Bruce Portillo
After being appointed to finish a term for a board member who resigned, Bruce Portillo is now completing his fourth year on the board of directors. He’s proud of the board’s accomplishments over the past four years, but he thinks there’s more it can do.
“We moved to Bella Vista because I liked what I saw here and, now that I live here, I love it,” he said. He’s been a POA member since 2005 and moved here fulltime in 2008.
Portillo retired from a career in corporate finance, which gave him the opportunity to travel both around the country and internationally.
He describes himself as a supporter of the trails, but he walks rather than bikes. Although he hasn’t yet seen all the Back 40, he’s walked a lot of it and never
runs into bike riders who cause any problem. The trails don’t get much closer to a house than 75 yards, he said.
He’s also happy with the POA’s re-entry into the restaurant business. Both Lakepoint and BV’s are much improved with POA management, but he doesn’t think there’s enough business to have a restaurant at the Highlands
or Metfield.
“We are going in the right direction with both the Bella Vista Bar and Grill and Lakepoint.”
Since the new general manager came on board in early 2016, the POA has been updating many amenities using funds from reserves. Although some members have expressed concern over the dwindling reserves, Portillo believes it was the right decision.
“Is that really the best thing for a POA?” he asked about the large reserve. Going forward without the reserves will be “tougher,” but
the amenities are in pretty good shape now, he said.
“We have facilities for younger families with children and facilities for the older folks like myself, and the middle group should find plenty to do by way of the outdoors here. The entire range of people benefit, although it’s more diverse then it used to be,” he said.
“We are at the northern end of an economic zone experiencing incredible growth. Bella Vista cannot escape being part of it but can retain some of the characteristics that have endeared the city to me.”