The three recently elected Sun City Board members were introduced and new Board officers were elected at the January 5 Sun City Board meeting.
The 2022 Sun City Board of Directors gather for a photo before the January 4, 2022 meeting. Standing (L to R): Art Ryder, Barry Newman, Russ Howard. Seated (L to R) Dottie Harrison, Vito Benigno, Marilyn Berendt. Absent from photo: Bob McGouey. (Photo by David Goode/My Sun Day News)
Russ Howard, Barry Newman and Art Ryden were elected to the Board by acclamation in 2021. Marilynn Berendt was elected the 2022 Board President and Dottie Harrison was elected Vice President. Bob Wainscott was elected Treasurer and Art Ryder was elected Secretary. The new officers will be installed at the Associations annual meeting on January 26.
The 2022 Board Liaison assignments to the Advisory Committees were announced by Vito Benigno.
“Marilynn Berendt for the Election Committee. Vito Benigno for the Facilities Committee. Bob McGouey for Finance Committee. Vito Benigno for the Golf Committee. Art Ryden for the Lifestyles Committee. Russ Howard for the Strategic Planning Committee. Barry Newman for the Neighborhood Advisory Committee. Dottie Harrison for the Charter Club Presidents Council.”
Benigno also announced that “as in the past, no Board member is assigned as liaison to either the Modification or Compliance Committees.” He added, “this is done to avoid any potential conflicts of interest issues.”
Several board members commented on the Advisory Committee annual reports.
Dottie Harrison recommended that “all of the committees include a statement of collaboration with the newly created Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.”
Barry Newman said that “the election process needs to attract more candidates” while Benigno added that “there is a need for more volunteers.”
Deanna Loughran added that the committees should “reduce the time requirements of the committees and perhaps have fewer meetings” as a means to attracting more volunteers.
The subject of the community’s Sidewalk Repair Project as a Neighborhood Advisory Committee goal was brought up by Newman when he asked if the “project included both neighborhood and common area sidewalks?” Loughran clarified that the “service walks are the responsibility of the Association.” The example of a common area sidewalk repair near the softball field was given as an example of a common area that is the responsibility of the village.
Loughran did report that “the Village of Huntley repaired more than 700 sidewalk issues in 2021.” She also stated that “the Village is limited by budget funding to the number of sidewalks it can repair in any given year.”
Originally the sidewalk repair project was a temporary NAC assignment. The board voted to make it a permanent NAC assignment going forward.
The board’s 2022 goals were discussed. Berendt said that, as incoming President, her goals included “a review of the By-Laws to insure consistency throughout.” She also wants to “enhance voluntarism through information and education” with the goal of more volunteers.
Benigno commented that one of his goals was also a “document review to ensure agreement and consistency throughout all of the board and community documents.”
Russ Howard, the new Board Liaison to the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, commented that “a five-year strategic plan is key to the future of Sun City.” He continued that “there are several projects, like solar panels for the lodges, that have been stalled and need to be moved ahead.”
In response to the solar panel issue, Loughran said that “the solar panels are still being pursued and that grant applications for free panels have been submitted.”
Newman asked why a group of residents “application for a Solar Panel Special Interest Group had been rejected.” He was informed by Loughran that there “are no applications for SIGs since they are not Charter Clubs.”
She continued, “a group wishing to be a SIG only needs to pay a $10 registration fee and file an informational document with the Association.”
A lengthy discussion focusing on the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee (SPAC for short) concluded with the board agreeing to have a special meeting to define the expectations of the committee, to set the committee’s priorities and to identify funding sources. The meeting was then scheduled for January 12th at 10 a.m. in the Birch Room. The date of the initial SPAC meeting has yet to be determined.
