Comments to the HOA Board

The February 24^th HOA Board meeting was attended only by 50 people, including 16 PCM employees and Advisory Committee members who made reports to the Board.

After making my comments to the Board, I was encouraged by some residents to share them with the community at large, as a way to continue to raise the community awareness of the activities taking place in our community. My comments to the HOA Board were made as follows:

“I will begin by reminding the Board and the community at large that in January 2013, the HOA Board adopted a “Code of Ethics and Rules of Conduct for Sun City Shadow Hills Board Members, Officers, and Committee Members”, for the purpose of setting a standard and a tone for behavior that is in the best interest of the community.

All Board members, as well as Association Committee members sign and agree to abide by this code of ethics, with the understanding that violation of the Code may result in the removal of a Committee member, removal from office of an officer or convening a recall procedure for a Director.

The Code of Ethics and Rules, specifically requires, that No member shall engage in any writing, publishing, or speech that defames any other member of the Board, or a resident of the community.” And that “Personal attacks against residents are prohibited and will not be tolerated.”

Last December, The HOA Board approved the formation of a new Committee, “the Information Advisory Committee”, composed by five members: Georgeana Mimms, Andy Perler, Charles Hemphill, Richard Smeby and Mary Lee Niethold. The Committee’s goals and purpose were not made clear as the Board approved the Committee under the consent calendar, at the December 16^th meeting.

As of today, none of their activities have resulted in any public notice or publication, BUT what has been apparent and noticed by our community was the creation of an anonymous website, whose obvious purpose has been to influence the outcome of the HOA Board elections by fully supporting 3 of the 6 candidates and conducting a series of personal attacks with the intention of defaming the other 3 targeted candidates, who have been promoting change and stand against the status quo.

 Stu Stryker

1/14/2014 9:26:36 PM

Post #1

Who is the brain surgeon who came up with the statement "the community has no documentation on payroll and payroll fees. Brilliant, I guess they forgot about The State of california labor laws just to mention one small issue with that statement. 

This remindsds me of this groups statement "Assoica, PCM's parent company owns Billy Casper Golf". You remember that flow charts and all.

Boy was Billy Casper Supprised to learn they had been purchased, LOL. That's what I mean by garbage in garbage out. Flat out, a lie.

If you would like a refreshing look at some real facts about our community not the typical negativity that is out ther now. Then visit:

WWW.myshadowhills.net 

I don'tt know where it came from or who is running it. but from what I have read it is an objective site and everything on it is actually factually correct. I am impressed.

The anonymous website has been promoted in public as “objective and factually correct”, by the writings of the Board President in the Association’s website and his spouse’s through direct emails to residents. The action by the Board President, taking an active role in the outcome of the election by encouraging residents to visit the anonymous website and supporting the website’s personal attacks and demeaning behavior, place the Board’s President in jeopardy of loosing his post, based on the possible violation of the Association’s Code of Ethics and Rules of Conduct for Board Members”, and together with the creation of the anonymous website puts into question the election process.”

Our Community

A year ago, like many of you, I did not know about some of the problems our Association was facing, especially with regard to the financial management of the Association.  But, after a close study of those problems, I am now quite aware of the lack of checks and balances necessary to ensure the Association’s fiscal integrity and accountability.

In the last few months, I’ve also become aware that the HOA Board has been under the control of a group of people who are obviously content with the existing situation.  This group is united against any member of our community who is not content with the existing situation but rather offers to improve it.  HOA Board President Stu Stryker’s desire to keep control of the Board has been underscored by his support and endorsement of an anonymous website and by his spouse’s email, sent to all of you, urging you to visit the same anonymous website.  That website supports the three candidates who agree with the PCM-controlled HOA Board. Moreover, the website opposes the three candidates who are committed to solve the financial deficits of the Association.

The people who control the HOA Board have created the anonymous website in order to spread false rumors about the candidates promoting change.  The sole intention of the website is obviously to convince you that you should be afraid of change.  How much credibility can we afford to a website that is afraid to name its authors? Clearly, the intent of the anonymity and the disinformation is to maintain control over the important decisions that affect our community and our lives.

The HOA Board must truly represent the many facets of our community.  It is imperative that the members of the board have the capacity to understand and fully support the needs of our considerable lifestyle activities. Very simply, a Board controlled by one interest will not be able to support equally the diverse interests of our friends and neighbors.  For the long-term health of the community, we must elect candidates who will zealously represent all our members, including those whose needs are being ignored.

It will take more that one year to solve the problems our community is facing.  Therefore, it is important that we continue to work together, particularly beyond this election, to reinforce and strengthen the voice of the members of the SCSH community who have been ignored and whose needs have been neglected.  In order to ensure that all members of our diverse community are fully represented, we must prepare ourselves for next year’s elections.  We must restore common sense, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.

