The Preserve Piranhas Swim Team 2014

As the longest standing homeowners in the Preserve, our family has seen this neighborhood grow from an entire resident Preserve dinner gathering around one family dining room table to the multi filing/ 2 school district beautiful neighborhood we still call home. We have witnessed many growing pains and transitions over the years that were handled in a spirit of community; not everyone "won" but the processes left neighbors feeling valued and cohesive. I am disappointed in the power struggle and passive aggressive approach now occurring in many arenas among the adults of our neighborhood. It is counterproductive to every residents enjoyment of The Preserve and ultimately impacts the value of our homes. The new Swim Team Committee resolution is the most recent example of this power struggle. Please note our kids have not been a members of swim team in 10 years so we are objective without any potential for personal gain or loss. The resolution implies the current team management is broken and needs change. The board needs to specifically list the goals they are trying to achieve and have open forum discussions of the problems it hopes to mitigate so residents can evaluate if it will be more effective than status quo and be able to thoughtfully address the new problems any change inevitably brings. Forming a committee to address these swim team issues is fine but this resolution doesn't actually form a thoughtful, information gathering, proactive committee - it only serves to mandate that the committee members enforce what the board has already decided without input from all the interested residents. There is simply not time for a constructive process to occur before this years swim season. Swim team is the only neighborhood activity that brings kids from multiple different schools and all age groups together in a way that benefits the kids ability to lead, to grow and truly feel bonded to The Preserve. Lets not hold children hostage to the adult politi

The best part of being in this neighborhood is being part of the swim team. That is were I have made lasting friendships, and so have my children. I really can't understand why anyone would not do anything but thank the board. The HOA already has great control. The swim board reported to them frequently. The financial records are open. I was the treasurer of the swim team for several years. I can tell you the swim board acts in the best interest of our neighborhood and children. No finance decision was done without agreement of entire board. Records were kept and sent month to the HOA during the season for review. Independent audits were done. I can not understand the purpose of this intervention. Thank you swim board for a making the Preserve and neighborhood!

To Craig, Ann and the Preserve HOA Board: I really do not understand what you are trying to accomplish with your actions in the latest proposed motion you have attempted to pass other than to hurt this community and undermine the children who participate in our team. It is truly disgraceful leadership to try to make such a significant decision that affects so many residents without holding an open forum for discussion and comment. If there are two or three families who are upset over the team for some reason, have them come to an open forum for discussion rather than taking a radical political action about such a significant element of our community. You have no idea how many hundreds of volunteer hours each season the swim team board and residents of our community commit to this team and how much effort it takes to run this operation. Nor do you obviously appreciate the kind of positive impact it has has on the kids who participate on the team. You only need to read the comments here to see if for yourself. It is very clear that our community does not approve of your actions. Withdraw your proposed resolution and hold a face to face discussion with this entire community at a time that is reasonable and does not affect this season when people have already committed to their family plans and vacations around participation in this valuable community activity. You have never taken any action to publicly explain what issues or problems you have with the swim team that led you to take such a potentially drastic action.

Great program! Let's not mess it up with a bunch of unneeded intervention!,

The swim team gives a large group of kids and parents from each Preserve filing and the surrounding neighborhood a rare and valuable chance to get together a few times during the Spring and early Summer in a social and team-building setting. Those opportunities seem to have dwindled in the past 3-5 years, and losing or limiting another such opportunity is unnecessary and would be disappointing. The Preserve Swim Team board has been doing a great job, is thoughtful and frugal, and selflessly donates its time and energy to make sure that neighborhood kids and parents benefit from team activities. In addition, for the HOA board to take on additional Swim Team duties seems like an activity that would only distract from its really important duties, for instance its oversight of the Preserve’s enormous landscaping budget and activities that are not only extremely expensive for each resident and critical to the neighborhood, but also complicated, prone to being done in a sloppy manner, and requiring of our Board’s attention. As a 15 year resident and a regular user of the pool, I would ask that the status quo be maintained due to the current plan’s success, value, and simplicity. Thanks!

My children are grown and do no participate in the swim team. But I fully support the great benefits that our well run swim team offers to our community. I frankly do not know what any of the fuss is about. It would be very nice if the current elected BOD would explain their position or concerns. Without more information, it just appears to be very poorly thought out.

I love living in the Preserve because it is a family nieghborhood. A swim team is a natural result of a neighborhood with families. I have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years, live directly behind the pool and it never bothered me that our swim team has meets at our pool.

