PD Editorial: Oakmont dispute is no longer about fun and games

It would be easy to make sport of the upheaval in Oakmont over pickleball. But it is past the point of being a laughing matter.

The turmoil has caused deep divisions within the normally tranquil retirement community, resulting in fractured friendships, distrust and sweeping change within the Oakmont Village Association leadership, including the sudden resignation of the board’s president on Tuesday.

If all that sounds familiar, it should. The Oakmont rift in some ways has become a case study of our country’s deeper political divisions, illustrating in dramatic terms that the biggest threats to our social fabric are not issues but a diminished capacity for resolving disagreements in a civil and constructive manner. After all, what could be more inane than pickleball?

The rising popularity of this obscure sport - a scaled-down version of tennis, similar to paddle board - should be cause for celebration not enmity. Yes, it generates more noise than tennis, but it also is accompanied by a good deal more laughter. And in an age when the technology-driven allure of staying sedentary and alone at home has never been stronger, we all should recognize that a used court - whether for tennis or pickleball - is far better than an empty one.

The previous Oakmont Village Association board responded to the growing interest by approving construction of new courts near the association’s common areas. That triggered a backlash and a recall campaign that resulted in an anti-pickleball majority on the board voting to pull the plug on the project. Since then the issues dividing the community have gone beyond just a game. The controversy has led to the resignations of the association’s general manager, attorney, information technology coordinator, treasurer and several volunteer newsletter reporters. “In 30 years of managing communities I’ve never seen this kind of dysfunction,” manager Cassie Turner said.

It seems to us that one need only look at Washington to see dysfunction at its highest art form. But there are similarities, including an ill-considered attempt by some Oakmont board members to control if not censor coverage of the retirement community’s internal troubles. When the board demanded that future newsletter articles concerning the board’s actions be pre-approved, four of its reporters, all seasoned and respected veterans of the press, understandably quit. (Note to board: Quoting someone who has resigned isn’t a violation of an association confidentiality agreement. It’s called journalism.)

When all is said and done, the damage from this upheaval is likely to far exceed the $300,000 or so the new association board was hoping to save by pulling the plug on the new pickleball courts. The cost will be in distrust, suspicion and damaged relationships.

Toward that end, the new board should move forward with a commitment that all future decisions be made in a collaborative spirit with a premium on transparency. If the board can’t agree on someone to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of President Ellen Leznik, it should quickly call for an election. Meanwhile, the board should press ahead with a compromise plan to remodel the courts at the East Recreation Center, using what tools - including padded paddles and sound buffers - to muffle the noise. Whatever the solution, the emphasis should be on building bridges that remind the good people of Oakmont of their common interests rather on athletic courts that serve as a reminder of what Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Even over pickleball.