Sincerely,

Manny Rosas, HOA Board Candidate

“Working to Create a Community We can All Be Proud of”

Respect for the Community

I was away visiting my aging mother, so I missed the last HOA Board meeting. When I returned, I heard the recounted stories of how the Board President Stu Stryker, abused and mistreated one of the community residents and since the Board decided to stop video taping the Board meetings, we now have no way, to witness the Board’s actions and behavior.

I came across a recount of the event by a resident registered nurse who sent this email to the HOA Board of Directors, which I would like to share with you:

Dear Board

Once again Stu Stryer has outdone himself by his attempted intimidation and browbeating of a homeowner with a script that most likely comes directly from Boot Camp for Board Members. Many of us are now aware of how the Boot Camp trains the Board leading them to think they have "power over" us, and that they do not work for the homeowners. The result of this Boot Camp seems to be what we all had to experience as we watched the Board Member attempt to humiliate and demean a homeowner, John K.

The worst part of the whole interaction with Stu and Mr. Kuchinski was the serious finger pointing and bullying that John was subjected to by Stu who refused to listen and learn, and who was more intent on disgracing his "opponent" than actually having a conversation of equals while hearing the real truth of what has gone on. Since when is any Board member above those he or she is supposed to represent? Our Board has forgotten that they are homeowners too and are supposed to represent us not PCM.

Bullying, coercion, intimidation, and strong arming is also considered very serious when those in authority use their "power over" another in a way that may be detrimental to seniors and those in specific protected groups. And we all know now that this is done to attempt to create fear in those who might want to speak, and to dishearten the masses of homeowners who are timid or believe anything they hear. It is an attempt to subdue the rest of us and cause us to give up hope for any change to the autocratic Board we have at present. Moreover It was a disgraceful way to behave and was also totally unacceptable in the State of California where Elder Abuse includes “the infliction of fear, agitation, confusion through threats, harassment, or other forms of intimidating behavior” so that the receiver is unable to respond out of fear or inability due to any reason including poor health or lack of strength.

If we are to have a healthy community in the future we need a Board who respects homeowners and understands that they are no different from the rest of us. They will avoid the pitfalls of letting the power of position go to their head and heart creating the scene that we saw on Monday. I commend John K and all who sent a complaint to the AG and will continue to work with them in the future if this bullying of homeowners who are seniors and lack of transparency of our finances does not end. 

For most people it is intimidating enough to speak in front of others without thinking they might have to deal with belligerent Board members intent on squelching all public interaction and communication. The "Marine-tough" training that John K has had should not be necessary in order for homeowners to ask questions of a so-called leader of the Board. This "power over" bullying, and intimidation must stop. 

Regards

Sharon Somers-Hill RN

It is very sad to realize the HOA Board who represents our community, behaving in such a disrespectful way, towards the fragile members of our community. If you attend any of the Board meetings, you will witness that type of abuse, disrespect and disdain for the concerns of our community members. This is one of the reasons I decided to run the HOA Board, to represent the voices that are being ignored and denied of their rights and to establish an environment of respect and caring for the members of our community.

Please, feel free to share this information with neighbors and friends.

Reinventing Government

I was lucky to work for one of the most innovating cities in the San Francisco Peninsula. Ed Everett the city manager of Redwood City was a strong believer and practitioner of the “Reinventing Government” concept articulated by David Osborne and Ted Gabler in their 1992 book, “Reinventing Government”.  This concept applies the business customer service model to government. Citizens are seen as customers, and the government administrator's mission is to be responsive to their customers and achieve a high level of customer satisfaction for the services they provide to the community.

As a result, in Redwood City, all managers were evaluated according to the level of customer satisfaction achieved by each one of the services they managed. The City residents were given the opportunity to evaluate the services at the time the services were provided, and by a customer service survey at the end of the year.

This simple but powerful concept of seeing residents as customers and setting the governing body’s mission to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction could easily be applied in our community.  A good example of the need to implement this concept is in our failing Shadows Restaurant, which had a financial loss in 2012 of $468,000 and as of the end of October 2013, the financial loss amounted to $343,000.

The Shadows Restaurant is not only loosing money but also the support of the Shadow Hills community, with many residents choosing to eat somewhere else because of their dissatisfaction with the restaurant services.

PCM, the Shadow Hills HOA management company gets paid $36,000 a year for managing the restaurant and is failing to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction, as the recent on-line survey I recently initiated shows. You can see the results of the Shadows Restaurant by using this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=F2JfVYHmoRnF3n8NXMo5FhoJjAfWUHVOZX1nESpWyq4_3d 

The Shadows restaurant only achieves 21.9% customer satisfaction, which in Redwood City it would have serious consequences for the manager responsible for providing that service, including the loss of employment.

