Body Cam...

 

This is a test.  In an actual emergency, you would be instructed on where to tune for information.  How many of us remember that all-in-one emergency shelter: the school desk?  It could be used to protect you from a tornado, or even possible nuclear bombs.  Well, that's what we used to believe.

We know better now.  A tornado could be filled with sharks (10 bonus points if you said: "Sharknado"), and a shark can obviously get at you under your desk.

I may have digressed again.  Joan suggested that I might want to wear a body camera for this Meet the President get-together on Saturday - some way to keep track of what questions are being asked and a record of my answers to the questions.  Probably a good idea.

Since I have several cameras that I shoot video of motorcycle and scooter rides, or van outings, or music videos, I have options.  The Insta360 Go3s I have has a pendant that you wear around your neck that the camera sticks to magnetically.  It is really designed to be used with the small camera portion of the Go3s, but that will only record for about 30 minutes.  With that camera in the action pod, it will record up to 2 hours.

I put that camera on the pendant and gave it a shot.  Here's Joan looking at me from across the kitchen counter...

 It does a decent job of the video and audio.  I walked around outside with it on for further testing...

 

That is Murphy checking me out through the door.  This camera will certainly work for this purpose.  I have two other DJI cameras that will allow me to attach a wireless microphone, which will provide much better audio.  So, more options.  I will narrow it down to the best tool for the job.

"Do you really think you need a body cam for this meeting, Jim?"  Well, not for the same purpose as a police body cam.  But, having video during a board meeting has been important to determine what was really being said on more than one occasion.  With this being just little ol' me fielding homeowner questions, I won't have time to take notes; a video will allow accurate follow-up on anything I might not have the answer to on the spot.

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We had two appointments at the house today: the first one was with the pest control company; we were told "between 8 and 10am.  The guy was there at 9:00 and was right on it.  Friendly and professional.  The second was with the rain gutter installation folks; we were told "between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm"... they showed up at 3:22.

Oh, you're probably going to say, "Hey, that was pretty close."  It has been a stormy day in much of the Phoenix Valley today - as in: rain, hail, and wind warnings in the Goodyear and Avondale area (less than 14 miles from us.  The weather here at the house has been: a bit of rain between 6:30 and 7:00 am, and no precip the rest of the day.  Mostly sunny, a bit of breeze.  Not the 60mph winds they were getting in Avondale.

Why the weather report, Jim?  Thanks for asking.  This company is located in the middle of where it is storming.  IF they were waiting to see if the weather was going to break, they were burning daylight here at our house.  By 1:00, I suggested we give them a call to "exchange information."  That was vetoed.  At 3:05, the party doing the veto gave the company a call... "Yes, they are still coming.  Let me check their location... the crew is about 8 minutes away from you."  Good that they keep track.

So, time counts.  It is sunny here right now.  Looking at the clouds over the mountains, that could change at any time.  Sure would be nice if they could get this done before the rain hits again.  But, they're here now.  One of us really wanted these rain gutters, so I just want these guys to do a good job to keep that person happy.

The follow-up: the guys doing the install were young, 23 and 25.  They seemed plenty efficient, although I did have to get up on the ladder and point out an issue.  They understood, did what was asked, and everyone was happy.  That was the goal.

The work got completed without being rained on.  Some of the sealant they use is supposed to dry for 24 hours... that may not play out.  Joan is happy with the look, I am happy with the install.

 

Up On The Roof...

 

If you said, "Up on the Roof most commonly refers to the hit 1962 song by The Drifters, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, which became a major hit in 1963," you get 20 bonus points.

If you said, "Jim, you do know that falls are the most common cause of injuries for people over 70, don't you?  You weren't up on the roof, were you?" you get 50 bonus points for your concern.  And, no - I wasn't up on the roof... I was up on a ladder, near the roof...

 But, there is nothing bonus point worthy for up near the roof.  ;-)  There was a security light/camera in that location, and it needed to be taken down.

Why?  We have rain gutters scheduled to be installed tomorrow, and that light would have been in the way.  There is a 55% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow.  Will they install rain gutters in the rain?  Probably not.  Will they install rain gutters in a thunderstorm?  Not if they have any functioning brain cells.  So, it may not happen as scheduled.  We can be flexible.

We'll see how that plays out, but we are ready for them if/when they show up.

