A PLACE TO BE
Monday, February 27, 2012
RATIFICATION
Year after year it becomes apparent that our Board of Directors ignored certain things. Allowing owners to use "Village ratification rights" for material alterations and substantial additions has never been granted. Babble is all a person gets when addressing this issue like substantial is defined many ways or you’ll never get 75% of the owners in the Park to even vote much less ratify something. My favorite was a board member saying we’re elected to make these kinds of decisions for owners and if they started ratifying everything they wouldn't need us.
We find the Village ratification rights in the Declaration and in the Bylaws. These rights were not put in there just to fill up space but to ensure the power of change was not given to an elected majority of nine, but left in the hands of concerned owners.
Previous Boards have argued we need 75% of the total owners to ratify (768 owners out of 1024). I'm not alone in thinking (SEE POLL ABOVE LEFT) Declaration's Article X and Bylaw's Article VII say 75% of however many owners show up at an announced ratification meeting only need to vote and the majority of those votes rules. It’s as simple as that so I ask, why aren’t we doing it?
Comments
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We find the Village ratification rights in the Declaration and in the Bylaws. These rights were not put in there just to fill up space but to ensure the power of change was not given to an elected majority of nine, but left in the hands of concerned owners.
Previous Boards have argued we need 75% of the total owners to ratify (768 owners out of 1024). I'm not alone in thinking (SEE POLL ABOVE LEFT) Declaration's Article X and Bylaw's Article VII say 75% of however many owners show up at an announced ratification meeting only need to vote and the majority of those votes rules. It’s as simple as that so I ask, why aren’t we doing it?
Comments
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Rental Office
Three times over the past decade the Board has made decisions not to close the Rental Office. The first time they made one condition for staying open, it cannot cost the Association money. Well we all know that didn’t happen since Association members now are subsidizing around $30,000 annually so those few who rent through the Rental Office can make a lot of money.
We’ve been told twice we now can’t afford to close the Rental Office because office figures show the losses would more than double each year.
So being a simple man help me out here, surely I'm missing something. Could it be the answer was given at our February board meeting?
After President Montalvo expressed his frustration with Aramark on acquiring flow charts, Director Sandberg added similar ones and believes that in keeping two set of books, one for LIV and one for Aramark, it becomes a total nightmare to get an answer on even the simplest of things like how much did we spend on Verizon last year.
She couldn’t believe the paper trail that Aramark requires an Association bill to travel. For instance, Verizon sends their bill to the Welcome Center. The office manager opens it up and gives it to the GM for approval. The GM sends it back to the office manager so she can enter it into Aramark’s system and you would think that should be it, right, cut the check and mail it, right? Not so fast, after it's been entered into Aramark’s system the bill now travels to the Aramark people in Pennsylvania where they purge it for processing in order to make a check out to pay the Verizon bill in our behalf. So now we’re done, right? Wrong, a month later the Pennsylvania people will have to send our office a statement requesting a reimbursement for their efforts and our office now has to go back through their set of records to reconcile Aramark’s numbers. When this is all said and done, the office will show in Aramark’s system that the reconciliation has taken place and our office can now make a check to pay Aramark.
In short what normally takes any other office five minutes to pay a simple phone bill, our office takes an hour and the Association has to pay that employee for that time. To do all the items that flow through the office this cumbersome way it would not surprise me that Aramark has required the need of more office employees. Take as many guesses as you want as to who would pay for that and while you're guessing, who has to pay for the services of the people in Pennsylvania? Even President Montalvo said after reviewing his cash flow reports that he feels our Village is paying Aramark $110,000 a year for the most part to pay our bills, little else.
So one might find it interesting if this may have everything to do with losing $70,000 per year if the Rental Office were to close. Is it time for our Association to wake up to Aramark.
Your comment
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We’ve been told twice we now can’t afford to close the Rental Office because office figures show the losses would more than double each year.
So being a simple man help me out here, surely I'm missing something. Could it be the answer was given at our February board meeting?
After President Montalvo expressed his frustration with Aramark on acquiring flow charts, Director Sandberg added similar ones and believes that in keeping two set of books, one for LIV and one for Aramark, it becomes a total nightmare to get an answer on even the simplest of things like how much did we spend on Verizon last year.
