Posted March 6, 2020. Your Editor provides the following synopsis of the March 4, 2020 Board meeting with commentary indicated in brackets and in bold blue.
Board Members Present: All except Jerry Dinerman.
Pledge of Allegiance led by Harvey.
Marion Weil’s Opening Remarks and Announcements:
Marion: Fourteen homes have not yet paid the Special Assessment due February 1st. If you paid up front the full amount, thank you. The second installment is due August 1st.
The second annual meeting will be mailed this week, which includes the 5 candidates for the Board. Also included will be the ballot. This is the official vote to join the incumbents in the administration of the business of Cascade Lakes. There is one vote per household, and you must be a homeowner. Follow the directions on the ballot or it may be void. Meet The Candidates is March 9th at 7pm; this is your opportunity to hear the candidates’ platforms. The annual election is March 26th at 7pm; mail in ballot will be available for those of you not there. And you can vote at the meeting before 7pm; there’s a ballot box in the lobby.
New Residents High Tea is Tuesday, March 17th at 2pm, to meet each other, learn more about the community. Friday, March 29th is Fun Day, $10 registration, the deadline is March 12th. March 31st at 7pm the BOD and the COP unit will sponsor “Run, Hide, Fight” in dealing with an active shooter. March 8th is Modern Gentlemen, tickets are still available.
Look up at the ceiling in the ballroom, see the new white amplifiers on the ceiling. Handicap seating for the 2021 show series will require a letter from a medical doctor on their letterhead, dated, stating the handicap, and signed by the doctor.
The Board received phone calls and emails about fitness center classes, your concerns are being addressed.
Coronavirus – wash your hands, if you have a cough, stay home.
Thank you for using proper behavior. Make your remarks to the Board only. We are being streamed; your voice and your face may be seen.
First Residents’ Input Session:
Judy Delman, Polly Park Lane: the first subject, Long Term Planning Survey – short term plan – I know we have many contracts for shows, activities in the clubhouse, I want to know, what plans short term if the virus should hit this area. Normally everybody is crowded outside the door. Think a little more ahead.
Harvey: I was in health care professionally, retired. If it becomes a public problem, Palm Beach County recommends based on the CDC guide, wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, don’t panic.
Judy: people taking care of people in nursing homes.
Harvey: masks don’t do anything. They deprive the health department from having it because of short supply.
Judy: my second question on the budget, reserve.
Marion: It’s not on the agenda.
Judy: expenses on the new budget, only add a need, not a want. The reserve will be reduced.
Vicki Roberts, Landon Circle: Old Business, Item #2, The Shed:
Currently there are two temporary metal containers left over from the builder that probably should have been removed a long time ago. There are no permits for these containers because none was required because they are not considered permanent structures.
Therefore, how is it possible and allowable that a previous board had an improper vote by calling a new permanent shed a “replacement?”
It is not a replacement, because the original items were never permanent structures, were never required to have permits, and are not even part of the blueprints from the original builder.
You are not replacing a permanent structure with another permanent structure because the original structures were never permanent. You are not replacing an original structure that required a permit because it did not. Therefore, it is not a replacement.
By improperly calling it a replacement, which it is not, the Board erroneously mischaracterized the previous temporary containers as permanent permit-required structures which they were not, and then voted to cost this community $130,000.
Our HOA bylaws require that, based on the cost of this item, only our community has the right to vote on this new $130,000 permanent structure, not the Board.
The previous board vote on a new permanent shed in lieu of unpermitted, temporary structures was procedurally improper and should be rescinded immediately.
If that means that the community has to eat $30,000 or whatever has already been spent on this illegal endeavor, while this matter is put on hold because of the improper way it was handled, then at least that’s better than paying another $100,000 of our community money based on an illegal board vote.
The vote today on the shed should only be to rescind the prior illegal board vote. This is a community expense which requires a community vote.
Phyllis Martin-Hirsch, Landon Circle: this is a gentle reminder, Long Term Planning issue- the facilities committee is here and willing to help; we are engineers, contractors, architects, and other building professionals, we can do cost analysis, contract negotiation, locating vendors, preliminary studies, and performance bonds.
Steve Sussman, Polly Park Lane: fence installation- I’ve been told by two Boards that a fence cannot be installed unless an original fence was put in. Marion: not true. Steve: I was told – you need to check the documents – section 1-15, and 1-18 and other sections; if you’re gonna make up something new, then it should apply to everyone. Next question: Arboricola – what’s the plan – what size, we should have something in writing. Marion: there is a proposal about it in New Business. Steve: something in writing, three gallon? Harvey: I am the Landscaping liaison. It’s in the documents. Arboricola, 3 gallons. If a homeowner wants to pay for 7 gallons, they can. The fence is a Safety and Security issue – your house, privacy, is a different matter. Steve: both going to give privacy. Two Boards told me. Marion: incorrect. Your time is up.
Harvey: [started to speak]. Marion: Harvey, that’s enough.
Giora Baram, Haddon Parkway: the lake in the back is not pretty, no spritzers; we’re replacing, and I’m suggesting, to replace the aerators; sufficient lights and sprinklers; I don’t think it would cost much.
Arthur Andelson, Landon Circle:
New Business Items 4, 5, and 6 totaling 61,702 dollars in additional payments to Palm Beach Broward Landscaping.
Before voting on these items I want to know is there a predetermined price breakdown in our contract with Palm Beach Broward Landscaping for these special assignments.
This price breakdown should be discounted because they are already here in our community with their workers and machinery.
They are supposed to maintain our landscaping by irrigating, grooming, and hopefully fertilizing our plants to keep them healthy.
For example, ficuses should be fertilized once a month during the growing season from spring to fall using either a fertilizer called 10-10-10 or an 8-8-8, diluted 50 percent.
Technically what is going on here is that the way the Board is doing business on behalf of our community is that you are rewarding them for not doing their job.
I don’t know if they are doing the required fertilizing because the items you have on the Agenda strongly suggest that they are not, otherwise why would they even be on the Agenda.
If there is no predetermined price breakdown in the contract, there should be an addendum to the contract by adding a Schedule A and negotiating these types of known issues in advance.
A sample Schedule A would list the following items with detailed descriptions and prices.
Tree removal categories should have listed amounts. There should be a Large tree definition and cost including a bundle rate if there is more than one tree involved at the same time. This template would be the same for Medium and Small trees. There would be a separate cost for the root ball.
There would be a Palm Tree category.
There would be a Bush category.
There would be a cost breakdown for plant replacement.
