One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
HHP Board indecisive on openness
In March, 2023 this blurb began appearing as the final paragraph of “From the President’s Desk” in Plantation Living. A great way to stay reliably informed?
In May, 2023 that blurb was slightly modified — for only two issues. The listed resources were preceded by… As a body Board Members are committed to representing you and are aware of outreach from you by the HHPPOA staff. For the many residents that are new to HHP the following is a quick overview of how to stay current/ informed on what is transpiring. Following issues reverted to the “stay reliably informed” blurb.
The April, 2024 issue revised this message once again as follows:
May, 2024 saw a another revision, seeming to recognize growing discontent with our secret Board of Directors, but again followed by the same listing of the ways they pretend to be accessible to residents.
In our most recent Plantation News there was no introductory platitude, and as we now know the Board will vote tomorrow to close committee meetings except by invitation (remember, meetings of the full Board have always been closed). Here’s what we all need to understand — there is no way to communicate directly to the Board or to an individual Board member without going through management — not by phone, not by letter, not by email. And if you would like to review the minutes of Board meetings today you will find the most recent posting is from April’s meeting where new President Carlton Dallas told other members that his goal is to raise the visibility of the Board….. that it’s important for the Board to show that they are listening and getting more familiar with the community. Apparently Mr. Dallas has had a change of heart over the past two months.
We realize that operating in secret is more convenient and that allowing management to deflect issues is more comfortable for unpaid Board members. But it’s not as if they were involuntarily drafted into this position — they sought this position of responsibility. More importantly, their responsibility is to those who elected them. Perhaps when we review the minutes of tomorrow’s meeting sometime after Labor Day (or Halloween) we’ll find the Board decided to leave committee meetings open (and maybe even announce the dates and locations). We think it’s more likely we’ll find the opposite because in spite of those recent subtle hints in Plantation Living that preceded their standard list of ways you “can” contact the Board the truth seems to be that the Board doesn’t wish to be contacted.