The HOA Board is not holding PCM accountable for the failing restaurant and instead they rushed to renew PCM’s contract before the new HOA Board is seated in March, 2014.  The new contract to manage the Shadows Restaurant is basically the same, PCM will continue to be paid $36,000 a year, with the only difference that if the financial losses continue, then, they will only get paid $18,000; but it fails to contain any customer satisfaction of financial stability goals or measures.

If elected to the Board, I will press for hiring a professional Food & Beverage Service provider, that will be be accountable directly to the Board, and be responsible for minimizing or eliminating the financial losses, and providing a high level of customer satisfaction, like most other country clubs do.

Our Community’s Lifestyle

Now that Pulte is vacating the last seat on the HOA Board, I believe it is time for change. It is time to restore common sense, accountability and fiscal responsibility, and the only way things are going to change in our community, is if the community elects candidates that are committed to change.

But, change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time, and that is the reason I decided to run for the Board.

I believe it is very important to have diversity on the Board, so we can have true representation of our diverse community. Diversity of representation brings diversity of thought, ideas, and new perspectives, leading to better decisions and more innovation and creativity.

We all bought our homes in this special Del Webb community attracted by the lifestyle and the opportunity to be part of a community that allows us to live life to the fullest, to discover sides of ourselves, we never knew existed, and to connect with a true community and relate to our neighbors, in a more meaningful way, by meeting like-minded people with shared interests, common backgrounds, and similar values.

Now that Pulte is vacating the last seat they had rights to, the Board of Directors will be represented by community residents, who will take the reins, and make decisions that will determine the future of our community.

All of the residents, will have a hand in shaping the identity and lifestyle of our community, because everyone plays a part, everyone brings something special to make our community unique.

In addition to being a community of golf players, we are a community of tennis and pickle ball players, table tennis, billiards and other sports, Performing Arts, Creative Arts, Games, Entertainment and Social Club members, dog owners and many more and each of our clubs needs to be supported and their voices heard, to be able to continue shaping and improving the unique lifestyle that makes our community special, and keeps us happy and living longer, by remaining active.

With your support and your vote I will dedicate myself to bring the change we need in our community, to bring fiscal responsibility, so we can all enjoy our wonderful golden years together, in harmony.

Another Reason I Decided to Run for the Board

Another main reason I decided to interrupt my treasured retirement to run for the HOA Board, is the systematic over-charging and accumulation of our annual assessments, contrary and in violation of IRS Ruling 70-604, that requires excess revenues to be returned to the property owners, either in a rebate or by lessening the assessment the following year, otherwise the excess revenues are subject to taxation.

Revenue Ruling 70-604 states that the sole authorized activity of the HOA is the assessment of the homeowners for the purposes of managing, operating, maintaining and replacing the common elements of the association. It also mandates that a meeting be held each year to let the homeowners decide whether to return any excess assessment to themselves or to have the excess applied against the following year’s assessments.

Let’s take a look at the excess revenues collected since the arrival of PCM, the Association Management Company that Pulte contracted with in 2008 to manage our Association:

  In 2007, the monthly dues under Pulte’s management of our association were $198. In 2008, immediately after Pulte contracted with PCM to manage our Association, the monthly assessment was raised to $214, generating 1 million dollars in excess revenues in 2008 and 2009. Please note that in the years 2008 to 2009, the HOA Board was under Pulte’s control.

In 2010, PCM and the HOA Board, which for the first time had a majority of elected residents, raised the monthly assessment to $237 unnecessarily, generating even higher amounts in excess revenues, with the trend continuing through 2012, even though in February 2011, the California Department of Real Estate recommended the dues to be at $208, instead of $237.

The creation of a “Slush Fund” by HOA management companies such as PCM is not particular to our community; in fact, there is a well documented case of Sun City Anthem, in Nevada, which suffered of the same malady and which they overcame after a community struggle similar to the one we’re experiencing in our community. Please use the following links for details of their struggle:

http://anthemopinions.blogspot.com/2013/04/time-to-close-book-on-tax-issue.html

http://www.anthemvoice.org/taxes_issue.html

It is very alarming when you realize your are being “gypped”, and being that I’m a child of the 60’s, my immediate reaction is: “I’m not going to take it anymore, someone has to do something about it”.

Joan Dzuro and Judi Kleckner, who have been aware of these issues for some time, and run for the HOA Board last year, convinced me to join their quest to restore fiscal responsibility in our community, and stop the excessive accumulation of our monies.

Because of the pressure the HOA Board has received from the concerned community members, our dues have been reduced to a more reasonable level. But the next step, we need to take is to return the slush fund accumulated over the last 5 years to whom it belongs, the homeowners of our community.

Joan Dzuro, Judi Kleckner and I, are committed to bringing fiscal responsibility to our community and explore the option of a self-managed association, like our sister community, Sun City Palm Desert.

Manny Rosas,

“Working to create a community we can all be proud of”