January 2012 Edition of The Colonies Crier Publication Delay Musings

Happy January 11 Everyone!


Hope everyone had a great holiday season!  So sad for Louisiana's loss Monday evening against Alabama but they will rally by the time Mardis Gras rolls around next month!

As of noon Wednesday, January 11, 2012, the January 2012 edition of The Colonies Crier (online version on The Colonies website; http://www.thecolonies.com/crier.htm or printed edition as customarily left each month at each resident's door) was still nowhere to be seen (it was delivered in the afternoon but The Colonies website still remains outdated with the December 2011 edition displayed as of 6:45 AM Thursday, January 12, 2012).  In the world outside of The Colonies bubble Carole Carlton and Jill Smith have been working, anyone whose task of producing a Newsletter such as The Colonies Crier would expect to be accountable to 'the subscribers' (in this case, The Colonies Condominium at McLean co-owners and residents) in some form; notices on building lobby’s bulletin board stating The Colonies Crier being delayed this month at a minimum.  Anyone else would be accountable to not only their 'subscriber' but their superiors but the superiors The Colonies Management Carole and Jill have in The Colonies Board of Directors is a joke.  It would be so fitting for Carole and Jill to form their own management company and call it Keystone as The Colonies have been run ala Keystone Cop style for years with Commander at Arms barking commands from Florida

• Not like they are not familiar with forming companies given the numerous Colonies companies recently discovered
• Being unable to produce a copy of the invoice for the Private Investigator Services supposedly hired last Spring to run the license plates of a person staying in one’s unit (a violation of the Federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA); details found in posting dated Monday, October 17, 2011) at likely the behest of former Board President, Sal Lauricella, who would not answer any questions on that matter when asked by Counsel at co-owner hearings; The Colonies Administrative Office’s part-time assistant, Colonies Board of Directors member Kathleen Kelleher who serves as the Treasurer is a real asset in the Office as she has demonstrated the importance of maintaining financial records and also values her role so much she not see the glaring conflict of interest her working in the office poses while serving on the Board 
• Debacle uncovered recently with the telephone bills (includes intercom lines and elevator phones in each building) and the pay telephone located at the swimming pool being operational year-round in this era of cell phones (there is a seasonal plan for the pay phone which would be even more cost saving); the separate bills in varying names for each telephone line is ‘wise management’ (various people I have spoken to at companies found that to be beyond ludicrous as one bill or perhaps bills based on the type of line (elevator, lobby and land for example) with each line itemized would be  effective and practical)

There are 457 units The Colonies Crier Newsletter is distributed to each month among the twelve residential buildings (not including all those mailed to investor co-owners) and many residents I have spoken to in recent days while walking my dog wondered the same thing as to the whereabouts of the January edition of The Colonies Crier (some do read it for the classified ads and announcements). 


Informing co-owners and residents of publication delays or a change in distribution process is very simple. Accountability is not too much to ask and we ‘subscribers’ should not have to ask (Jill and Carole need to thank their lucky stars every night they work in The Colonies bubble that they do and not the real world as Virginia, being the at-will employment state that it is, an average employer would not put up with their shenanigans)!!  We, as co-owners deserve to live in a community that is managed effectively and efficiently.
 
Some parting thoughts - Colonies Co-Owners are now paying $510/month in condominium assessment fees; per the figures provided in the 2012 Annual Budget Hearing Notice dated October 18, 2011 for the projected 2012 operating budget:

• Assessment Income of $2,809,080 is 97.05% of Total 2012 Income
• Amount to be spent on all wage and salary expenses (not including the $318,000 Security contract for Eagle Security) is $1,028,895 (44.64% of 2012’s total projected operating expense amount of $2,304,872)
• Administrative Salaries amount is $230,010 (22.36% of all wages; 9.98% of total expenses)
• The issue was raised at the October 2011 Budget Hearing to reduce printing and mailing expenses to have electronic versions of The Colonies Crier by having it be made available online and via e-mail (2012 budgeted amounts are $1,300 for Community Newsletter, $10,300 for Printing/Copier and $7,500 for Postage expenses)