Author: 9278surf

Well, Well, Well . . . so many questions about the Irrigation Well

• We are told that the savings from the irrigation expense is about $103,000 per year; the net cost of the yearly golf course irrigation. Actually, all sorts of numbers were thrown out to decipher. The most favorable ones for the well were used, to be fair and unbiased.
• We are told that the AUI rate increase for potable water to the Residents for the lost irrigation revenue is estimated to be $40,000 per year.  How was that determined?  A direct quote from AUI?  AUI loses $103,000 and makes it up with $40,000?  Hmm.
• We are told that the total savings for Aquarina in 20 years is $875,000.  Let’s see – that is $43,750 per year.  The potable water increase, we are told should be $40,000 per year.  Remember that rate is from whom?  It certainly is subject to increases over the next 20 years. It’s like a wash at the very best.  So we have a well and all its infrastructure to maintain as a common element, an added common element by the way, attained without a community vote.
• We played Spessard Holland, up the road, which is the same cost per round as Aquarina Golf.  The difference in the two courses is obvious, one is amply watered and maintained.  Guess which one appears not to be?
• The Residents subsidize Aquarina by 100’s of thousands of dollars annually.  Among other expenses, Golf cannot afford the irrigation expense with the subsidy (look at the course) and now the Residents will pay for an irrigation well too. As we all know, Golf Rules while the rest of the community suffers.
• What engineering firm did a cost benefit analysis for the acquisition of an irrigation well?  Where is analysis for it to be reviewed? Were bids put out to obtain a competitive price? Was AUI consulted with the decision for a well to maybe work out a compromise with the irrigation cost?
• As usual, and Board presents a spin with no convincing or any corroboration. This irrigation well presentation leaks of spin.
• Consider the placement of this well and its pumping action.  Did you see any nearby residential housing that could be impacted from the photos in the email attachment?
• The irony of all this, is that Golf Rules, yet it continues to fail as a business and its standing, compared to other nearby courses, can be considered substandard.  So sad.

Another fiasco from the Board as we idly watch and wait.

Fellow Residents,

The mailing is out soliciting for volunteers to be ACSA Board of Directors.  Three positions will be open.  Three like-minded volunteers are needed to turn the direction of the current Board from a personal agenda to a total community minded agenda.  This Blog, over the past months, has laid out a direction for a new approach to serving Aquarina rather than the current Board’s direction of ruling and running Aquarina.

If you, as a fellow Resident agree, then please Comment on the Blog, text, or call me (321-258-6151) to discuss a new path to take for our community.

Our time is now for productive change and transparency with our funds!

Is Aquarina Ready for a New Direction?

Those that have visited this Blog (anaquarinavoice.com) have seen a point of view that is quite different from the culture that has currently taken over the control of our community, i.e. a Board that has hijacked the community from the general populace, the Residents.

Our Board of Directors have a personal agenda backed by a developed and nurtured group of disciples and acolytes that have bullied the community, and foisted costs upon the Residents to pay for its agenda, i.e. golf, personal social activities, and whimsical and unnecessary changes to our community, e.g. a totally and needless renovation of the Golf Maintenance Yard, an unwanted move of the Gym Facility, an unwarranted renovation of the Admin Building to accommodate this move, and the personal use of The Brassie Grille for social events, all at the community’s cost. More so, there is the refusal to disclose the specific financials of AGI, which is a large and unexplained monetary cost burden for Aquarina Residents.

The focus of the current Board is to leverage and to use its selfish political machine for its personal end, the control and running of Aquarina. If you, the Residents, are satisfied with the current state of Aquarina, then democracy has spoken.  However, if you are concerned about our current state of affairs, as this Blog has been, then are you prepared to vote in a change of Board members, which the coming March Board Elections could provide?

