Why It’s Time to Hear from Property Owners Again

👋 Hello Neighbors,

One of the most important responsibilities of any Board—whether corporate, nonprofit, or here in our Big Canoe community—is to listen to the people they serve. Listening isn’t just nodding along at meetings or answering the occasional email. It’s about deliberately seeking feedback, understanding it in context, and then using it to guide decision-making.

That’s why I want to revisit something that hasn’t been talked about much lately: the 2021 Property Owner Satisfaction Survey.

📊 What the 2021 Survey Told Us

Back in February 2021, the POA asked property owners to rate their satisfaction across a wide range of services, amenities, and governance topics. The results gave us a snapshot of community sentiment almost five years ago.

Here’s the big picture:

✅ Overall Satisfaction Was Strong
– “Would recommend Big Canoe” – 8.3
– “Overall satisfaction” – 8.0
– “Customer service from staff” – 8.4

🌲 Amenities Were Highly Valued
– Trail system – 9.3
– Fire Department – 9.3
– Gate Security – 9.0
– Marina – 8.9
– Clubhouse dining – only 6.9

💵 Financial Stewardship Was Lukewarm
– “Assessment dollars well spent” – 7.0
– “Financial management satisfaction” – 7.0

📢 Governance & Communication Were Weakest
– “Board communicates well” – 7.2
– “Board communicates honestly” – 7.2
– “Strategic plan is clear” – 5.4
– “I know what the 5, 10, and 15-year Master Plan” – 3.9

⏳ Why It Matters Now

The 2021 survey was valuable—but it’s outdated. A lot has changed in Big Canoe since then:

🏗️ Major infrastructure projects – The Clubhouse renovation and Lake Petit dam are two of the biggest projects in our history.

👥 Community turnover – Many of our current neighbors weren’t even here in 2021. We’ve had a wave of new property owners who bring fresh perspectives and expectations.

🔄 Leadership transitions – At both Board and staff levels. That brings opportunities, but also the need to re-establish alignment with property owners.

💸 Evolving challenges – Inflation, rising maintenance costs, and shifting amenity use patterns all impact our financial model.

In short: we are not the same community we were five years ago.

🗣️ Why We Need a New Survey in 2026

I believe it’s time for a new Property Owner Satisfaction Survey in early 2026.

Here’s why:
1. We need a fresh baseline – You can’t plan for the future with five-year-old data.
2. It ensures inclusivity – A survey captures the views of all owners, not just the ones who attend meetings.
3. It supports SMART goals – Surveys give us measurable data to turn into action.
4. It builds trust – Asking for feedback, publishing the results, and then acting on them shows accountability.

🔍 A Reflection on 2021

Most of the complaints from 2021 weren’t about whether people loved Big Canoe—they did. The concerns were about whether their voices mattered in decision-making.

For example, resistance to outside weddings at the Clubhouse came largely because property owners lost access when weddings were held. That’s less of an issue now with the newly renovated Clubhouse, which was designed to host multiple uses without displacing property owners.

That’s progress. But if we don’t ask property owners again how they feel, we’re working off assumptions—not facts.

✍️ My Perspective

If elected to the Board, I will strongly advocate for:
– Conducting a new survey in early 2026
– Publishing the full results, not just the highlights
– Using the survey to guide priorities and set SMART goals
– Ensuring the survey reflects today’s Big Canoe, not yesterday’s

Big Canoe is a unique, thriving community. The best way to keep it that way is to listen directly to the people who live here.

So I’ll end with a question:
👉 Do you believe it’s time for a new survey? And if so, what questions would you like to see included?

Let’s make sure our plans for the future are grounded in the voices of the people who call Big Canoe home.

— Roger