This Is our Village

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Why I Love Century Village

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Why I love Century village.  Due to that fact that I am still working back "up north" I can only get to my beloved C.V. about 30 to 40 days a year Century Village  for me is an island of solitude in in a world that is very stressful,Century Village is a refuge of peace safety and beauty, C.V. is pristine it is pin neat. At C.V. I can relax and de-stress, It is interesting to read the blogs and also the  articles and editorials in the Advocate and see how easy it is to get involved in  petty backbiting and politicking.

I for one do not want to loose sight of the fact that there is more right with C.V. than wrong.We have a good thing here lets not rip it apart with pettiness I have never met David Israel but I see the success that is Century Village as an example of his body of work.

I have seen many things moving in the right direction since I have had a place at C.V. about  four plus years now, and I think David is one of the main reasons for our continued success in a very troubled economic time.

 Thanks David
 Lenny Clark  351 Northampton R. 
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Joy Vestal and Fausto Fabbro

Remember these new names Joy for Recording Secretary and Fausto for Executive Board. Joy writes those carefully balanced and researched articles in the UCO Reporter, a new level of competence IMHO. Fausto's good influences in the NW corner of CV make me look forward to his ideas.
Want new blood - here is some. Fausto means 'Lucky', and Joy means, umm.. joy, we need both.

Check out the Genealogy Club's New Blog!

Those of you who would like to follow the world of ancestry and want to stay abreast of the Genealogy Club's upcoming events, classes and information, check out our brand new Genealogy Blog! It's called The Genealogy Club of Century Village - West Palm Beach. Here's the link:

The Genealogy Club of Century Village - West Palm Beach

Here's the actual address if you want to paste it onto the address field or save it as a bookmark:

http://genclubcvwpb.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to post genealogical articles or stories of interest and unusual discoveries made while conducting your ancestral research, send me an email and you can become a blogger too! You can even post pictures, video and documents, too. To read articles and posts, just expand the arrows and click on one of the links on the left side of the page.

Send your requests to post to lhunt800@comcast.net and I'll ad you as an author. It's that easy!

I'm new at this blogging business - so bear with me as we fine tune moving forward...

We also invite you to join us at our Genealogy Club meetings every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 3:30PM-5:00PM at the main clubhouse!

See you on the blog!

P.S. Dave, if you're not still mad at me ( :-) )  , I invite you to exchange reciprocal links with us. We'd love to have you! Your guests are all welcome to post. Nothing will be censored. We only ask that posters keep their posts related to Genealogy and nothing that would make me blush!
Welcome everyone!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

AN INSTRUCTIVE FORUM

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Monday’s first-of-its-kind Century Village political forum was well run and instructive, I thought. Kudos to Roberta Fromkin, her team, and guest moderator Susan Bucher. Some of the questions were answered forthrightly, and some only partially responded to. That's as good as it gets in US presidential candidate debates.

Personally, I thought Dave Israel’s replies, sometimes of necessity longer than those of his opponents, showed his experience with how things actually work and an intelligent weighing of considerations. For example, when it was suggested UCO “take care” of more things for beleaguered associations, Dave advised unit owners to beware the slippery slope of associations ceding too much power to UCO. And again, his pointing out how the contract with a vendor such as the previous bus company, cannot be ended on the vice presidential level.

A thing I am most concerned about is who would carry on with the computer-related advances Dave has begun if he is not reelected. It is easy to say one would form a committee. Even if Dave continues in office, I am concerned about his training staff who can and will do the things he has done, particularly the Information Forward Initiative, the CV Blog, and the computerization of records.

There were some sharp (in the good sense) exchanges. There were also exchanges where a candidate said he agreed with what another candidate had said, which was refreshing. And there was humor at times, as when Joy Vestal said at the closing that she only wished the chairs had been softer. The audience was remarkably well behaved, as Susan Bucher attested to.

All in all, I think it was a very good forum and well done on the part of all.
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My Afterthoughts on the Candidates' Forum

First of all, let me say that I have no allegiances or affiliations to any party in this village. I've intentionally remained neutral and avoided immersing myself into the politics of this village because I wished to remain an independent thinker that makes decisions based upon my own personal experiences with people and politicians. I've seen some good leaders and I have seen some deplorable leadership by some in positions of leadership in this village. My only active participation in the events of this village was through my founding of the victims rights group called VOICES to help the scores of victims who were victimized by the 1st Priority scams a couple of years ago and more recntly as an educator in the Computer and Genealogy clubs. My thoughts below are a result of my personal interactions with the candidates who are up for election. I will not reap any rewards as a result of supporting one candidate or another. No promises have been made, no undue influence has been exerted, no expectations of favors or seats in an administration. These are simply my opinions following my observations this morning at the Candidates' Forum. Mr. Israel has used this blog as an open campaign forum, so I'm sure he will accord me the same opportunity in the spirit of competition. These are simply my thoughts. You may agree or disagree. It's OK either way.

