pgiroaurd

Hi Kandy –

I’ve written twice inquiring about the bank situation – where to send maintenance payments in Florida … payments for

my units are ready to go into the mail for 2023.  Messages were left in owners message board and on the ABC site

which allows you to ask questions.

 

As you are diligent about replying to posts, I look forward to receiving the information requested to be sure payments

are received in the format necessary to protect against fraud.  Would you also advise if all fees (with detailed explanation)

can be received and sorted appropriately to: maintenance – reserve – guest of owner fee.

Thank you for your assistance.  Enjoy this beautiful weekend.

Pamela Girouard

On January 22, 2021 the Board posted a memo advising of the added project costs related to the refurbishment.  Asking ABC Owners to vote to approve a loan or additional assessment for the budget overage of the refurbishment and the use of $278,800 collected, now set-aside, without holding a ‘special meeting’ specific to the cluster that the existing and prior Board created is unconscionable (Note: some current Board members also sat on that prior Board).  The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interest of ABC Owners, to be transparent and to communicate regularly on important matters, not just when a vote is required.

On March 4, 2021 Arthur Langbaum, Board Member and Project Manager posted a memo which explains the course of changes and associated increase of costs of the refurbishment.  There is no mention of RFP’s being sent to vendors for quotes which would provide options for the best product at a price ABC’s budget would accommodate, nor how the expenditures would be factored into the existing budget as presented and approved by ABC Owners.  Nowhere in that document is there mention of the impact to the budget or how costs might be reduced to cover proposed changes in the scope of work of the refurbishment project.   It is disturbing to learn that ‘Owners suggestions or Mr. Langbaum’s change of the tile layout’ (probably none of which was priced out before giving the go-ahead to change the original plan) is the driver for the extensive charges.

Add to this scenario the lack of transparency to ABC Owners during the time unit changes were under consideration or associated cost.

The added expense to the project, 27% of the originally approved budget, was not released until after the final assessment due date had passed and the third installment collected.   Coincidence?

Currently the Board is looking to cover the added expense with a vote for a loan or additional assessment and take advantage of operational monies previously collected.  (I inquired at the time the 2020 maintenance fee(s) were due about transferring my banked assessment fees to cover the maintenance expense, as neither of my units have been or are under refurbishment, while my assessment fees have been sitting in an ABC account since December 2018.  I was told that was not possible, those funds were in a separate account.)  Maybe the transfer was denied because assessment funds were not available (another concern I’ve had during the refurbishment ‘would there be enough money to update my units?’ )  The added expense of $1.5 million answers that question and per my communication with ABC Controller it does not appear that the $278,800 is a viable option for the proposed Convocation vote.

Until a ‘special meeting’ is held (via ZOOM) to provide a Q & A session for ABC Owners, the vote for either of the options listed in the Convocation should be TABLED at the Annual Meeting before any member of the Board moves to commit ABC to a $2 million loan ($500K more than the projected added cost of $1.5 million.  This added $500K, if borrowed, would begin incurring interest charges immediately upon signing the loan agreement.)

So many questions.  It’s time for members to be brought up-to-date.

Pamela Girouard – Member #: G0289

Thank you for your response to the questions posted. Here are some additional for your reply.

– While I appreciate that the ABC staff is being taken care of while they are unable to work, what is the Government of Aruba offering to the people who are out-of-work during the pandemic?

– With no guests and minimal on-site staff, certain areas within the resort are not in use, which in all likelihood reduces operational costs within the lock down period.

– What is the plan to reimburse Owners for ‘lack of access / availability of their Units from April 11 until the government opens the island to tourists. Owners who have rented privately deserve some relief for those that they rented to. I used rental fees paid for the maintenance fee – of which we/they received no benefit.

– What insurance is in place to cover ‘business interruption’ situations? What are the limits available for the Club to claim?

Thank you.
P Girouard
Owner #: G02897

with a date for the Annual Meeting tbd, is there an extention to 4.21 for
ballot return?

what is the energy ‘no show’ fee for a superior unit?

I have two units being used by guests in 2019. Should the $80 transfer fee also be mailed to the bank in FL, since
there has been no notice that online payment is secure.

I wrote a number of weeks back and have had no response.
Thank you.
P Girouard