|
The current media system has had issues when conducting meetings inside the Masters Lounge. A company that only sells high end media systems to large organizations was brought in to determine why our existing system was having issues and recommend a solution.
They determined that the golf cart charging system was interfering with the current system. Their recommendation was a complete replacement of the existing system with their high end hardware. The board took the vendors information at face value and did not bring in any additional vendors to look at the problem and make recommendations. Our Board President, Russ Holowachuk , just sent all home owners an email defending the Boards decision to spend up to $70,000 on their selected media system because we need to “Do It Right” the first time. This brings up the following questions:
54 Comments
Rodney Beeso
6/6/2023 09:58:51 am
Unacceptable
Tom
6/7/2023 10:21:10 am
Apple just launched their virtual reality headset yesterday. This device is $3500. We could buy 10 of them for the HOA members, they could have an immersive experience and we'd save $35k! This HOA Board has to be recalled and removed. IMMEDIATELY!
Bernadette Wheeler
6/7/2023 11:58:13 am
Good business has always dictated that you take the time to get more than one estimate/opinion. And I know I am being Captain Obvious here, but no one on the board should be affiliated with said vendors.. DUH!
Tom Rosa
6/6/2023 10:00:19 am
Wash Rinse Repeat This board like many before them have ZERO business acumen. I offer this, would Russ or any other board member require only one "high end" bid for work in there home ? This board is lead by the nose by the Management Trust. They accept their word as gospel. I have installed several "high end" audio systems in hotels and clubhouses. $70 K is an outrageous number. But since they are playing with house money they don't concern themselves with due diligence. I would offer to help, but I continually rebuffed by Jerry Storage and the brain trust. Just so everyone is aware, I am a professional construction/ development manager. I do this work every day so I know what things cost. I offer my help with the Fitness center remodel again the answer from Jerry was " thanks but no thanks" You should all ask yourselves, why do they not want someone who does this for a living to participate ? The answer is they don't want anyone to question their ideas or decisions. Like I said, Wash Rinse Repeat. Nothing changes here. Just the cast of characters.
Keven Mustafa
6/6/2023 10:01:18 am
Spending $70k on a new sound system seems extremely unreasonable, excessive, not a good use of community resources. Beyond HOA meetings, what is this system used for? Will this system generate income? This project needs to be paused and reevaluated with a much less expensive option.
Pam
6/6/2023 10:05:48 am
STOP THE MADNESS!!!!
Pam
6/6/2023 10:07:25 am
Where is this money coming from??? STOP THE MADNESS! DO RIGHT BY THE HOMEOWNERS FOR A CHANGE!
Oz
6/6/2023 10:07:26 am
“Stupid is as Stupid does”
Spike Bloom
6/6/2023 10:09:18 am
Seems excessive for a room that size. And there was apparently not a multiple vendor quote in this process. $70K is a lot of money for not a big project. Maybe the cost can be reasonably explained and should be.
Jane Fazzari & Rick Perez
6/6/2023 10:22:43 am
I sent our comment to the hoa. Our objections are in line with the above. Sure we need a good PA system. Not a "Sound System" for concerts!
Sandy Solomon
6/6/2023 10:23:30 am
I am in the recording studio business and that number is crazy. A system that requires very little knowledge and set up should be 15,000 and they might be high. 6/6/2023 10:35:28 am
I think we have been "hoodwinked". Anyone who has had a kindergarten education should understand that you need at least 3 bids or more to compete for a project. Something's very fishy.
Brian White
6/6/2023 10:40:36 am
Questions:
Bill
6/6/2023 10:44:14 am
Russ has not convinced me. I still say it is way overkill. Russ should make a personal phone call to Tom Rosa to plead for some advice. Duh. Get some reliable advice Russ. Think of it as your own money.
Tom
6/6/2023 12:50:43 pm
Think of it as OUR money! Stop the waste. We need to start a petition to recall and remove this ignorant, wasteful, vindictive, HOA Board before they bankrupt us. When I bought here just a short time ago the monthly was $600 and there was $3.7 million in reserves. Now reserve are GONE and monthly fees are $748 and projected to go to $1000 a month or $1,168,000 a month!
