This is a special memo to the 200 Lifestyles Magazine delivery volunteers in Sun City. Starting in December, for four months, you’re all getting a winter vacation.
Concerned over reports of a growing number of winter weather-related injuries to volunteers, the association board of directors voted unanimously September 23 to distribute the December, January, February, and March issues of the magazine to about 5,500 community households by mail. This is an inclement weather change only, board members said.
Magazines for the rest of the year will continue to be delivered by the neighborhood volunteers.
This is the first change in the Lifestyles distribution procedures since the magazine started publishing in 1999. Charges for mailing and handling will amount to almost $2,600 monthly. That translates to about $11,400 annually.
“We know this will affect distribution of about a dozen neighborhood newsletters, which have been inserted manually by volunteers each month, and the distribution of other information to residents,” said Bill Ziletti, who made the motion to approve the change.
Fellow board member Bill Bendick said, “We have to consider the safety issue first, then we can deal with the other, logistical issues.”
The action was recommended by the Commuinications/IT Advisory Committee, which helps oversee the magazine’s production and distribution, and advises the board on changes and problems.
“The delivery of a monthly magazine to residents was started in Arizona in the 1960s,” said Ziletti. “In that area, winter weather isn’t a problem, and volunteer delivery works.”
Injuries, three of which have occurred in Neighborhood 10 in recent years, have led to rising insurance and medical costs, Ziletti added. For insurance purposes, residents that deliver the magazine are considered employees of Sun City, and any injuries suffered during delivery activity are covered by the association’s master workers compensation insurance policies.
“Many options have been discussed, and we believe this one offers the best method for dealing with the problem,” Ziletti said. “We can use the mailing procedure on a month-to-month basis, and can change it or drop it any time. We’ll try this and see how it works.”
He added that another reason driving the decision was the fact that some magazines were delayed during times of bad weather because volunteers sometimes wait until the weather clears or warms up before picking them up from Meadow View Lodge and delivering them.
While this issue was resolved at the September 23 board meeting, another one – the Gatehouse matter – was not. The board again invited residents to present ideas for what to do with the long-vacant facility on Route 47 and Del Webb Boulevard, at the community’s main entrance.
One newly arrived resident said the presence of the building creates a widespread perception by visitors that Sun City is a gated community: “It is an attractive building, why not make it more welcoming by leaving inside lights on and frost the windows, that would look nice at night.”
Another resident suggested it be used as an information center, but there was no further discussion of how that would work. After the meeting, Ziletti said the much discussed “take it down or leave it alone” issue would be referred back to the Facilities Advisory Committee for more study.
On another subject involving committees, the board approved, by a 4-2 vote, a proposal to elevate the status of the Elections Committee from ad hoc (temporary) to full-time advisory. The recommendation was made by Dennis O’Leary, who said that even though the committee meets only part of the year, they have important ongoing responsibilities, should report directly to the board, and have a major role to play in the community’s governance activities. Voting yes were O’Leary, Bill Ziletti, Bill Bendick, and Bill Behrendt, and voting no were Bonnie Bayser and Ken Andersen. Linda Davis was absent.
Bayser said she viewed the elections committee as a subcommittee, and Andersen compared the elections committee to neighborhood committees that are part of the Neighborhood Advisory Council.
