Lisa Vines recently expressed her support for Sun City West Governing Board candidate Lou Mancuso, and included the statement, “Lou Mancusso (sic) is a former governing board member …”
That could lead one to conclude that Mr. Mancuso’s role as a previous governing board director contributes to leadership experience, but Ms. Vines failed to include details that would cast considerable doubt on that inference.
Mr. Mancuso’s previous tenure on the board lasted about four months. In March 2021, he was elected to a three-year term, effective July 1. On March 29, the board seated him to fill a partial term. Over the next weeks of governing board workshops/meetings, Mr. Mancuso shocked other directors, Recreation Centers of Sun City West staff and community members with his rude, divisive and offensive comments/behaviors.
By July, Ms. Jolene Piaskowski (then Sun City West resident/currently governing director) was leading a recall campaign against Mancuso, resulting in an overwhelming vote for recall in an August election. The recall cost the community thousands of dollars and a scarred board and community.
By 2023, Ms. Piaskowski had claimed “mea culpa” and united with Mr. Mancuso to lead a recall campaign against three current governing board directors. The community was again thrown into a state of chaos, full of malicious discussions and the cost of thousands of dollars. The recall failed, but our community is still reeling from the aftereffects of two contentious recalls within two years.
Mr. Mancuso is now asking Sun City West voters for a second chance, claiming he was recalled because he “took on the establishment.” Those who voted to recall Mr. Mancuso from the board clearly remember it was based solely on his disrespect, belligerence and disruption.
Giving Mr. Mancuso a second chance on our governing board could be equated with “giving someone an extra bullet for their gun because they missed you the first time!”
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