March 2010 Meeting Minutes

Board of Governors Meeting Minutes March 4, 2010


THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING TOOK PLACE AT THE PRESIDENT’S HOME, 650 LEUCADENDRA DRIVE, CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA AT 7:30 P.M. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2010.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION:
PRESIDENT, RENE GUERRA, CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND WELCOMED THOSE PRESENT. HE THANK HIS WIFE, MARTHA FOR ALLOWING TO BOARD TO MEET AT THEIR HOME. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT WERE: RENE GUERRA, PRESIDENT, SISSY RUFFE, VICE PRESIDENT, JOSE BARED, VICE PRESIDENT, BILL BOX, SECRETARY; DIRECTORS: TRISH BELL, DANIEL CANEL. BOARD MEMBERS UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT’S MEETING WERE: TREASURER, ANTHONY ARGIZ AND BUNNY BASTIAN. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE WERE CLUB MEMBERS: DR. ALBERTO TANO, DR. & MRS. RICHARD BOHN, MR. AND MRS. MILTON WALLACE AND BARBARA KELLY.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW BOARD MEMBER:
MR. GUERRA STATED CRISTINA MIRANDA SOLD HER HOUSE THUS CREATING A VACANCY ON THE BOARD. THEREFORE THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAVE THE OBLIGATION BY A MAJORITY VOTE TO SELECT A NEW MEMBER TO SERVE THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THE VACANCY. MR. GUERRA INTRODUCED DR. TANO AND STATED HIS RECOMMENDATION FOR DR. TANO TO SERVE ON THE BOARD. DR. TANO HAS AGREED, IF ELECTED, TO SERVE. MR. BARED MOVED TO APPOINT DR. TANO TO SERVE FOR THE REMAINING TERM. MRS. BELL SECONDED THE MOTION. DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE WHILE DR. TANO WAITED IN ANOTHER ROOM. THE MOTION WAS CALLED AND DR. TANO WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPOINTED BY THE BOARD TO SERVE THE UNEXPIRED TERM. DR. TANO WAS INVITED TO RETURN TO THE MEETING AND PARTICIPATE AS THE NEWLY APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER.

SECURITY:
THE SECURITY CHAIR, MR. CANEL EXPLAINED THE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT WACKENHUT CONTRACT. HE NOTED THIS EXPENSE IS NEARLY 80% OF THE CLUB’S BUDGET. MR. CANEL AND HIS CO CHAIR, MR. JUNCADELLA, FELT TOO MUCH MONEY WAS BEING INVESTED ON MANPOWER AND THE BOARD SHOULD ANALYZE TRANSFERRING SOME OF THE SECURITY BUDGET TO TECHNOLOGY AS A SAVINGS MEASURE. MR. CANEL NOTED WACKENHUT MANAGEMENT HAD IMPLEMENTED A CAP ON THEIR MONTHLY STATEMENTS AS OF OCTOBER 09 TO CONTROL EXPENSES WHILE THE TWO PARTIES WERE IN NEGOTIATIONS. THIS PROVIDED GABLES ESTATES WITH A GUARANTEED LUMP SUM EXPENSE WHILE THE SECURITY COMMITTEE CONSIDERED OPTIONS LIKE INCREASING TECHNOLOGY AND REDUCING MANPOWER. ONE RECOMMENDATION MR. CANEL SUGGESTED WAS TO HAVE A MASTER ALARM RESPONSE SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED BY WACKENHUT WHERE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, ALL MEMBERS COULD HAVE THE FIRST RESPONDER BE WACKENHUT. THE CHAIR DISCUSSED THE QUOTATION PROVIDED BY G4S WACKENHUT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A CCTV SYSTEM. (SEE ATTACHED) HE STATED THIS PROPOSAL WOULD REALIZE SAVINGS OF $118,000. WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND WOULD CONTINUE TO SAVE THE CLUB FUNDS DUE TO THE REDUCTION OF MANPOWER. HE STATED THIS PROPOSAL WAS NOT EXACTLY WHAT HIS COMMITTEE HAD IN MIND AND FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY. MR. CANEL EXPLAINED THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE PRESENT CONTRACT, WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL OF WACKENHUT REVISING THEIR MARK UP STRUCTURE AND FIX THE CONTRACT TO ELIMINATE THE AUTOMATIC YEARLY INCREASE PRESENTLY IN PLACE. THE CHAIR STATED HIS UNDERSTANDS THE LIABILITY INVOLVED IN RE- NEGOTIATING THE SECURITY CONTRACT. HIS GOAL IS TO REDUCE COST WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE CURRENT SECURITY PROGRAM. HE ADDED WITH THIS APPROACH ALONE, THE SAVING COULD BE $150,000. PER YEAR. MR. BARED AGREED, HE NOTED CURRENTLY THE CONTRACT IS A “COST PLUS CONTRACT” AND IN TODAY’S ECONOMY THIS SHOULD BE RE-NEGOTIATED. THE PRESIDENT ADDED GABLES ESTATES HAS A NUMBER OF LONGEVITY OFFICERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED INCREASES OVER THE YEARS. THE OVERHEAD COST WACKENHUT CHARGES (APPROXIMATELY 69%) HAVE FORCED COST TO GO UP SUBSTANTIALLY. MR. CANEL RECOMMENDED TAKING AWAY THE ELEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY FOR NOW & REVISIT IT AT A LATER DATE. DR. TANO QUESTION LOOKING INTO UNARMED OFFICERS FOR THE POST. DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE. THE PRESIDENT RECOMMENDED THE FOLLOWING:

1. RE-NEGOTIATE THE WACKENHUT CONTRACT, CREATING A FIXED RATE WITH SALARY CAPS - INCLUDE 30 DAY RELEASE CLAUSE

2. KEEP CURRENT STATUS OF NO OVERTIME BILLING

3. REPLACE THE MIRANDA, POTAMKIN X 2, AND ORTEGA CAMERAS
FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVED VISIBILITY

4. ADD ONE ADDITIONAL MONITOR AND COMPUTER TO THE
CASUARINA GATEHOUSE THUS ALLOWING FOR FULL VIEW OF
LAND AND WATER CAMERA SIMULTANEOUSLY.

5. PURCHASE A SCANNER FOR EMPLOYEES TO USE TO ASSURE
PROPER DOCUMENTATION AND RECORD OF TIME WORKED BY ALL EMPLOYEES, IE, WACKENHUT, HANDYMAN AND OFF DUTY CORAL GABLES POLICE OFFICERS.

6. MR. CANEL WILL OBTAIN AT LEAST TWO OTHER BIDS TO COMPARE WITH THE NEWLY NEGOTIATED WACKENHUT CONTRACT

MRS. WALLACE, PAST PRESIDENT, CAUTIONED USING UNARMED GUARDS AS THIS MAY NOT BE AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE IN AN EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. SHE NOTED THE GREATEST DETERRENT IN SECURITY IS PRESENCE AND PROOF OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IS NON ACTIVITY. LASTLY, MRS. WALLACE RECOMMENDED CONTINUING TO UTILIZE WELL TRAINED ARMED OFFICERS AND NOT INEXPERIENCED ONES. MR. WALLACE STATED THEY HAD TO LEAVE THE MEETING TO ATTEND ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT BUT HE WOULD LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT THEY SUPPORT CONVERTING THE OVERHEAD CABLES ON CASUARINA TO UNDERGROUND. AS THEY DEPARTED THE MEETING MRS. WALLACE EXPRESSED WELL WISHES TO THE BOARD AND THANKED THEM FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THEY HAVE DONE. DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE.
MR. CANEL MOVED IN FAVOR OF THE PRESIDENT’S ITEMIZED RECOMMENDATION. DR. TANO SECONDED THE MOTION. ALL WERE IN FAVOR.

