Wednesday, September 21, 2016
GRIMINAL
As most of you know our complex is graced with several outdoor grills in two locations to be used for your cooking pleasure. Apparently there is an individual or numerous individuals amongst us who are failing to clean the grills after use. We have to admit that this is one nasty habit....if we didn't want to taste your sausage while it was in your hand what makes you think we want to taste your sausage any other way. It goes without saying that you should always clean the grill before cooking because let's be honest you have no idea where somebody else's sausage has been. The powers that be however are considering placing cameras facing the grills to find out who is committing this dastardly deed. Let's be honest nothing can be done to any individual found in violation of this horrific act except for maybe an oral reprimand.... what's the point. Although it would be nice to find out who's dirty sausage is running a muck in Island Cove, it's just not that important. This should serve as a wake up call to all of you who choose to booboo in the restrooms or use the urinals and not flush. Because if they are going to find out who's sausage is dirtying up the grills they sure as heck are gonna find out who's sausage is dirtying up the restroom!!!!!!!!
Monday, September 19, 2016
You Couldn't Let a Sleeping Dog Lie
As you can plainly see we've been gone for quite some time now and although we've received several requests to return, we thought it was in our best interest to take a break for a while. That and the fact it's been a busy summer and frankly who wants to stay inside and read/write a blog when it's so beautiful outside. Until the other day!!!!! While at the pool a gentleman could be overheard "ripping" the author(s) of the blog saying "we had nothing nice to say about Island Cove". Well sir, who will from this point forward be referred to as "Special Ed", the main purpose of a blog or this blog is to make a difference. This blog is issue based which means we are trying to provide information to sway your thinking in a different direction. It is a different take on what you see every single day and have either just grown to accept or consider to be the norm. So, Special Ed, our biggest challenge is to get you to engage in some thought and weigh all the options presented to you in each post. Whether you agree or disagree with what we are saying at least you've taken the time to consider the alternative and at the very minimum give it some consideration. That being said, we are guessing Special Ed has never attended a board meeting because the same thing is being done there, the only difference is you are being swayed into thinking their way is the only way. Now that we've outlined our purpose and established the fact that you need to look at things from several different view points what is your next move Special Ed?
If you don't know "A different way of looking at things" don't read this any further.
If you don't know "A different way of looking at things" don't read this any further.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Shut Up Already!!!!!
For those of you who have been following this blog since it's inception you know we are ones to complain (we prefer bitch) about what we observe going on in our complex. Understand though it is done to inform you, the home owner, of what we believe to be wrong with our community. We are also one to follow EVERY rule, whether we agree with it or not.
There is however an individual living amongst us who can't help himself but to complain, bitch, moan, whine...whatever you prefer to say...about everything going on in Island Cove...unlike us though, he chooses to break EVERY rule. Today he was overheard arguing with a resident of building 4 over where he parked a moving truck. Apparently this person was helping someone move into a unit on the 3rd floor and parked the truck in a position that would make the move a little easier..... something we all would have done. How ironic though that he complain about the parking of a truck when he is one of the worst parking violators we have.
We normally wouldn't mention names but we are so tired of hearing this blowhard spew this nonsense from his Hostess hole that at this point we almost don't care. He is the owner of this golf cart, you know the one parked illegally all over our complex.
Yep! That's his golf cart....illegally parked by the pool, illegally parked by the buildings...yet he has the nerve to complain about other peoples parking!!!! Let's not mention his boat dock which according to the rules and regulations is only supposed to contain a board approved dock box. Not his, it looks like something from one of those hoarder programs....but why is he allowed this? Well because nobody from the office has walked the grounds since Ponce De Leon discovered Florida. Imagine if our office staff were the first explorers....they would never have discovered their own asses because it would involve getting up! Sorry, got off track. Oh well, just a rant about someone we are tired of hearing talk....and just remember nothing makes chronic complainers happier than being more miserable than their friends.
There is however an individual living amongst us who can't help himself but to complain, bitch, moan, whine...whatever you prefer to say...about everything going on in Island Cove...unlike us though, he chooses to break EVERY rule. Today he was overheard arguing with a resident of building 4 over where he parked a moving truck. Apparently this person was helping someone move into a unit on the 3rd floor and parked the truck in a position that would make the move a little easier..... something we all would have done. How ironic though that he complain about the parking of a truck when he is one of the worst parking violators we have.
We normally wouldn't mention names but we are so tired of hearing this blowhard spew this nonsense from his Hostess hole that at this point we almost don't care. He is the owner of this golf cart, you know the one parked illegally all over our complex.