As everyone knows, David Israel became president approximately 2 years ago. He stepped into some muddy shoes left by the previous administration and began his administration with a heavy burden and a mess to clean up primarily following the 1st Priority scandals that had rocked Century Village under the previous administration, of which he was a part as an executive officer, and also under the watch of the then insurance chairman. One of the things I personally found to be most troubling at the time of the commencement of his administration was the lack of transparency and communication that perpetuated throughout Century Village. I found this especially to be the case in my own association and upon election to the board as president of my association I made that my number one priority with outstanding results. It was refreshing to see Dave also take a proactive stance to begin to increase the transparency and communication by taking the steps he has taken to communicate via e-mails the information from many of the meetings that UCO has held, even if these reach a small minority of the over 7000 residents. He is also trying to bring the village into the 21st century by computerizing thousands of documents which simplifies accessibility to these documents by residents who have computers. He also mentioned a better approach to the investigations process by using an online application which is a positive step forward for those who choose to use it. (Our association uses our own online investigative service at half the cost of UCO's service with a quicker response and a more comprehensive online PDF report returned within three days, but that's another story - I digress...) Although I have not experienced the "on demand transponder" service that is now touted by UCO, I can honestly say that if this is the case, then it is a 1000% improvement over what was available under the previous administration. I speak with experience, as it took me almost 2 years to obtain my transponder! You see, back then transponder installations were scheduled only one day per month. I was usually on a business trip most of those scheduled days. Calls to supervisors, their bosses, etc. fell on deaf ears and were to no avail as UCO steadfastly refused to accommodate me on a different day, citing insurmountable difficulties of stopping traffic long (approx. 2 minutes) enough to drive my car to the transponder at the gate to see if it worked... yes - 2 years. Mr. Israel deserves to be recognized for the vast improvement to the service.

However, I believe the level of transparency and communication has not risen to the level necessary to inform all of the delegates prior to decisions being made that could ultimately decide the financial fate of the village. Many questions have been raised about the millions of dollars in funds that have been spent as a result of decisions made in closed meetings in which multi--multi-year contracts are being signed regarding technologies that could very well be obsolete in only half that time, and huge amounts of the Century Village owners' money being spent by only a few individuals and that the delegates and residents were not aware of until after the fact. One example of the aforementioned meetings was acknowledged by Mr. Israel in answering one of the questions posed to him during the Candidates' Forum this morning, namely the first phase of the asphalt paving contract that was signed at a closed-door meeting. I was not aware of this until he explained it this morning. The explanations I hear regarding the closed meetings are that the bylaws call for the meetings to be closed and that the facilitator has no choice but to close the meeting. If this is the case, then the bylaws should be changed to allow more discretion to the facilitator to make that choice, or participation by those who are providing the revenue to support the projects that UCO is spending the money on. Which brings me to my next point-

It is a normal, natural reaction by humans to resist change. We become familiar with our surroundings, the people that we talk to and work with, and we human beings have a natural tendency to settle in and become creatures of habit. Then, when there is an abrupt change to this familiarity, we become skittish, nervous, rattled, etc. and are made very uncomfortable by this change in our familiar surroundings. We then fight tooth and nail to prevent this sudden change to our familiarity. This is a simple fact of human nature. Look at the government of the United States. This is an excellent example of what I'm talking about.

Sometimes, however, change is good. We have been witness to the many positive changes made by Mr. Israel during the two years of his presidency. But - this almost didn't happen. Why? Because so many people were used to the familiarity of how business was being done by the then administration, even with the many mistakes it made, that Mr. Israel narrowly escaped defeat in that election by only two votes. This resistance will also be felt in the upcoming election on March 2nd. However, sometimes it takes someone who has not been a part of the long held establishment (the current and former administrations), that has no ties or any affiliation to one group or another, that is not beholding to anyone, who has been in the background observing and taking notes, that can really make a much larger difference in how positive change can be effected for an organization or group of people.

After watching the three candidates on the stage this morning, I think that, when assessing the performance of all three, Mr. La Fountain (forgive me if I misspelled it) represented himself extremely well in terms of the articulation of his responses to the questions posed by not only the other candidates but by the residents. Unlike the others, his answers were succinct, direct and to the point, informative, and well articulated, with no hesitation, waffling, stuttering or questioning of himself. I observed a calm, confidence in his demeanor. I heard no talking points or dancing around of any questions. As to questions about his limited experience within Century Village, garnering a career's worth of experience in management and successful business is certainly not limited to having to participate in a few committees and boards at UCO in order to establish a worthwhile criteria to become a leader of a group of people or a business like UCO.

Case in point - prior to becoming president of my condominium association, I was president of nothing. However, by using good common sense and using my experience in leading people in the past, like the four 50 man special Military Police response teams tasked with the responsibility to prevent the theft of the one of our nation's nuclear arsenals, and in which the use of deadly force was authorized if necessary, or leading a force of MP's to protect the Commander of the entire US ARMY in Europe, I was, with no condo management experience whatsoever, able to effect change to the management style of my own small association and saved us $15,000 in the process in only 18 months. If you are a good manager and a good leader, you can manage and lead anyone or any business, including a small business like UCO.

Although many may think it insignificant, the article written in the UCO reporter about Mr. La Fountain's leadership of Berkshire B association speaks volumes to his leadership abilities and his ability to bring people together for a common cause, which has been lacking in CV for many years. It is EXTREMELY rare for a president of an association in this village, or any other for that matter, who willingly takes on the responsibility without pay and who has made tremendous strides in bringing the business of an association to profitability and to a very cohesive state of tranquility amongst the owners, to receive any thanks or praise whatsoever, let alone be honored the way the residents of his association have chosen to honor him. He has done things for his association that are precedent setting, such as establishing cost cutting Wi-FI service just for his association, something even I thought I had the jump on - but he beat me to it! Mr. Isreal is still talking about doing it. Mr. La Fountain has already done it! He holds a daily "Happy Hour" (not the alcohol type) every day at 4PM just so his owners and residents can get together to socialize and air out any issues, etc. This speaks highly to his leadership abilities. This is also an excellent example of transparency and communication. He stated he has worked with million dollar companies and significantly raised their profitability. This shows true business leadership and the ability to run a successful business like UCO. This speaks even more highly to his leadership abilities. He brings newer, fresher ideas from the business world he recently left than many at UCO who have since been retired for many, many years.

