As most of you who read this blog with any regularity know, I have over the years provided facts, details and information which among other things involve problem areas in our association management. Along with the facts and information provided, you the reader have always been given the opportunity to make your own informed decision whether you felt the management was adequate, above average, superior, or failed our neighborhood. As a result of this reporting, I was not in sync with the board in it’s steadfast support of Spectrum Property Management over the years.
One of our current POA board members, Paul Rutkowski, approached me and asked me if I would be interested in being a part of the solution and not just present issues as I have on the blog in the past and I said yes. The task was to sit on a committee he would chair along with Jim Burdine to review association management companies in hopes that eventually presenting our findings to the board would be a catalyst for discussion and possibly changing management companies.
Our task was complex and included many different moving parts. Part of the process included reviewing as many management companies we could and then start narrowing down those we felt could possibly handle a neighborhood the size and stature of Timberwood Park. Jim and I actively sought initial proposals from POA management companies who might be interested in pursuing a contract with Timberwood Park and vetted those candidates we felt were potentials as well as weed out those we felt were either not capable or were not a good fit with our neighborhood. We spent several months vetting 12+ companies with phone calls, meetings in person, and eventually subsequent group meetings for which Paul was present, where we whittled down the general group to a set of finalists to present to the board for review.
As the process continued we held group meetings where we challenged each company with a series of questions and concerns for them to provide answers back to get a better feel for responses and handling our neighborhood. At the end of that process we came up with 4 finalists who were given an opportunity to meet once more with our committee and then we narrowed the finalists to 3. At this time, the full board then reviewed the finalists in session. Once again on-site demonstrations were set up for each of the finalists by the committee to provide live operational capabilities as they applied to Timberwood Park.
Today, a new page has been turned for Timberwood Park. I am delighted to post that the hard work put in by the committee has paid off and the board this week signed a new contract with Lifetime Management. They will become our new management company!
Working on behalf of the property owners of Timberwood Park to become part of the solution, Jim and I are excited about this new chapter and look forward to the new opportunity Lifetime appears to offer property owners with fully integrated systems allowing you access to almost everything at your fingertips. The technology this firm possesses which allows property owners to be much more involved on an individual basis, find information at their fingertips, and be proactive in the management of their property when it comes to ACC improvement requests, etc. is far and above anything we have ever had in the past. We are encouraged that this company will bring a new level of customer service and involvement with property owners and the board and as a result bring us better management. Best of all, their costs to manage were lower than our current management company so it is hoped we will be saving operating dollars as well!
Paul Rutkowski has endorsed both Jim Burdine and myself in the upcoming HOA election and I thank him for that vote of confidence and endorsement.
We, both myself (Cindy Griffin) and Jim Burdine hear the property owners of Timberwood Park and both of us are looking forward to the opportunity to serve the community in a board position. We have been able to actively and successfully approach positive change in the community without being on the board at this time…think what we might be able to accomplish as new board members!