WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER?

This subject was brought up in another topic, but I can't find it.

For months our board and management company complained because there was no VOLUNTEERS to write articles for the newsletter. I volunteered two meetings ago, and told them I would like to educate the community about how voting meetings, regular meetings, and special meetings work, etc, with other Tidbits of information. I specifically wrote about our voting meeting, and how we could not vote because we did not meet quorum. In the article I asked the community to please get involved, but since I know many work until late, I informed them about their proxy. My only request was that these also had to be translated into Spanish, and that I would volunteer to translate it, even though we have a Spanish speaking person on management staff, but they DO NOT have the time to translate. Well, to make a long story short, in March's meeting, the board said that THEY will decide when an article will be deemed worth translating into Spanish. If THEY felt that it needed to be translated into FRENCH, then of course I can translate into Spanish. There where many objections to that because in the past articles have been written in French, and not translated into Spanish, let alone English. At the end they won......for now. One of the "directors" approached me at the end of the meeting and stated, "If you want to educate the community, why don't you get on your tricycle, go around the neighborhood, and educate them that way." Now, if that is not setting the "tone" or being demeaning, what is? Two more reasons why we want four of them out.

JanetB2,

I agree should be written in English only. We do not have this problem, and so I have never thought about it previously. But I wonder what you would think about a small “blub” in the newsletter – written in both Spanish and French – something to the effect – if you need, would like, any articles translated, “so and so” and “so and so” would be willing to translate any article for you.

Well, I do agree with your first sentence, but I am NOT the one setting the precedent, the French did. In the meantime, IT IS DISCRIMINATION for ONLY one group to have their articles in French. If they are going to have articles in French, then, it is only right that they also have articles in Spanish. The Spanish are increasing in numbers here every year. They will have to do away with the French articles altogether. But, again, knowing and learning more about this board, I know they will not stop this practice. This is another issue.

Hello BruceF:

First of all, thank you for serving. G-d richly bless you for that.

Unfortunately, that is not the way it is here, and if you are going to "cater" to one group, then you have to cater to many if not all. Thank you for your reply.

By the way:

"I think that providing translations into their language is providing them with a crutch and an excuse for not learning our native language."

If we are really going by this line of logic, then we should ALL be learning the American Indian languages, since they are the natives here, not us.

Which Native American language do you suggest we learn? There are several.

I agree, if you're going to translate into French, you have no excuse for not translating into Spanish if you have a similar sized (or greater sized) Spanish-speaking segment.

I don't think you should translate into either. What language comes next? Italian? German? Japanese? Chinese?

But, from your posts it sounds to me like you've already decided you need to translate into Spanish, so do it.

SimoneT asked WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE NEWSLETTER? Let's get back on track. I think it is to educate the homeowners and to develop a community spirit. I believe a newsletter helps reduce apathy; can help keep the homeowners aware of the Rules; provide gross financial status; HOA activities updates; and many other items.

I commend you for volunteering. But think you stepped over the line with your request to translate into Spanish. I would not approve anything other than English here in the USA.

Oops. Hopefully it's obvious that I intended to say translated vs. transferred

Hello TimB:

Sorry; It should read: They will make copies so we can distribute OUR NEWSLETTER.

Learning a language is a skill that not all people have. Having said that, I am fairly fluent in a foreign language that I learned as a young adult and I can read two other languages. This is not the norm in the United States.

It would be nicer or more neighborly if translations were made for everybody if possible.

The area I grew up in was not originally an English-speaking area and actually, there is a lot to be said for learning or trying to learn another language.

The purpose of a newsletter is community building in my opinion and the best condo associations try to build a friendly community.

Hi Simone, you've posted several threads about the French Canadians in your community, who comprise more than 20%. Can you remind us the size of your Board and how many of those directors are "French"?

Your other posts also have expressed concern that the French discriminate against the rest of your HOA's members, presumably non-French Anglos and Latinos. The (occasional?) item in French seems to be evidence to you of this discrimination.

But do your French members and the rest of you share the same goals for your HOA? In other words, are there fundamental differences between what you and your supporters and "they" want? Does everyone want to protect, maintain and enhance your community?