Case in point - I was in a computer class recently where one of the teachers had mentioned that his career had been in the IT field (Information Technology). I went on to observe the class and discovered that he was lacking in the fundamental skills necessary to perform simple basic computer tasks, much less IT functions. He was in fact an IT professional who worked in what was then large commercial enterprises in the 1980's, but nothing close to what has since evolved into what we know today as true Information Technology and Informatics worldwide.

He's also right about the physical image and lack of curb appeal of Century Village. This should have been addressed a long time ago and is one of many reasons reflected by the numbers of condo's for sale in our village. Have you checked out the market values of all of the surrounding condos and compared them to our prices lately? This village will only improve it's standing with newer, fresher ideas from those who are willing to implement them.

Mr. Israel can hold his head high after his two years. I'm sure he will make more positive contributions if he's re-elected. However, based on my conversations with Mr. Israel and Mr. Cornish over the last few years and my more recent conversations with Mr La Fountain, I will vote for Mr. La Fountain. I think he has the passion and the integrity necessary to do the best job for Century Village. Should he win or lose, I will continue to work to help those who are in need. I wish all the candidates the best, and more importantly, I hope the delegates select someone who will put the interest of the residents of Century Village first and foremost before the needs of anyone or anything else.

Monday, February 27, 2012

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

No, I'm not literally asking who you think you are. BUT-DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE?



Yes, I'm referring to the Century Village Genealogy Club. The Genealogy Club continues to expand and enthusiasm and excitement continues to grow as we increase our membership to almost 30 members now after only four meetings!
The Genealogy Club held its fourth meeting at the Century Village West Palm Beach Clubhouse on February 27, 2012 with the addition of four new members with loads of genealogy experience to share with our other members. One new couple brings to the table over 30 years of combined genealogy experience. They have gathered information on over 9500 people in their family tree since their research began back in the 80s! That brings our combined total number of members'  genealogy experience to over 70 years! The meeting lasted for an hour and a half and was complete with many great stories and interesting tidbits of information from each of the members.
By the way, for those of you who  missed the presentation by Palm Beach County  Genealogical  Society Speaker, Mr. Carlos Ruth. I have posted a 10 minute video of the presentation on YouTube for your education and entertainment. I spruced it up with a little background music and some cool transitions. I hope you enjoy it. You can click on the link below or paste it into your browser to go directly to the video.
Because the club is new, we had to discuss some of the formalities that are required, such as discussion of membership and dues. The club decided to require only $1.00 per month for dues or $12 per year per member. If the spouse also joins the club, his or her membership will be cut in half, for a total of $18 per year per couple. (Sounds like a great reason to bring your spouse to the next meeting!) Membership begins and is renewed in January of each year. If you join during the year, your dues will be prorated based on the number of months left in the year. For example, if you join the club next month you will pay only $9.00 for membership dues for 2012 (nine months left in the year). The cost for a couple will be $13.50 if they both join in March this year. We will begin collecting dues at our next meeting on March 12 2012, at 3:30 PM.
There is a new time for club meetings. Club meetings will now begin at 3:30PM-5 PM on the second and fourth Monday of each month beginning March 1.
There was also a change in the officers of the club. Fran Sacher assumes the position of Secretary and Judy Olman has taken the position of Treasurer. Anitra Kraus and Sharon Hunt will remain as President and Vice President respectively. Kathy Congi will act as our "Unofficial Corresponding Secretary" to assist Fran with the dissemination of information.
I, your humble correspondent/blogger, volunteered to create and send newsletters regarding the events and happenings of the club to our fellow snowbirds following their annual migration to the north for the summer.
Some of our upcoming meetings will include classes and lectures on:
·         Getting Started With Genealogy
·         How To Use Family Tree Maker Genealogy Software
·         How To Use Legacy Family Tree
·         Converting and Merging Databases
·         Using Genealogy Computer Software vs. Using Ancestry.com
·         Video Demonstrations of the Use of Both Legacy Family Tree and Family Tree Maker Software
·         Internet Security Precautions When Doing Research
·         Fundamental Computer Skills and Computer Operations
As you can see, we have plenty of fun subjects to discuss and learn about. We hope you can join us at our next meeting on Monday, March 12, 2012, at 3:30 PM at the main clubhouse. As you enter the building, ask security where the Genealogy Club is meeting and they will direct you to our room. See you soon!
Lee Hunt, GCCVWPB Blogger

Beautification Committee

From comments at today's Forum it sounds as if the Beautification Committee needs to be revived for hardscaping of the CV entrances, if not so much for greenscaping. Step right up!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Vote for the Real Thing




After that furry interlude back to election stuff.

King of the Tree




 Racoons can be out in the daytime especially when they are hungry babies looking for loquats. Actually the village is so brightly lit all night none of our critters could be classed as nocturnal, maybe crepuscular. These are Sussex racoons, click photos to enlarge.


Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control's Captain David Walesky tells us there were only a total of 4 rabies cases in all of Palm Beach County in 2011. Therefore, there is no need to panic at the sight of racoons, just be normally cautious.


Korean War Veteran Certificates

Charles Koppelman  - KW60 Ambassador
24 Hastings B      West Palm Beach, FL 33417-1209
561-683-7085
Email: KWV148@yahoo.com

CENTURY VILLAGE WEST PALM BEACH  – My name is Charles Koppelman from Century Village and I have been recently recognized by the Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean War (KW60) Commemoration Committee as your local KW60 Ambassador.

The Committee, a three-year program initiated in 2010, seeks to honor the service and sacrifice of Korean War Veterans, commemorate the key events of the war, and educate Americans about the Korean War’s significance.

The Korean War is often referred as “The Forgotten War” As a KW60 Ambassador, I hope to propel Korean War Veterans and their contribution to greater public awareness. I will focus on establishing a local voice of sincere appreciation for the selfless service and sacrifices that Korean War Veterans made on behalf of all Americans. I look forward to incorporating Korean War Veterans history and Veterans into local activities such as community festival events, school programs and commemoration ceremonies.

As part of the program, I plan to thank and honor as many of our treasured Korean War Veterans
(June 25,1950 – July 27, 1953) as possible in a heartfelt and meaningful way. I hope that working together locally and reaching across the Palm Beach community, we can partner, collaborate and achieve more to acknowledge our valued Korean War Veterans.

If you are a Korean War Veteran (June 25, 1950 –July 27, 1953) interested in being recognized with an official Certificate of Appreciation sent to you by the Department of Defense and signed by the Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, you may Email me at:  KWV148@yahoo.com.

The following information is requested: (PLEASE PRINT) Rank, First and Last Name,
Service Branch, Street Address, City, State and Zip Code. Email address optional.

Please call me at: 561-683-7085 - 10 AM to 6 PM if you would like this certificate at NO  CHARGE.

J.W.V. Meeting

Jewish War Veterans Golden Century Post #501


Next meeting Sunday morning March 4, colation starts at 9:00 am meeting begins at 9:30 am. Meeting will be held at the Cypress Lakes Clubhouse 3445 Cypress Trail. Use main entrance on Haverhill.

NEW members welcome.

Korea War Veterans

Korean War Veterans Chapter #17 Meeting
The next regular meeting of the Lt. Richard E. Cronan Chapter #17 of KOREAN WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION will be held on Sunday morning March 11. We meet at the firehouse at 14276 Hagen Ranch Road in Delray Beach between Atlantic Ave. and Lake Ida Road. Bagels and Coffee will be at 9:00 am. Meeting starts at 9:30 am.NEW members are welcome.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

COMPLIMENTARY RESIDENT APPRECIATION BREAKFAST


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Hi all,
WOW! don't miss the bagels and doughnuts!
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Dave Israel
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Friday, February 24, 2012

DBPR - CONDOMINIUM/COOPERATIVE COMPLAINT FORM - LIVE IN CYBERSPACE

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Hi all,
From time to time an Association or Unit Owner may have cause to file a complaint with the Condominium Ombudsman, in Tallahassee.

The form is long and a bit complicated. In order to simplify the process, we have taken the DBPR's form and made it live and interactive, thus it may be filled in on your computer.

The form has been uploaded to the cloud and may be accessed at the following URL:

http://goo.gl/qWygL

The form may also be accessed from the sidebar under the heading Interactive Forms.

Try the URL, when the form appears, Left Click the file menu and then click "Download"

The live form will appear on your screen.

Dave Israel
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Thursday, February 23, 2012

CV Arts & Crafts Show

Arts & Crafts Show
Friday Feb 24, 2012
9am to 12 noon
Clubhouse Party Room

ELECTION COMMITTEE - DO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER

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Hi all,
At todays Officers Committee meeting concerns were raised about the conducting of the elections upcoming on March 2, 2012.

Every effort is being made to ensure a fair and open election and, in accordance with UCO Bylaws, I have selected the Chair, who will be responsible for conducting the election. That Chair person is Marilyn Gorodetzer.

Marilyn is solely responsible, along with her Committee members for setting up and running the elections, independent of UCO interference.

Any unit owner may volunteer by contacting Marilyn ( msgema33@gmail.com ) or (561) 689-3647 but just because you volunteer, does not mean you will be selected.

Any Candidate that wants to designate an Observer, must so advise Marilyn in writing. You may bring your written designation to UCO who will pass it along to Marilyn, or you may Email the name of your designated Observer directly to Marilyn

I have sent out contact information for Marilyn to 480 Association Officers by Email.

If you wish to volunteer to help with the Election, once again, contact Marilyn at: msgema33@gmail.com or (561) 689-3647

Dave Israel
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Refresh Executive Board

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Jmitaly, you talked about new blood and term limits, what could be done with the Executive Board. Some people have been on it past their 'use by date'. Too many delegates vote for a familiar name without real knowledge of the candidate. How can qualified new people be brought in? Any ideas, anybody?
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CANDIDATES FORUM UPDATE #2

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CANDIDATES FORUM CLARIFICATIONS


The FORUM starting time will be 9:30am on February 27th. We would appreciate arrivals to start at 9:00am.


