GM Kelly Hale (left) and Katrina Heap, Executive Assistant to the GM (right), at the July 19, 2023, Board Meeting

Kelly Hale, HSVPOA General Manager, shared an overview of POA activities in the past month. He discussed the highly successful Urban Deer Hunt Orientation, Public Services projects, advertising, the Stars and Stripes Festival, and the Employee Benefit Fund. Hale also stressed the need for Villagers to ask questions instead of complaining and the need for more volunteers. Hale began his report by talking about the Urban Deer Hunt Orientation.

  • This is the first year Hot Springs Village is coordinating its Urban Deer Hunt internally, and the season’s kick-off began with the hunters’ orientation and bow qualifier on July 8th. We offer an online sign-up option for hunters and more information at https://hsvurbandeerhunt.com/.
  • Due to the Urban Deer Hunt coordination transition, we can utilize the funds to donate to worthy local causes. We thank the many HSV volunteers who helped make this year’s hunt possible, including Board Director Mark Quinton, who has been an instrumental volunteer for the group. We will hear more about the hunt and how it benefits our community from Todd Noles, Superintendent of Wildlife, and Duane Tarbet, HR/Risk Manager, later today.
  • The Public Services Department is completing several paving projects on our roadways. Road work is currently being completed on Maderas Drive, Balearic Road, by Ponderosa Way and Murillo Way, and North and South Barcelona Road. There are some detours and lane closures associated with this work. Be sure to check your weekly Village Digest for updates on any roads that will be affected and for more details. We will also hear an update on these projects from Public Services Director Ken Unger at today’s meeting.
  • HSV is currently running advertising for corporate golf outings on the new digital billboard located at Highway 70 and 128 Junction. The digital style billboard is a cost-effective way to advertise with virtual graphics with limited capital cost. This location is close to the traffic light on Highway 70 and captures traffic moving between Little Rock and the Hot Springs area. We are tracking contacts from this advertising via the golf department and will adjust as needed.
  • The 2023 Stars & Stripes was held the first weekend of July, and we are already planning for next year’s event. This year’s 4th of July celebration went very smoothly. There was a great turnout at Balboa Beach over the holiday weekend, and we had several events spread over four days. We also incorporated additional creative sponsorship opportunities for property owners and local businesses, including donor parking spaces and pavilion space at the beach. These were very popular, and we plan to incorporate additional opportunities next year.
  • The Village Employee Benefit Fund is an excellent local organization that raises funds to assist our hourly employees with essential needs like an emergency fund, a continuing education program, and a Christmas gift. We will hear from the President of the VEBF, John Chapman, today with an update on their organization and how they benefit our community. Our staff greatly appreciates their work, and we look forward to hearing more about what they do and how the property owners can contribute. Click here to read President Chapman’s report.

In an impassioned voice, Hale said, “We have a lot of people that volunteer in our community.” Hale said these are some notable volunteers, (These are only a few of the groups and volunteers that selfishly give of their time, talents, and funds to help the community.)

  • Jim and Nancy Patton purchase American flags for the golf course during the holiday.
  • Men’s Woodworker Club made many golf tees, saving the POA money.
  • Pickleball Club raises money to purchase items for the pickleball community.
  • MGA WGA (Men’s Golf Association and Women’s Golf Association)
  • 3 Garden Clubs that do extensive landscaping projects
  • Village Concert Association
  • HSV Players
  • Veterans

Hale said, “We are not a city or town.” We are a private corporation that receives zero tax dollars back. The Village is run using the assessments. The Developer, CCI (Cooper Communities, Incorporated), signed the Village over to the management of the POA in 2006. A paid POA staff and an elected volunteer Board run the Village. The Committees also consist of volunteer members.

“Many of the people you see working on my staff right now, including myself, came out of retirement. I already worked for 37 years at a Fortune 50 company and retired as a Vice President. I took this job to help out. The last thing I wanted to do was come in and clean up a mess,” Hale shared.

Hale continued, “The same thing goes for Ken Unger, Frank Hubbard… and many of the other members that I brought to my team when we got in and decided to rebuild the POA to what we want it to look like as we went forward.”

“I am not very politically correct. Somebody actually had the audacity to put [something about Hale] in the paper, using a juvenile word, ‘woke.'” Hale said the person has never met him, and he finds it comical that people are working hard to build up the community while a minority of folks are trying to tear it down.” Hale stated that people are sick and tired of hearing the whining.

Hale asked people to stop complaining and instead ask Committee or Board members questions to understand community issues better.

Hale said he is conservative and frugal, and some people would be surprised to learn what the POA is accomplishing. Hale said he lives here too, and he cares about the community.

The GM implored Villagers to become involved with community volunteer efforts because this helps to keep the cost of assessments low. Hale said the POA depends on volunteers, making the community what it has been for over 50 years.

Hale stated that there are great and supportive people in this community. If you need something, you only have to ask.

Hale said, “My team is working hard.” He explained that Public Services Director Ken Unger, Director of Business Development, Land and Community Affairs Kevin Sexton, and the GM just took a trip to Little Rock on Tuesday, July 18, to work with the politicians on issues that will help the community and keep costs down. He said there has not been much progress on this so far, but they will keep trying. “You are not going to get there if you don’t go play. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket,” the GM analogized. It takes time and effort to build relationships with people that can help us. Hale said this effort has not been done for decades.

By Cheryl Dowden