Hawaiian Shores -- über Transparent!

WATCHDOG © 2011

 

WATCHDOG © 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

Hawaiian Shores -- Special Meeting of the Board

WATCHDOG © 2011

Good Day Readers,

In case you do not check the official web site calendar often an unexpected Special Meeting of the Board has been on the schedule for a few days. The Agenda is not posted as of right this moment but surely it will be in the next couple of days. 

You may note as well, this coming Monday evening in addition to the monthly By Laws/Policy Committee Meeting there is an Infrastructure Committee Meeting scheduled at 5P. The last 'regular' scheduled one failed to meet quorum with only 3 of 8 members in attendance. Looking ahead, it appears someone made a unilateral decision to move the agreed upon meeting time for the Infrastructure Committee Meeting from 10A the 3rd Saturday of the month -- agreed to a couple of months ago by the committee -- to 5P on the 4th Monday. Perhaps it is an error on the calendar. 

Please mark your calendars to attend all the committee meetings and board meetings. If you do not attend do not be surprised when things move along and you are caught unawares. We'll do our part in bringing you news and information and opinion/commentary. It is more important for YOU the Member to be present than to get the story from your neighbor or from here. 

See ya there. 

Hawaiian Shores -- President's Report pt 2

WATCHDOG © 2011

Aloha Watchdog Readers,

The Watchdog would like to welcome those who have recently joined the readership! In the past few days the readership has doubled +! Thanks for bookmarking the blog and returning to it to read it.

This particular blog will deal with the emoticon section of the President's Report you received if you are a member.

Contained within the last paragraph of page one: 'Our 11 miles of private roads are need of repairs and improvements...Unfortunately, similar work done by previous road committee under the former board was not kept on record... {sad face emoticon placed here.}'

For discussion:

• The veracity of this statement partitioned for factual rebuttal
• The insertion of emoticon in a professional piece representing a Corporation Officer's  Report

WATCHDOG © 2011

 The Watchdog agrees SOME of our roads are in need of of repairs and improvements. Some more than others and a select few surpass the understanding of 'repair' or 'improve'! Albizia roots have grown out from properties undermining the asphalt, lifting and cracking it. The 'repair' to that portion of a road will require more than simply resurfacing or sealing, whatever the Board decides to accomplish. Repairs signals in the reader's mind something needs fixing and when thinking about roads that can create quite the impressive mental image. The reality? There are some roads which need only cracks where grass is growing to be fixed. Some roads need a lot of work done.

The Road Committee was developed in 2009 by the 2009 Board of Directors and re-constituted with some new members in 2010. One Director who volunteered to serve on the Road Committee in 2009 as the chair served on the committee both years and in fact serves on the 2011 Infrastructure Committee which includes 'Roads' as part of its purpose. In essence, he is the only consistent member of any committee whose purpose was specifically 'Roads' or included 'Roads'. In 2010, the Road Committee chose a different chair. It was their goal in 2010 to develop an inventory of all roads with specific data noted on each road that would then be used to rank roads in priority of the need for attention. Thereafter, the Board could act upon their recommendations to appropriate funds for attention to the highest priority need. The inventory was completed. Members of the Road Committee came and went changing the constitution periodically with new ideas and new eyes looking at the problem -- but no resolution recommended to the Board. By the end of 2010 the chair was relocating his family back to the mainland and gave his paperwork to the 2009 Chair of the Road Committee.

During discussion of the roads under the 2011 Infrastructure Committee the 'inventory' list was mentioned as having been done. 2 months were spent trying to locate a copy of the report. In August 2011, the 2009 Chair of the former committee, himself a director, stated that he believed he had a copy of the inventory list and would dig it up for the next meeting. Then the President's Report is written with the paragraph showing her 'displeasure' with the former Board and Road Committee.

