From time to time I get emails from AV residents that want to discuss certain things they see going on in the Village. I love these emails so keep 'em coming. Please read below and let the blog know your thoughts on the subject.
I noticed an interesting item in the Village Crier this week-end, and want to ask the residents' opinion. It seems a Board Member requested that AV to give money to ACE (some environmental group?). The other Board members apparently divided the contribution among line items, and voted to provide the funds. Mind you, these are our funds entrusted to the Board for legal obligations and for the betterment of Arlington Village - specifically, so.
And keeping in mind these are not the personal funds of AV Board members, is no one offended by this precedent? Do we really want Board Members deciding how and when to spend our money on things outside the purview of the Arlington Village Condo Association?
Have some of these people crossed the line of being good stewards of other people's money, acting with ethical fiduciary responsibilities, to a group who will use the power of taxation to fund their own personal projects with the taking of others' money acquired involuntarily?
And does that not make us all complicit; subject to the political whims of those who would abuse their responsibilities in the future?
I cast no aspersions. I merely solicit the opinions of others. And I do so anonymously because I feel the ethical breach is such that self- preservation requires it.
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12 comments:
I don't have the Crier so can't comment on that but I have heard plenty about how we're paying the new management company some outrageous amount of OUR money to send out AV blasts and maintain the web site, because the staff doesn't know how to.
Valid, but that's more an illustration of the incompetence of the staff in that we're still getting a service provided to AV in exchange for financial remuneration.
Might be good for the emailer of this question to attend the board meetings. There may have been a broader discussion than the snippet in the Crier. At least I would hope so.
AV has been a member of ACE for several years. (ACE=Arlingtonians for a Cleaner Environment.) AV got a $750 grant from them of native plants which were planted in the ravine. This year, instead of going for an individual membership ($50) the Board voted to go for an association membership ($100) on the request of board member, Takis.
I see no problem with this.
You're crying over $100?
Takis, thanks for your response, and thank you for clearing up the air on this matter.
What is the outrageous amount we are paying the mgmt company to send out AV blasts?
I didn't know that yahoo charged to send AV emails? Someone is getting ripped off.
I don't have an issue with the ACE membership either.
Owners have expressed very strong interest towards the grounds, trees, environment , in this community. If I remember correctly, this came out as one of the very top items on owners' minds in a survey back in 2004/2005. Upon clarification of what the ACE membership is and gives to the village, I feel it makes sense that AV be a member.
http://www.arlingtonenvironment.org/
I also think it's fair that the original poster asked the question. We should be asking questions of why is AV paying for X,Y or Z. I'm not sure it was fair to infer that the Board had overstepped its responsibilities. I do respect board members for giving their time and trying to make the best decisions they can; they may be wrong at times, and we should be able to have a discussion when they are.
Neither the amount nor the recipient should make a difference. People should be free to volunteer their time and resources where they please or where they think it will do the most good; and they should be free to make the choice not to volunteer as well.
Each board member has that choice while the residents do not.
It shouldn't make a difference whether it's the church of scientology, the KKK, or some county-sponsored environmental group - some residents have decided to join and some have made the decision not to join.
Yet it seems the AV board has made the decision to take the money from those in the latter category and force them to participate.
A big deal? Perhaps not. But I do think it says something about some people's ethical acumen.
"It shouldn't make a difference whether it's the church of scientology, the KKK, or some county-sponsored environmental group"
Really, OK, then, you just sit there with your tin-foil hat.
Perhaps it's time for you to move to a single family home.
What's this, agree with me or you wear a tin-foil hat? Is this where I'm supposed to retort, "yeah, well, you're fat?"
At least mine rhyme.
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