Thank you and farewell

This Tuesday will be my last day as a member of the International Village Board of Directors after six years on the board, and as I did at last week’s board meeting, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who played such an important part in the life of the association and in mine over the last half dozen years.

First, I want to thank the owners of International Village for supporting us year after year in election after election. Your consistent vote of confidence showed us that our efforts were not only worthwhile but appreciated, and that means more than you know. 

Second, to all the board members past and present that I’ve served with during my six years on the board: I learned something from each of you, including that angry words are almost always less persuasive than calm and reasoned explanations, and that your true friends may not be the ones who always agree with you but the ones who are always there to offer honest advice when they think you can do better.

Finally, to my critics: I want to thank you especially for teaching me the most important and valuable lesson of all: That you can never please everybody no matter what you do, and that you should never aim or expect to. Just keep doing what you think is right, regardless of criticism, because in the end the only opinion of you that matters is God’s.

So thank you, again, to all of you. I’m a different and I think better person than I was six years ago for the experience, and to borrow a phrase from Abraham Lincoln, I leave this board “with malice toward none, with charity for all.”

So God bless each of you, God bless International Village, and God bless America.

John Labriola

International Village President

International Village board election

It’s February again, which as most owners know means our annual Board of Directors election is around the corner, so please keep an eye out for your ballot package, which should be arriving in the mail in next several days.

As I announced at our last board meeting, you may have heard that I have decided not to be a candidate for reelection this year. It’s been an honor to serve this community, and it’s been a pleasure to have had the opportunity on so many occasions over the last several years to help owners with issues and concerns that sometimes required the board's assistance in solving. But after six years on the board, the last four as president, I feel the time is right to move on and make way for new leadership.  As I prepare to leave the board in a few weeks, I hope owners feel I did my part, working with my fellow board members, to leave the association in better shape than I found it when I joined in 2013.

We’ve been through a lot together over the last six years – including a 40-year certification, a number of important renovation projects, the successful refinance and payoff of our Wilma loan, and quite a few managers. Mostly, we have worked hard to keep an eye on spending while also taking on important projects to maintain our quality of life. I’m proud to say that we were able to do all this while avoiding any new special assessments and holding the line on spending and maintenance fees. Even with this year’s 3 percent maintenance increase to cover a prior year shortfall due to emergency maintenance repairs, your maintenance fees in 2019 will still be lower than they were in 2014. In fact, since 2014, the average 1-bedroom owner has saved a total of almost $400 in maintenance fees, while the average 2-bedroom owner has saved nearly $600 in maintenance. And those of you who were paying the Wilma special assessment are seeing an overall 19 percent reduction in your total bill to the association thanks to the fact that we were able to refinance and pay off the loan without penalty – which allowed us to end the 11-year-old assessment this past summer.

But of course, there is still work to do to make sure International Village not only remains the Jewel of Inverrary but continues to shine ever brighter. And even though I’m leaving the board, I’m not planning on going away. I will be happy to make myself available as a resource to the new board if called upon, and I plan to continue to communicate with owners from time to time, via email and the blog, on important issues affecting the community, including this upcoming board election, because we all have a stake in making sure our Village remains in good hands.

So I invite owners to come and hear from the candidates as they present their plans at the Candidates Night Forum taking place tonight (Feb. 5) at 7:15 p.m. in the clubhouse. I plan to be there – as an audience member this time rather than as a candidate – and I hope to see you there as well.Thank you,

John Labriola
International Village President

Happy New Year / Budget Update

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, whether you spent it abroad, up north, or here in sunny South Florida.

The Board of Directors held its annual budget meeting as scheduled on Dec. 27. However, we were unable to approve the proposed budget because not enough owners had returned their budget proxies yet. In order to be able to approve the budget with reserves waived, the association would have needed to get back approximately 270 proxies (a third of the membership) but so far has received only about 180.  Consequently, the board decided to postpone the budget meeting until Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. to give owners who haven’t already done so enough time to return their proxies to the association office. If the association still does not receive a sufficient number of proxies by Jan. 15, the only budget the board will be allowed under state law to consider is one with fully funded reserves – which, as previously noted, would result in a whopping 22 percent maintenance fee increase! So if you haven’t yet done so, please be sure to return the proxies you received in the mail as soon as possible. You may also download the proxy here, print it, sign it, vote it and email it to NAyala@condominiumconcepts.com.

