LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hello out there...
Is there anything that the Bella Vista Property Owners Association Board and general manager do that makes sense ?
We had non-paid volunteers that served as Starters and Play Managers and were happy to do so. The general manager, with the consent of the Board, changed them to paid employees and almost immediately hired a volunteer coordinator at a large annual salary. If we don't have volunteers, who does she coordinate ??
Next, the general manager and Board have approximately $ 3 million in savings since the police, fire, and street departments were moved to the city, yet the general manager says we are in a financial crunch and he and some of the Board members want to increase the assessments. What happened to our $ 3 million ? (Oh yes, $ 75, 000 of it went to remodel two restrooms ).
Then one of the Board members said that since only part of the members use the RV storage, he thinks it should be closed. What's next ? Does he also think that since only part of the members use the swimming pools that they should be closed, since only part of the members use the tennis courts should they be closed, since only part of the members use the golf courses should they be closed ? Am I the only one here that believes the general manager and the Board are out of control ? I believe that what we need is to eliminate much of the top heavy administration of the POA, starting with the general manager, and then have a total house cleaning of the Board. Then what's left of the POA administration and Board should be placed under the mayor's office as a "Recreation Department "of the city.
J. D. Jutte Bella Vista P. O. A. Board disappoints Us !
My wife and I have been residents of Bella Vista for 14 years and have loved our life here. However, as the years go by we are increasingly more disappointed with the Property Owners Association Board of Directors and Mr. Tommy Bailey (general manager ).
The recent Board election has brought questions of impropriety and many feel the election was tainted. Has National Recreational Properties Inc. paid assessments on all the lots they own ? Did someone suggest how NRPI votes be cast ? These are the questions floating around.
There are questions why more people did not vote in the recent Board election. I believe it is because many people have zero confidence in the Board and feel it is a waste of time to vote. By the way, we did vote. The "good old boy "system seems to be in place for Board elections.
The Board, according to POA Chairwoman Roberta Dale, has had many accomplishments but how many are really beneficial to the property owners ?
The Country Club renovation did very little to make our lives better, but it sure did give some people, such as Mr. Bailey, and others, some very, very nice offices.
Another point of contention is the Mo / Ark area purchased for another golf course. My wife and I both play golf and feel the courses we have are very adequate. Each year the golf rounds decline due to the age of residents in Bella Vista. I believe the property owners would overwhelmingly say "sell the Mo / Ark property !"
The Highlands Clubhouse is another item. The talk of spending $ 300, 000 to renovate the kitchen area - I feel that is absurd. Also there is talk of making a "19 th Hole," a small, grab and go, restaurant area. The one at the Country Club failed and the one at Scotsdale Course failed. Now they want to put one at the Highlands.
Do people not learn from experience ? We have had good restaurants at Highlands but my understanding is that the P. O. A. rent was so high the people who ran the restaurants could not make it.
We live and attend church in the west end and would love to have a good restaurant at the Highlands, but now quite often we now go to Gravette on Sunday.
We have lived in several locations in our work lives and have loved Bella Vista more than any other place, but as one person said to me "the best years of Bella Vista are behind us."
Incorporation was to be the panacea for our money ills, but that has proven incorrect. Now, the Board is talking about an assessment increase. If anything, an assessment decrease should be possible if spending is done sensibly. We have way too many "chiefs and pros "drawing big salaries. Cut out the "fat. "Spend wisely, for all property owners. Clifford P. Jones Bella Vista Flag Day - Thank You ! The Veterans Council of Norhtwest Arkansas wants to thank those who gathered at the Veterans Wall of Honor Saturday, June 14, in observance of Flag Day. Also want to thank those people who participated in the program: • Bob McCaslin - Mayor of Bentonville • Pastor Thad Moore - Bella Vista Community Church • Keith Wood and the Leah Mills Trio • Cub Scout Pack 341 • Commander Norvil Lantz of American Legion Post 341 • The VFW Color guard • POA (who reserved Riordan Hall in the event of rain ) • The weather man - for a beautiful day Leonard Eisert Director / Organizer Bella Vista Report litter I was following a pickup (of all things ) on U. S. 71 in Bella Vista recently and a large amount of trash blew out of the back all over the highway. I was not able to get close enough to get the tag number, but it was a Missouri tag, a dark blue Chevy, with a ladder rack. I was upset enough that I tried to get his tag number, but because of traffic I was not able.
I then called 911 to report littering, and the person I was talking to was a trooper in West Memphis. I asked him if he had the number to report littering. He said he didn't, but he gave me a number where he said they probably did have it.
It was the Troop HQ at Forest City, and they didn't have it either. They gave me the number for the State Police HQ, and they finally found it. I asked them why it was not published. They did not know. The Internet address for Litter Control is: http: // www. keeparkansasbeautiful. com / improving / litter _ hotline. asp Somehow I don't think 1, 000 signs on Arkansas interstates and highways is adequate publication. Maybe if we could get all the daily and weekly newspapers in the state to publish one of the signs, with the phone number, we could accomplish something. I 'have been told'the judges will not assess the fine, which I believe is $ 1, 000. If they would just issue a few, I am sure the grapevine would disseminate this information very fast ! Merv Boyd Bella Vista
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