Are the Board’s Priorities Askew?

Here is our Beach Club building that many of us have enjoyed using over the years.  However, it lacks what can be considered for some, as vital for its complete use to all – a workable lift/elevator.  It’s currently out of service, and it has been out of service for years and years, with the caveat, “Temporarily” out of order.  Really? Do you think there may be some Residents that require the lift/elevator to take advantage of the whole building, an amenity for which all the Residents pay.  The word has been “excuses” that it needs to be inspected, it needs to be reworked, and it could cost thousands to get it operational.  The proverbial can has consistently been kicked down the road. Oh yes, “Temporarily” out of order, but for years and years?

To completely take advantage of the building’s benefits, that by the way, includes gatherings, parties, meetings, etc., wouldn’t you believe that items would be required to be hauled to the second level?  More importantly, there are folks with disabilities, who will find themselves unable to reach the second floor, which is the essence of the building where folks congregate.  I know of a particular incident, where a person’s fellow colleague had passed, and a celebration of life was occurring on the second floor of the Beach Club building.  This person was in a wheel chair, and had to be carried up the stairs to pay respects to the colleague.  Hmm.

The sad contrast to this situation with the Beach Clubhouse is how the Board has pushed and pushed the Residents with the expansion of the Brassie Grille, where an $75,000 assessment was levied on the Residents and an alleged $300,000 in unsecured loans was taken upon. Unsecured loans can have a Promissory Note to pay back the loan, and you can take the debtor to court to be repaid if it’s delinquent. Are the $300,000 in loans attached to promissory notes? Regardless, I’m sure these loans are on the backs of the Residents to repay. Written details to see the loans requirements are lacking for the residents to see.  Hmm.

The Board, being in the restaurant business, is obviously overjoyed that it crafted a way to expand its pleasure palace, i.e. the Brassie Grille, and expand and embellish its house of joy, all again, on the backs of ALL the Residents. Choices made where expected practicality would prevail, e.g. the lift/elevator, perishes in neglect for the priority choice of the Brassie Grille.

Further irony, is the fact that the Brassie Grille is a money loser, terribly managed or managed with an intention to ignore breaking even or actually making a profit. For example, the cost of goods sold, i.e. food and beverage, actually the Brassie Grille, which has dramatically increased because of our current inflationary environment, has driven the Brassie Grille’s Profit and Loss to 10’s of thousands in losses, we have been told at a Board Meeting.  But wait, when the cost of goods sold increases, don’t you increase the price to the customer? Apparently not at the Brassie Grille.  Why? Because you have a Resident base to subsidize the cost increase.  Further, we have an AGI business that is financially failing, yet the expansion plans continue, assessments are levied and loans issued.  The expansion/ upgrade expected total price currently is $700,000.

It’s obvious that Board priorities are to cater to the social and partying base segment in our community rather than to the immediate needs that serve the whole community.

It would be great if the Board’s focus followed the working and mechanic needs of the Aquarina Community, and not the partying and entertaining demands of a selfish segment that apparently has again infiltrated a Board, where the fiduciary duty for the well being of the Residents has certainly been put aside as a secondary concern.

So sad.