After an enjoyable holiday break in St. Augustine, we’ve received an update on our new roofs.
I want to thank everyone for the prompt payment of the Assessment. I, like most of you, am eager to rebuild our Condos. But caution causes us to wait until the roof is repaired. This should be the lead duty SouthernCAT begins when they return on [January] 5th. SouthernCAT has been told to remove as many of their vehicles to the lot in the townhouses or outside of the campus. Owners are returning and they have priority in parking. They will be moving their operation HQ to the parking lot in the Townhouses. As we were working the roofs, we learned that some of the issues we faced were a result of poor drainage or clogged drains. This caused the water to rise on the roofs and enter the A/C and other vents causing us damage. Our new roofs will be a new design hopefully better than what we have now.
Board President
It’s already January 9th, so two things can be concluded from this update:
- SouthernCAT will be back any day now, after weeks off campus.
- It sounds like we may have hired SouthernCAT to do repairs (however, it’s unclear if that means: repairing the roofs, or repairing individual units once the roofs are fixed.)
In the same monthly newsletter, there was another update:
The number one goal is to get our roofs redone so that we can than finish the many other projects inside many of the units which will include installing drywall. We had a meeting yesterday with our public adjuster who felt they were making progress with the insurance company on getting price approval for our new roofs and that we should know something within the next week or two.
Community Association Manager
Again, vague and unclear, but it sounds like in the next week or two, our public adjuster should get an update from the insurance company on approval for our roofs. (Desperately needed as I’ve already pumped hundreds of gallons of rain out of my unit).
I’m thankful we have a monthly newsletter to provide a medium for these updates; however, having a two-way communication system is perhaps one of the most important aspects of any condominium association.
Transparency: When board members and association managers communicate openly and honestly with residents, it builds trust and fosters a sense of community. Residents are more likely to feel that they are part of the decision-making process and are more likely to respect and support the association’s decisions.
Problem-solving: Residents must feel comfortable bringing issues and concerns to the board, association manager, or other relevant parties. When communication is open and responsive, problems can be addressed quickly and efficiently, reducing the potential for escalating conflicts.
Planning and decision-making: When board members and association managers have two-way communication, they can gain valuable insights into the community’s needs and preferences. This, in turn, can inform decisions about projects, policies, and other initiatives.
We must build a stronger, more cohesive community that benefits everyone involved, and without two-way communication, we’ll never get there.
In the meantime, we’ll need to find other ways to support the decision-making process in our daily lives.