How do you feel about paying an extra 7.4 percent in maintenance fees next year? If the proposed $3.5 million operating budget our property manager just submitted to the Board of Directors this past week is approved without changes, that’s exactly what you can look forward to (not including any potential special assessments for various "priority" projects already under discussion).
Under the plan, the owner of an average one-bedroom unit currently paying $282 monthly maintenance would pay $303 a month, while the owner of an average two-bedroom unit who is now paying $393 monthly would pay $422 per month in maintenance. The Board will take up the 2014 budget at a hearing set for Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse.
If you feel a 7.4 percent increase is too much after this past year's nearly 20 percent maintenance hike and large special assessment, I encourage you to carefully review the budget to help the Board identify potential savings. Share your recommendations with us BY EMAIL ahead of time and in person at the budget hearing. Remember, this proposed budget is not the last word, nor is it one I personally would have produced. I would prefer to see more cost savings, resulting in less financial burden to unit owners.
To give a brief overview, the proposed budget calls for spending $159,000 more next year than this year. The biggest increases come in the categories of insurance, cable, employee salaries, plumbing maintenance, air conditioning, and employee health care costs due to Obamacare. In his budget cover letter, our property manager defends the higher spending by citing cost of living increases and the aging of the property. These may be valid points, but it is interesting to note that the Inverrary Association (our master property association) has managed to produce a 2014 budget that calls for no increase in maintenance from its member associations. If they can tighten their belt in tough economic times to live within their means, why can't we do the same at a time when many owners are still struggling financially? For example, the association is projected to spend $5,400 next year on cell phone service for four individuals – amounting to $1,350 per phone. One of these four individuals is our Board of Directors president, Marvin Tow. Since Board members are volunteers, and the rest of the Board pays for its own cell phones, I fail to see how this expense is justified.
In other news, unit owners with ideas for improving security at International Village are being invited to join a new Safety & Security Committee to recommend safety-related initiatives for the community. Mr. Tow announced the committee's creation last Monday at a special meeting (see 11/11/13 meeting video) that began gathering owner feedback on safety in the wake of a recent Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ruling that has halted plans for a massive camera surveillance system. If you would like to join the committee, send an email to assistant@internvillage.com including your name, building and unit number. In the meantime, our association attorney is recommending that the association seek a declaratory statement from the DBPR regarding the legality of a camera system in International Village before proceeding any further with the idea. (See his opinion letter HERE.)
Finally, the Board will set a date for the upcoming Board of Directors election at our meeting this Monday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse. The election will take place in January, so if you're thinking about running, it'll soon be time throw your hat in the ring. The election also may be an opportunity for owners to consider changes to our condo docs and rules and regulations. (See our Declaration of Condo here, our Rules & Regulations here and our Bylaws here.) Board members will discuss some possible amendments to place on the ballot at this Monday's meeting. If you have ideas of your own in this regard, please come to the meeting and share them, or CONTACT US NOW by email.
If you feel a 7.4 percent increase is too much after this past year's nearly 20 percent maintenance hike and large special assessment, I encourage you to carefully review the budget to help the Board identify potential savings. Share your recommendations with us BY EMAIL ahead of time and in person at the budget hearing. Remember, this proposed budget is not the last word, nor is it one I personally would have produced. I would prefer to see more cost savings, resulting in less financial burden to unit owners.
To give a brief overview, the proposed budget calls for spending $159,000 more next year than this year. The biggest increases come in the categories of insurance, cable, employee salaries, plumbing maintenance, air conditioning, and employee health care costs due to Obamacare. In his budget cover letter, our property manager defends the higher spending by citing cost of living increases and the aging of the property. These may be valid points, but it is interesting to note that the Inverrary Association (our master property association) has managed to produce a 2014 budget that calls for no increase in maintenance from its member associations. If they can tighten their belt in tough economic times to live within their means, why can't we do the same at a time when many owners are still struggling financially? For example, the association is projected to spend $5,400 next year on cell phone service for four individuals – amounting to $1,350 per phone. One of these four individuals is our Board of Directors president, Marvin Tow. Since Board members are volunteers, and the rest of the Board pays for its own cell phones, I fail to see how this expense is justified.
In other news, unit owners with ideas for improving security at International Village are being invited to join a new Safety & Security Committee to recommend safety-related initiatives for the community. Mr. Tow announced the committee's creation last Monday at a special meeting (see 11/11/13 meeting video) that began gathering owner feedback on safety in the wake of a recent Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ruling that has halted plans for a massive camera surveillance system. If you would like to join the committee, send an email to assistant@internvillage.com including your name, building and unit number. In the meantime, our association attorney is recommending that the association seek a declaratory statement from the DBPR regarding the legality of a camera system in International Village before proceeding any further with the idea. (See his opinion letter HERE.)
Finally, the Board will set a date for the upcoming Board of Directors election at our meeting this Monday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse. The election will take place in January, so if you're thinking about running, it'll soon be time throw your hat in the ring. The election also may be an opportunity for owners to consider changes to our condo docs and rules and regulations. (See our Declaration of Condo here, our Rules & Regulations here and our Bylaws here.) Board members will discuss some possible amendments to place on the ballot at this Monday's meeting. If you have ideas of your own in this regard, please come to the meeting and share them, or CONTACT US NOW by email.
