Coverups are for the Beach – Feb 2020

Where is our new property management office? Where are our Association’s records? Why did our last Board President resign so abruptly?
Scams, lies, legal bills for what?? And who started this all in 2013 and who’s still at it?

As we sit here waiting for our “sprinkler test”, we changed all our smoke detector batteries. It is not easy to reach the 14 foot high one but we do them annually for two reasons: to ensure safety and because our good friend and a first floor owner was charged $264 for the Board to come in to his unit and change the batteries. Why? They said they were chirping and he was out of town, so begrudgingly he agreed to let them go in and do it. Former Board President Pam Decraene went in with the Associa Management handyman. 4 hours of labor charged to change the batteries and his power was left in the incorrect positions which led to his air conditioner being destroyed. He is a better person than most here and should have sued them.

Jim Hutton has over 30 years a paid firefighter and Chief and says that our association needs to think about replacing all of the buildings smoke detectors due to their expected life being 10 years and we have exceeded that. Our Board needs people on it that have knowledge in areas other than mulch and roof cleaning. Of course, those are important too!

After the initial notice for the annual sprinkler test, we were advised that the water meter seals will also be looked at. Great! What prompted this? We were the only people fighting in 2014 to correct a very simple issue with the water meters (change the batteries!) and it was dragged on and on by a couple people who had self interests in wanting community paid water (all pay the bill equally) and misled owners with a bunch of BS. Like many, we might be in our condo 30 to 35 days per year and did not want to pay other peoples water anymore than their electric. (We are stuck with the cable bill being divided among all even though technology has changed drastically in the past 12 years).

Board members and especially Rick Aliperti fought against seals and emailed us that he was told only low income housings needs seals. Hmmm. In January 2020, we finally got the copy of the bill for Van Loon’s plumber to come in to our unit in July 2017 and test our water meter to see if we were stealing water. Of course, the property manager at the time did not tell us that and indicated there were many others being tested. When we probed further, she admitted there were no others except our good friend who was charged $264 for batter changes. Read the bill below. Checking for meter tampering??? We need to steal water for our few days here and there? We continue to pay $15,000 a year to keep this place which is still worth $40 to $50k less than we paid for it? It was farce and a fraud against the 2 owners who ran for the Board, or tried to in 2017. Neither was determined as eligible by the Legal Eagles due to erroneous charges put on their accounts and then removed, after the election applications were closed. It isn’t about who would win as neither of us are in the social clique nor want to be.

It was not only Pam Decreane who we held accountable for this BS; it was any Board member who was serving at that time and therefore a party to. So, if we don’t seem friendly and have not met, please understand why.

On another note, it took several months to receive an answer as to the address for a local office for the new property management company was located. There isn’t one. We personally do not care; many professions are worked through mobile communications and personnel but why not just say so? This is an ongoing problem with this Board. A previous example was being told the City required Van Loon to pull out swale grasses. We checked with the City and it was not true. If you think they are ugly and/or you hate the croaking frogs, then say so!

We are very happy for the “retirement” of our last Board President, Pam Decreane. We see it as 3 down, 1 more to go. The mindset of telling owners what you think they want to hear is baffling and wrong.

We speak with many other condo community owners in the area and it seems this is common with all large associations. It is also common for Board members to make new rules or changes based upon their own wishes or that of their social group. A fine example of this is the current Board President, Brenda Hallihan having bought while owning 2 dogs. (There is a one pet rule) Ms. Hallihan remarked to us one day (when we used to speak with her) about one first floor owner’s having 2 Owl decorations (small and tasteful in our opinions) outside of his lanai door and you may only have one. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Hallihan was involved with the Board passing a “grandfathering” for owners with more than one pet. A form was provided with space for 4 pets; our theoretical pig, two dogs and one cat were registered for our unit though nothing was asked for gender, proof of ownership or the county registrations; a requirement for pet owners.

Do we care if you have one, two or three pets? Not at all as long as they don’t try lunging at people (there are a couple little ones here that try that) and clean up the waste. Shouldn’t the two owls also be grandfathered as that particular owner bought in 2007 and has been here before all of the current Board?

We have noticed several quick turnarounds of units and wonder why? Owners do not making money off of buying and selling in 6 to 8 months and we only hope it is not because they moved here and were hassled over something stupid. We are happy to see the prices moving closer to what we paid though don’t expect we will ever sell.

This is our immediate family of kids, spouses and grandkids. All are employed (except those 6 and under) and have either completed college or beyond or in the process of completing. None were ever arrested and so far all were married before having children. Why do we say this? Because they are who we are .

See you next time, Cathy & Jim

Thanks for leaving the gate open for us all week as when we first bought!



OMG. Meter Tampering suspects? Lolol. Wish it was funny. It’s actually sick sick sick and the work of only a few.