David's Anthem Journal

Welcome, Readers

Welcome to the Anthem Journal, a blog established by David Berman to provide Sun City Anthem residents with an independent, literate, responsible channel for sharing timely news and information about SCA and the immediate world around us. Here you can post your own comments and questions, and you are free to express your (respectful) opinions, whether you agree or disagree with what I or other readers have to say on a subject. If you like the Anthem Journal, consider using the box in the left sidebar to become a subscriber, which will allow you to receive e-mail notices when I've posted new content on the blog. Note: By subscribing to the Anthem Journal, you are agreeing to receive political content and understand that the blog will be used by its owner to express SCA-related political opinions from time to time. (Note: All posts by David to David's Anthem Journal are copyrighted (c) by David Berman and may not be used, in whole or in part, without his permission, except for material quoted from other sources)

Passages: Mary Bruner

 

I am deeply saddened to report on the recent death of my good friend and longtime Sun City Anthem resident Mary Bruner, beloved wife of Karl Bruner, at the age of 88. The couple had been married for 51 years.

 

 

She passed away on September 6, 2024 in a hotel room in Pendleton, Oregon as she and Karl were returning home from a visit with Karl's relatives in Oregon and Western Washington.

The Bruners were among the early residents of Sun City Anthem, having lived here for more than 23 years. A lifelong non-smoker, Mary had COPD and suffered with lung problems for many years. She had spent the last few years connected to an oxygen concentrator to supply her with supplemental oxygen that she could not get from breathing the air on her own.

The story of Mary and Karl in Sun City Anthem is the story of two unassuming and modest volunteers who put their talents and interests to work in a way that helped build the wonderful community we have today. To share some of that history with you is to also bring back memories of other dedicated residents, some of whom are still among us and some who have passed on.

Consider our large and diverse Performing Arts Club, affectionately known as SCAPAC.

As most know, SCAPAC consists of many special-interest groups that allow its members to practice and perform in areas of the performing arts that include singing, choir, comedy, dancing, story-telling and much more.

But that's not how it started out.

It began as an Organ Club, with a local music store loaning an organ to the club members and giving them lessons.

Karl's recollection is that the Organ Club president was Barry Friedman, who joined with Mary and several others, including Lois Krashin, Andrea Berman, Don Mazer, Nicole Duffel, Yvonne Cloutier and Hal Shaw, to convert the Organ Club to SCAPAC.

Several years later, Celia Krom joined with Mary to take leadership of the SCA Opera Lovers Club, whose main activity was gathering to watch opera videos, usually in Freedom Hall. The fairly small number of members were enthusiastic in their love of opera, but Celia and Mary had to alternate presidency of the club due to the reluctance of other members to step up to leadership, and eventually the club dissolved.

Mary was also an enthusiastic member and participant in the activities of the SCA Republican Club.

And she also served on the SCA Election Committee.

Both Mary and Karl took membership in the community seriously. They each took Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, which allowed them to become certified in applying emergency and safety skills in the event of a disaster.

In addition, they each received DCAL certification. DCAL stands for Dedicated Community Association Leader, a designation earned by completing required courses that educate HOA volunteers in the daily operations and issues that are faced within an association, as well as federal, state and local legislation.

A naturalized U.S. citizen, Mary was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England on November 24, 1935. After high school, she immigrated to Utah with a classmate whose sister lived in that state. Then, after returning to England for a short period, she traveled back to Utah and began work in an insurance office.

 

She continued in the insurance field, taking various courses that were related to her work in that business, and she was sworn in as an American in May of 1968.

 

Mary met Karl, who was working for the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CB&I), on a 1971 blind date to attend a concert by the Utah Symphony Orchestra.  After Karl was assigned to a field project in Acushnet, Massachusetts in the summer of 1973,  Mary and two of her roommates drove to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where she and Karl were married on June 9, 1973.

 

Karl's work as an engineer for CB&I turned the couple into world travelers. Following completion of the Acushnet project, Karl was assigned to a company office in New Castle, Delaware, and then, in the years that followed, he worked on projects that took them to  Houston, Texas; Melbourne, Australia; Coral Gables, Florida; Venezuela; Yanbu, Saudia Arabia; Oak Brook, Illinois; Nine Mile Point at Oswego, New York; Kuwait City, Kuwait (when the Iraqi war on Kuwait ended); then finally Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where Karl retired on the last day of 2000 and the two returned to the USA.

 

Retirement didn't dim Mary and Karl's appetite for travel. Both while he was working and after retirement, they took several cruises to various parts of the world.

