central florida times
WWW.CAICF.COM | SECOND QUARTER 2014
a message from the president contact information P.O. Box 941125 Maitland, FL 32794 www.caicf.org exdir@caicf.org 407-850-0106
board of directors President: Jamie Rodriguez President-Elect: Alan Garfinkel, Esq. Vice President: Lou Biron Treasurer: Bernie Mapili, CPA Secretary: Suzan Kearns, CMCA, AMS Bill Bishop, CMCA, AMS Dave Holt Gary van der Laan, PCAM John Dougherty Matt Vice Bill Jackson, CPA
Dear CAI Central Florida Chapter Members, This is our second quarter and as your President of the Chapter for 2014 we say good bye to Ms. Sarah Giammarinaro our Executive Director, but hello to her replacement, Ms. Tracy Durham our new Executive Director. Some of you may know Ms. Durham when she worked for Leland Management. She brings to CAI Central Florida her experience as a property manager and the working knowledge of working for a Board of Directors. If you missed it we had a terrific 2014 CA Day Tradeshow and our theme this year was "Defend Your Association." I would like to thank Ms. Mary King and Mr. Joey Arroyo (of Sentry Management)and the Tradeshow Committee for all the hard work done this year. Great show Team! We were very excited that the National Conference came to town this past May and we were honored to host the Chapter Party. The conference was from May 14th-17th and our Party was on May 15th at The Groove in CityWalk. It was an unforgettable event and everyone had a great time getting their “groove” on! Big thank you to Phil Masi for helping to make this such a wonderful event.
LATEST NEWS ABOUT "PROJECT OUTREACH" We have had two Board Member Certification Courses this past quarter. One at Hunters Creek by Ms. Marlene Kirkland and one at The Villages by Robert Taylor and Harry Carls. Sixty-five certificates have been earned to date and our next class is scheduled for June 28th in Brevard County, to be presented by Frank Ruggieri, followed by classes in August (North Lake County) and November (Seminole). The Manager’s Career Breakfast and Business Partner Round Table have been attended and one more Business Partner Round Table is planned for September. Thank you for your participation members! We grow by knowing what you need and what you want from CAI Central Florida. Meet the Managers is planned for July 10th and our Annual Golf Outing is set for October 24th. We have a busy year planned ahead and I am so glad you are right beside me for the ride! This could not be possible without your support and participation in our Chapter. We would not be the organization that we are without your presence! Best regards,
Jamie Rodriguez Chapter President
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hurricane season is here BY LEAH PALMER, FLORIDA CATASTROPHE CORPORATION
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veryone responsible for managing emergency response efforts will tell you that no matter how “invincible” you think you are to the wrath of a hurricane, it can happen, and it happens FAST! If you have been proactive in planning and exercising your response plan, you will be more prepared to handle these situations than your colleagues, who may be walking around with their blinders on. Being proactive enough to have plans in place is the key ingredient to mitigating the damages to your community and the safety of your residents.
partners are just as important and should be researched accordingly. After a storm, it goes without saying that things will be mildly chaotic and busy for everyone. Make sure that you have a reliable tree company to clear the debris and allow the other vital service-partners in. After the storm, the cleanup and restoration begins. As a CAM, it is important to have a crew that you trust to assist in the clean-up process. In addition, many members in your community may turn to you for a recommended service-partner. KNOW WHO YOU ARE REFERRING AND USING! Whoever you have on your list of vendors, make sure they are insured, licensed, and trusted. This is where being PROACTIVE comes into play. Before you NEED a partner, KNOW the partner that is coming into your community. This will avoid many headaches later on, such as price-gauging, poor workmanship, and safety hazards to your residents.
MISTAKES TO AVOID •
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Forgetting to Write and Update Emergency Action Plans: Every business should have an emergency plan that will provide details on proper evacuation procedures, including where shelters are located. These plans should be posted in a public area, so that everyone in the community is aware. In conjunction with this, every plan should be updated to reflect any new risks or improvements to procedures. Providing Inadequate Shelter: If your community is located in a high-risk area (such as along the coast), it is imperative that there are designated shelters for everyone to relocate to. It is a good idea to list a couple of shelters on the public emergency action plan. If residents are not aware of where to go, chaos could ensue. Make your community aware!
