Andrea Molberg
There’s a new club in town, Residents for Responsible Spending (RFRS), reminiscent of STPO (SaddleBrooke TWO Property Owners), which served as a counterpart to the Robson Board before the 2018 transition from Robson’s management of the SaddleBrooke TWO community. What is RFRS’ goal? Fiscal responsibility.
The new organization Residents for Responsible Spending rallied to present another option when the SaddleBrooke TWO Board proposed a large, $4,600 assessment. Recognizing a need to immediately pay off the $6 million loan taken to renovate the MountainView golf course and concerned about future loans and expenditures, founders Sherri Grupe, Jeanine Grippo, John Sohikian, and Denise Anthony did more than say, “No.” They offered a practical alternative. RFRS asked the board to pause, examine the impact of the work on the MountainView course, focus on priorities, and consider residents on fixed incomes.
The SaddleBrooke TWO Board listened by first reducing their proposed assessment to $4,200 before asking the community to vote. That large assessment designed to retire the debt, build up reserves, and commit approximately $10 million to redoing The Preserve golf course was overwhelmingly defeated. Aware they had misread SaddleBrooke TWO’s residents’ preferences, the board quickly responded by putting RFRS’ Option 4, a one-time $1,500 assessment, out for a community vote.
The smaller assessment, which focused on paying off the debt and eliminating interest payments, passed 1,895 to 776, with about 71% of those voting supporting the smaller assessment.
Noteworthy was the amount of community participation! RFRS made a difference.
What is RFRS doing now? The group sees its role as informing residents about financial issues and options. The goal? Sound money decisions that protect home values and our future. RFRS is encouraging fellow residents who want fiscal restraint to run for the SaddleBrooke TWO Board, attend/join committees as spending watchdogs, and stay involved.
Interested residents can email [email protected] to receive both more information and a Member Information Update form where they can provide contact information.
Using money responsibly makes sense—and cents.