Colonies Annual Meeting/Election and Issues Perspectives

Wednesday, May 8, 2013 is the Annual Meeting/Board of Directors Election at The Colonies.  The 'Official Ballot' of the 2013 Annual Meeting for the Election of Directors was postmarked April 11, 2013.  Co-owners were left with no options but the old guard...  Three (3) nominees running for Board of Directors seats and co-owners are instructed to 'VOTE FOR NO MORE THAN THREE (3) of the candidates'; that does not leave much for choice and there is no space designated for write-in candidate(s) (adding lines with checkboxes would not be too far-fetched as HOA ballots found online do have such areas designated for write-in candidates).  Some thoughts on the three candidates 2013 Statement of Views on Major Issues:

·         Bates Brown (Current Board of Directors President and should be noted her ‘views almost exactly parallel those sent in the Meeting Packet two years ago)

I strongly advocate emphasis on maintaining sufficient reserve funds to cover future improvements and repairs in our aging community. The Colonies is fortunate in that we have gone for more than 30 years without a special assessment - a feat most communities cannot match. With continued guidance from our brilliant finance committee and fiscal responsibility we can insure we are well prepared for the future. I have always been proud to live in The Colonies. It is like a small oasis in a busy urban area. My visitors frequently comment on our beautiful grounds and tranquility. There is nowhere else in the Washington area I would rather live!

Brilliant Finance Committee?  Where has she been?  The monthly condominium unit fees have increased $45 over the last two years ($30 increase commencing January 2012 and $15 2013).  A scary thought is our monthly condominium fees will continue to skyrocket; our taxes will increase as metro arrives along with next year’s increase in condo fee.

·         Kelleher (Current Treasurer and works part-time in the Administration Office; cited as a conflict of interest by many)

Continue with the policy of funding the reserve funds to achieve and maintain the $1,000,000 level.  Preserve property values of owners by persuading everyone to be proactive in reporting and identifying the perpetrators of vandalism.  We need to: 1. Continue to select members of the Finance Committee who are highly qualified and work with budgets and funding within their careers. 2. Research new ideas for cost savings by introducing automated services within the current accounting system.  3. Support and defend a budget process, guided by our fiduciary responsibility which represents the majority of the owners views and wishes.

Give me a break especially point 3 – she is the biggest puppet of them all and hardly an advocate of fellow co-owners!  Why introduce services within the current system?  Sometimes it is cheaper to get a new system (most vendors will work with clients to migrate existing data to a new system)!  Within the last several years prior to the 2011 Election, the Finance Committee had a volunteer co-owner MORE than qualified and because he asked so many questions, he was removed (coincidently enough it was one of the Petition Candidates from the May 2011 Election)!!

·         Pollak (Current Vice President of the Board and works in Property Management)

The Colonies continues to be fortunate to have Management and staff with long tenures dedicated to maintaining and preserving the community.  I am proud of the work that the Board of Directors has done these past 3 years, especially with respect to building our reserves.  I look forward to contributing to the success of The Colonies.

Pollak attempted to curtail smoking in the Administration building and mentioned the subject of “smoking” at a Board Meeting only to be shot down by Board President Brown.  Additionally, he has tried to speak at meetings including questioning policies only to be stifled by the OLDER Board Members.  A Property Management professional/multiple Property Management Association award recipient considers The Colonies fortunate to have the Management we have?  What work has the Board of Directors done?  How about noting the work the Board of Directors has done?  His Statement of Views on Major Issues was the briefest (a mere 56 words) so he still had plenty of ‘space’ to work with.

All 3 candidates cite the increased reserve funds as an accomplishment; let’s be real – that was really only able to be achieved because there were no major repairs to address and minimal snow removal this past winter to have to address!  Members of The Colonies Board of Directors seem to forget they are co-owners too and represent only their interests vs. those of the community at large, i.e., General Manager Carlton is still smoking away while she toils in the Administration building despite a Petition eliminating smoking in the Administration building having been circulated to Colonies co-owners.

