In Lonehill: What Is The MISSING Ingredient? I wrote:
'So let's get to test just how open, mature and transparent our current LRA leaders are by requesting some straight answers to the simple questions posed on this forum, which I will send to the Chairman and post the answers on this forum as soon as they arrive.'
Below is the email thread of questions and reminders addressed to the LRA and LRA Chairman - Rob Gillespie.
Still no answers after 70 days... the intransigence, arrogance and lack of co-operation / transparency is patently clear to see, particularly in the Oct. 31 retort from the LRA Chairman '..I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked..'.
Really? What would that be... sterilising feral cats, filling Christmas hampers, organising garden competitions? Take a look at the questions asked at the bottom of this thread:
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:39 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (70 days) pendings
Courtesy reminder... 70 days pending on forum questions... following LRA Public Feedback meeting were these questions addressed as you said they would be... and is there any presentation material slides/notes for those who could not attend?
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:01 PM
Subject: Re: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (63 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 63 days pending on forum questions...
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:44 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (56 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 56 days pending... and also, still no sight of draft minutes or otherwise from LRA/Fidelity/Outsiders meeting
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 2:15 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (49 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 49 days pending
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 8:38 AM
Subject: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (42 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob (for time recordal purposes)
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
i. draft minutes not yet received - Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity - Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
ii. 42 days - no answer in writing to: Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob
re: point i. I would think it far more appropriate and transparent to allow ALL who took the trouble to participate in this meeting an opportunity to comment on the 1st draft minutes of that meeting.
re: point ii. Will repeat my response comment of Tue0ct21:
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 9:11 AM
Subject: RE: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hello Trevor. The minutes were only fwd’d to me last night in 1st draft mode. They have been circulated to the Board members who were present to verify / correct, which should take a day or three, before they will be circulated to all who were present, whose addresses we have.
On your point ii, with all due respect, I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked, and as a result they will be answered in due course, when time permits. We said that we would do so at the next public feedback session which if I’m not mistaken, will be in two weeks time.
RG
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za] Sent: 31 October 2008 08:21 AMTo: Rob GillespieCc: info@lra.org.zaSubject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
Thank you
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Trevor Nel ; Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - and - Re: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Hi Rob
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
So I will request again:
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 4 weeks ago (28 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 4:11 PM
Subject: RE: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Trevor,
1. Your questions sent previously will be attended to at the next Public Feedback Forum – date to be advised shortly.
2. Shot fired by Fidelity in pursuit of a wanted burglar after a break in at Eagles Cragg. He was not apprehended. The goods were recovered.
3. There was no format or PPT last night. The people were informed of the modus operandi of the current spate of events, what we were doing about it, and what they believed we were not doing and/or should be doing, essentially sensitizing and requesting assistance. Notes have not yet been written.
RG
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:02 AM
Subject: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 3 weeks ago (21 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
2. Kindly provide details of last night's shooting incident in Crestwood/Franschoek area - where exactly it took place, who cried for help, who responded, who fired shot, and description/result of incident.
3. Please also provide feedback and/or presentation PPT from last night's Lonehill Security Crisis compulsory meeting called for Chairmen and Trustees of Complexes and Road Closures... would like to circulate it to those who are not the above or were unable to attend.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za
Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 2 weeks ago. Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lonehill Residents Association
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: RE: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Dear Trevor
Your request has been forwarded to Rob and I’m sure he will reply as soon as he can.
Regards
Elmari Dell
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za]
Sent: 30 September 2008 06:21 AM
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za; Rob Gillespie; Rob Gillespie
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Have received no response or acknowledgement of receipt from either addressee to this request sent 1 week ago. Sending repeat as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
For the purposes of posting answers to our Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ - please be kind enough to provide answers to the following questions that were apparently not covered as per reading of the feedback provided from the recent LRA AGM (treat questions as at date of AGM).
i. What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
ii. What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
iii. Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
iv. What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
v. What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
vi. What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
vii. Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
viii. Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000 in total) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
ix. Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
x. What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
xi. How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
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2 comments:
In response to the questions posed to the Lonehill Residents Association by Mr Nel, The following response is supplied:
" Much ado has been made by Mr. Nel concerning a number of questions he has posed to the Association apparently in the name of a "forum" (although there is no confirmation available of such an organization or its composition). It has been the intention to deal with these questions and the circumstances surrounding the raising of the questions once and for all. It should be borne in mind that these questions were posed in circumstances of admitted adverse perception of the Association by Nel, as has been his stance with past Directors of the Association since his departure therefrom some years ago. Further, a careful reading of the questions posed by him illustrates, in certain aspects, the jaundiced perceptions and mindset Nel is labouring under and fails to take into account the disclosure of considerable amounts of information made to him in various correspondences by the Chair of the Association and the detailed disclosures made to him, as confirmed by the Minutes thereof, of a 3 hour meeting held with Nel and a number of guests he invited at a specially convened meeting of the Association.