The cost of the plant should be no more than 10 percent above their cost.
There would be a spraying category.
There would be a tree trimming category.
There would be a sod replacement category.
And the labor cost of replacement should be broken down by the size of the container holding the plant or plants with bundle rates.
Why hasn’t this been properly negotiated with this major vendor which has a million-dollar contract with us?
Also, ficus are known to be hardy and full. If they were properly maintained from the get-go, there would not be a need for these types of additional expenses because they have been allowed to grow unmanaged.
Marion: ok, thank you everybody. Approval of Minutes, Linda.
Linda: I move to approve the February 19, 2020 Minutes. Second: Alan. Harvey: I have an amendment, a correction - item two – French drain, the original contract says $600 not $500 equals $6,100. Linda: it will be done. Motion to approve Minutes: unanimous, 6-0.
Property Manager’s Report: Deborah Balka:
Palm Beach Broward – palm spray will be completed this Friday at the clubhouse and fitness center. They are not responsible for damage to your vehicle. Mowing is the 11th and 12th and the 25th to 26th. Trim crew is on Glenville, spray for weeds is completed for the turf weeds. $3,400 credit for a mow last year that was not done. On February 9, 2021 is the health fair, no charge to the association.
[Editor’s note: your Editor interviewed a few of the vendors who advised that they were charged a fee to have a booth, some approximately $400. Where does this money go? I have never heard of any discussion about it.]
Deborah: the spa, several residents have hit the emergency button on the spa – this immediately shuts down the entire system. The second notice of the annual meeting – if you’re not going to be here, I have extra packets available. Transponders – some had to be deactivated. Bring your vehicle to the clubhouse during normal business hours to activate.
Old Business:
Item 1: Long Term Planning Survey – Comments from the Board:
Eileen: We the Board would like to thank the Long-Term Planning Committee at the direction of Sue Leonard and her tech-savvy committee members. We have lots of information. The Board poured over the survey information and gave me their feedback. Almost two years ago we adapted [sic – should be adopted] a mission statement. We are an active adult community, 55+ and over, which offers an inspiring lifestyle…all of our investment decisions should be guided by this…the survey is an initial step…the Board’s feedback and recommendations are:
Mailboxes: based on the survey, over half want the Board to look at the feasibility of changing the configuration. We concur. This is for between now and two years.
[Editor’s note: see my comments below in the Second Residents’ Input Session. Mailboxes are not subject to Board or community vote per our own governing documents. Also, the statement that more than half want the board to look at this is very, very misleading and actually not accurate at all.
First, the survey counted residents, not votes. This means that two residents in the same household were counted separately, as two votes, which would never happen in a community-wide vote, since per our governing documents, there is but one vote per household, regardless of the number of people who inhabit that household.
Second, the survey allowed renters to participate, and they have no vote on items which would require a community vote.
Third, there was less than half of the 1,135 people who reside here who voted, to wit, about 39.6 percent, and only 102 said the mailboxes were very important according to the survey results announced at the last board meeting.
Therefore, if you look at the actual numbers, and factor in the fact that two residents in the same household were counted separately, and factor in the fact that only one vote for each of those two votes would actually be counted, it is in fact a small minority of people who feel that it is important to have new mailboxes, which is less than 10% of the community.
So, when Eileen stated that “over half want the Board to look at” this issue, in fact, only a small number of people believe this issue is very important.
Finally, and again, if you want a new mailbox, simply put in your ARB request. Mailboxes do not have to be uniform, and our governing documents clearly state that the homeowner gets to decide individually about his/her mailbox. This should not even be on the Agenda because it is a homeowner-specific item which is not subject to board or community vote under our governing documents.]
Eileen: Food services – residents are interested in a level. Utilizing part of the library for some sort of grab and go. This is something for between now and two years.
Roads: many residents expressed the need for road repair. Wait until road reserve is fully funded. Three to five plus years.
Fitness Center: usage of classes may increase in the future. The Board recommends during a future refresh. The suggestion to have the overflow in the Arts & Crafts room should not be an option. There are chemicals used that may not be suitable for those who exercise. Medium goal of 3 to 5 years.
Clubhouse: most prefer a refresh with redesign. The Board will be hiring an architect to repurpose the clubhouse and the fitness center. Three to five years.
Sports Center: resurfacing. The Board agrees to eventual resurfacing to hard surface. Three to five years.
Pool: Long Range Planning – more shade, swimming lanes, color enhancement. Board wants to delay until future replacements. Three to five years.
Educational Offerings: restoring Cascade Lakes University. The Board agrees. We will put a team together for education classes. Short term goal, the present to 2 years.
Based on this, further requesting the raw data and the unsanitized comments. The Board will put together a task force, consisting of some board members and residents, and speak with other communities. Fiscal responsibility, I turn it over to Marion.
Marion: The Board is required under Chapter 720 to be fiscally responsible. The 2021 budget, timelines will be critical. Also, no project management. Return on investment must be positive. Example, if ballroom chairs are $50 each and last 5 years, then the annual cost is $10 per chair per year. Higher quality chairs at $70 each which would last 10 years, the annual cost per chair would be $7 per chair per year. We have mortality items – such as landscaping. We will seek plants that need changing less often.
Item 2: Shed Update. Marion: this will be short. We were structurally approved, zoning approved. The last hurdle is landscaping.
[Editor’s note: see my comments in the First Residents’ Input Session above. This expenditure in the opinion of this News Site is not fiscally responsible and, in any event, should more properly be decided by a community vote.]
Item 3: Fountain Repair – Emergency Leak Repair: Linda: the item is fait accompli. [Editor’s note: “a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible” per Merriam-Webster dictionary.] $4,200 was paid, it was an emergency item, I propose we accept. Marion: it’s already done. There is no proposal, it’s just for transparency. There is no motion. Linda: I prepared a whole speech for the motion. Marion: so sorry. Mark: there was a leak on the sidewalk coming in, we had a meeting with the reserve committee, this will transpire over a number of years. We have quite a bit of underground piping, especially under the pool and the roadways. We had the right engineers come in. In the long run, we have to keep our eyes open and make sure it’s in the reserves going forward, and plan for underground piping.
Item 4: Website Update: Alan: many prospective residents look for retirement online. A sub-committee including myself, Harvey, and Eileen, supported by Nina Kuropatwa, Mike Blackman, Jeff Green, Sue Leonard – to update our YouTube video. Also, we made suggestions to 55places.com and they were largely accepted and implemented. We also put reviews in. We’re limited as to what they’re willing to change. But if we put in reviews, we can say anything we want provided they accept it, so put in a favorable review or an unfavorable one. Marion: Alan, talk to the Board. Alan: ok, the Board should put in reviews, too. Last discussion, if we should have our own social media page and we’re still in discussion about that. And now for the video.