I continue to think about this issue and am deeply troubled by one thing. The lack of due process that has gone in to making this decision. If the Preserve community wants to redirect or re-evaluate our swim program, that is fine. But it is up to the community to do that and up to the community to voice that and up to the community to vote on it. The board of the HOA are supposed to be representatives of the community. They do not have the authority or the right to mandate changes without getting the full input from the community. My family has been involved with the swim team for nearly 20 years. Our point of view was never asked for, nor ever considered. In my opinion, to unilaterally decide in mid-Febrauary for substantive changes to a community program that begins in less than 90 days is not due process. Hold a community forum to discuss what people want for the swim team. Gather a representative sample of our nearly 400 residents. Allow everyone, not just a select few, to speak their minds. Once that has been done, a community direction for the swim team can be set. A community direction for 2015. Yes, 2015. You cannot change the heart and soul of 2014 program on February 23, 2014. The autocratic nature of this proposed resolution calls to question the perceived role of our HOA board members. They are REPRESENTATIVES of the community, not dictators for the community.

More of the same from the BOD and HOA. They all need to go. Voter fraud and now this.

While I do not have kids on swim team, I am extremely concerned the HOA would pass a resolution for such radical changes without the opportunity of a forum, or meaningful communciation of any sort. If the association doesn't take a more mature, reasonable approach, I would encourage legal action.

I am very concerned about the lack of due process associated with this resolution. I cannot understand what the HOA is trying to accomplish. The Perserve Swim Team brings together the neighborhood and the local community to support our youth. The team allows the children to connect with their friends both inside the neighborhood and outside, give back to the community, learn about teamwork, learn about responsibility, help instill condifence and self esteem, etc. When I first moved to the Preserve, the swim team welcomed us with open arms and made my kids feel loved and immediately accepted as part of the community. The community's voice derserves to be heard.

I am very disappointed and discouraged that after almost ten years of successfully and prudently managing this swim team, the HOA believes that changes are needed. It is clear that the HOA has not consulted anyone with any understanding of how this team has functioned in the past and what the team does for the neighborhood. There is absolutely no reason at all for the HOA to take over the leadership of this team, nor if they really understood what is involved, would they want to. The swim team has been the single activity in the Preserve that has united neighbors and forged long term relationships. The swim board has bent over backwards to meet the needs of the HOA over the years, including limiting non residents to swim team hours only and paying for expenses that benefit the entire neighborhood. Unless this neighborhood is becoming a retirement development, I suggest the team does not sign the resolution.

The pool is empty every time we go there; the Piranhas has built a TREMENDOUS program over the past ten years and this is going to negatively affect the program and THE IMAGE of the Preserve as a family-friendly place to live.

The positive feedback about the Preserve swimteam is everywhere. Clearly, all non-resident kids who are participating have an affiliation with someone in The Preserve. More competition is better for our kids. There is no reason whatsoever to change something that works so well. We just moved here less than two years ago and our four kids will be participating in the swim team this summer for the first time. Please do not destroy this great program!

I was president of the Preserve HOA in 2008 when this committee was appopinted. The point of the committee appointment in 2008 was to take the HOA away from swim team liability and governing process and to avoid politics and petty grievances from impacting the swim team. It was designed to make sure that people running the team had experience and the best interests of the swim community at heart. This stance of the HOA board is a naked power grab and an attack on the very principals that he board was trying to implement in the first place. This is demonstrated by the boards total lack of opinion solicitation from the community and most importantly anybody involved with the swim team, other than a very small vocal oppposition. It should also be noted that current "President" Craig Fowler was part of the unanimous vote that approved the committee in 2008.

Thinking further, I have gone to the past two Annual Meetings of the HOA, where there were detailed presentations about the swim team given. At no time did anyone on the Board of Directors, the HOA Manager, or the HOA lawyer, bring up any issues with the swim team...why this all of a sudden and why such a radical change?

I came to this team 2 years ago as an assistant coach and will now be a co-head coach for this summer. From the moment I started this job I have been a part of a family. I had been approached by other teams to potentially coach for them and it wasn't even an option that it would leave this amazing organization and my family. Taking away all that been accomplished over the years will accomplish nothing. These kids deserve to be with their friends and enjoy the competition they know and love.

I am ten years old and have been on the Piranhas for 3 years. Many kids on the team enjoy the hard practices we go through and getting their best time at a meet. Without the Piranhas swim team kids will not be able to improve their swimming techniques. It is not about being competitive, it is about having a good time with the kids and friends who you like to hang out with. I disagree with the action you are putting in place.

My family has been involved with The Preserve Swim Team for 18 years producing three swimmers and two coaches for the team. I have never been involved in the running of the team because it was done so well be the people involved. I am a proud parent of the Piranhas team and a proud supporter of what it means to our community.

I don't understand why the swim team needs to change and the HOA board wants to manage the process. The HOA board needs to focus on many other issues in the neighborhood and I would love to hear why they want to micro manage the swim team. Something sent out to the homeowners on why they are making changes would be appreciated.