Yep! That's his golf cart....illegally parked by the pool, illegally parked by the buildings...yet he has the nerve to complain about other peoples parking!!!! Let's not mention his boat dock which according to the rules and regulations is only supposed to contain a board approved dock box. Not his, it looks like something from one of those hoarder programs....but why is he allowed this? Well because nobody from the office has walked the grounds since Ponce De Leon discovered Florida. Imagine if our office staff were the first explorers....they would never have discovered their own asses because it would involve getting up! Sorry, got off track. Oh well, just a rant about someone we are tired of hearing talk....and just remember nothing makes chronic complainers happier than being more miserable than their friends.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Board Meeting Results
Board Meeting..... March 29, 2016
In an effort to become more active in our community we thought we should start by attending the Board Meeting held yesterday (March 29th). There were several topics that peaked our interest especially the one regarding the possible smoking ban on the lanais. There was also talk of storm shutters and lattice and every other possible eyesore being placed on our lanai mainly to dumb down the appearance of our complex. Of course there was the discussion about the water drainage as related to our tax bill which all parties were not prepared to speak of….and of course some other jibber jabber. But the meat of the meeting, as far as we were concerned, was the discussion about the smoking ban.
Let us start by saying when you buy a home or condo in a common interest development, such as Island Cove, chances are good that you also automatically become a member of an exclusive club -- the homeowners' association (HOA). The club's members include all the people who own homes/condos in the same development. Getting all of these independent thinkers to agree on the same thing is almost impossible so we in turn put or trust in the Board Members/ HOA to make the right decisions on our behalf. The Board Members/HOA will probably exercise a lot of control over how you use your property. Some associations enforce every rule with the enthusiasm of a military drill sergeant; others are run in a more relaxed way. Most associations try to make decisions that will enhance the value of the houses. The reason we bring this point up is that adding a smoking ban to include our lanai would create an enforcement nightmare. In a perfect world the primary goal of the enforcement process would be to achieve voluntary compliance mainly by educating the condo owners about the requirements of the rule. Full and complete compliance is not going to happen and if the pool rules are any indication, this smoking ban will only apply to those individuals the Board Members are comfortable speaking with. Unfortunately the duty of enforcing this ban might fall on this gentleman..
It is our understanding, before addressing this possible ban with the condo owners, the Board sought the advice of legal counsel. They were informed, in so many words, that a ban could be added to the rules and regulations as long as it was met with a majority of the vote. However, the law further states provided that you are not on the grounds of a school/educational facility or near the entrance to a publically-owned building (i.e., owned by the state, county, or city), then the law does not specify a distance that smoking is or is not allowed from the entrances to buildings. So in essence if you were to live on the first floor you can simply step out on to your lanai entrance and puff away…..advantage first floor living (don't worry upper floors you have your advantages also). In addition, who or how is one going to be able to confront a smoker who is smoking on his lanai on one of the upper floors? Knock on his door? Let us know how that works out for you……………….as we previously stated, an enforcement nightmare. Unless of course a new rule is enacted allowing the Board to ban smoking on the grounds of the complex meaning any outdoor area that is used in connection with the building. This could mean a sidewalk immediately adjacent to a building, but not a sidewalk in the public right-of way; a sitting or standing area immediately adjacent to the building; a patio or a deck; a courtyard; a swimming pool or any other outdoor area designated as non-smoking. Wait, what if I'm sitting in my car? Can I smoke then? Um, how about another rule. RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES …..ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!! The only advantage to adding new rules is that it gives a wider range of people a reason to bitch!!!!!!
Whether I/we choose to smoke is a decision we as individuals have the right to make and finding a place to smoke is becoming increasingly more difficult. The only safe haven is on our own property…on our lanai. It is likely that no one, smoker or non, disagrees that smoking cigarettes is a messy habit. And indeed one should only take-up the habit when s/he is of legal age and has for whatever reason decided the habit is right for their lifestyle. But as far as archeological evidence supports, smoking is not new to society -- man has smoked "something or another" from the moment man lit his first fire. Stress however has increased, and tops smoking as a leading cause of disease. But, regardless it still remains a decision WE make and if we choose to smoke on our lanai. Smoke causes health problems??? of course it can, but so can car emissions. Can I force my neighbor to drive an electric vehicle because their auto emissions are harmful? Regulating what people can do on their private property in the guise of “health issues” only gives the Board exactly what they want – more control over you and your freedoms (or lack thereof).
