The CotoBuzz Journal, Community Journalism

October 2008 ISSUE

We do not make jokes, we simply watch the LA Times, the Orange County Register and CID/HOA board of directors and report the facts!

The 10 Pounds Trees in a One Pound Bag Look - Only in Coto de Caza!

September 12, 2008

For the last five years or so, The CZ Master association board of directors, summoning their collective business acumen and superior cognitive prowess decided to part with a longtime tradition of having a full time employee on board to manage the community's landscaping needs, including the maintenance of a consistent bucolic palette, and instead decided to hire high paid consultants.


The Arizona Look Monument	The River Rock Monument

Since then, these consultants have regaled the community with utter disregard for the bucolic palette, brought the $40,000 "free trees", the Arizona look, the RiverRock look and now the 10 Pounds Trees in a 1 Pound Bag Look. You see, young four fett sycamore trees have now been crammed no more than 4 feet away from some 60ft trees in sections of Coto de Caza Drive. - al this when a good percentage of common community property is in dire need of renovation, yet funds are being waster elsewhere.

Reasonable questions are:

Why these trees now?
What are the chances these trees will survive given the close proximity to mature trees?
Is this the best use of community funds at this time?

The 10 pounds of Trees in a One Pound Bag Look

Is the board of directors still supporting the use of high paid consultants who specialize in butchering the bucolic look - you be the judge!

COMMENTS

LETTERS

LWV Double the Profit, Double the Fun? Michael Curtis asks the question, as Professional Community Management, Inc . is apparently acting as a Property Management Company (PCM) and as a Building Contractor - we have sent a copy of Mr. Curtis' letter (below) to Professional Community Management representatives for comment

LWV Double the Trouble, Double the Fun? We have asked Professional Community Management, Inc. representatives to comment on the questions asked my Mr.Curtis, but have yet to hear from them. Meanwhile, Mr. Grundke has rhetorical questions of his own:

LWV Open Board Meetings Memo

We received a follow up letter, posted below, to a GRF resolution outlining rules of engagement for open board meetings (click here for copy) scheduled for approved today. We asked Ms. Donie Vantizian, co-author of the long-standing Los Angeles Times column "Associations" to comment on the merits of such letter, and have included her response under Comments below

GRF Rules of Engagement Good For Folsom? First, does this new "SHUT UP!" Rule (click here for copy of GRF resolution dealing with rules of engagement) ) apply only to the Folsom Prison inmates at Leisure World or does it apply also to the residents?

GRF Rules of Engagement Innovation, or Self-preservation?If you would pay attention ((click here for copy of GRF resolution dealing with rules of engagement) ) to what the residents are telling you, you wouldn't have to be so scared and try to impose illegal sanctions against the people who are paying the bills. The residents would not be angry.

GRF Rules of Engagement Restrict Resident Participation The GRF resolution (click here for copy) about to be finally approved at the next GRF Board meeting - Tuesday after next (August 5th), is an effort to greatly restrict resident participation in their meetings. Click here for additional information

Different Homeowners Association, Same Issues
I assume that you are a member of the Walnut Creek Leisure World Association, or is this another HOA in the area? We have had many comments of similar problems by HOA's who happen to run into our website and I'm glad that you contacted me.

The Right LWV Leadership for Such a Time as This?
Is this general manager (Milt Johns) over his head in his management skills? Can someone come out with only experience from the garden to manage a 90 million dollar business without a conflict of interest? When is the last time Mr. Johns lowered our costs...

Working to Serve, Or Serving To Work - Letter to OC Register Columnist
Another good column. I was wondering if there was ever any serious consideration to any non-union government employee for the position of publicly elected Sheriff by either the Register or Supervisors? That is all I see in your Top Five selection and...

To Destroy a Community, or to Destroy the Status Quo?XThat is the Question in this Letter to the Menifee SCCA Board of Directors
First of all I have no intentions or no desire to destroy "our community". However, I must ask you to please define what you think the community is, what it is you think I am threatening to destroy?Secondly, Sun City has been declared a "blighted...

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COMMENTS

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