[Editor’s note: a new video touting the community and all the amenities was shown. In your Editor’s opinion, it was very professionally done, very well edited, and showed the breadth of activities available both within the community as well as in and around the local environs. Our roving reporter, Arthur, however, noticed that in the beginning of the video, the first photo in the spa featured Dan and Michelle Todaro, who moved away last year because of the lack of pickleball here, so if you want to meet those people in the video, you have to go to Tivoli Lakes.]
Alan: Thanks to all who contributed. Marion or Mark: I think I’ll buy here.
5. Entry – Identification needed when fob is not used. Eileen: the entertainment committee has been busy again. I have a contract here. Marion and Board: no. [Editor’s note: Eileen skipped to New Business Item 1, and was brought back to Old Business Item 5.] Eileen: oh, I’m so sorry. We are having difficulty with the entry into the clubhouse, some are using fobs, others are using the staff as their doorman. I was embarrassed the other day; I didn’t have my fob. I waited and used someone’s fob. I was at the front desk, and 4 people asked for help. Perhaps they can wait, use the camera, show ID before coming in. Marion: comments? Mark: I agree. Eileen: the biggest concern is security. Harvey: is that just the fobs? Marion: whoever uses the fob we have their ID in our computer system. Eileen: we also have a camera. Marion: I’m not so worried about people walking in. If you have to show your ID, that means that the attendant has to stop what they’re doing, it takes a lot of time. If you’re in the community, you either belong here or are a guest and you passed through security when you got in. Eileen: I just don’t think it’s fair for our staff to be stopped to press the buzzer. Harvey: how big a problem is this? Marion: a lot of people. Harvey: I agree with Marion; it’s more disruptive to the staff if they have to ID. Mark: at the treasurer’s meeting, we’re stopped. Not all, but quite a number, they ask, who are you. Deborah: If Rosemary is on the phone and she has to stop, she has to interrupt her call; it’s constant. The minute she walks away from her desk, to come in the office, they’re banging on the door. Linda: would it do some good – a blast [email] every once in a while? Deborah: we had big red signs, you saw it, that didn’t work. Linda: would it pay to put an article in News & Views? Mark: [shakes his head no.] Marion: put your fob on your car key ring. Harvey: the bottom line is that we’re all adults, and we have to take personal responsibility. You don’t bring your fob, you’re not gonna get in. [audience clapping.] Eileen: motion no fob, no entry, then you have to supply ID. Marion: Second? No. Motion dies. Eileen: motion if you do not have your fob, you either wait or go home and get your fob, no entry. Second? No. Linda: I don’t think this is fair; it’s making a mountain out of a molehill. It’s not that important an issue. Put a blast out, and article in News & Views. You can’t keep people out of the clubhouse.
New Business:
Item 1: Entertainment Contracts- May 23, July 11, December 31 (x2), Jan 1 & January 2022: Eileen: I applaud them for all their work. May 23rd, 1-4pm, poolside party, James Sunny Jim White...motion…Linda: one contract at a time. Mark: second. Alan: this is an expense? We’re not charging for the party? Eileen: um…Audience member: no. Eileen: no, this is afree one. Alan: covered by entertainment surplus? Marion: unanimous. [6-0]. Eileen: July 11, Dean Richards DJ, 6:30-9:30pm plus catering by Woody’s Burgers, motion to accept. Linda: second. Mark: Diane, is this paid for? Diane: yes. Alan: my question as well. Marion: all in favor? Unanimous. [6-0] Eileen: December 31, Black Box Booking, New Year’s Eve 2020, DJ and the Marvelous Mamas doing a 45-minute set plus DJ. 7:30pm-12:30am. We will be paying for this and catering by Wood & Fire, I have the contract, wonderful menu. Motion to accept. Audience: and the brunch. Mark: coronavirus, is there in this contract – Diane- for any emergency, always, the entertainment if they have to cancel, but what if we have to cancel -an Act of G-d, if we have to cancel something. Diane: I would assume if the CDC said we could not have a party, it’s an Act of G-d. It’s a provision in the contract. Marion: no, yes, Acts of G-d on Black Box, not on Wood & Fire. Harvey: force majeure, can we get that added to the food contracts – Wood & Fire and 3G’s. Mark: because big groups are inside together. [cross-talk from the audience.] Eileen: New Year’s Day brunch, New Year’s Day, 3G’s will be catering it once again. Price? Diane: price is subject to change, don’t know the price. Depends on the price of fish. Have not done that in the last 2 years [increased the price]. Board Member: they’ve never done it. Eileen: motion to accept. Harvey: second. Alan: on the Wood & Fire contract, it says coffee station in kitchen, it’s obviously an error, second, the entertainment is only a 45-minute set, it’s a lot of money. Diane: DJ the entire night, 10-10:45pm is the show, singing intermittently, will be here the entire night. Eileen: 45 minutes in addition to the whole evening. Alan: dinner priced at $150, $190 for the brunch. Diane: we protect ourselves; we need to make sure we’ll sell out. Alan: have you considered separating the brunch from the dinner? Diane: impossible, we tried last year, it’s too hard. Harvey: given the public state of public health, it’s a good idea to insert a force majeure clause going forward. It will protect us. Other question, looking at your flyer Diane, April 20th table selection, because of snowbirds. I would like an amendment to add force majeure in the food [contracts]. Marion: we have given these to the legal committee for review and they said ok, so no motion to put that in.
[Editor’s note: I once asked about the legal committee at a prior board meeting, and Mark said there really isn’t a legal committee. However, according to the News & Views, inside last page, the committee chair is Paul Friedlander. I spoke with him last year. He told me he was the sole member of the committee. He told me he was formerly a tax attorney. I did not get the impression that he had any litigation or contract negotiation experience. Litigation experience is critical to contract negotiation because a litigator would know the types of clauses and language to include or delete to best position the HOA in the event of future litigation.
I offered my help, having crafted and drafted many thousands of contracts in my 37-year legal career, including entertainment contracts for some very famous Hollywood folks, so contract negotiation is my forte, especially in the context of entertainment contracts. I have also been a business litigator for 37 years. My offer was rejected. I’m fine with that as I have more than enough to keep me busy and I’m a happy camper regardless; I do, however, feel bad for the community at large for being deprived of this expertise. So be it; less work for me.]