ALL ATTENDEES WHO SHOW THEIR IDENTIFICATION CARD WILL RECEIVE A RAFFLE FOR THE TV SETS. THE RAFFLES ARE NOT ONLY FOR UCO DELEGATES, BUT AGAIN, WILL BE GIVEN TO ALL ID HOLDERS ATTENDING.


I hope this clarifies any questions that have arisen.


Come to the Forum, listen to the nominees and make an informed decision about the officers who are running.
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CANDIDATES FORUM UPDATE

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CANDIDATES FORUM INFORMATION


Nominees for the executive board will please sit in the first row.


Procedure will be as follows:


Each presidential candidate will have three minutes to state his qualifications
Questions submitted by candidates for president will be asked by Susan Bucher and, again, each presidential candidate will have three minutes to answer.
Susan will ask if the opposing candidates want to respond and, if so, two minutes will be allowed for rebuttal.


Each vice presidential candidate will have two minutes to state his qualifications
Each treasury candidate will have three minutes to state qualifications.
Each secretary will have one minute to state qualifications.
The executive board nominees will state his/her name.


As time allows, questions from those who submitted names will be called.
At ll:45 two numbers will be called and the TV sets will be given out.
:

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

CANDIDATES FORUM

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LAST COUPLE OF DAYS TO PARTICIPATE
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THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOU TO SEND ME YOUR NAME SO THAT, IF PULLED FROM
THE BASKET, YOU MAY ASK A QUESTION OF A NOMINATED OFFICER. 
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SO, HOW ABOUT IT?????????
 E MAIL YOUR NAME AND ASSOCIATION NAME TO ME AT RGWLBF@GMAIL.COM AND MAYBE YOUR NAME WILL BE SELECTED AND YOU MAY ASK A QUESTION OF YOUR CHOOSING. 
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COME ON!!!! BE A PARTICIPANT!!!! THE DEADLINE OF NOON ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, IS ALMOST UPON US. DON'T BE LEFT OUT. SEND ME YOUR NAME AND ASSOCIATION BECAUSE NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN AND WOMEN TO BE INVOLVED IN CHOOSING THE SLATE OF OFFICERS IN WPB CENTURY VILLAGE.
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WHY NOT TO VOTE FOR DOROTHY FOR TREASURER

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Let's start with not a team player!
Following is a copy of the sticky note left on the UCO Presidents desk, without one single word prior about her intention to resign:
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Can we risk a repeat of this sort of behavior, absolutely not:
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Vote for Ed Black for UCO Treasurer, there is no qualified alternative!
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Dave Israel
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At Each New Dawn


For a friend in the village, with love from your friends, remember at each new dawn:

I give you this one thought to keep -
I am with you still - I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning's hush
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone -
I am with you still - in each new dawn.

Native American Version

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

VOTE FOR DAVID ISRAEL

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I am asking all unit owners who are able to cast a vote to please cast your vote for David Israel. 


We definitely need another two years of his excellent and dedicated work. CV is a great place to live due to all changes and creations that David has done in the last two years and all the changes he has created have saved we the unit owners much much money. 


 Not voting for David will make CV go backward in progress and we certainly do not want that...........HE WILL MAKE SURE THAT CENTURY VILLAGE WILL CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD AND CONTINUE DOING ALL THE FINE WORK THAT MAKE CV ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES TO LIVE.
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GARAGE SALE ANDOVER C

GARAGE SALE
ANDOVER C
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25TH
RAIN DATE : SUNDAY FEBRUARY 26TH
9 am - 3 pm
LOTS OF VENDORS
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Stephen Goldstein

Movie: Gimme Green

 

Enjoy FREE e4 Sustainability Summit Events at the Lake
Pavilion (101 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach):
Thursday, Feb 23, 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Movies: Gimme Green, Chasing Water & The
Story of Bottled Water: Enter for a chance to win a FREE GREEN BASKET!

Gimme Green: Gimme Green is a humorous look at the American obsession
with the residential lawn and the effects it has on our environment, our
wallets and our outlook on life. From the limitless subdivisions of
Florida to sod farms in the arid southwest, Gimme Green peers behind the
curtain of the $40-billion industry that fuels our nation's largest
irrigated crop—the lawn.

My Association was thinking of buying new sod to replace our happy weeds (photos), maybe we should not. Click photos to enlarge.
Posted by Picasa

VOTE FOR DAVID ISRAEL

Investigations

Can someone please show me where I can find the bylaw relating to unit occupants investigations.
Thank You

Monday, February 20, 2012

CHATHAM & KENT FEDERATION MEETING

Elsewhere, one commonly posted individual, who makes assumptions, referred to the above meeting, which took place this past Saturday.
In her post, she stated she was not invited to attend and why would she be?
Not being a Candidate for any position, ( and only those running for President,
Vice President's (2) Treasurer & both corresponding & recording Secretary's
were) nor I gather a resident of either Chatham or Kent, for if she were, she
would be aware that these meetings take place on a monthly basis, unless
otherwise noted.

UCO Elections

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I have tried to remain neutral in the coming UCO Elections. I find this more difficult as a small group continues to ask what they perceive as "embarrassing" questions that have been answered many times in the past.

A statesman inspires others to excel toward greatness and makes every effort to address all issues that others see of merit. He does not respond just to be popular, because this is ego driven. He/she is selfless and willing to do the difficult carrying well before asking others to perform and function.

I believe Mr. Gluszak will become very important in the future of UCO, and I have encouraged him to begin attending committee meetings regularly. He has made some suggestions that are worthy of consideration and we all look forward to his increased participation.

