[ConcernedOwners] Board Meeting Reminder *MONDAY*, Post-Election Comments, and Cost Analysis Presentation

[Concerned Owners]

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Board Meeting Reminder

The March Board meeting is tomorrow, MONDAY, March 10th, 7:00 pm. The agenda will be finalized soon, and will include board officer
elections, the 2008 maintenance fees, legal services, a contractor vs. employee cost analysis presentation, some guests, and some
unfinished business items.


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Post-Election Comments

For the fourth straight year in a row, the winning candidates ran and campaigned on the themes of reduced maintenance fees, improved
maintenance services, and the general need for change. In two of those four years the results were dramatic, with more than 100
votes separating the winners from the losers. The message is still loud and clear. As a reminder of the struggles of the last 4
years, I collected up most of the campaign flyers and postcards and put them on the WEB site at
http://www.societyhillpiscataway.com/Concerned/Concerned.html, so everyone can see what issues resonated with the voters.

What transpired over the last several months was both very interesting, and very serious. Although it cost me endless aggravation
and easily another 100 hours of my personal time, I am in some ways glad that the "board member contract" issue came up when it did,
as it forced several people to show their cards. The Association came dangerously close to repeating several of its past mistakes,
including: personalizing issues, factionalizing the board, personalizing the board/management relationship, and deferring control to
management.

With the Board of Trustees finally in the drivers seat, possibly for the very first time in 20 years, I am optimistic that we will
finally be able to make the changes necessary to give you the return and value you deserve on your maintenance fee dollars. After
months of unnecessary election delays, I will be wasting no time in addressing the many remaining and serious issues that have
endlessly frustrated me, other board members, and countless residents over the last several years.

For starters, I will be making a presentation at the Monday board meeting entitled "Maintenance and Snow Removal Cost Analysis".
This talk will demonstrate the economic, quality of service, and other indirect benefits of direct employees over contractors,
focusing specifically on the maintenance and snow removal functions. Society Hill is more than big enough, has more than enough
resources, and has more than enough work that needs to be done, now and well into the future, to easily support and justify
full-time employees. We must get control over our costs and control over the quality of service. The contractor service model has
had center stage here for 20 years. In my personal opinion, it has been a miserable failure, with the prognosis for the future even
grimmer. As the complex ages, it will need greater and greater care, attention, and maintenance. Under the current model, meeting
these demands is going to get outrageously expensive and still fall far short in terms of quality.

In the continued spirit of "openness", I am making my presentation available in advance of the meeting. It is being put out there,
in good faith, for constructive input and constructive criticism. It is not being put out as cannon fodder for personal attack. With
such openness comes additional responsibility on the part of the residents - the vast majority understand this - so obviously this
comment is directed to only a few. Discussion and debate needs to focus on the merits of the ideas, backed by fact and analysis. I
will not post any replies that contain personal character attacks. I am still waiting on one or two more numbers, but they are
non-essential and I don't want to delay this any further.

http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/CostAnalysis.pdf

Some other supporting documents and price quotes:

http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/OxfordHealthInsurance.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/F150TruckQuote.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/FordE150VanQuote.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/BobcatLoader.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/PaychexQuote.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/IRSPublication560.pdf
http://societyhillpiscataway.com/Board/DH/SIMPLE-Form5304.pdf

Kevin