 

It was my honor to know Mary Bruner, as it is my continuing honor to know Karl. I think most of you who might be later arrivals into our community will never know how much the two contributed to making Sun City Anthem the special place it is. Even though you may not have known them, you will honor Mary's memory by asking yourself how you might contribute to this place we love, and then by doing what you can to share your talents with the rest of us.

 

2025 Social Security Increase Announced

The Social Security Administration announced today (Oct. 10) that the 2025 cost-of-living adjustment to payments for Social Security and Supplemental Social Security benefits will be 2.5%, the smallest annual hike since 2021. More than 70 million beneficiaries in the two categories will be affected.

The relatively small increase is a reflection of the drop in the inflation rate that has occurred during this year, but it puts the figure back in line with the 20-year average of 2.6% for annual increases.

Most recipients of the modest increase won't see all of it, however, as the contribution for Medicare Part B is projected to increase to $185 per month from this year's $174.70.

 

Monica Larson: A Flawed City Council Candidate

In my previous article, I made the case that Dan Shaw deserves reelection to the Henderson City Council on the basis of his decades of service to Henderson and his vast knowledge and problem-solving skills that have contributed so much to our sprawling, fast-growing city.

Dan is a fiscal hawk who helps preserve Henderson's strong financial standing by making sure all proposed expenditures are reasonable and justified.

In this article, I will seek to make the case that Shaw’s opponent, Dr. Monica Larson, is demonstrably unqualified for the office she seeks. In fact, I hope that after reading what I have to share with you, you may agree with my opinion that there are many people here in Sun City Anthem who may be better qualified for City Council than she is.

I am certain you are about to learn some things about Dr. Larson that you absolutely did not know about her. In that regard, I want to assure you that I have not compromised my commitment to provide you, my readers, with facts, not rumors, and with information based on solid research.

As an attorney (retired), I know where to go in order to learn things in the public domain about individuals if one knows how and where to find them, and I stand fully behind everything you will read in this article.

The Monica Larson I have come to know is probably not the person she would want you to know. And if you have a favorable opinion of her, ask yourself this question: What do you really know about her?

----------

It was my very first encounter with Dr. Larson, one that did not go well, that sent me on the path of wanting to learn more about her.

The occasion was the July 17 monthly meeting of the Sun City Anthem Democrats Club. Like its counterpart SCA political club, these meetings usually feature guest speakers and, especially during election periods, brief comments from various candidates for office.

The featured speaker at the July meeting was former Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, and Monica Larson was one of the candidates who briefly addressed the large audience before he spoke.

I should remind you at this point that the election for Henderson City Council is nonpartisan, the candidates running without a party label. For the record, though, I note that Dan Shaw is a lifelong Republican. Living in California, Dr. Larson was a registered Democrat. She registered as a nonpartisan (independent) after moving to Nevada, and then switched her registration more recently to Republican. As a friend put it to me, she appears to be "a Republican of convenience."

I was moderator for the Q&A session with Steve Sisolak after he spoke, collecting questions on cards from the club members in attendance and organizing them in order to ask the questions of the former governor.

The Q&A session was for the club members to ask their questions, not for the visiting candidates who had spoken to the audience earlier in the meeting.

As you’ll recall from my prior article, one of Dr. Larson’s major campaign issues is her false accusation that Councilman Dan Shaw is a legal resident of Utah and is not a bona fide Henderson resident, a charge I believe I have dispensed with.

While the Q&A session was underway, Dr. Larson wrote out a question and handed it to a club member sitting at her table, asking her to walk the question up to me as if it came from that club member.

This is the question Dr. Larson wanted me to ask Steve Sisolak:

I had observed Dr. Larson giving the piece of paper to the club member who then walked it up to me. Not only was I not going to ask Gov. Sisolak such a loaded question, but I also knew it was improper for a non-member guest in the room to be asking questions at all.

While Sisolak was still speaking, I walked over to Dr. Larson’s table and whispered to her that I’d like her to stick around after the meeting so we could talk.

The meeting concluded soon after this, and I went to sit at Dr. Larson’s table while the room emptied.

I tried to explain to her that the question she wanted me to ask was improper, but she stood up, would not sit down, angrily said she knew me, and accused me of refusing to ask her question because I was a shill for Dan Shaw. Then she walked quickly out of the room.

(I learned only later that she probably knew who I was because she was in the audience when I spoke to the City Council a few months earlier about the desirability of including a performing arts center on the soon-to-be-developed Fiesta site).

This angry outburst from a candidate for public office, speaking to a prospective constituent, left me stunned and, I must admit, more than a little upset. So I decided I needed to learn everything I could about Dr. Larson, and that is what I’m about to share with you.

