There’s been a lot going on in Big Canoe recently to include the unveiling of the 2023 budget revealing leadership’s plans for the coming year coupled with the $20 per month assessment increase (with $5 of the increase allocated to the Master Plan Fund). Unfortunately, rather than presenting the community with a concisely constructed financial plan, the GM’s budget presentation has become a media blitz of power point slides and pie charts containing often misleading, manipulated and incomplete information. Continue reading “Self-inflicted Chaos . . .”
Category: Capital Funding
A look behind the numbers . . .
For that feel good, warm and fuzzy, disney like experience, property owners should look no further than the August POA board meeting. With a “trust me” attitude ever absent any full disclosure of facts or information, leadership continues to boast their perceived accomplishments, all without ever acknowledging the property owners who finance every Association endeavor, good or bad, via dues and assessments. Continue reading “A look behind the numbers . . .”
With red flags waving . . .
Quite an extravaganza, the August board meeting was filled with leadership’s self-applause and vague references to purported misinformation imagined to be swirling about the community. In fact, it seems that leadership sometimes goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the property owners “believe” that all is financially wonderful in Big Canoe. Unfortunately, all is never exactly as it may appear. Continue reading “With red flags waving . . .”
The domino effect . . .
An unfolding of events all began with a recent unusual Friday morning e-blast announcing “POA Board of Directors to Vote on Financing New Fire Engine”. (1) What a misleading choice of words, as the Association already owned the fire engine delivered in late June after paying cash in advance to have the fire engine built eighteen plus months before. Instead, the fire truck just happened to be yet another item of collateral pledged on a loan for the purpose of generating additional cash which will be deposited in the “Capital Replacement Fund”. Continue reading “The domino effect . . .”
An update to True Colors: The Taunt . . .
A property owner and member of the Responsive Governance Group recently made good use of the “three minute allotment” granted to property owners during the Q&A session of regularly scheduled board meetings. Stepping forward during the July 28th meeting, the board was questioned about it’s decision to disregard a petition signed by 194 property owners (and still counting) asking the board to place an amendment to the covenants on the November ballot for a community vote regarding the property owner approval requirements of certain capital expenditures. (1) Continue reading “An update to True Colors: The Taunt . . .”
True Colors . . .
For those who may not have heard, a small group of concerned property owners including this writer (“the group”) was formed for the initial purpose of soliciting signatures on a petition asking the board to give the property owners an opportunity to vote on a proposed amendment to the covenants regarding capital expenditures exceeding $1 million and the associated member approval requirements. (1) petition Continue reading “True Colors . . .”
Guest Spot: Michelle Toups with more Chimneys talk . . .
A Big Canoe property owner for 23 years, Michelle has requested that her op-ed on the Board approved $1.25 million Chimneys project be posted on bcmatters.org. Thank you Michelle for providing additional insight and knowledge on this very important issue. (Patricia)
Continue reading “Guest Spot: Michelle Toups with more Chimneys talk . . .”
POA President requests retraction of Chimneys article . . .
The POA President has now weighed in on this site’s previous post (1) by stating, “I read your blog on The Chimneys. It contains many inaccuracies and the sentence containing a reference to a photograph on April 20 and a 3D tour is very misleading. The building is locked, virtually empty and a blight on Big Canoe . . . Continue reading “POA President requests retraction of Chimneys article . . .”
About that Chimneys renovation and the visual deception . . .
A collaboration by: Wayne A. Huey and Patricia Cross
With almost two months elapsed since the Big Canoe board blindsided the community with the shocking revelation that they would be spending an unbelievable $1.25 million to renovate the Chimneys for meeting space, the outpouring of concern and questions have continued. And even more disturbing is discovery of the complete misrepresentation of the present condition of the facility coupled with the planned gutting and destruction of much of the historical character of the building. Continue reading “About that Chimneys renovation and the visual deception . . .”
Fill in the blanks . . .
It appears that leadership’s self-applause regarding the savings found in two capital projects budgeted for 2022 warrants mention. Kudos to all involved for actually “rebidding” the beach club extension and marina seawall projects resulting in an overwhelming savings of $800k. For example, the $617k marina seawall, previously questioned by this writer, AskThePOA#5614 (1) has now been reduced a whopping 67% to only $205k. And although it is unknown how or why a disparity this large could have taken place, it is certainly appreciated that leadership opted to take another look. Continue reading “Fill in the blanks . . .”