Will Trying to Affect Change Ever Make a Difference in The Colonies Community?

Over the past two years Colonies Co-Owners have had The Coalition of Concerned Colonies Co-Owners, the four (4) petition candidates in the May 2011 election and most recently, the Pepe's trying so badly to affect change The Colonies community so badly needs.  The Colonies, a mere stone's throw from the Beltway and located within the corridor of the nation's technology corporations, is still processing monthly statements via the US Postal Service, utilizing a computer for the simplest of business processes is beyond their scope (co-owners not even have option to pre-pay portions of their monthly fee because it will mess up their 'system'; software not pre-1990 is configurable one could probably find software online that would be more user-friendly).  Which is more pathetic is the question - the lack of business processes in use by The Colonies Administration or the poor excuse for a Board that allows themselves to be run by the Administration (it should be noted one Board member, Treasurer Kathleen Kelleher, also works in The Colonies Administration Office part-time which many have expressed as a conflict of interest and has recently been filed as part of a complaint with the VA Common Interest Community Board (CICB; http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/cic_main.cfm)?

Would imparting even an iota of truth to co-owners be that much of an inconvenience for the Administration?  The Calendar of Events published throughout the property stating the Clubhouse is closed over the span of approximately ten consecutive calendar days for a Private function when in actuality is due to the staff decorating it for the holidays is the latest example of The Colonies blatant lack of transparency.  It is so interesting the Self Defense class is still being held on at least one of the evenings but yet there is a sign at the Guardhouse stating to effect of Clubhouse Closed - No Owners or Visitors Allowed (have to ensure that instructor gets that income that none of us co-owners see as far as clubhouse rental, etc.).  Truth and Courtesy are two things The Colonies Administration are incapable of imparting to many co-owners and sadder, yet, they have numerous fan co-owners to back them who have been in the dark for far too many years.  That has been made clear based on e-mail complaints I receive.  The Administration being incapable of a basic truth as this one then what else could the Board also possibly be party to keeping us co-owners at bay about?  We have been kept at bay for many years and the Pepe's bringing to attention the numerous companies not to mention that the telephone and intercom lines are in the names of variations of different company names.  The pay telephone at the swimming pool could be a seasonal account and save The Colonies money but instead the 'revered' Administration opts to keep the pay telephone operational year round; the telephone number issued to the pay telephone ((703)821-9897) is issued to one of the companies (Colonies Swimming Pool) unearthed by the recent investigation finding numerous companies.


Many income-generating and expense-saving ideas were brought forth by many co-owners including very active members of the Coalition of Concerned Colonies Co-Owners who provided handouts outlining many ideas during the recent Budget Hearing held Wednesday, October 26, 2011.  Shall we place bets on how many of those ideas actually get implemented (too easy as the Boards has to find some way to justify increasing the condo fees next year to pay those salaries)?  It was laughable The Colonies comparing The Regency's Condo Fees to The Colonies in the Budget Hearing Notice - more like pathetic given that ELECTRICITY IS INCLUDED with the REGENCY's Monthly Condo Fee (and a bit crafty too figuring majority of co-owners will only see the figures but not bother to research the differences in amenities, etc.).


To answer the question posed (Will Trying to Affect Change Ever Make a Difference in The Colonies Community?); my wager is No as sadly this is a community not for positive change and clearly easily manipulated by the likes of chain-smoking General Manager Carole Carlton and her ever-so humble Servant Jill Smith.  Sal being gone from the helm is not going to cause any awakenings, etc.  Co-Owners had the chance to help affect change in the recent election by voting for the petition candidates and instead allowed themselves to be influenced by Sal and his tactics (the faux resignation letters and emails were a stroke of genius).  Forced change may be the only way so it will be interesting to what, if anything comes of the complaints filed against The Colonies to the VA Common Interest Community Board (CICB).  Based on my independent research, The Colonies Board is not adhering to the Virginia Condominium Act and needs to know that it supersedes The Colonies Bylaws (that is when they choose to even adhere to those statutes).  One cannot expect much from a community whose Bylaws were last amended in 1986!  The Colonies needs new ideas and one way to affect change would be to enact term limits for Board Members!

November 9 Board Meeting Recap

Hello.

It has been a while since I wrote last but I needed to cool down from the events of Wednesday's Board Meeting in addition to enjoying the weekend.

President Sal Lauricella resigned from the Board after 33 years of service to The Colonies.  The letter read from Sal was pathetic stating it was to coincide with his 80th birthday; a man elected in May who did everything short to get himself and the other 4 incumbents elected but get the Sicilian Mob after the Petition Candidates with underhanded tactics like the 'faux resignation letter' announcing General Manager Carole Carlton, Administrative Assistant and Corporate Secretary Assistant Jill Smith and Property Manager Jim McCracken were considering resigning to bringing a stack of papers to the Candidates Nights saying it was 420 harassing emails and when people asked at a later time to see them, they could not be produced.  With Sal’s resignation, the Colonies Board of Directors had yet another opportunity to ask one of the Petition Candidates from the recent election to fill the vacant Board seat but appointed TJ Crane who admittedly may have potential. TJ was questioning contract duration and the number of bids being sought along with Peter during the New Business portion of the meeting. There could be some hope.  Only two bids for one service? A minimum of five (5) quotes should be obtained anytime a project at The Colonies is to be done particularly when Reserve Funds are needed to be used.  Carol Brown was appointed President per a notice posted in all buildings the next day.  Recently appointed member Marie Gallagher was noticeably absent from the meeting and no mention of her was made at all. One would think a new Board member would appear at the first full board meeting before skipping a meeting or a member of the Board would at least say something about the empty chair at the table.  Would make absolutely too much sense with this Board!