Mike
6/6/2023 10:46:50 am
I concur totally with Tom Rosa above. I am also a commercial project manager representing public and private owners on $100m projects. I have extensive experience in construction and the installation of these types of systems. A $70k one-off number is simply outrageous from a Board that would prefer to shut down pools because of Natural gas prices yet WASTE crazy money on a system that could be installed for a 1/4 of that amount, and an awesome one at that. And not competitive bids or alternate designs!!!!!! Unacceptable! I'm a little skeptical regarding the "charging system" excuse. What about isolating the systems, rerouting some power, etc., insulating walls, etc. NOTHING else was proved to the Home Owners to be vetted, as in MUCH cheaper alternates. This is simply insane, how do we real in this Board? What are our options? Bending over should NOT be one of them! We deserve more!
Dianne
6/6/2023 10:47:03 am
Of course, they recommended their high-end system, they want to sell it! What is wrong with the patsies on our board? Is there not a requirement to get at least three opinions and estimates? These people claim they ran companies. Do those companies still exist? Because I never ran mine this way, it would have gone belly up!
Trevor
6/6/2023 10:51:16 am
Board member Mark Brown who obtained the bid apparently has some kind of affiliation with the company Lightwerks. Hmmmm, sounds a bit fishy to me!
Oz
6/6/2023 02:43:54 pm
Here is the website for the company they are choosing to empty our hood's bank account to:
Stacy
6/6/2023 03:52:57 pm
Agree! Kick back of some kind. 6/6/2023 05:05:34 pm
In response to the accusation by Blogger 'Oz" that there was a kickback on the Solar contract: as the Board member who negotiated that contract I would like to unequivocally assure our homeowners that was no such arrangement of any kind whatsoever. I would also suggest to 'Oz' that if he or she is going to make such a serious accusation, homeowners should know who you are and what evidence you have so the matter can be properly and openly resolved. Our homeowners deserve better than speculative and unfounded anonymous allegations that verge on libel.
Sue
6/6/2023 10:56:49 am
I have listened to two board meetings and have attended a committee meeting in the HOA conference room over the past month. The recently installed audio-visual system is adequate for a cost of under $5,000. This is how you "DO IT RIGHT". Why does the board not look at a similar system for the master's lounge?
Sally
6/6/2023 11:13:10 am
I called over to the HOA about a week ago and the receptionist told me that they had gotten multiple bids for the sound system. I don’t know if she has been coached to say that or if they actually have received multiple bids. $70,000 is ridiculous. I too work in this industry and it is not necessary for The HOA to get a sound system at that cost for such a simple fix.
Steve Micke
6/6/2023 11:17:46 am
Just like the Insurance rate increase. They did not go out to bids. Same thing here. The level of not thinking is crazy. Are any of these board members business people? I would like to know how many of them in there past or current life write a payroll check. This is not the government but us sure looking like it. Spend and tax us. I'm not a happy camper and shame on their incompetence....
Bert Brecht
6/6/2023 12:16:16 pm
Wow! Your government analogy is hits the nail on the head. The insurance increase really scared me. Rates are going up everywhere but hundreds of focused hours need to be spent on finding the best value insurance company.
Lynn MacDonald
6/6/2023 11:28:10 am
Why bother having a townhall meeting last month whereby many homeowners expressed their outrage at this ridiculous cost when the response from the Board was 'thanks for your comments'. Did they not take any of the comments from homeowners seriously ?? No minutes were provided of the questions and concerns posed by residents at the meeting and no responses were provided by the Board...they just continue to do what THEY want and NOT what the majority wants. These high expense items should be voted on by the ownership....not just a few Board members who obviously are NOT putting us first ~!
Not Buying it!
6/6/2023 11:45:32 am
Is such action by the Board illegal and therefore criminal?
Jerry Persky
6/6/2023 11:47:59 am
I am also troubled by the anticipated cost to replace the current audio system with a "high end" system, and I endorse the idea of soliciting other bids for the project. I think the HOA Board should hold off on signing a contract until other bids are received. The proposed executive action will only engender distrust. Time to do the right thing on behalf of DP residents.
Jack
6/6/2023 11:53:51 am
This has to stop. The HOA fees will increase again because that is always the solution for this board
Bert Brecht
6/6/2023 12:10:26 pm
You are a good writer. Very well said!
Michael
6/6/2023 12:21:14 pm
Sorry to say the job has already started.
Donna Plack
6/6/2023 12:33:22 pm
This is so outrageous…. Do the mics have a gold inlay..??! WHY do we need to spend $70k on a sound system with only 1 bid? The “cart barn” could be a shielding problem, did anyone see a report or proof that this, is in fact the problem? I’ve seen this board do nothing but skirt around the home owners ideas, input, concerns and more over, votes to determine the best path to take. The last meeting I was attending on zoom, there was major conversation around generating revenue here with some great ideas, I don’t think they even listened. We have people here who are professionals and experienced in many areas, guess they don’t want the input??. I don’t see spending 70k on an a/v system creating revenue. Something is wrong with this picture..??
