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Sun City West board weighs six new staff including a PR hire as residents decry fee increases
Summary
At its April 23 meeting the Sun City West governing board reviewed the FY2026–27 financial plan and debated six proposed FTEs — including a proposed public relations/media specialist — with directors asking for more analysis while residents pressed for restraint and transparency on wages and dues. Final budget approval is scheduled for May.
Sun City West’s governing board spent the bulk of its April 23 meeting probing a proposed FY2026–27 budget that would add six full‑time positions, including a new public relations/media specialist that staff said is required to implement board‑adopted strategic priorities.
Katie O’Grady, director of public relations, told directors the new communications hire would handle a sustained increase in strategic tasks — from video production and logo enforcement to reformatting the Rex Center News and supporting a reworked TORCH volunteer program — and said existing staff cannot absorb those duties without compromising ongoing operations. General Manager Steven Ernau said the request responds directly to the governing board’s strategic plan and that staff would not propose positions they considered “nice to have.”
But several directors pressed for tighter justification. Director John (surname in transcript) said he opposed the PR hire at the last workshop and reiterated that view on April 23, describing the incremental cost — part of roughly $300,000 in added personnel expense across six FTEs — as too large given recent annual‑fee increases. “This position would be nice, but it is not necessary,” he said, urging the board to weigh cost versus measurable return.
Directors asked staff for a short cost‑benefit analysis before final budget approval in May. Director Alan Schlemmer and others suggested the board commission or review metrics showing how a new PR role would increase revenue, reduce costs or otherwise offset the expense.
Residents who spoke during public comment pressed the board on dues and wage transparency. Diane Landrum said her annual fee had risen 97% since she moved to the community and asked the board to scrutinize whether proposed projects and hires were essential. Dennis Hansel argued the board has a fiduciary duty to review management wage changes and requested supporting documentation for a recent compensation study and its implementation. The board pointed to a posted written response and said its external auditor (CLA) will include the compensation study in this year’s audit scope.
The board took no final vote on the operating budget on April 23; directors added several capital placeholders and instructed staff to return with additional analyses and answers to specific questions (including a requested cost‑benefit for the PR hire) before the May 21 final vote.
