2011 Olympia Budget
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OLYMPIA HOMEOWNERS - PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION
I am opposed to the present 2011 Olympia Budget.
Minto is intending to perform over $200,000 in Clubhouse renovations that will be paid for by the homeowners, not Minto.
As I see the budget, the money to pay for this renovation will come directly out of our Reserves, or be paid for via a Special Assessment.
I am opposed to this renovation for the following reasons:
1. One third of the homeowners are not paying their dues so we can’t afford it. Each month we do not have enough money to pay our present bills and must rely on money from Minto to do so. Adding this project will just add to the amount we owe Minto at Turn Over.
2. No homeowners have requested this renovation. I believe that this is entirely the idea of Minto to create a “magnificent” Clubhouse (at our expense) to wow prospective home buyers into buying a new home so that Minto can more quickly get to 90% so they can get out of here.
3. The renovations are purely cosmetic. Drapes, upholstery, carpet, new pool finish, paint. In short, expensive sparkle and no substance.
There is a line item in the budget for over $30,000 to help prevent pigeons from pooping on the Loggia.
There is also a line item – several thousand and a monthly fee – to pay the Muzak Corporation to install speakers throughout the clubhouse and pool and play Muzak all day long. Aside from the unnecessary expense, I do not want to be forced to hear Muzak while at the pool or fitness room.
4. Money in the Reserve should be saved to pay for important items like roof replacement, repairs from hurricanes, road refinishing, etc. – all the items listed in the Renovation package are items that someone may “want” but that we certainly don’t “need”. Further, Minto does not contribute to the Reserve – only homeowners do. Therefore, how the money gets spent should be our choice (after Turn Over), and not Minto’s.
5. Minto has obtained only one bid for this work. Others were asked to bid but didn’t. A project of this size should have at least 3 bidders. This only has one.
6. Even if we did want it, not one homeowner was consulted about the aesthetics. This has been a Minto project, at our expense, from start to probable finish.
In short:
> Homeowners didn’t ask for it.
> Homeowners can’t afford it.
> Due diligence hasn’t been done for it.
> Homeowners will pay for it.
More importantly, Minto intends to perform extensive repairs on numerous areas of the community – at our expense - that I contend may need repair because of builder error.
As you know, if the builder is at fault, they pay for the repair. If not, we do.
I just want to confirm what caused the damage. I have asked for an Engineering Study to be performed – very common prior to Turn Over, and have been denied. Once the repairs are done, it will be impossible to prove builder error because all of the “evidence” will have been destroyed due to the repair.
Specific examples of my concern are:
> $30,000 to repair basket ball and tennis courts, and sidewalks due to chronic ponding water damaging these areas. I contend that these areas were never properly pitched and sloped in the first place which resulted in poor drainage which in turn resulted in the courts and sidewalks being damaged – hence, builder error.
> The clubhouse parking lot needs to be re-surfaced. I contend it should have lasted 10 years. Why didn’t it?
> The pool leaks hence the need to re-surface it. Why is it leaking?
> The clubhouse roof has had leaks. Gutters have had to be installed in certain areas. Why wasn’t it designed and built with gutters if it needs them?
> Guard houses need structural and surface repairs. Surface repairs I understand, but structural? The same people that built those guard houses built our houses.
> The loggia was built with design elements that are perfect pigeon roosting areas – hence the poop (the sales staff requested this expensive repair because it was “embarrassing” to bring prospective buyers into an area with bird poop) Now, because of this poor design, we need to pay $30,000 to put up some sort of netting. Design error?
I am all for regular maintenance, but before anything is completely re-done, let’s have an engineering study to see if it was built right in the first place.
At the last Board Meeting I told Minto that if they approved these club house expenditures given the bleak economic condition of the community then they would be violating their Fiduciary Duty to the Homeowners and would be acting as representatives of Minto rather than the Master Association. I also stated my opposition to doing major repairs prior to an Engineering Study and asked that my points be entered into the Meeting minutes.
In response, I was yelled at by the Minto VP and the next board meeting was schedule with no homeowner representatives present – Lee Goldman is out of town, and I asked for a different day. My request for re-scheduling was not even responded to.
Minto held a 4 hour Board meeting on Friday with no homeowner representation and approved all of their agenda.
Even if Lee Goldman and I were present, Minto outvotes us 3 to 2. But they didn’t want our opposition noted in the minutes and to hold a meeting that is this important without us indicates bad faith on their part.
THEREFORE, if any of you are opposed to this renovation, or have questions, or want answers, NOW is the time to not only sign our petition (please sign below) but to also contact Minto, the Master Association, and Bristol Management.
The time to create a paper trail of our opposition is now. At Turn Over it will be too late. Lawyers will say “no one objected, therefore you have to pay for it.”
Also, if you have objections or concerns, please email the Master Association representatives and copy Bristol Management as well so that they can keep a record.
Email addresses are as follows:
John Carter / Minto jfcarter@Mintofla.com
Janet Kroll / Minto JKroll@Mintofla.com
Jared Stern / Minto jstern@Mintofla.com
Steve Inglis / Bristol stevei@bristolmanagement.com
Lee Goldman / Olympia LeeOlympia1@aol.com
Scott Jaffin / Olympia sjarcoat@aol.com
Please direct any residents that you think may be interested to this website (www.OlympiaHomeowners.com).
Thanks.
Scott Jaffin
Olympia Master Association - Homeowner Director
Cell: 917-797-6510
Email: sjarcoat@aol.com
IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION
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