An official has complained that “enforcement sucks” when it comes to guest IDs in The Villages.
The topic has been heavily discussed since Village of Duval resident Catherine Laird last month voiced her concern about what she perceived as abuses of guest IDs and use of amenities by Villagers’ children and grandchildren living in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties. They gain obtain guest IDs valid for up to a year for use of Villages amenities.
Laird aired her concerns before the Amenity Authority Committee, the Community Development District 7 Board of Supervisors and the Project Wide Advisory Committee. She initially appeared to win the attention of PWAC, but that body last week reversed an earlier decision to ask the AAC for a joint meeting on the topic. The AAC also indicated it was not interested in a joint meeting on the Guest ID policy.
Community Development District 2 Supervisor Bryan Lifsey on Friday blasted the decision to sidestep the discussion on the sensitive topic. He indicated he believed the discussion is long overdue. A resident panel about 12 years ago came up with the idea to extend the opportunity to area residents to enjoy amenities in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown so long as they are accompanied by their relatives in The Villages.
“Enforcement sucks,” Bryan Lifsey said of the Recreation Department’s efforts to patrol and oversee guest IDs.
Since PWAC announced its decision to ditch the meeting with the AAC, residents have been speaking out on the topic.
“Villagers’ children and grandchildren living in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties are getting a free ride,” said Victoria Alkema, of the Village of Woodbury.
She said amenities are not to be “continually used by anyone who does not live and pay amenities in The Villages.”
She agreed with Lifsey’s assertion that enforcement is less than thorough.
“Yes, this would take a moment to verify the identity of the family who is asking and also the honesty of grandparents to comply with the constraints,” she said.
John Lasek, of the Village of Piedmont, cited a different kind of abuse of the guest ID system.
“I am from New York and I have relatives that have friends who have RVs and they stay in a RV park and they brag about coming to this area and having all the use of The Villages without having to pay anything. They brag about using all the recreation centers and participating in all the activities, and all they have to have is one friend who rents in The Villages. They brag about all the people in The Villages paying all the money and they get to use it for free,” Lasek said.
Ironically, Lasek is a Villager who could benefit from the policy in question, as he has a daughter, son-in-law and three granddaughters who live in Ocala.
“They just don’t have time to come to The Villages with the kids’ activities. I get passes for them, but they haven’t used them in four years,” he said.
Frank Lynch, of the Village of Virginia Trace, also charged that enforcement is lax.
“Check the pickleball courts and pools for non-residents. Recreation Director John Rohan said they are checked and a log is kept. That is a crock,” Lynch said.