Let me say, first and foremost, that I refer to her throughout as “Dr. Larson” because it is a fact that she holds a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, so she deserves to be addressed with that title out of respect.

But I must add this caveat, and you can evaluate it as you see fit:

The institution that granted her this degree was The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles. Around the time she received her degree, the Chicago Tribune reported that the school lacked proper accreditation and was being sued by past students for being a “Degree Mill.”

From the Tribune article: “The LA campus’ doctoral program was not accredited by the APA (American Psychological Association), meaning its graduates would face significant professional obstacles such as being ineligible for licensure in some states and disqualified from working for many federal agencies.”

In looking at business filings for Dr. Larson, alone or with her husband and another person, I found that she has been a principal of eight different small businesses that were either suspended or dissolved without having actually done any business. – I hasten to note that this is not necessarily evidence of any malfeasance, but merely is just something to take for what it’s worth.

Unfortunately, there is more in Dr. Larson’s history that doesn’t paint a pretty picture, and it makes me wonder how her past "experience" would make her suitable for overseeing Henderson's finances as a member of the City Council.

Alone or jointly with her husband, she has had three personal bankruptcies. In one of the bankruptcies, she reported $8,950 of assets and $340,411 of liabilities which included $136,300 of unpaid taxes, $103,660 of student loans, and about $100,000 of credit card and other debt.

In California, she was the subject of a $6,902.92 federal tax lien, and I found no record of this lien ever being satisfied.

All in all, she was the subject of four federal tax liens, one state tax lien, and one civil judgment. One of the judgments is called an “Unlawful Detainer Judgment,” which is usually associated with an eviction for unpaid rent or some other claim made by a landlord.

I have the details on all of the above and more, but I’ll spare you from being bored with them.There are also other concerning things I found in her history, including a lawsuit against a former employer, but I am refraining from listing those items because I wasn't able to track down all the details.

Is it possible that Dr. Larson moved to Nevada ꟷshe lives in Inspiradaꟷ less than two years ago simply because she wanted to turn the page and make a new start? I have no way of knowing.

In response to candidate interviews and related filings, Dr. Larson, noting that she is a relatively recent state resident, said she started attending City Council meetings earlier this year because she wanted to learn all about Henderson and its management. That’s a worthy goal indeed, but is she ready to assume a stewardship role in our large and complex city? I guess that’s for you to decide.

In addition to making the phony issue of Dan Shaw’s residency a pillar of her election campaign, she insists that the major issue confronting Henderson is a rampant increase in crime. Crime is a factor everywhere, but I certainly don’t think it is an unusual threat to Henderson above all else. In fact, a Forbes Magazine article several months ago listed Henderson as the second safest large city ꟷmore than 300,000 populationꟷ in America, trailing only Irvine, California. And I think most SCA residents understand that our community is even safer than the city as a whole, thanks in large part to our dedicated Community Neighborhood Watch program.

In case you haven’t met her, here are some Playboy-style photos she shared on Facebook, under the title "To Sexy For My Page," that have since been deleted:

 

For Henderson City Council: Dan Shaw

Many years ago, longtime SCA residents may remember, a resident named Douglas Hoffman was convicted of cutting down or poisoning more than 500 trees in Sun City Anthem, a loss to the developer of nearly a quarter million dollars.

It became widely known as "The Anthem Tree-Cutter Case."

Hoffman, about 60 years old, had no prior record. But despite his previous clean slate, the judge in the case, Donald Mosley, took the matter seriously enough to sentence Hoffman to prison. Impressed by the Judge's understanding of the gravity of Hoffman's acts, which traumatized SCA for many months while destroyed trees were discovered on almost a daily basis, I published an endorsement of Judge Mosley when he ran —successfully— for reelection.

This was the ONLY TIME I have ever used this blog to issue an endorsement in any election outside of our own SCA Board elections.

Until today, when I am doing so for just the second time.

I am pleased to heartily endorse the reelection of our Henderson City Councilman, Dan Shaw. I am doing so not just because I believe Councilman Shaw deserves reelection, which he does, but also because I believe his opponent, Monica Larson, is singularly unqualified.

In this article, which I hope you will take time to read carefully and share with your contacts, I will explain why Dan Shaw is worthy of our support. In a second article, I will explain why I believe his opponent is not worthy of election.

In general, senior citizens vote in larger percentages than the voting population as a whole, and this has always been the case with the voters of Sun City Anthem. We take voting seriously up here, as I am certain most of you agree.

But there is something new that will make our votes more important, and more influential, than ever before: Thanks to a ballot initiative passed two years ago, our city councilors will no longer be elected on a city-wide, at-large basis.