GUESS WHAT SHOWED UP AT THE BOARD MEETING, just as the 2009 chair said it would? YES! The inventory! In this Director's possession all along! Mystery solved! It is great that he brought it forward because it saves the current committee a lot of work. But, while there was maybe 30 seconds of discussion when he let the Board know he found it there was not a single apology made from the President for the unnecessary criticism of either the former Road Committee or former Board.

As an opinion, it was inappropriate for the paragraph to be included as written in a professional piece from an officer to the Membership. The paragraph started out correctly, noting the need for attention to a substantial asset. However, rather than denigrating the work of other volunteers the President might have stayed focused on the goals and expectations for the 2011 volunteers to accomplish. We should never lose sight of this one fact: Each Director, all Boards, each Committee member, all Committees, ALL VOLUNTEERS! As such, you appreciate the work they accomplish even if it is only to create an inventory of all roads one year for recommendations and fruition in another year. Historicity has taught observers when this President is notified of an incorrect statement with a request to correct it -- that character quality is absent. Deflection, justification, further negative opinion is offered -- but no correction. Having said this, there are moments when one can see a change in behavior being developed as the magnifying glass of a constant record is kept by those who are exposing the 'patterns' of abuse of power.

Use of sarcasm in the form of an emoticon [sad face] in a professional communication. What is appropriate and what is not? Obviously, living here in Hawaii, and particularly on this island, and more particularly on the east side of this island, everything is far less formal. A 'sad face' might be considered tolerable for a cover sheet or inter-office communications within a 'County' structure, perhaps even within the setting of a middle school. However, despite the location of this Corporation, 2/3rds of the Membership live elsewhere! And there, where they do business, it is NOT acceptable practice to use emoticons of any sort in a professional piece, but especially an officer's report! Could you imagine the CEO of any Corporation sending out a message to their shareholders with a SAD FACE? Especially as punctuation? [Yes, the Watchdog is aware the 'sad face' is followed by punctuation but it is superfluous and redundant.] Even the Disney Corporation likely observes proper correspondence etiquette. They probably resist putting 'Grumpy' at the end of a sentence as punctuation. Why should the Membership of Hawaiian Shores Community Association, an Hawaiian based Corporation operating under the rules of Corporation Law, be treated as though they are mentally inferior? Of course, to be fair, not all of the Membership was exposed to this poor writing style. As it turns out, not that the non Japanese members would know this because they did not receive a copy of the translations paid for by their membership fees, but the translator, a director on the Board, unilaterally opted to not include the 'sad face' emoticon in his translation of the President's Report because quote"I did not believe it needed to be there." [Of course, one wonders what other unilateral editorial license he took while translating either of the documents.] But gladly, at least the Corporation's Board of Directors does not look as buffoonish to 1/3 of the Membership as it does to the rest! The President was informed by one Director at this last Board meeting that he did not 'approve' of the use of the 'sad face' in the Report. The President responded: "It is used in professional writing all the time." This would be her OPINION.

Next rebuttal will be to paragraph 3 of President's Report, the second page.

Hawaiian Shores -- Job Description

WATCHDOG © 2011

Good Day Watchdog Readers!

Well, it was made official during the last Board meeting, Saturday, September 10, the Director of Ops and Management position terminates October 18th, 2011 with the implementation of the Maintenance ForeMAN position. Yes! That means as the Dir. of Ops & Mgt position goes, so goes the person currently serving in the position. One familiar face in the office is down. NEXT: We move on to replacing the next person -- whose job as the executive assistant is anticipated to have her position phased out by the start of the next fiscal year, November 1, 2011! The position is to be replaced with the new a part time clerical position. Currently, the board is seeking candidates to fill that position. You can find requirements and job description here.  But, for now, please draw your attention to the qualifications of one of the positions which will replace the Director of Operations and Management: Office Manager. As you peruse the opening paragraph please find the following

Hawaiian Shores Community Association
Adopted by BOD 8/25/2011
OFFICE MANAGER
The primary responsibility of the Office Manager is to provide the members of Hawaiian Shores Community Association with the most efficient and effective service possible. The Office Manager is expected to treat all members and their guests with the courtesy and respect due them at all times.