Finally, the association is hosting a New Year’s party this Saturday, Dec. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the clubhouse, with food and entertainment. So come celebrate the new year with us!

John Labriola
International Village President

Merry Christmas / 2019 Budget

As president of International Village, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

As I announced at last Tuesday’s Board of Directors meeting, our new management team has produced a budget for our upcoming 2019 fiscal year which most of you should have already received in the mail. As much as I had hoped that the new budget would continue the trend of the last four years of either reducing or keeping maintenance fees flat, unfortunately that is not the case. The proposed budget calls for International Village’s first maintenance fee increase since 2013. According to management, the proposed 3 percent increase is needed because the association went considerably over budget on maintenance repairs in 2018 due to our buildings’ aging infrastructure and plumbing, including the ongoing need to replace large sections of deteriorating cast-iron pipe in every building with PVC piping.

Despite the proposed 3 percent maintenance fee increase, owners who were paying the Hurricane Wilma special assessment over the last 11 years will still see an overall 19 or 20 percent REDUCTION in their total association bill compared to last year, thanks to the board’s successful efforts over the last few years to refinance and pay off the Wilma loan without penalty – which allowed the association to end the special assessment this past summer. And all owners can be happy about the fact that their maintenance fees will still be lower in 2019 than they were in 2014. In fact, since 2014, the average 1-bedroom owner has saved a total of almost $400 in maintenance fees, and the average 2-bedroom owner has saved nearly $600 in maintenance!

The meeting to approve the budget is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse. In order for the board to be able to approve the budget, owners must sign and return the budget proxies that they received in the mail by that date, indicating whether or not they wish to waive reserves. If the association does not receive a sufficient number of proxies by that date, the only budget the board will be allowed under state law to consider is one with fully funded reserves – which would result in a whopping 22 percent maintenance fee increase! So please be sure to return your proxies on time. You may also download the budget package here, print the proxy on the fourth page, sign it, vote it and email it to NAyala@condominiumconcepts.com.

Once again, have a blessed and joyous Christmas!

John Labriola
International Village President

Happy Thanksgiving / Election Highlight

As president of International Village Association, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. After the turmoil of the last couple of weeks, we certainly can all be thankful that the post-election drama that once again thrust Broward County into a negative national spotlight is finally over. But in light of the final results, I want to especially thank the community for your overwhelming response to my election recommendations post of last month. According to the final official results, our precinct (L10) gave Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott (our incoming Republican governor and U.S. senator) their second highest vote totals out of all of Lauderhill’s 19 precincts! So give yourselves a well deserved round of applause!

But with the 2020 election only two years away, we all know that we have to keep up the momentum in order to ensure President Trump’s reelection. That’s why I would like to get the ball rolling on creating an Inverrary Republican Club that could meet monthly right here in International Village. The club would invite speakers, discuss issues and organize activities to keep the community engaged and help elect more Republicans. As an added bonus, it would probably attract more Republicans to move to International Village! And whatever your party background, we can all agree that as a general rule Republicans are a very good class of neighbors to have. Just look at the most Republican communities in Broward: Coral Ridge, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Southwest Ranches, among others. They are also the safest, cleanest and most prosperous communities in Broward. So what better way to revitalize our community than to make it more Republican!

Please email me back if you think you might be interested in joining our new Inverrary Republican Club. I will add your name to the list, and once enough people reply to this post, I will call our first meeting!

Once again, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and may God bless our community, our state and our nation!

John Labriola
International Village President

My election recommendations

This is a friendly reminder to all owners who are registered to vote that there are a number of important items affecting International Village owners on next Tuesday’s ballot, including two open seats for the Lauderhill City Commission.

For Lauderhill Commission Seat #2, John Beckford is the best qualified. Beckford is a second cousin of Marcus Garvey and has served in numerous leadership capacities including president of the Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce and member of the 2008 Lauderhill Master Plan Task Force, as well as serving on the staff of two county commissioners.

For Lauderhill Commission Seat #4, I recommend Ray Martin. Martin was one of the candidates who introduced himself to owners at last week’s International Village Board of Directors meeting. He is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of the Lauderhill Building Authority who also volunteers as a mentor in the Broward school system.

And now for the rest of the ballot… As a former registered Democrat who has watched the Democrat Party lurch further and further to the left – from indoctrinating schoolchildren with perverted “transgender” theory to advocating for Open Borders and treasonously welcoming an invading caravan of illegal aliens bent on overrunning our southern border – I strongly recommend voting the straight Republican ticket.