TREASURER’S REPORT:
THE PRESIDENT STATED THE TREASURER WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT’S MEETING. THEREFORE HE WOULD GIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CLUB’S FINANCIAL STATUS. MR. GUERRA STATED LEGAL EXPENSES ARE OUT OF BALANCE BY NEARLY $7,000, THIS IS DUE TO APPROXIMATELY $4,000. OF LEGAL FEES ACCREDITED TO A DISGRUNTLE MEMBER, NEARLY $8,000. IN LEGAL FEES HAVE BEEN GENERATED TO DATE DUE TO THE ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY AND ANOTHER $4,000. IN FEES HAVE BEEN INCURRED REGARDING THE FINAZZO CONVENIENT/VARIANCE AGREEMENT. MR. GUERRA STATED TO PROMOTE SAVING THE CLUB FROM SPENDING ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON LEGAL EXPENSES HE DIRECTED THE FINAZZO AND BEAN PARTIES TO NEGOCIATE BETWEEN THEMSELVES THE CONVENIENT AGREEMENT AND BRING THE FINAL DRAFT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW. OVERALL THE CLUB’S FINANCES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE PRESIDENT STATED MRS. RUSSO SHALL BE ASKED TO DEAL WITH LEGAL MATTERS EFFICIENTLY AND COST EFFECTIVELY IN ORDER TO SAVE THE CLUB FUNDS.

CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN:
THE BOARD REVIEWED THE REQUEST FROM THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN TO WAIVE THE TRANSFER FEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000. (SEE ATTACHED) DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE. MR. BOX MOVED TO WAIVE THE TRANSFER FEE FOR CONSULATE GENERALS AFTER THE FIRST APPLICATION FEE IS PAID IN FULL, PROVIDED THE CONSULATE GENERAL DOES NOT SIGN THE LEASE BUT THE COUNTY OF ORIGIN DOES. DR. TANO SECOND THE MOTION AND ALL WERE IN FAVOR SAVE MR. BARED WHO OPPOSED THE

MOTION, THE MOTION PASSED.

FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES:
MR. BARED REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE LANDSCAPE PROVIDER TO CUT THE GRASS ON THE RIGHT OF WAY (COMMON AREA ONLY) OF PROPERTIES IN FORECLOSURE/PROCESS OF FORECLOSURE THAT ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED. MRS. RUFFE SO MOVED AND MR. BARED SECONDED THE MOTION. ALL WERE IN FAVOR.
OLD BUSINESS/NEW BUSINESS: PAVERS: MRS. BOHN EXPRESSED HER CONCERN REGARDING THE BOARD’S PAVER PROPOSAL DUE TO THE LIABILITY EXPOSURE TO THE CLUB. MRS. BOHN STATED SHE WOULD PREFER THE CLUB TO USE THE FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR THE PAVER PROJECT FOR CONVERTING THE UTILITIES UNDERGROUND ON CASUARINA. THE PRESIDENT STATED THE FUNDS WOULD NOT BE USED FOR ONE STREET SINCE THE IMPROVEMENT MUST BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. MRS. RUFFE STATED THE PAVER PROPOSAL WAS PART OF THE INITIAL TRAFFIC CALMING ISLAND MEASURE AS A SAFETY FEATURE TO THE TRAFFIC CALMING ISLANDS FROM THE CITY. HOWEVER, THE CITY RAN OUT OF FUNDS AND THE PAVERS WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED. THE BOARD IS PROPOSING TO FOLLOW THRU ON THE CITY’S CONSULTANT’S AND ENGINEER’S STUDY TO MAKE OUR STREETS SAFER AND KEEP THE SPEED LIMITS DOWN. MRS. RUFFE EX PLAINED THAT THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE THE CITY INSTALL THE PAVERS, OWN THE PAVERS AND ASSUME ALL LIABILITIES OF THE PAVERS, THE ONLY PART THE CLUB WOULD BEAR IS THE COST OF INSTALLING SAID PAVERS.