When Dan Shaw was last elected to represent Council Ward 2, which includes Sun City Anthem, all Henderson voters, no matter where in the city they lived, were able to cast votes for "our" councilor.

But now, as a result of the successful ballot initiative, only the voters of the respective wards will be able to vote for the councilors who will represent them. So it is ONLY the voters of Ward 2 who will elect our Councilor. This means, obviously, that the high-percentage voters of Sun City Anthem will be VERY influential in determining the outcome, perhaps literally being the factor that determines the winner and the loser.

Here is why Dan Shaw has served us well and should be reelected:

Dan has lived and worked in Henderson for 40 years.

I repeat: 40 years!

He pays his property taxes here.

He is registered to vote here.

His driver’s license is a Nevada license.

But his opponent has accused him of being a fake Henderson resident who actually lives in Utah.

She says this because Dan owns ranch land in Utah, where his family has owned property for generations, and he spends time there when he can get away from the heat and the responsibilities of his Council job.

In fact, you could say Dan is a true son of the West, for he has been involved in rodeo most of his life. Even today, he still competes in team roping events.

So the simple fact is that the accusation leveled against him by his opponent, that he is not a Henderson resident, is completely false.

Here is a partial list of Dan Shaw’s activities and accomplishments benefiting Henderson and Southern Nevada:

• Member of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority
• Member of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition
• Former Chair of the Henderson Planning Commission
• Former Chair of the Henderson Parks and Recreation Board
• Winner of the Citizen Planner Award for leadership on quality of life issues
• Winner of the Nevada Outstanding Citizen Award for leadership on parks and recreation
• Former board member of the Nevada State University Foundation
• Launched Henderson’s Workforce Housing Committee
• Played a leadership role in developing Henderson’s Community Education Advisory Board
  
  

I wish I could give you a list of the contributions Dan’s election opponent has made to our community, but unfortunately I can’t because she has lived in Nevada, and Henderson, for less than two years.

Though no elected official is perfect 100 percent of the time, I am deeply appreciative of the efforts Dan Shaw has made to engage with our community. On several occasions, I have attended meet-up sessions he has held at Liberty Center to answer questions from dozens of our residents and give updates on area developments. And only a few weeks ago, he rented out Yorktown Grill for a morning meet-up over light refreshments with our residents.

Dan knows that our community takes an intense interest in construction activity and related developments in our area, as well as elsewhere in Henderson. He can’t always break free to attend our afternoon SCA Board meetings, so in order to keep us fully informed, he hired former Henderson Councilwoman Gerri Schroder to work with him in compiling a thorough report for delivery every few months at our Board meetings.

When I say “a thorough report,” I mean it. If you click on this link, for example, you can read Dan’s July report that I published on this blog:

I first got to know Dan Shaw on a personal level several years ago when he participated in a City of Henderson showcase program in the ballroom at Anthem Center. I approached him to express the interest of some residents who were concerned about traffic congestion at the top of Eastern Ave. where it meets Anthem Drive, suggesting that constructing a roundabout —we easterners would call it a rotary— might alleviate the problem.

“As soon as this meeting ends,” Dan said, “why don’t you take me out to that location and show it to me?” So we drove over there and discussed the situation, with the result that Dan started a process that involved our SCA leadership and City of Henderson engineers. The result was that building a roundabout was deemed unfeasible for several reasons, but it was the attention to the issue by Dan Shaw that marked him for me as an excellent public servant.

More recently, regarding a subject close to my heart, Dan is playing a major role in helping to assure that future construction on the former Henderson Fiesta site will include a performing arts center so that our wonderful Henderson Symphony Orchestra and other cultural activities can finally have a permanent home.

Despite all the positive things I’ve written above about Dan Shaw, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t evaluating him through rose-colored glasses, so I reached out to two prominent people I know and trust to ask for their opinions about him.

As a result, I’m pleased to share the following comments I received from former Henderson Mayor Debra March and former Henderson Planning Commission Chair Michael Campbell.

Debra March writes:

“I have worked closely with Councilman Dan Shaw for over 25 years. Before his appointment to City Council in 2017, Councilman Shaw served as chair of the Clark County Planning Commission. He also served as chair of the City of Henderson Planning Commission from July 1999 to June 2010, during which time the city’s master plans were revised and the city’s Development Services section was implemented. In addition, he served as a member and chair of the city’s Parks and Recreation Board from July 1987 to June 1999, helping to pass a voter-approved, tax-neutral bond which led to the development of several parks and facilities including the Downtown Recreation Center, Henderson Multigenerational Center, Henderson Pavilion, Mission Hills Park, and Russell Road Sports. He is a big part of why Henderson is so successful, and we need Dan’s experience and leadership back on the City Council."