My full recommendations are as follows:

U.S. Senator: Rick Scott
Congress, 20th District: No endorsement
Governor: Ron DeSantis
Attorney General: Ashley Moody
Chief Financial Officer: Jimmy Patronis
Commissioner of Agriculture: Matt Caldwell
Retain Justice Alan Lawson? YES
Retain Bruce Connor? YES
Retain Jeffrey Kuntz? No recommendation
Retain Carole Taylor? No recommendation
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 38: No endorsement
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 46: Maria Markhasin-Weekes
County Court Judge, Group 9: Tanner Channing Demmery
County Court Judge, Group 19: No endorsement
Lauderhill Commission Seat #2: John Beckford
Lauderhill Commission Seat #4: Ray Martin
Broward Soil and Water Conservation District: Richard DeNapoli

Finally, please vote NO on all proposed Florida Constitutional Amendments.

John Labriola
International Village President

October maintenance

A number of owners have contacted the Board of Directors regarding their unsuccessful attempts to pay their October maintenance fees by e-check. Condominium Concepts, our new management company, has advised us that the e-check payment option is not yet available. Owners are advised to follow the instructions for making their monthly maintenance payments by automatic deposit. (Fill out a new automatic deposit authorization form, using your Building and Unit Number as your “Account Number,” and email it along with a copy of a voided check to NAyala@condominiumconcepts.com.) If you submitted your automatic deposit form after Oct. 1, it most likely won’t take effect until November, so you should have either mailed or hand-delivered your October payment to the association office at 3700 Inverrary Dr., Lauderhill FL 33319. The association is aware that the unavailability of the e-check option means that many out-of-town owners had to mail in their checks, causing their payments to arrive late, so the Board of Directors has instructed management to waive late fees for the month of October.

Please continue to direct any association-related questions to our new property manager Nancy Ayala at NAyala@condominiumconcepts.com.

In other news, the City of Lauderhill has informed us that a candidates forum for Lauderhill City Commission candidates will be held this Friday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Lauderhill City Hall, 5581 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Registered Lauderhill voters are invited to attend in order to hear from the candidates ahead of this November’s election.

 

John Labriola

International Village President

Welcome our new management company (New Maintenance Payment Instructions)

International Village has a new property management company. At our Aug. 30 special meeting, the Board of Directors voted to hire Condominium Concepts Management, an Atlanta-based company with over 30 years in business and covering a four-state area. (Read more about the company here.) Our on-site property manager will be Nancy Ayala, who has managed associations from West Palm Beach to Miami.

As a full-service property management company, Condominium Concepts also will take over the association’s bookkeeping from Campbell Property Management beginning Oct. 1. That means if you currently pay your monthly maintenance through automatic deposit (also known as ACH), you must fill out a new automatic deposit authorization form and send it back to the company along with a voided check. It should not be necessary to inform Campbell to stop your ACH with them as this was already communicated to them by the new management company.

Please note the words "assessment payments" on the form refer to maintenance fee payments. Where it says “Account Number,” fill in your Building and Unit Number. Once the form and voided check are mailed in, it may take a few weeks for the direct debit process to begin on your account. To expedite the process, instead of mailing the form and voided check, you may email them directly to our new manager at NAyala@condominiumconcepts.com.

In addition to the ACH/automatic deposit option, you will have other payment options including paying by e-check or bill-pay. (If you are currently on bill-pay through your bank, you must completely delete your former bill-pay request and complete a new bill-pay setup as instructed in the first link below.)

For detailed payment instructions and options, click HERE.
For the automatic deposit authorization form, click HERE.
For the introductory letter from Condominium Concepts, click HERE.

John Labriola

International Village President

Vote Aug. 28!

This is a friendly reminder to all owners who are registered to vote in Broward County that there are a number of important items affecting International Village owners on this Tuesday’s ballot, including a proposed tax increase for the school district (allegedly for "security" purposes). Considering the fact that the school district misspent our tax dollars after an $800 million bond issue in 2014, I strongly recommend voting NO on the tax increase.

Other items on the ballot include the 20th Congressional district primary and the At-Large School Board seat for all Broward County voters, as well as a dozen judicial races. Earlier this month, I was happy to moderate a Candidates Forum in the International Village clubhouse for the Congressional and School Board races.

