Letter: Response to Julington Creek mailer

Letter: Response to Julington Creek mailer

Cyndi Stevenson
Julington Creek Plantation resident

Dear Editor:

I attended a community development district for Julington Creek Plantation where the credentials of the current manager were aired in response to critics.

Our manager attended school in Europe. He had more than 16-years of formal education. The topic was thoroughly discussed during the meeting. It was reported in the meeting that human resource departments considered that level of education equivalent to a bachelor degree in this country. That is consistent with what I could find quickly by searching online.

As far as the financial stewardship of the Julington Creek Plantation community development district, my CDD fees are now $238 more than they were before the facilities were expanded and updated a few years ago. At that time, the facilities were more than doubled to include adding meeting rooms that double as a banquet facility, gym with weights, aerobics room and spin facilities as well as a large resort pool, toddler splash park, heated competition pool and six lighted competition tennis courts. They lighted an existing basketball facility that is open to the public and well used. Another lighted basketball court and a small skate park facility. The latter seems to be going through some type of renovation at this time.

When the facilities were expanded, I believe the community development district board of supervisors told residents to expect a $200 per household increase in fees. For the first couple of years, the CDD fee increase was higher than projected. In fact, one year the fees were $341 higher than they were before the expansion, but the Board has worked to cut costs, even though that is not the impression you would get from the recent anonymous mailer that I received.

When the decision was made to expand the facilities, the JCP community was polled about adding recreation facilities. That very public discussion took place in what seemed an open process over a period of months. Prior to the facility expansion, it was clear that the existing pool complex was overcrowded and the community was only half way built out.

I would hope that anyone who has questions about their community development district costs and operation would be as fortunate as we are in JCP. Verbatim minutes are available online, at the community development district website, along with annual budgets, and audited financial statements.

There is no need to rely on anonymous mail outs when good information is available. Additionally, questions can be directed to professional staff or elected supervisors.