The following is the latest in a series of monthly messages from the RVR Master Association Board, called “A View From the Board.” The messages summarize recent Board decisions and discussions and are designed to bring RVR homeowners up to date on issues important to the community.
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As some of you may know, I was selected to be the next board president at the recent board meeting. I would like to start by thanking Gary Lesser, who served as an exemplary board president over the last year, and co-president before that. His energy, enthusiasm and attention to detail was enviable. I hope he will not be disappointed in his replacement!
The good news is that my job is made easier by the work of our excellent management staff. Ashley Lynch, Jessica Hennessy, Ali Royer, James Maquire and Travis Green are names we should all know. These are the people who make the job of the board easier, while simultaneously improving our community experience.
As board president, I see my primary role as a facilitator of communication throughout the community. We have some big issues before us that will require thoughtful conversation, deliberation, debate, and perhaps some heated dialogue. With the right approach, I believe that we will arrive at some conclusions that will ensure a bright path forward for RVR.
This communication and understanding is critical for maintaining our civility and friendships as neighbors. Like most groups, we want to get the future right, while maximizing our aggregate quality of life. Sharing information and ideas is an important part of this.
As an example, everyone is invited to board and committee meetings, and we welcome as much community participation as possible. Transparency is important to us, and we endeavor to share information as it becomes available. The results of a long-range planning survey were recently shared with the community. That is a great example of our commitment to transparency— everyone in the community has a right to that information.
The downside to this transparency is that some people may take data points out of context, leading to misunderstandings and unnecessary concerns. For example, one worry that we heard was that the tennis program would be reduced at RVR. I can tell you first-hand that there is no hidden agenda to reduce the tennis program. In fact, there has been discussion to try to further support it.
We do have a sense that a large percentage of us believe our facilities need to be updated and maintained, preserving and enhancing their usability. We collectively own a lot of common assets that require thoughtful management and maintenance. As we heard at the annual meeting, when a reasonable long-range proposal is ready, all of us will have a chance to review it, provide feedback, and participate in a collective decision-making process. It is my hope that we can embrace that process with excitement for what the future may hold.
We all want the same thing— to make this a place where people love to live! At our core, we are a diverse community and everyone’s opinion matters. Throughout my tenure on the board, I hope to facilitate dialogue to that end.
On behalf of your volunteer RVRMA Board,
Michael Banbury
Board President
