RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - About 80 Rancho Murieta Association members, board members, employees and family members gathered May 1 at Stonehouse Plaza to mark Rod Hart’s final day on the job, a sendoff that mixed heartfelt praise with inside jokes, gifts and reflections on a 45-year career shaping Rancho Murieta.

Attendees sheltered in the shade along the back and sides of the plaza as the sun beat down, listening to a lineup of past and current RMA board presidents recount Hart’s legacy. Staff served hot dogs, chips, soft drinks and cupcakes, while guests signed a portrait of Hart standing in front of the RMA office logo. Many wore red, white, and blue ribbon leis – his favorite colors – made by longtime resident Pamela Haines, who created about 80 for the occasion. Others wore novelty T-shirts bearing Hart’s face and the word “quitter.”

Board President Patrick O’Hern opened the program by directing attendees to a dedication plaque mounted on a large boulder in front of the plaza. The plaque, which dedicates Stonehouse Park to Hart, was originally awarded in 2022 but was not installed at his request; he preferred to wait until his retirement. It now formally marks the space in recognition of his contributions to the community.

Speaking early in the program, Hart credited the community, its volunteers and staff for his success. But he spent several minutes highlighting a pivotal moment early in his career under former General Manager Greg Vorster, who set him up for success.

Before Vorster arrived, Hart had been discouraged from “mingling” with board members. That changed after Vorster’s first day.

Vorster asked Hart to get in the car and drive him through the community, pointing out what worked, and what didn’t. Hart showed him problem areas, including the gazebo that was “in horrible shape.” When Vorster asked why it had not been repaired, Hart said he told him the board had not approved funding.

When they returned, Vorster took an unusual next step: He scheduled individual meetings with each board member and instructed Hart to take them on the same tour and deliver the same candid assessment. Within a month, Hart said, funding was approved, and the gazebo repairs began. Other improvements then began snowballing.

Hart told the crowd that it was people like them that made him stay 45 years. 

“It really starts with the members volunteering to move the community forward and electing officials who create an avenue so I can get things done,” he said.

He also praised staff, calling them essential to everything accomplished during his tenure. 

“They are just a wonderful group, both at maintenance and in the administration building,” he said.

Hart took a moment to introduce his family members in attendance: his wife, children and grandchildren. “None of them ever complained, but there were a lot of things I missed along the way,” he said.

Tim Maybee also emphasized that Hart’s decades of service came with personal sacrifices and depended heavily on his family’s support. 

“If it truly wasn’t for the family, we wouldn’t have had his support,” Maybee said, thanking them on behalf of the community.

Maybee also described Hart as a problem-solver who rarely said no, instead steering projects toward workable solutions. 

“Our job as board members was to get you resources, and you were very thrifty, very frugal, and the community benefits so much from that.”

In a lighter moment, Maybee presented Rod Hart with printouts representing gifts from past board members – a dartboard and a Starlink system for his RV – and promised the real items would arrive later.

Rob Brown said Hart’s influence stands apart, calling him the most impactful individual in Rancho Murieta’s history. 

“It goes to Rod’s character. It goes to his leadership. It goes to who he is as a person,” Brown said. 

John Merchant, who said he has likely known Hart longer than anyone in the audience, dating back to his time as RMA board president in the community’s formative years, recalled decades of shared work and progress. He reflected on early projects and the rapid evolution of Rancho Murieta. 

“On behalf of the old-time group, many of which are who are no longer with us, I want to thank you for your friendship and all the fun we had doing this stuff,” Merchant said.

Randy Jenco and Jim Moore also spoke briefly, thanking Hart for his decades of service and echoing the sentiment that his contributions to the community will be difficult to replace.

Former President Scott Adams offered a lighter story about negotiating Hart’s general manager contract. 

“We met for about three hours. The first time we talked about the contract for about five minutes, and we drank beer the rest of the time,” Adams said. “So we said, let’s meet again. And we met again, drank beer, and met again. We drank beer.”

Adams joked that while little time was spent discussing terms, Hart’s position kept improving. The story drew laughter and underscored the personal relationships Hart built during his tenure.

At the close of the program, O’Hern introduced incoming General Manager Vicky Lentz, who declined to speak publicly.

In a brief conversation afterward, Lentz said she pursued the position because of her longstanding connection to the community. 

“I love Rancho Murieta. It’s always had my heart ever since I had to move away,” she said, adding that returning now, with years of experience behind her, felt like the right time.

As the formal program ended, attendees mingled with many stopping to speak with Hart one-on-one, offering thanks, sharing memories and celebrating a career that left a lasting imprint on the community.