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Don't Pee om my leg and tell me it's raining

Started by LetA • 13 replies • 351 views

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LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679
Posted:

I am so tired of our PM protecting the company that repairs the gates. Within the past month we replaced the entrance and exit gate operators
to the one of two entrances to our community, the other was replaced two years ago.
The gate vendor appears to have replaced the two operators to one of the gates, I come to this conclusion because the covers to them are shiny and new
and the brand is embossed on one side. It is made by the L word that also makes regular garage door openers.

The other two gates, the covers are old and cracked. one of the covers is cracked to where the opening is about 5 inches and exposes the electronics
that control mechanism. The brand stamp on the side is different, it is the same brand as the popular door access box.

NOW DON'T TELL ME the gate company replaced a total of FOUR operators, when it is apparent that only TWO were replaced.
And don't tell me that the gate company used the old covers on the new operators or the manufacturer did not send the covers
with the new operators. I wasn't born yesterday.

Not only that, our new pool vendor, recommended by the PM. I reported 3 weeks ago, just before the pool vendor took it upon themselves to close
the pool for acid washing. I reported that the jets to the Jacuzzi was not working. this was the day before the pool was closed.
What was the pool vendors response? They Jury rigged the electrical so the jets have been running non stop 24-7 for 3 weeks now.
It was Today the vendor came out, they thought the timer was bad, it wasn't. It may be the relay. They sill left the jets running non
stop. This is beyond frigging lunacy. who does crap work like this?

I Feel I need to go to the Ombudsman's office and file an official complaint.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
As a longtime director, why don't you have the Board get proposals from different vendors??

Wow! Wait'll you get your electric bill after the jets ran for such a cray-ass long time. As a board, it might be worth demanding the MC pay for the amount that's over the typical bill.

As for your the gates' parts, the invoice should state exactly what was replaced/repaired and how much it cost.
LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679
Posted:
Right now it is just me and one other. The PMC still has not posted in the news letter that we need a volunteer.
The election came and went last year. The previous boar member was a no call no show for over a years worth of meetings.
I have been asking neighbors to submit a simple letter to the PMC. At this point it would be a board appointment.

I reached out to a previous person that served on the board, but they want nothing to do with the PM.
SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964
Posted:
You seem to be blaming a lot on the property manager, but you two are the board (such as it is) and the property manager works at the board's direction. You know this, so is there some reason you can't have a sit down with him/her, and perhaps a supervisor to discuss all this and set some deadlines as to when you shoukd have answers to your question?

In the meantime, you don't need to wait for the nanager to ask for someone to volunteer for the board - you live in a fairly large community and have already said the board can appoint someone. One person no - go out and find someone else and get your colleague to help. You'll need more people on the board to help you review the manager's performance at this point so you can decide if it's time to begin a search for a new one. You also know the work that will entail, so set some priorities on what you want to do in the next few months.

Perhaps focus on getting the gates and pool issues resolved - and that may mean you'll have to call these people yourself. It's a pain, but if you want the problem fixed, you gotta do what you gotta do.
If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 971
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By SheliaH on 04/25/2024 4:41 AM
You seem to be blaming a lot on the property manager, but you two are the board (such as it is) and the property manager works at the board's direction.

That's how it is *supposed* to work. In practice it seems like every PM I've ever worked with (4 so far) thinks that they know what is best and to hell with any direction from the Board. This morning I told my PM *two* things, and by noon they'd ignored those things and gone off and did whatever they wanted to do. I am not making this up.

It's difficult but I am slowly learning how call the PM's boss guilt-free.

Bill
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Let A,
A good practice I have used for many years since catching our board president in a theft of our property back in 2009 in Ca. I ask for the replaced item to be left behind for the board. This ensures that the new part goes in, and the old part is left onsite. Obviously, you need to set a target number for when this is done. I would say any item over $500.00 or similar would be worth it. In some cases, having the old parts may save you depending on what breaks the next time.

I always say that HOAs can be an easy place for bad vendors to thrive. You have board members that have limited time and knowledge along with PMs that are doing as little as possible to just get by. It is a recipe for theft or abuse. HOA board members are spending other people's money and that leads to them not paying attention. I not only watch our spending closely I also challenge vendors on our contracts and when appropriate I ask for the discounts and usually get them. I take my position very seriously and I look for other board members who have similar qualities.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Shelia wrote: "...you two are the board (such as it is) and the property manager works at the board's direction." BillD replied: "That's how it is *supposed* to work...This morning I told my PM *two* things, and by noon they'd ignored those things...'"

