Some Accountability to Co-Owners is Too Much to Ask

I am continually appalled at the on-going saga in The Colonies community and with the apathy shown by fellow co-owners toward the Pepe's.  Have they not thought of the big picture beyond life inside their unit in that it could be them enduring the wrath of this joke of The Colonies Management and Board of Directors Team someday?  The offense could be for something minor as failure to register a pet or a vehicle taking up two parking spaces (with the bi-polar behavior of The Colonies, one never knows what to expect).


First the source of who ran the license plates on the Pepe's friend's car is not revealed at either co-owner hearing and then November 8 (62 days after 2nd hearing contrary to the 40 days posted on Colonies Connection Google Group), it was Colonies Council had retained a Licensed Private Investigator.  Poor Bookkeeping on behalf of The Colonies Council of Co-Owners (BOARD of DIRECTORS and Management) for not having any receipts or documents pertaining to the "licensed private investigator".


It does seem The Colonies Council of Co-Owners Board of Director's Treasurer Kathleen Kelleher is keeping poor books!  But then she does work by day in the office with The Colonies' stellar Management team and also did come to the May 2011 Annual Meeting with no report prepared!!  You, fellow co-owners, re-elected her!  Good Job!


On another note, The December edition of The Colonies Crier's Splinters From the Board's November 9, 2011 Board Meeting Business portion...  The Colonies truly does love to keep co-owners guessing with just listing resolutions and bylaw sections vs. stating their actual titles which is basic journalism... Not every co-owner knows every resolution and by-law article and section by heart!  Case in point from the December edition of The Colonies Crier:

During the business portion of the meeting the Board approved the 2012 budget as well as contracts for emergency plumbing repairs for building 12, and 3-year extension of Town and Country Lawn Mowing/Leaf Removal services. Town and Country not only has provided excellent services over the years, but their bid was approximately 50% cheaper than another company. The board voted to hold a hearing to deny a co-owner use of facilities due to non-payment of condo fees and tabled considerations to stabilize/replace a retaining wall behind building 8 until other bids for the work were secured and to amend Policy Resolution I-B-17.

The Rotonda's Newsletter (http://www.rotonda.org/document/51028534958_nov_2011_2_%28nxpowerlite%29.pdf), The Rotonda Rostrum, Minutes of Board of Director's Meeting in the November 2011 edition is found starting on page 14.  The Management Report on page 15 states:

The Board requested Management obtain more information on balcony floor coverings, balcony damage, and related issues and bring these to the next meeting for discussion of proposed changes to the Architectural Guidelines, Policy Resolution 8.

An example of a community trying to keep their co-owners and residents alike informed.

Colonies Yuletide Musings

Seasons Greetings everyone.

Nearly another year at The Colonies gone by and The Colonies governing/administrative body is in no better of a place now than it was a year ago; the Reserves fund balance is even lower and co-owners will be paying an additional $30/month increase from the current amount of $480 commencing with their January 2012 condo fee payment.  As co-owner Allison Martin pointed out on a recent Colonies Connection, The Colonies Administration Office spends approximately $193/monthly to mail statements to co-owners reminding them of their obligation to pay their monthly co-owner condo fee. 

The Colonies is decorated for the holiday season with the various decorations.  I was awake at 5:00 AM this morning to go to work and the holiday lights were on.  Are they ever turned off?  It is not necessary in my humble opinion for the decorations to be illuminated all night as think it a misuse of electricity.  The Board and Management profess to be so concerned with The Colonies property's image but if that were truly the case then the inflatable decorations would NOT be near the entrance and would be further back, perhaps near the tot lot or up on Tremayne Place.  There was no change truly much from previous years in the overall decorations with the exception of some slight shifting of items.  The inflatable decorations are tacky and must say I am disappointed in the Holiday Decorations Committee as thought they would have been a little more creative with resources, etc.  The Colonies Clubhouse is always festively decorated for the holidays.

Hope everyone has a most joyous holiday season!