She couldn’t believe the paper trail that Aramark requires an Association bill to travel. For instance, Verizon sends their bill to the Welcome Center. The office manager opens it up and gives it to the GM for approval. The GM sends it back to the office manager so she can enter it into Aramark’s system and you would think that should be it, right, cut the check and mail it, right? Not so fast, after it's been entered into Aramark’s system the bill now travels to the Aramark people in Pennsylvania where they purge it for processing in order to make a check out to pay the Verizon bill in our behalf. So now we’re done, right? Wrong, a month later the Pennsylvania people will have to send our office a statement requesting a reimbursement for their efforts and our office now has to go back through their set of records to reconcile Aramark’s numbers. When this is all said and done, the office will show in Aramark’s system that the reconciliation has taken place and our office can now make a check to pay Aramark.
In short what normally takes any other office five minutes to pay a simple phone bill, our office takes an hour and the Association has to pay that employee for that time. To do all the items that flow through the office this cumbersome way it would not surprise me that Aramark has required the need of more office employees. Take as many guesses as you want as to who would pay for that and while you're guessing, who has to pay for the services of the people in Pennsylvania? Even President Montalvo said after reviewing his cash flow reports that he feels our Village is paying Aramark $110,000 a year for the most part to pay our bills, little else.
So one might find it interesting if this may have everything to do with losing $70,000 per year if the Rental Office were to close. Is it time for our Association to wake up to Aramark.
Your comment
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Saturday, February 25, 2012
BULLETIN: condo fees raised 9% and Board says future infrastructure assessments are coming
At February’s meeting three choices were brought to the table due to last year’s $221,000 budget deficit. A 6% across the board spending cut. Raise fees $5 per month plus a 4% across the board spending cut. Raise fees $20 per month to cover the total deficit with $25,000 to spare while cutting nothing.
The Board gave their old worn out talking points like “everybody knows that prices are going up” and “people up the street pay twice as much”. One director even said it's not intelligent to think cutting 6% is the answer to this problem. That made me to wonder as to who made it a choice in the first place?
Those present unanimously approved the third choice that provided them more than needed without addressing a dime in cuts. Sound familiar? The good news is this measure can still be amended so here are three suggestions.
Since it was said the $25,000 overage and the upcoming CPL savings were not in the 2012 budget, earmark these to specifically pay towards the refurbishing of our roads, sewers, and canals. This should greatly reduce or even eliminate future infrastructure assessments. Pass a motion that there will be NO employee salary increases (including this year’s $70,000 one) until Aramark manages the amenities to a near zero deficit. Lastly, recoup all Rental Office losses from those owners who chooses not to abide by the very explicit rental rules found in the Declaration and bylaws.
Does this make sense?
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The Board gave their old worn out talking points like “everybody knows that prices are going up” and “people up the street pay twice as much”. One director even said it's not intelligent to think cutting 6% is the answer to this problem. That made me to wonder as to who made it a choice in the first place?
Those present unanimously approved the third choice that provided them more than needed without addressing a dime in cuts. Sound familiar? The good news is this measure can still be amended so here are three suggestions.
Since it was said the $25,000 overage and the upcoming CPL savings were not in the 2012 budget, earmark these to specifically pay towards the refurbishing of our roads, sewers, and canals. This should greatly reduce or even eliminate future infrastructure assessments. Pass a motion that there will be NO employee salary increases (including this year’s $70,000 one) until Aramark manages the amenities to a near zero deficit. Lastly, recoup all Rental Office losses from those owners who chooses not to abide by the very explicit rental rules found in the Declaration and bylaws.
Does this make sense?
Read more...
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
February Coffee Meeting
Lots 274 and 364 want a dog park. This will be brought up at the Regular Meeting.
From the audience.
Lot 870 complained about his four year sewage smell. The GM is working to solve it thinking the air release valves need to be relocated in-between the pump stations instead of at the stations along with sending a video probe down in the affected sewer area to detect leaks.
Lot 571 asked for someone to explain this vote item he received in the Annual Meeting packet. VP McBride said our Declaration and Bylaws have us under both the Condominium Act 81 and 82. This vote is to have the Park exclusively use Condominium Act 82 and rid the park of Act 81 that holds a lot of the gray areas that lawyers can argue thus costing our Village less in lawyer fees if litigation happens over a foreclosure.
Lot 329 asked who is going to pay for the cleanup of the unused concrete being dumped in our dumpster area. GM said the Village is responsible. Owner later asked how many foreclosed lots do the Park currently have and what will be done with them? The answer was three and it has yet to be determined what to do with them.
