Week In Review April 27, 2012

Week of April 20-27, 2012

Hello neighbors, friends, newly formed enemies! This is the week in review for Friday, April 27, 2012.  If you like suspense novels, this was your week.  There were so many twists and turns it started to feel more normal the crazier things got! Hang on, here we go! (Because of the complexity of the Management company situation some of this information may have already been mentioned, but something this complex needs context for full comprehension.

• The management company (Nuclear Option)
• The vote by Israel, Joel, and Todd created a very awkward environment
• Joel publicly complained about Homeowners Advantage (current management co)
• While Israel was the one who asked Homeowners Advantage to consider acquiring AMG 
• Net result if things happened as it all seemed it was going to happen would be Homeowners Advantage purchasing AMG, and other than a quick blink no one would hardly have noticed
• Our budget would have noticed though
• I call this the nuclear option because no one really wins, oh except for Jay/Jason Fink, the owner of AMG.
• Current Status
• Homeowners Advantage must be given a 30 day written notice of any deficiencies
• This is a result of an amendment to the current HOADV contract that the last board got passed last November\
• Joel seems to think that is suspicious, as he has mentioned it more than once.  
• I have not had deep discussions with Lew,Mike,Diana about it but it is my understanding that it was on advice of council to bring that contract up to standards, since it was originally written in 2007.
• Attorney's have legal opinions that are just that opinions.  Court, the assn attorney must have felt that it was necessary in his opinion.
• Let's even for argument's sake give Joel what he is hinting at, that it was done as a pre-emptive measure to protect the association from exactly what is happening now.
• The amendment was done in an open member meeting and was not kept from anyone. 
• It was not illegal
• It did not put the association at risk.
• It mearly gave a cure period, which is a good thing for both parties. 
• NO WRITTEN NOTICE as of today has been given to HOADV
• Board Meeting Agenda is properly posted with the agenda items on Monday
• Our new property manager Mike, started training with Greg Mark of HOADV.
• Mike's office is where Robert Neal's office was in the front of the building
• I learned that Mike is a small plane pilot, licensed but is not current.
• He has a lot to learn, in a short time.
• If you get a chance, stop by and say hi
• Promenade of the Arts update
• Work is progressing nicely on the opposite side of Zack
• Almost all of the poured concrete surface has been installed
• Light poles have gone up
• The shape of the crossing facilitator making more sense now.
• Walkway juts into the intersection at the ends where pedestrians will cross , narrowing the roadway.for the approaching cars
• Design is a vast safety improvement over 90 degree traditional cross walks
• Because the actual paved concrete pedestrian walki8ng bulges out at the crossing positions, it will allow for the traffic to see pedestrians much more clearly
• Tampa is one of the highest pedestrian kill cities
• CSX Tracks on Pulk St.
• About another week for some of the roads to open.
• As of yesterday tracks were in
• Plan your morning and afternoon commutes around heavier traffic on Ashley, as there is noticable increased congestion due to Tampa St being closed at Polk
• Horns are still as annoying as ever.  (Don't forget to look in the contents area of this blog for the link to complain about the excessive train horn blowing at 3am)
• Traffic detours posted in the elevator lobbies for each floor
• Zack Garage street resident ramp
• If coming from the WEST/NORTH accessible Via Polk and Ashley, right turn, limited resident only traffic on Tampa St to Zack OR
•   If coming from the South/East plan to wind up on Zack no sooner than Nebraska, often times you will have to extend past Marion to get onto Zack.
• President of the Association, Israel Diaz resigned his position
• He cited health reasons and retirement as his reasons for leaving
• Since he was the president, the executive authority that he had to have creates a slightly more difficult transition for the other board members.
• Checking accounts, lines of credit, anything that the President would possibly have to exercise his executive authority have to be changed to either a temporary acting President or a board member that could be voted in as the new president
• The board can fully operate as a board of 4 but their plan is to replace the board seat within two weeks
• The 4/25 board meeting was held in the 8th floor clubroom
•  Setup is a work in progress, but was very comfortable for everyone, with some minor adjustments for next month
• The remaining board members were there, Todd, Joel, Laurice and Karen. Along with Greg Mark, chaired the meeting assisted by Kathryn Pankow (HOADV).  Court Terrell, our association attorney was there as well .
• Approximately 11 residents showed up for the meeting and nearly everyone actively participated in one way or another. I think almost everyone spoke at least once.
• The meeting lasted almost two hours (to hear the audio from the meeting check the sidebar of this blog for the link
• Collections
• Collected nearly $59,000 since January
• The board contemplated making some rule changes for the Clubroom rental and removing some restrictions in place with coordinating use of the North Garden Terrace with adjacent clubroom rental. 
