Ken Unger: Hot Springs Village Initial Focuses: Part One

This is the first installment of a two-part series. Ken Unger, the newly appointed Hot Springs Village (HSV) General Manager, is scheduled to begin his GM role on January 1, 2025. Currently serving the village as Director of Public Services, Mr. Unger has numerous innovative thoughts on achieving his objectives in his new assignment and overseeing the HSV Property Owners Association (POA) as effectively and efficiently as possible. “I am different than Kelly, so I will probably do different things.”

In part one, Mr. Unger talks about:

• Receiving Direction From the Board of Directors
• Optimization of Departments, Efficiency in Operations, and Economic Practices
• Enhanced Communication with the Community

Receiving Direction From the Board of Directors

Unger announced he will unveil a 90-day strategy to the Board. “I need their feedback and understanding of their expectations, and I’m committed to aligning our efforts with the objectives set by the Board Directors. Additionally, I plan to engage with POA leadership to tackle their concerns. I’ll be asking numerous questions, which might discomfort some, but this is my approach to learning and spotting potential improvements or efficiencies based on the responses I receive.”

“I will ask the Board to provide strategic direction for our village. What I’m getting at is we currently fund certain amenities, like golf. If they direct me to make golf financially self-sustaining or profitable, I’ll achieve it. But the real question is, will the Board support my methods? Imagine if I could attract such a crowd of external players that we’re overwhelmed with demand. There are strategies for this—adjusting pricing or ramping up marketing. Yet, we must consider our residents; how much should we burden our member-based community to reach these goals? I have my strategy; if it were my call, I’d do everything in my power to make golf pay its way. That would be my objective. I would do what’s necessary.”

“But what vision does the Board have for the village to accomplish this? We’re not aiming to be like Branson. We need to strike a balance. These are the questions the Board must contemplate to help us set our direction.”

Optimization of Departments, Efficiency in Operations, and Economic Practices

“I’ve spent the last two and a half years optimizing the Public Services Department, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made. We have clear plans for the future, and I’m fortunate to have a talented team leading these organizations,” shared Unger.

He added that announcements regarding organizational changes within Public Services will be made in the next week or two.

“With all the great progress we made in the past two and a half years, there are still opportunities out there. Other departments that I have not had the pleasure of fully engaging yet will be where I will focus.”

Unger emphasized his commitment to simplicity and efficiency, stating, “I want to avoid making things more complicated than necessary, as it only increases costs and time.” He explained that if someone is taking a longer, more circuitous route to their goal, he aims to understand why they aren’t using the most direct approach. If obstacles are in the way, his goal is to remove them. “People may not even realize they’re not being as efficient as they could be,” he said. “I’m not a fan of waste.”

Unger strives to maximize his time and money in his personal life, and he applies the same philosophy to managing the POA. “In my personal life, I want to get the most value for my money and avoid wasting time. Time is often overlooked in organizations, but when you recover wasted time, you can focus on more productive tasks,” he explained. This approach has already benefited the POA’s Public Services organization, where reclaiming time has allowed staff to take on more tasks instead of relying on contractors. Previously, staff spent much of their time dealing with urgent issues, but now that many of those problems have been addressed, they can focus on other projects. Unger plans to implement this mindset across the entire POA.

“In some departments, only minor adjustments or optimizations are needed because we already have strong leadership. In other areas, there are opportunities for improvement,” he noted.

He added, “You can always find something else to refine, even when you think you’re done.” An example of this is the recent discovery of a cardboard baler. A large shed near animal control, once used for recycling, had been left unused after the operation was discontinued due to costs. Unger questioned, “Why are we storing trash cans and a baler in this massive shed when it could be used to store sludge from the wastewater treatment plant?” By repurposing the shed, the POA saves money on sludge hauling since it is optimally located, and the sludge is better protected from the elements, allowing it to dry more quickly. The staff cleared out the shed, moving the cardboard baler to the Minorca facility, where they have reinstated the cardboard recycling program. Click here to read more about this.

Unger emphasizes the importance of identifying opportunities for efficiency, likening it to a rewarding pursuit that becomes addictive as you discover new ways to save time, reduce costs, and improve processes. He believes in reinvesting the savings into further growth, whether through projects, equipment upgrades, or investing in people. “It builds on itself,” Unger says, reflecting on the momentum within the Public Services Department. He is eager to extend this approach to other departments for continued progress.

Enhanced Communication with the Community

While there have not been any final decisions on effective communication with the community, Unger is exploring several ideas.

Unger stated that community engagement through the POA needs to be expanded. “We have an opportunity for internal marketing in communication, and the POA needs to be more proactive in this area.” Unger and the marketing team have many ideas on how to achieve this.

“As we move forward, there will be an internal component to our marketing plan. This doesn’t exist today. You know, community engagement.”

“Everybody has their method of communicating. What Kelly [Hale] did was phenomenal. He was excellent at outreach and engagement with individual groups [clubs, church groups, etc.]. I still think that is a good thing to do, but it can be time-consuming. I am all about efficiency. I want to get the most bang for my buck. It is not that I won’t still go out and talk to groups because I will.” Hale also hosted popular Newcomers Meetings, a great opportunity to meet villagers.

Unger expressed interest in holding forums at the Woodlands Auditorium, featuring videos with music in the background. “This would allow residents to engage directly with me and some department directors.”

Unger noted that large forums held at the Woodlands Auditorium would provide a broad reach and focus on a more significant part of the community rather than just one smaller group. “Everybody would have a chance to come out. We would have microphones, and people could ask questions, and everyone could hear the answers.” The POA previously used this type of communication format.

Unger explained, “Just like the ‘Ask Ken’ Public Services segments, that was an outreach to the entire community in one approach. Maybe there is an ‘Ask Ken’ column at the GM level,” Unger suggested. People often have the same questions, and this would be an efficient way to provide answers to everyone.

Unger asked, “Can you imagine the POA having podcasts?” Possibly, the directors could have a podcast once a month.

Unger said he has spoken to John Chapman about having a regular radio broadcast on KVRE at least once a month. If they adopt this plan, various staff members will discuss what is happening within the village. “There is a whole segment [of the population] who tunes into the radio and isn’t hearing anything about the POA. How great would that be to do that?”

“I always thought it would be nice to hear from the GM regularly. I may have a monthly newsletter, similar to the Board report, but perhaps more lighthearted and fun.”

Click here to read “Ken Unger: Hot Springs Village Initial Focuses: Part Two.”

Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks!

By Cheryl Dowden

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HSV PUBLIC SERVICES DIRECTOR