WHAT'S THAT AGAIN?

     Lanny, I would love to believe that what you posted is what you truly believe and what could be possible, but there are several issues.
     First of all, what you wrote is vague, very vague indeed. Compromise how and on what, with whom and when. One must have a partner in a relationship and I am sorry to say that though I have reached out often enough with offers of compromise and co-operative work, when that arm was extended, it came back as a stump!
     Compromise demands willing people on both sides of an issue and I am truly sorry to say that there is a missing side here, that of the David Israel camp. Whenever anyone presents a differing opinion, one gets a nasty name, an insult or ridicule or even firing from a "job" in UCO. This does not bode well for compromise. Even when advised to try to behave and control himself, he only manages to do so for approximately a week or two and then it is back to same old same old.
     Let's take a simple idea that even has its own time aged adage. "Waste not, want not." Simple in its concept, is it not? Well, apparently not so for David Israel. We contend that wasting money as UCO has done so many times has brought us to a financial crisis and we now need to keep to an austerity budget.
     Where was that money wasted? Well, over 6 million dollars was tarred over on the roads! If we had done the job right then we would not be in the mess we are in today, knowing that we have to come up with at least $15 million in a few years time to repave. So instead of saving for that, we are told that the money, as it comes in, can be spent on whatever UCO deems worthy. Not really! Waste not, want not. We do not want to be found wanting at the time of need. Or perhaps we do not need to hire armed guards to threaten and control our oh so scary electorate!
      Sudden emergencies, a plethora of them, seem to be the current fad, a wasteful manner in which to administer the Village and its finances. Emergencies are not emergencies if one plans for possibilities, has a contingency fund, or deals with something in its incipient stages, rather than waiting till it gets to crisis proportion. Certainly something that has been known since the road debacle took place, several years ago, does not mean it is a sudden emergency! Those lane lines began to sink into the roadway and fade away from day one, due to the poorly planned and carried out timing. The fact that they got to this point merely illustrates that the present UCO administration does not know how to rate matters or priorities.
     Waste not, want not. That applies to the wishes of WPRF and Eva as well. It is nice to play around with someone else's money but not too healthy for the person or people whose money you are using. We need to put a hold on projects that are not necessary, on projects that are way over the top. We need to do what we must, such as upkeep on pools and the Clubhouse, but really, did we need a mural for $3,000 on top of an overhang in the Clubhouse that can only be seen by one standing on the stairs? Truly, we did not. Nor do we need a multi thousand dollar mural in the indoor pool. We are not a five star hotel. We are a community of people living here in Florida in Act III of our lives, who want a smoothly running, financially sound and stable place to do just that. We are interested in amenities, but not extravagance. There is no multi national corporation paying our expenses, so please, care and thought, before daydreams and whims.
     What we must do is make sure that we get the best in contractors and have the best supervision over them as they work, have airtight contracts with time and penalty clauses, with performance bonds, with anything and everything that will insure us getting the biggest bang for our bucks - and for keeping the rest of the bucks safe.
     One way to insure that safety and to keep sticky fingers away from these funds is to go back to the safe and sound method of delineating the funds, designated funds and their use, NO COMINGLING of funds, no shifting of funds or usage of funds over $1000 without DA approval and strict limitation and definition of emergency. I would like someone to truly explain in logical terms just why a president would have to spend more than $1000 on anything without asking for approval. What would be bought? Put it all into line item budgets and it will be very clear and easy to move ahead during the year.
     But apparently there is something that is sneaky and underhanded here, in progress and/or being planned, for open finances and open financial planning seem to be anathema to this present UCO administration. No budget in the world is down to the last penny but is always a guestimate and a realistic one at that. Unless true emergencies arise, that budget is upheld and used and lived with and by. That is the way of life, the safe way, the proper way, the one that will insure us a future here in the Village.
     So, Lanny, with whom shall we compromise? Is there a name to be published? And remember, compromise means a give and take on all sides, not a unilateral capitulation of one side to the other. It means that there must be talks, not threats. It means there must be a goal of consensus, a use of democracy in action and not the threats of a petty dictator. It means that there must be free and open access to media for all sides of an issue.
     What I suggest you do, Lanny, is go back thru the months and years and count up how many times I have offered this compromise, this talking with each other, and how many times ignored. Then go to your lord and master and ask him why this is so. Then come back and publish a true posting, a realistic posting, on what the situation truly is and what you think can be done about it - but please, no more vague and useless statements that are considerably difficult to understand in their vagueness, useless in this same vague wording, with  no concrete suggestions or proof of possibility. Then, we can do as Joan Rivers wanted to do. "Can we talk?" Yes, we can, if there is a willing partner.

By the way, it is our 48th today. Hard to believe. Lots of hard work but that is what it takes to make a working partnership. Of course, there needs to be a managing partner........Seriously, we are one made from two and pray that the good Lord allows us to continue and we thank Him for our family and friends.