There are many resources available to ensure that your community is covered; some companies will even come out and help tailor a plan to specifically meet your community’s needs. There are also companies out there, like FLA-CAT that provide a special program for First Priority Response Teams, following the impact from a hurricane.
HELPFUL WEBSITES •
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Being Complacent About Safety: To assume that your community would never be impacted from a hurricane is a dangerous mentality. In any business or community, you should never assume that it will not occur. In being proactive and aware, both management and the community itself will eliminate the possibility of further disruptions and safety hazards.
Federal Emergency Management Agency http://www.fema.gov/ • National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ • Florida State Emergency Response Team http://www.floridadisaster.org/preparedness/index.htm • How to Make an Emergency Plan http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
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Not Having Trusted Service-Partners: All CAMs have a list of vendors that they use regularly, but how about the servicepartners that you don’t really use on a daily basis? These
It is not a matter of “if,” but “when.” So when it does, have an updated plan in place and trusted resources available to assist in the aftermath. Be PROACTIVE and AWARE! www.FLA-CAT.com
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central florida chapter update luncheons for 2014 • June 5th - Disaster Preparedness • August 7 - Social Media Practices for Business Partners/Associations • September 4 - 3 for 1: Termite Bonds, Fire Sprinklers, and Water Features • October 2 - CEU Course • November 6 - Legal Panel Q&A, Community Volunteer Appreciation All luncheons are held from 11am-1pm at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Orlando
upcoming events • June 28th - Community Volunteer Board Certification in Melbourne at The Holiday Inn • July 10th - Meet the Managers at the Crowne Plaza in Orlando • July 31st - Summer Social • August 15th - Manager's Career Breakfast in the Mall at Millennia Area • August TBD - Community Volunteer Board Certification in North Lake County • September 9th - Business Partner Round Table • October 24th - Annual Golf Outing at Reunion Golf Triplex • November 13th - Medallion Sponsors Appreciation Dinner • November 22nd - Sunshine Dream Village Work Day • November TBD - Community Volunteer Board Certification in Seminole County • December 4th - Annual Meeting & Holiday Social More details regarding upcoming events will be posted to caicf.org - so check back regularly for the most up to date information!
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cam leadership styles BY BETSY BARBIEUX, CAM, CFCAM, FLORIDA CAM SCHOOLS
Did you know not all managers lead from the front? Which type of leader are you? THE LEAD FROM THE FRONT MANAGER Leading from the front is like the leader carrying the banner at the front of the line or the Staff Sergeant who leads the charge over the hill. The leader is singular and the followers are plural. The people you are most connected to are the ones right behind you. As the group line gets longer, you are not as dynamically connected to those further down. (Caution - be careful not to run rough shod over your followers!)
THE LEAD FROM THE MIDDLE MANAGER Leading from the middle of the group means you are most likely connected to almost everyone in the group; you know their names, their abilities, likes and dislikes, their favorite foods, and the names of their children. You are a hands-on manager and like to be involved with your team. (Caution - be sure you don’t just delegate to your favorites when others may be better qualified!)
succeed, be that additional personnel, funding, training, licenses and permits, board approval – whatever it takes to fully support your team. (Caution - be sure you are not too laid back; don’t just hope conflict goes away, deal with it now!)
THE REMOTE LEADER MANAGER Leading remotely means you analyze an issue not only in the here and now, but as it relates to the past and future. You see issues, situations, problems, or courses of action in time. You are excellent at trouble shooting, and you are also good at discovering how and why a problem developed and creating a future plan to keep it from recurring. In order to get this “view” of past, present, and future, you need to “step away” from the closeness of it, which means you are stepping away either physically or emotionally or both from the group you lead. You may be dynamically connected to a very few in the group. (Caution - put on your list to learn people skills. Smile more, remember names, and learn to make casual conversation!)
