Questioning the decision makers: What will the CMP look like
in 3, 5, or 25 years? My best guess, you’ll be hard pressed to find a copy in 5.
Citizens are worried about driving our roads, particularly
at night. And rightly so. The Village was not designed for older people. The
model is terrible. It requires driving on roads that do not meet many of the
safety standards required by municipalities or counties. Golf cart crossings
were put in many dangerous places, again which wouldn’t be allowed by cities or
counties. Besides design issues, our most pressing driving danger is impaired
drivers. Most from alcohol and prescription pain killers. Or a deadly
combination. Add to that impaired eyesight and failing health, and we probably
have an impaired driving rate near 25% after 3pm. At night, the curves and
hilly terrain, masked in darkness, makes for an even more dangerous situation.
(I’m not mentioning deer intentionally. They’ll want to shoot them all).
Everything the manager is pointing us toward is designed to
build a strong corporation, not a strong community. Board members are warned
before being elected to toe-the-line. The proposed vote in November will likely
be designed to strengthen that direction. Committees are expected to nod in
agreement and are a breeding ground for future presidents. We are generally
asked our input after the fact. The manager decides and the board follows along
like a loyal corporate board. It is all coming together, and not in our favor.
My focus has been on running Hot Springs Village like a
municipality, not a corporation. But I’m not so sure we shouldn’t become one.
Officially. A municipality, that is.
Chances for a more reasonable democratic governing body would be much greater,
but of course, not insured in these days and times.
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