The Colonies Coalition's Silence and a Guessing Game to Play

Where has The Colonies Coalition been since the election?  I have not received anything from them since the four candidates who ran by petition were defeated by the five incumbent Colonies Board Member candidates.  Has the Colonies Coalition packed up their toys and gone home?  The Colonies Coalition was aggressive and stead-fast with bringing about positive change; hard to believe one election would send them running for cover but these last months of silence have been eerie.

The newly rejuvenated Social Committee since the May Annual Meeting/Board of Director’s Election is most interesting; it appears to be chaired by one of the recently defeated Candidates by Petition for the Board, A.K. Martin.  She had some cost-saving ideas but let’s face it, The Colonies will not entertain any ideas invoking change unless they are theirs.  The best idea had during the entire election was the faux resignations of General Manager Carlton, Property Manager McCracken and Administrative Assistant and Corporate Secretary Smith.  If only they had followed through; new blood in that office would have been great for The Colonies (the skills and qualifications at the rates/salaries in this job market is phenomenal bargain shopping)!  Board Member and Treasurer Kelleher working in the Administrative Office is a conflict of interest; other Home Owner Associations I have spoken to laughed upon hearing that being one of many Colonies Management practices.  Nothing like having The Colonies, a multiple Community Association Institute (CAI) Community Association of the Year Chapter winner (most recent ‘win’ was the 1998 (medium) Washington Chapter 2nd Runner-up Community Association of the Year), be a laughing stock to other area communities.  One has to wonder what entities like the Community Associations Institute (http://www.caidc.org) would think of The Colonies recent practices (need others here).  The 2011 amount of $225,020 budgeted for Administrative salaries are a joke enough but sadly it is us co-owners the joke is on.

Coming soon to your mailbox will be The Colonies Finance Committee’s announcement of the 2012 Budget Hearing that will also reveal the amount of the monthly assessment fee (the current monthly rate is $480/unit).  Shall we place wagers now as to what the new monthly fee will be?  We all know a portion of that will go toward the Administrative salaries (of course the three of them recanting their resignations likely included some sort of incentive for them to stay)!!  Please comment below or send an email (colonies.mclean@gmail.com) with your building number and the amount you think the new rate will be and I will list just that below.  Place your guesses now!!

Falls Church 8% Water Increase - Another Missed Notification to Colonies Co-Owners from Management

The City of Falls Church Water Utility serves The Colonies approved an 8% increase in its water rates at its meeting Monday, September 12, 2011 per a News Release dated Tuesday, September 13, 2011 (http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/NewsMedia/2011Releases/Sept/WaterRateIncrease2011Sept13.pdf). 

This rate increase will affect The Colonies bottom line finances which ultimately will affect each co-owner.  With the $480/month amount co-owners pay in condo fees, it is not asking a lot for Colonies Management to post notices such as this or Tysons Corner area Metrorail development news on the lobby bulletin boards.  The Colonies Management posting these news items that ultimately affects the community on the bulletin boards located in each building's lobby avoids a barrage of questions at such events as the Annual Budget Hearing.

I have been told by co-owners who have lived in The Colonies that years ago, Maintenance used to do inspections of each unit for water leaks; A water efficiency study has not occurred in at least five (5) years.  The Water/Sewer Utilities amount spent for 2010 was $142,507 and with this 8% increase commencing October 1, that increase could mean 2011's amount being as much as $145,357 (that is just a minimal estimate based on 2010's figure with one quarter at 8% increase).  The Colonies Crier Newsletter lists each month:

WATER SENSORS available at the Office for $18 including battery. This device comes in very handy in  detecting a leak in time to prevent extensive damage.

It is unlikely The Colonies is selling out of their inventory on those water sensor devices and there are numerous co-owners and residents alike who do not even read The Colonies Crier.  Listing the website of the water sensor device so those co-owners and residents curious about more information would be helpful. 



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Thursday, September 22, 2011 Update:

An article cited in today's McLean Patch:
Fairfax, Falls Church Battle Over Water Rates Affecting McLean Residentshttp://mclean.patch.com/articles/fairfax-county-agency-proposes-reducing-water-rates

The Colonies borders Falls Church (Westgate Elementary School, the current Polling Place Location for registered Colonies resident voters at 7500 Magarity Road is considered Falls Church) and directly across Magarity Road is Falls Church.


Additionally, cited in the article is the Report of the Fairfax County Consumer Protection Commission's Review of City of Falls Church Water System: Rates and Capital Improvements
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/cpc_water_rpt_adopted_9_20_2011.pdf 

Metrorail Expansion and Proposed Area Development Updates too Much to Ask?

The upcoming Washington silver line Metrorail expansion to the greater Tysons area is close to The Colonies.  Would The Colonies management keeping residents and co-owners apprised of community hearings affecting the Dulles Metrorail project that specifically impacts the Tysons area other than the occasional flyer posted about road closures, etc. be too much to ask?  How about acknowledging the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project exists by adding a link to their homepage and at least mentioning it in the Colonies Crier (other than Guest Speaker at Annual Meeting)?  The Rotonda Condominium not only provides a link to it from the hotlinks section of their homepage but have had articles about it in their newsletter.  The area expansion alone from the metrorail is going to impact the area greatly in the coming years and keeping The Colonies community in the loop of those changes (planned and official) is important.

Per the McLean Patch, A public hearing is being held Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 8:15PM at the Fairfax County Government Center on the first Tysons Corner rezoning application by the Fairfax County Planning Commission; plans proposed by McLean's Georgelas Group will become the first test of the county's vision of transforming Tysons Corner into a city.  Plan calls for a three-stage development that includes more than 2,000 housing units, ground-level retail space and some buildings nearing 300 feet in height. That makes them taller than both the Sheraton Hotel and the Rotonda.  Had The Colonies Management posted notices about this meeting or last week's meeting in Vienna, there may have been members in the community interested in attending to learn more.

Detailed plans may be found:  http://mclean.patch.com/articles/first-tysons-corner-plans-go-before-fairfax-planning-commission-tonight