THE LEAD FROM THE BACK MANAGER Leading from the back means you have confidence in the various supervisors, committee chairs, or employees you have chosen and you know they can get their work done. You are there to “watch their backs” and get them the resources they need in order to 8
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Betsy Barbieux is a Professional Development Coach with Florida CAM Schools, LLC. To learn more, call 352-326-8365, visit www. floridacamschools.com, or email betsy@floridacamschools.com.
news bulletin: cai offers 7th online course Community Governance (M-204), one of CAI’s professional development courses required to earn the Professional Manager of Community Associations (PCAM) credential, is now available online. The course covers the legal basis for community rules, policies and procedures, clarifies board and management responsibilities and provides students with a better grasp of associations as legal entities.
This online course is designed as a standalone course, and individuals are able to start the class as soon as they register. In addition to this online course, you will receive a Participant Guide in the mail. The Participant Guide is intended to be a supplemental resource that students can refer back to after completion of the class. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
This online version shows you how to advise and support your board and how to revise policies and procedures to comply with current laws and recommended management practices. Topics include:
It takes 4-6 hours to complete the course. Students have 4 months—120 days from purchase date—to complete the course and take the 60-minute exam to receive credit. Once you have successfully passed the online course, you will receive a certificate of completion from CAI’s website.
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Developing and enforcing rules Using an attorney or other professional adviser Conflicts of interest and ethics Reviewing and amending governing documents Statutes and case law affecting community management Fiduciary responsibilities of association boards, committees and managers Management contracts
CAI’s other online professional development courses are The Essentials of Community Association Management (M-100), Facilities Management (M-201), Community Leadership (M-203), Risk Management (M-205), Financial Management (M-206) and Ethics and the Community Manager (M-300). Learn more at caionline.org.
interested in getting more involved? join a caicf committee! If you are interested in getting more involved in the chapter, joining a committee is a great thing to consider. Below are the different committees that we currently have active. Please feel free to contact any of the following committees: Membership Committee Sharon Parker sharon.parker@bbandt.com Tom Harman tom.harman@universalpro.com Tradeshow Committee Tracy Durham exdir@caicf.org Golf Tournament Committee Scott Pollock 321-689-2794 spollock@lelandmanagement.com
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Communications Committee Dave Holt 352-552-6930 dhholt@gmail.com Education Committee Gary van der Laan 407-545-5553 gvanderlaan@lelandmanagement.com Summer Social Committee Alan Garfinkel, Esq. agarfinkel@kgblawfirm.com
collecting assessments SUBMITTED BY BB&T, MEMBER FDIC
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has become increasingly difficult to avoid media coverage of the housing crisis in our country. The focus of most of this news is the individual homeowner and the institutions holding their mortgages. Little has been said about the potential exposure to losses by the associations which control so many of the condominiums and homeowners’ associations in which we live today. Many association unit owners have expressed concerns about seeing line items in their 2009 budgets for “bad debts” or “uncollectible assessments,” believing that their associations would always collect 100 percent of the unpaid assessments, as well as interest, late fees and attorney’s fees, if any. Actual experience has proven otherwise. We believe it is wise to assume that any unit owner who has fallen behind in their mortgage payments will be in arrears in their assessments as well. This looming problem should be addressed by all association boards as soon as it occurs. Associations’ rights to assess their unit owners and collect those assessments, along with any interest, late fees or fines, are governed by state laws and the association’s documents (declaration, bylaws, etc.). Community association statutes vary considerably from state to state and often change. For example, the changes in Florida’s statutes controlling homeowners’ associations enacted during the 2007 legislative session have a direct impact on such associations’ assessment collections. We hope the following suggestions, based upon our experiences in the community association industry, are helpful to you: DO apply your association’s collection policies and procedures consistently. DON’T make exceptions to your normal collection procedures or give special treatment to any owners, no matter what their current or past position in the community or reasons for their current failure to pay timely.