Are there any of you out there, who may have an interest in a Board position to place the Aquarina Community on a better path for ALL the Residents as this Blog has suggested, and not just for a privileged few? It would take three new and like-minded Board Members to accomplish this change, which would create a majority vote.  If this Blog can gather followers and show support for a change, then there may be a number of folks who would have an incentive to place their names as like-minded candidates for the Board of Directors.  The Question at the Home Page of this Blog has been reset where a Yes or No is asked to support a decision for change or not.  Please check your response. Your response would be anonymous.  In addition, please call or text 321-258-6151 if you want to see and agree with a change in our community from what we have now.

It would be expected that a New Board of Directors would work towards the following.

• AGI will become financially transparent to the Residents.
• The AGI businesses will be groomed to be self-sufficient and independently run to remove the Residents’ financial risk.
• Changes and additions to the community, e.g. common elements, will be determined by an open community vote.
• The focus of a New Board of Directors is to serve and maintain the community and not “run it” as an owner or developer.
• All the amenities of Aquarina, i.e. golf, tennis, beach and community centers, river and ocean accesses, and restaurant, shall all have measured oversee and funding.
• There shall be a Board priority to refurbish the Roadway Entrance, i.e pavers, roads, and curbs.
• The Beach Access crossovers shall be tuned for convenience, e.g. shower, proper handrails, etc.
• The ACSA Quarterly Maintenance Fees shall be evaluated for a reduction.
• The onsite Property Manager’s role shall be assessed.

An opportunity is upon us in March for a positive change to address ALL Residents in our community, and uplift neighborhood comradery and invigorate property values.  

An Aquarina Voice

2019 Goals for Aquarina

As we enter another year, a list of projects cry out to be completed for the Residents and the Aquarina Community.  These are practical items that would benefit all the Residents and not just a few, as has occurred in the past, e.g. with golf.

They are:

• Though minor paver repairs have been done at the Roadway Entrance, a complete repair overhaul of the pavers needs addressing. In addition, a black coating, white striping, and power washing of the curbing are also overdue.  There is talk of a waterfall; however, tuning of the Roadway Entrance should be a priority over a waterfall at this time.  The Roadway Entrance sets the tone for the community, and helps our property values, which should always be of primary importance.  

• The beach crossover needs a suitable commercial shower commensurate with our Beach Clubhouse, and conveniently located at the deck area.

• An Internet Camera (Cam) should be placed at the Beach Clubhouse for folks to see the daily conditions at our beach.  Many communities have this device for the beach to be monitored for recreational use.

• A Janitorial Service with a daily agenda to service all the common areas, e.g. bathrooms, Clubhouses, etc.

• A golf cart (if it’s not already available) for our onsite Property Manager to do at least one daily tour of the community and its facilities.  This daily tour is to engage Residents and to monitor our common elements.

• Have our golf and tennis operation subject to an outside audit to determine a cost effective program. They are constantly losing money at our expense.

• Work out a program for Josh to take over The Brassie Grille to the point where he just pays us rent for space.  This would eliminate AGI risk, losses with the restaurant, and possible collusion of the Board with its operation.

What should we expect, as a residential community, from an onsite Property Manager (PM) for whom we fund?

• A Job Description of the Property Manager’s duties to understand the responsibilities the PM has to the community for what can and cannot be expected from the PM, which is available to the Residents for review and revision, if needed.
• Ongoing evaluations of the PM to determine that the PM is successfully fulfilling PM responsibilities.
• Allotted times for Residents to engage the PM for concerns that may emerge in the community.
• As a professional, the PM should at all times maintain an arm’s length and business type relationship with both the Residents and the Board of Directors.  Developing circles of friends within the community, including the Board of Directors, cannot foster an atmosphere of impartial decision making.
• The PM should always take the high road and not antagonize or banter with the Residents, or become defensive. 
• Being a service provider should be the focus of the PM.
• If the PM suspects or recognizes any social or cultural alienating division emerging in the community, then the PM should not take sides, but should seek advice and direction from the primary Property Managing Company with whom the PM is associated.  
• The communication that the PM provides and shares with the community should be a mixture of being instructional and informative.
• Consistent procedures should be in place and documented for all events in the community.  These procedures should be available and applicable to all Residents to be able to follow.
• The PM should spend as much time in the community as in the office.  The community is fluid with many moving parts that need monitoring to ensure a viable entity within to comfortably live.