UTILITIES CONVERTED TO UNDERGROUND:
MRS. BOHN WOULD PREFER THOSE FUNDS TO BE UTILIZED IN PLACING THE OVERHEAD CABLES UNDERGROUND. THE PRESIDENT EXPLAINED THAT PREVIOUS BOARDS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE CASUARINA CABLES PLACED UNDERGROUND WITHOUT POSITIVE RESULTS. HE STATED THE BOARD WOULD BE WILLING TO OFFER THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS ENDEAVOR, HOWEVER THE FOLLOWING STEPS MUST TAKE PLACE:

1. A COMMITTEE MUST BE CREATED, PREFERABLE OF MEMBERS RESIDING ON CASUARINA CONCOURSE.

2. SAID COMMITTEE MUST WORK WITH THE CITY TO GET AN ENGINEER STUDY DONE OF THE WORK AND COST INVOLVED. (THIS STUDY WOULD DETERMINE WHERE THE TRANSFORMER BOXES WOULD BE PLACED.)

3. SAID COMMITTEE MUST NEGOCIATE WITH FP& L TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE A PORTION OF THE LABOR AND/OR COSTS TO IMPROVE THEIR SERVICES.

4. SAID COMMITTEE MUST NEGOCIATE WITH THE CITY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE LABOR, COSTS AND/OR PERMIT FEES TOWARDS THE PROJECT.

5. ONCE A FINAL COST IS DETERMINED, SAID COMMITTEE MUST GET AT LEAST 51% WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE MEMBERS OWNING PROPERTY ON CASUARINA CONCOURSE TO BEAR THEIR PORTION OF THE COST (LOT BASIS) AND WHERE WARRANTED, ALLOW THE TRANSFORMERS ON THEIR RIGHT OF WAYS.

MRS. RUFFE STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE FROM CASUARINA CONCOURSE, ONCE IT WAS FORMED.

MRS. KELLY ADDED THAT SNAPPER CREEK LAKES INVESTED A GREAT DEAL OF TIME LOOKING INTO CONVERTING THEIR CABLES TO UNDERGROUND AND IN THE END DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE PROJECT.
PAVERS:

MR. GUERRA STATED OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO THE MEMBERS ON CASUARINA CONCOURSE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE CITY INSTALLING THE FIVE TRAFFIC CALMING ISLANDS ON CASUARINA AS PRESENTED BY THE CONSULTANTS HIRED BY THE CITY. THE PRESENTATION INCLUDED PAVERS AS PART OF THE CALMING OF TRAFFIC, HOWEVER FUNDING DID NOT ALLOW THIS PORTION TO TRANSPIRE. THE PRESIDENT STATED THE CIRCLE LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF LEUCADENDRA AND ARVIDA PARKWAY WAS RE-DESIGNED BY THE CITY TO INCLUDE DIVIDERS TO CORRECT THE FAULTY ORIGINAL DESIGN. APPROACH PAVER BANDS WILL ALSO ACT AS A CALMING DEVICE. HE ADDED THE PAVERS LOCATED AT THE THREE BRIDGES WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SAFETY AS A VISUAL APPROACH DEVICE. THE PRESIDENT EXPLAINED THE BOARD WILL PURSUE THE CITY TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR OBLIGATION TO OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE STREETS SAFER. SINCE RESOURCES ARE AN ISSUE, THE BOARD WILL ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COST WHILE THE CITY TAKES OWNERSHIP OF THE IMPROVEMENT. MR. GUERRA STATED THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND SEES NO REASON WHY GABLES ESTATES SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME.

ADJOURNMENT:
MR. GUERRA THANKED EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING. THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS, THE PRESIDENT ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. A MOTION WAS SO MOVED AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 9:45 P.M.