I believe Mr. La Fountain could become very important in the future of UCO, but would hold that thought in reserve until he has become a regular participant at the committee level, making whatever contribution he may. I believe he also needs to become a member of the Executive Board in the pursuit of the agenda he pursues. He could very well become a serious candidate for Vice-President with the additional knowledge he will have thusly obtained. Finally, he could well become a future candidate for President, once we have been exposed to his work ethic, willingness to debate and encourage views that might still be ignored or rejected and still remain committed to supporting the greater good.

I believe Mr. Cornish has achieved the popularity for his candidacy but not the credentials for such a lofty pursuit by him. He does not collaborate with fellow officers, rather makes independent decisions that I find troubling. He gives orders rather than working through the chain of command – from janitorial, security, WPRF, bus drivers and even the office staff.

Mr. Israel has made extraordinary effort to accommodate the views of the Delegate Assembly, the executive Board, Officers Committee and the Delegates or residents that ask for change. He has even acknowledged he makes mistakes and did so without a tantrum or a resignation, as others have.

I am therefore offering my unconditional support and recommendation for Mr. Israel’s reelection, along with Mr. Guarnagia and Ms. Blank. I also support and recommend Ms. Cornish for Vice President and Ms. Vestal for Recording Secretary.

Ed Black, Treasurer
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Dylan Ratigan says CV Vote for ..


Dylan says the best hope for America is innovative thinking. Apply this to Century Village, who ? is our most notable innovative thinker – DAVE ISRAEL of course. Continue the progress with Dave.
After the UCO Election all the committees are reformulated, this may be the time for you to think about various new experiences. Be ready to try something new. Even exercising your brain. It is a stimulating experience to work with Dave “there's work to be done” Israel. Don't be afraid of the 'V' Word – Volunteer, its good for you in many ways. UCO needs a few good brains then the rest can be pool and couch potatoes!;-)


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Dorchester Pool

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I read in the UCO Reporter on line that the Dorchester pool would be reopened by the time I read Frank Cornish's column. It is not! I also read this motion below in Minutes that I received through Dave Israel. It is a wonderful bonus we get from Dave all the minutes from meetings that we are unable to attend.


MOTION: Phyllis Richland moved that The root intrusion at the Dorchester pool be removed and cocoa plums be planted at a cost of $3,400 by Jarriel. Frank seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. The pool area and furniture at the Dorchester pool will be pressure cleaned and the building painted. Solarized pavers will be installed on a trial basis at no charge. Pump room valves are rusted and need replacing at a cost of $1,500 and pool heaters $6,100 — in 2012 budget. The pool is scheduled to open mid-February.

As far as I remember we got a new heater last year. I think we had one new heater the previous year. They certainly did not last very long.


The root instrusion, what root intrusion? We had ficus bushes outside the pool area. They were not cracking the road or the pool area. They also brought birds to the area and they would build their nests in the middle of the bushes. $3,400 for coca plums.


What an outrageous amount of money on bushes that were not needed. Those bushes that were pulled up also gave a bit of privacy from the road and kept road dirt out of the pool area. The money spent on the bushes could have gone to pay for new umbrellas. We are still missing one since August that cannot be repaired and it seems that they are no longer under warranty. I remember when we got these new umbrellas and furniture. Frank Cornish came into the pool area, probably the first time he was at Dorchester pool and let us know how happy we should be that he was having our furniture replaced.


Those umbrellas were a big mistake. They do don't keep as much sun from the tables as they are smaller. They break and from what I was told by WPRF office personnel is that they cannot be repaired. Well they need to be replaced. There was nothing wrong with the metal umbrellas. When ours were taken away they still looked new.


I was not invited to the meeting yesterday at Kent pool to pat Frank on the back as he told people, "you know my record". I sure do as I use the pool almost every day. On the pools alone, Frank's record is NG. Of course I take into account that he was not alone is buying the furniture and replacing the bushes, but Frank is a BIG VOICE. I am not impressed!
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Elections

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How many Executive Board members are up for reelection.
Thank You
.............................................................................................................................

Hi Marc,
I believe that the following members of the Executive Board are up for re-election:

David Bernstein
Randall Borchardt
George Franklin
Roberta Fromkin
Claudette LaBonte
Lori Torres
Toni Salometo
.....................................................

Dave Israel
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Saturday, February 18, 2012

CAN MARRIED COUPLES DO THEIR DUTIES ON BOARDS?

Hi all,
In a Comment on this BLOG, a Blogger asks if husband and wife teams are legal on the UCO Board. My response to this question was; it is not illegal, but is it wise?
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Following is an article which is right on point. Please read it carefully, and consider it well when you vote. Frank Cornish has had his turn on the UCO Board, four years worth. Please vote for Barbara for VP to bring in new ideas!
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By Barry VanderKelen
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REF: 
http://www.sloccf.org/images/cms/files/NS_1-20-11CanMarriedCouplesDoTheirDutiesOnBoards.pdf
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When a married couple serves on a nonprofit board together, do their duties to each other conflict with their duties to the organization

Is there a hierarchy of duties that gives higher priority to a spouse? According to California law, spouses are obligated to give each other mutual respect, fidelity and support. 

