As a single-family homeowner, I almost never read the message from the Association Board President, but this past week I did—and was shocked by the last paragraph of the ABOD president’s message. According to the Board President, the Board directs the DACs who want to put up a menorah to poll the residents of the village and to “do what the majority” wants.
This is patently discriminatory! No one polls residents about putting up Christmas decorations. I’ve been told Cribari rejected a menorah as being “too religious.” What is Christmas if not a sacred religious holiday? What about freedom of expression?
This policy is simply wrong! I call on the ABOD to enlighten itself and change it.
—Arlene Versaw
Publisher’s Comment: Dear Villages Residents, holiday displays, including the Menorah, are a recurring topic of discussion. The Association Board’s position remains that each District decides on decorations based on community preferences, fostering local autonomy and collaboration.
The Association supports inclusivity and encourages residents to work together respectfully on holiday displays. Decisions made by the Board reflect community input and are not rooted in religious bias.
Over the years, the Board has included Jewish directors and members who have contributed to shaping our inclusive policies. Claims of antisemitism are both unwarranted and unproductive to maintaining harmony in our community.
We encourage constructive dialogue and appreciate feedback that helps us balance tradition with inclusivity for all residents.
We all remember the recent multi-hour power outage. Beyond the inconvenience this event exposed a more serious, potentially dangerous, hazard.
A large branch from a eucalyptus tree fell between two condominiums in Cribari. It blocked part of a stairway and sidewalk. As soon as we heard and saw it, we called Security. They passed the message on to Facilities and this is where the problem surfaced. There was no one on-call there for over 48 hours. This left a community our size vulnerable in several ways.
This could have caused a major problem if, in the dark, someone fell over the branch on the steps or walkway. The obvious remedy is a policy change establishing an on-call emergency skeleton staff. The cost is certainly less than a lawsuit for injury or even a fatality that could have been avoided. Shouldn’t management’s motto be Safety First?
—Dr. Jac Fitzenz
Publisher’s Comment: We appreciate the concerns raised regarding the recent power outage and the fallen branch incident. Public Safety and Public Works have established after-hours and emergency protocols, including an after-hours call list. Unfortunately, these procedures were not followed in this instance, and we are addressing the matter internally with additional training and a performance improvement plan for the staff member involved.
While the branch was promptly reported, it was later inspected, confirming it had been moved off the pathway and did not block any home entrances. We acknowledge the delay in addressing the situation and are taking steps to strengthen communication and response processes to ensure timely action in the future.
We remain committed to ensuring safety and improving processes to prevent future delays. Thank you for your feedback and dedication to our community.
