Response to SLCC-SLA Questions from 6/29/26 Announcement Meeting

Below you will find a copy of the question and the SLCC-SLA response based on questions collected and submitted to the website thru June 30, 2026, Names and addresses have been redacted as committed.

Question: I would like to know more about the litigation. Exactly who would be sued and on what grounds?

At this point, it is premature to disclose the details, but the HOA Association would be the party sued, specifically the Master Board Members. The purpose of the suit would not be for financial damages, but to file an injunction against the Board preventing them from going forward with their announced intention to reach an agreement with Troon until such time as the RFP is sufficiently amended to properly protect Sun Lakes. The justification would be that they have not done even a minimally acceptable job of any semblance to a reasonable procurement process which means that the resulting agreement will be nothing more than an "best efforts" agreement leaving Sun Lakes in the same situation that they did when the brought in Morrison/CCL for our food and beverage.

 Question: What is the basis for the recall of Gray? How much is that costing us?

As we discussed the basis of the recall is his conduct as the Treasurer and now President of the Master Board as well as his conduct as the liaison to the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) and now the newly reinstituted Procurement Advisory Committee (PAC). Once the recall petition is successfully submitted we will introduce a list of documented attendance, conduct, and governance violations for member review and consideration. My best advice to you or anyone else is to start asking questions and not just those you already agree with. A lot of people have opinions, but few have spent the effort to reasonably form one.

Your cost for all the work the SLCC-SLA.org team's efforts and legal/consultative expertise we have engaged up to this point is 100% donated. The cost of the recall election is typically borne by the HOA. It is estimated to be $10-12,000. You will vote to recall (Yes/No) and select a replacement candidate. We hope to mitigate the cost by donations. This amounts to a one time cost of approximately $3.00 per household!  

Question: Concern to have information on our Restaurant

We suggest that you send a Message to Management or email Chris Mitchell and ask for the following: Please provide me with a recap of the financial performance of just the Food & Beverage operating revenue/expenses from April 1, 2025 to present. If you look at the consolidated monthly financial statements it masks the individual amenity performance because losses in the restaurant are most often offset by better than expected performance against budget by the golf amenity and other operating savings FSR has achieved in other administrative areas.

Question: Is it too late to stop the Troon Contract? From what I understand the MB is already in negotiation with Troon, Are we too late to stop this from going forward?

The best and most candid answer is that it may be because of the "Business Judgement" rule under Davis-Stirling that the courts give wide latitude in board decision making. However, the boar is considered a "fiduciary" and is ultimately held to a much higher standard of proper governance and due-diligence. We are informed that Burkel, Tasko and Katz are committed to the selection Troon simply because they think members elected then to get rid of FSR and no other reason!

This is not demonstrating acting like a fiduciary. Filing suit against the HOA and obtaining an injunction can stop the signing of an agreement. Ideally, with the attendance at last night's meeting and the recall the board may start to listen to reason and realize they are now in a no win situation. They may listen to reason. Certainly without what we are doing and members strongly protesting we are on a freight train off the cliff with no brakeman at the controls.

Question: Troon Track Record; what is the current status of any past as well as ongoing lawsuits that Troon is involved in with regards to properties they manage or have managed?

This is a question that we would need to pose to someone that is an attorney or paralegal who can make a query against this type of database. However, this is a good question for you to pose to the Master Board since they have an attorney involved in the agreement negotiations with Troon. Certainly, that should be part of their due diligence. 

We have added your question to a list of other questions we prepared to send directly that is actually best suited for them to answer.

Question: Could not read your question as it was submitted. 

We could not read your question clearly, but it seemed like it had something to do with losses for Golf and /???

Please submit an email to info@ SLCC-SLA.org to clarify. It is most likely that this is something the General Manager should address or the Bard, but we will try to help.

Question:  How do we vet and train future HOA candidates to elevate quality and consistency of board performance?

This will be a challenge because Davis-Stirling precludes any requirements for a candidate to run. However, of appropriate seminars and other educational tools are presented a candidate would have difficulty in justifying not participating. There are also other things that can be done to better vet them besides the Candidate Forum. This will be a topic we take up in earnest early fall. 

Question: If we recall Gary Burke how does that ensure us of quashing the Troon golf deal?  

It doesn't necessarily. The recall is not about stopping Troon or any other vendor. It is about holding Burkel accountable for the many questionable things he has advocated and done to the detriment of our community. It is also about letting this Board and future Board's realize that actions or lack thereof having consequences. It is about putting guard rails on Board member Accountability. Hopefully, the candidate that is elected to replace him gets the message. We have to be very careful about who that person is.

As of today, a large pool of suitable names is not readily apparent, but we will see.

Question: I am writing to request clarification regarding several items in our recent financial reports and Board decisions.

The board and General Manager are really the place for your questions. We suggest that you also send an email to Chris Mitchell under Message to Management. But, we will give you an informed answer not knowing what goes on behind closed board meetings.

Question: Contract Approval: Could you confirm if Gary Berkel made the decision to replace and approve Troon Golf Club, LLC independently?

Not to our knowledge, The Board chooses to not disclose member disclosure, but we are advised it was 3-2 with Burkel, Tasko, and Katz publicly stating they supported selecting Troon.

Question:  Financial Losses: Which specific line items on our financial statements are the primary drivers of the current losses?