The candidates for the Democratic nomination for Congress: incumbent Congressman Alcee Hastings and his challenger Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The two agreed on virtually every issue but clashed on term limits (Cherfilus-McCormick was in favor, while Congressman Hastings was opposed, arguing that experience mattered). Cherfilus-McCormick said she would abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), calling immigration enforcement “racism” and noting that her Haitian aunt was once detained and deported for overstaying her visa. (I have no endorsement in this race.)

The candidates for School Board: incumbent School Board member Donna Korn and challengers Elijah Manley and Ryan Petty. Petty, whose daughter Alaina was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14 and who was later appointed to the state commission to investigate the shooting, identified safety as his top priority and made a convincing case for change, noting the culture of permissiveness and lack of student discipline that created the dangerous environment that led to the shooting. Manley, 19, came across as enthusiastic but inexperienced, while Korn spent several minutes attacking one of her opponents over a handful of years-old “politically incorrect” tweets. Korn also took offense at a question about the Broward school district’s “trans bathroom” policy, which allows children as young as 5 to “choose” their gender and which bathroom they want to use. Korn denied the school board is pushing the radical transgender agenda, but the truth is that Broward public schools are forcing girls to share bathrooms with boys who claim to be “girls.” When President Trump wisely reversed an Obama executive order that forced all the nation's public schools to adopt the so-called “trans bathroom” policy, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie defiantly announced that Broward County schools would nevertheless continue the insane Obama policy of allowing boys to use the girls' bathroom. As a School Board member, Korn has consistently supported Runcie. My endorsement goes to RYAN PETTY.

If you were unable to attend the forum and would like to judge for yourself, you may view the video HERE.

My full recommendations are as follows:

Congress, 20th District: No endorsement
Governor: Ron DeSantis (Republican primary ballot)
Attorney General: No endorsement
Commissioner of Agriculture: Mike McCalister (Republican primary ballot)
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 8: Alan B. Schneider
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 36: No endorsement
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 38: Linda Marie Leali
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 39: No endorsement
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 42: No endorsement
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 43: No endorsement
Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Group 46: Walter "Dale" Miller
County Court Judge, Group 9: No endorsement
County Court Judge, Group 10: No endorsement
County Court Judge, Group 17: No endorsement
County Court Judge, Group 19: John "Jack" Phillips
County Court Judge, Group 25: Stephen Leslie Lustig
School Board At Large Seat 8: Ryan B. Petty

Funding Security and Essential Instruction Related Expenses of Schools through 1/2 Mill Property Tax Levy: Vote NO!

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28. If you live in International Village, your polling location is the International Village clubhouse.


John Labriola
International Village President
VillageViewpoints.blogspot.com

International Village management

It is my sad duty to inform International Village unit owners that Dan Syrlik, our property manager for the last two years, has resigned, citing health issues. On behalf of the association, I’d like to thank Dan for his service to our Village and wish him a full and speedy recovery. The Board of Directors will be working diligently to identify a replacement as soon as possible. In the meantime, I’d like to assure everyone that the association office remains open and functioning with remaining staff.

John Labriola

International Village President

Candidates Forum for Congressional and School Board candidates

International Village will be hosting a Candidates Forum for Congressional and School Board candidates this Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the clubhouse, 3700 Inverrary Dr.

Come meet your candidates for the 20th Congressional District and At-Large School Board election before casting your vote in this month’s election.

You will have the chance to listen to and ask questions of Congressman Alcee Hastings and his primary challenger Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, as well as School Board member Donna Korn and her challengers Elijah Manley and Ryan Petty.

All Broward County registered voters are eligible to vote in this month’s At-Large School Board election, which will share the ballot with a referendum on a proposed school district-wide tax increase. The forum is your chance to ask the candidates their position on the proposed tax hike and how they intend to spend all the extra money if they are elected.

Complimentary coffee and cake will be served.

So come to the Candidates Forum this Tuesday and get informed before you vote!

View the flyer.

John Labriola
International Village President

Happy Fourth! - Trailer/Jetski Rule Update

I want to take this opportunity to mark a special milestone in International Village history, especially for all those owners who have been faithfully paying their Hurricane Wilma special assessment for the last 11 and a half years. It gives me great pleasure to finally be able to say that this month will be the last payment you will ever have to make on that assessment. That means more money in your pocket every month to spend on yourself and your family!