More on this announcement in a moment, but to be clear: It is anticipated EFFECTIVE November 1, 2011 neither of the positions and the women who NOW work in the office, answer your questions, take care of your issues, provide a wealth of historic and current information to you, to realtors and to prospective owners, know personal details about your life but maintain absolute confidentiality at all times even when put on the spot to reveal them by any member of the Board, community, or anyone else and who have manifest their loyalty and outstanding work ethic for combined total of 36 yrs will be there! They are GONE! If you are feeling understandably ill at ease with this change please feel free to email your concerns to hsca_bod@hawaiianshores.org. You are also welcome to share your concerns with the Watchdog via email: takingissueinpuna@gmail.com.

Just for clarification: This position has to have been adopted in executive session because the Watchdog has attended all Board meetings since August 25 -- which was only the Sept. regular Board Meeting, and no such 'adoption' took place on Saturday, Sept. 10! They did NECESSARILY release information about this position when forced to explain how they will be utilizing the Maintenance ForeMAN position in correlation with the Dir. of Ops & Mgt. At that time the president explained to those gathered it is the coupling of two new positions which replaces the one occupied by the current staff member since its inception!

Those of us attending the Board meeting Saturday and who witnessed egregious breach of Board Decorum, in fact, CODE OF CONDUCT violations breach, are waiting with bated breath whether the Office Manager candidate is expected to come already possessing the skill set highlighted above or will be indoctrinated with the Board's version of the same. And if it is the former, it is our fervent hope the person has an emotional stability that is solid as a ROCk because it will be tried sorely by their BOSSes. The Office Manager surely can learn nothing by imitation from the majority of this BOARD!

NOTE: Under Definitions, Section 1, sub section B of the Code of Conduct reads:

Misconduct” means that a Board member has, during a meeting of the Board, engaged in:

1) Disrespect to any person present at the meeting, including but not limited to another member of the Board, any member of the Association, any member of a Board-organized committee, Association employee, etc. As used herein, “disrespect” includes but is not limited to shouting; use of profanity, vulgarity or hate language; rude or intimidating gesturing; unconsented-to physical contact;

Please note, the definition above states 'includes but is not limited to' and includes 'shouting'. It does not include name calling nor mocking of the Membership. But most intelligent persons would understand when Board members SHOULD respond to a member -- who has been an owner for 25 years and who takes the time to come and ask a serious question of the board on a hot Saturday morning -- by modeling the same behavior as they require of others. Remember? "...treat all members and their guests with the courtesy and respect due them at all times.'...

Speaking to a member in judgmental and accusatory terms such as 'fallacious and contentious' while deliberately misrepresenting what the member asked is the antithesis of treating ALL members with courtesy and respect DUE them at ALL TIMES!

Fear not! ALL Members can exercise their disdain for such treatment in DUE time. Since the campaign piece loosely called the 'President's Report' announced the intent of two seated directors to seek RE-ELECTION to the Board you will be able to demonstrate your understanding on what constitutes 'courtesy and respect' with your VOTE!

Keep your eye out for the end of year packet with the ballot. Then exercise your opinions by voting!!

Hawaiian Shores -- Staff Appreciation Event

WATCHDOG © 2011

Aloha Watchdog Readers,

An intimate group of members decided to organize this event after receiving the President's Report in the mail and finding out this way there would be a new organizational structure anticipated to be in place by the first of the Fiscal Year, which begins in just over 6 weeks. Because our staff prepares the packets they sent out to the Members we knew they must be aware of the information stated in the packet which to the knowledge of the Watchdog was information not yet stated at a Board meeting. The Watchdog does not recall hearing a new organizational structure had been approved much less an 'anticipated' implementation date.

