BOD meeting

Anything exciting happen? Yes I will be tuning into the video of the meeting.

 

No as far as I could see other than Karen was to phone in and never did. Surprised?!!

 

After viewing the meeting video, one question comes to mind. Has a 5 year plan, 10 year plan, and reserve study been completed? If so, where might they be located for review?

 

have the library contracts been signed

 

Nope.

 

Tom, yes to the Five Year plan and the reserve study are completed, the Ten Year plan needs a few revisions due to LRP PIF projects. I am not sure if they are available for public consumption but B&F has a meeting on July 16th and more will be revealed. The plans were a great slide presentation by Kevin at the June meeting. FYI was there and seemed impressed by the work done. All these are based on projections that can change any time, probably not the reserve study as it is now, as it is a five year projection but as one year is completed (2024) adding on 2030 is at most an educated gues but would more into focus next year. Hope I didn’t confuse you with this.

 

Even though the board and management try to degrade the dialogue and debate that we have here I find myself being a much more informed member for participating. On the board meeting, I found myself wanting for real information. I appreciate the time and effort of the volunteers on the board, particularly those that stepped up when Jean and I stepped down because we thought the Board was not true to the principles we believed in. So here is a rather harsh but objective view of the board meeting:

1. Kise explanation of why architect was chosen was logical. He never addressed why the membership was not involved in the decision but said, as he said before, the membership will be informed of the board decisions (but there is no intention to involve or engage the membership in the decision making process.) Why Kise is even in the lead on this is a mystery to me.
2. Kise/Foster (golfers) - It does not make sense to subject decisions to spend $6M to redo a 9 hole golf course to a business analysis because that would slow down decisions that had already been made that the membership was not aware of. This decision will not make a significant impact on our compliance with ADWR but the USGA said the course (and clubhouse?) was not up to their standards. WTH?
3. Kise explained that decisions for the next ten years are already reflected on the 5 year budget and 10 year PIF schedule (that the members have not seen) so only the decisions for year 11 need to be subject to a business case analysis. This is total Kise BS!FYI - Yes the BOD did not recognize that I started the ball rolling on long range planning.. I don't care. I was out to make a difference and that is what I did. New GM, new data driven process for making major capital decisions >\LR{

 

I viewed the video and was amazed at the level of agreement on all issues. Everything passed unanimously with hardly anything other than platitudes exchanged by the board members.

As everyone knows I am a huge proponent of changing our budgeting and capital planning process to be more objective and less manipulated. I disagree with Director Kise that all projects that are already on the PIF list (we have not seen) should be exempted from the business case analysis as only newly proposed projects should be subject to the process. In my view this stance just reinforces the manipulation of the process by the Board. For example, rebuilding Quail Run Golf course was not on the PIF - ADWR was. Magically, Director Kise phrases the $6M renovation of the QR course as a PIF project in process even though it does not move the needle much on ADWR compliance and was never included on a PIF schedule. This, folks, is about as manipulative as it can get. But hey, the Board vote was unanimous.

 

John, you are aware that you and I differ on various business babble when it comes to about anything. I hope we can get together when you return to discuss this.
Now a new term has cropped up, business case analysis, regarding projects. Not meaning to offended but this sounds like MBA babble without really looking at the need, in this case Quail Run course. The course is in deplorable shape and is an embarrassment. The gentleman that spoke essentially said that the amount of water saved isn’t that much or moving needles. Evidentially the opposition is swallowing this without looking at the big picture. The pond leaks which means to maintain level it needs X amount of water pumped from the well to maintain the water level. I believe he may be looking at a static number or did not know how much extra water was pumped. The irrigation is a disaster and was when I last played that over ten years ago. Between soil compaction and golf carts rolling over it, the plastic pipes have been crushed which has led to vast pooling of water on the course which eventually seeps into the ground and probably makes to the aquifer in a century or so. Since I am not a hydrologist, I really can give numbers, but I can paraphrase the Golden Throat U S Senator from Illinois, Everett Dirksen, a thousand gallons here, a thousand gallons there, pretty soon it adds up to a lot of water. I truly believe that saving water no matter how much, is a good thing.
Additionally adding the low water Tuf Turf will save even more water. I gues this would fit your business case scenario but are we prepared to talk this over for at least a year before anything is done? Cost increases for everything and the $6,000,000 becomes $8M or $9M with the members being even more upset or “participation.”
I understand that residents along the course have had flooding problems during heavy rains due to the course layout. Another thing to consider. The hole on the South course where I live slopes to my backyard but any water pooling there is a safe distance from the residence. This was a result of the redoing the South Course in the late aughts.
The best of this is that we get ahead of the “water dudes” and one less thing kicked down the road unlike MV which is in year 10 and still have not broke ground on anything.

 

Thanks Dave. I certainly hope these plans and study are made public ASAP so as to educate members.

 

I hope director Kise leads the charge to open the Quail Run course at certain times for walkers and joggers. He said in video that doing so is a good idea based on the ASU survey.

 

And yes, how does this business case analysis work?

 

Just Quail or would the other courses be available to walkers as well. Especially interested in Riverview.

 

Not exactly sure where the 2.7 million dollars offered for the Thunderbird property falls into this PIF and budget plan?

Did they even mention it at the meeting?

 

5am to 8am seems about right. The workers are there getting the course ready.

 

Kise specifically mentioned Quail Run. Nothing about others that I recall.

 

GdV I am aware and appreciative of objective disagreements. I believe you have seen the form for presenting a business case. In my view it represents a good faith effort to elicit facts that can be used to judge the costs and benefits of proposed projects and, importantly, to weigh alternatives for addressing the object of the expenditure. I will used QR as an example of what a business case may look like. Object of Expenditure: ADWR compliance. Kise proposal: Since we need to replace the irrigation system (assume a $2M expenditure) and the course will be torn up why not redo the whole course and remodel the clubhouse (a 6M expenditure). Alternatives: Do nothing until we reach agreement with ADWR; replace irrigation system; replace irrigation system and pond liners. Since objective is to meet ADWR requirements (as opposed to renovate the entire course) the maximum benefit would be achieved by replacing the irrigation system. Recommendation: Hire contractor to replace irrigation system and reline retention pond. In my mind this is how the process should work.

 

Your recommendation might make too much sense?

 

John, actually I have never seen this form otherwise my post might have been entirely different or not at all.

 

I was not even aware they made an offer.