Michael Campbell writes:

“I’ve been a Ward II Resident since 2002, and I am proud and excited to support Dan for reelection.

His accomplishments are too many to count, and he has always been an advocate for Sun City Anthem.

Consider his many years as Chair of Parks and Recreation. When you look around or drive by a park, that was Dan’s vision.

A big-picture thinker, he understands the City’s needs. Not just planning, but budgets and the demands for balance.

When I was nominated and elected by then City Councilwoman March for Ward II Planning Commissioner, Dan was the Chairman. He was most helpful with the new appointees, including me. When complicated agenda items came to the Commission during my 14 years as a member and chairman, I would ask myself, how might this have been addressed by Dan?

Councilman Shaw represents the City of Henderson on the boards of directors of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority and Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, and he is an alternate member of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. In addition, he serves on the City of Henderson Audit Committee and as the council representative to the Henderson Planning Commission. He is a no-nonsense, get-to-the-root-of-the-matter Councilman. He has earned and deserves another four years to help make the City’s vision complete.”

A final note: I picked up a piece of Dan Shaw's campaign literature, at the bottom of which was a local phone number prefaced by the words, "Personal Phone."

I called the number.

Dan answered on the second ring.

Thank you for reading this. If you agree with me on the reasons Dan Shaw deserves reelection, please forward this article to all your friends. You've heard the expression, "Your vote counts." It really does count if we are to continue receiving quality representation. It would be a shame if we were to lose the wealth of experience and dedication Dan brings to the job.

In the next article, I will tell you about my first personal interaction with candidate Monica Larson and what I have learned about her since that occasion.

A Personal Message From Bruce Stanley

Dear Readers: I think the community was greatly surprised when SCA Board of Directors member Bruce Stanley resigned from the Board prior to the September 26 Board meeting. Well along in the second year of his two-year term, Bruce just missed being elected Board president when the 2024-25 Board was seated in May, and my opinion is that he was a highly regarded SCA director.

In the wake of his resignation, Mr. Stanley has written an extensive commentary that he has asked me to share with our readers, something I am happy to do not just for him, but also for any community leader who requests space on this blog.

Bruce Stanley's statement follows, unedited by me except for a few minor tweaks to assure consistency of style.

 

 

Notes from an SCA insider 

My resignation

I resigned from the Board of Directors last Wednesday night out of absolute frustration with current Board membership. The items on the agenda for the next day’s Board meeting did not represent BAIs  (Board Action Items) that I could support. The level of dysfunction, unprofessionalism, and poor decision-making is inexcusable. They are certainly not in the best interests of our community. We simply can’t achieve anything constructive. 

The Board of Directors elected a brand-new Board member as president.  He is also a relatively new resident (2 or 3 years maybe). This was ill advised. The feeling was that the community needed new blood in leadership. The Board had to wait around during his learning curve and the whole community has suffered.

I appreciate Donna Griffith’s willingness to take the reins and provide the leadership and focus we have lacked. I will continue to provide my input to her when asked. I would appreciate all of you providing constructive input as well.

Since I never had a chance to write a President’s Report, I am taking advantage of David’s offer to publish a parting message regarding relevant topics.

The Restaurant

The restaurant re-opening was carried out by a small group of people who opened a restaurant that they wanted and not what the residents wanted.  It’s obvious.  Now a small group of homeowners, fewer than 200 (214 would be 3%) want to shut it down. Most homeowners, want changes made so that the restaurant more closely aligns with what they want at hopefully a lower subsidy.

We have known for a year that the restaurant’s problems were not cost-related. Their expenses are within budget. When you walk past the restaurant, and it is empty, you don’t need an MBA or a detailed financial analysis to know we are losing money.  If you walk past the restaurant and it is busy, we may still be losing money, but the restaurant is meeting the needs of community members.

In my opinion, the 180-day notice of contract cancellation with WHG (Western Hospitality Group) is disingenuous and halfhearted, given that over the last 5 months the Board has met with (WHG CEO) Bobby Heath, regarding changes to the restaurant, just once during that time: September 12^th for one hour.  It’s reasonable for our constituents to question the Board’s sincerity in pursuing changes. There remains a belief among several Board members that playing hardball with WHG is a viable negotiating strategy,  and that negotiating one on one is the best approach.  Absolutely not!!

I’ve met and talked with Bobby Heath on several occasions, and I believe that there is a 50/50 chance that WHG will walk away from the Yorktown Grill.  Finding a firm willing to take on our restaurant has been a monumental task for years.

