Quote:
Posted By SteveS8 on 05/24/2010 3:02 PM
Michele,
I can completely understand why you are so puzzled by my reference to the word "altruistic". But you were not at the last open meeting when the builder stood up there in front of his 55+ audience and spoke about how he got the roads repaved as he said he would because he cares about the community and all the people in it. For some reason there was no mention that he was obligated to do so.
Steve
Seriously, Steve, please, you and your neighbors need to get over yourselves.
He certainly is not "obligated" to get his own money back.
But to think otherwise is just plain -- narrow -- thinking.
There is also absolutely
nothing wrong with him trying to put spin on something like that. It was no doubt a political statement and, as you and others probably knew as soon as the words came out of his mouth, it never was and never will be about altruism.
The thing is, your own bias is clear in this case. You have issues with this guy. So you necessarily have to deride or snipe at everything he says and does.
Bottom line,
still, is that he is first and foremost a business man.
He will eventually be moving on from your development and, quite frankly, probably doesn't give two ****s about the people there.
He would likely prefer, though, not to have a riot on his hands when he meets with the neighborhood, but the fact is, he runs a business. He is not your friend. He is not your neighbor (after he leaves the development).
I think it would be in your and your neighbors' best interests to re-check your expectations about what type of relationship is a reality between your residents and the business man who develops properties for a living, and
not because it's either a nice thing to do or because he expects some sort of community medal for it.
He simply expects a decent profit, and enough cash flow to post bond on another development he plans to begin somewhere else. And he likely would just prefer not to have to engage any residents in any development, if he doesn't have to. Or at the very least, would prefer to keep it at a minimum.
There is nothing wrong with you and your neighbors wanting to stay on his radar screen and wanting to hold his feet to the fire in terms of accountability and what not.
But stop pretending it's an altruistic relationship, or that he has or should have altruistic goals.
The best you should hope for is a reasonable relationship. If you get a better one, bonus, if you don't, then understand it's probably nothing personal. He just wants to get his cash flow to a reasonable level so he can continue to make a living.