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DO make certain that your manager understands and applies the notice and collection policies in your documents, as well as those, which may have been enacted later by board vote. DON’T delay the placing of liens on property as soon as a problem develops. DO withhold unit owner or tenant privileges, including access to facilities, as permitted by the governing documents. DON’T avoid contacting your attorney whenever changing collection policies or initiating those policies for the first time. DO record all board actions regarding waivers of fees, fines, interest, etc., in the minutes of board meetings along with the reasons for such action. DON’T hesitate to seek the services of an attorney or collection agency to handle overdue assessments, especially if you are a selfmanaged association. DO review past due unit owner receivables at least monthly and inquire of management as to their current, updated status. DON’T dismiss the possibility that direct contact with the tardy unit owner could protect the association or provide additional information on which to act. DO consider the acceleration of annual assessments as local law and governing documents permit. DON’T allow casual or sloppy record keeping for unit owner payments to weaken your collection efforts. DO draw on the experience of other associations and managers in dealing with consistent late payers.
welcome new members! BUSINESS PARTNERS
MANAGERS
Ackman Bros. Landscaping Mr. Nathan Hurst
Mr. Donald Arthur Berube, Esq.
Alliance CAS S.M.A.R.T. Collections Ms. Valerie Williams Fairwinds Credit Union Mr. Robert Hazelton Greener Industries Mr. Justin James Alf Kone, Inc. Mr. Stephen LaRocca Martell & Ozim, P.A. Mr. Patryk Ozim Private Communities Registry, Inc Ms. Elizabeth Miller Fox ProSource Wholesale Flooring & Cabinets Mrs. Maureen Kratzer The Paint Drop By Valspar Ms. Juanita Markovich
MULTI-CHAPTER BUSINESS PARTNERS Certified Foundation, Inc. Mrs. Nancy Freeman Lake & Wetland Management, Inc. Mr. Brian Fishcher Renovia Mr. Jason Lakes The Lake Doctors, Inc. Mr. Fabian Stern
Mr. Michael Irving Chuven Mr. James L Peck, CMCA Diana Jean Reeley Mrs. Veronica Rodriguez Ms. Angela C Timmons Mr. Edward Hayden ASC Property Services, Inc. Alicia Simons Golden Sands Community Management Ms. April Kaiser Leland Management, Inc. Mr. Pratik Daiya Leland Management, Inc. Mr. Mark Anthony Michalek Leland Management, Inc. Ms. Pearl Spires Leland Management, Inc. Ms. Migdaliz Wilson Leland Management, Inc. Mr. Thomas Mark Mason Sunbird of Panama City Beach Owners' Association, Inc. Ms. Rebecca Black Waterford Lakes Community Association, Inc.
VOLUNTEER LEADER Ms. Beverly Hamilton
United Security Alliance, Inc. Mr. Scott Stiglich
NATIONAL CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP CiraConnect Mr. L. Duane McPherson, CMCA, PCAM
MANAGEMENT COMPANY SLS Property Management, LLC Elvira Fanny Cruz
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interested in joining cai central florida? Homeowners, Managers, and Business Partners can become members. If you provide products or services to community associations, CAI can give you direct access to thousands of potential customers and provide unique opportunities. Visit caicf.org to learn more!
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2ND QUART ER 2014 | CENT RAL F LOR I D A TI M E S
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thank you to our sponsors! platinum All About Management Alliance Association Financial Services Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems Associa Community Management Professionals BB&T Association Services Becker & Poliakoff Bouchard Insurance Brown & Brown Insurance Coastal Painting Emergency Services & Reconstruction Glickstein, Laval, Carris, P.A.
Kings III Emergency Communications KW Property Management Leland Management Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. Morrison Hershfield Ramco Protective Services Robert L. Tankel, P.A. Sentry Management, Inc. South Milhausen The Association Law Firm PLLC Vice Painting
gold Construction Lawyers LLP Lamphier & Company Mapili CPAs Old Florida National Bank Reserve Advisors
silver Florida Catastrophe Corporation HomeTeam Pest Defense KWA Engineers, LLC Larsen & Associates Mutual of Omaha Bank/CondoCerts Roof-A-Cide Union Bank HOA Services 24
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