The key to our restaurant’s success is innovation and experimentation. For example, mornings are busy times at the Anthem Center. Fitness opens at 6 a.m. and the place is packed. Committees, clubs and residents are active. When I was on the Facilities & Landscaping Committee, we regularly met at Buckman’s for a pre-meeting because our restaurant was closed (non-existent). Today, that remains true because the restaurant does not open until 11 a.m. People keep asking about reopening the coffee corner. Here’s an idea, open the restaurant bar in the morning and serve coffee and pastries.  We will still lose money but at least we would be meeting community needs.

If it doesn’t work, try something else.  We really don’t need to cancel the contract to make these changes.

Anthem Community Council (ACC)

SCA pays ACC $1.3 million per year for lighting and landscaping services on the beltway ($181 per homeowner). That’s way more than the restaurant subsidy and is our second largest expense next to payroll.

Last January, our auditors requested an itemization of how that money was being spent. I don’t believe that request was ever fulfilled. We had our attorney, Adam Clarkson, send a demand letter for audited financial statements and related documents. We did this because asking them politely was not working.

They have graciously agreed to keep our assessment the same for 2025. Good, because last year’s increase was enormous. We still have little idea as to how that money is spent or the future plans for the monies collected.

Bloated Payroll

It’s true that there have been significant increases in our payroll costs over the past several years, with 2018 commonly mentioned as a benchmark year. Metrics and dashboards are important management tools. However, there is an implied assumption that we were properly staffed and organized for success in 2018. We were not. We missed numerous key positions. Beginning in 2024, those positions have been filled. In my professional opinion we are much closer to having a solid reference point going forward. 

We’ve tried to keep our compensation at market rate. In the 2025 budget we raised the SCA minimum wage to $18.00 per hour which was necessary to reduce our turnover and improve the numbers in our recruiting pools.

That said, the Board has agreed that we need to develop processes, perform a thorough review of our organization, staffing chart, and compensation plans to ensure that we are operating as efficiently as possible and not overspending. This is likely to be done by a third party.

Staff & processes

For many years SCA has been managing people and not processes. Last year, as rumors swirled around SCA that our chief operating officer would be fired by the Board, there were staff members who would say they would quit if that occurred. That is not the kind of culture we want to promote. Developing and maintaining processes is the sign of a mature organization. Managing processes is the operational model that SCA needs to move to. For the record, Sandy Seddon resigned. She was not fired.

Projects

SCA projects lack discipline from the Board on down.  

• Poorly scoped projects cost the community time and money. In the real world, project planning can often take longer than the project itself.
• Overloaded staff are left to fill in the blanks.
• Projects started before proper execution planning lead to projects that were planned to take 6 months instead taking 2 years or more. The longer a project takes, the more it costs.
• Projects need to describe specific deliverables, rationale, and benefits.
• Most projects have no budget or detailed project plan.
• Serious time-consuming obstacles are discovered after projects start.

I appreciate the support I have received over the years from many SCA homeowners. I am disappointed but moving on.

Bruce Stanley

Former SCA Board Member

A VERY Important Event

The Sun City Anthem Lifelong Learning Club invites all residents to attend a very important presentation on Tuesday, October 1, starting at 10 a.m. in the Delaware Room at Anthem Center.

 

 

THE NEVADA DONOR NETWORK

presented by

SAMANTHA SAVALLI

Every day, approximately 20 people die while waiting for donated organs. Samantha Savalli will address some of the major misconceptions about being a living donor and provide valuable information about the Nevada Donor Network and its mission.

This is a unique opportunity to learn more about the critical need for organ donors and how you can make a difference. Please consider attending this important and informative event.

 

The Yorktown Grill Conundrum

 

Please read to the bottom for an important member opportunity.

There's an adage among lawyers so common that you may have heard of it:

"When cross-examining a witness, don't ever ask a question for which you don't already know the answer."

SCA Director Rick Ernest must not have been aware of this saying when, early in the Board meeting on September 26, he surveyed the large crowd in Freedom Hall and asked this question:

"Show of hands...how many people don't want a restaurant in Sun City Anthem?"

A number of hands were raised.

Then he asked, "How many people DO want a restaurant here?"

Many more hands were raised, easily dwarfing the number who had answered Rick's first question.

His response, which I've taken verbatim from the video recording of the meeting:

"Oh boy! OK, never mind. That wasn't as easy as I thought."

What I believe Director Ernest thought, perhaps due to the urgings of another blogger to his mailing list that they show up to protest the restaurant, is that such a large audience meant that "the vote" would go the other way, in favor of doing away with the restaurant.

