Community Development District 2 supervisors are calling for action on the “waste of money” on Recreation News.
The board members on Friday pressed Amenity Authority Committee Chair Ann Forrester to take a hard look at the money being spent on the print edition of the Recreation News, which is distributed each Thursday in The Villages Daily Sun.
“We are spending tens of thousands of dollars telling residents the same thing all over gain,” said CDD 2 Supervisor Bart Zoellner.
He added that “print media is shrinking” and the future is online distribution of information.
Zoellner picked up his cell phone to illustrate his point.
“We should have this information at our fingertips. Most people are getting their information here. Let’s get into this century. The Recreation News is a waste of paper,” he said.
He said he feared that residents’ money is being spent as a plum for the Developer’s newspaper.
“I hope we are not being unduly influenced by the Daily Sun, which could be losing more than $800,000 year (if they are no longer printing Recreation News),” Zoellner said.
CDD 2 Chairman Bryan Lifsey has grown so concerned about the cost to residents for Recreation News, he outlined his concerns in a position paper prepared for Friday’s meeting. You can read it at this link: Bryan Lifsey position paper on Recreation News
CDD 2 Supervisor Jim Cipollone called for some fresh thinking.
“The Daily Sun is half advertising anyway. The Recreation News is the only thing without advertising. Maybe that is what is needed,” Cipollone said.
The AAC, which foots half the bill for Recreation News, has vowed to take a hard look at the publication during the budget process, which begins in March.
However, not everyone is eager to see the publication migrate online.
“I am still a low-tech person. I still need the Recreation News,” said Villager Don Simson.