Let us start by saying when you buy a home or condo in a common interest development, such as Island Cove, chances are good that you also automatically become a member of an exclusive club -- the homeowners' association (HOA). The club's members include all the people who own homes/condos in the same development. Getting all of these independent thinkers to agree on the same thing is almost impossible so we in turn put or trust in the Board Members/ HOA to make the right decisions on our behalf. The Board Members/HOA will probably exercise a lot of control over how you use your property. Some associations enforce every rule with the enthusiasm of a military drill sergeant; others are run in a more relaxed way. Most associations try to make decisions that will enhance the value of the houses. The reason we bring this point up is that adding a smoking ban to include our lanai would create an enforcement nightmare. In a perfect world the primary goal of the enforcement process would be to achieve voluntary compliance mainly by educating the condo owners about the requirements of the rule. Full and complete compliance is not going to happen and if the pool rules are any indication, this smoking ban will only apply to those individuals the Board Members are comfortable speaking with. Unfortunately the duty of enforcing this ban might fall on this gentleman..
It is our understanding, before addressing this possible ban with the condo owners, the Board sought the advice of legal counsel. They were informed, in so many words, that a ban could be added to the rules and regulations as long as it was met with a majority of the vote. However, the law further states provided that you are not on the grounds of a school/educational facility or near the entrance to a publically-owned building (i.e., owned by the state, county, or city), then the law does not specify a distance that smoking is or is not allowed from the entrances to buildings. So in essence if you were to live on the first floor you can simply step out on to your lanai entrance and puff away…..advantage first floor living (don't worry upper floors you have your advantages also). In addition, who or how is one going to be able to confront a smoker who is smoking on his lanai on one of the upper floors? Knock on his door? Let us know how that works out for you……………….as we previously stated, an enforcement nightmare. Unless of course a new rule is enacted allowing the Board to ban smoking on the grounds of the complex meaning any outdoor area that is used in connection with the building. This could mean a sidewalk immediately adjacent to a building, but not a sidewalk in the public right-of way; a sitting or standing area immediately adjacent to the building; a patio or a deck; a courtyard; a swimming pool or any other outdoor area designated as non-smoking. Wait, what if I'm sitting in my car? Can I smoke then? Um, how about another rule. RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES RULES …..ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!! The only advantage to adding new rules is that it gives a wider range of people a reason to bitch!!!!!!
Whether I/we choose to smoke is a decision we as individuals have the right to make and finding a place to smoke is becoming increasingly more difficult. The only safe haven is on our own property…on our lanai. It is likely that no one, smoker or non, disagrees that smoking cigarettes is a messy habit. And indeed one should only take-up the habit when s/he is of legal age and has for whatever reason decided the habit is right for their lifestyle. But as far as archeological evidence supports, smoking is not new to society -- man has smoked "something or another" from the moment man lit his first fire. Stress however has increased, and tops smoking as a leading cause of disease. But, regardless it still remains a decision WE make and if we choose to smoke on our lanai. Smoke causes health problems??? of course it can, but so can car emissions. Can I force my neighbor to drive an electric vehicle because their auto emissions are harmful? Regulating what people can do on their private property in the guise of “health issues” only gives the Board exactly what they want – more control over you and your freedoms (or lack thereof).
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Investigative Reporting 2
On a daily basis the blog receives complaints regarding the Island Cove office staff....whether it be their unwillingness to be of any assistance, their lack of knowledge or even worse their laziness. The following was posted by an anonymous individual in the comment section of the Annual Meeting post:
Overall the meeting went well. We did not have a WWF title fight this year and that was good. I do have a problem with the assistant secretary, and I do use that term loosely.
She paced back and forth in what resembled the "Shoot the Bear" game at the penny arcade. For her, this meeting was a nice paid 2 hour break as she did nothing to contribute.
We immediately put our investigative reporter on this assignment and he was able to peer furtively into the Island Cove office from a place of concealment and return the following artist rendition of the assistant secretary "hard at work".
Overall the meeting went well. We did not have a WWF title fight this year and that was good. I do have a problem with the assistant secretary, and I do use that term loosely.
As the owners filtered in there was a need for more chairs as the ownership was well represented. A couple of the board members and the property manager went out to the pool area to bring in additional chairs.
The assistant secretary, stood there 5 feet from the door and did not help. I can only assume that she was standing guard at the cookies to make sure there were enough left to take back to the office after the meeting.
She paced back and forth in what resembled the "Shoot the Bear" game at the penny arcade. For her, this meeting was a nice paid 2 hour break as she did nothing to contribute.
We immediately put our investigative reporter on this assignment and he was able to peer furtively into the Island Cove office from a place of concealment and return the following artist rendition of the assistant secretary "hard at work".