Or, because many of the French are snowbirds, do they have less interest in certain aspects of your HOA?

The purpose of a newsletter, and I edit ours, is to bring members of the community together, to give members a sense of belongingness. I agree though with those who wrote that it's best to keep the newsletter in English and those who cannot read English can get it translated easily.

Hello CarolR:

Our board is 7. Four of the seven are French. They DOMINATE AND CONTROL the rest of the other board members.

For example. These four got together one NIGHT, and decided that they needed to "fire" our previous manager. They did NOT want to listen to advice from other (American) board members on how to move forward on this. This person is under contract, another BOARD MEMBER said, but they did not care. They could have said, One: Okay, you have two months. Here is your two months pay, and whatever else was stipulated in the contract. We need to let you go since we want to hire someone else. Or, two: You have been with us for 12 years, but at the end of your contract in two months, we will be looking for another manager. Your contract will not be renewed. This manager would not have felt their contract was not being honored. These FOUR felt this person did NOT DESERVE to get paid since no work was done, (hard to understand why they always RENEWED HER CONTRACT if she was not "reliable" or a "good" worker). The way they did it, caused us a LAWSUIT, because THEY, THESE FOUR, did not want to pay monies owed. They defamed this person's character, and said that she "stole" money, but could not prove it. Hence, WE, the owners had to pay THE
MALIGNED MANAGER money due ANYWAYS, PLUS her lawyer fees.

In addition, one board member, an Italian-American, that was against this clandestine meeting, was told to LEAVE the meeting since their actions was not approved nor agreed upon! Talk about power.

No, not it "seems", it is FELT, and loudly HEARD. The condensending tone of three of these four board members is steep in demeaning others. It does not matter to us if it is one or many. If you do it for one group because THEY REQUEST it, then you should do it for another group, becaue THEY ALSO REQUEST IT.

One of the fundamental differences is this: DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO. Case in point: They want to change the structure of our clubhouse, but do not want to get a permit. They want to "save" money, and have it done by a "HANDYMAN".

We want to inform the community about break-ins, theft, run-aways, child molesters in the community, etc. I think THAT constitute some of the "protection". We want a Neighborhood Watch, in addition to our citizen's patrol, but nothing has been done. There are other issues: Where they want ALL homes to look the same. NOT ALL homes can look the same because we are all different, (the president went as far as to say, "I would like all mailboxes to be the same!!! Give me a break. There is nothing wrong with the majority of the mailboxes). Gosh, even the homes are different. Different in cultures, and ECONOMIC status. Granted we don't agree with painting a house purple or eon pink just because we like it. There are just too many issues to list here.

1. Because THEY ARE snowbirds, many things cease to exist in our community. Since the majority leave for the summer, we do not have monthly boards meetings because we DON'T MEET A QUORUM.

2. Because THEY ARE NOT HERE, our community newsletter is stopped. Supposedly there are NO VOLUNTEERS to write articles for the newsletter. Really? The community feels they don't count, that they don't belong, and some feel we are being discriminated on. How do you bring a community together if you do NOT want to inform them in THEIR LANGUAGE since you do seem to inform your countrymen in yours?

3. They ARE NOT HERE if we have an emergency, like Hurricane disasters were they can assist, and go around the neighborhood to see what needs done, or if signatures are needed, etc. And nope, e-mails don't work, since when THEY ARE HERE, if management sends 7 e-mails, only one receives it! Good luck in contacting them if they are away in Alaska on a cruise, or going down the Nile River.

I agree with your statement, but while they STILL write in French, then there will ALWAYS be a BIG but. Thank you so much for your reply.

So much for Sunshine laws, board Transparency and open meetings.

Hello everyone!

It is interesting to see that noone has a comment for my last post. What says anyone?

We try to be totally transparent, all meetings (except executive sessions) are open to all members. Meetings are well published and announced and all member are welcome. We don't have work sessions or private meetings.

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Hello TimB:

LOL, I tried to answer, but my pc froze. Have no idea what happened. Thank you for noticing that. I was just able to get in. Thank you for letting me know.