The hurricane is over ! We dodged another bullet on this one. The Keys and the East coast were not so lucky, Jacksonville was flooded by the surge.
We can thank our lucky stars that we escaped with minor damage and fairly short power outages. How many times can we be so fortunate?
Century Village is not so well prepared to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane. It's apparent when we see the news of our sister village in Boca Raton where the whole village of 11000 units was without power for days after the hurricane passed through. It is a dangerous situation, elderly people are highly subsceptible to the effects of extreme heat. Finding oneself trapped on the upper floors of high rise complexes because the elevators are not functioning is no picnic either. We can point to the outside world and rely on their response to provide relief, but in many cases the relief is slow in arriving because the responders are stretched to the limit.
Our clubhouse is not suitable to be used as a shelter during a storm, but it could and should be used as a relief center in the aftermath. The problem at present is that the clubhouse has no emergency generator, and it wasn't built to withstand hurricane force winds. There is some reluctance on the part of the managers to use it as a relief center or a shelter due to liability concerns and the lack of insurance to cover any eventuality. No plan to provide emergency power leaves the clubhouse in the same situation as the rest of the village if the power gets knocked out. Not looking to the future and considering the consequences makes us wonder if anyone in charge really cares.
Century village does have a team that monitors the situation by providing a service that gives residents the opportunity to call in the status of their buildings after a storm. It's a well intentioned program and the volunteers of CERT should be commended for their efforts. However, there are shortcomings that should be addressed. In the wake of hurricane Irma we received a message from a member of CERT bemoaning the dismal response. In other words; a lot of buildings didn't call in their status. The question of why not, and what can be done to improve their efforts should be thoroughly examined. Was the low response because registered CERT appointees couldn't call in because their phones were down? Or was it because those charged with the duty were absent because they had evacuated? Or was it simply because they couldn't be bothered? What happens if the CERT appointee for your building is injured or trapped and unable to make the call? In any event it reveals a shortcoming that needs to be analyzed.
It's only a matter of time until another hurricane comes our way. We can take advantage of shelters provided by the government to ride out the storm itself, but what happens after the storm when everybody leaves the shelters and goes home? What do you do if you come home and find your roof is torn off, and all the windows are smashed out? It's easy to say that people will have to find accommodations elsewhere, but a lot of residents can't afford to pay for a hotel room, even if one can be found, and a lot of other residents find travel difficult due to infirmity.
Let's get real people, These storms are predicted to become more frequent and much stronger due to changing climatic conditions.
We can't rely on anyone, other than each other, to do what needs to be done. Don't look to UCO or WPRF to be proactive either, it's not their responsibility. UCO is primarily nothing more than a collective bill payer and contract negotiator for the village, WPRF is charged with providing recreational facilities. They might project that they are a form of government, but they are not. Their jurisdiction doesn't extend much farther than being a go between the owners of the village and the residents. David Israel made his position on hurricanes apparent when he stated that the drainage swales did not need to be reworked before paving the roads, he said that he wasn't concerned about hurricanes and put his foot in his mouth when he said that there isn't going to be any hurricanes in the future. A short sighted and asinine comment to say the least. But it does demonstrate the kind of opposition any movement in the direction of hurricane relief will endure from UCO.
It might be painful on the wallet to pay for changes, but it can be done. Century village just signed a 40 or 50 million dollar contract to provide cable TV. To say that we can't afford to pay for changes that will provide relief after a hurricane is absurd. In the days preceding the storm, our operations committee concerned themselves with debating the merits of installing decorative lights at the entrances while Irma churned through the ocean towards us.
What is more important to you, assuring the well being of the residents by getting ready, or cheaping out by not spending money to get ready?
Century Village is a town unto itself, but being a private business, no one is responsible to assure that hurricane relief is provided, unlike all the incorporated towns in the state.
In short: It's up to us to demand that some leadership is shown and that there are effective provisions in place to deal with emergencies. The closure of the clubhouse in the aftermath raised a lot of concerns that were and are being excused by weak and illegitimate excuses. "We couldn't open it because there is no power" Why was there no power? Didn't anyone think that there might be a need? "We have no liability insurance" We could have insurance if someone, anyone had thought about it. " The clubhouse doesn't reach the standards for a shelter" Why not? it was rebuilt after the last time it got torn up, millions were spent, didn't anyone think it might be a good ideas to fortify it and make it reach the standards?
Let's make sure we do what needs to be done before it's too late.
The people in charge have shown their incompetence and short sighted planning. It's time for a grassroots movement from residents to act and demand that the changes are made.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
comments from the village
Barbara Zukin This makes me so sad and disgusted! where are the police, the newspapers, the tv station and Jewish family service?