Investigative Reporting
Over the past year the blog has been operating on a budget of .....well, $0...so when we received a generous donation of $2.50 from an anonymous donor we were thrilled to say the least. Not to let the money go to waste, we began to think of productive ways to put it to use. We agreed we would hire an investigative reporter for two days to follow up on our previous claims of waste in our maintenance staff. What he found is going to astonish you. Armed with only a flip camera phone, a bottle of Mogen David, a honey bun and a unmatched desire to reveal the truth, he was able to capture the following photos of our head of maintenance doing what he does best!
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I Think We Already Knew This
Total population: 19.1 million
Share of population 65+: 17.8%
Cost of living: 4.6% above the U.S. average
Average income for 65+ households: $45,144
Retiree tax picture: Most Friendly
Nearly 3.4 million older residents can't be wrong. Florida is famous for its retiree-haven status and boasts a population with the greatest abundance of people age 65 and up in the country. The warm weather and beautiful beaches may not hurt the state's appeal to people of a certain age, but the tax picture is surely the main attraction. Florida has no state income tax, estate tax or inheritance tax, and it doesn't tax Social Security or other retirement income.
The Sunshine State may be an obvious retirement destination, but picking where to retire within Florida will prove more difficult. The state is packed with good, affordable options, including Fort Myers, Sarasota and Tampa along the Gulf and Vero Beach on the Atlantic side. And Gainesville is a great college town for retirement. But Punta Gorda tops our rankings for Cheapest Places Where You'll Want to Retire. The share of Punta Gorda's population age 65+ is a robust 34.5%, and the cost of living is 3.8% below average for retired people.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Annual Board Meeting
The Annual Board Meeting was held this morning, March 16th, and as always we have our own opinions and views about what we observed...before we post our opinions we thought we ask those in attendance to express theirs. If you were present at today's meeting and would like to post your opinions please to so in the comment section and we will compare them to ours. As always please walk on the grass instead of the side walk, it helps kill the weeds and overgrowth.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Best of 2016
According to TripAdvisor the following restaurants have been ranked as the Top 15 in Cape Coral:
1. Slate's
2. Fish Tale Grill by Merrick Seafood
3. The Dek Bar
4. Ciao Wood Fired Pizza at Trattoria
5. New England Moorings
6. Chicago Pizza
7. Pete's Fish and Chips
8. Misto Bar and Grill
9. Ford's Garage
10. Time to Eat
11. Lobster Lady Seafood
12. Rumrunners
13. Sakura Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar
14. Rib City
15. Pickled Parrot
Some other notables: 17. Boathouse, 23. Ariana, 34. Duffy's, 44. Iguana Mia...........Backstreets, Hart&Soul, First Round Draft, Anthony's .....etc. are a little further down the list. But get this...coming in at 24......Denny's!!!!! Apparently Sammy gotta vote!!!!!!
TriAdvisor goes on to list the Top restaurants in Cape Coral and rates them several different ways....including by price. This might be great reading if you're that person who buys cheap in favour of higher quality or better stuff even though you might be able to afford the better. Perhaps ungenerously trying not to spend much on their friends, you might want to start from the bottom and work your way up. The attached link will bring you to the complete list:
1. Slate's
2. Fish Tale Grill by Merrick Seafood
3. The Dek Bar
4. Ciao Wood Fired Pizza at Trattoria
5. New England Moorings
6. Chicago Pizza
7. Pete's Fish and Chips
8. Misto Bar and Grill
9. Ford's Garage
10. Time to Eat
11. Lobster Lady Seafood
12. Rumrunners
13. Sakura Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar
14. Rib City
15. Pickled Parrot
Some other notables: 17. Boathouse, 23. Ariana, 34. Duffy's, 44. Iguana Mia...........Backstreets, Hart&Soul, First Round Draft, Anthony's .....etc. are a little further down the list. But get this...coming in at 24......Denny's!!!!! Apparently Sammy gotta vote!!!!!!
TriAdvisor goes on to list the Top restaurants in Cape Coral and rates them several different ways....including by price. This might be great reading if you're that person who buys cheap in favour of higher quality or better stuff even though you might be able to afford the better. Perhaps ungenerously trying not to spend much on their friends, you might want to start from the bottom and work your way up. The attached link will bring you to the complete list:
Friday, March 11, 2016
Signs Of Life
After almost a month of investigation, interrogation, examination and every other word ending in "tion" our board has awaken and forwarded the following explanation regarding what has been going on at Island Cove.....in case you missed it or haven't received it here's a copy.
ISLAND COVE SECURITY UPDATE
March 10, 2016
As many residents know, and for those who are not aware, we recently had a murder of an Island Cove resident. The resident was in fact a renter and not an owner.
While many wondered why we did not put out any statement earlier regarding this situation, it was because the police had asked us not to publish anything to our residents while they continued their investigation of the crime. They stated that the information that they wanted released would be released through the electronic, TV, and print media. While this remains an active investigation, we have now been released to provide our residents with a general statement regarding the overall status of this crime.