We felt morale of our Staff was likely very low and wanted to take the time as soon after receipt of that letter to voice our long standing appreciation of a loyal, present, integrity driven work ethic bunch of employees! The gathering was organized within 24 hrs of the Event thanks completely to two Members, our FORMER Community Relations Committee Chair and FORMER Community Relations Calendar and Communications czar. They contacted the office to determine the pavilion was available and reserved it; went shopping for chips and drinks but wound up cleaning out the deli section and providing a terrific selection of snack goodies. The Staff pitched in spontaneously and brought food too.

While the food was great, the setting beautiful, the weather perfect, for the Watchdog, the best thing was sitting there listening to the familiar voices of a Staff, who deserves our respect and appreciation, making conversation and giggling -- not letting the Damocles Sword hanging over their heads put a damper on their freedom of expression. What was great too was having Current Directors and former Directors there. [Some represented by their words of praise and appreciation from afar] Most of the Former and one of the Current Directors present  have been part of the Staff's lives for the past 4 years. Current Directors -- who are as saddened by the news in the letter sent to the membership as many of us here in this community are -- and former Directors who were not surprised this would happen but nonetheless disappointed the Membership is being short changed by the termination of staff positions so that an ego driven new structure can replace it with staff who will have no allegiance to anyone because they are not paid well, do not have decent benefits and will have someone leading them who will likely not have the Membership's interest as a top priority so much as 'their paycheck and pleasing their boss' as a focus.

The resolve going forward will be different than the previous resolve. The Membership's treasures -- in the form of the Operational costs, the Infrastructure Funds and the Reserve Funds -- must be managed in a reasonable fashion! This will require a competent, guarded and observant Membership who will be active at all meetings speaking up when they hear something they know doesn't sit well. One of the current Board stopped by to do business during the Event and wound up getting a chance to hear from the Members gathered about their concerns regarding the possible reduction of the Reserve Fund from $194,000.00 to $4500.00 if the proposed capital improvements are approved by the Board! He was implored to read his 'Board' packet carefully, do his homework and come to the Board Meeting prepared to answer questions from the Members about the reckless spending such an approval suggests.


A couple of members of this community will be freer than before to keep an eye on things and their well honed and detailed understanding from the inside of what is appropriate and what is not may be the bane of the current Board's existence. 

And now let the games begin! It is campaign season, after all.

Hawaiian Shores -- President's Report 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

WATCHDOG © 2011

Aloha Watchdog Readers,

By now you may be one of the few who received your 'mid year packet' [2 months before the end of year packet is due to be approved for mailing] and may have read the enclosed materials. For this blog entry the Watchdog is going to begin to deconstruct the President's Report and provide some context to the statements made. As a reminder, she is the candidate most believed to have written the campaign materials distributed door to door twice last year and to the mailboxes of select individuals. Her business/personal Post Office Box was used as the return address. Within those two communiqué’s was embedded editorial license to use gross misstatement as facts; some believe facts were actually not present in much of what was delivered to your door, personally or by mail. As it turns out, that theme continues through the President's “campaign” piece mailed out under the guise of a report. Make no mistake, as you read through the report and arrive at the closing paragraph it fully sums up her intent to solicit your vote for she and another director and a vouch for yet another candidate who has an 'MBA'. 

Now to the first of a few blog entries about this “campaign" piece. This one is going to address the gist of the opening paragraph: "Many Positive Changes". Listed below are some of the  'changes' listed throughout the body of the “Campaign” piece. Please remember, when you are reporting an emergency you make a brief summation of the emergency, i.e., "The forest is on fire!"; "A car accident just happened, the Driver is hanging out the door!"; "Someone has been shot!"  That is all the 'information' necessary other than the location that needs to be said for an 'emergency' report. However, in court, you will hear the context of how the forest was set ablaze, what the consequences were. You will hear how the accident happened and what the consequences are. You will hear what led up to the gun shot and what those consequences were and can be. In essence, this “campaign” piece is nothing more than an emergency report with highlighted details you were intended to get. Only once did you get context and consequence/benefit. You should demand context and consequence!

