Writer Nancy Brennan (Public Viewpoint, March 28) asks us to recall why we moved to Bella Vista. She lists things like the seven lakes and golf courses, marinas, clubhouses, tennis courts and pools and all the rest along with the beautiful natural features of the village. She also mentions low property taxes. So I recalled some of the reasons we relocated here. First both our grown children had moved here mainly due to affordable quality homes. We, too, took advantage of that. We also like the things like the lakes and trails. None of us have an interest in golf, tennis or the pools for the most part, but we don't hold that against those who do. She also mentioned low property taxes. I just checked and we're paying more for taxes here than we did for a more expensive home in a nice area of Fayetteville. When we lived in Fayetteville there were golf courses, pools, tennis courts, trails, clubs, etc., but we didn't pay a separate fee for amenities we didn't use. We paid some in taxes and paid directly for what we did use. That seemed to work well for the residents. Bella Vista is not the remote country retirement village it once was. If you haven't noticed, it's quickly being incorporated into the growing metropolitan area of Northwest Arkansas. Many are moving here for affordable homes in close proximity to good jobs. If you pay attention, then you know that retirement is not going to mean the same for future retirees as it has in the past. Many of us will continue to work for years just to pay the bills and enjoy what we can. Living in a nice area helps. Thinking that Bella Vista can continue along as it has when it was dreamed up just isn't the world we live in now. It can still be a great place to live and play but we have to rethink how that works. We need creative leaders who aren't afraid to negotiate a new deal. We need to consider ways to pay for what we use and let others pay for what they want to use. Maybe make the Country Club private for those who want that atmosphere and manage other amenities as public use like other cities do. Voting down the current (assessment) proposal doesn't mean the end of amenities; it's just a message that we need to come to grips with how Bella Vista has changed and act more like a real city as created by popular vote.
William Clark
Bella Vista
Vote Against POA Increase
Vote "No" to the Property Owners Association's assessment increase. Probably the most important reason to vote "no" was stated by the POA leaders themselves. They claim they will go into debt to the tune of $62.5 million in the next 10 years. To me, that spells mismanagement and bankruptcy. I don't think our judicial system will allow them to stay in business at that rate. This is probably our best avenue to rid ourselves of the POA. Bella Vista has four forms of governmental control. When considering a project we now have to check with the Architectural Control Committee, the POA and Cooper Communities Inc. Our city should be the only reference point. A POA is a nonprofit 501 (c)(4) organization. It was never designed to rule an entire city with a population of more than 26,000 people and the 14th largest city in Arkansas. The time-tested and best form of city government is framed in the policies of our American Municipal Leagues. The question is not about what will happen in the future of Bella Vista, but the question is when it will happen. I believe the sooner we get started, the better. The first thing that needs to happen is to dissolve the POA. Under their own current projections, without our money, they should be going out of business in the next few years. Because we have paid for all of the amenities, they should be turned over to the city's parks and recreation department for $1. An equivalent amount of our monthly assessments should be transferred to the city's parks and recreation department to improve and maintain our amenities. We should concentrate on building a world-class golf course to attract some of the most prestigious golf tournaments to Bella Vista. We need to close at least three existing golf courses to build school buildings and revenue-generating businesses. Some of the remaining golf courses could be leased out to professionally operated golf companies that would lead to competition and perhaps better courses and lower golf fees. The POA advocates claim they need more money to maintain our property values. Imagine how our property values would skyrocket if we had our own school district and young people with school children could move here. Wouldn't Bella Vista's spirit and image improve if we continued to use Riordan Hall as a community center, but wouldn't it be great to have our high school and junior high basketball games played there along with school music and drama events? The Bella Vista Patriots are now toying with the idea of perhaps having an addition to Cooper Elementary built just across the road north of the existing building. What about a temporary high school in the old Cooper building? The Patriots are looking at the prospect of establishing a contract with the Lightning Soccer League to lease a football field when that time comes. Vote "no" and help the POA go away.
Jim Parsons
Bella Vista
Wake Up, Arkansans
I moved to Arkansas a year ago from the Chicago suburbs. It amazes me how people in the red states continue to vote against their own best interests. The top 10 poorest states are all Republican-controlled, right-to-work states. They have the most uninsured, unhealthiest and poorest people. The Waltons continue to pay minimum wage and offer no benefits and laugh all the way to the bank. All native Arkansans seem to worry about are guns, abortion and how to restrict voting rights. Come on people, Wake Up!
Richard Ivnik
Garfield
Springdale Needs More
How does Springdale expect to have more sales tax per resident when Springdale has nothing to offer its residents. You have to have a reason to want to go in a shop and shop. What is downtown? Nothing. You have to go from around your thumb to get to your finger (downtown, because of Emma Ave being cut off). No decent retail shops, no reason really to go downtown. There is never any good entertainment that comes to town, and where would it be held if there were? Not even a good movie theater that we can attend. There are very few nice places to speak of to go out to eat. Everything is in Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville. Until Springdale does something that will keep its people in our town they will keep going to Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville to do their retail shopping. I do. Every time a new business opens up, it is in the outer towns. At least we are getting a Walmart on our side of town (north). We lost Sam's and then look what happened there. Don't throw rocks if you live in glass houses.
Mary Anne Erlinger
Springdale
A Fan Of Gary Smith
I've been meaning to write this paper regarding Gary Smith's work. I always enjoy his columns and look forward to them while I'm drinking my first cup of coffee in the morning. The man has a keen, sometimes hilarious wit, but with a gentle touch. I appreciate his observations about family and life in general. Please keep him around.
Jeff Reddekopp
Fayetteville
Commentary on 04/15/2014