While the Cape Coral police are continuing to investigate this horrible crime, you can continue to expect to see police officers and detectives in the complex and surrounding areas. In fact from time to time the residents may be asked questions by the authorities as a means of assisting in this investigation. Also, keep in mind that many times these investigations may go on for many months before the investigation is completed.
This incident has obviously had an impact on Island Cove residents. The obvious is the concern for the person murdered and who may have committed this horrible crime, along with a concern by our residents for their personal safety.
While rumors and stories run rampant about this crime, it is suggested that you believe about ½ of what you hear and consider the other ½ partially incorrect.
With all of this in mind, today we spoke with one of the detective’s and they have indicated that they do not believe that this was a random act and therefore they believe that the residents of Island Cove do not need to be overly concerned for their personal safety. It was stated that if resident safety was a concern they would have addressed it with the residents by now. However, in today’s world we all need to be cognizant of our surroundings and use common sense when it comes to keeping safe.
As we learn more, we will be happy to share any information that we are given with the approval of the Cape Coral police investigators.
THE ISLAND COVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We still believe we should have been informed earlier but we guess it's better then nothing.
ISLAND COVE SECURITY UPDATE
March 10, 2016
As many residents know, and for those who are not aware, we recently had a murder of an Island Cove resident. The resident was in fact a renter and not an owner.
While many wondered why we did not put out any statement earlier regarding this situation, it was because the police had asked us not to publish anything to our residents while they continued their investigation of the crime. They stated that the information that they wanted released would be released through the electronic, TV, and print media. While this remains an active investigation, we have now been released to provide our residents with a general statement regarding the overall status of this crime.
While the Cape Coral police are continuing to investigate this horrible crime, you can continue to expect to see police officers and detectives in the complex and surrounding areas. In fact from time to time the residents may be asked questions by the authorities as a means of assisting in this investigation. Also, keep in mind that many times these investigations may go on for many months before the investigation is completed.
This incident has obviously had an impact on Island Cove residents. The obvious is the concern for the person murdered and who may have committed this horrible crime, along with a concern by our residents for their personal safety.
While rumors and stories run rampant about this crime, it is suggested that you believe about ½ of what you hear and consider the other ½ partially incorrect.
With all of this in mind, today we spoke with one of the detective’s and they have indicated that they do not believe that this was a random act and therefore they believe that the residents of Island Cove do not need to be overly concerned for their personal safety. It was stated that if resident safety was a concern they would have addressed it with the residents by now. However, in today’s world we all need to be cognizant of our surroundings and use common sense when it comes to keeping safe.
As we learn more, we will be happy to share any information that we are given with the approval of the Cape Coral police investigators.
THE ISLAND COVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We still believe we should have been informed earlier but we guess it's better then nothing.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Annual Flee Market
This is a perfect time to sell your junk to other people who are looking to get rid of their junk....like a junk off!!!!! Either way, please come out and support Island Cove and your Social Committee......
Just a reminder that the date to rent a table is fast approaching. This Saturday is promising to be a fun event!
Stop by the clubhouse and grab a Michigan Hot Dog or two and browse some of the various items from the tables that are for sale.
Date: March 5,2016 - rain date: March 12, 2016
Place: Clubhouse
Time: Setup 8-10 am / Sale 10 am - 3 pm
It\'s an opportunity to clean house, make some money & support Island Cove\'s future social events
Rent a table, sell your goods. If you don\'t have the time, donate your items!
ALSO, hot dogs, water & baked goods will be on sale
SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY!
For reservation or donation information please contact:
Missy Moritz............ Linda Marston
Just a reminder that the date to rent a table is fast approaching. This Saturday is promising to be a fun event!
Stop by the clubhouse and grab a Michigan Hot Dog or two and browse some of the various items from the tables that are for sale.
Date: March 5,2016 - rain date: March 12, 2016
Place: Clubhouse
Time: Setup 8-10 am / Sale 10 am - 3 pm
It\'s an opportunity to clean house, make some money & support Island Cove\'s future social events
Rent a table, sell your goods. If you don\'t have the time, donate your items!
ALSO, hot dogs, water & baked goods will be on sale
SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY!
For reservation or donation information please contact:
Missy Moritz............ Linda Marston
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Please Read
This post comes on the heals of what was a very stressful several weeks at Island Cove that left most owners and renters questioning what was going on. With limited or no information being disseminated from our property management team or board we were left to either believe the rumors or assume, depending on your position. We, collectively, are fully aware an investigation was being conducted and that any intrusion on our part might inhibit that, but not to have any information placed many in fear. We chose not to post any information on this blog, whether truth or rumor, and left that to the management team and board, believing it was their responsibility to do so..... unfortunately that never came. Which brings us to the following post.