Eileen: January 29, 2022, Jane Curry, she’s in demand, 8pm, 90-minute set, she brings 5 musicians. Motion to accept her contract. Linda: second. Marion: unanimous. [6-0]
2. Fitness Equipment- Repair/Replace Treadmill: Linda: I’m not an expert, would like to pass it on to Arnie Green, liaison to the fitness. Arnie: You’re hearing the hum from the club [speaker] system. What we have now is a nine-year old machine. The cost is approximately less than $600 a year. I would recommend to get another Tru, what we have in there now. Marion: option to purchase a new one, have the one fixed, or buy one used with a warranty. Eileen: another option, looking at a cross-trainer, we have to, we have four treadmills. Arnie: three, now down to two, I recommend we stay with three. Eileen: get another treadmill, another Tru. Mark: we get the new one you recommend, and we have a maintenance contract. Arnie: 5 years parts, three years labor. Used one is one year. Harvey: how old is the used that is refurbished? All they’re doing is refurbishing it and giving you a new belt. The other option is leasing vs. buying. What’s the cost vs. benefit ratio? Should we look into this first before voting on the proposal? Alan: Barry Davis, executive director of the Y, I spoke with. We would have access to their vendors and maintenance people. I asked Marion should I follow up on this and she said yes, please call them.
[Editor’s note: Alan states that he asked Marion if he should follow up on the treadmill issue. Why does Alan believe he needs Marion’s permission to do anything? Is she an expert? A physical therapist? An expert in contracts? An expert in leases? A treadmill salesperson? This is yet another time that Alan has deferred to Marion as the decision maker on a task. A previous time was when he told me that she had veto power on what goes on the Agenda (she in fact does not) and he confirmed this in an email, available upon request. For that, you may recall, my message board post on this very issue was removed and I was suspended from the HOA message board for 30 days by Marion, the co-webmistress.
In that case, Marion’s goal was to silence me, and the truth was something that Marion definitely didn’t want publicized, because it challenged the power bestowed upon her by other board members, which in effect has taken away the community’s power through those other elected officials. The community did not vote for these other board members to give their power to Marion. And there were members in the community that did not in fact even vote for Marion. So, it certainly would be an affront to their vote that those for whom they did vote have ceded their power to an individual for whom they decidedly did not vote.
So, this idea that Marion has veto power is outrageous. No board member has any more power than any other board member. The President’s job, in fact, is spelled out specifically and limited by our governing documents: Section VIII, Officers and Their Duties, Subsection G, 1. President: the president presides over meetings, sees that the orders and resolutions of the Board are carried out, and signs all legal documents and promissory notes. That’s it.
There are no additional powers granted to the President, which is an officer position, not a director position, although to be President you must be a director (not true for Secretary or Treasurer), and the board has the power to remove any officer at any time with or without cause per our governing documents, Section VIII, Officers and their Duties, Section D, page 3-10.
There is no presidential veto power and there is no presidential power to set Agenda items or to determine whether or not another board member takes any action to follow a lead. The President does not have any enumerated power to have a specific page dedicated to her in the News & Views, does not have the inherent right to control the website message board and then decide discipline by removing posts, and does not have the right to speak on behalf of all board members through email blasts on matters that are issues affecting the community. She speaks for herself. Every director ought to speak for himself or herself. In fact, outside of board meetings, and when not signing contracts, Marion is just a board member like all the other board members. This reality seems to have been lost on the other board members as well as on a number of members of the community.
If anyone should be issuing email blasts, it should be the property manager speaking on behalf of the board at the board’s direction, which is routinely done on other matters, including notices of Board Meetings.
If any board member believes erroneously that Marion as President has any more powers than those enumerated in our governing documents, then please step down immediately because you’re giving away your authority for which you were elected, and that is a dereliction of duty, and it deprives the community of their voice through your actions and your votes. In conclusion, board members, either know your job parameters and stop giving away your power, and thus the community’s power, or step down and allow someone to serve who understands what it means to lead.]
Alan: He [Barry Davis, executive director of the Y] recommended Tru and Procor. And they lease it, because they have heavy usage, and repairs are built into the lease. He gave us the contacts for their reps. His thought, since it’s one piece of equipment, lease might not be the right way to go. Eileen: the treadmill lasted nine years. We don’t have the volume the Y has. Rental for a short period of time? Alan: we don’t know. It’s not just this piece of equipment over the long term. Harvey: table this for – Marion: postpone. Harvey: postpone – leasing vs. buying. Eileen: we can also look into the Y to get a discount. Marion: it’s the same people? Alan: yeah. He also recommended against Matrix. Look at Tru and Procor. Marion: the reason I like Tru is because we’re used to it. Alan: it’s an advanced model. Marion: postpone until we get the information from the Y’s contacts. Linda: it doesn’t have to be so wordy, postpone for further information on lease vs. purchase, second vendor. Postpone until we get more information period. Marion: regarding leasing and/or purchasing. Mark: the machine will not be repaired during this time. Linda: who made the motion? Marion: Harvey made the motion, I seconded. Alan: could we cross out lease or purchase? Linda: I agree with you, just to get more information. Marion: unanimous. [6-0]
Item 3: Fence Installation – Entrance: Marion: we had a small ad hoc committee look at the south side of Cascade Lakes Blvd. for security’s sake from not quite the fountain – sorry – attached to the fountain, 352 feet, four homes that face the boulevard. Option is a three-channel fence with a 1-inch post. A channel is a bar. Barry Gordon: 3 channels, two on the top, one on the bottom. Marion: Barry, Deborah, myself, and Les Bennis took a ride to Rapid Fence and saw how they fabricated fences. The fence is aluminum, inside is a tubing. You don’t see the screws. Alan: mechanical option, not welding. Barry: mechanical, the screws are stainless steel. Welded is a lot stronger, a lot more money. Marion: will look the same as the back fence, by the swing arm on the exit.
Eileen: I went out yesterday with Deborah, thanks, Deborah, you’re not going as far back as Spring Oak – future – look at the gate, if you’re coming in, we have to look at landscaping as well. Question – have we looked at doing both sides up to that point? Unfortunately, it was not on the survey. If you put both sides in now, once you put the official gate up, you would have entry on both sides with a key and no walk-ins at all. Harvey: I also went out with Deborah last week and looked at it. Proposal 668 feet, $21,000, to go all the way back. If the plan is to put the gates in the next year or so, I have a suggestion, a proposal that we do both sides. $10,915 would be $21,830. Eileen: and it would be balanced. Harvey: and next year, price the gates. Eileen: and some of Glenville is not secure. Harvey: You’re basically stopping at the swing gates. Put fences on both sides, next year gates, then you can’t get past the swing gates. Someone can always walk under and try to avoid the guard but it’s more secure.
