JUST WHEN DO OUR FENCES GET PAINTED ?
On Tuesday afternoon, our association president, sent an eblast announcing that the painting of fences throughout our community will be delayed....yet again!
At first glance this might not be a major concern, but perhaps it should be...and here's why !
Common knowledge is that you CAN'T PAINT under adverse weather conditions, yet the firm chosen to do this work apparently was going to complete the job just the same....
Until...supposedly, the paint manufacturer came to the rescue according to our association president.
Understand that I too, don't want my fence painted knowing it would probably peel, but this fiasco doesn't have to do with painting....it has to do with..,
THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, RMI, and THE PERSONNEL who chose this contractor for the job.
They are the ones responsible for this mess.
This fence bidding project brought back BAD memories of December, 2008 when RMI, and SUN CITY ANTHEM, after choosing an unlicensed and uninsured contractor to complete a shading structure at the Independence Center, could have been held responsible for KILLING a number of people when it collapsed due to a heavy snow.
Any responsible business would have terminated the services of an employee who could have been responsible for such mayhem; but instead, this person is STILL employed by RMI and responsible for obtaining all competitive bids for our association.
...and that SAME PERSON was responsible for obtaining the bids and subsequent recommendation of TGJ Painting, which our Board, APPROVED.
There is more to this tale, and it can best be summarized by the following email that I sent to Board members, Jim Long, Dan Forgeron, Bella Meese, Mike Carey, and Jean Capiluppo this afternoon.
I will GLADLY print any email responses I get from these individuals.
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To: The Sun City Anthem Board
Thank you for halting the painting of the fences in Canyon Crest Village which was scheduled to commence the week of January 14th according to the notification that was left on my front door knob on some unknown date, rather than that firm taking the time to personally contact residents by either phone, mail, or email, as to when the painting was to commence.
My original check for this work in the amount of $45.00 was dated and sent to "SCA Community Association" on JUNE 11, 2012, now almost SEVEN MONTHS AGO.
At that time this community was lead to believe this painting would commence within a short period of time, and many residents spent landscaping fees to clear foliage in order that the work might be completed.
TGJ Painting even called many homes telling them to TRIM foliage in anticipation of the work, yet it NEVER has been completed.
Now, if it EVER STARTS, this cost will have to be incurred again due to that firm.
I am sure I am one of many HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS, who prepaid this amount to SCA, which has either held this sum in some interest bearing account, or prepaid by SCA to the contractor for work not performed for such an extensive period of time.
Either option is BAD BUSINESS and you should be embarrassed for even considering such a firm for this work.
Just where were these funds being held for such an extensive period of time without fulfillment of the contract?
$45 is not a significant sum, but $45 times the number of residents who have prepaid this amount, certainly is !
You may wish to share this article with the individual firm you chose to do this work, TGJ Painting, as I would have thought any painter obtained through a competent and competitive bidding process, by RMI, would have been aware of something this basic prior to scheduling such activity.
Just another reason as to question the renewing of a contract with a management firm that would recommend such incompetence.
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Should a relationship continue with a management company whose mistakes cost residents unnecessary expense...again and again....due to bidding activity by an individual whose actions have placed the financial well-being of our community in danger....
...bidding activity obviously sanctioned by his employer, RMI, as well as a Board that considers his actions acceptable by approving his every recommendation ?
Dick Arendt
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Rana Goodman of www.anthemtoday.com for reprinting the email I sent to Board members on that forum.
I posted this to Rana's article as a response.
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Rana,
Thank you for posting a copy of the email that I sent to EACH BOARD MEMBER.
I would appreciate your conveying this to your readers.
NOT ONE OF THEM TOOK A MOMENT TO RESPOND IN ANY WAY.
Let's keep the community informed as to their obvious lack of concern to resident inquiries....especially when any of them decide to run for REELECTION.
This is reminscent of when ROZ BERMAN was the association president and I made inquires as to the total legal fees paid to our association attorney in a particular year.
The response I received was 52 BOXES, each the size of an orange crate, OF MISC. RECORDS, as the RMI employee looked at me and said, "Help yourself."
Then I was told I would have to pay something like $10.00 p/hour while one of them watched me look through them.
Looks like this is just more of the same.