SUN CITY – Candidates for the Sun City Community Association Board met on September 10 for a forum in Drendel Ballroom.
Though there are four candidates running for four board positions, an election is mandated by the State of Illinois, so residents will have the chance to vote by mail-in ballot.
CAM Board candidates (L to R) Bill Bendick, Ralph Bergstrom, Jim Van Fleet, and Bob Beaupre discuss Sun City issues at a form in Drendel Hall. (Photo by Mason Souza/Sun Day)
Taking to the stage, incumbents Jim Van Fleet and Ralph Bergstrom, along with newcomers Bob Beaupre and Bill Bendick, answered questions and comments from residents on issues such as transparency, relationships between Sun City and Huntley, and the project to improve the parking lot in front of Prairie Lodge.
Get to know the candidates
Jim Van Fleet
Resident for eight years
Background: Over ten years as laboratory supervisor at BP/Amoco Chemicals in Warrenville, Ill. Chair of Oakhurst North Community Association in Aurora for two-and-a-half years
Sun City involvement: Two years on Transition Governance Committee, two-and-a-half years on original Lifestyles Committee, one year on Elections Committee, six years on Neighborhood Advisory Council, one year on new Lifestyles committee, eight years as neighborhood committee member, N.17
“I want to help ensure that our Sun City lifestyle never diminishes and the cost of this lifestyle remains as reasonable as possible.”
Ralph Bergstrom
Resident for 13 years
Background: 18 years as financial crimes investigator for U.S. Treasury Department, 15 years managing a staff investigating political corruption and multi-million dollar corporations
Sun City involvement: Fitness Committee, Aging in Place Committee, Bike Club, Computer Club, Choral Group, three years in Finance Committee
“My board experience, plus working on the finances and budgets for Sun City, has provided me with a great deal of insight into the current matters impacting our community.”
Bill Bendick
Resident for four years
Background: Environmental engineer, sales manager responsible for 35 states
Sun City involvement: Member of Building and Equipment Committee and chairman of Facilities Advisory Committee
“Recently, I have been surprised by decisions made by the board. I don’t always disagree, but feel we should be better informed about what is being considered.”
Bob Beaupre
Resident for eight years
Background: Owned and operated a landscape design and construction company for over 25 years, helped form Elk Grove Village Park District, worked in private and public education over 30 years, served two three-year terms on board of directors in Sun City, Arizona
Sun City involvement: Member and past president of Angler’s Club, past member and chair of Marketing Committee, past member and chair of Grounds Committee, past member of Website Development Subcommittee, past member of Board Golf Committee, past member of Compliance Committee
“It’s time, I think, to review not the big purchases, but all the little things that may have become habit over the past 10 years, and the finance committee will look at it from that direction this year.”
All candidates agreed that improving communication between the board and residents is critical, but they differed on their methods. Both Van Fleet and Bergstrom noted the proposed digital signage in Prairie and Meadowview Lodges as steps toward a better informed community.
Bendick, who saw the Neighborhood Advisory Council as the most important avenue for communication, stressed that the reception of a message is most important.
“Communications do not take place just because information is sent,” Bendick said. “Communication doesn’t take place until someone receives it, and they’re the one who decides what kind of communication happens.”
When asked how they would manage spending, all candidates complimented the Finance Committee on the job they have done in managing the community budget and reserves. Van Fleet noted that it is them, not the board, who has the biggest impact on the budget.
“The board has very, very little input into the final budget,” he said. “They spend weeks preparing the budget; we spend two days listening to them explain how they got there.”
Bergstrom commended the Finance Committee for the gentle increase in annual assessments over the past twelve years.
“When my wife and I moved here in 1999, our monthly assessment was $103, and this year it’s $132,” he said. “A percentage increase of slightly over two percent. During the same timeframe, Prairie Lodge, Meadow View [Lodge], Meadow View Pool, and Fountain View area in Prairie Lodge had been added amenities.”
Beaupre said that with Pulte closing in on final home sales, he looks forward to stability on assessments.
“It’s time, I think, to review not the big purchases, but all the little things that may have become habit over the past 10 years, and the finance committee will look at it from that direction this year,” he said.
When asked about what type of relationship the board candidates would wish to have with the Huntley Village Board, all candidates said it is important that Sun City residents stay in contact with local government, but Beaupre and Van Fleet stressed it is the obligation of each individual resident – not the board – to do so.
Beaupre, Van Fleet, and Bendick echoed the same sentiment when asked about the relationship between the board and School District 158. Bergstrom advocated for more involvement from the board in this matter.
“I again feel that the executive director with board members should institute a dialogue with school officials in order to discuss issues of common interest and that this information be publicized throughout the community,” he said.
When asked about the board’s transparency and openness with residents, each candidate said there is room to improve.
“We’re working toward that transparency, and I think, Will we be able to get there completely to satisfy everybody in the community? I doubt it. But let us have the opportunity to work toward that goal. That’s a possible, achievable goal,” Bergstrom said.
Bendick expressed a desire to make committee of the whole meetings open to the public.
“When I attend a board meeting, I find it very disturbing that we bring up the topic of the committee of the whole meeting, we approve it, and we move on,” he said. “That’s not very productive, and that doesn’t encourage communication on other meetings.”
A resident presented the topic of the project to renovate the parking lot in front of Prairie Lodge to the board. Her concerns revolved around whether the cost was justified by the parking spaces gained.
Van Fleet addressed these concerns by saying that of the total cost, which Bergstrom said was about $845,000, one-third was going toward adding less than 200 spaces. The project also entails repairing the lot and addressing drainage issues, which are causing the lot to deteriorate faster than it should.
Van Fleet added that when the project is done, the lot will have triple the handicapped spaces and triple the number of golf cart spaces, which are also useable by smart cars. Spaces will be added by converting some diagonal spots to 90-degree spots, and the spots will not be narrowed.
