The Record...The Choice

The moment of truth has arrived.  On Feb. 18, International Village will have the opportunity to say goodbye to the last two years of wasteful spending, runaway increases in maintenance fees and special assessments, and astonishing abuse of power by the current Board of Directors.

The results of this year’s Board election will be announced following the counting of ballots this Tuesday night in the clubhouse main card room, which is open to any unit owner who wishes to observe the proceedings. The top four vote-getters will serve a two-year term on the Board.

If you haven’t voted yet, you must get your ballots in by 7 p.m. on Tuesday. But before you do, let’s briefly review the record of the current Board, which began its reign of error two years ago:

• A $1.3 million special assessment imposed over four months after the Board ended its first year with a deficit of more than $800,000. 
• A 27 percent maintenance fee increase over two years: nearly 20 percent the first year and another 7 percent the second year – a rate of spending that is well over 10 times the inflation rate.
• A series of behind-the-scenes deals that have cost you money while reducing your power as an owner – including approving outrageous settlement awards to well-connected cronies in secret meetings, bypassing the democratic process to fill a Board vacancy with an individual of questionable credentials, and running up legal and other fees by unethically using our association attorney to go after political opponents on several occasions.

Despite this dismal record, Board President Marvin Tow and Board members Sandra Best and Marc Richman are asking you to give them two more years so they can give you more of the same (including plans for another $1.4 million special assessment they've already hatched up).  But it's time to say “enough is enough!”  We can’t afford another two years of Mr. Tow, Mrs. Best and Mr. Richman. Just from an investment standpoint, if our maintenance fees continue to rise at these hyper-inflationary rates to support runaway irresponsible spending, our property values will soon begin to plummet, leaving our homes virtually worthless.

But fortunately, this election gives us the opportunity to change track by choosing new people for the Board.  Duv Wolff, Wendy Hernandez and Marcio Jaspan are all committed to bringing fiscal discipline to International Village by prioritizing spending, setting clear cost-cutting targets and implementing operational efficiencies that will finally bring our budget under control. Their fresh ideas, youthful energy and solid professional backgrounds in small business, accounting and engineering are just what we need to ensure that International Village can continue to be called the “Jewel of Inverrary.”

The choice is clear:  Please vote for Duv Wolff, Wendy Hernandez and Marcio Jaspan.