Lot 828 asked the Board to pass a rule when a member or spouse of a member of the Board passes away that it will be put on the marquee.
Lot 708 for the second month asked what’s being done with the street lights being out. Answer was the power company has the work order.
Lot 831 asked why last Wednesday’s chicken night time was shortened. Answer, it was shorten to prepare for a 7pm event. Same person asked why not make the event start at 8pm instead. No answer, only laughter.
Lot 627 walked in and asked why we have an unused treadmill sitting in the hallway for months when we have people like right now 3 deep waiting to use one. He asked can be put it in the exercise room. Request approved.
Lot 96 said there are maintenance needs for the pavilion. Board said they will look into it.
Lot 171 had a problem with not getting channel 18 while using HD.
Lot 106-108 said there is a consistent body of water in his yard along with having low water pressure. He wondered when that might be looked at.
Lot 491 had a problem with receiving a letter from the Association. This letter as it turned out put golf restrictions upon him. He thought that the four members on the Golf Committee have overstepped their authority and wanted the Board to intervene. One member of the Golf Committee got up and explains the situation that brought them to send this letter. After hearing the explanation, the individual who received the letter said the explanation was a lie and the members on the Committee lie. After things settled it appears that the letter stays.
SC 120 said the Coastal Current had a nice article about LIV’s golf course.
The general manager requested that the Board add to next week’s agenda a discussion and vote towards a new electric CPL contract. The old 3 yr. 9 cents per kWh contract to which the previous general manager touted as a super deal is to possibly be replaced with a new 2 yr. contract at 5 cents per kWh. It will be on the agenda.
Lot 329 took issue in somehow our GM was laying pressure on the Board to make a hasty decision.
Lot 96 wanted to improve the restaurant’s window shades.
Workshop.
On the agenda for the Regular Meeting next week will be the credit card bill pay, a new CPL contract, and the dog park.
Comments.
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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
A TIDBIT
In the mist of telling everyone that our 2012 operating capital will be in the tank by a whopping $232, 000, Treasurer Steffensen again brought up the cost for Time Warner. She’s right when saying that Time Warner’s annual $181,000 price tag is a lot of money, but so is the $150,000 being thrown away to support our money pit revenue centers each year . When the Board approved this ten year Time Warner contract in 2008, it touted a monthly per unit cost of $11 with no more than a 5% increase per year and now we're told it cost just under $15. If you think about it you can’t obtain cable or satellite for twice that. If we have a 5% increase each year until the end of the contract it will be cheaper than what an individual can get today. One has to ask if there really is a problem here? Would it not be wiser to leave Time Warner alone and focus on the $70,000 Aramark salary increase, or maybe to try to create a new charge towards those who waste our water. Maybe even do something more about these money burning Revenue Centers.
Your thoughts?
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Your thoughts?
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Jan. Coffee/Regular meeting recap
COFFEE
The Lindley Creek Show band performed two ditties to give a taste of their upcoming Saturday gig.
After reading two improving the Village Grill suggestions from the box, VP McBride said there will be an upcoming vote to advertise a $15 discount coupon towards a golf/meal combo.
Workshop
It got interesting when Director Sandberg sought a need for clarification in determining who is eligible to run for the Board. Only LIV owners or designated owners of a corporation are supposed to be eligible but the Declaration/Bylaws are a bit vague. This was not the first time our Board wanted an owner eligibility clarification. The August 2009 Coffee Meeting with President Pat Burke established they were going to create a better owner clarification and some reason the subject was never brought up again.
Dick Lothe, Steve Fowler, and V.P. McBride encouraged the Board to consider what they thought was a fair Sun Harbor swing bridge assessment increase and Pat Burke indignantly argued against it.
Director Deitrick said he will address the policy review he conducted at the next regular meeting and asked that the Board read his review. He talked about the enforcement of traffic rules, forming an extra D-E entity to sponsor LIV activities, and closed with saying in adding to Director Sandberg’s board member clarification issue, we as a Board should also consider making it a rule disqualifying those who resign.
Regular
Pat Burke anxiously voiced her disgruntlement over the way Dick Lothe, Steve Fowler, and VP McBride asked the Board to calculate Sun Harbor’s share of swing bridge assessments.
The Park assessment arrear total this month was $29085 and LIV has recently obtained three foreclosed properties.
