What's the POA Board wishing for?
There's an old saying, "Be careful what you wish for." This holds very true for members of the Bella Vista Property Owners Association as the board of directors searches for a replacement general manager.
As you probably already know, POA GM Tommy Bailey resigned in early September. While we do not know the true reason(s) behind his resignation, it would appear that based on how fast it occurred, he was likely forced out.
Bailey has had his critics throughout his tenure with the POA, many of them found to be without merit. This is not to say he and the board of directors have not made their share of mistakes. After all, they are human.
But in the eight years I have known Bailey, including four years during which time as the editor of the local newspaper, I watched very closely what he and the POA board did, I have never known him to show even the tiniest inkling of impropriety.
I have always found him to be above board and honest, at least as it related to our relationship, both personal and professional.
The Tommy Bailey I know worked hard in the interest of all members of the Bella Vista POA, not just the ones elected to the board. However, he worked at the pleasure of the board, which meant at times he had to take actions with which he didn't necessarily agree. But the board members paid his salary, and a good employee does what his boss says.
There are a multitude of critics out there who believe Bailey was paid too much for what he did. I would challenge them on this. How many of you actually know what he did? How many followed closely his daily routine to know how many hours he put in to making Bella Vista a better place to live? I did. I doubt anybody could do what he did in less time and achieve the same results.
The POA is not unlike other organizations when it comes to the person who leads them. If you want quality, you must pay for quality.
Of course if all you want is a lackey, somebody who will do all your bidding and dirty work for you, say "yes" all the time, and not cost you a lot of money, you can always find that person. And I am afraid if the board is not careful that is exactly what we are going to get in our next GM.
For those who think they know what is happening inside the POA, especially as it pertains to this matter, I suggest you keep your "so-called facts" and opinions to yourself. It does no good to share them.
As for the POA board, I hope the members do their due diligence when it comes to a replacement GM. I hope they investigate the person inside and out. And I hope they are willing to pay for quality. Because at the end of the day, that's what we need.
Douglas Grant
Bella Vista
Editorial on 09/30/2015