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Membership Meeting Draws Hundreds

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 1, 2009

An almost record number of CA members - about 350 of us - showed up at the quarterly membership meeting on March 25 at Community Hall.

Treasurer Neil Rothfeld reported that although interest rates "have tanked" across the nation and most of the CA funds are in CDs, the money is safe. The CDs are spread out amongst a number of banks and covered by FDIC insurance, and while the budget will be tight for the rest of the year, at the moment he sees no need for cutbacks. He said that sales of 18 homes a month are budgeted for the transfer fee money and while the actual number is slightly below this for the year to date, he thinks the goal will be reached.

It was noted that the Hardship Committee of the Board ran out of money and this is not a fund that uses CA money. It is filled by grants and contributions. There were more deserving applicants this year than in recent memory.

My impression of Rothfeld is that he is a hard-working, responsible, knowledgeable treasurer who is as professional as we can possibly find. He has an eagle's eye for details, and as we all know, the devil is in the details in running any corporation.

The outside auditors were on hand and reported on the year-end CA numbers. They were "fairly stated," according to the firm. Basically this means, our affairs are in order and our staff people are doing a good job under Neil's eye.

President Ed Barnes had a comprehensive report on the state of the CA and a copy may be found in the library. He said that he has invited the new CEO of South Bay Hospital to meet with the membership in the near future and he's awaiting a reply. In the meantime, he said, he feels South Bay is devoting itself to improving its service to the community. Barnes added that the Hospital litigation is still in the courts.

As we've mentioned before in this space, the Golf Course Task Force charged with looking into increasing play here will be heard from today, April 1 at the board workshop. A formal presentation will be made to the board a week from today in the Rollins Theatre at the monthly board meeting.

This is an important meeting for the golf community and I hope there's going to be some meat on those old bones.

Another meeting you shouldn't miss is on Saturday, April 4 at Community Hall when the Community Planning Group under the persistent leadership of Anne Cross presents its final report before going to the County Planning Commission. It's scheduled for 10 a.m. until noon.

The biggest cheers of the night were for Ed Barnes when he announced that letters from the Board are going to our local politicians and the Florida Department of Transportation asking them to make a "safe and legal" golf cart crossing of Route 301 happen. Paul Courter, who has been one of the leaders of the Golf Carts To Wal-Mart committee congratulated Barnes and the Board for finally moving on the issue. Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner was singled out for helping move the matter in Tallahassee.

In my (most humble) opinion, the people (many of good will, I must admit) who want to put a barbed wire fence around SCC are slowly backing off. I remember one of them saying, "Well, if we can go across 301to Wal-Mart in golf carts, other people can come into Sun City in golf carts." Of course, some outsiders do get into Sun City from time to time these days. They usually come by car. Dismantle the machine gun nests, I say.

Dave Brown, who has worked unceasing hours on the County's asinine proposal to force anyone who irrigates from a pond into buying a $700 backflow valve, reported he sees the county backing off for the time being while both it and the state review the need. Verily, we owe Dave Brown a huge vote of thanks.

Bob Black is a journalist and member of the Sun City Center Community Association Board of Directors. The opinions expressed in his column are his and do not reflect the opinion of other board members.

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