But through thick and thin over the years, through numerous public meetings and surveys, that has never been the outcome. Whenever the community has been asked if it wants a restaurant, YES always outweighs NO.

That's the easy part. The hard part, the really hard part, is this: How do we make it work when no one disputes that over its first year of operations under the contracted management, Yorktown Grill is losing much more money than projected?

Yorktown Grill was the main theme throughout the September 26 Board meeting. While the 2025 budget and other important matters were on the agenda and will receive my attention in subsequent articles, restaurant matters dominated the meeting, from the early Directors' Comments period, to the first Member Comments period, then through formal Board votes, all the way to the end with the second and final Member Comments Period.

Including repeated comments by several members at the microphone, there were about 20 public comments addressing various restaurant issues.

Five directors participated in the meeting, with one Board vacancy due to the resignation of Bruce Stanley that morning and the vacation-related absence of Vice President Barry Rubinson. Serving as Acting President, Donna Griffith conducted the meeting.

The Board voted unanimously to reject the proposed Yorktown Grill 2025 budget and business plan submitted by restaurant operator Western Hospitality Group (WHG). In explaining the vote, Board Treasurer Forrest Quinn said the documents failed to meet required criteria and were vague in documenting significant elements of the budget and plan.

The Board also voted to send a 180-day termination notice to WHG while, at the same time, voting to engage in contract discussions with WHG and possibly with other entities for providing food services related to the Anthem Center facilities.

Without exception, the directors expressed, in one way or another, their desire to not close the restaurant while seeking to work out a solution.

Here is something this reporter found very interesting: Despite all the comments from members and directors, no one criticized Yorktown Grill's prices.

No one criticized the food to any degree, other than some comments about uneven quality.

No one criticized the current level of service, which this reporter personally believes has greatly improved since Yorktown Grill opened for business.

I believe the essence of the problem was capsulized in this factual observation from Treasurer Forrest Quinn: Yorktown Grill needs to do an average of 200 covers a day to meet or exceed its financial goals, but is currently averaging only about 110 covers.

This was the issue that was hammered home a number of times by members at the microphone. The failure seems to be one of marketing, and speaker after speaker cited specific shortcomings, things that could be done but they believe are not being done, potential PR and marketing steps that are being glossed over and/or ignored.

An important sea change may be in the making, though it is too early to tell for sure.

This is what I mean:

As with many other subjects in the past, speakers at the Board meeting, with some actual or implied agreement from several directors, asserted that a community of our size is undoubtedly blessed with residents who have the kind of backgrounds in public relations, marketing, restaurant work, etc., that would lend themselves to strategic planning related to increasing restaurant patronage.

These would NOT be people who would try to run the restaurant per se, but rather would research, develop and propose programs with the ultimate goal of building a clientele that would make the restaurant successful going forward.

Some directors have said, in the past, that "We don't want to tell WHG how to do its job." That may be mostly true, but as one member —me— said at the microphone, it is quite common for companies that produce and sell products and services to retain outside consultants who specialize in telling them how to market their products.

These are just a few of the subjects a resident advisory group, under the oversight of the SCA Board, might be able to address with more clarity than WHG:

• Selling the restaurant into the adjacent Anthem communities
• Further development of the customer mailing list
• Devising special promotions along the lines of the current trivia nights, wine dinners, etc.
• Taking advantage of the attractiveness of televised sporting events
• Examining how to "possibly" work some sort of catering program into the mix
• Proposing initiatives for dining incentives and building repeat business

This is just the tip of the iceberg. But an advisory group would be able to conduct meetings, do research and produce reports for Board consideration.

Here's the really good news:

Acting Board President Donna Griffith said at the meeting that she's inviting any residents who would like to participate in such a project to contact her with their information, and she is allowing me to do the same on her behalf.

----------

If you believe you have the background and desire to make our restaurant more successful with your ideas and are interested in putting your skills to work in a teamwork atmosphere with others who feel the same, send the following information about yourself to me, [email protected]:

Your Name

Your Village

Your Phone Number

Your Email Address

An indication of whether you would be able to participate in Zoom meetings.

A statement describing your qualifications for the project and your related professional experience.

 

A note to the resident or any residents who believe SCA doesn't need a restaurant because Buckman's is just down the street: Take a look at the Revere information on Page 65 of your October Spirit magazine.

Buckman's is closed to the public for dinner on 17 dates during October. That's more than half the days in the month.

 

 

 

 

A Board Member Resigns

There was a large audience in attendance at the September 26 monthly Sun City Anthem Board meeting in Freedom Hall, along with more than 50 people viewing the meeting online.