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| My parents live in century village. They are lucky they have sister and myself and stayed at my sisters during the hurricane and are with me now. I checked their condo at 10:00 this morning and it was 90 degrees inside. People without family to help them are truly suffering 😞 | ||||
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
more disgrace
More on the disgrace
The clubhouse is closed because it has no electricity and they don't know when its getting turned back on with 6 million people without power in Florida.
You may think thats a good excuse for keeping it closed but consider this :
Why is there no standby emergency generator ? Even at this late date it's possible to bring in truck mounted generators and hook em up to the building. The army does it all the time.But they have to move their butts or get them shot to pieces. UCO and WPRF aren't worried about getting any blowback, they are happy as long as they keep getting your money and keep spending it for whatever lala land project they dream up. Perhaps our clubhouse manager lacks the skills to tackle a project like getting some power on and getting a kitchen set up. If that's the case it's time to look for a new manager.
Was any thought or consideration given to getting a generator when they renovated the building after the last hurricane?
They closed it before the hurricane because it doesn't meet the standards for a shelter, Keep in mind the building was rebuilt to the tune of about ten million dollars. What standard was applied to the rebuild?
Why isn't it fortified to accommodate people fleeing from hurricanes?
The UCO ramrod on the job of rebuilding it was a qualified DECORATOR!
Rebuilding a facility like this after it got blown apart by a hurricane without considering what happens when the next one hits is about as incompetent as it gets.But we have nice paintings on the wall and pretty furnishings, too bad we can't use them when we need them the most.
The administration made a lot of noise about hurricane preparedness before Irma , but failed miserably in preparing for the aftermath.
With a bit of foresight and a clear headed approach this could have been taken care of long before the hurricane struck.
What about the next time? and there will be a next time. Go with your hat in hand and humbly beseech our glorious Potus to spend some of our money on making sure this is looked after before we have a real disaster on our hands. If you do you are going to be subjected to scorn and ridicule as they whine about not having the money to do anything. That's before they go into their operations committee and bandy about the idea of putting bingo lights on the trees at the entrances or maybe painting a pretty picture on the bottom of another swimming pool.
Residents can meekly accept the namby pamby excuses, sympathize with their babbling and complaining about anyone asking for anything is a malcontent out to destroy the village. we are sure to hear that load of baloney again. Or they can dump the load of ego driven ninnys who sit around the office arguing about the most frivolous and unnecessary items imaginable, and install some real leaders who can get things done right the first time, how refreshing that would be, wouldn't it?
Monday, September 11, 2017
It's a bloody disgrace !
WHAT A DISGRACE !
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma Century Village has many
residents without electric power in their units. There’s a lot of special needs
persons, many aged and infirm dealing with health issues and a vast number of
elderly people who are threatened with heat exhaustion. They struggle to get a decent meal as they cannot cook while
their refrigerators without power quickly turn into breeding grounds for
dangerous bacteria that infest spoiled food.
So what
is the disgrace in all this you may ask. The shame is that Century Village has
a large clubhouse fully equipped with a kitchen and air conditioning that CV
residents just forked out almost a million dollars to repair that is locked up
and unavailable until further notice, whatever that means.
It is unconscionable by any standard, to deny residents a
place to cool off, get a cold drink or a sandwich until power is restored to
their homes. Where is the leadership and the compassion of our leaders who do
worse than nothing while residents
suffer in the dark sweltering heat?
Is there any reasonable excuse for locking residents out
when they need the facility the most? There is none that comes to mind. The situation is indicative of the crass and
uncaring attitudes of the managers and the administration who would rather sit
around their committee tables discussing the spending of thousands of dollars
for decorative lights to wrap around the trees at the entrances, or some other
stupid expenditure, like painting pictures on the bottom of swimming pools,
than planning for the real needs of residents.
Though they claim to have the best interests of everyone at
heart, the closing of the clubhouse to residents reveals the true nature their
hypocrisy.
Monday, September 4, 2017
Assemblies out of order
The monthly delegates assemblies are not working the way they are supposed to work.
David Israel dominates the meetings but does not conform to the rules of order that are supposed to govern the assemblies.
Interrupting speakers is a NO NO ! David Israel from his position as chair interrupts speakers on a regular basis. This is a contravention of Roberts Rules which says that speakers are not to be interrupted unless it's on a point of order.
