I can fully understand why you refuse to use one of the local BLOGs to promote your candidacy for the coming election, but today I noticed your name is mentioned in a new editorial on his BLOG.  The BLOG owner said this of all the other candidates; “Rather than living in the past, they are pledged to address current problems but are primarily looking toward the future in terms of what they are hoping to accomplish.“

I’m not aware of ANY pledge that has been made by ANY candidate to ignore the past illegal secret meetings, or the past financial misconduct that has plagued our community (To use your words).  It’s been said that those who ignore the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.

Will you pledge NOT to ignore the mistakes of the past, such as our Federal Income tax debacle, and the growing numbers of residents who have been fined and threatened by our current Law Firm?

My Responses to Norm McCullough:
It will be interesting to see if the candidates promoted on David’s Anthem Journal blog confirm that they ENDORSE the old Unity Mantra of “Rather than living in the past, they are pledged to address current problems but are primarily looking toward the future in terms of what they are hoping to accomplish.”

I doubt any of the candidates will agree with David trying to deceptively slip the discredited unity slogan into their campaigns. But, we should watch to see which ones openly reject it–as I do.

This action by David’s Journal shows that while the widely discredited Unity Party machine is working in stealth mode, it is clearly involved again this year, and some candidates may have made secret deals in return for unity support.

Of course, no competent board candidate could “live in the past” or only “hope” to accomplish something as a SCA director as claimed by David’s Journal. As George Santayana said in 1905, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

The Unity Party political machine tactic used by David’s Anthem Journal is a good example why I refuse to have anything to do with his blog. That site uses and/or abuses people while helping directors deceive the community about the board’s past financial misconduct.

Unfortunately for us unit owners, the past financial misconduct has involved many more millions than the initially reported $1.345 Million owed in back taxes and penalties. That is just the tip of the iceberg.

Open financial issues always exist in multi-million-dollar corporations. They can not be effectively resolved in the future without fully understanding the past circumstances. If someone claims they will only look forward if elected, they should NOT be trusted to manage our money.

And, I believe that members should not allow a candidate to get away with promising to wait to “look into things AFTER they are elected.” There is plenty of time now to formulate valid opinions and make unambiguous commitments on the key issues facing our community. While serving as a director, one rarely gets more than a few days to research the background and formulate an opinion on a board agenda item.

And, despite the deceptive tactic used by most directors, the basic facts concerning SCA’s key policies and prior board decisions are NOT protected by any type of legitimate confidentiality.

Finally, if SCA members would like to stimulate some interesting discussions on the blogs, club forums, or at coffees, encourage candidates to explain why they agree with, disagree with, or prefer to restate my top 10 pledges (listed below).

While these pledges are not the only issues of high concern to our members, they could be used to form an initial framework of long-term policies for the 2011 Board to create the good governance practices that SCA members thought they were going to receive when they purchased their retirement homes.

1. Strictly comply with Nevada Statutes & SCA governing rules
2. Return surplus dues immediately to members to avoid income taxes
3. Honestly implement open & respectful communications with members
4. Fairly enforce community rules and quickly resolve member disputes
5. Ensure dues are cut to the minimum while maintaining quality facilities
6. Replace auditor & attorneys with ones not having conflicts of interest
7. Cut the costs of the community management contract
8. Improve our lifestyle with respectful treatment of all members
9. Require the restaurant facilities to operate on a break-even basis
10. Sponsor monthly surveys via Spirit mailings on member concerns

In addition, I hereby pledge to do everything in my power to stop the board
practice of improperly & illegally conducting unqualified secret board meetings.