POA board of directors candidates
Mary Sinkus
After managing the Bella Vista Craft Fair for two years, a full-time volunteer job, Mary Sinkus is not worried about the time commitment as a member of the POA board of directors. She took a year off after the craft-fair position and found that she misses volunteering and is ready for a challenge.
A POA member since 2011, Sinkus was the owner/operator of a gourmet restaurant and catering service in Wisconsin. As a volunteer, she was president of the local chamber of commerce. She also has corporate experience as part of the IT staff for General Electric; working in marketing, new product development, network projects and consulting operations.
Sinkus said that, after speaking to family and friends all over the country, she realized the monthly assessment fee in Bella Vista is very low. It will probably have to increase, she said.
The POA is already doing a good job balancing the needs of the young families with those of the older residents. The new beach is an example, and it is now working to update the playgrounds and make them all compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A fleet of reasonably-priced rentals would make it easier for young families to use the mountain bike trails, she said.
She would also support moving more meetings to evenings so younger residents can attend them.
But it doesn’t make any sense to abolish the POA and let the city run the amenities. It would still cost the same amount to operate them, so assessment fees would just become taxes.
“I will support efforts to preserve, maintain and enhance our amenities,” she said. “I will be thoughtful in planning cost-effective approaches to meet the needs of residents and property owners with the expectation of attracting new residents, increasing property values and encouraging tourism in this very special community.”