Our Village

During June’s Coffee Meeting Catherine DeMalade asked if the memorial pavers came under a 75% owner approval rule. The President's answer was that it didn’t come under the 75% approval clause because the change was minimal. I believe Catherine DeMalade and the President of the Board don’t interpret the Bylaws and Covenants as I see them.

Owners Speaking On Agenda Issues
There were none

COFFEE WITH THE DIRECTORS

Pledge of Allegiance

Comments from the Box
Lot 288 asked the Board if the ground keepers operating the grass clipping blowers would not quit before reaching the point where the grass cutters stop cutting. He felt it just made sense not to leave a mess and helps to beautify our Village.
Lot 287 complained that a ground keeper weed whacked one of their favorite plants.
Directors Commenting
Due to having computer problems, Dir. Gagan gave his apologies for the slow email response.
Treas. Steffensen reminded everyone that anyone driving into our Village must provide a valid license and Insurance information. She said that our security is still being hassled over this.
The GM said they are spraying for mosquitoes just about every night. On August 2nd our Rec. Hall will be closed approximately a week to do the cleaning and waxing of the floors. He said the Village will lose Time Warner analog channels 12 and 17 due to them going digital.
Dir. White said they had a good turnout for the “Cook-off” on Sat. There were three less teams due to the rescheduling. Over 100 people attended the karaoke/dancing “with Armando” that was scheduled in the evening following the cook-off. She said it was a fun time.
Dir. Guerra asked about the fire we had in our Village. The GM said someone dumped their hot coals into a garbage bin. The up side was that this made management aware that all Village fire extinguishers need inspecting.


Comments from Owners
David Gournic Lot 285 asked the Board to have more “no dogs allowed” signs around because there are too many dogs coming into the Activity and Rec. Hall areas. He has had to talk to three people about their dogs so far and didn’t know why this is all of a sudden happening. He asked Dir. White what happened during the hurricane. Was the Rec. Hall used to shelter people and pets? When Dir. White began to explain, she was interrupted by Pat Burke. Mr. Gournic again asked if the Rec. Hall was provided as a shelter and Dir. White said it was used as a safe haven. Mr. Gournic's response to that was "we don’t believe you Anita." Dir. White said that's fine, Ed McBride, who is the chairman of the Hurricane Committee, will be happy to address your question. Mr. McBride began by giving the July 10th committee’s report, but was rudely interrupted by Pat Burke yelling "answer the question." Mr. McBride said I was trying to give you the full answer, but in short, our Rec. Hall was opened to those who stayed or failed to leave in time. These people felt the Rec. Hall was a safer place than their residence. He said there were three people here with two pets that did absolutely no damage. Mr. Gournic said this Rec. Hall is not a safe haven with all these windows. Mr. McBride tried to explain further, but Mr. Gournic would have none of it..
Catherine DeMalade SC2 said we left the Park as a courtesy to the Hurricane Safety Committee. We have never left before and thought leaving the Park was mandatory. She said this Rec. Hall or any building in LIV is not safe and I fear a lawsuit might happen with allowing people into the Rec. Hall. She complained about her request being denied by Dir. White to have her Pool Committee sell dessert and ice cream during the cook off.
David Chapa Lot 22 said his two children were two of these occupants at the Rec. Hall. They had planned to leave that morning and didn't realized that the bridge had been locked open six hours earlier. He thanked Mr. McBride for all his help and felt the committee did a good job for only being organized a month. He said the Rec. Hall is safer and took full responsibility for his children staying there. Mr. Gournic got up and said I hope they're recorded what you just said and then started making comments about parenting.
The GM said the reason why these people were not notified about the swing bridge was due to a security guard failing to do what he was requested to do. This person no longer works here.
Harriet Gournic Lot 285 asked if anyone goes to channel 18 for these swing bridge closings?
Rick Contos SC57 reminded owners if you use a Time Warner HD box, you do not have access to channel 18.
Larry DeMalade SC2 said when he was the GM, he check into having a refuge location within the Village but the state wouldn’t approve such a place because of flooding. He then went on at length about his hurricane experiences.
Russell Judah Lot 329 complained about not keeping the kids out of the hot tubs.
Pat Burke Lot 768 had a problem with the Hurricane Safety Committee. In an odious tone she accused Ed McBride and Dir. White of spending $1600 that was not authorized by the Board. She wanted to know if these two people will be disciplined and what is being done to keep this from happening in the future.
Treas. Steffensen quickly explained a committee’s authority and said that in the future all committees must bring forth expenditures to be approved.
Pat Burke barked these two people should pay for this and then thundered her disapproval in leaving the Rec. Hall open during Hurricane Alex. She complained about the cook-off people using the pool and witnessing them firing up a grill after midnight. In a detestable tone she told the Board, it’s something I guess you can discuss. She quoted the bylaws because people are not obeying the pet rules and then zeroed in on the story about Dir. White's unleashed little dogs that one day barked at her. Ms. Burke said she yelled towards Dir. White’s residence saying in her words, Annita get your goddamn dogs on a leash. After Ms. Burke described to everyone of this terrible experience, she ranted to the Board what are you going to do about this? Is she going to pay a fine? I would like an answer. When our Directors realized that she was finally finished, they started discussing the issues only to be interrupted once again by Ms. Burke yelling is Ms. White going to be fined?
Martha Nell Dodson Lot 747 swore she was not going to say a word at this meeting, but now must because Ed McBride or Dir. White are two good friends that work hard daily for this Park and are never given a word of thanks. Pat Burke gave a belligerent laughed and Dodson turned to her saying that these things might be technically correct that you said Ms. Burke, so go ahead and laugh, but without a doubt there is an organized attempt here to discredit these two people who have done as much or more for this Park than anyone I know. A vast majority of the owners present instantly applauded.
Catherine DeMalade SC2 quickly argued that there are a lot of owners who do a lot for our Village but we don't need to stand up and mention any names. She switched to talking about two men with trash bags being seen in our Village during the hurricane. When someone yelled she said they jumped on a boat and took off. She said these were looters and as a suggestion to this Hurricane Safety Committee, we don’t need to announce that we're gone so they can come and get us. She, as Pat Burke did, had a problem with these cook-off people using our pool. She said she personally told them to acquire pool wristbands and they did, but thinks our amenities should be off limits to all the cook-off people. She changed the subject and told the told Board that she wanted the same people who put their names as graffiti on a sea cottage canal wall to come back and remove it. (You just can't make this up). She questioned if the memorial pavers were on common ground thus needing an affirmative 75% approval from the owners. She finally said channel 18 advertizes fundraisers far too long and needs a maximum of one month.only
Our GM said to Catherine Demalade that these two men you alluded to were not looters, but people who called the Coast Guard upon getting stuck here and it was the Coast Guard who yelled at them to board their vessel at 3 o’clock in the morning.
Albert Chapa Lot 187 the brother of lot owner 22 reiterated what his brother had said earlier.
Larry DeMalade SC2 complained that an issue has not been addressed by Dir. White. He basically said when a Board Member acts in a very unprofessional way with cussing out an employee and another Board Member, an apology is in order and in this case, Dir. Montalvo owes one to Becky from security and to Pat Burke. Dir. Montalvo said he admits to having a heated argument with Becky from security, but said that neither of us cussed at each other. Dir. Montalvo said the only one he heard cuss was Pat Burke. Pat Burke yelled, you called me a bitch, to which Mr. Montalvo denied.
Dir. White said this seems personal and doesn’t need to come up here. It won’t get us anywhere. She thanked the owners of lots 22 and 187 for their hurricane comments and added that we need to take care of each other during these times. Dir. White said she was guilty for letting her dogs off her deck and will pay any fine that's assessed. She apologized to those in the audience.


