Jean Totten: A Candidate for Change

The Advocates have extended an invitation to each of the candidates to submit a blog to our readers.  Here is the first of the responders.

RCSC Board of Director Candidate, Jean Totten

I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed and upset I was in February of this year when I asked to be placed on a committee, and our present leadership pointed to my Sun City Advocate badge and said, “That is a conflict of interest.”  I totally disagreed, and I think that you do, too.

 

But because of their uncommon interpretation of conflict of interest, I didn’t want to jeopardize my candidacy so I withdrew from Sun City Advocates. I didn’t want anything to stand in my way. Since then, I’ve also been subjected to two petty and frivolous Incident Reports, perhaps in an effort to discourage me.  One was thrown out, and I have yet to receive a response about the second. I won’t be discouraged!  

 

Del Webb’s vision was of a responsible, self-governed membership; a community best served when it had a voice. Over the years of an aggressive GM, that voice has softened and practically disappeared.  But the energy in this group made the present Board sit up and listen.  The Board majority continued to throw obstacle upon obstacle at us. They don’t want change.  They appear to like the fact that the GM seems to be in charge, and they don’t want to provide oversight. They certainly don’t want the General Membership providing oversight on them. As a candidate running this year, I so want to trust and believe in our Board and our Management, but past actions on the part of both have disappointed and discouraged me to the point that my trust and belief are shattered. 

Sometime between September 2021 and today, you signed up to become a member of a group that simply wants to “Communicate, Educate, and increase Participation” for the members.  Last year, the Advocates spearheaded a drive to accomplish a feat that had not been obtained since 2009: achieve a quorum of 1,250 at an Annual Membership Meeting to enable motions – lawfully presented to the Board – to be heard and voted on. Sadly, the former did not happen.  Because the bylaws were interpreted that the Board is required to examine those motions before they make a decision, the members lost again.

 

I’m running for the Board because I am very, very tired of their actions. It’s time to make changes.  We need a majority presence on the Board that will assure all members will be respected, allow all members to be heard, and be more inclusive to all the members wanting to be involved and help.

Campaigning at the Sundial auditorium the other night, a member/voter asked me, “what are you running for?”  I said one word.  “Change.”  He said, “Bingo!  That’s all I needed to hear. 

 

I hope that you are also ready for change.  I think this group is. This group is not a group of haters or complainers.  This group is a group of doers.  This group is a group that demands answers.  This group is a group who are key to the return of self-governance to the members.

 

I will repeat something that I will say at the second forum:  You might want to wait to vote until after the November Member Board Exchange and “formal” Board meeting.  One can never be sure what might appear on the agenda nor could one anticipate the conversations that might ensue.  Waiting might help you make up your mind as to who to vote for.

 

Thank you for allowing me to offer my views on the upcoming election. As always, the above represents my opinions.  Others may have opinions different from mine.  I urge everyone to study the issues, form and share their own opinions and listen to the opinions of others. 

Jean Totten

jeantotten.iluvsuncity@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/iluvsuncity