Before we progress any further we thought we should address the elephant in the room. As in the past, this blog has been ridiculed for its content, slander and personal attacks on Island Cove and its staff. Although we dont deny any of the aforementioned it should be noted that we do so in a truthful and thoughtful manner. Our intentions from its inception has been to improve the quality of life at Island Cove and to ensure that those individuals in a position of employment fullfilled their obligations to IC. If we were to turn a blind eye to all the wrong doings that are painfully obvious that would simply make us a board member. If you are looking for further understanding of our objective please scroll to the bottom of this blog and read the disclaimer and remember "you are reading this at your own risk." To put it in more appropriate terms our mission statement would read as follows:
"To be an owner driven community that can be equally enjoyed by all owners. To be financially viable with an emphasis on protecting and enhancing our property values. To maintain the quality of life for all residents while observing the governing documents. To create a safe and harmonious living environment within our property for the enjoyment and entertainment of all residents."
If that isn't shared by all owners, renters, staff members and guests you need to leave today.
Now let's discuss each aspect of that mission statement. "Owner driven community"...we as owners need to take back our complex and discuss the things important to us. We do commend the board on the formation of the committees and believe that is a step in the right direction. Owners working together for common causes can/will be very productive, but only if those ideas are met with positive reinforcement from our board....that remains to be seen.
"To be financially viable"....our understanding is that we are budgeted for 3 maintanence staff members in addition to a part time staffer. For the sake of this perspective we will forgo the part timer and focus on the full time employees. When broken down to the simplest of mathematical deductions we can divide the work load into thirds. If each maintance staffer is responsible for 33% of the workload and one individual, the "head of maintenance", does not uphold his portion we are only getting a 66% return on our investment. To equate that to a more day to day understanding it would be like every time you took a dollar out of your pocket you threw away 33 cents...wait that would make us Canadian. What we are getting at is we dont need a "head of maintenance" whose best attribute is driving a golf cart. Because let's be honest that's all he does and please don't tell us he supervises the other two...if that's the case, fire the both of them and find self-motivated, hard-working, driven individuals who don't need their hand held. We have a position of property manager that can handle day to day operations, don't worry we'll get to her later. We are always looking for our opinions to be refuted so if you have EVER observed our "head of maintenance" do ANYTHING we will gladly apologize.............(that's what we thought). By now you should be getting angry, as we are, which is why we posted "Stealing our HOA Fees". You increase our HOA fees claiming, in part, to an increase in salaries then you have the nerve to throw away 33% percent of it right before our very eyes. So you're damn right we are angry and it grows every time that professional golf cart driver passes our units.
Now, on to our Property Manager who's only response to every concern/complaint is "you have to email the board"...don't worry we'll get to them later. Let's be honest, she's never even walked the grounds and couldn't tell you building 1 from 10 (hell, she doesn't even know who the owners are). These past few weeks have brought this to the forefront....they had no idea the media had infiltrated our complex and had to be informed by several owners that this had happened. It's our understanding the condo property manager oversees the daily operations of a condominium community and maintains the policies and rules of the condominium association. In addition, the property manager is to inform the owners/renters of any emergency situations that arise within the complex. We can only conclude that what transpired this past week or so was not viewed as an emergency situation and did not warrant any notifications....(can you imagine what a real emergency situation would be).
Which touches on another part of our mission statement...."to create a safe living environment". Who's responsibility is it to inform the residents of Island Cove of potential threats to our well being? We've already established our property manager isn't going to do it, so that leaves the board. If it's not fair to place blame on those board members who are currently not residing at Island Cove, would it be fair to blame those who are? We would answer YES.....once you accept nomination as a board member you also accept the duties and responsibilities that position entails. Which include notifying the residents of safety concerns in addition to keeping the best interests of the association at heart. Obviously there was a break down in communication which definitely needs to be rectified. With the advances in today's ability to communicate electronically there's no excuse why this information wasn't delivered.
In all fairness we do have hard working members on our board.....we do not envy them in any way. What we would like to see is a cohesive group working as one to address our concerns and move Island Cove in a positive direction. We've posted about our lawn maintenance and grounds looking like a war occurred here, we've posted about our concerns over rising HOA fees, we've posted about our poor management personnel, we've posted about the waste in our maintenance crew, we've posted about numerous things that simply go unaddressed....we've even used our three minutes at the meetings to bring these problems to the table yet they go unanswered. If these past few weeks don't serve as a indication that change needs to occur, we're not sure it ever will!
