You Can Run...but...You Can't
Hide
Just how much will a community stand
for if a board of directors retains a management company that has caused as much
havoc as the one we currently use here in Sun City
Anthem?
Time and again,
RMI (Resource Management, Inc.) who recently changed its name to First
Service Residential (FSR), has been retained again
and again, by boards who have knowingly closed their eyes to bidding
irregularities, causing our community to waste HUGE sums of association funds on
overpriced items.
Though there are too many to discuss
here, perhaps the most flagrant example of waste took place in 2008 when the Las
Vegas valley experienced an 8 inch snowfall that collapsed a shading structure
located at Independence Center.
It was subsequently learned that the
RMI employee who was responsible for obtaining the bids, KNOWINGLY retained a firm that HAD NO
BUSINESS LICENSE, and NO
INSURANCE.
Needless to say, had the collapse of
the shading harmed or perhaps killed an innocent individual, we, Sun City
Anthem, would have incurred a SUBSTANTIAL LIABILITY as a result of that
NEGLIGENCE.
Any individual who has ever been in
business for themselves, having experienced such incompetence, would have
IMMEDIATELY terminated the services of ANY individual who subjected a firm to
UNNECESSARY liability. That is how THE REAL WORLD
reacts to such matters.
The board at that time, not only
IGNORED the matter, but ALSO authorized RMI to pay the SAME unlicensed
individual $5,000....YOUR MONEY...to repair the
damage.
It was easier to
write a check..YOUR CHECK... than STAND UP for what was right, and tell
RMI...
PAY UP,
or GET LOST....at time of contract
renewal.
...and that...is POOR leadership, INCOMPETENT
leadership, ARROGANT leadership.
or perhaps...CORRUPT
leadership.
Shortly thereafter, it came time to
consider renewing the management contact and yet another TRAVESTY took
place...resulting from the action of a then Board President, who REFUSED to
place the contract to competitive bid....IGNORING NEVADA STATUTES...under the
guise of a loophole referred to as "practicability".
RMI was renewed for a three year
period. At the same time, the employee who created the potential SUBSTANTIAL
shading structure liability to our community, was
RETAINED.
That contract expired on December
31, 2012; however, it has been extended month after month for no reason other
than PROCRASTINATION or perhaps some other BACKDOOR
arrangement.
As the contract termination date
approached the board at that time...
...essentially
the SAME individuals who are presently seated on our
board...
...were being strongly pressured
into examining management company alternatives; and at first, it appeared they
would make an "honest attempt" to obtain information from other
firms.
And so...a special committee was
appointed to examine alternatives.
That committee did an EXCELLENT job in examining various firms, and the result they reported to that/this board, was that there were a number of suitable firms available...so many,
that RMI was placed FIFTH on a list as to their
suggestions.
What did that/this board
do?
It IGNORED the
hard work of that group, and instead, chose three
individuals to further explore the matter.
It was questionable as to the
result these three individuals would recommend...for one reason...they were HAND
PICKED by that/this board...the same group who AGAIN and AGAIN, would "go
through the motions" to appease residents, yet, in the opinions of MANY, would
do nothing other than TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANTED TO
HEAR.
BUT...they were shocked by the
recommendations of two of these three individuals...as were a number of those
present in the audience.
They
recommended that RMI be REPLACED.
I strongly suggest that you read an
article located in the "Where I Stand" forum of Anthem Today, authored by a resident identified as "Lynn W"
and make sure you also read the PROFOUND comments of other residents as well. No
better or more accurate summary of that meeting could have ever been
written.
This board did
NOT hear what they WANTED TO HEAR....they instead, heard a professional
presentation that had the audience leaving with a positive attitude that
FINALLY, something was going to take place; that this board WAS LISTENING to
people, and that it would be a matter of time before a transition would
occur.
After all, TWO
COMMITTEES had now recommended a change, and
only a short time ago, this board came forward and denied a Pet Park project,
PRAISING the input and effectiveness of committees, and feeling compelled to
accept their recommendation.