• Court Terrell suggested after listening to the board deliberate their ideas, that he write up a legal version of the changes and then go from there.  The issue will be addressed in the next meeting
• MASTER PROPERTY INSURANCE RENEWAL
• Current policy expires at the end of May
• THIS IS A CONSIDERABLE part of our operating budget
• To ensure competitive proposals there are already around 4 or 5 company that the board is courting, which includes our current provider.
• Need an apples to apples comparison
• Joel wanted to discuss increasing the residential board members from 3 to 5 total.  
• Bylaws do allow for this to be accomplished
• Require a 67% of the members in the affirmative to pass IF the Retail and Commercial parking specifically agree to this 
• SUMMARY: What an incredible waste of time including that on the agenda.  
• Joel also expressed concern over the voting share that she commands with her ownership of:
• The entire Retail area of Skypoint
• All the commercial parking spaces plus
• One residential unit.
• Laurice and her husband, hold the most combined and condensed amount of voting shares through virtue of their ownership interests
• They hold a grand total of around 206 shares of 506
• There is no one else on the board or in the building that holds such a high combined risk
• Often times the residential class board members would mention over and over again, using considerable time resources that residential issues have nothing to do with Laurice, Retail director and Karen, Commercial Parking Director.
• Their assertion is incorrect and although the interests that they represent are clearly different than the interests that the Residential class board members represent,  they still all have one equal vote and to never intentionally harm the association.  
• Reserve Study
• Every 5 years a reserve study is accomplished by the management company that adjusts for changes in use of an item or facility. 
• Currently there is around a $57,000 surplus that should more than offset the increased reserve requirements
• THE BIG IF
• Remember last week I talked about the exterior "slurry" that was evaluated during the past year or so?
• The specs of the exterior of our building, apparently were changed after initial deployment and more importantly will require that this slurry be applied in a special way to all exposed concrete parts of the exterior
• This is one of the last remaining items from the building turnover.  
• Cost of the entire building anywhere from 500,000 to well over a million
• HOADV is actively working with the former developer to try and obtain a commitment from them on the financial part of the deal
• IF they don't pay we will be stuck paying for it most likely in the form of a special assessment
• Elliptical Machines need replacing
• Two machines are nearly beyond repair and will need to be replaced.
• Agreed in principle to purchase the elliptical equipment after some evaluation
• RNC Event
• Republican National Committee will hold their convention in Tampa, steps from our building in August
• The Tampa Police Department recently submitted a 100 page report detailing the recommended changes to our building or procedure or both  to minimize the risk to the building and residents. 
• These changes are NOT funded at the moment and would have to be paid for by the association, hence through us , in the form of higher dues or assessment
• HOADV is exploring the availability of Federal and state grant monies that would offset the cost of these items
• There are rumored to be over 30 protest groups already registered with the city with the Curtis Hixon Park one of their designated areas of protest.
• Because of the complexity and demand of our resources the board voted into existence a committee to assist the board in getting ready for the convention.
• I am definitely interested and I encourage you to consider it. Here's why
• It is of a finite duration, there is an end to it!
• The implementation of whatever plan is adopted will be so critical I think the building needs us all right now,.  
• SUMMARY:
• The week of the convention has the potential to be THE most difficult week in the history of Skypint.  If you have the means and time and you don't plan on volunteering on the committee it may be best to just head out of town and let it be someone else's headache.  That will be one of the first things I will recommend to the board and get a tentative commitment by each resident as far in advance of the event as possible.  That could be one way to lessen the impact for everyone.  
• Remember short term rentals aren't allowed.
• Resist the temptation by remembering that we have to come back here and all live together when the RNC is long gone.  We need to protect our building and every resident against any possible hard.  Think Gasparilla on super mega steroids. Sounds like fun! YEA!
• Since the garage lasers and entry systems were a big part of the discussion two weeks ago I just wanted you to know that Bruce recently had the lasers re-calibrated.  Please post if problems with the gates are not improving
• Don't forget to subscribe to this blog if you want posts to be sent to you automatically 
• twitter.com/myskypoint is also linked automatically with facebook.com/myskypoint and this blog:  http://myskypoint.blogspot.com  For downloads, streams, or audio of any kind of the board meetings etc visit:  blogtalkradio.com/myskypoint 

 If you have a few monents would you please add your comments to this information good or bad they are both equally as important to me.  Also if you know something that I didn't mention either comment and add it or shoot me a quick email and I will add it if you would prefer.  


Have a great weekend,
Jeff 

I believe in the power of a good team!