• Packet materials for 'mid year packet' itemized. Everything you have before you from the packet was ready to be mailed months ago! In two months HSCA will incur additional costs to mail the end of year packet to you. So late in the year, could the two packets have been combined and sent for a small additional charge for weight with the end of year packet? Where is the savings in mailing two packets 2 months apart? However, please remember, because this is a CAMPAIGN piece it had to go out this month because the 'ballot' nominations must be in the office no later than end of day on Friday, September 30th. For the first time the Membership has paid for “Campaign” rhetoric for two sitting directors who have declared their candidacy with this mailing!
• Alleged 3 part time positions eliminated to contain operating costs. Please be aware of the following: Those 3 positions were 'temporary' positions that were likely to expire at the end of this fiscal year. 2 of the positions were voluntarily vacated when the employees quit their jobs; one was promoted to full time status. There was no savings gained for the operational budget by the 2011 Board.
• Office is no longer open on Saturday. The office was open for 4 hours on Saturday because it was closed for 8 hours on Tuesdays. The Saturday hours were actually welcomed by individuals who work during the week and cannot make it to the office to take care of business during the office hours. Tuesdays now find the office open for 4 hours. Saturday's wages amounted to about $50 per week for access to those who work during the week.
• New organizational structure to be implemented by November 1. This Board terminated the 'Dir. of Operations & Management' position effective the transition and training of responsibilities to the NEW Hire/Maintenance ForeMAN. Additionally, they will be terminating the position of Executive Administrative Assistant effective the transition period of responsibilities to the Office Manager. Ostensibly, by November 1, 2011 none of the current office staff will be in their current positions. This was all done to 'save' on employee costs. Between the two new positions currently being filled by the Dir. of Ops & Mgt and the cost of  replacing her with two new employees winds up being a grand savings of? ZERO DOLLARS! Actually, it may amount to a $20,000.00 gain in payroll by salary, benefits, taxes, insurance, etc. for those two individuals. The big savings will be in terminating the Executive Administrative Assistant's position because that position will be  replaced or restructured to be part time,  hourly and called 'office clerk'. A significant savings but will cost this organization a terrific, tried and seasoned asset in the person who currently serves as the Executive Administrative Assistant, Pake! Both of the women who have worked in the office, one for 20 yrs, one for 6 but who served as a director for 10 years before and much of that as the President, should be treated like family! They have unequivocally held true to a work ethic that honors the Membership especially in the balancing act between the questions from the Members and the directions from their bosses, the Board. They have been outstanding during the roughest period in recent history and they are being rewarded with being laid off because their positions have been eliminated. Now, THAT's a POSITIVE change for the newly hired; likely not so for the Membership and definitely not for the long standing devoted staff. During a time when even the President of this country is trying to create and keep employment opportunities HSCA is eliminating two positions! There has been no offer to keep the positions and negotiate for a lower salary.
• Enforcement of Covenants: How? Who exactly has been forced to concede to compliance with Covenants? Exploding feral chickens? [That was a horrible mental image!] Someone forgot to mention feral pigs, feral cats and feral dog packs. Covenants does mention you are not allowed to have certain kinds of critters ... sadly, the fact that the word 'feral' is included in the Campaign piece manifests a gross lack of understanding of what the Covenants cover and what they do not. More on the 'exploding feral chickens' later. FYI, for the folks who may not know:

fe·ral

¹    [feer-uhl, fer-] Show IPA adjective

1.existing  in a natural state, as animals or plants; not domesticated or cultivated; wild.

2.having  reverted to the wild state, as from domestication: a pack of feral dogs roaming the woods.

3.of  or characteristic of wild animals; ferocious; brutal.