TWO of the
THREE individuals charged with the task of examining
alternatives.....recommended that RMI BE
REPLACED with another firm, Capital Consultants Management
Corp, referred to as CCMC.
And their point system didn't even
consider the past problems associated with RMI.
Did this
board...the same group who just a few short weeks ago, praised the value
of committees...continue that belief and accept the
recommendation?
NO...they DID
NOT.
They instead determined that they
"needed more time" to decide the
matter.
....obviously "conveniently" forgetting previous, as well as, the current RMI problems.
And the gall of an alternative
blogger to write:
"the Board has taken the right
approach in deciding to negotiate with both companies in order to obtain answers
to hard questions that the Task Force may not have been in a position to
address"
...is literally an insulting SLAP ON THE FACE to the efforts of both those
committees.
While this fiasco continues, yet
another issue has reared its ugly head...AGAIN.
A few months ago, resident Mary
Schramski, feeling compassion for a number of resident monitors for the manner
in which they were being treated and allegedly HARASSED by Fitness Director,
Kathy Kline, whose actions were condoned by Community Association Manager, Rob
Feldman, started a very successful petition that demanded these individuals, who
had years of tireless service, be treated in both a CORDIAL and PROFESSIONAL
manner.
This in turn created such a stir
that a meeting was held in which the Fitness Director was literally "called on
the carpet" as a result of the accusations, as well as, for the types of
equipment purchased, and the individuals she hand picked as personal
trainers.
The room was filled, and an
overwhelming number of residents were present...only to hear Board Member, Mike Carey, DEFEND the RMI
actions.
Since that time, even more scrutiny
of RMI has occurred.
Rob Feldman is now the 5th Community Association Manager that has been chosen by
RMI in the past 8 years...and when asked to provide
his resume to determine his qualifications...REFUSED
to provide it.
Now...a few months later...more monitors have subsequently left feeling they were
harassed, and the matter has been pursued to RMI Human Resources for
evaluation.
..but rather than express
ANY concern for HIS NEIGHBORS, those increasing numbers of monitors who have
expressed problems with employee morale and treatment on the
job....
...the alternative blogger, in yet
another attempt to justify board procrastination....INSULTS
THESE DEDICATED individuals instead.
"While I
don't think a lot of attention should be paid to anonymous critics, I also think
we have to expect that residents who work as part-time employees of the
management company are EMPLOYEES, not residents, for the time they are on
duty."
Yes, they are employees, but MORE
IMPORTANTLY, they are our neighbors who have served the needs of this community
tirelessly for YEARS.
So....what is going
on?
Is this
board...ABOVE BOARD...in the manner in which
they SAY ONE THING, yet PRACTICE ANOTHER?
Just WHY
is the management company choice still being considered after such a
thorough investigation?
This would appear to be a NO-BRAINER....and perhaps that just might be the reason for
the procrastination.
Has this had
other affects of our community?
Over the past number of weeks, it
has become evident that more and more volunteers are being solicited for
community involvement. The reason....less people are
interested in volunteering to serve a system they believe does not
respect their individual thoughts and
recommendations.
They feel that THEY ARE BEING
CONTROLLED...and based on these details, there leaves little doubt that THEY ARE
CORRECT in their beliefs.
And to further enhance this, yet
another CONTROLLING proposal has been suggested by another board member and past
president, James Long...
...a committee to enlist residents
to drive the streets of our community looking for Association violations...a
proposal now being referred to as "the rat
squad."
This is what WE
have allowed to HAPPEN by electing those who have
created these problems.
This is what WE
have allowed to HAPPEN by reading and being foolish
enough to believe such slanted material that does little other than SANCTION
these acts.
...AND...unless you take these
matters seriously, it WILL GET WORSE.
It is time for even the least active
individual who resides in our community, to look carefully at these matters, and
during the next board election, make sure any candidate who runs, knows full
well....
THEY WORK FOR
YOU...
...that if your
committees have SPOKEN, and if you have any desire to
continue having people volunteer to make your job
easier....
Then...respect
their decisions...
...OR...
Do all the
work yourselves !
Dick
Arendt
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