This Is our Village

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Running C.V. Like a Business

As snowbirds for 6 years and now full-time residents, we have been truly impressed with the improvements in Century Village, especially during the UCO administration led by David Israel, Bob Marshall, Frank Cornish, Ed Black, Phyllis Richland and others. The Village is finally being run like a business with a new level of efficiency, openness and transparency.

A major advancement is the availability on the blog of UCO forms and legal documents that residents and associations need, including bylaws, laws and statutes affecting the Village. Anyone who has scanned documents for electronic access knows the inordinate amount of time and commitment it takes to complete a project like this.

It's a great convenience to have ready access to interactive printable applications for things like sale or deed transfers, non-owner occupancy, association board member & delegate listings, etc. Also available are electronic forms for hardship requests, requests for occupancy and resident transponder registrations, among others.

This is also the first time in C.V. history that the contract for insurance has ever gone out for bid. Can you imagine a business awarding a multi-million dollar contract without a formal bidding process? By competitive bidding, and by approaching new markets, the Insurance Committee identified $2 million in excessive costs in the old contract, a travesty really --considering that these new markets have been available since 2008. The Committee set a precedent for sound, responsible business processes, which UCO expects to expand and continue on all contract negotiations and renewals going forward.

Most residents may not realize that the new Comcast agreement was negotiated to give C.V. residents services for $27 per month that would cost $67 per month outside the Village -- pretty good! UCO also set up regular training in the use of the cable box.

We also see an openness in the running of UCO meetings that respectfully allows every opinion to be heard, even though there have been frustrating incidents of rudeness and attempts to disrupt. These episodes seem never to produce concrete alternatives, just noise -- yet everyone is allowed to have a say.

Have you noticed that UCO investigations are becoming more streamlined, efficient and timely? Or that UCO finances and expenditures are more transparent? There is a decidely more friendly atmosphere for unit owners dealing with UCO. There are serious initiatives to connect the neediest of our residents with services like food stamps and reductions in utility rates.

Every day we are seeing Century Village become stronger and more vibrant, and we hope that advancements like these will continue. Our thanks to the UCO team for managing C.V. like a well-run business.

The Buchanans

5 comments:

  1. This is so true and after coming from the business world where these things are standard operating procedures, it is very comforting to see this happening here in CV.

    ReplyDelete
  2. When David was running for the
    office of Prez there were many
    CVers against him using Comcast
    as the reason not to vote for him
    and I argued and told them to
    inquire and ask people who do not
    live in CV and ask them what it is
    costing them for cable. They were
    shocked when people told them they
    were paying over double the price
    that we here at CV are paying.
    That alone changed their mind and
    casted a vote for David and it is
    not only cable but how he goes and
    explains everything on the sidebar
    of the Blog he created. David is
    in my opinion one of the most
    intelligent and very informative
    leader to be the leader of CV and
    I have to say he is also a very
    honest person and he is also
    a very COOL PRESIDENT.

    ReplyDelete
  3. dear buchanans, thanks for the kind words about our administration. it is nice to know that our efforts have been recognized. we are constantly striving to improve and upgrade, our volunteers are such a valuable resource without them we could not operate. with david at the helm even if we have to "rig for heavy weather"we will come out on top. thanks again .

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been in and around the village since the 1970s when my mother lived here and I can say that this is the most open administration we have had and the most thorough. Thanks to all for a job well done.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes Anita, You are right. We have a wonderful captain at the helm that gives many-many-many hours of his time for the residents of this village. Also our other officers give their time REMEMBER this is alll FREE OF CHARGE to the residents. David is bringing us in to the 21st Century and Uco definitely is very transparent. Lets hope we can keep David in their until he can't run any more...

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.