|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2015 14:18:23 GMT -5
During the July meeting at "OUR" clubhouse, which looks to be the first time in 15 years, it was announced the painful action that everyone should have expected. A repeat of the special assessment we endured in 2014. Martin McDermott (President) and Mary Anne Butler Hayes (Secretary / Treasurer) tried to ease into the announcement with the usual mention of those units that don't pay. It was attempted to detract from the causes as we are targeted with wrongful billing practices.
The breakdown is, once again, as stated by Martin McDermott:
$240.00 payable in one lump sum or 4 monthly installments. The same as 2014.
It should be noted that it was repeatedly announced that the property manager would not be allowed to use any of this special assessment for any use but the payment of the water/sewer debt. It is the plan to end the year with no overdue balance with the BTMUA.
The board will be sending notices to the members of the association, with actual due dates.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mister D on Jul 17, 2015 15:20:04 GMT -5
unbelievable... This place is a money hole
|
|
|
|
Post by sbrett on Jul 17, 2015 15:45:52 GMT -5
Always blame the units that arent paying, its a broken record yet we keep carrying the dead weight. I'm so sure the assessment will help, just like it did last time. If it's the fault of the units not paying, when the assessment is done, they still won't be paying. It will be a matter of months before we are back in the same situation, and that's IF we can even get out of it temporarily.
|
|
|
|
Post by junbug11 on Jul 18, 2015 17:54:17 GMT -5
It is obvious to me that Metro or the Assoc Board, all one in the same, cannot manage and should be fired immediately as should all sitting board members who were or were not elected in this latest fraudulent election. There is one person who controls all 366 owners' lives here and we all know who that is. The law does not provide for dictatorship management and/or governing board. Are you comfortable with a person and their puppets controlling which bylaws are to be enforced, vendors' contract requirements and cost; management contract requirements and costs as well as budget and all expenditures? I know I am not!
Since when is it an attorney's job to collect debts?
Who voted on the disposition of our association's asset, 51 Northrup Dr? No one, but it was announced that it will be rented? Why? Sell it and pay the water bill - that is what a Good Manager would propose.
By the way, what happened to the approximately $80,000 we paid to the Assoc for water/sewer this year? No 2015 bill has been paid.
Nothing has changed in the last year - today we are in the same place as last year.
And as for managing and accounting methods of the 21st century.......our community is still stuck in the 1980s and will never change.
|
|
|
|
Post by walker on Jul 23, 2015 12:48:18 GMT -5
Why is Maryann Hayes the secretary and treasurer now? It was bad enough before with her and Paul Hayes controlling those positions. What brainiac thought it was a good idea to her even more in a position of dictator. How many cronies on the board does it take to screw in a light bulb?
|
|
|
|
Post by walker on Jul 23, 2015 12:51:42 GMT -5
It is obvious to me that Metro or the Assoc Board, all one in the same, cannot manage and should be fired immediately as should all sitting board members who were or were not elected in this latest fraudulent election. There is one person who controls all 366 owners' lives here and we all know who that is. The law does not provide for dictatorship management and/or governing board. Are you comfortable with a person and their puppets controlling which bylaws are to be enforced, vendors' contract requirements and cost; management contract requirements and costs as well as budget and all expenditures? I know I am not! Since when is it an attorney's job to collect debts? Who voted on the disposition of our association's asset, 51 Northrup Dr? No one, but it was announced that it will be rented? Why? Sell it and pay the water bill - that is what a Good Manager would propose. By the way, what happened to the approximately $80,000 we paid to the Assoc for water/sewer this year? No 2015 bill has been paid. Nothing has changed in the last year - today we are in the same place as last year. And as for managing and accounting methods of the 21st century.......our community is still stuck in the 1980s and will never change.
Where is the money vanishing? Why is it we have so many not paying and so so few of them being asked to pay up? Something smells like a scam here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mister D on Jul 27, 2015 14:17:18 GMT -5
I'd like to know exactly what repercussions these people who don't pay assn fees face. There MUST be something in place??? That being said, why should I pay a special assessment if they can get away with not paying the regular fees on an obviously regular basis. What happens if I refuse to pay it this time???
|
|
|
|
Post by jlou04 on Sept 24, 2015 9:17:12 GMT -5
This may have been brought up before, and I apologize if it has. I have been a model member of this community - never missing a dues, special assessment, water, or tax payment. Unfortunately, my work schedule keeps me from being at meetings and being able to bring my concerns up in person, but I do have grave concerns. Everyday and preventative maintenance is being either not done at all or done in such a shoddy way that it's better to have not been done.
Has an outside auditor ever been discussed? If so, what are the procedures for doing so? Are we pretty much handcuffed from making a move like this because of the current makeup of the board?
Again, I apologize if these are questions that have been asked before or naive questions, but thanks for keeping these discussions going!
|
|
|
|
Post by Mister D on Sept 25, 2015 13:36:30 GMT -5
Apparently the state this association is in, is due those members who are not paying the fees. Therefore the solution is forcing theses people to pay somehow. I have to believe there is either very little attempt or no real repercussion to those who choose to not pay assn fees. There should be a clause to protect paying members from the deadbeats.. Unfortunately I/we learn the hard way that an association like this, and most I assume, is basically a socialist environment. I'm all for helping someone out when they are having hard times.. but when do the handouts stop and how do we protect ourselves from having our pockets picked? Something has to give. I'm sure, like me, most of us who are responsible enough to pay our bills are far from wealthy, living in this place. I understand as an assn. we must chip in when repairs or emergencies arise. This is not an emergency, this is plain and simple mismanagement at it's finest. Or, a terrible oversight in our bylaws to protect responsible home owners.
|
|
|
|
Post by mstofpup88 on Sept 26, 2015 13:37:02 GMT -5
I know someone who isn't paying due to them being mad about things not getting done. But, the flip side of it is that they can't do things if they don't have the money, and they certainly won't do something for a non paying resident. It's tit for tat. But I agree that there needs to be something done about the non-payers. Do they/can they get a lien put on their mortgage?
