Stohlton working for the kids
Special to The Weekly Vista
The Property Owners Association needs to do more for the children of its members, candidate Parker Stohlton said. When he met children in the area who don’t participate in organized sports because recreational leagues are expensive and require lots of travel time, he decided to try to help bring recreational kids sports to Bella Vista.
Recreational leagues would probably require a partnership between the city and the POA, he said. So he decided to run for a seat on the POA board.
Stohlton, a technical project manager for Walmart, is new to Bella Vista. His leadership experience includes a board that managed 40 volunteers, and running a program that helped undergraduates find internships. He’s enjoying the outdoors in Bella Vista and lists golfing, running and biking among his hobbies.
He’s not against expanding the trail system, but believes that the membership should be surveyed before any commitments are made. However, adding more access to existing trails is a good idea, he said. More people might be able to access the trails without driving or riding on the roadways, he pointed out.
If amenities are expanded, he wants to see the POA build fields that could be used by youngsters playing sports. He understands that there would be a lot of planning involved before that can happen. The camps and lessons that the POA provides each summer to young golfers, tennis players, swimmers and paddleboarders are a good start for children’s programming but there is more needed, he said.
“That would be my big push,” he said.
He’s thought about increases of the monthly assessment fee and hopes to find ways to avoid it. First, he would consider raising usage fees for non-members, especially on the golf courses. Restaurant prices might go up as well with a discount for members. He would also like to see the assessments raised for unimproved property to make it more fair.
“However I can save money for the members — that’s something I would like to do,” he said.