By Bob Bulakowski, United SaddleBrooke
Over the years SaddleBrooke has become a tale of two communities bound by the Reciprocal Use Agreement (RUA) and the common interests of our residents. These twin pillars have overridden the divergent management, policies, and rules of the two HOAs. Should the RUA ever fail to be renewed, or should the two HOAs continue to drift apart, our successful partnership could be rent asunder.
Without cooperation between the two HOAs, the residents will always be destined to suffer a continued sense of community disconnect. Harmony and cooperation, not split personalities, are the expectations when people make SaddleBrooke their home. Striving for that vision is the goal of the United SaddleBrooke organization. The two Boards of Directors (BODs) must justify their joint statement of April 29, 2022, to the entire SaddleBrooke community in which they profess cooperation, now and in the future.
Concerning interdependence, the joint statement signed by Presidents James Daily and Terese Butler states :
“It is the vision of both Boards to continue to build a Framework that future boards will expand over time that will strengthen the bonds and interdependence between both Homeowners Associations. That is our commitment to you, our residents.”
What does this mean? Without publicly defining interdependent cooperation it is essentially an empty vision. The beneficiaries of cooperation are the residents of SaddleBrooke who must be guaranteed interdependent cooperation that extends in perpetuity. Sadly, to date, we have seen little evidence that the Boards are moving in this direction, despite their pledge to do so.
Is it possible to achieve the mutual willingness necessary for cooperation? Can the two BODs engage in extended efforts at cooperation without fear of losing their independence, i.e. their power? I believe they can. The Long Range Planning Committees (LRPC) of each HOA are the ideal groups to start an honest conversation among residents and Board leadership about the benefits of increased cooperation. Consider a jointly commissioned LRPC being assigned to recommend specific areas of inter-Board cooperation. The obvious advantage is the recommendations would be resident-driven, designed from the bottom up, not top-down where prejudice likely gets in the way.
Let’s return SaddleBrooke to the vision of “One Big Happy Family” where the residents can enjoy their lives without the cloak of uncertainty hovering over them.
Visit the United SaddleBrooke website at www.unitedsaddlebrooke.org
In the August Progress on page 11 Generals, there is a full -page ad titled "Dining Trends in 55+ Communities." It highlights Robson developments in Arizona. Under Saddlebrooke three restaurants are highlighted: The Mesquite Grill, the Mountain View Bar & Grill, and The Preserve. There is no mention of HOA1 restaurants: Vistas, Agave, or Roadrunner Grill. I don't know who sponsored the one-page ad, but HOA1 was not included.
As you say.. the residents have spoken on the survey’s sent out. we want more unification between each HOA. The board’s are not listening to what we said.. bottom line. Our housing valves decline as we lose rankings with 55+ communities both Arizona and nationally. Stand up SB residents and tell your boards to come together for the good of all.
Currently there is no long range planning or strategic planning committee in hoa2 and I doubt there ever will be again.
You're right on the mark. Meaningful collaboration for the benefit of all is lip service as a ploy for holding onto their BOD powers. Their actions speak louder than words!