Honey vs. Vinegar

There's an old saying I like to quote (often, according to my wife) that goes, "One can catch more flies with Honey than with Vinegar." It's a simple euphemism that illustrates it most often pays to be kind when asking for something rather than to be rude or crass.

Recently, a Westlake Village resident felt passionate enough about the condition of the tennis court nets to leave the Board a message on a copy of his dues bill, along with his yearly dues payment. The message was along the lines of, "What are you doing with all this money? You need to fix the Tennis Court Nets. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!".

Hmmm. Now this resident succintly signed his name AND included a few letters therafter, as in a "P", and "H", and a "d". I thought about his comments for a day or two and then I sent him a letter which included various ways in which a resident can express an opinion or offer comment, including but not limited to the following:

• Call, email or letter to me directly
• Call, email or letter to any Board member
• Call, email or letter to Alice Duffy, the Village office manager
• Post a message on the Community Forum section of www.WestlakeVillageHOA.com
• Complete a Work Order form, available online or in the office
• Ask any Board member to complete a Work Order form on your behalf

The crux of the matter is both the comment and the method of delivery. First, no volunteer wants to be told they should be "ashamed" of the long hours they offer. Second, to keep the Village moving in a positive direction for all concerned, we have to stick to the systems (such as Work Orders) that have been put in place to facillitate open dialogue and address resident concerns in a straightforward and time-sensitive manner.

So, to this resident, I say this: I am hardly ashamed of the effort put in by you VOLUNTEER Board of Directors - in fact, I am proud as can be! And you should be, too.

1. Do we have more work to do - the answer is a resounding "YES!".
2. Will it happen overnight - "HECK NO!"
3. Are we on-schedule AND meeting the needs of the residents - "YES!"

I have submitted the Work Order to the Maintenance Department and they will be looking into replacing those Tennis Court nets in the near future.

Cordially,

Rich C.

Ok, this has 0% to do with Westlake Village BUT 100% to do with your wallet.

DISCLAIMER: I receive no compensation from this blog post EXCEPT for knowing I may have saved you a buck or 2!

I have been a client for a MAJOR insurance company since I received my first car - actually, my family has been with them since before I can remember. They have a local office and always send me nice reminders and notes saying they appreciate my business. My wife and I pay appr. $2500 a year for average coverage on a 2000 SUV and a 2006 sedan with a 5-star safety rating. We have excellent driving records, good credit, and are both over 25.

I have watched my monthly bill creep up ever so slowly but have felt that my long-standing relationship with them justified the ever-increasing policy price. Then my brother called me with a tip: 21st Century Insurance out in California. First, the thought of NOT having a local insurance office scared me. Second, their coverage could not poissibly be better than what I had. I was wrong on both points.

21st Century Insurance (http://www.21st.com/) has been rated "A+" by Standard and Poor's for the last 5 years. They are a new provider to Florida, having only been in-state for 10 months. Please do your own due diligence, as they may not be the best company for you, but my new premium, WITH BETTER COVERAGE in PIP, RENTAL CAR, COMPREHENSIVE DEDUCTIBLE, etc, is 50% of what I was paying with my old company.

Don't take my word for it - go to their website and give it a try or call them at 1-800-487-4500. I had a no-hassle, no hard-sell experience. My 21st agent, Charles, said the numbers would speak for themselves - he was 100% right.

Any questions, call or email me -

Rich C.

Retention Clean-Up a SUCCESS!

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the following residents who volunteered their time and sweat on Saturday to clean up the Retention Area in the SW part of the neighborhood:

• Wayne Will
• Dave Will
• Pete Altmeyer
• Pete Mansour
• Mike Sunderman
• Joanna Varner
• Bill Lecomte
• Vito Margaritondo

We hauled over 5 tons of downed trees, vines, and burned fencing debris to the Tarpon Springs dump and Dave Will toted at least that much on multiple trips to the large debris pile in the Park area. Mike Sunderman will begin chipping that pile soon. All in all, it cost the Village on $160 to do a job that contractors would have charged THOUSANDS for...

If you weren't able to get out there this weekend, that's fine. But please try next time a volunteer even happens. Many hands make light work (and a beautiful, safe nbeighborhood for all!)

-Regards, Rich C.

We can't function without your Dues!

Good Day!

Well, it's that time of year again - time to pony up the annual Westlake Village HOA fee. As you are writing the check, please take a moment to consider where that money goes:

1) We employ, via an employee leasing company, 2 almost full-time employees
2) The Board maintains a suitable insurance policy to cover Westlake Village assets/liabilities
3) We are charged to maintain (and possibly enhance) the 10's of acres of Westlake Village common areas
4) Capital Improvement projects such as the Belcher Road fence, tennis court improvements, a new swimming pool deck, a refurbished playground, etc.
5) Future projects such as Pool Pumphouse rebuild, tree removal, tree replanting, etc.
6) Increasing the net Reserves of the Association to solidify and protect the financial interests of the Village and it's members

The above items are perhaps the largest "big-ticket" items in out budget...there are many other facets of our budget that are smaller but just as important. For a detailed budget, please call Alice in the Office and request a copy 784-3054.

Warmest Regards,

Rich C.

2007 Potential projects

Here is a list of potential items your Board of Directors will tackle this year (in no particular order):

• Retention area clean-up/repair
• Citrus Grove clean-up/replanting
• Painting of the Clubhouse
• New tennis court nets
• Pool deck lighting to allow for nighttime swimming (per Pinellas county regulations)
• Rebuild/Repair/Demolish Tennis Court hut

If you have any other suggestions, please contact me or any member of the Board and let them know what you think (nicely, of course)!

Thanks! Rich C.