of recourse.

But! Every now and then, there is that ONE who will take the time to fight back. Some have been successful and our community is better thanks to them.

That's how unions get started. Management (The Villages) screws over the workers (Village homeowners) until the Village homeowners have had enough and hire or put together a group of retired or active LAWYERS to fight against ABUSES by management (The Villages). If that RESISTANCE group could be very active and very strong, it could FIGHT on the side of the Village homeowners. There are numerically many MORE homeowners than the Villages family ownership. And those homeowners would have MORE TOTAL wealth than the Villages family ownership. The trick would be bringing these opposing power structures into relative BALANCE.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

My wife and I live in a beautiful place, surrounded by nice folks, enjoying the benefits of a reasonable (cheap, by some standards) cost of living. I'm not up to my armpits in snow for half of every year. None of the roads I drive on are covered with ice. I pay far fewer taxes than I did before we moved here. Everything we could possibly ever need is within a 15-minute golf cart ride. I don't feel the need to carry a gun here: most "crime" in and around TV is pretty picayune compared to that where many of us hail from. I can enjoy outdoor recreation NOT defined by XC skiing or drilling through two feet of ice so I can fish, and I can do it for 12 months out of every year.

The track record of those in charge around here speaks (thunders) for itself. And I would far rather have those in charge CONTINUE to be in charge, and doing it their way, than I would the ax-grinders and nitpickers who find fault with them.

If one starts with the principle that NO society is PERFECT, then the nit-pickers are doing a GOOD service by pointing to areas that could be IMPROVED.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by M2inOR

I've been here for 4 years, south of 44. I've ventured far to the both, and farther south, east and west to explore all areas of The Villages.

It's beautiful everywhere, and most of the people I've encountered have been happy and seem to be enjoying their sunset years.

Unfortunately, there are a few that have no idea what it takes to run a business, nor what it costs to build and maintain things.

They seem to live their lives with a permanent gray cloud over their heads, and a permanent frown on their faces.

Me, I cannot believe the cornucopia of surroundings and activities that are available to everyone for less than $299 per month.

Me, I'm quite happy, and I appreciate the developer's efforts to make The Villages one of the best places to live.

Yes, I helped run a small business that grew into a large successful business that operates worldwide. I know what things cost, and how to run a profitable business. To me, The Villages is amazing, and I wonder why there's nothing like it elsewhere. Lakewood Ranch comes close.

Yes, we live in interesting times, too interesting! When I was here for 4 years, I was "golly gee whiz" isn't this place a perfect Paradise? Now, after 11 years, I can see LITTLE imperfections in the system. For example, a small sink hole at a residential intersection that goes un-repaired for months. A residential street stretch where 25% of the automobiles and golf carts SPEED dangerously in. Funny also that during and after Covid how the residential STOP signs have become "slow down just a little as you go through them" type of signs. Then there is about 30% of all golf carts that have their top speeds illegally jacked up over 20 MPH to around 35 MPH. Funny how they RARELY get tickets, yet could easily cause accident and injury. I could go on, but I wont.

[Donegalkid]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Yes, the cost of everything continues to rise, so $1.5M, depending on the level of work to be done is no longer unreasonable, this is one of the reasons why we have the R&R funds in the SLAD & RAD budgets. After 15 years of heavy play and usage, there will be a need for refurbishing the courses, the companies can only do so much before nature wins. And yes, all of this work is competitively bid.

Glad to see you’re an engineer, NOT, there’s a lot more that goes into stabilizing the island shoreline than just “dumping rock”. The island is CDD property not the county so the CDD/PWAC is responsible for the cost, not the county. There is and never has been anything wrong with the bridge, the issue is island shoreline erosion.

The traffic light at Colony is a project from 10 years ago. The horse is dead, stop beating it.

All of these projects are competitively bid work, so the money goes to whoever was most responsive and had the best bid. Your obvious insinuation is that the “developer” is getting the money and you would be wrong. The developer owned companies rarely bids on work for the district government or county projects, they have more than enough work in house to keep them busy, they don’t need to chase low bid work. The largest expenditure by the District and CDD governments with the Developer is for IT services and maintaining the tee time system, and even this is a very small percentage of the total budgets. Yes, it was all competitively bid.

The county does not do golf cart/multimodal paths and doesn’t fund these project (traffic light) and doesn’t fund work on property they don’t own/have responsibility for (the island resentment - it’s NOT the bridge).