Spouses have a duty to act in the highest good faith and fair dealing with each other and are forbidden from taking unfair advantage of the other. 
Does this mean they must vote alike as board members? Is this especially true if one is an officer of the  board

Members of boards of directors have three duties to the nonprofit: care, loyalty and obedience. Directors will exercise best judgment on issues affecting the organization; they will put aside personal and professional interests; and they will make sure the organization stays true to its mission. 

Does this mean spouses are not allowed to confer before a vote? A careful reading of family and corporations law does not indicate it is a conflict of interest for spouses to serve together on a nonprofit board. 

If they do serve together, however, they must take special care not to let family matters influence organizational matters, and, conversely,
they must not let organizational matters harm the spousal relationship .

 The greater danger to the organization is when the couple does not act independently. 

On small boards, any guaranteed voting bloc hampers the effectiveness of the board. 

On larger boards, a couple seen as a bloc might find their input discounted. 

If fulfilling the duties to the organization causes problems at home, or if fulfilling duties at home prevents spouses from being effective board members, one or both people should resign from the board. Not doing so risks both their relationship and the organization.

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Barry VanderKelen is Executive
Director of the San Luis Obispo
County Community Foundation.
He can be reached at
barry@sloccf .org.
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FLEA MARKET ON CV BORDER

Hi all,

In a sign of utter disrespect, someone has set up some sort of flea market on the edge of the perimeter road where the road from the golf course cuts through Golf's Edge.

Does anyone know who is responsible for this travesty?

Dave Israel

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS

So many times, from many owners in Century Village,

I've heard "why this?", "why that?", "how come?".

Here is your chance to get the answers to questions

you may have from the nominated slate of the

new UCO officers. All you have to do is send

me your name and association, come to the

CANDIDATES FORUM

on February 27th, 9am, in the Clubhouse,

have your name withdrawn and

ask away.

DON'T WAIT!!!!!! DO IT NOW!!!!!!

Reflections Bay - A Question


Dear Century Villagers,
 
Hi!  My name is Mike Hahl.  I live in Delray Beach and run a business here in South Florida.  I have some information that many of the residents at the WPB Century Village might want to know.
 
My company, Ready For Golf, owns the copyright for a very unique golf course design.  You can see the boilerplate of our design on our website - www.RU-ReadyForGolf.com.  When you get to the Home page, click on the Course Design button at the right to view our design.
 
As you can see our copyrighted design is based on the fact that we have moved the clubhouse to the center of the course.  Why is this important for South Florida condo associations - because it allows golfers to play 2/4/6 holes of golf.  Many of us cannot afford the time or cost to play 9 or 18 holes of golf as required on a traditional course.  Also, as I get older, I can see where I might not be able to play 9 or 18 holes - for medical reasons.  However, all of us can afford 2/4/6 holes at least once a week, either as good outdoor exercise or for social reasons.  The next design specification of interest is that most Executive courses average 3000 - 3300 yards on 40-50 acres (or more) of land.  The RFG design wastes so little land that we can put a 4000-4500 yard course on the same land.  The difference is that our course is more of a challenge and more fun - without being overbearing.  Our mission – Green Space needs to be protected and communities must find ways to compromise  – our design allows for both.
 
I write this because I read that it was determined not to re-build a golf course next to Century Village in WPB because there were no golfers in the area.  I might agree that the elderly neighbors, and any other residents in the area, might not welcome a "traditional" course design.  However, I have done some of my own research and found that the senior community gets excited by the options only an RFG design allows.  I wanted to let the CV residents know that there might be alternatives to their viewing “more concrete” next door.  I would be interested to find out how the Century Village residents, and others, might react to our design as a part of the new community next door.
 
 
Best regards,
Mike Hahl
Ready For Golf, Inc.

Friday, February 17, 2012

UCO REPORTER MARCH 2012 - LIVE IN CYBERSPACE

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Hi all,
I am pleased to announce the publication of the Internet edition of our Century Village UCO Reporter.

Thanks as always to the UCO Reporter Staff. Follow the Link to the Reporter:


This months Edition may also be accessed from the sidebar, along with an ever increasing collection of Reporter publications both new and old, back to the Reporter inception in 1982!

Enjoy, and Delegates, don't forget to vote on March 2, 2012 in the main Clubhouse, from 8am - 9am prior to the Delegate Assembly meeting.

Dave Israel
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CANDIDATES FORUM

CANDIDATES FORUM

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK

ANY NOMINEE ON THE UCO SLATE

FOR 2012??????

JUST SEND ME YOUR NAME AND ASSOCIATION.


TIME PERMITTING QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED.

BUT, AGAIN, YOUR NAME AND ASSOICATION

MUST BE SENT TO ME VIA E MAIL.

DO IT NOW!!!!

UCO Seriously


The days are gone when you could wander into cmte meetings completely unprepared and doze or socialize thru the meeting. Now UCO is a $6M business, with large contracts that need constant supervision. The village is under attack by scams and opportunists. Not to mention the machinations of bankers, lawyers, lobbyists and politicians. We need expert business vigilance.

Dave Israel is on the ball putting in 10-hour days. His schedule is meetings, advice, research, and preparation for more meetings etc... repeat, repeat, for 2 years. Dave is ready and his computer tuned up for 2 more years. He is not spending time glad handing, being seen, or indulging in meaningless face time!

