Considering that the homeowners already are paying for the events (throught the home purchases, see your HUD's) do you think its fair for a then HOA to try to charage a homeowner for not attending an event the rsvp'd to? I don't, if the HOA wants to try to trim down some of the programs spending, why not only have one person doing the party planning, instead of two...(which ins' t needed)

KL land has told us that they feel comfortable with paying the head party planner $100,000+ a year with no-cost full benefits. After all, she comes with an impeccable resume: working for $7.50 an hour signing out skates at the Olympic Oval.

I think they ought to consider a $5.00 R.S.V.P. fee per person, refundable when the folks attend the event, non-refundable of they don't.

When people put down a deposit, they feel like they have a stake in an event and are less likely to miss it. If the $5.00 fee @ person cannot defray the cost of the food, the "party planners" (yes it takes two planners to help set up chairs)ought to consider church-style pot luck events which really do create a sense of community and lose the "drunken-sailor" (apologies to all sober sailors)style of spending (catering, guest emcees, balloon rides that cannot fly, etc.)

The HOA spends money like the government. (like it's their money, not ours)

A recent, yet typical example of the "party planner's" financial arrogance is the $3400 generator they just bought when a more-powerful one is available at COSTCO for $899 or...the "party planner's" secret agreement to PAY certain volunteers and then her decision to keep it from the Programs/Activities Committee until the "volunteers" came for the money. This latest arrogance is known, among those who are privy to it, as "Oz Gate". Rock on, with our money, "party planners"!!!

"...the Program Committee accepted 300+ reservations for the Sweetheart’s Ball, only 274 attended, 26 did not show up or cancel their reservation. The Association was obligated to pay for the residents that did not cancel their reservations before the event therby costing the Association $633.00." (from the "party planner's Daybreak weekly announcement)

That's almost $25 per person; an astronomical amount which could have been less with a little caterer shopping.

I've never been to these parties. I really don't plan to. Though I didn't know that the people were paying for these parties. If that's the case we need to stop having the parties. Anything to drop my HOA fees is a good thing to me.