 

The facts? There is no way to enforce the Covenants due to gross mismanagement by years of an impressive list of Directors. When you have people building fences on easements that should not be; when you have absentee lot owners who have been recalcitrant in dealing with their lot maintenance to the detriment of the water system or even personal property; when you have people who routinely neglect securing their dogs letting them run free; parking heavy equipment on the road shoulders-- no amount of letter writing from the office whose authority is pretty much restricted to informing someone of the violations will rectify things. For far too many years Boards have shied away from developing a fee to impose on someone for not being compliant. Removing huge Albizia trees costs thousands of dollars the Association does not have to remove them with any expectation that doing so and then imposing a special assessment against the violators will be repaid. This Board has done nothing to enforce violations either. As a matter of fact, this Board has dangerously demanded -- regarding feral chickens -- letters are to go out to property owners who appear to have 'feral chickens' with a 30 day notice they must get rid of the chickens. If they don't the staff has been directed, in fact the last statement was 'they have been sanctioned' to go onto the private property of any Member and 'remove' the chickens...what if they are not feral chickens? What if they are keeping chickens in violation of Covenants? Is it 'legal' for our staff to go onto private property and remove personal property as a means to 'ENFORCE COVENANTS?' Will they then be admonished to go onto a Member's property and remove vehicles that are being worked on but not in their carport or garage as specified in the Covenants?  

This concludes the first discussion for this blog under 'Positive Changes'. The next article will deal with Paragraph 3. As you read the “Campaign” piece with merely the 'emergency' information please ask yourself what the back story, context, truly is because the answer will eventually tap your bank account as this 'progressive' board moves their agenda along. 

The September Board meeting is this Saturday, September 10 beginning at 10A. Please come and share your thoughts on the Agenda items that will directly alter the way Membership deals with elections, directors, individual lot maintenance, depletion of critical funds, loss of equable staff members and more! Now is not the time to bury your head in the sand or to shy away from unpleasant interaction...if you do the next time you bury your head it will not be in the figurative sand but perhaps your own hands as you realize the cost of living here may be greater than you thought! One last thought: While the current Board has 'cut employee' costs by tens of thousands, it is the only category where costs were cut and yet they will be considering a recommendation by the Finance Committee to assess you for this coming year for the exact amount they were upset the former Board assessed you last year! With approximately $61k in overall employee cost cuts no reduction to the assessment is being recommended. If you thought a vote for these candidates meant your assessment would go down along with the employees you may be wrong! There may be a POSITIVE CHANGE you can make when you choose NOT to vote for anyone who campaigned last year on 'reducing costs'. Two were mentioned in the final paragraph of the Campaign Piece. 

Hawaiian Shores -- Special Finance Comm Mtg Recap

WATCHDOG © 2011

On August 18, 2011, the Finance Committee tentatively scheduled a follow up meeting to discuss the 'Operations' budget for September 1 at 6P. Confirmation of that time to the membership via the 'official' website calendar was made available exactly 24 hours before the meeting. A meeting where the annual assessment and water consumer fees are set. As a reminder, the former Board always made sure this particular Finance Committee meeting was NOTICED on the marquee, calendar and at the previous meetings so there would be maximum possible broadcast to encourage the members to attend. We always had a nice turnout. Not so this year. 

Your bank account withdrawal for next year's assessment was determined for recommendation to the Board by 5 committee members and in the presence of 3 observers. 3! 

This Board campaigned on cutting costs. How many of you in the community believed that meant a reduction in your annual assessment? Perhaps the 17% that was argued for last year by one of the directors? How many of you expected the 'water consumer fee' to be reduced CONSIDERABLY, like down to $12-$25 per month? Yeah! NOT HAPPENING...at least not as recommended by the Finance Committee. 

Here is some interesting news: 

Salaries & Wages cut from $220k to $190k, down from this year's ~ $232k. That is a savings of $42k.

Prepaid Healthcare cut from ~$34k to $$15k. That is a savings of $19k

Pension Contributions cut from proposed $4800 to $3600. A savings from last year of $300

Just in the three top line items on the disbursement schedule a savings this year of: $61,300.00! 

Watchdog assumes this pleases all those who voted for the current Board members who campaigned on promises to bring the cost of employees down. With the ~18% reduction in staff costs and a mere increase over all in any other line item of ~$7500 one would think the assessment would be at most $246 which is ~18% from $300, this year's assessment.