Smiling candidates are totally unprepared for the job.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

RESPONSE TO FRANK La Fountain - WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER

My responses are in blue
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YOU CAN CHANGE THAT
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Are you tired of the fighting and name calling that goes on here in our village?
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The only fighting and name calling that I am aware of Frank, is that which normally goes on at the organization that you co-founded; PUG/PUC (Presidents Umbrella Group/Presidents Umbrella Club).Virtually every meeting is devoted to bad-mouthing the UCO President and every initiative developed by UCO. So, yes, I am "tired of the fighting and name calling" that you and your friends promote!
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 Can not get a straight answer to a question that you have asked UCO?

The majority of the work day at UCO is devoted to responding to unit owner queries, every effort is made to provide legally correct, researched responses, our knowledgeable Officers spend hours helping our Associations seeking our assistance! Would you know how to do such research Frank, or where to look!
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Have you been called a dissident, troublemaker, malcontent, loud mouth?

Yes, Frank, I have, by many of your friends, and even worse by a current Vice President of UCO, who aspires to higher Office, and likes to shout and curse a lot.
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Would you like time to think about and debate ideas before they are passed at the delegates meeting?

Frank, those who take the time to attend meetings, and read the Minutes that I have been sending out, know the issues far in advance; they are informed at the Officers meetings, the Executive Board, and the appropriate Committee meeting long before any significant issue arrives at Delegate Assembly. A qualified candidate for the UCO Presidency, attends meetings of the critical committees, or reads all of the Minutes, unlike yourself!
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How would you like a completely transparent UCO without any secrecy or stonewalling?
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Frank, how many sets of Minutes have you distributed to our unit owners, answer - none. How many committees do you serve on, answer - none. If you have been receiving the hundreds of Emails I have sent out to our unit owners, or spent some time on the sidebar of the BLOG, you could not possibly criticize my Administration for lack of transparency; your statement is simply ludicrous!
Do you get your questions addressed and answered to your satisfaction at the UCO office or meetings?

Of course our unit owners get their questions answered, and to a degree of accuracy and completeness unheard of in prior Administrations; I daresay, you would not even know where to start, in researching correct data in this arena!
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           Well on March 2nd 

             YOU CAN CHANGE THAT.

My Name is Frank La Fountain.  I am running to be YOUR  UCO PRESIDENT. I have been a resident here with my wife Joann for 7 years and I will help us get control back to the residents of our village.

Again Frank, you have not served on any UCO Committee, and thus have no Village wide service; you would not know where to start! A vote for you would be a wasted vote in terms of constructive change.All your record shows is criticism, no ideas. It is so easy to criticize, when you have no responsibility for anything!
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I have been the president of Berkshire B Association for the past 4 years, I have been the Berkshire Area President for a year.

Good start, when you have some Village wide experience, then perhaps you might think about running for UCO Office!
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I have no political alliances here in our village but I am willing to work with everyone to return the power back to the people who live here in CenturyVillage. I have over 30 years of managerial experience and know how a business should be run. I believe I can work with the residents and different factions here and come to a more harmonious way of living. A way that benefits everyone not just a certain few.

Frank, you are a political force unto yourself, you represent those who do nothing but complain, you bring no ideas, you bring no light, you present no solutions to the real problems of CV, all you do is criticize those who try to make things better!
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I am a firm believer that a well informed community is more likely to thrive than one that operates in secrecy, lack of transparency and stonewalling the residents as is the current policies of the present UCO administration. No one will be turned away and told that their problem is an association problem. My policy will be to make sure the questions you ASK are ADDRESSED and ANSWERED to the fullest extent possible to help you with your problems. If you are a delegate and have a question to be asked at the Delegate assembly you to will be given the courtesy to get an answer without the outbursts of the assembly which is common practice now.

Those who have received the Emails from my Information Forward Initiative, know that your accusations of secrecy and lack of transparency, and lack of information, are simply nonsense; You Frank are bringing nothing to the table. The only outbursts are from you and your friends!
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Why are there only a small numbers of delegates at the meetings.Usually only about 40%  sometimes maybe 50%. I believe it is because they have been here for so long and have just gotten fed up with the way things are run. Not just by the present UCO administration but by others in the past..  You see now that with this election coming up you can keep what you have now or put the people that you voted out 2 years ago or 4 years ago back into office or

YOU CAN CHANGE THAT.

Please send our community leaders a message that you are feed up an tired of the same old way things are done.

Frank, perhaps 50% do not show up because they are sick and tired of hearing you and your friends complain, without presenting any ideas!
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Vote for me if you want true change, the choice is yours

Yes Frank, change, but what change, be specific Frank!
You cannot even begin to articulate the problems!
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So, to continue to advance Technological Improvements, Cost Reduction, Improvement in our Village; Re-Elect Dave Israel for President.

Also, elect my team

For Vice President
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Barbara Cornish 
(only Barbara, no Husband/Wife pairs on the UCO Board)

Dom Guarnagia
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For Treasurer

Ed Black

SUPPORT MY CHOICES FOR IMPROVED CENTURY VILLAGE
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DAVE ISRAEL FOR PRESIDENT - UNITED CIVIC ORGANIZATION

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ELECT THE BEST TEAM TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, REDUCED COSTS AND IMPROVED VILLAGE OPERATIONS:
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FOR VICE PRESIDENT:

BARBARA CORNISH
DOM GUARNAGIA
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FOR TREASURER:

ED BLACK
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FOR CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

AVIS BLANK
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FOR RECORDING SECRETARY

JOY VESTAL
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SUPPORT MY CHOICES FOR IMPROVED CENTURY VILLAGE 
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