Peter Pollak bringing up amending a Policy Resolution to enact No Smoking in the Administration Building and Clubhouse was the second highlight of the evening after the announcement of President Sal's resignation...  Peter would have been dead if the looks given to him by chain smoker General Manager Carole Carlton were capable of killing him.  Fight on Peter!

Co-Owner Pamela Pepe was on fire and Marie Louise Ferreras brought to attention some interesting tidbits:

• Complaint has been filed with the Virginia Common Interest Community Board (CICB) citing them allowing smoking in the Administration Building in addition to 3 Virginia Condominium Act Violations and the ‘other companies’ were brought up
• The Colonies Board is not following Robert's Rules of Order (http://www.robertsrules.com/) which has been confirmed by the Community Associations Institute (The Colonies is not a member; their awards in 1991, 1993 and 1998 cited on the web page need to go; no one cares about anything more than 5 years previous but The Colonies does live in the past and that apparent as all one has to do is look at General Manager; the 'face of The Colonies').

Two co-owners also requested the Board to reconsider the 2012 budget which entails each co-owner paying an additional $30/month for condominium fees.  The Board not even considering it further adds to the Budget Hearing being a mere formality and just compliance with the Bylaws.

Midway through the New Business portion of the meeting Social Committee Chair Allison Martin had to remind the Board that she had a report.  It had been since the Summer I had heard from her and she sent me an email early Thursday morning indicating not only was she steamed on many fronts but she also forwarded an email she had sent the office prior to the meeting that had included her report.  She explained she had stated in her email if the report was too late to be included in the packet that she would make copies to also provide and she got no response so naturally had assumed all was good (I know, she should know better than to be logical with that crowd). The email she sent with her report was:

-----Original Message-----

From: Allison Martin <amartinva@aol.com>

To: coloniesboard <coloniesboard@gmail.com>

Cc: colonies <colonies@erols.com>

Sent: Wed, Nov 9, 2011 12:55 pm

Subject: Report - Social Committee

Hey there.

Sorry so late... Please let me know if copies need to be made to have on hand if this cannot be included in the packets for tonight's meeting.

Allison K. Martin

 

How hard would that have been for the office to have sent an email saying report was received too late to have been included with the packets for the audience (she was informed at the meeting the packets for the Board Members are sent out the Friday previous to each meeting)?? All it would have taken would have been for one of them to have responded saying copies would have been appreciated!  The Social Committee Chair asked the Treasurer a question about a budgetary issue and to have her say 'I will get back to you' was no surprise as this is the same person who did not have a report to give at the most recent Annual Meeting! Any normal Treasurer would have been able to look right in the books she should have on hand to address a co-owner's questions....  The Colonies has four (4) more than qualified people willing to be Board Members, whereas many communities are desperate for people to volunteer, but each time a seat becomes vacant; they opt to fill it with one of their 'cronies'.

Allison further told me about how she had sponsored a function at the Clubhouse Saturday, October 29, 2011 (Halloween Party). Yes, the deposit check was from a 3rd party but she was the Function Co-Owner/Resident sponsor so Allison asked Jill about the status of the deposit refund prior to the start of the Board Meeting and was told it was mailed back to the other party. Allison submitted a proposed form update to the Board of Directors to address just that issue. The question is would it have killed Jill or whoever in the office to inform the function sponsor since they are the one responsible for all damages sustained during the function as determined from inspections by on-site personnel immediately prior to and following the function as per the Clubhouse Rental Agreement.  It was entertaining when Allison Martin pointed out during the Owner's forum the two virtually dead plants and a clock that had not been changed for daylight savings time located above the TV.  The porters maintaining the clubhouse cannot be that clueless or is it they just did not want to deal with getting up on a ladder/step-stool to change the clock back in March or at any time since Daylight Savings Time began March 13, 2011?

I had also heard about the companies brought up at the previous Board Meeting -- a few co-owners were seen reviewing a series of telephone bills prior to the Board Meeting and I was told each telephone line appears to be under a different company/separate bill.  Most companies I know receive one bill with each line itemized.  It is not that hard!!   Likely more money being wasted as pay phones have seasonal rate plans and I know it is working right now… yes, there a bunch of people cooking out and using it at this time of year who would need access to a pay phone.

The Colonies had asked for Holiday Decorations committee volunteers earlier this summer.  Based on an email I was just cc’d on, it appears there was no follow-through on the part of the Colonies.  The Administration gets their way with decorations yet again – bring on the tacky electricity-sucking decorations yet again in abundance!

Happy Holidays Everyone!