Maybe i am just being overly picky, and for sure, a touch sarcastic. I was informed (someone told me) the Election Committee meeting scheduled for November 23 at 1 pm was cancelled. I went to the RCSC website and under committee meetings it was still posted as being on the schedule, so i went. Now in fairness, it may have been cancelled in my weekly RCSC email blast, but i had already deleted it, so i have no idea. I would have expected the website be updated regarding the cancellation. Clearly, it wasn't. It's become clear to me the membership and notifications regarding meetings isn't a top priority. Too many times the meetings are moved, cancelled or closed-door events and members show up only to be surprised. In my humble opinion, that shouldn't happen, but it does. We all are human and prone to make mistakes. Rather than wasting the trip there, i went down to cardholder services and picked up a newcomers packet. It's the bag home buyers are given when they go get their rec cards for the first time. The employee i got it from was more than pleasant, a trait i most often find when dealing with RCSC employees. I am acutely familiar with these information packets, at least what the used to be. Long before i was on the RCSC board (2012-2014), they went through any number of iterations of enriching and educating the memberships regarding what they were buying into. For years, they were stuffing them with the multi-colored magazines i wrote before and after leaving the board. The bag was over-flowing with stuff. Here's a list of what was in the bag: * Current issue of Sun Views. * Corporate bylaws (36 pages, black and white). * Cardholder Guide (best RCSC piece but black and white 22 page reproduction). * 1 page black and white Visitor Center info sheet. * 1 page Sun City Can black and white info sheet. * SCHOA Resource Guide: Full color magazine, (easily the impressive piece in the packet). * Two POSSE envelopes, plus 1 POSSE tri-fold. * 7 different information cards, with phones numbers and basic info. All in all, not bad, but certainly nothing that would grab me. I am acutely familiar with the SCHOA Guide, i wrote 4 of the Articles in the Magazine and the Museum provided the photos for it. The magazine was focused on telling members why we are the "City of Volunteers" while the section written by and on the RCSC is headlined about us being the "Original Fun City." Here's where i am being critical and picky: New home owners are paying, at the point of purchase, the $4000 PIF, a $300 transfer fee and the $496 one year lot assessment. With just under $5000 to work with, couldn't the RCSC provide new buyers a more attractive introduction to the community? I suspect back when it was first printed the Cardholder Guide was in color (might be wrong). If it wasn't, it should have been. We know people are inclined to look at pretty before they read through boring. I was also surprised to see the tortured 36 page bylaw document; giving them the Articles of Incorporation would be far shorter and way more educational. They could then give them the link to the bylaws. I can guess why they don't provide them the Articles, but some may think that's just me being snarky. I was pleased to see they were giving them something. Frankly, i wish it was more substantive and more visually appealing. I know as i went through it, my heart wasn't racing to find out about my community.