Hard to believe two (2) years have passed since the infamous election when four (4) petition co-owner candidates ran for seats on the Board advocating for positive change and co-owner involvement only to have two candidates be narrowly defeated.  Where oh where has The Colonies Coalition been?  Those educated professional co-owners were promoting POSITIVE change and thinking ahead for the betterment of The Colonies.  It should be noted no real changes have occurred in The Colonies over the two years other than the Administration Building and Clubhouse remain as smoke-filled as ever, excess money continues to be wasted on Management salaries and monthly statement postage expenses to name a few items. 

The topic of ceasing mailing Monthly Statements to co-owners for the monthly association dues has been raised at Board Meetings. Board Members response has been the mailing of monthly statements is a testament to the low delinquency rates.  The Rotonda Condominium, an 1,168 unit property has a less than 1% delinquency rate as stated in the Delinquency Report portion of The Rotonda Condominium Unit Owners Association Minutes of the Board of Directors’ Meeting Tuesday, February 26, 2013 section on page 15 of the March-April 2013 issue of the Rotonda Rostrum Community Newsletter (http://www.rotonda.org/document_view.asp?id=1186).

For an example of how a community operates, informs their co-owners of community/local events like the tax district situation and actually lets their co-owners have a say on matters (surveys, selecting carpet), read the Rotonda’s Community Newsletter, the Rotonda Rostrum http://www.rotonda.org/document_view.asp?id=1186

If only The Colonies would actually get a consensus of co-owner opinions on issues; so many Colonies co-owner survey possibilities:

• Banning smoking in Administration Building and Clubhouse
• Banning smoking from inside the Swimming Pool gates
• Canceling the Mailing of Monthly Statements to co-owners
• Having a Management company run The Colonies vs. it being a self-managed community

It has been reported to me by multiple sources two Colonies Management personnel were seen all cozy in a dark booth at J. Gilbert’s in McLean.  Was there Colonies talk during their cuddle session or do they have a rule that only occurs during their 'discreet' sessions that happen while they are still on the Colonies clock?  Could the Property Manager and General Manager have been sharing their respective countdown to retirement calendar with each other during their snuggle session?  Anyone who is anyone knows a good Property Manager is never 'off the clock' as there have been numerous crises on the property after hours but The Colonies Property Manager is usually nowhere to be seen during such times.  J. Gilberts may be a place to look for him during the next crisis and if he is there with his cohort, you will get two for the price of one and she could renew your facilities pass and/or register your pet if need be!

In other news, former Board President Lauricella was reported seen back on the Plantation having returned from his Florida Villa sporting a tan likely to be calling co-owners to ensure a quorum is reached (have to love having Caller ID) for the Annual Meeting.  Having held reign for as long as Lauricella did over The Colonies and the egomaniac he is, former US President(s) returning to the White House for visits of an official nature do likely have no self-aggrandizing feelings in comparison to Sal when he ambles into The Colonies Administration building.  During his reign, did long-term Colonies employees hum the lyrics ‘Hail to the Chief’ when he walked past (saluting would be over the top even for Lauricella)?  A modified version of Hail to the Chief fitting for Lauricella (and a majority of current Board of Directors members; 2 members are only ones of any worth but they seem to be stifled anytime they attempt to question anything):

Snub the Chief chosen blindly for the Colonies,
Snub the Chief!  We loathe him, one and all.
Snub the Chief, as we work for these phonies
In fulfillment of a terrible, lowly call.

Lauricella’s aim is to make this grand property poorer,
This he will do, that's our strong, firm belief.
Snub the one selected as commander,
Snub the President!  Snub the Chief!

Given the mindset of the Board Members (no adoption of new ideas/change) and allowing themselves to be controlled by ‘Nurse Ratched’ General Manager Carlton, the majority would have to resign; to give some perspective, the birth information of the four oldest members of the Board (57.14% of 7 total members) are as follows:

• March 1932 (81)
• September 1942 (70)*
• March 1946 (67)
• April 1948 (65)*

* Up for election

In closing, the only ways positive change will happen is if:

• Management personnel retires (including ‘Nurse Ratched’ General Manager) or opts to pursue other opportunities
• Many Board Members actually realize the best interest of the community would be to welcome change by stepping down versus fighting it as they have for so many years
• Co-owners question operations/budgetary processes; for example 7 ‘corporations’ registered in The Colonies to the Clubhouse and Administration building addresses were unearthed by a group less than 2 years ago with Management personnel and their relatives listed as Officers