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Monday, July 15, 2013

RMI History Dictates a Change in Management Company

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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