PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Answer To POA Is Not To Go Away

Have you seen the signs popping up in Bella Vista calling for the demise of the Property Owners Association? It’s the same of refrain - “Go Away, POA.”

I looked closely at one the other day and saw they are a product of Jim Parsons. No surprise there.

I have a number of questions for Parsons and the “not-so-intelligent” beings who follow him in his many quests.

1. If the POA goes away, what do you think happens to your amenities, the golf courses, clubhouses, swimming pools, walking trails, tennis courts and so much more?

2. Who will pay to keep these facilities open, and where will they get the money?

3. What will happen if these amenities are eliminated because the new owner cannot afford to pay for them?

For many, the answer to No. 1 is “the city.” If you believe that, think again.

The city does not have the wherewithal to take over those amenities. And if somebody does not take them over they will close, or otherwise go away.

As to No. 2, let’s say city officials decide they might be able to make a go of it and assume responsibility of the amenities and associated costs (salaries, utilities, insurance, etc.). Where do you think the mayor and the City Council will get the money to pay for them? If you said “increased taxes,” give yourself a pat on the back.

Yes, the millage will have to be raised and the burden for paying for the amenities will be square on the backs of every person in Bella Vista, even those who never use them. Right now, while everybody is assessed a monthly fee by the POA, the ones who do not use the amenities are not otherwise paying for them.

And how much higher do you think the tax rate will be versus any future increase of your monthly assessment from the POA?

Have you given any thought to what will become of Bella Vista should those amenities begin to close and disappear? We will no longer be a destination for retirees and others who choose to live here because of what Bella Vista offers. And what do you think that will do to your property values and tax rate when we become just another city like Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville?

The answer is not a simple “Go Away, POA.” The answer is to give serious consideration to new ways of doing business and keeping our amenities viable. And if that means an increase in the assessments, one that puts more burden on the users rather than everybody, then so be it.

That will be better than hundreds of abandoned acres along U.S. 71 where two golf courses used to be, or hearing people tell stories about the challenges experienced on the “former Highlands Golf Course.”

Wake up, people. It’s time for change, and not Parsons’ style!

DOUGLAS GRANT

Bella Vista