Eileen: in California, you close the booth and you use a phone to call. Marion: I propose one fence on the south side from the fountain to the arm. Problem number one, funding, and the ad hoc committee suggests doing one side this year and when we do the budget the other side next year. I don’t think it will look uneven; I don’t think anyone will notice. Harvey: do you have the funding? Marion: this is not funded. Mark: I’d prefer to wait. We’re not prepared for it. One side we can do---Alan: can we restrain our discussion to just one side, why don’t we have other vendors? Barry Gordon: we had four vendors. Rapid was the most reasonable; saw his factory, very impressed. He came out with the most reasonable. Our recommendation is do the Rapid Fence, mechanical. Mark: are Safety and Security ok? Barry: yes, Les from Safety and Security. Mark: plantings? Barry: planting can stay there. It’s a see-through fence. Deborah: the fence is going in front of the foliage. Barry: eventually you will have security and privacy.
Alan: two questions. Changes in grade. Barry: doesn’t matter, it’s a straight line in front of everything. A straight line. Alan: sprinkler? Barry: everything will be taken care of. Yuri was out there. [Editor’s note: Yuri from Palm Beach Broward Landscaping.] Alan: maintenance? Barry: it’s sanitized aluminum. We’re probably getting brown or black and just go with it. Linda: you’re not remedying security. You can get in the other side. Mark: we can’t. Linda: that’s how you enter into the community. Marion: no one is going to walk that far to do vandalism and then go back.
Eileen: Historically, we did it piecemeal. We do one thing and never complete the job. Necessity for security. Soft entry on one side. Doing just this provides no security for the rest of Glenville. Marion: we’re not considering the rest of Glenville. Eileen: we have two major expenses here: ficus and fencing. If we do one half of this and one half of that, we’ve completed nothing. If we do one whole item, I would just like to see one job completed. Linda: I agree 100%. Harvey: landscaping already has the budget for the ficus. If we were to do both sides, could we get a better price? Get a proposal to do both sides, then the gates, then in two years we’ll have a secure environment.
Harvey: motion to explore with Rapid Fence the possibility of doing both sides of Cascade Lakes from the south and north fountain back 352 feet with a mechanical fence, Eileen second, with the intention of procuring gates in the next budget year to complete. Alan: I’m very much opposed to this. It’s not a budgeted item. We will be taking money out of people’s pockets. We should fix the problem we know exists. We can look at budgeting next year. Linda: you’re not really securing the community by doing one side.
Mark: it will be a reserve item. If you do it this year, which we can do, then it has to be repaid. Marion: can you read back the motion? Linda: [reads back the motion.] All in favor? 5-0 passes, Alan opposes. Deborah: I will call Rapid Fence and get a new proposal and ask about the gate. Eileen: use Mark for his negotiating skills on the gate.
4. Palm Beach Broward: Tree Removal on Landon Circle - $6,728. Harvey: Proposal 7-20, remove three trees [5300 block]. It’s a hazard. It’s a safety issue and liability. Deborah: we do need it, but it depends on the permit, if they approve. If they seed more trees then it will be more, if less, then less. Harvey: motion to accept pending further information from Palm Beach County. Linda: second. Mark: Palm Beach County is swaying back and forth. Shelly Andreas: it will never be less because of the diameter of the tree, it will never go down. We have to replace two full ones.
Linda: question. If the county says yes, then more trees? Mark: no. Probably will be more. Deborah: if you say no to this proposal or the county says no, then it’s gone. Or you have to put in more trees. Linda: can we change the motion. Do we want to? Mark: we have no choice. Harvey: there is a liability issue. Driveway and sidewalk are being raised. Mark: All in favor: 5 in favor. [Editor’s note: Marion left the room during the discussion.] Motion passes 5-0.
5. Palm Beach Broward: Ficus work order replacements $2,796 -CL Blvd: Mark: ficus, 5201 Glenville, approximately 64 linear feet ficus, replace with green Arboricola, 3 gallons. 5299 Grey Birch, 5323 Grey Birch. $2,796. Linda: second. Alan: we planted ficus 20 years ago. Now we are changing to arboricola. Are we setting ourselves up for another pest? Harvey: no. Alan: should we consider a diversity of species? I googled diseases and arboricolas and there are some. Harvey: the cost of white fly will go down. Barry Gordon/Shelly Andreas: Barry: this is Florida. Ficus at the time was the cheapest to put in. It got the white fly. Arboricola and caloosa don’t have many diseases; at the moment they do better in the shade. Alan: I think you’re making my point. You’re putting your eggs all in one basket.
[Marion is back.] Shelly: ficus was great. One year we got hit with white fly and temperatures into the 40’s, it took its toll. We had a five-year plan to rip out all ficus. We noticed that some of the ficus was coming back because we had been treating it, fertilizing it. So why spend the money? Now it’s been seven years of a five-year plan and the ficus is now in certain areas declining. They don’t fill in on the bottom; they just get taller. Some will never ever come back. We are still treating them for white fly and still fertilizing them. Every plant in Florida comes up with some type of bug. Alan: I’m suggesting a diversity of plants. Shelly: you have trees that create shade. Your sod won’t grow in shade. These two plants are the best for the community. Eileen: arboricola look real healthy. Mark: keep it uniform. Shelly: some areas it doesn’t have to be uniform, some places caloosa would do better in the full sun. You will have a variety. Eileen: this will let us remove the ficus that are not doing well and not have to treat it with white fly. Harvey: proposed $2,796 for ficus replacement per homeowners’ work order, replacing with three-gallon arboricola. Linda: Second. Mark: 5-1 [Alan opposed.] Deborah: all six residents will be notified and have the option to the larger gallon at the higher cost.
Item 6: Palm Beach Broward: Ficus replacements on CL Blvd. $12,924 & W. Pipers Glen $18,430-E. Pipers Glen: $20,824: Harvey: Shelly. Shelly: most of what I wanted to say I already did. We gave you a total picture. We are suggesting that it be done; you can do some of it this year and some next year. It’s not urgent, but it needs to be done. Eileen: which of these are you recommending as immediate? Shelly: east and west side of Pipers Glen seems to be the worst. The homeowner is priority number one. Deborah: proposal 8-20 and 9-20. Cascade Lakes Blvd. is just spotted areas.