Taking a little time to educate one’s self would go a long way in answering your own questions, but then again, finding answers wasn’t the point of your post now was it, it was more about stirring up an issue where one doesn’t exist.

This forum occasionally can be very useful to get accurate, fact-based information, like the above answer. Thank you. And, it’s good to see some reminders to resist stirring a pot. Seems like that is the new, emerging American activity in many circles of discussion.Thanks to all of the researchers, those who serve in local government, and the problem solvers (regardless of political persuasion), who put in a lot of hours with little, or no recognition. That’s what made America a great country, IMHO. I have no connection to Gold Wing Nut other than I occasionally read, and review, his good work and contributions to the community. I always learn something useful.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Yes, we live in interesting times, too interesting! When I was here for 4 years, I was "golly gee whiz" isn't this place a perfect Paradise? Now, after 11 years, I can see LITTLE imperfections in the system. For example, a small sink hole at a residential intersection that goes un-repaired for months. A residential street stretch where 25% of the automobiles and golf carts SPEED dangerously in. Funny also that during and after Covid how the residential STOP signs have become "slow down just a little as you go through them" type of signs. Then there is about 30% of all golf carts that have their top speeds illegally jacked up over 20 MPH to around 35 MPH. Funny how they RARELY get tickets, yet could easily cause accident and injury. I could go on, but I wont.

[karostay]

The Villages can spend all the money they want
But until they stop over watering the green to draw down ponds.Which interns
Creates nan environment for black fungi to grow which is impossible to eradicate.
Just loom next time you play a course with bad greens

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by karostay

The Villages can spend all the money they want
But until they stop over watering the green to draw down ponds.

I was told the draw down goes to the fairways and most of the time greens are avoided.

[Rwirish]

I have not slept for 2 weeks worrying about all these things.

Hope we get answers soon. I need my sleep.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Exactly.

From districtgov.org -> committies -> Project Wide -> Agendas, the next meeting is Monday morning (4/8) at 8:30 in Seabreeze.

Agree
While 'politicians' (generalization) pay attention to forums like this, they love no shows at public meetings. Zoom participation not as effective. Attend, speak if its allowed and your objections will be part of the minutes of these meetings. May not change a thing but it's more effective than a rant after money is appropriated and work is completed....

[RICH1]

don't go to the wood shop .....

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Yes, we live in interesting times, too interesting! When I was here for 4 years, I was "golly gee whiz" isn't this place a perfect Paradise? Now, after 11 years, I can see LITTLE imperfections in the system. For example, a small sink hole at a residential intersection that goes un-repaired for months. A residential street stretch where 25% of the automobiles and golf carts SPEED dangerously in. Funny also that during and after Covid how the residential STOP signs have become "slow down just a little as you go through them" type of signs. Then there is about 30% of all golf carts that have their top speeds illegally jacked up over 20 MPH to around 35 MPH. Funny how they RARELY get tickets, yet could easily cause accident and injury. I could go on, but I wont.

Is there ANY data at all to back up these silly numbers? 30% of the carts are jacked up to do 35mph? Yeah right. I’d wager it’s less than 1%.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

That's how unions get started. Management (The Villages) screws over the workers (Village homeowners) until the Village homeowners have had enough and hire or put together a group of retired or active LAWYERS to fight against ABUSES by management (The Villages). If that RESISTANCE group could be very active and very strong, it could FIGHT on the side of the Village homeowners. There are numerically many MORE homeowners than the Villages family ownership. And those homeowners would have MORE TOTAL wealth than the Villages family ownership. The trick would be bringing these opposing power structures into relative BALANCE.

What's the old bumper sticker...'Unions...the folks that brought you the weekend'...

I agree that a union operation would yield better and more consistent results. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it will cost all concerned. I believe most would welcome that...the others still have TOTV ...

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

Agree
While 'politicians' (generalization) pay attention to forums like this, they love no shows at public meetings. Zoom participation not as effective. Attend, speak if its allowed and your objections will be part of the minutes of these meetings. May not change a thing but it's more effective than a rant after money is appropriated and work is completed....

A decent crowd today. I don't know if I should say it was larger than normal or if it was smaller than the SRO crowd last month. Still, there were over a dozen people in the audience.

No one from the audience mentioned anything from the OP's list but the golf courses and revetment projects were on the agenda and discussed by the committee members.