Lively Sun City Board election likely

SUN CITY – Sun City Board of Directors elections have been routine, dull affairs in which about 20% of the residents have participated.

This fall’s election probably will change that, dramatically.

About 90 residents met in the Huntley Park District’s Cosman Center on July 14. They held an organizational meeting and informally formed an election-related activist organization that they identified as “United Residents to Elect Board Candidates.” They did not prepare a platform on Sun City issues, but they probably will in the next few weeks.

They formed three committees – one to draw up questions to be submitted to all candidates during the election campaign early this fall, one to “vet” (evaluate) candidate qualifications and backgrounds, and one to develop and implement a marketing-and-communications program to residents on board-related issues.

The key organizer of the meeting was Dave Rosenfeldt, chairperson of the resident Lifestyle Committee, and President of the Charter Club Presidents Council that coordinates the activities of the community’s 44 Charter Clubs. Rosenfeldt presided at the meeting, assisted by Eileen Prus. In an email announcing the meeting, and in statements at the meeting itself, the group’s intentions were made clear.

“We want to elect board members who will be responsive to the community, transparent, and who will listen to the residents,” Rosenfeldt said.

In an email to residents on July 7, Rosenfeldt said, “This is an organizational meeting to deal with the ongoing rental problem and prepare ourselves to get three residents elected to the board that are responsive to our community. Please feel free to invite any neighbors or friends that are interested in helping to preserve our lifestyle and community.”

It is also clear that triggering this group’s formation is the community association’s room rental policy and the board’s implementation of it this past spring in connection with the Community Christian Fellowship. The religious organization rented the Oak/Elm Room of Meadow View Lodge for 90 days on Sunday mornings to conduct religious services. Many residents objected, saying such a long-term rental was unfair to Sun City charter clubs, special interest groups, and neighborhoods. Some residents accused the board of not discussing the issue thoroughly enough in open meetings.

 The fellowship’s rental agreement was terminated after 90 days, after several controversial board meetings, and the group now is meeting at a location outside of Sun City.

“We pushed them (the board) to the wall, and they finally voted to do what we wanted,” Rosenfeldt said at the July 14 meeting. “We want this kind of responsiveness to be ongoing.”

Residents said the fellowship was an “outside” group, even though its pastor, Rev. Perry Martin, is a Sun City resident and the church was designed for, and attended by, community residents.

Some residents at the meeting spoke for development of better definitions and regulations for special interest groups, and for development of new and better policies regarding “business groups” that aren’t charter groups or neighborhood organizations. While there was no criticism of individual board members, there was considerable criticism of the board as a group. Suggestions for change included quicker approval and availability of board meeting minutes, more sharing of financial information, publishing of agendas before board meetings, and more aggressive and frequent communications to residents about major issues.

During this rental policy dialog, board members defended their actions. They repeatedly said the fellowship was granted meeting space because there was no prohibition against it in any of the association’s rules and regulations. They also said they publish considerable information on the Sun City website and in the Lifestyles magazine and invite public input at all board meetings. President Bill Ziletti has recently started a Report to Residents column, published regularly in the Board of Directors section of the website. At recent meetings, some residents have said that, while they disagreed with some board actions, they said the board has done nothing wrong and they praised and thanked board members for their volunteer leadership efforts.

The deadline for submittal of nomination packets by candidates for the election is Aug. 5. The balloting will be conducted Oct. 3-18, and residents may vote online or in person at one or both lodges. Three board seats need to be filled in this upcoming election. Current board members whose terms expire at the end of 2011 include Ziletti and members Pat Oakley and Bonnie Bayser, who recently was appointed to fill out the unexpired term of Jerry Kirschner.

Bayser and Ziletti told the Sun Day they planned to be candidates, if their petitions are approved by the association Elections Committee in August. Oakley has completed three terms and is required by association rules to step down.

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