There are many questions regarding what transpired over these past few weeks that will go unanswered....mainly, how was an individual with a history of mental illness and instability approved for residency? Not only does his mental capacity come into question, what about his dependency on drugs and arrest record? We are left wondering what exactly are we looking for in a background check if these traits are acceptable.....better yet, was a background check even performed? Let's be thankful we don't deal in "what if's" ....as in "what if" this gentleman was denied residency, would Mr. Marshall still be alive? Not sure how to answer that......We're just glad we're not the person who has to live wondering.................................
Before we progress any further we thought we should address the elephant in the room. As in the past, this blog has been ridiculed for its content, slander and personal attacks on Island Cove and its staff. Although we dont deny any of the aforementioned it should be noted that we do so in a truthful and thoughtful manner. Our intentions from its inception has been to improve the quality of life at Island Cove and to ensure that those individuals in a position of employment fullfilled their obligations to IC. If we were to turn a blind eye to all the wrong doings that are painfully obvious that would simply make us a board member. If you are looking for further understanding of our objective please scroll to the bottom of this blog and read the disclaimer and remember "you are reading this at your own risk." To put it in more appropriate terms our mission statement would read as follows:
"To be an owner driven community that can be equally enjoyed by all owners. To be financially viable with an emphasis on protecting and enhancing our property values. To maintain the quality of life for all residents while observing the governing documents. To create a safe and harmonious living environment within our property for the enjoyment and entertainment of all residents."
If that isn't shared by all owners, renters, staff members and guests you need to leave today.
Now let's discuss each aspect of that mission statement. "Owner driven community"...we as owners need to take back our complex and discuss the things important to us. We do commend the board on the formation of the committees and believe that is a step in the right direction. Owners working together for common causes can/will be very productive, but only if those ideas are met with positive reinforcement from our board....that remains to be seen.
"To be financially viable"....our understanding is that we are budgeted for 3 maintanence staff members in addition to a part time staffer. For the sake of this perspective we will forgo the part timer and focus on the full time employees. When broken down to the simplest of mathematical deductions we can divide the work load into thirds. If each maintance staffer is responsible for 33% of the workload and one individual, the "head of maintenance", does not uphold his portion we are only getting a 66% return on our investment. To equate that to a more day to day understanding it would be like every time you took a dollar out of your pocket you threw away 33 cents...wait that would make us Canadian. What we are getting at is we dont need a "head of maintenance" whose best attribute is driving a golf cart. Because let's be honest that's all he does and please don't tell us he supervises the other two...if that's the case, fire the both of them and find self-motivated, hard-working, driven individuals who don't need their hand held. We have a position of property manager that can handle day to day operations, don't worry we'll get to her later. We are always looking for our opinions to be refuted so if you have EVER observed our "head of maintenance" do ANYTHING we will gladly apologize.............(that's what we thought). By now you should be getting angry, as we are, which is why we posted "Stealing our HOA Fees". You increase our HOA fees claiming, in part, to an increase in salaries then you have the nerve to throw away 33% percent of it right before our very eyes. So you're damn right we are angry and it grows every time that professional golf cart driver passes our units.
Now, on to our Property Manager who's only response to every concern/complaint is "you have to email the board"...don't worry we'll get to them later. Let's be honest, she's never even walked the grounds and couldn't tell you building 1 from 10 (hell, she doesn't even know who the owners are). These past few weeks have brought this to the forefront....they had no idea the media had infiltrated our complex and had to be informed by several owners that this had happened. It's our understanding the condo property manager oversees the daily operations of a condominium community and maintains the policies and rules of the condominium association. In addition, the property manager is to inform the owners/renters of any emergency situations that arise within the complex. We can only conclude that what transpired this past week or so was not viewed as an emergency situation and did not warrant any notifications....(can you imagine what a real emergency situation would be).
Which touches on another part of our mission statement...."to create a safe living environment". Who's responsibility is it to inform the residents of Island Cove of potential threats to our well being? We've already established our property manager isn't going to do it, so that leaves the board. If it's not fair to place blame on those board members who are currently not residing at Island Cove, would it be fair to blame those who are? We would answer YES.....once you accept nomination as a board member you also accept the duties and responsibilities that position entails. Which include notifying the residents of safety concerns in addition to keeping the best interests of the association at heart. Obviously there was a break down in communication which definitely needs to be rectified. With the advances in today's ability to communicate electronically there's no excuse why this information wasn't delivered.