Lynn MacDonald
6/6/2023 12:38:49 pm
If Mark Brown does have an affiliation with Lightwerks, this should be investigated as it is a definite CONFLICT OF INTEREST and needs immediate attention. Need to elect Board members who have our best interests in mind...not theirs !!
Sam
6/6/2023 12:44:38 pm
I was not able to attend the Board meeting when the $70,000 sound system was approved by the board. Does anyone know if the vote was unanimous or not?
Tom
6/6/2023 12:47:05 pm
This is pure insanity. Again, I offered to provide FREE a $10,000 Zoom Room System. Never heard back. The only reason the older upgraded system didn't work is the people using it. Not sure how the new $70,000 system will be easier to use. Again I was just at JPL at CalTech and used their Executive Conference Room to work with people in NASA... that system was top of the line, and cost approximately $25,000! We are talking about HOA board meetings that really nobody other than myself attended.
Oz
6/6/2023 08:04:27 pm
Thank you Tom for offering to do that for the community. Shame they didn't take advantage of your offerings. Or at worst, do diligence on what you were offering to see if it is a viable option. Sure would be nice to have the $70K go in (or remain in; depending on where this $70K is to come from) the Reserve account and/or to go toward something else important.
Dave
6/6/2023 02:03:40 pm
When I first heard of the issue, I was thinking it would be only a few thousand dollars. This is at least ten times more expensive than what it should be. First, the need is really limited to a zoom connection and less than 100 people in the mice audience. This is not for a 10,000 to 100,000 person live audience. Secondly, having been of the board of my church and receiving multiple bids for an audio system that does live audio and video streaming and in-person, live broadcast, this audio solution is definitely much more costly. And lastly, keeping it simple with wired mics will probably be the best way to avoid the electrical interference. It is OUR money and our voices should be heard. (By the way, having interactive member participation at board meetings can be allowed by the BOD but isn’t mandated by the law. We should have a by-law change that would allow participation not just statements)
Pamela
6/6/2023 02:22:49 pm
I totally agree with everyone that this 70K expenditure for a high end sound system is ludicrous and the President and Board members are not paying attention to the homeowners requests. Normally when any work is required there should be at least 3 bids and the homeowners should be aware of all 3 bids and any decision taken should have a good reason why this company was chosen. We will not be having any concerts in the masters lounge therefore do not need High End equipment installed. The people in this blog who have offered to help and been refused by the board should be able to post their opinions during the board meetings so that it’s noted in the minutes of the meeting how badly the Board behaves when it comes to spending OUR money. It’s the “same old, same old” like the previous board. And now I’m worried that our HOA fees in October will be increased again!
Not Buying it
6/6/2023 04:31:28 pm
100% of recent responses do not agree with what is going on, How many of you are willing to replace the current Board (with the exception of Bill Bergstrom who did not vote for the current lunacy) Lets use this blog to poll all homeowners as to their wants regarding recalling this board with the aforementioned exception. Lets bring democracy to the Desert Princess, are you in favor, yes or no please.
Mona
6/6/2023 05:45:32 pm
Since it has already started what are our options? I’m very concerned!
I WONDER??
6/6/2023 06:00:45 pm
So…..if Mark Brown has any connection/affiliation to Lightwerks, this is conflict of interest.
Oz
6/6/2023 07:36:42 pm
If I am recalling correctly, it was under the previous President of the DP Board, that the spending limit without approval was increased. Resulting in a greater allowable amount that the board is able to spend WITHOUT homeowner approval and/or additional bids required. Apologies if this recollection is inaccurate. But, I believe that was on the table and executed sometime between 2020-2022. Perhaps someone else can chime in here to confirm or deny my recollection on this.
Peggy
6/6/2023 06:16:48 pm
Present to homeowners, via eMail, DETAILS of needed project(s); COPIES of 3 submitted bids, including BOD analysis; and finally an Open Meeting for Owners' comments. That's How To Do IT Right!