Harvey: all would put us over budget. Shelly: we have $46,000 in the landscaping budget. Harvey: it comes out approximately $45,000 if you do everything. Marion: suggesting east and west Pipers Glen. Harvey: if we don’t do Cascade Lakes till next year, we should be ok. My proposal is 9-20 for $20,824 for the east side of Pipers Glen and 8-20 for $18,430 for the west side of Pipers Glen. [Editor’s note: that totals $39,254.] Marion: Second. Alan: what was the total? Harvey: $39,000 plus; $39,254. Alan: the budget is $46,000, so it’s within the budget. Shelly: the worst side is the west side; it’s up to you to decide. Some this year, some next year. Only ones – homeowners’ work orders. Harvey: we’re coming into the growing season. I would sooner get it done faster; they will grow. And it’s within the budget. I don’t know why we can’t do Pipers Glen this year. Consider Cascade Lakes next year. Marion: there’s no privacy, I used to live there.
[Editor’s note: did you not know that when you chose to purchase that home? As every realtor knows, the mantra is location, location, location, and the price almost always reflects that fact. And nothing stops a homeowner from doing their own planting inside the fence on their property subject to ARB approval.]
Marion: All in favor of east and west side of Pipers Glen? Unanimous. [6-0]. We have a $3,400 credit we can put to this. Mark: we can apply it to this. Eileen: we’re not doing 5-20 and 7-20? Deborah: 7-20 was the homes. We’re not doing that. [Editor’s note: it is unclear what that refers to, but that’s what was stated.] Linda: 5-20 doesn’t go in the Minutes. Marion: doesn’t go in the Minutes.
Second Residents’ Input Session:
Barry Hymowitz: when was the mailbox survey? Do a majority of the residents want them? More than 300? Or a majority who answered the survey? Marion: a majority – 450 people answered; the majority wanted it.
[Editor’s note: this is 100% false as proven previously and repeated below; the opposite is true, a very small minority wanted it, probably around 10%.]
Barry: not the owners. Marion: correct.
[Editor’s note: ah, the truth is slowly emerging.]
Barry: just keep in mind it wasn’t the majority of the owners. Marion: it could have been two residents in the house.
[Editor’s note: Barry is correct. It is worth repeating what I wrote above on this matter: Mailboxes are not subject to Board or community vote per our own governing documents.
Also, Eileen’s original statement that more than half want the board to look at this is very, very misleading and actually not accurate at all.
First, the survey counted residents, not votes. This means that two residents in the same household were counted separately, as two votes, which would never happen in a community-wide vote, since per our governing documents, there is but one vote per household, regardless of the number of people who inhabit that household.
Second, the survey allowed renters to participate, and they have no vote on items which would require a community vote.
Third, there was less than half of the 1,135 people who reside here who voted, to wit, about 39.6 percent, and only 102 said the mailboxes were very important according to the survey results announced at the last board meeting.
Therefore, if you look at the actual numbers, and factor in the fact that two residents in the same household were counted separately, and factor in the fact that only one vote for each of those two votes would actually be counted, it is in fact a small minority of people who feel this it is very important to have new mailboxes, which is less than 10% of the community.
So, when Eileen stated that “over half want the Board to look at” this issue, that doesn’t even make sense and is completely misleading, and when Marion stated “the majority wanted it,” that is in fact a lie, and your Editor is not going to sugarcoat this blatant dishonesty, because as proven above, only a small number of people believe this issue is very important and that number is roughly 10% of the voting households. And this information was only provided to this community by this website, because when this information was first disclosed at the previous board meeting, there was no streaming. The likely reasons for the lack of streaming were previously addressed in an addendum to the March 4, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary posted on this site. Now we have this falsehood repeated again, prior to the release of the survey results.
Finally, and again, if you want a new mailbox, simply put in your ARB request.
Mailboxes do not have to be uniform, and our governing documents clearly state that the homeowner gets to decide individually about his/her mailbox. This should not even be on the Agenda because it is a homeowner-specific item which is not subject to board or community vote under our governing documents which are clear and unambiguous. If the Board sends this out to a community vote in blatant disregard for our governing documents, then why have governing documents?]
Steve Schlosser: last meeting I requested of management to be notified when a crime is committed. Marion said that it’s a matter of privacy and we need the permission of the homeowner, at which point I disagreed. I request that you put on the Agenda of the next board meeting a discussion and vote, and not table the matter. It’s a matter of public record, where, when, what, we’re entitled to know. Marion: you can find it all on the public website. Steve: Marion, you’re wrong, I respectfully disagree, it’s public record. I believe you’re wrong. It’s public record and safety. Deborah: I spoke to the resident who asked not to reveal. Steve: it’s for safety. There’s gossip, inuendo, phone calls, is that what you like. Marion: it’s public record but we’re a community; we can publish the website. Steve: I want it on the Agenda, and voted on. Eileen: why can’t we send out an email? No details, no address, and remind people to put their alarm on. Marion: we will get phone calls and emails and make all seven on us very busy. Steve: if you can’t stand the heat then get out of the kitchen. Marion: run for the Board, Steve. Steve: that’s your answer? Marion: we did an advisory, opening remarks, News & Views. That’s my advisory. Steve: this is the end of the discussion. Put it on the Agenda. Marion: thank you. Steve: you’re welcome.
[Editor’s note: Needless to say, the above exchange was quite testy. Steve was very angry, and understandably so. Steve is a volunteer COP that regularly donates his time to patrol our community using his best efforts to keep us safe and secure. If he were given information on the break-in, it stands to reason that he would be more prepared and able to protect us even more, and he could share that information with the other volunteer COPs that donate their time to help protect us.
Also, the information should be given to the Safety and Security Committee so that they can immediately meet and advise the Board as to what further actions may need to be taken and what remedial steps are necessary to protect us.
Furthermore, if a resident requests something to be placed on the Agenda, and it is relevant, important, and inherently reasonable, which this request clearly is on all accounts, the matter should be placed on the Agenda and confirmation of that fact should be given by a Board member, any of whom may place it on the Agenda, with our without Marion’s permission.
Additionally, Marion’s response to Steve was that an advisory was sent out, that she mentioned it in her opening remarks, in News & Views, and that that was “my advisory” in her own words. Again, she is one board member. Where are the other board members on this?
