The Rossmoor Community Services District Board of Directors has elected Nathan Searles to serve as President for the coming year.
The district held its reorganization at its meeting in January.
The election of Searles came only after an unsuccessful nomination by outgoing Board President Michael Maynard of Director Tony DeMarco.
Maynard had earlier given a very optimistic “State of District” report, adding that “we have a lot of challenges ahead of us. This year, we have a new general manager coming in, a new accountant, and a new accounting company,” he said.
“We have had a succession of leadership that I stand by so I would like to first nominate First Vice President Tony DeMarco.”
The vote failed 3-2, with only Maynard and Demarco voting in favor.
Director Jo Shade then nominated Searles as president, and the motion passed by a vote of 5-0. Following Searles election, newly elected Director Mary Ann Remnet was elected first vice president, and Shade was elected 2nd vice president.
Searles then presented a plaque and resolution to Maynard for his more than a decade of service to the RCSD, including five of those years as president. “Michael helped guide the district to a strong financial outlook,” said Searles. “Our reserves have increased to approximately one year’s operating expenses in reserve,” he said.
“The district earned a clean and unmodified audit report with no material weaknesses,” said Searles.
“President Maynard advocated on behalf of Rossmoor residents regarding many community traffic and county road issues,” he continued, along with “street sweeping changes, zip code issues and collaborated with elected officials for many improvements in the district’s parks and facilities.”
“By this proclamation, we acknowledge and commend outgoing President Michael Maynard for demonstrating outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the Rossmoor Community Services District,” said Searles.
During the meeting, the board also heard from Lina Lumme, the Executive Director of The Youth Center, a nonprofit organization with which the district has become a strategic partner for many programs.
She thanked General Manager Joe Mendoza and Recreation Manager Chris Argueta and others for being so cooperative with the Center.
“They are always there for us,” she told the Board, who she thanked “for allowing us to serve this community. Not just during the summer but all year long,” said Lumme.
The Youth Center sponsors several programs that collaborate with local schools to provide creative activities and learning opportunities for children and students.
In other action, during the oral communications section, local resident Michele Fieldson took issue with the General Manager’s assertion in the staff report about the District’s new tennis court resurfacing project “boasting that Rossmoor’s $61,000 project was more resourceful than the $183,000 effort by Los Alamitos.”
“His (Mendoza’s) comparison is misleading and unfairly maligns our neighbors (Los Al),” she said. said.
Fieldson said the funds spent by Rossmoor were “towards resurfacing courts that had three to five years of life remaining and did not need immediate attention.”
“Meanwhile, critical projects like Rossmoor Parks playground have reached the end of its useful life in 2022, yet remain deferred,” she said.
“Likewise, a shade canopy promised in 2019 is still unfinished,” she added.
Fieldson said the Los Al project “was not a simple resurfacing project. It involved major repairs, fencing and amenities.” In short, “comparing these two projects is apples to oranges,” she said. Fieldson said “Mr. Mendoza provided only his summary of the bids for review, which raises serious ethical questions,” she added.
Others, including residents Susan and Robert Kaplan, also were critical of the general manager’s assertion over the issue.”
“I am floored, frankly, that Mr. Mendoza would want to draw attention to it, because by comparison, Los Alamitos did a masterful job,” said Susan Kaplan. She gave detailed listings of why the Los Alamitos project cost more, and when Searles nudged her away from the microphone with the 3-minute limit, her husband Robert jumped up to finish reading the blistering comparison using his three minutes.
In other action, Searles asked the district to tighten up the practices of using one of the District’s credit cards.
While not alleging any wrongdoing, he said the Di