As chairman, Israel is not permitted to enter a debate. His role as chair is to introduce and recognize speakers. He can speak at the beginning of a discussion or debate in a preamble, and he can speak in a summation at the end of a debate.According to Robert's Rules, he must relinquish the chair if he wishes to debate the issue. Speaking out continually, especially when he does not agree with a speakers premise is a tactic Israel uses to promote his agenda, but it is against the rules. It's not really fair to the members either. During the debate on the cable contract, David Israel limited debate to one hour. He then went on to speak for almost half that time arguing with members who brought up points they thought should be considered. There were others wishing to speak at the end of the hour, but were cut off by the chair who announced the debate period was over. You have to ask : IS THIS FAIR ? No it's not! If Israel wanted to debate the issue, he should have relinquished the chair and spoke for the three minutes everyone else was allowed. Dominating the debate from the chair should never be permitted.
Another common contravention is Israel's penchant for addressing speakers by name, this is not permitted under the rules of order. Speakers , once recognized are to be addressed as "the member", using anyone's name is not allowed though it is a common occurrence at assemblies.
Making offensive statements,or making personal remarks ie; calling someone a liar, is another contravention,
Threatening members with removal is another common and oft repeated tactic. No member, chairman included, can unilaterally eject a member from the assembly. It requires a 2/3 vote on a motion from the assembly to do so.The assembly has a duty to demand a retraction and an apology from anyone making those kind of statements, and the people making them are to be removed from the assembly hall until the members decide on a course of action, unless the retraction and apology are forthcoming.
Speaking to the motives or reasons for any member bringing business to the assembly is not permitted, though it's something we see and hear all the time. Israel often chides speakers claiming" you are just being disruptive" or " you are just trying to start a riot" or some such nonsense. Debate and remarks must address the issue , not the motives the personalities or the reasons anyone believes a bit of business is being brought forward.
It may seem onerous to comply with the myriad of complexities in Robert's Rules of Order, but CV agreed to comply and included the use of them in the bylaws. They are in place for a reason. That reason being to bring a sense of decorum and procedures for conducting a fair and impartial assembly. Not enforcing the rules tends to bring the assemblies into a chaotic and sometimes disgraceful event. It's up to the members to ensure the rules of conduct are followed. Delegates have a duty and a responsibility to their respective associations to ensure that the assemblies are conducted properly.
David Israel dominates the meetings but does not conform to the rules of order that are supposed to govern the assemblies.
Interrupting speakers is a NO NO ! David Israel from his position as chair interrupts speakers on a regular basis. This is a contravention of Roberts Rules which says that speakers are not to be interrupted unless it's on a point of order.
As chairman, Israel is not permitted to enter a debate. His role as chair is to introduce and recognize speakers. He can speak at the beginning of a discussion or debate in a preamble, and he can speak in a summation at the end of a debate.According to Robert's Rules, he must relinquish the chair if he wishes to debate the issue. Speaking out continually, especially when he does not agree with a speakers premise is a tactic Israel uses to promote his agenda, but it is against the rules. It's not really fair to the members either. During the debate on the cable contract, David Israel limited debate to one hour. He then went on to speak for almost half that time arguing with members who brought up points they thought should be considered. There were others wishing to speak at the end of the hour, but were cut off by the chair who announced the debate period was over. You have to ask : IS THIS FAIR ? No it's not! If Israel wanted to debate the issue, he should have relinquished the chair and spoke for the three minutes everyone else was allowed. Dominating the debate from the chair should never be permitted.
Another common contravention is Israel's penchant for addressing speakers by name, this is not permitted under the rules of order. Speakers , once recognized are to be addressed as "the member", using anyone's name is not allowed though it is a common occurrence at assemblies.
Making offensive statements,or making personal remarks ie; calling someone a liar, is another contravention,
Threatening members with removal is another common and oft repeated tactic. No member, chairman included, can unilaterally eject a member from the assembly. It requires a 2/3 vote on a motion from the assembly to do so.The assembly has a duty to demand a retraction and an apology from anyone making those kind of statements, and the people making them are to be removed from the assembly hall until the members decide on a course of action, unless the retraction and apology are forthcoming.
Speaking to the motives or reasons for any member bringing business to the assembly is not permitted, though it's something we see and hear all the time. Israel often chides speakers claiming" you are just being disruptive" or " you are just trying to start a riot" or some such nonsense. Debate and remarks must address the issue , not the motives the personalities or the reasons anyone believes a bit of business is being brought forward.