In other news, the Board of Directors last week reversed an earlier decision to allow trailers to be parked by the Nottingham building following protests from a group of owners. That means trailers will no longer be allowed anywhere on International Village property beginning this fall. If you have a trailer or jet ski parked by the Nottingham, you have until November to remove it or risk having it towed.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Independence Day and invite you to attend the association’s Fourth of July Celebration this Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the clubhouse, with hotdogs, burgers, music and dancing.

John Labriola
International Village President

Fiber optic update/Happy Easter!

After a year of work, AT&T has informed us that their fiber optic installation project is complete, as fiber optic cable has now been run through all the buildings and into a small box outside every unit’s door. Although AT&T had originally advised us that they would be running the fiber directly into each apartment, they have now told us that this will only happen when a client calls for service or when the association signs a bulk deal with AT&T, should we decide to do so in 2020 at the expiration of our current bulk service contract with Comcast. That means AT&T will not be entering any apartment units at this time unless a resident calls to sign up for service at their own expense.

As a reminder, this approximately $200,000 fiber optic installation project was free to the association. Not only did AT&T pay for the entire infrastructure project, but the association also received a $30,000 payment from AT&T for allowing them to do the installation. That’s because AT&T is under federal mandate to install fiber optics in 13 million homes by 2020. Regarding the damage caused to many building ceiling tiles as a result of the project, AT&T has informed us that they will be replacing those tiles at their own expense as well as repairing any other damage that may have been caused by the project.

I’d also like to address a false rumor that residents must return their Comcast cable boxes because AT&T has supposedly become our bulk service provider. This is not true. The association’s current bulk service contract with Comcast does not expire until 2020. At that time, the association will have the opportunity to switch to AT&T or negotiate a lower rate with Comcast, among other options. In the meantime, any resident wishing to switch to AT&T to take advantage of the new fiber optics has the option to sign up with them at their own expense, as mentioned earlier. 

Finally, I wish everyone a very happy and blessed Easter and Passover and invite you to attend our Easter party this Saturday at 6 p.m. in the clubhouse, with buffet style food, traditional costumes and musical performances.

Best wishes,

John Labriola

International Village President

Board of Directors election results

Congratulations to Richard “Rabbit” Young and Murat Kizikli on their victory in the Feb. 27 Board of Directors election. (See video of election results announcement HERE.) Both candidates worked hard to get out their message and connect with owners, and I know they will do a great job on the Board as they have in the past. 

I also want to congratulate Robert “Bob” Yoanidis on an excellent showing for a first-time candidate, and Jerry Mirrow for his many years of service to the Village. Both gentlemen have a lot of knowledge and talents to contribute and I hope they remain involved in making this community a better place.

I also would like to take this opportunity to bid a fond farewell to our three departing board members. It’s been a privilege over the last four years to serve on the board with Marcio Jaspan and Duv Wolff, and more recently Crystal Novoa. Together, we truly turned International Village around, and this community is a lot better off for their service.

Finally, I want to thank all the owners who participated in this election. I encourage all of you to stay involved, come to meetings and share your ideas on how we can make International Village’s jewel shine even brighter.

John Labriola
International Village President

Board of Directors election

Congratulations to all the candidates who participated in last Tuesday’s Candidates Night forum.  All four candidates presented themselves well and answered questions thoughtfully.  (See video HERE.) 

The candidates for the International Village Board of Directors are current Board member Murat Kizikli, former Board members Richard “Rabbit” Young and Jerry Mirrow, and first-time candidate Bob Yoanidis. They are competing for the two seats that are up for grabs in this month’s election. The top two vote-getters will be elected to serve a two-year term on the Board.  All owners should have received their election packages by now. The deadline for voting is Tuesday, Feb. 27. Any ballots not received by that date will not be counted.

Murat Kizikli, a professional engineer and year-round resident owner, convincingly laid out his impressive accomplishments since moving to our community in 2012 and joining the Board in 2015 – including helping save the association more than $1 million during the 40-year certification, preventing a special assessment, and being part of the team that reduced maintenance fees three years in a row while also lowering our insurance premiums, even after Hurricane Irma.

Richard “Rabbit” Young, a retired design engineer and 12-year owner who served on the board in 2014, spoke with passion about the need to more efficiently utilize the association’s existing human resources to “make this place look its best” and improve quality of life and property values by addressing all maintenance needs in a timely fashion. He touted his “sharp eye” for detail and relevant experience operating a large property.