Also, as of this writing, no publication of the public website where more information purportedly can be found has been provided, contrary to Marion’s offer. Especially with matters of safety and security, transparency should be the order of the day and the urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. Still as of this writing, it’s crickets from the Board.]
Art Ritt: people coming in without fobs: people are on permanent lists to drive in, they come in to play cards, use the pool. They don’t have a fob. It goes back to the homeowner that has these people on the list to be there to open the door for them. That’s our biggest problem. Who are they here for? I’ve questioned and challenged a number of people.
Robin Day Schmierer: The pool and the fitness center – there is no one to enter – if you have no fob, you can’t get in. It will train everyone to have their fob. The treadmill issue – I’m a little disappointed in the Board today. New equipment vs. refurbished equipment, and we come in with a different proposal for leasing. The treadmill is broken for a month. Investigating leasing for the gym in the future – this is an acute situation.
Barry Gordon: it’s in my pocketbook, use the fob, either enforce it or open the doors.
Diane Green: what was the rationale of pushing pickleball off from short range to mid-range? Why put it off? Marion: budgeting. Mark: we can always change.
Vicki Roberts: I make no statement about whether or not I am for or against upgrading the mailboxes. My opinion on the matter is specifically not stated herein and no assumption one way or the other should be made about my position on this issue. Below is the analysis of the issue based on our HOA’s governing documents.
Anyone is free to upgrade or change his or her mailbox subject to ARB approval. Mailboxes are strictly determined by the individual homeowner with approval of the ARB. The community may not force an individual owner to pay for a designated mailbox, period. There is to be no BOD or community vote on this matter as proven below, quoting our HOA governing documents.
Mailboxes are specifically referenced in our Declaration of Conditions, Covenants, Easements and Restrictions on file with the State of Florida; at page 1-18, it states: “Section O. Mailboxes. No mailboxes or similar improvement shall be installed on any Unit or Lot unless the location thereof has been approved by the ARB and the materials therefore [sic] and color thereof have been approved by the ARB and are in accordance with such standards for materials and colors as may be adopted by the ARB.” This necessarily means that an individual homeowner may apply to the ARB, the architectural review board of our HOA, for a specific and unique mailbox, and there is, in fact, no requirement that all mailboxes be uniform.
Furthermore, under our Rules and Regulations, page 4-8, under B. General Rules, Number 8, it states: “Mailboxes and numbers are the property of the individual homeowners. The homeowner is responsible for maintenance and/or replacement in accordance with the standards established by the property manager. New mailboxes must be in accordance with standards established by the Board of Directors.” Thus, again, there is no requirement that all mailboxes be uniform. And to the extent the Rules and Regulations are in conflict with the Declaration on file with the State of Florida, the Declaration controls and the Rules and Regs must bow to the Declaration.
Therefore, it is actually improper for our BOD to vote or for there to be a community vote on changing mailboxes en masse because the HOA does not own the mailboxes and no resident has the right to vote on issues concerning another resident’s mailbox.
So, if a mailbox looks like crap, the HOA has a right to proceed under our Rules and Regs, Section E., Violation Guidelines, at pages 4-16 to 4-17, but that’s it.
If you don’t like your mailbox, simply submit your proposed new mailbox design to the ARB. The ARB will either approve it or disapprove it. The actual ARB process is a matter for a different discussion.
Audience Member: blah, blah, blah. [Editor’s note: confirmed below to be Chick Coletta.]
Vicki: who said blah, blah, blah?
Marion: ok.
Vicki: own it.
Marion: Thank you.
Vicki: is that you, Chick?
Marion: who’s next?
Vick: [sees Chick raise his hand.] Chick said “blah, blah, blah.”
Marion: Vicki, thank you.
Vicki: you’re welcome. Our own personal heckler; some people are just desperate for relevance and attention. It’s really quite sad.
Marion: [interrupting Vicki and in middle of the above statement] Vicki, you’re done. Next speaker please.
[Editor’s note: A very learned confidential informant later told our roving reporter that the times he/she shows up for board meetings, he/she “just cannot believe it that when Vicki goes up to speak, it’s the same person allowed to heckle her.” This resident states that he/she does not go as much as he/she otherwise would attend because, in this resident’s words, “it is very negative and nasty that they allow this same heckler to do it.” (We have heard this from other residents, that they are thoroughly disgusted that this heckling of your Editor continually goes unchallenged by the Board.) This matter rests entirely with the Board, and Marion specifically, as President, whose limited functions include presiding at board meetings.
Instead of calling out the heckler, the constant disrupter, the bully, Marion goes after the one being bullied, your Editor, to try and shut her down, ignoring the heckler who was the aggressor. Does anyone in their right mind and with a conscience believe that this is remotely ok? It’s in fact backwards.
This heckler is continually insulting and disrespectful and the entire board remained silent while Marion attacked the heckled, thus giving her imprimatur of approval on the heckler. Not one board member had any problem spending 30 minutes discussing fobs, but when it came time to speak up about continued bullying by one resident against another, every single one of them remained silent. Why?
Marion, as President, has limited enumerated powers per our bylaws, and one of them is presiding over board meetings. But it is clear that her main strategy here is to do as much as possible to silence your Editor, who is also a homeowner and part of this HOA, in order to retain power and control beyond that which she is endowed under our governing documents.
As for the rest of the board members, who have equal powers, they, too, remained silent when Marion went after the person bullied as opposed to the bully, so readers may wish to keep that in mind when casting their ballots at election time, both this year and next year.
Here is what our bylaws state at page 3-10 which is found under Section VIII, OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES, Section G. Duties, Subsection 1, “President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors; shall see that orders and resolutions of the Board are carried out; shall sign all legal documents; and promissory notes.” [sic] That’s it.
Note that officers are a separate category from Directors, the latter of which is found under Section VII, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, at pages 3-8 and 3-9 of our bylaws. Please note that all board directors are created equal. The President has no more powers than any other board director except as above specifically enumerated.
So, if you are on the board of directors, and you seek Marion’s approval to investigate or to put something on the Agenda (as detailed above), then you are misguided in your understanding of your own powers and the limitations of those of the President. At the very least, a board member ought to know what powers he/she has and what powers officers have and don’t have. And if you remain silent continually when the presiding officer criticizes the bullied and by her actions reinforces the bullying, then you are equally culpable. Again, residents, keep this in mind when you cast your ballots both this year and next year, and don’t worry, I won’t forget to remind you in 2021.]
Skip Jacobs: It’s something unfathomable the numbers you want to spend to have things done. Is there a consortium to the HOA? Marion: we have a President’s Council and a Treasurer’s Council. I always try to negotiate.