Does our Property Manager perform in the manner just described?  We should expect at least this listed performance– it is the basic and expected property management for which we are paying.

Merry Christmas!

Social Activities Report

It is good to see organized social activities for the community, which provide an opportunity for the Residents to have fun, and maybe meet other Residents outside their community social network. However, it should be remembered that accommodating cliques should not be the focus of these gatherings.

In addition, individual behavior at our facilities should not get out of hand, which it has, and continues to the extent that some Residents have been temporarily banned from these facilities.  Better enforcement is needed to prevent and discourage this rogue and childish behavior.

Grade – C+

Construction and Maintenance

The Board and its President have been irresponsible, selfish, and maybe incompetent with the decisions that have been made to “improve” our community.  Our funds have been misappropriated for the Board’s and President’s agenda spending, e.g. the move of the Gym and the refurbishment of the Golf Maintenance Facility. Other community needs with much more of a priority have been ignored.  Needs that would serve All the Residents have been abandoned, e.g. roadways, regular building maintenance, proper funding of our amenities’ reserves, and daily monitoring of the community to determine areas of repair and restoration for the community’s aging infrastructure.

Now there is a Board’s and President’s project to foist more debt on the Residents with an irrigation well for the golf course. Have you noticed how many projects are golf oriented? The Residents basically subsidize golf for a handful of players.  Costs and spending are disproportionate for golf when compared to the total spending for all the Aquarina amenities.  Each amenity should have measured costs with respect to all the amenities.  It could be argued that golf and its cabal of followers have hijacked the Aquarina Community, which has left the community in disrepair.

Grade – F

Kahama Mediation

Hundreds of thousands of dollars of the Residents’ funds have been expended over these past years on the expected and allegedly contentious transfer of some of Aquarina’s oceanfront property to a private entity.  Though this boondoggle has been ongoing through multiple Boards, it should be incumbent upon the current Board to disclose to the community exactly what is going on, and not by just telling the Residents that a resolution is underway. There is always the excuse of privileged negotiations and discussions, and that matters cannot be revealed; however, the initial disagreement leading to this attorney banter back and forth should be disclosed to the community for the community to decide on a course to take.  The Residents are left in the dark, and its funds are falling into an attorney money pit.

Grade – D

Honoring Our Veterans

Joe Smith has earned and deserves the reported trip to Washington he took, as have all the other participating Veterans.  It certainly belonged in the Newsletter.  Joe is certainly worthy part of the heritage in our community.

Grade – A

Good Publicity for our Community

The Brassie Grille has been a high point among the AGI businesses in its continued success of Community and outside public patronage.  Its kudos in the press is deserved.  However, the Brassie Grille’s covert financial operations, and the Residents being continuously locked out from having access to the specific expenses and revenues of the Grille by the Board and its President can be considered unconscionable and indefensible. The Residents subsidize this business with well over $200,000 of their funds and are forcibly kept in the dark.

Grade – C-

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Keep in mind that the Grades – F, D, and C-are with the most important community Board service category, i.e. the fiduciary duty to oversee the Residents’ funds. The current Board and its President have been totally negligent and self-serving with this most essential of responsibilities to the community.  This lock out of the Residents from the AGI financials is cavalier and illegal, and is further evidence of the carpetbagging Aquarina has been enduring.

BTW Folks – I enjoy golf.  I earned a high school Letter in golf, LOL.  However, the focus for the Board and its President should be the totality of the Community; unfortunately, golf has gained more attention and more of the Residents’ funds than is warranted.

Merry Christmas!