Jerry Mirrow, a snowbird and real estate investor who served on the board in 2008 and 2012-13, said he would work on ensuring mutual respect and cooperation. He also spoke of hiring more staff and providing raises to employees to motivate them to work harder, and did not rule out raising maintenance fees to pay for it.

Robert “Bob” Yoanidis, a retired accountant and snowbird from Canada, said he would focus on improving curb appeal to increase property values and attract a higher quality of renter, adding that he would utilize his accounting experience to analyze the association’s financials in a monthly report to owners.

All four candidates did well and deserve our respect and applause for putting themselves forward as candidates for the Board of Directors. Serving on a condo board is an often thankless job, and their willingness to volunteer their time and talents for no compensation in order to help the association is commendable.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING

Complete your ballot, voting for ONLY TWO candidates, and place it inside the envelope marked “BALLOT” and seal it. Then place the sealed “BALLOT” envelope inside the envelope marked “Return Envelope for Board Election” and seal it. Print your name, address and building/unit number on the outer envelope, and be sure to sign it or it will not count. (If you own more than one unit, you must repeat this process for each unit.) Place sufficient postage on the envelope and mail it in, or drop it off at the association office. If you never received your voting materials, request a package at the office or contact the association at 954-484-9106.

Your vote must be received by Feb. 27, so be sure to drop it in the ballot box at the clubhouse or mail it in as soon as possible.

John Labriola
International Village President

Merry Christmas!

On behalf of International Village, I’d like to wish all unit owners a very ​merry and blessed Christmas. We have a lot to celebrate as we look back on 2017, including surviving Hurricane Irma, continued progress on our building renovations, and the fourth year in a row with no increase in maintenance fees.

Let's continue working together to make 2018 even better, and may your new year be filled with joy, prosperity and good health!

John Labriola
International Village President

International Village owners agree: Less is More

A big thank you to all the owners who heeded my persistent calls to return your proxies. A large surge of proxy submissions in the last week – and especially the last few days – propelled owner participation to a near-record high, allowing us to avoid a maintenance fee increase while improving board accountability by downsizing the board of directors.

Of the more than 450 owners who returned their proxies, over 95 percent voted to waive reserves, while 60 percent voted to reduce the board's size from seven to five members. That means there will be no increase in maintenance fees for the fourth year in a row, and owners will elect two instead of four directors in the upcoming election, leaving the board with five members beginning in February.

Although Irma-related expenses meant we couldn't reduce maintenance fees again as we did the last three years in a row, owners who are still paying their Hurricane Wilma special assessment can look forward to a big break in 2018 because the special assessment ends in the summer, the last payment being due in July.

Once again, thank you to the many owners who took part in this important election, regardless of how you voted. It is your continued participation that keeps International Village vibrant and strong.   

John Labriola

International Village President

How to avoid paying an extra $150 or more per month in maintenance fees

Thank you to all the International Village owners who turned in your proxies over the last week. We are now much closer to the number needed to avoid a maintenance fee increase, but we must receive your proxy no later than Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., which is the time of the budget meeting. If you haven’t already done so, please CLICK HERE to download a proxy, then print it, fill it out, sign it, scan or snap a picture of it and email it back as soon as possible. (To avoid higher fees and downsize the board of directors for greater accountability, vote "YES" on #1 and "YES" on #2.)

Remember, not voting is virtually the same as voting to raise maintenance by 50 percent because state law requires associations to obtain owners' affirmative consent to waive reserves. That means turning in your proxy will help you avoid paying an extra $150 per month if you own a one-bedroom unit, or an extra $230 monthly if you own a two-bedroom apartment. That’s quite a savings!

So to avoid a big maintenance fee increase and improve board accountability, vote "YES" to waive reserves and "YES" to reduce the board from seven to five members. (For a detailed explanation, click here.)

John Labriola

International Village President

JFLABRIOLA@GMAIL.COM

A 50 percent maintenance fee increase???

