This letter (text below) was received over the weekend from the Concerned Colonies Co-Owners. Nice to know many are behind changing the policy concerning smoking in the Administration Building. This is 2012 not 1975!! I am certain more information will follow but please show no confidence by NOT voting in the Annual Board of Directors Election!
April 27, 2012
Dear
Fellow Co-Owners:
Our
Annual Meeting and Board Election is Wednesday, May 9, 2012 (12 days away). As you review your ballot, you will see there
are no new candidate options. After last
year’s election, when the then incumbent – now former – Board members maligned
the “Petition” candidates (Dominic Basile, Nelson Boj, Allison Martin and Kevin
Pepe), it’s no surprise that no one wanted to pick up the mantle of challenger this year or run the risk of
being accused of driving off our “loyal and dedicated” staff (who, by the way,
all still work here, despite the resignations of the Board members they
insisted they had to serve).
Three
Board members have resigned since the May 2011 Annual Meeting:
-
Patricia
Devine (August 2011) – replaced by Marie Gallagher;
-
Sal
Lauricella (November 2011) – replaced by TJ Crane;
-
Amarie
Natividad (March 2012) – replaced by Jo Sanders
With
these resignations, the Board has had not one, but THREE opportunities to nominate
one of their four neighbors who were candidates in last year’s election to
serve. These candidates came within 6-20 votes of the incumbents, after a
positively grueling vetting. Refusing to
turn to these well regarded neighbors naturally makes you wonder. If they operate as they say, “with great transparency,” then why not
extend the opportunity to those that were willing to serve and had significant
voter support among their fellow co-owners?
Given
this Board’s unwillingness to truly engage co-owners in a dialogue of ways to
facilitate positive change within the community, we think it’s important to
review what we were promised versus what we’ve received. As co-owners, we need
and must demand far greater accountability for and transparency of how our
condominium assessment fees are being spent.
We also need to meet infinitely higher standards. We’re paying top
dollar. If we don’t demand better for
our $2.8 million per year business, then we have no one to blame but
ourselves when our condo fees continue to rise, steadily pricing us out of the
McLean/Tyson’s Corner real estate market.
Issue 1: Dwindling Reserve Funds
Carol
Brown highlighted the need for an improved Reserve Fund when she ran for
election last year. In February 2012, we
were about $150,000 below the fund level when she was elected, alarm bells
began to sound, and suddenly the Fund jumped.
Still lower than when Ms. Brown and the other incumbents were re-elected,
the Fund has increased to the $400,000+ mark.
Or so it appears. Because we lack
accountability and transparency, who
can tell what the monthly Reserve Deposit figures are, are supposed to be, or
are pledged to be? This isn’t
funny. Yes, we can lose FHA financing as
a result, and it makes one wonder, what are these people doing with our funds? We absolutely
must come together as co-owners and insist that, at a minimum, the Board
disclose each and every month, that our Reserve Fund deposit was made on
schedule, what funds if any were removed from the Fund and for what, and what
checks have been issued out of the regular operating fund to which vendors and
for what amount. We encourage you to attend the Annual Meeting or e-mail the Board
at: coloniesboard@gmail.com, and insist that the Board pledge to start immediately disclosing
this information. This is our money and
we should know what Management is doing with it.
Issue 2: Smoking in the Administrative Building
The
Administrative Building occupies two condo units totaling 2,002 square feet and
is paid for by monthly assessment fees of the 457 units of the collective
Colonies Council of Co-Owners. Policy
Resolution I-B-17 currently prohibits smoking in the hallways, lobbies and
stairwells of all residential buildings.
The Administrative Building is the face of our community. Imagine how discouraging it was to learn from
the Fairfax County Department of Environmental Health that numerous Colonies’
Co-Owners have complained along with Realtors who don’t want to bring
prospective purchasers into the office.
People are offended by the awful smell of the office. Board member Peter Pollack raised this
very issue at the January Board Meeting and was summarily ignored by his fellow
Board members with all voting against banning smoking in the Administration
building at the March Board Meeting.
In fact, Board President Carol Brown stated “The issue of smoking in the
Administrative Building is not up for discussion” and the Board/ Management
felt this issue didn’t even deserve to be included in the “Splinters from the
Board” update in the April edition of The Crier. A co-owner raised the following points during
the Owners Forum of the March Board Meeting to encourage the Board to vote in
favor of banning smoking in the Administration Building and was refuted:
- Add item as a referendum to the 2012
election ballot allowing fellow co-owners to have a voice on this issue
- Potential for lawsuits exists from former
employees with health problems due to second hand smoke exposure
- Asked if Board would consider having an
environmental assessment performed of Administrative Building
The
fact that this important environmental and health issue —an issue of great
concern for numerous Co-owners, and now a Board member, has once-again been disregarded
for the sake of two employees, is egregious. The Administrative Building units
were purchased with OUR condo dues. If
we as co-owners cannot get this Board to make OUR property non-smoking, then
it’s time for a wake-up call. Boards are
there to represent the co-owners – not the staff. If you agree, consent to adding your name
to a forth-coming Petition to amend
the existing Resolution that bans smoking in all common areas. It’s time
that co-owners, Realtors, prospective purchasers, employees and vendors can
feel comfortable visiting and working in this area! Please reply to this email (Coloniesmclean@aol.com) with your interest
in joining this important cause.
Issue 3: Best Practices
The
Colonies is a member of the Communities Association Institute. For guidance on what to ask and expect of our
Board of Directors and staff, several of us have turned to their recommended
Best Practices guidelines (http://www.cairf.org/publications/best_practices.aspx. We encourage you to also consent to sign a
Petition, insisting that The Colonies’ Board and staff read and then pledge to
operate within these Best Practices guidelines.
You can reply to this email (Coloniesmclean@aol.com) with your consent.
Why
is this important? One critical example
lies in the “Finance” guidelines to which The Colonies does not currently
comply. It is noteworthy that The
Colonies’ auditor James Ahlberg, CPA, recommended over 10 years ago, practices
that have never been used or adopted at The Colonies. We need and deserve, especially for what
we’re paying in monthly assessment fees, to have the very best practices in
place and use at The Colonies.
We urgently ask you
to take the time to become involved in what is happening with the management of
our Association. With this election,
consider your vote, or non-vote, very seriously. A “no vote” for this Board is
a vote of no confidence. Should you wait another year and let the continued
decline of your community, and your property values, remain unchanged, or is
this NOW THE TIME to demand that you are represented by a Board that will serve
you in a manner in which you are entitled to by law?