It may seem onerous to comply with the myriad of complexities in Robert's Rules of Order, but CV agreed to comply and included the use of them in the bylaws. They are in place for a reason. That reason being to bring a sense of decorum and procedures for conducting a fair and impartial assembly. Not enforcing the rules tends to bring the assemblies into a chaotic and sometimes disgraceful event. It's up to the members to ensure the rules of conduct are followed. Delegates have a duty and a responsibility to their respective associations to ensure that the assemblies are conducted properly.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
A white paper that should be erased
The latest piece of propaganda coming from the office of David Israel is the so called "White paper" about the planned building swap.
Is this for real? is someone pulling our leg?
First of all the info published on the"white paper" is the very same info that was brought to the Delegate Assembly by Ed Grossman who was soundly scolded and called a liar by David Israel. Now he's using the information in his bid to swap these buildings.To get a true perspective on what is going on with this whole thing, keep in mind that it came about because Israel illegally added a clause to the cable contract promising to provide space to Atlantic Broadband at $1.00 a square foot. If this "swap' doesn't happen, then Israel is going to find himself in hot water.
Here are some points to consider regarding the proposals in the "white paper"
1. It's easy to see that the building and property that is occupied by CV Realty is worth a lot more than the building they want to give UCO in exchange.
2. The "white paper" says that there is no way to estimate the value of the construction shack after renovation. In effect Israel is trying to make the swap without knowing whether it's a good deal or not. How can an informed decision be made without knowing the value of both properties? There should be a professional appraisal made on both properties before any trade is considered. To be fair, we could get an appraisal on our building and WPRF could pay for an appraisal on theirs.
3. The option of putting the UCO Reporter back in the Camden pool building at a cost to residents of $95,000.00 for restoring the building and making it fit for occupancy is not acceptable.
The lease agreements giving CV Realty the building on East Drive in exchange for giving UCO the use of the Camden pool building made no provisions for UCO to assume the costs of making it fit for occupancy.
Since the Reporter is unable to occupy the Camden pool building, it makes the lease deals invalid as UCO is not getting the qui pro quo that was in the deal. Now that the Reporter is operating from the clubhouse , we are actually paying for the space as we pay WPRF fees every month for the use of the clubhouse. Ergo: we pay for the space for the Reporter while CV Realty enjoys free use of their building. It's not the deal that was struck in the original agreement. At a bare minimum there should be a reduction in the recreation fees we are paying.
4. The three options mentioned in the white paper left out one viable and attractive option: Let CV Realty renovate the wonderful construction shack and conduct their business from there. Put the UCO Reporter back into the building on East drive. Though Israel maintains the building needs to be demolished and replaced, it's not that bad. That building still has plenty of useful life left in it, and it wouldn't cost us anything.
Is this for real? is someone pulling our leg?
First of all the info published on the"white paper" is the very same info that was brought to the Delegate Assembly by Ed Grossman who was soundly scolded and called a liar by David Israel. Now he's using the information in his bid to swap these buildings.To get a true perspective on what is going on with this whole thing, keep in mind that it came about because Israel illegally added a clause to the cable contract promising to provide space to Atlantic Broadband at $1.00 a square foot. If this "swap' doesn't happen, then Israel is going to find himself in hot water.
Here are some points to consider regarding the proposals in the "white paper"
1. It's easy to see that the building and property that is occupied by CV Realty is worth a lot more than the building they want to give UCO in exchange.
2. The "white paper" says that there is no way to estimate the value of the construction shack after renovation. In effect Israel is trying to make the swap without knowing whether it's a good deal or not. How can an informed decision be made without knowing the value of both properties? There should be a professional appraisal made on both properties before any trade is considered. To be fair, we could get an appraisal on our building and WPRF could pay for an appraisal on theirs.
3. The option of putting the UCO Reporter back in the Camden pool building at a cost to residents of $95,000.00 for restoring the building and making it fit for occupancy is not acceptable.
The lease agreements giving CV Realty the building on East Drive in exchange for giving UCO the use of the Camden pool building made no provisions for UCO to assume the costs of making it fit for occupancy.
Since the Reporter is unable to occupy the Camden pool building, it makes the lease deals invalid as UCO is not getting the qui pro quo that was in the deal. Now that the Reporter is operating from the clubhouse , we are actually paying for the space as we pay WPRF fees every month for the use of the clubhouse. Ergo: we pay for the space for the Reporter while CV Realty enjoys free use of their building. It's not the deal that was struck in the original agreement. At a bare minimum there should be a reduction in the recreation fees we are paying.
4. The three options mentioned in the white paper left out one viable and attractive option: Let CV Realty renovate the wonderful construction shack and conduct their business from there. Put the UCO Reporter back into the building on East drive. Though Israel maintains the building needs to be demolished and replaced, it's not that bad. That building still has plenty of useful life left in it, and it wouldn't cost us anything.
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