AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960
Posts: 960
Posted:
Hi All! I was a regular poster here for several years. I was on our Board of Directors, here in Florida for eleven years. I served as the treasurer and secretary. The BIGGEST problem we had for our 46 unit condo was APATHY. People didn't give a crap and didn't pay attention to anything if it didn't affect them.
Two years ago we had a person buy a condo for his convicted drug-dealer son to live in. The owner admitted that he didn't plan to live here and never would. He AND his son immediately started violating numerous rules. He received rule violation letters and he was finally turned over to our Association Attorney for compliance. He regularly lied to our attorney--which caused our attorney to do more research to prove we were right. Example: he continuously violated our "no motorcycles" rule and blantedly would roar in here and rev all the way out. He told our property manager and our attorney: "I don't have a motorcycle."
He asked how to get on the roof and our property manager explained that he is NOT allowed on the roof....only licensed people are allowed. He didn't care. He and his son BOTH went up there and his son almost fell off. His son violated the parking rules NUMEROUS times. He SWORE his son wasn't violating any rules...and said that if he IS then to TOW HIM!! We did.
Over the years we've discussed safety and security (at board meetings) because of the increasing criminal activity and vandalism on the property; cars broken into; gas tanks compromised; drug deals; homeless people hanging out. In 2013 a member suggested security cameras. We checked out systems (and our budget) and determined that we could outright buy a system that included 8 cameras. At a Board Meeting we voted to buy and install the system. They were put istalledn in May 2013. It had a three year warranty.
During the first six to eight months of the year with cameras, we turned over copies of the video, to detectives, for three seperate incidents. Two drug deals and one grand theft. In 2014 a resident was granted access to the video, made a copy and turned it over to the Sheriff's Department. The entire cost for cameras for 2014 was $75.00 for a service call.
This new owner decided to run for the Board in Oct. 2014. He spent several weekend days knocking on doors (remember all those apathetic people?) and got several of them to vote for him. They didn't care.
He won...and the new Board made HIM president. This past Sunday he came on the property with his son, and another guy who doesn't live here---went on the roof and tore down ALL of our security cameras. These are "COMMON PROPERTY" cameras which (we feel) they had no right to remove. The worst part is that they took all 1200 feet of camaera cable, stuffed it in the "non-owner's" car and he drove off the property with it.
Several of us are going to meet tomorrow to discuss what we think we should do. Our FIRST thought is that HE should replace/recover our cameras at HIS expense. The Board NEVER discussed it at a Board Meeting; never voted on it and never presented this action to the members.
WHAT do any of you think we should do now?!? An attorney told me we should report the theft of the cable to the police.
Two years ago we had a person buy a condo for his convicted drug-dealer son to live in. The owner admitted that he didn't plan to live here and never would. He AND his son immediately started violating numerous rules. He received rule violation letters and he was finally turned over to our Association Attorney for compliance. He regularly lied to our attorney--which caused our attorney to do more research to prove we were right. Example: he continuously violated our "no motorcycles" rule and blantedly would roar in here and rev all the way out. He told our property manager and our attorney: "I don't have a motorcycle."
He asked how to get on the roof and our property manager explained that he is NOT allowed on the roof....only licensed people are allowed. He didn't care. He and his son BOTH went up there and his son almost fell off. His son violated the parking rules NUMEROUS times. He SWORE his son wasn't violating any rules...and said that if he IS then to TOW HIM!! We did.
Over the years we've discussed safety and security (at board meetings) because of the increasing criminal activity and vandalism on the property; cars broken into; gas tanks compromised; drug deals; homeless people hanging out. In 2013 a member suggested security cameras. We checked out systems (and our budget) and determined that we could outright buy a system that included 8 cameras. At a Board Meeting we voted to buy and install the system. They were put istalledn in May 2013. It had a three year warranty.
During the first six to eight months of the year with cameras, we turned over copies of the video, to detectives, for three seperate incidents. Two drug deals and one grand theft. In 2014 a resident was granted access to the video, made a copy and turned it over to the Sheriff's Department. The entire cost for cameras for 2014 was $75.00 for a service call.
This new owner decided to run for the Board in Oct. 2014. He spent several weekend days knocking on doors (remember all those apathetic people?) and got several of them to vote for him. They didn't care.
He won...and the new Board made HIM president. This past Sunday he came on the property with his son, and another guy who doesn't live here---went on the roof and tore down ALL of our security cameras. These are "COMMON PROPERTY" cameras which (we feel) they had no right to remove. The worst part is that they took all 1200 feet of camaera cable, stuffed it in the "non-owner's" car and he drove off the property with it.
Several of us are going to meet tomorrow to discuss what we think we should do. Our FIRST thought is that HE should replace/recover our cameras at HIS expense. The Board NEVER discussed it at a Board Meeting; never voted on it and never presented this action to the members.
WHAT do any of you think we should do now?!? An attorney told me we should report the theft of the cable to the police.