JUNE 2025
GVREC.ORG
The Boy Scouts Got It Right
GVR staff in charge of procurement and inventory controls. From left to right: Tim Lewis, Jesus Alvarez, and Dawn Garbers.
Supply chain disruptions tend to cause cost increases. Photo by Kurt Cotoaga / Unsplash
David Brinkley got me hooked on the news back in the early 80s and I’ve been an avid reader and follower ever since. In more than 45 years of reading headlines, I don’t think I’ve seen the word “uncertainty” used nearly as often as it has been lately. Back when Jody Powell and George Will were scrapping on Brinkley’s show, girls weren’t allowed in the Boy Scouts, but if they had let me in, I’d have been a good one. In the face of uncertainty, GVR staff have all become honorary Boy Scouts and I couldn’t be more pleased with their efforts. We may not know exactly what the future will bring, but focusing on what we can reasonably predict, we are doing our best to be prepared for supply chain disruptions and the cost increases that tend to come with them.
materials become scarce. The process started slow but is at this writing a hustling bustle of deliveries and packing slips. Cleaning supplies, spare tennis nets, conduit and wire, pool heaters, gloves, saw blades, flux and fittings, wheelbarrow tires, ceiling tiles, HVAC filters, spa pumps, windsocks, hand soap, door stops, shower curtains---the list goes on and on.
The Amado Room at Canoa Ranch has been temporarily repurposed as a warehouse for the supplies, equipment, and materials needed to keep GVR facilities and programs in top shape through the remainder of the year. Staff charged with procurement and inventory controls have been working double time shopping for the best posted prices, negotiating discounts, and managing the distribution of supplies to the staff in the centers. Division heads have reviewed their standard operating procedures to identify alternative approaches they can take in the event the usual tools or
This scramble started as GVR’s first quarter financials were being reported. Like 2024, 2025 is shaping up to be a slow real estate year in Green Valley. With nearly 20% of the budget funded by new member fees associated with home sales, the possibility of another year-end revenue shortfall looms. The administration challenged the staff again: tell us where we can save money. With awards and prizes offered for winning ideas, the staff came through with a sharp and thoughtful list of suggestions, none of which included getting rid of the Operations Chief (thank you, dear colleagues)! Converting to motion-activated light switches was the most popular recommendation by far. A proposal to install bidets was accompanied by such an extended and detailed cost benefit analysis it will surely be a contender for the “most ardent suggestion” award. Continued on page 6