The substantial attendance was most likely generated by interest in pending Board actions on Yorktown Grill and the 2025 Association budget, but these matters were upstaged by the announcement that Director Bruce Stanley had abruptly resigned, with no reason given.

This leaves the Board with six active members due to the surprise vacancy, and it further leaves them with a decision on whether to fill the vacancy with a homeowner via appointment or special election, or whether to leave the position vacant until the next Board is seated, a full seven months from now.

The subjects of Yorktown Grill and the 2025 budget will be discussed in blog articles over the next day or two.

 

Coming Up this Week

 

Liberty Center Parking Lot Closure

The Liberty Center Parking Lot will be closed this week for tree trimming.

Closure Dates:

• Tuesday, 9/24-Section Closed
• Wednesday, 9/25-Section Closed
• Thursday, 9/26-Section Closed

Click Map for specific details regarding the parking lot closures on each day.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to call the Administration Office at 702-614-5863.

 

On Monday, September 23:

 

 

The SCA Lifelong Learning Club invites all residents to attend the following important program, starting at 7 p.m. in the Delaware Room at Anthem Center:

 

 

PATIENT ADVOCACY

NAVIGATING HEALTHCARE WITH CONFIDENCE

presented by

Holly Sweetin, BSN, RN, CCRN

A Seasoned Private Patient Advocate

 

With her deep understanding of hospital standards of care, Nurse Sweetin is uniquely positioned to empower patients and their families to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system.

Learn essential insights into patient rights, responsibilities, and the critical moments when seeking professional advocacy can make a significant difference. Discover practical strategies for effective communication with healthcare providers and how to advocate for optimal care. Whether you're facing a health challenge yourself or supporting a loved one, this presentation will equip you with valuable knowledge to make informed decisions and ensure your healthcare needs are met.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain confidence in your healthcare journey.

 

On Thursday, September 26:

 

 

The monthly meeting of the SCA BOD will be held on Thursday, September 26 at 1:30 p.m. in Freedom Hall Theatre, Independence Center.

GoToMeeting Information: (GoToMeeting links and codes do not change from one meeting to the next.)
Click GoToMeeting to watch the meeting live.
Listen on your phone: (571) 317-3116
Access Code: 932-637-461

Click BOD Book to review the meeting materials or BOD Meeting Preview for details.

 

 

 

Yard Signs: Your Questions Answered

 

As we move through the political season, I've received a number of questions from readers who want to know whether specific displays of political signs they see on home lots around their neighborhoods are permissible, or whether they violate Sun City Anthem's rules for sign display. And they also want to know the procedures for filing complaints if they believe they've seen violations.

So I thought I'd provide some helpful information.

The SCA Design Guidelines state the rules for what are considered "Campaign or Proclamation Signs."

• Signs related to local, state and federal elections are permitted on home lots in Sun City Anthem. Proclamation signs, as I understand the term, are those that are not related to specific candidates but support issues such as ballot questions. The same rules also apply to elections for the SCA Board of Directors.
   
• Signs may be located within the property of the homeowner advocating for the candidates or issues. In the past, when the question was asked about renters being able to display signs, I believe permission of the "landlord" who owns the property was required.
   
• The maximum size of the signs is 24" x 36" and the signs may be double-sided.
   
• The overall height from finish grade may not exceed 4 feet. If you're wondering about the definition of "finish grade," it means the final level of elevation or surface contour achieved after the completion of construction or landscaping work.
   
  
• Only ONE SIGN per candidate or ballot issue shall be allowed, and more than one candidate's name may be included on a sign. This is the most common question I have received. If there is more than one sign in a yard bearing the name of Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, for example, that would constitute a violation.
   
  
• There is no published "before date" governing when signs may be installed. But, consistent with City of Henderson ordinance, signs must be removed within 10 days after the election in which the office, issue, or ballot question is decided. In practice, this means within 10 days after the official election date.

What to do if you suspect a violation

Preferred method: Alleged violations, including a description of the alleged violations, should be reported to the SCA Compliance Department via email to [email protected]. Photos are not required, although they can be included if the complainant wishes. In any event, a member of the Compliance staff will inspect the property in timely fashion upon receipt of a complaint.

All that is really needed to initate a complaint is the address of the alleged offending property.

Alternatively, complainants can call the Compliance Department at 702-638-5751.

Reporter's Note: If you have questions about this information, you can call the number I've listed immediately above, or you can send your questions to me, [email protected], and I'll try to get you the answers. But do not, under any circumstances, involve me with any specific complaints you have, as I have no authority to intervene or adjudicate.