The dredging project awaits an approved site to dump material somewhere on Freeland’s property. The Rodriguez Brothers Dredging Company who is currently doing a project for SPI has met three times with our GM and figures to be our Board’s best choice. No dollar figure yet but one would think not having to pay to ship their equipment and crew down here would save our park a ton of money. It seems this company has a month left to do for SPI before they could start our one week canal project.
Last year’s Revenue Center winner and losers (January thru November, 2011)
Village Grill -$51.877 LOSER
Golf Course -$68,509 LOSER
Rental Depart. -$27,591 LOSER
Laundry -$1,865 LOSER
Newsletter was the only WINNER spewing a +$3180 figure.
The Finance Committee will be busy prioritizing this year’s Major Improvement Fund that exceeds $200,000.
The 2012 OPERATING CAPITAL forecast.
REVENUES are expected to be down by $50,000.
COSTS will be higher due to increases in water, Swing Bridge, and Time Warner costs, but the biggest firm increase will be the $70,000 increase in Aramark salaries. Last year the water was $91,000 over budget and expected to be $86,000 over this year. It was made clear that watering the Golf Course was not the reason for these increases.
Bottom line there will be a $233,000 Operating Capital deficit for next year.
After hearing hullabaloo over children driving golf carts and amendments to a few policy revisions, all revisions were approved.
A $15 coupon for golf and meal approved.
In the near future LIV may accept the use of a credit card to pay assessments. When approved the idea is to use the LIV’s internet site at a (10 cents) per transaction cost and of course any small hidden fees.
Read more...
The Lindley Creek Show band performed two ditties to give a taste of their upcoming Saturday gig.
After reading two improving the Village Grill suggestions from the box, VP McBride said there will be an upcoming vote to advertise a $15 discount coupon towards a golf/meal combo.
Workshop
It got interesting when Director Sandberg sought a need for clarification in determining who is eligible to run for the Board. Only LIV owners or designated owners of a corporation are supposed to be eligible but the Declaration/Bylaws are a bit vague. This was not the first time our Board wanted an owner eligibility clarification. The August 2009 Coffee Meeting with President Pat Burke established they were going to create a better owner clarification and some reason the subject was never brought up again.
Dick Lothe, Steve Fowler, and V.P. McBride encouraged the Board to consider what they thought was a fair Sun Harbor swing bridge assessment increase and Pat Burke indignantly argued against it.
Director Deitrick said he will address the policy review he conducted at the next regular meeting and asked that the Board read his review. He talked about the enforcement of traffic rules, forming an extra D-E entity to sponsor LIV activities, and closed with saying in adding to Director Sandberg’s board member clarification issue, we as a Board should also consider making it a rule disqualifying those who resign.
Regular
Pat Burke anxiously voiced her disgruntlement over the way Dick Lothe, Steve Fowler, and VP McBride asked the Board to calculate Sun Harbor’s share of swing bridge assessments.
The Park assessment arrear total this month was $29085 and LIV has recently obtained three foreclosed properties.
The dredging project awaits an approved site to dump material somewhere on Freeland’s property. The Rodriguez Brothers Dredging Company who is currently doing a project for SPI has met three times with our GM and figures to be our Board’s best choice. No dollar figure yet but one would think not having to pay to ship their equipment and crew down here would save our park a ton of money. It seems this company has a month left to do for SPI before they could start our one week canal project.
Last year’s Revenue Center winner and losers (January thru November, 2011)
Village Grill -$51.877 LOSER
Golf Course -$68,509 LOSER
Rental Depart. -$27,591 LOSER
Laundry -$1,865 LOSER
Newsletter was the only WINNER spewing a +$3180 figure.
The Finance Committee will be busy prioritizing this year’s Major Improvement Fund that exceeds $200,000.
The 2012 OPERATING CAPITAL forecast.
REVENUES are expected to be down by $50,000.
COSTS will be higher due to increases in water, Swing Bridge, and Time Warner costs, but the biggest firm increase will be the $70,000 increase in Aramark salaries. Last year the water was $91,000 over budget and expected to be $86,000 over this year. It was made clear that watering the Golf Course was not the reason for these increases.
Bottom line there will be a $233,000 Operating Capital deficit for next year.
After hearing hullabaloo over children driving golf carts and amendments to a few policy revisions, all revisions were approved.
A $15 coupon for golf and meal approved.
In the near future LIV may accept the use of a credit card to pay assessments. When approved the idea is to use the LIV’s internet site at a (10 cents) per transaction cost and of course any small hidden fees.
Read more...
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