About Transparency and Governance

Extra Edition

The Austin American Statesman carried a very interesting Editorial on Tuesday January 3rd, titled “Lifting the Shroud of Government Secrecy” which relates to our Community. Please click on the following url to read.
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/
stories/01/3foitraining_edit.html

Then take an extra six minutes to view the video.
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/media/videos/play.php?image=121205opengov_conf&id=143

We believe that the lack of Transparency regarding financial information as well as the decision making processes have contributed to the growing red ink in our two major operations. With your support, many of the issues have been brought to the surface regarding HOA fees along with growing losses in golf and restaurant operations. We are encouraged that the Developer has recently agreed to investigate leasing the restaurants and engaging an independent golf management company to operate our courses. Yet, the issue with Transparency in our Governance processes remains.

Nearly half of the budget expense, consisting of management contracts, bonuses, benefits, and salaries remain off-limits from scrutiny and/or modification during the development and review of the budget process. Resident members of the Governance Committees frequently cite this as a handicap to their efforts but continue to go along with the process. Moreover, decisions are frequently just announced, without explanation or adequate resident input. Analysis and information surrounding the decisions are often inaccessible or unavailable.

This lack of Transparency may have been somewhat less objectionable in years past when the Developer was largely footing the cost of the CA operations, but that has dramatically changed. Residents now largely fund the operations and if losses of the two principal operations can be eliminated, the CA would have a surplus and/or lower fees.

Going forward

The Attorney General’s video talks about “compliance”, which is the minimum necessary with Texas State governmental agencies. In SCTX, more than compliance is needed. We believe that Transparency should be one of the guiding principals in the SCTX Governance process. [For more on Transparency see http://scinform.blogspot.com/ ]

Transparency goes hand in hand with strengthening Resident participation and accountability in the Governance processes, which were outlined in the Jan 2nd Newsletter. If current Governances processes and Transparency cannot be dramatically improved upon, there are real questions as to why Residents should support Developer expansion of SCTX beyond the 5000 homes plan.

What can we do?

We have learned by experience that issues important to Residents were not always important to the developer. Only when the Residents have joined together did they get the attention of the Developer.

The golf fee issue in 1998 was resolved when the golfers protested and held firm.

The Connectivity issue in 2002 when a majority of Residents joined together and attended City Planning and Zoning and Council meetings to campaign for “No Connectivity” with three entrance/exits to Sun City. The city voted for “No Connectivity”, a Resident victory.

The golf fee issue in 2005 was resolved when golfers joined together and protested.

Our Governance Committee Chairman and Resident Board Members need to challenge the developer concerning Transparency, they can no longer take the position of being only an advisor and moving the Pulte process along. Let your Neighborhood Rep, Resident Board Member, and the Governance Committee Chairman know how you feel, they are your only contact with the Developer.

Need your Input

We feel that the lack of Transparency and full Resident participation in Governance processes are very important issues; however, we need to know how important they are to you? Individually we will not be able to convince the Developer, we must join together as Residents have in the past.

Are you concerned that you are unable to have access to information accounting for more than half of budgeted resources? Are you satisfied to let the developer completely control the fiscal stability of your Community? Were you pleased with the decision by Pulte to build another 2500 homes and extend the transition date to 2012?
Send your response to jackstro@verizon.net

We understand that the Nominating/Election procedures and guidelines will be part of the Board Workshop scheduled for January 12th at 1:00pm in the Activity Center. We will attend and make notes and report the results in our next newsletter.

Sun City Residents Make Sun City Great