Last night the Finance Committee agreed to recommend the following annual Assessment amount to the Board for their approval: $300.00! NOT  $246. 

The Water Consumer monthly amount? ::::::::::::::drum roll:::::::::::::: $50! HOLD YOUR HORSES! Here is a caveat: That is the monthly fee until January'ish when all 450 meters will likely be installed and then folks will get a bill based on 'standard' rate setting criterion. Alleged last night by one committee member, the average Hawaii household consists of 2.6 persons. She anticipated the basic rate for the 'average' household' would fall close to $50 while those with less than 2.6 persons would pay less/more than average would pay more! 

When the topic of setting the 'water' fee was broached the folks in attendance, committee and observers, were told that the 'budget' maker [a committee member] has 'budgeted $235,320.00' for the year but at the time the question was asked how that number would come to be funded there was no definitive answer only that she takes the full amount necessary to fund and works backwards. As a Member YOU should be very concerned that someone pulls a number out of the air and then makes the bills for you and I to pay based on that number, you know, working backwards. Makes you wonder if the $190,000.00 for salaries and wages is a number she pulled together and is working backwards to make fit! That 18% cut is very similar to the same thing proposed last year during budget discussions. 

The other natural queries to the engaged and active member's mind would be how many positions are being cut, who, and when the dust settles will you feel comfortable and confident with the people walking in the back of your house allegedly checking the water or handing your payment to the stranger in the office. Be sure to get a RECEIPT! It is true, changes happen and for a good reasons are always good in the long run. These changes? Time will tell how these go down. Remember the old saying, 'you get what you pay for!'

On another note, the former Boards [2008-2009-2010] worked diligently to build up the infrastructure and reserve funds through a time when the operations and reserve funds had been frozen by the banks. As of last evening the following funds were available in the 'infrastructure' and 'reserve' funds. After the proposed 'capital improvement' schedule for 2012 please note the balance remaining.

Infrastructure Fund [water and roads] had $309,701.66. 

Proposed expenditures: $140,000.00 [leaving $169,701.66]

 Reserve Fund had $194,548.02

Proposed expenditures:

1.  Painting of Honu Street Park:                                     $12,500.00
2. Maikoiko St. Park General Improvements:              $15,000.00
3. Swimming pool solar pump system                            $100,000.00
4. Stables                                                                            $50,000.00
5. Pool Repair                                                                     $12,500.00
6. Total costs:                                                                     $190,000.00

The anticipated contribution for the 2012 Reserve Fund is budgeted at $43,271 which at the end of 2012 should bring the Reserve Fund back up to about $47819.02! That takes us right back to about the same amount frozen in or 2 Reserve fund accounts in 2008! 

The discussion was briefly entertained to 'seek a loan' for the solar pump system. The expected financial gain on that investment is approximately $1000 per month in Helco's fees not spent. It will take about 7 years to re-coop the costs of the solar pump system in Helco fees saved. While the panels are allegedly guaranteed for 25 years the pumps are not! They have a guarantee at about 1/5 of that time which is less than the 7 years to pay it off. A loan may be the smartest way to go if managed correctly if the goal is not to deplete the Reserve account to such a paltry amount. 

ONE LAST NOTE: Looking ahead to 2013 there may be an additional 'assessment' amount for those with 'unmaintained easements'. The amount kicked around last night was $50. Immediately the idea was grasped that many members would want to pay $50 to have the staff come and clear their water easement. That is not how those funds are earmarked. An interesting 'tax' on approximately 800 property owners or 2/3 of the owners the other 1/3 is not required to pay! Members should really become active, especially if they live here and make sure the 'Membership' as a whole is being served. Watchdog is not opposed to a 'fee' being levied against chronic abuse of the CCR's; but not on a pick and choose basis.

Watchdog will keep a vigilant eye on the progress and report back here monthly on the Finance Committee decisions though most of the 2012 year has been set to propose for approval by the Board.