[Editor’s note: this is demonstrably untrue. For example, Marion did no negotiations as to the entertainment contracts which were provided to the board the day before the board meeting by board member Eileen Olitsky who, together with Diane Green, Entertainment Chairperson, presented them without so much as a discussion or vote by the Entertainment Committee. This was addressed in a prior Synopsis and Commentary.]
Marion: HOAs have different sizes. I know you came up to me last time. I said I would mention it. I can’t give an answer yet.
Unidentified Resident: One or two other HOAs may have a defective treadmill, instead of one, if they need three to five, it would give more purchasing power, your prices…
Sue Schmer: A number of items involve expenditures of money. You should indicate whether it comes from the reserve or the general operating budget. You would know. Marion: it’s on the Agenda. B equals budgeted, R equal Reserved.
Sue, continuing, or another resident: I got lost in the fencing. Can we get a visual- a schematic – to see if it meets security and safety issues. I don’t think I’m understanding; I really got lost in this.
Emil Isaacs: A break-in or similar crime, everybody in the community should know about it, as a safety measure or a reminder of what they should be doing.
Wayne Keyes: I would like clarification. The Forever Fit class, you approved an additional Friday session which a number of us attend regularly. Twenty-five to thirty. I’m concerned that the class would be taken away some time this year? Can we get clarification? A lot of people are interested in maintaining that additional class on a permanent basis. Mark: I heard the rumors, we did have the money and as far as I’m concerned, it will stay.
[Editor’s note: that’s one potential board member vote, out of seven. Where are the others on this important question? No response. They all remained silent.]
Round Table Discussion: Eileen: landscaping issue, the oleanders are looking terrible; in some areas they are just sticks. I prefer if you can’t replace just remove them. Shelly: As we all know, Florida has many pests. Unfortunately, the last two years our oleanders have been hit with caterpillars. We are looking at taking them out and not replacing them. Mark: Ladybugs. Shelly: they’re healthy, they’re good.
Alan: should we make the survey public? Marion: we’ll put it up on the website.
[Editor’s note: no vote, just do what Marion decides, again.]
Marion: this week, the other part, Safety and Security, both sides of the street, liaison of Safety and Security, I’d like the opinion of Safety and Security. Mark: two items, sign off on the annual financial statement from the CPA company. They will be coming out within the next couple of weeks to send me the final production which I will announce. Anyone who wishes to get a full copy of the annual report, we’ll have and will be sending out parts of the financial statement that you need to see. The survey, we had 450 residents respond. It was disappointing to me and it just shows the apathy; people don’t care. We’re trying to make decisions on these surveys, and it’s unfortunate so few people responded. The next survey we should also do a mail. 450 residents compared to 1000 or 1100 to me is not a lot.
[Editor’s note: There is a fair amount of people that are apathetic, that’s true. However, it is also true that when people voice their opinions, and the vocal minority objects, those people are bullied by other residents, silenced and shunned, not protected by the board, and disciplined for truthful statements concerning rule-breakers. Again, that is the main reason this News Site was born. There is no silencing here, and instead of encouraging the bullies, we call them out.
Decisions should therefore not be made based on a survey of what is essentially a small percentage of the homeowners. 450 responded in total, but not all 450 responded to every question. A review of the survey results proves this. A review of the survey results shows that on pivotal issues, those who feel strongly about something, such as the mailbox issue, comprise only about 10% of the voting membership. Therefore, making decisions based on 10% of the voting membership would clearly be unwise.]
Harvey: any update on iguana control? Deborah: He comes Tuesdays an Thursdays, no set time. He spoke to a resident on Glenville yesterday. Harvey: any number? Marion: can we ask? Deborah: Eileen and I saw a large one yesterday by the canal. Marion: they’re always by water.
Linda: the fob issue. It’s time for all residents to learn, this is an HOA; that doesn’t mean we take care of everything. People have to take responsibility for themselves. Several communities don’t have. It cost a lot of money to put the fobs in. Break-ins: the community should be told, not in detail, but alerted that there was a break-in. We have a wonderful security system called ADT. It’s the individual resident’s responsibility to alarm their home. We are not babies and the Board is not the caretaker. You have ADT, we are paying for through the HOA.
[Editor’s note: this should have been handled the way your Editor suggested that the hotwire landline bulk pricing was handled: not force it down everyone’s throat and pay through our dues but rather negotiate for those who wanted it. I was lambasted on the HOA message board about this when I first arrived here, but ultimately I was right and my position was implemented, and those who wanted to keep their landline got to do so at the same discounted rate.
The same concept should have applied to the ADT alarm system. Everyone was forced to subsidize those who wanted it, instead of negotiating the same price for those who wanted it and leave the rest of us alone. This inevitably results in increased HOA dues for everyone, and it is completely unfair and no way to do business on this issue or any other similar bulk contract issue in the future, especially when it concerns individual internal home matters, such as the landline issue and the ADT issue.]
Eileen: I’d like to piggyback on the fob discussion. If we have rules, they’re supposed to be followed, if not, why have them?
[Editor’s note: this is quite rich coming from Eileen, the eminent rule-breaker, liaison to the Entertainment Committee, who broke the rules (details and evidence available upon request) and when Arthur, your roving reporter, called her out about it, he was suspended via illegal secret board vote from the Entertainment Committee. We will resurrect these facts next year when Eileen is up for reelection if she chooses to run again.]
Marion: set up and clean up, when parties, part of the problem is that sometimes there’s things that happen during the day, and the cleaning staff, at that time, can’t use their jobs to schlep in wrought iron chairs from the Arts and Crafts room. You’d take 7 to 8 trips which takes away time from cleaning and maintenance. Think about the suggestion you want to make in order for us to have a better procedure for set up and clean up for daytime events. Next time I want to bring it up. The sod- the last board – we will replace if burned during turf weed or spraying. The cost has been astronomical. I’m wondering if we need to replace sod on residents’ homes anymore. The previous board turned that around. We spray for weeds once a year. In 2019, several homes got clobbered with sod problems. Sue might be able to change in the Rules and Regs.
Sue Schmer: it’s in there; just let me know if you want to delete it.
Marion: I will put it on the Agenda for next week.
Meeting adjourned: per Mark. Second: unknown.
Marion: 11:55 adjourned.
Editor’s concluding comments: And so concludes the board meeting of March 4, 2020. Next board meeting is scheduled for March 18, 2020 at 9:30am in the ballroom.