And yes, we all go through hard times, and I get that things happen, but it really isn't ok for someone to think that they are so above it all to just not pay just because. It's a shame.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mister D on Sept 29, 2015 7:55:55 GMT -5
I may be wrong, but my understanding is,there will be a lien on the property of those who are behind in fees. That doesn't help the situation much though. They will live with that lien growing bigger each month. Unfortunately the lien may not be settled until the property is sold and the buyer is responsible for the lien. In turn, the property price will be negotiated down to compensate for the lien amount, or it doesn't sell at all due to the lien. We lose either way. If it does sell, it would tend to bring down the value of our community overall and responsible owners could face the prospect of selling low as well as those irresponsible owners. If it doesn't sell the lien grows and we get nowhere with the deficit. Again, no protection for the responsible owners. Seems like a catch 22 and we are stuck in it! I'm beginning to think the only resolution for me is to consider renting my unit out for the time being and getting out of here. When the smoke clears, put it on the market. Anyone else thinking about becoming a landlord?
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Sept 29, 2015 13:05:20 GMT -5
I may be wrong, but my understanding is,there will be a lien on the property of those who are behind in fees. That doesn't help the situation much though. They will live with that lien growing bigger each month. Unfortunately the lien may not be settled until the property is sold and the buyer is responsible for the lien. In turn, the property price will be negotiated down to compensate for the lien amount, or it doesn't sell at all due to the lien. We lose either way. If it does sell, it would tend to bring down the value of our community overall and responsible owners could face the prospect of selling low as well as those irresponsible owners. If it doesn't sell the lien grows and we get nowhere with the deficit. Again, no protection for the responsible owners. Seems like a catch 22 and we are stuck in it! I'm beginning to think the only resolution for me is to consider renting my unit out for the time being and getting out of here. When the smoke clears, put it on the market. Anyone else thinking about becoming a landlord? The down-slide in property value from the owner building more debt and increasingly not paying debts associated with their unit, eventually runs to foreclosures or a shortsale of the unit. And unless things changes for the owner and their responsibilities, loss of their property would be unavoidable. The concept that a lien would be placed on the unit for non-payment of association fees, is possible, but rare in reality. At least in BTM. The property manager, who is allowed to continue, has rarely put a lien on unit owners. There are a seeming large number of "special" friends and "favored" owners who have gotten a free pass. Some have apparently been non-payers for a long time and had their debt wiped away by Metro. Now, when you consider that 29% of the owners, according to the property management, are said to be non-paying, why are there so few liens. The county records back up the fact of an extreme lack of liens recorded. The association has been controlled by the property manager for over 30 years. It was mentioned that they won't provide services to non-paying owners, but, that facts show they provide services to their friends regardless. And like you, I've been a responsible owner and have considered becoming a landlord as well. I just can't do anything with my place because of paint peeling off the ceiling and walls from roof leaks. I've contacted Metro 5 times since Jan 2015, and still no follow up from them. I also know a few owners who have said they are done paying due to the incompetency of Metro to manage properly. And even though I don't support it, I find it hard to argue the point under the circumstances. |
|
|
|
Post by Mister D on Sept 30, 2015 20:48:03 GMT -5
I paid the special assessment against my will only because I don't wish to damage my credit record. Every month I pay this absurd assn fee, I think to myself I hope the non paying folks enjoy there shower and drinking water on my dime.... it's just disgusting how this so called property manager is totally disregarding this situation. Are we truly stuck in this boat? If those of us who pay theses "special" assessments pooled some money for legal services... do we have a case?
|
|
|
|
Post by walker on Oct 20, 2015 23:08:33 GMT -5
I have to agree with Mister D. If a bunch of us pool our money together for legal fees, it would cost any of us much. With just 50 of the members, it would run $100 or less for each of us. A 100 of us would only need to put up $50 per owner. That's darn cheap for fixing the corruption of the board members. I know the folks trying to get a legal election earlier this year was saying the main goal was to get the "conflict of interest" off the board, because of the Metro people controlling our board, but now the way the crony actions of the board and the crony attorney, we need to get those "criminals" out. Its no wonder we are losing so much money. I've talked to neighbors who said they don't pay the maintenance for some time because they are tired of paying and seeing the whole property keep deteriorating.
At the meeting they kept claiming the problem is the non-payers and the cost fo water. That's BS. I was following the postings on the mua payments and all the payments Maryann claims to make last year and this year were mostly payments to pay off the previous years. Our bill for 2014 wasnt paid off until August. With the amount of lies told to us by Maryann year after year and the incredibly bad management its no wonder we are losing money. Criminals control the money and we let them get away with hiding where they put it.
I guess until more are willing to quit complaining and do something, we'll just keep losing property values, our health, our rights to live in comfort. And lets not forget we'll just keep giving our money to criminals and cronies.
As for me, I have a crisp $100 bill ready to go.
|
|
|
|
Post by jlou04 on Oct 21, 2015 8:20:48 GMT -5
Are there any state agencies that we can ask to look into this? Department of Community Affairs, maybe?
|
|