Shelia is correct the PM works at the Board's direction. No individual director is "the Board." Now there might be Boards that vote to assign certain kinds of authority to a director. But I doubt it on BillD's Board.

I think MarkM is Board president and it sounds like his Board permits him to give directions to and negotiate with vendors. I don't know how common this is.
AidylP1 (California)
Posts: 108
Posted:
From what I have read, it's just raining.
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Kerry,
Yes, you are right my board does give me the ability to communicate with vendors as the president. I also do not abuse that ability and quickly send notes to the board updating them as to what was done. The reason I am so active is because of my business background and time spent negotiating contracts as both the Seller and the buyer. Luckily all of my business life was spent in Ca., and I knew no Texas contractors when I was elected in this HOA, so I do not have to worry about any conflicts of interest. We also happen to have a great PM who does much of the leg work and makes my job easy. All contracts are always approved by the board in meetings just for the record.

On a separate note, has anyone else had trouble recently with this site not sending emails when new comments are made to a Post? It has been a problem for me for about 2 weeks now.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Good work, MarkM. I also know from your previous posts that you're very familiar with your HOA's Bylaws & other docs.
LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679
Posted:
The last three BOD's we had, I really feel they did not know what was entailed with the position.
We have lost some good owners over the year because of one renter making the street and the community a
pigsty. I can't put that much blame on the HOA and PMC because our hands are tied and there are laws that allow
that to happen.
At times I feel like just a rubber stamp.. The other good owners we have lost was due to the PMC handling of the affairs of the community.
I am just one vote to make a change, we need a second of three. Quite honestly, if housing prices were not out of control, I too would've
moved some time ago. I still have a kid going to college on a scholarship and when he goes to grad school it's adios.
WendyM5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 1,522
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By MarkM19 on 04/25/2024 1:29 PM
Let A,
A good practice I have used for many years since catching our board president in a theft of our property back in 2009 in Ca. I ask for the replaced item to be left behind for the board. This ensures that the new part goes in, and the old part is left onsite. Obviously, you need to set a target number for when this is done. I would say any item over $500.00 or similar would be worth it. In some cases, having the old parts may save you depending on what breaks the next time.

I always say that HOAs can be an easy place for bad vendors to thrive. You have board members that have limited time and knowledge along with PMs that are doing as little as possible to just get by. It is a recipe for theft or abuse. HOA board members are spending other people's money and that leads to them not paying attention. I not only watch our spending closely I also challenge vendors on our contracts and when appropriate I ask for the discounts and usually get them. I take my position very seriously and I look for other board members who have similar qualities.

good job, but you are a rare exception IMHO. Most board members attitudes I've run into is let someone else handle that. We paid $2000 to get some ditches dredges last year and most quotes were double that. Turns out the dredging didn't really help drain the water in our park and was a waste of money anyways. Spearheaded by an old board member who was complaining about standing water that wasn't even on their property.
vis ta vie
WendyM5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 1,522
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By LetA on 04/24/2024 8:58 PM
Right now it is just me and one other. The PMC still has not posted in the news letter that we need a volunteer.
The election came and went last year. The previous boar member was a no call no show for over a years worth of meetings.
I have been asking neighbors to submit a simple letter to the PMC. At this point it would be a board appointment.

I reached out to a previous person that served on the board, but they want nothing to do with the PM.

previous board member and your self should get together and boot the PM out. or just hire your own vendors, not that hard to do.
I complained to the BBB about our PM and shortly after we got a letter stating they were cancelling the contract 3 months early. I emailed them back and said that's fine, in fact you can make it 4 months early and they obligied. Glad I found a way to piss them off enough to leave they were worse then dead weight. Dead weight is when they don't do anything. They were making mistakes left and right that I had to beg them to fix. good riddance.
vis ta vie
SusanW15 (Texas)
Posts: 10
Posted:
Some things are better left to the Board, imo. We handle the gate and gate repairs when necessary. We seem to get better and quicker service than waiting for the Pm's favorite repair company to show up, only to do so without necessary repair parts. We also determine when it's time to have major landscaping services done, we handle the bidding process and decide on the company to do the work. About the only thing left for the PM is to provide an electrician for various repairs and to change bulbs in our common area street lights. We're about to pull that duty as well as their inept electricians can't seem to get the street light photosensors to work properly. It is way less frustrating and time-consuming to coordinate these tasks ourselves than to allow the PM send out their favorite repair company or buddy to attempt the job.

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