August 12, 2021
I tell you, there has been a lot of commentary on Nextdoor SaddleBrooke about the proposed RUA, the Reciprocal Use Agreement that will soon come before the SaddleBrooke TWO residents for a vote. SaddleBrooke ONE residents will not vote on the proposal. I don’t think anyone knows for sure why that is but by the comments on Nextdoor SaddleBrooke I am assuming that HOA 1 knows it has a good thing going. That’s not to speak negatively of HOA 1, it’s just where we SaddleBrookers find ourselves. The RUA was established by Robson Communities very early on. The concept was visionary because he knew that without it the SaddleBrooke community would be incomplete. As one person wrote, “The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.” There were dozens of suggestions and reasons why residents of HOA 2 will vote one way or the other and the idea of merging the two came up several times. I’ll note here that all I’m doing here is writing on what I’ve read on the Nextdoor chat site. I do have my opinion on several topics mentioned, so when it comes up I will say it is my opinion.
Id’ like to focus on the topic of merging HOA 1 and HOA 2 as seen through a resident’s eyes. One participant on the Nextdoor site argued that the “level of disagreement and misinformation” is reason enough to NOT discuss the possibility of a merger. Personally, (and this is my opinion) shutting down a long-term vision does not fit with the original vision that Robson had when the RUA was first created. A counter comment supporting a merger was stated: “Stop the little empire building and fiefdoms, open the books, debts and assets on the table to reconcile, get rid of duplicate functions and dead weight.” I think it cannot, with the proper guidelines and open-ended timeline, be harmful to any resident of HOA 1 or HOA 2 to engage in a merger discussion. Quite frankly, with all things considered, keeping an open mind on this subject can only help to create a better SaddleBrooke for current and future residents. How many of you even knew there were two HOA organizations when you bought your lot or purchased your house? I didn’t! But that was 1996. I will even stretch this a little bit more by suggesting that a group of concerned residents of HOA1 and HOA2 can join together to outline a framework for a future merger. Nothing official, but when the time comes to request a formal “task force” much will already have been done, save the individual HOA’s details. My point is this: we complain that discussions on a merger is a nonstarter then we ignore the concept of informal exploration of the benefits vs risks. Talk about shooting oneself in the foot.
Why would you think merging is met with such visceral attitudes against? Some will agree and perhaps have even said so when they did not get what they wanted or were met with strong objection before finally succeeding. Many requests have been made by residents of both HOA’s with many being categorically rejected for incomprehensible reasons. Dog poop disposal stations strategically placed throughout HOA 1 and HOA 2 is one example from years ago that has recently resurfaced. It gets rejected because nobody wants to empty them and still the complaints of “curb disposal” continues. Who empties the trash in the restrooms, golf course, pools, and other public areas? We seem to be our own worst enemies and it continues as we reject open discussion about merging. The remodel at SaddleBrooke Blvd and Oracle Rd is another issue of contention. A merged HOA would have tempered the accusations that were made from both sides. Pickleball would have one combined HOA to request financial support from and with a greater chance of success in my opinion. So, why? It would be a major undertaking to merge and understandably fearful. Some in position of power will lose their job, some positions will be eliminated and others will be formed. Boards of Directors would need modifications to serve a much larger community. I can’t even begin to understand the legalities of such a daunting task. Let’s not forget that each respective HOA operates differently and the differences in business models would need to be combined into a homogeneous workflow. Then there are egos (we all share in that one) to contend with that once it gets in the way of progress toward the greater good, we have a stalemate leading to nowhere.
To me, it’s not about “my house being better than your house”, but our house should be the best house for all who live in it. Mediocrity is unacceptable, excellence is the goal and we should not be comparing ourselves with each other. We should be comparing ourselves with other communities similar to ours to become the most sought after in Southern Arizona.
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