Oz
6/6/2023 08:10:46 pm
TRANSPARENCY
Oz
6/6/2023 07:33:03 pm
With all due respect Mr. Webb:
Cathie Wachter
6/6/2023 08:04:00 pm
During the last debacle called the multi-million dollar landscaping project, it was revealed the Board can spend/approve approximately $750,000 without a homeowner vote. I believe this needs to change. This amount is OUTRAGEOUS! I believe it will take a change in the CC&R rules or Bylaws. Not sure. I hope someone can help with this as three quarters of a million dollars is too much power. FYI, that is how the ridiculous Wellness/Health Center project was pushed through. Another bad decision we did not have any say on. This Board and the past Board are drunk with power!
Brian White
6/6/2023 08:39:23 pm
While most of us agree this situation was not handled properly, our HOA Board is not ignorant, vindictive, or as wasteful as blogger Tom suggests.They work tirelessly as volunteers and do not deserve such ridcule. Also we DO have reserves and there are no projections, as you claim, to raise our monthly dues to the ridiculous numbers you have fabricated. Let's stick to the facts and avoid name calling.
Tom Rosa
6/7/2023 09:48:06 am
Brian, I agree with the name calling, but you have to concede that this appears by all reasonable measures to be grossly overpriced. I use the Microsoft /Logitec system in my business and it was less than $5,000. We are just asking for the same level of fiscal responsibility we use in our personal lives. I assure you I could solve the problem for less than $10K all in. But they don't want to listen to people who actually have constructive solutions. Thats the rub
Trevor
6/7/2023 01:54:34 pm
Brian, I am presuming you did not attend the Town Hall Meeting regarding the upcoming budget? There was a power point presentation showing a possible $60.89 per household increase. I personally find this a ridiculous number as I do not have deep pockets and am on a fixed income.
Valerie
6/6/2023 09:16:59 pm
The DP went downhill once they outsourced EVERYTHING, including management and definitely, "landscaping" (In quotes because all that we have now is chop, chop, chop). We as homeowners have the right to see ALL bids (at least three) for any job over a specific amount (Homeowners should vote on that amount). We also don't need 34 pools and spas. How many private pools are here now? How many folks actually use the community pools? Do those pools need to be heated during summer months? Why do we need to provide EV charging stations? Homeowners who can afford EVs should install their own stations at their expense on their property. We are close to being priced out of our home and, sadly, are too old and not in the best of health, so moving isn't an option. HATE it here anymore. Definitely not the fun and happy place we thought we bought into.
Troy Dose
6/7/2023 04:11:20 am
I understand costs of goods is on the rise. However, has anyone considered a fix that doesn’t include replacing a complete system? For example, insulating the interference in the golf area from the master’s lounge. Or even moving the meeting or moving what is in the golf area causing the interference? Have any options been investigated or explored versus replacing the electronic system. Sounds like our board got sold on this when a simple solution may be right in front of them.
Jerry
6/7/2023 10:25:54 pm
Do It Right? For all capital purchases when I was Corporate Director you must obtain at least 3 Bids, divulge any conflicts of interest such as direct relationships with any parties, submit justification, and obtain majority closed vote. No wonder the HOA dues keep going up! Board, Do It Right!
David
6/13/2023 11:08:09 am
Do this right. Involving the people of Desert princess cc. Let us VOTE !!!!! On any decision. This BOD is breaking their own sterling acts.
Terry Albright
6/29/2023 08:37:14 am
You get the board that you elect. I have been listening to the same complaints for eleven years. You can't keep doing things the same way and expect different results. Desert Princess is poorly managed. Example: The issues involving mortgages was ignored by Management Trust for years. Now we no longer have home mortgages. That was a MAJOR failure on the part of a company that was hired to provide management. The top gun at Management Trust is paid $285,000 a year by us. He is not worth even a portion of that salary. We need to wave goodbye to them because we cannot afford them or their inability to properly manage our property without constantly reaching into our wallets. I am tired of all these costly projects that we DON'T need. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
CharterThis blog is designed as a means to provide transparency and informative access to the policies and protocols of the Desert Princess Palm Springs Homeowners Association, the governance of the HOA Board of Directors and the management of the community’s assets by The Management Trust. The expressed intent is to establish a neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services; it is hoped that homeowners will use it to build a stronger and safer Desert Princess Palm Springs. PLEDGE
BE HELPFUL Share this space in a constructive way. Be kind, not judgmental, in your conversations BE RESPECTFUL Remember you are speaking to your real neighbors. Strong communities are built on strong relationships DO NOT DISCRIMINATE Racism, hateful or foul language, or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. NO HARMFUL ACTIVITY Any activity that could hurt someone—from scams to physical harm—are off limits. Archives
January 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed