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More HOA stuff to deal with during the late morning and afternoon.  People don't know that some of what gets done has nothing to do with CC&Rs and financial stuff.  This would be considered more potentially giving a homeowner some help when they are having a tough situation.

Joan also quizzed me on questions that people might ask at Saturday's Meet the President get-together... to see if I am up on all the different topics.  I appreciate her time; I think she learned that I do have a handle on what's going on.  She helped me organize paperwork, so I can have info easily at hand for any specific budget and financial questions.  I am hoping Steph will have time in the next few days for another Q&A session.

And, yes, Murphy got several walks in today.  He did not have to go up on a ladder.  But, he could.

 

 

(Sigh)...

 

Just when things are starting to settle down, the handyman for the management company put up a sign in our park.  That's not the issue: he was supposed to put up a sign.  He put up the wrong sign; with wrong park hours.

Some people in the community believe that the board can't do anything right.  Last thing I needed was this.  I found out about the sign last night (after some of the angry ones saw the sign and posted about it on Facebook); I drove to the park and took it down.  No, that isn't in my job description.  Something had to be done.  Now.  People love to point out a mistake; some consider it deliberate.

For the record, I am serving in good faith.  The board actions are voted on in open business meetings.  And still, there will be someone who will get on the Homeowners' Portal, copy something on the financials, post it on Facebook, and write "That is transparency!"

So, posting something that every homeowner has access to is transparency?  These financials are presented at every board meeting.  This is transparency.  I wish I had some way to make the homeowners care enough to participate.  I wish people wouldn't get on Facebook, posting half-truths and outright lies, with the sole intention of stirring things up and not offering a solution.

Yes, I understand that this is the world today: that some people have miserable lives and their only way to make themselves feel better is to try to tear others down.

That doesn't mean I won't try my best for the community.  For as long as I can take it.

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 With rain in the forecast for the next several days (it rained this morning), Joan covered our patio furniture.  The good thing: it protects the cushions on the furniture and keeps them dry.  The bad thing: Murphy runs under the cover, and it is like playing Whack a Mole trying to get him to come out.

The solution: he has to be in his catio or on a leash until the covers come off the furniture.  I took him out for a while this morning, in the catio.  He is fine with the catio.  This afternoon, I put his harness on him, clipped on the leash, and... he walked like a champ...

I wondered how he would do, since the last time he had his leash on was when we were in California last month, and he didn't really want to get too far away from the van (lots of activity there - people walking and riding bikes).  As you can see on the video above, he did fine - walking with his tail up, not pulling on the leash, and staying right with me as we walked.

 

Organ Stop...

 

Oh, no - it wasn't a vital organ, was it??

No, but thanks for asking.  Last night, we met Joan's sister Beth and her husband Rob in Mesa for an interesting dining experience.  They are from Silver City, New Mexico, but they do come this way from time to time.  We saw them just a couple weeks ago.  Rob got hearing aids, and his audiologist is in Phoenix.

Beth picked Organ Stop as a meet-up place.  I was not familiar with it, but Steph and Dan have been there, and they said it was a lot of fun.  It is a pizza place, but the big draw is a giant Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ that rises up out of the floor.  Organ pipes all around - 23 ranks of pipes.  The organ is powered by three Spencer turbine blowers (with a fourth as a standby), spinning at 1800 RPM with a combined 60HP, moving 10,000 cubic feet of air.  The Wurlitzer has more than 6,000 pipes.  The largest pipes are 32 feet long and could fit four people inside.  Yeah, it's big...

 The organ and organist rise up out of the floor.  The organist plays all types of music, not just what you'd expect from this amazing and interesting giant instrument.

But, what about the pizza?  Crispy crust - just the way Joan likes it.  We got a table on the upper level so we could get an overall view.

The restaurant opens at 4:00, the music starts at 4:30.  I'm glad we were there when the place opened... not to get a table, there were plenty available; but so we had a chance to visit for that first half hour before the music fired up.  The volume fills the room; with those giant pipes, it sometimes rattles your innards.  But, the organist was very talented and it was a fun experience.

Beth and Rob...

 Us...

 And, the part Stephanie would have enjoyed the most: "dancing cats" marionettes...

 After a couple hours (the organist took a break every 45 minutes or so), we took things outside so we could continue to visit.

By the time we left, the seating had increased to a good crowd.  This giant organ, the music (they encourage requests), and the atmosphere are an attraction.  This place has been in business since 1972.  They moved to this location, a larger building (seats 700), in 1995 to accommodate the continuously expanding organ, which is now considered the largest Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ in the world.

 Worth a visit?  Absolutely.  But, after a couple hours there, I was ready for some quiet time.  ;-)  And, another piece of pizza after we got home.

A short video...

 

Being handled...

 

"Is Joan getting all grabby again?"  Well, I am a trophy husband, so I understand my role.

A friend here in our community reached out: "Would you like to know what the problem is with the HOA board?"

"Sure," I said.

She said, "I'm going to talk to you like an adult..."  Interesting assumption on her part.

She went on to explain that 3 members on the board are interested in doing good things for the community, with no apparent agenda (good to see that it apparent on the Zoom meetings)... but you have no public relations to get that word out to our homeowners.  She volunteered to help with getting information on the Homeowners' Portal, to video our board meetings, and send out the video to homeowners who request it.  She is a magazine editor and reporter, with a good understanding of media.

Good timing - I forwarded my Meet The President announcement (before posting it) to her.  Her assessment: too emotional; you want to present the reason for that get-together without referencing Facebook.  Or, as many of us have said over the years: Don't Feed the Trolls. 

She continued with, "You have a great sense of humor, but you need to let people get to know you - in person - before you put that out there."

Yep, being handled.  With the rancor on Facebook, and a board member essentially having a melt down during the last board meeting, I am making every effort to get the community to pull together.  Or, as Joan just put it: "You are making the effort.  No one else knows how much time you put into this board stuff.  Either it will go well, or you can walk away knowing you gave it your best."

The post went up on the Homeowners' Portal and on Facebook (you have to go where the people are).  Here's the "non-emotional" version that was posted:

Meet Your Dobbins Village HOA Board President

As your Dobbins Village HOA Board president, I am inviting you to an informal Q&A session from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Dobbins Village park ramada.

This session is an opportunity for you to ask me, in person, questions about HOA board matters, including:

The budget — landscaping expenditures, event allocations, etc.
Bids — how we have evaluated and why we have chosen our service providers 
Other issues — speed bumps, food trucks, CC&Rs, architectural requests, etc.
Board procedures — how we operate, voting history, etc. 
Accessing the Dobbins Village Homeowners Portal — support will be available for those having trouble logging in, so feel free to bring your device 

I am organizing this gathering independently and not in coordination with other board members or City Property Management. I will answer any question you have, either in the moment or with a commitment to follow up after. I will share my personal opinions as a fellow homeowner, as well if you’re interested, but I ask that all who attend be mindful of our time so everyone can ask questions and be heard.  The format will be informational rather than debate style.
 
Location: Dobbins Village Park Ramada
Date: Saturday, Nov. 22 
Time: 9-10 a.m.

Respectfully,
James Bathurst, Dobbins Village HOA Board president 

We'll see how it goes.  That Saturday is going to be a busy day, with that get-together in the morning and the Hip Replacements playing an outdoor gig at another Banner Health event that afternoon.

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On the really bright side, I got in a fun ride on the Suzuki Burgman this morning - really good for clearing my mind.  ;-)

 

 

Wading in neck deep...

 

"Oh, no - more rain and flooding?"  Well, there is rain forecast for this weekend, but this is a metaphor.  And, yes, this is more HOA related stuff, so if you want to skip over this post, I get it.  I would be happy to skip over this stuff, too.

This morning, I am meeting with the vice-president and Landscaping Committee chairman, along with the manager for our account from the landscaping company.  The discussion is regarding replacing trees and other plants in the community that have died or were torn out by the storm last month.  Just trying to do my part to help.

Here's the rub: some homeowners wanted the park fixed right away; another group didn't want to spend anything on repairs.  Deferring to the CC&Rs, we are required to get repairs done to any common property that is damaged.

People are just discovering that their HOA dues will be going up $20 starting in January.  We held 3 months of budget meetings, where homeowner input was requested.  Generally, around 10 to 15% of the homeowners participated.  So, for some, this dues increase was a surprise.  It shouldn't have been, but, you can't make people participate.

So, of course, the "angry mob" has unleashed on Facebook: accusations that the board is "recklessly spending money," even though every expenditure is voted on during our public board meetings.  To make matters worse, one board member was over the top with screaming and accusing at the board meeting last week.  Apparently, she doesn't remember that she voted in favor of all those expenditures except one... and that was for repairs to our common areas that were damaged... and that is clearly covered in the CC&Rs that we are required to effect the repairs... not to mention that she wasn't there for the emergency board meeting. 

Accusations (completely unfounded) that "board members are buddied up with vendors like the landscape company and getting kick-backs"... wow, that is pretty darn libelous.  People saying that the board is using the social budget to throw parties for themselves and paying food trucks to come into the community - total BS.

But, people seem to think they can get on Facebook and say anything with impunity.

One board member responded to the accusations, because many were directed at her.  I try to avoid "trial by Facebook"... it is like arguing politics on Facebook: nobody's mind gets changed.  Everybody gets mad.  Nothing gets settled.

So... I am setting up a "Meet the president" gathering for Saturday, November 22nd; 9:00 am to 10:00 am.  No other board members, no one from the management company - ask me any question you want about the HOA dealings, and you will get the facts.  You may not like the facts, but you will have them, with no innuendo, no screaming, no unfounded accusations.  Here's the letter that will go on the Homeowners' Portal...

Meet your HOA board president.

Saturday, November 22nd, 2025, 9:00am to 10:00 am.  Dobbins Village park, at the ramada.

There has been too much mis-information being put out on Facebook.  I have said the HOA board doesn’t conduct business on Facebook, but this is apparently where people come to spread half-truths or make assumptions.  Come to the park in our community, at the ramada, and I will answer ANY of your questions.

Want to know the real facts about the budget, including the social budget that people seem to be losing their minds over?  Ask me: face to face.  I will explain WHY, and why every board member voted for it.  Want to know about the bids that your board has to wade through and vote on?  Saturday morning @ 9:00, and you will get the truth.

This will be just me - I have not consulted with the other board members or City Property Management in scheduling this get-together.  This is not going to be a “shout down” - I will be civil and respectful, and I expect the same from anyone in attendance.  I am giving my time freely - if you come looking for an argument, this is not the forum.  We’re all entitled to our opinion, but this get-together is about FACTS.  If you ask my opinion about something, I will give it; give yours if you want, but this isn’t going to be a debate.  If I don’t know the answer to any particular question, I will find out.  I don’t proclaim to have all the answers, but I can guarantee you that I have been up to my eyeballs in things relating to the HOA.  You may or may not like the answers, but you will get direct answers to your questions.

It is easy to get on Facebook and complain.  Come to this get-together on Saturday, November 22nd from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.  Am I brave or stupid?  Come judge for yourself.  One thing for certain - you will get the facts.  Not my version of the facts, not a board decision, not anything from City Property Management.

But, the half-truths, innuendos, and some outright lies on Facebook are not good for this community; and I am serving on this board because I CARE about this community.  Want to ask me about speed bumps?  Food trucks?  CC&Rs?  Architectural requests?  Want to oust me from the board?  I’ll explain the the procedure.  I don’t do this job for the ego-boost, and it certainly isn’t for the money (since the board and committee members are all volunteers). 

I would like this to be in a very public setting that doesn’t cost us anything.  Let’s put our park to good use.  People complain about the board meetings being on a Thursday evening - let’s do this on Saturday morning.  In case anyone missed it: Saturday, November 22nd, 9:00 am to 10:00 am.  Don’t send in questions ahead of time - you will know I have no “prepared statements.”

Don’t know how to get on the Homeowners Portal?  Bring your laptop or iPad - my wife has volunteered to help you.  This community is our home.  I can’t guarantee that everyone will be happy here, but there doesn’t need to be the unpleasantness like you see on social media - we are better than that.  Well, most of us.  But, I’ll answer questions, even for the cranky people.  Let’s be fair and not try to monopolize the time.

This is your chance to show that you are bigger than the bickering on social media.  Show up. 

We'll see if anyone shows up.

 

The Aurora Borealis...

 

Or: Northern Lights.  They are highly visible in many places in the Northern Hemisphere tonight.  I've been seeing the photos posted on-line last night and tonight.  Beautiful!  In fact, the local weather said they'd likely be visible in northern Arizona... alas, we are at the southern edge of the Phoenix, which means we are having to look through the "light pollution" from all the lights in the Valley of the Sun.

So, no Northern Lights for us.  I went outside to look to the north - just the glow of lights from the 5th largest city in the country.

But, one of the local weather guys shared this...

 Not as cool as seeing it in person, but I can imagine.  We have seen the Northern Lights twice - both times while living in Spearfish, SD.  I was hopeful tonight, but realistic.