In real cities, you call city hall. In Bella Vista, it’s not so easy: The city, the Property Owners Association and the Architectural Control Committee are in charge.
Navigating these bodies is a quest through inaccurate information and it’s-notmy-job referrals. Although incorporated into a city, the mayor and City Council seem to be trying to fi gure out exactly how to assume the responsibilities that make a city a city, and navigating power struggles.
The POA has the money (our dues) and I often get flak when I say they have done an exceptional job. They get a bad rap, however, since they are often erroneously blamed for what the Architectural Control Committee does. Operating in a vacuum, many, like me, do not even understandwho the ACC is or what they do. Part of the POA?
No. They were formed by Cooper Communities, with the focus “on issues that affect aesthetics, safety and property values” striving to protect the “community style and harmony of design.” They operate under “protective covenants” and their duty is to “conduct reviews and inspections of construction, and investigate and arbitrate with property owners regarding violations” and variances. However, in the absence of a residents’ board, they act more like the Gestapo or The Enforcers engaging in unseemly practices than arbitrators negotiating variances. The spirit of the covenants is lost: I was told “I don’t have time for this!” when trying to negotiate a variance.
The Architectural Control Committee support comesfrom permit fees. Now here is where it gets duplicitous - cities charge permit fees for the same things.
The structure of cities evolved into what it is today because it works: Let’s make the Architectural Control Committee into the planning and zoning department of the city, and the POA into parks and recreation, both with volunteer boards appointed by elected City Council members instead of Cooper’s board over the committee and a paid board over the POA. The city would become the go-to for information and problem solving and our dues become taxes or fees paid to the city.
The employees of the ACC and POA could be absorbed - their experience would be invaluable to a fl edgling city such as ours.
“What about pensions and salaries?” What about it? Wevoted to be a city, so let’s do it right. I do, however, believe it to be a confl ict of interest for civil employees to unionize, and provisions should be made to keep out the unions.
Unlike most, we have everything in place and an opportunity to become a world-class city, but we have suffered paralysis by analysis, power struggles, sensitive toes and personal agendas far too long. If we are to protect our property values and grow, I encourage the newly appointed committee to stubbornly do what is best for the citizens of Bella Vista, be honest, be bold, be swift, and be kind to those relying on their jobs. Let’s build our city on rock and not shifting sand, but, for goodness sake, let’s get it built.
SUE RICHARDSON
Bella Vista
Opinion, Pages 5 on 09/21/2013