Only a week remains before our budget meeting and we are unfortunately still FAR SHORT of the number of proxies we need to waive reserves and avoid a massive maintenance fee increase for all International Village owners. I can't emphasize enough the importance of returning your proxy as soon as possible. As I explained in my previous blog post, not voting is essentially the same as voting to RAISE MAINTENANCE FEES BY 50 PERCENT because state law requires us to obtain owners' consent to waive reserves. That means if you are currently paying $292 in monthly maintenance, you will pay $438 if enough of you don't return your proxies before our Dec. 5 budget meeting. And if you currently pay $449 a month in maintenance and we don't receive your proxy by then, you will run the risk of paying $674! “Abstaining” is not an option. If we don’t get enough proxies back before the Dec. 5 deadline, we will be forced under state law to “fully fund” reserves and massively raise your maintenance fees. We’re asking you not to make us do that. If you haven’t already done so, please reply to this email with your proxy. Just CLICK HERE to download it, then print it, fill it out, sign it, scan or snap a picture of it and email it back. To avoid a maintenance fee increase and improve board accountability, vote "YES" to waive reserves and "YES" to reduce the board from seven to five members. (For a detailed explanation, click here.)

UPDATE: Last Wednesday (Thanksgiving eve), Marvin Tow sent a very un-holidaylike blast email to owners attacking me for exposing him in my Nov. 9 blog post/email as the individual behind the CIVOC "committee of one." Mr. Tow has finally dropped the phony "CIVOC Committee" label and signed his own name to his latest email to owners. I hope I can take credit for that. But he still refuses to identify the four shadowy investor candidates he is backing for the board, even though he's asking owners to keep the board's membership at seven for their sake. Over a week ago, I sent Marvin an email challenging him to a debate on the bylaws amendment on board size – with equal time for both sides and the opportunity for owners to ask questions. Unfortunately, he ignored my invitation. Marvin, what are you afraid of? That somebody could ask you who these four secret investors are? Or that someone might want to know why you are calling owners "on behalf of the investors" and urging them to keep the board at seven members in order to have "four new board members that are friendly to investors"? (To hear Marvin Tow's voicemail message to an owner, CLICK HERE and download the message.) Marvin, you live in the Village, so why are you attempting to speak on behalf of investors? And why should anyone trust your judgment given your infamous support for a convicted felon (Jason Levy) as property manager in 2012-14? Come out of the shadows and let's have a fair debate.

John Labriola

International Village President

JFLABRIOLA@GMAIL.COM

Happy Thanksgiving / Return your proxies

I would like to wish all International Village unit owners a happy Thanksgiving. As a community, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. At the top of the list of course is surviving Hurricane Irma. As we all know, if Irma had maintained its original course, the damage to our community would have been devastating, so we should all be very grateful that didn't happen.

We can also be thankful for continued progress on our building renovations, a new elevator maintenance company, and the fourth year in a row of no maintenance fee increase – but ONLY if you return your proxies in time. To those who have already sent in your proxy, thank you! If you have not yet received a proxy for any reason, click HERE to download one. Then print it, sign it, scan or snap a picture of it, and email it back. If we don’t get your proxy back before the Board of Directors’ Dec. 5 budget meeting, we will not be able to avoid a maintenance fee increase, so please return it as soon as possible. I strongly urge a “YES” vote on waiving reserves and a "YES" vote on reducing the board’s size from seven to five members. For a detailed explanation, click HERE.

Thank you, and a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving to you and your families.

UPDATE: Wednesday night at 6:12 p.m., Marvin Tow sent an unhinged and unprovoked blast email to owners attacking me for exposing him in my Nov. 9 blog post and email as the individual behind the CIVOC "committee of one." Mr. Tow has finally dropped the phony "CIVOC Committee" label and signed his own name to his latest email to owners. I hope I can take credit for that. But he still refuses to identify the four shadowy investor candidates he is backing for the board, even though he's asking owners to keep the board's membership at seven for their sake. A few days ago, I sent Marvin an email inviting him to debate the bylaws amendment in an open forum – with equal time for both sides and the opportunity for owners to ask questions. Unfortunately, he ignored my invitation. Marvin, what are you afraid of? That somebody could ask you who these four secret investors are? Or that someone might want to know why you are calling owners "on behalf of the investors" and urging them to keep the board at seven members in order to have "four new board members that are friendly to investors"? (CLICK HERE to hear Marvin Tow's voicemail message to an owner.) Marvin, you live in the Village, so why are you attempting to speak on behalf of "investor owners"? Come out of the shadows and let's have a fair debate.

John Labriola

International Village President

JFLABRIOLA@GMAIL.COM