Workshop
President Halbach said he'll put Lot 411 wanting an extension on the agenda. He thinks the Rec. Hall is not a shelter and should be locked.
Dir. Guerra mentioned the various ways to give hurricane information so that everyone in the Village will be informed.
Dir. Gagan said the Board might think of using some type of a P.A. system to inform people in the Park. He told the security manager attending the meeting that his new weekend security man is not doing the job.
Dir. Gagan brought up that the water smelled nasty and turned the subject over to Larry DeMalade. Mr. DeMalade gave Villagers a long story just say that flood waters from Hurricane Alex had gotten into the Laguna Madre water system and developed algae that supposedly made people sick.
Our New GM said he would contact the water district and post his findings on channel 18.
Treasurer Steffensen went over the rules on implementing fines. Sealed bids were discussed.
President Halbach decided the memorial pavers were not under the 75% approval clause. He said for the Board to make a note for next year that the cook-off people must wear wristbands when using the pool.
Dir. White said she will bring up as an agenda item about her fine.
Larry DeMalade SC2 wamted to know what happened to the concrete that buckled along the sea cottage row. Our new GM said water and heat. Mr. DeMalade then questioned the water part.
There were additional conversations by the Board about keeping the Rec. Hall open during a hurricane. Ed McBride asked that the Board just consider the human life aspect when making their decisions. Larry DeMalade brought up that when he was GM during Hurricane Dolly, he used the siren and had security go door to door telling owners two hours ahead of closing the swing bridge and that worked perfect. Opinions went on for ten minutes ending with the Board saying they will contact the Village lawyer to get her opinion.
Meeting Adjourned

Because of the resheduling, there were three less exhibitors and the turnout seemed moderate, but everyone had a great time and ate a bunch. All judging catagories were won by different exhibitors who received $120 plus caps. The Karaoke Dance that evening was quite the success, ask Armando. There were over 100 people who attended, with new singers, and lots of dancing away from the mosquitos, ask Armando. It was great fun!!!

DO WE HAVE MORE RENTERS OR NOT?

Since Hurricane Dolly in 2008, the board has selectively used the windstorm insurance money to paint different fiscal pictures of our Rental Office. It was brought into play once again during our June Board meeting and put into the current newsletter, apparently to show that the first four months of last year's rental revenues were just as bad as this year.