In all fairness we do have hard working members on our board.....we do not envy them in any way. What we would like to see is a cohesive group working as one to address our concerns and move Island Cove in a positive direction. We've posted about our lawn maintenance and grounds looking like a war occurred here, we've posted about our concerns over rising HOA fees, we've posted about our poor management personnel, we've posted about the waste in our maintenance crew, we've posted about numerous things that simply go unaddressed....we've even used our three minutes at the meetings to bring these problems to the table yet they go unanswered. If these past few weeks don't serve as a indication that change needs to occur, we're not sure it ever will!
There are many questions regarding what transpired over these past few weeks that will go unanswered....mainly, how was an individual with a history of mental illness and instability approved for residency? Not only does his mental capacity come into question, what about his dependency on drugs and arrest record? We are left wondering what exactly are we looking for in a background check if these traits are acceptable.....better yet, was a background check even performed? Let's be thankful we don't deal in "what if's" ....as in "what if" this gentleman was denied residency, would Mr. Marshall still be alive? Not sure how to answer that......We're just glad we're not the person who has to live wondering.................................
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Take A Look Around!!!!
Todays challenge involves taking a walk around the complex and taking a good look at your surroundings. We want to invite you today to involve your senses on your next nature walk. We are, of course, always experiencing the world with our senses but taking the time to be mindful of what we are seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling brings the process to the forefront and makes it meaningful. We want to encourage you to take the time to really look at the world around you. Walk slowly. Your purpose is the journey and not a destination......
Unfortunately, we tried and what we see is a complex in need of some serious lawn service....We're not sure what exactly is included in our Lawn Maintenance contract but we know one thing for sure, it isn't Lawn Maintenance!!!! The edging around the trees is all torn up and damaged, the edging near the buildings is a mess, several reports say the bench by the pond is damaged......etc. If you're up for a real adventure walk behind buildings 3,5,7 & 9....but before you do, take precautions and bring a sickle so you don't come up missing. (Oh!! Wait!! Maybe that's what happened...story for another day)
Here’s the thing: Starting a lawn- and landscape-maintenance service — a business that can do as little as mow the grass or as much as fertilize and prune shrubs and trees — requires little more than a mower and business license. There is almost no required training. So how can consumers feel confident that the person turning their lawn green knows his or her stuff? You don't know, until you try, and this experiment has failed. We should revisit our lawn service company when this contract expires and find a company that cares as much about our home as we do. Let's be honest though, that'll never happen, it's too green on the other side....wink, wink!!!!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
STEALING MY HOA DUES
Theft is not just walking off with an item that you do not
own, it is also theft of time. Our HOA
dues pay for salaries and when someone is not putting in their full value of
work on our dime, then they are stealing from the owners.
I walked over to the property manager’s office, during regular
business hours. I don’t knock on the door, hell I am not walking in to my boss’s
office; I am walking into my employee’s office. Lo and behold the friggen door
was locked! What the Hell? Locked during normal business hours when she is in
there. What is going on? That is OUR office. We pay for it and the door should
never be locked when someone is in there.
I don’t care if I am told that she can’t get work done when
everyone comes to the door and she locks it, they are there to assist owners
with their needs. Why is it we hired two part time people instead of one hard
working full time property manager? Well, we all know the reason.
When the door is locked, we as owners have no idea why is
going on in that room. Personal calls, yes I have walked in on those. Perhaps a
nap, after all they get tired from all of those interruptions.
When we don’t get what we paid for in the form of a Property
Manager, and it is allowed to go on, then that is theft of my HOA dues.
In our next article we will address the head of maintenance spending
most of his time in the Property Manager’s office (AKA the Owners Office).
Monday, February 22, 2016
Todays Thought of the Day
Conversations with your friends can sometimes get emotional. Even if your intentions are good, you might be in danger of hurting someone’s feelings. The best way to be sensitive to other people’s feelings is to listen carefully to what they have to say, and to speak kindly. It’s important to learn ways to take care of your own feelings as well.
Island Cove Crime Watch
I'm sure many of you have seen all of the police presence in and around the Island Cove complex and for those of you who never walk the grounds, Carol Miles, it has been quite the alarming experience. According to police reports there is a gentleman missing from building 4.....James Richard Marshall, 58, of Cape Coral, has been missing since he failed to show up for a conference in California. Police said Marshall is not answering calls, texts, or emails, which they said is not normal for him. Hopefully and GOD willing (we can say GOD on this blog, basically because it's ours and we don't care what the fffffff you think) he is found safe and healthy. If you have any information on the location of James Richard Marshall, please contact the Cape Coral Police Department at 239-574-3223.
Can It Be True!!!!
After some thoughtful deliberation and discussions with some of the finest minds in Southwest Florida we have decided to bring back the blog!!!!! Prepare to be amazed!!
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