It is interesting to note the website for ACT: A Community Team does apparently not include everyone in the community or what they have to say. None of the posts expressing opposition to ACT beliefs on AC 411 can be found on ACT. On the AC411 site there has been a battle about who speaks the truth and who does not, and whose opinion is the right one and whose is wrong. I believe we have to learn how to agree respectfully to disagree, because of the basic set up of our community. We are a not-for-profit community surrounding a separate for profit entity: the golf course. While we share many common interests, our interests may also be conflicting at times.

I think the root of the problem is the concept of conflict of interest. – Not so much in the monetary or financial sense perhaps, but personal relationships and affiliations also create conflict of interest that can compromise our impartiality, objectivity, and judgment. This obstacle is hard to overcome because even the perception of conflict of interest can be caustic. To my knowledge, there is no clear definition of conflict of interest and how to avoid it established in our governing documents. Such a guideline can perhaps help resolve the distrust that seems to exist within our community – between residents and elected/appointed representatives and board candidates – so that we can work towards compromise and mutually beneficial solutions. We owe each other this discussion to stop this ongoing war of words and avoid it in the future.

Beate McGhee