When we are talking losses we ate referring to amounts over the allocated budgeted subsidy. The primary driver for 2025 was Food and Beverage. This was masked because FSR reduced its personnel and other operating expenses to offset the majority resulting in a bottom line overall shortfall of approximately $2500.00. The Burkel has yet to point this out to the community. He actually resigned as Treasurer last year and he is a CPA. Part of the savings was due to the resignation of Tammy Morgan (30 year SLCC staff) and Jason Ewals. They left due the uncertainty associated with the way the Burkel/Day board handled the procurement process. They made public statements that they were going to get rid of FSR!

Question: Food and Beverage Department: Is the $700,000 loss attributed solely to the Food and Beverage Department?

YES, see above.

Question: Corrective Actions: What specific measures is the Board taking to address and mitigate these losses?

None that we are aware of. The issue is being is masked by the windfall Spectrum door fee bonanza.

Question: Candidate Qualification: What actions are taken to qualify Board candidates who run for office?

None. Aside from the Candidate Forum and campaign meetings. Davis-Stirling precludes placing any requirements. We can have a convicted felon run for the board and make up any fictitious resume they want.  That is why we will pursue the third initiative of Election process reform

We hope this response was helpful.

Question: Is First service willing to do what it takes to keep our HOA low to keep us as a client?

We have not been privy to board discussions, but by all outward appearances they are willing.

Question: What were the 32 problems with the contract Master Board sign? This is very concerning.

You can request a copy from Chris Mitchell or the Board, but if you can give us a couple days it will be posted on the SLCC-SLA website.

Question: What are the main reasons they want to switch and is it in writing that our HOA will NOT increase drastically? 

The board has not provided any justification we are aware of other than they have the right to do so! It is doubtful that the Board would enter into an agreement that saw the need for major increases the first year. It will depend on how skilled the board members and attorney are in negotiating an agreement that adequately protect members in the future. 

Unfortunately, we will not see the agreement before it has been executed. At that point, every member has a right to request a copy.

Question: How much money are we going to keep dumping into the restaurant? It has been a negative since we moved in 7 ago. 

We take it that this is a rhetorical question, but a very good one that remains unanswered

Question: Will the new management keep Spectrum on with all the perks as a part of our HOA? Without raising prices? 

Spectrum has nothing to do with the management company. We are under the second year of a projected 5 year deal.

Question: Will New Management Company allow outside golfers to come in?

Not sure if it is Troon, it depends on what the Board negotiates.

Question: Will new Management take over Restaurant? At what expense to us? 

We were just advised by the Board that the Troon agreement will not affect the Morrison/CCL agreement.

Question: What about golf rates? Men’s club rates are way high now, how much higher will they go?

Who knows! We hope this response is helpful. These are call questions best asked of the Board and we encourage you to do so.

Question: Paul Beakes stated the CCL contract was reviewed and found 32 major errors. Why did you not start a recall on the 4 Board members, Bob Walter, Beverly Simmons, Don Day and Gary Burkel after the contract was signed? Why are you just recalling Gary Burkel 1.5 years later?

We suggest that you acquire a copy of the report from the Board or Chris Mitchell, but it will be posted on our site within a couple days. The report was sent on March 25, 2025. Even the candidates were provided a copy. Unfortunately, none of them wanted to acknowledge the probable outcome. Morrison/CCL took over April1, 2025 and it took until November for worst fears to be manifest. 

The complicating factor was that Morrison/CCL was allowed complete control of the amenity and only required to provide financials quarterly. This significantly delayed Ganino's ability to diagnose and take corrective action. 

By that time, Bob Walter and Beverly had announced they would not be running for reelection. We were at the end of the year. Nothing happens from December until February. Besides, we are just a couple people with no authority. People typically don't act until a disaster us at hand.

Question: Why did you not mention what a re-call would cost the residents of SLCC? Gary Burkel is up for re-election in April if he decides to run again, so why not just wait?

If the behavior of Burkel warrants the scrutiny of a recall election, then what would be the justification for waiting? You and every other member will have between 60-90 days to dig deep and investigate for yourselves. Sun Lakes is rife with speculation, rumors and half-truths being pandered as facts!

We have no intention of attempting to debate this on Facebook or anywhere other than what we publish on the website. The SLCC-SLA web site will offer some factual documentation. Much that transpired under the Day/Burkel lead Board is not accessible because they will claim Board privilege.

The cost of the recall is estimated to be $10,000-12,000. That would amount to a one-time cost to members of approximately $3.00.

A small price to avert another "mistake" of the magnitude of $700,000 or $212.00 per household. When Burkel was asked about the actual loss of $700,000 his response was that didn’t work out as we had hoped. Fact or fabrication - members will have to decide.

We hope you find this response helpful.

We currently have Sun Lakes’ members that have pledged to donate the cost to Sun Lakes. 

I hope this is not the same guilt trip ploy used to intimidate the Delegate Assembly into reversing their vote to recall.

Question: Are there other reasons for the recall of Burkel besides CCL and why didn’t Carlie or other board members tell us anything?

The Morrison/CCL debacle is but one reason to petition for Burkel's recall. Once the petition is successfully filed there will be at least 60 days for every concerned member to make a decision whether his conduct warrants removal.

The point is that the board should have taken the report seriously and acted to mitigate the situation with Morrison/CCL immediately, but chose to ignore the information until the damage was undeniable. 

Carlie Beaks did not join the board until April 17, 2026 and may not have had time to thoroughly investigate what the previous board did. No one is privy to what happens during closed executive sessions so we should not speculate the what and why. Past boards have not been willing to be open with the community and disclose successes as well as failures. The board apparently believes they are protected by Davis-Stirling and HOA Attorneys advise boards not to anything they don't have to. This is very different from what they should!

The SLCC-SLA website will be updated with factual information starting in the next few days. Eblasts will be sent to advise members that new information has been posted.