Addressing the questions as put to the Association:
1. Biggest challenges facing the Association in the coming year:
1.1. The prevention of crime and especially violent crime in Lonehill and environs on the basis of zero tolerance.
1.2. To continually and innovatively raise the performance levels of the security service provider and its personnel and that of the Association.
1.3.To ensure the continued improvement of the environment in Lonehill and its environs.
1.4. To remedy complacency and apathy in the greater Lonehill community towards the above aims and objectives and to promote community involvement and spirit in achieving such objectives.
1.5.To promote such community participation in an atmosphere of encouragement and support and to confront and eradicate the type of destructive input from one or two malcontents that continues to have the effect, intended or otherwise, of dissuading participation by many of the incredible giftings and talents latent in our community when they view the contemptuous and disparaging manner that Association members and staff are subjected to when serving their community.
1.6. Increase Association funding by raising membership and corporate sponsorship.
1.7. Improving the efficacy of SAPS, Metro and other government depatrment interface.
2. What plans are in place to meet such objectives:
2.1. The roll our of a comprehensive security enhancement programme, aspects of which are in the process of finalisation but components of which are already in action and have been publicised.
2.2. A new marketing initiative is in the process of implementation and the Association website updated and to be imminently re launched.
3. The Association and its board and the management of the security service provider are responsible for deliverables and Key Performance Indicators for external assessment include crime statistics, the financial status and performance of the Association, the extent of community participation in Association events such as Carols by Candlelight, Fundays etc etc and the standard of the environment in the Lonehill and environs.
4. The Financial Statements of the Association include forecasts of future expenditure and financial needs, track budget and actual income and expenditure and are subject to annual audit and monthly mamagement review by a Finance sub committee and regular community scrutiny at public feedback meetings.Future financial needs shall be sourced from present and future projected Association members and corporate sponsors and donors.
5. The critical numbers and success indicators are set out in 3. above.
6. A new marketing programme to attract additional members has been embarked upon and negotiations with service providers and corporate sponsors for limiting cost escalations and sponsorships are ongoing.
7. One can only speculate as to why there are the number of voters as at present but it should be noted that when this Board commenced its tenure, there were only 8 members and now there are over 300.
8. There are several sizeable budget allocations anticipated by the Association but excluding budgeted and regular salaries and remuneration, none of these allocations are to be paid to paid to individuals, but to service providers and equipment providers primarliy for improvements to the security of the community and environment.
9. At present, the practice of the Association is to disclose expenduitre of all sizes to the residents at regular feedback meetings generally before such expenditure is incurred save for urgent items and repairs. It follows however that disclosures can only be made once negotiations with service and/or equipment suppliers have been finalised so that accurate figures may be quoted. The Associations Board is authorised to carry on its business and that includes such activities as expenditure.
10. The value add by individuals to the Association, wherther paid or otherwise, is subjective and open to interpretation. Suffice to say that at present, the Association and its Board are satisfied that the limited personnel operating on behalf of the Association are performing a Herculean task in challenging circumstances but continually strive for higher standards and the implementation of technology to assist where appropriate.
11. Concerning the community centre, if there are any suggestions for its use, please feel free to submit these."
It is not the Associations intention to get caught up in endless questioning of its affairs and will in future be focussing the energy applied on trying to answer your questions and elicit your co operation and support to more worthwhile endeavours such as the security of the community the Association was created to serve.
LRA
Good to see an attempt made to answer the questions, will assess them in a later post.
Am always amazed at the powers of those who can 'carefully read' or second-guess the reasons behind simple questions. Sometimes questions are just questions!
For the record: In my opinion, mention of the minutes of a 3-hour meeting are hardly any confirmation of anything much of substance to back the commentators introductory assertions, given that:
1. The 3-hour meeting led directly to my opinions expressed in the post Lonehill: Who's Fooling WHO..?
2. The lengthy delay in submission of the draft minutes and consequent perusal thereof led to this response from self to the LRA Board:
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 6:37 AM
Subject: Re: Final draft of minutes for perusal
Hi Rob
For circulation to LRA Board and outsiders in attendance.
With respect to the efforts of the scribe/s, the method of recordal and length of delay in circulation of these draft minutes render the attempt at 'verbatim' transcription unacceptable and unrecognisable in either meaning and/or context in a number of parts (especially as regards specific wording ascribed to self and/or what I heard from others).
Clearly, any such future meeting I have will necessitate an audio-recording of the meeting to verify the statements I am purported to make and to corroborate that which I hear.
To be clear, I cannot and do not accept seemingly prejudicial and/or ludicrous/incongruent statements where purported to have been made by self in the interpretation of those producing these minutes.
Sincerely
Trevor Nel
Lonehill Resident - 011 - 705-2790
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