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Draft – Annual Minutes November 15, 2011

DRAFT – ANNUAL

MINUTES

November 15, 2011

 

The Annual Meeting Of The Membership Of Gables Estates Club, Inc., Took Place At Fairchild Tropical Garden, “Ballroom”, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Miami, Florida At 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

 

Welcome & Introduction

Mr. Rene Guerra, President, Called The Meeting To Order And Welcomed Those Present.   Mr. Guerra Introduced Those Board Members Present: Mrs. Sissy Ruffe, Vice President; Mr. Jose Bared, Vice President; Mr. Bill Box, Secretary; Directors; Mrs. Trish Bell, Mrs. Bunny Bastian , Mr. Daniel Canel And Dr. Alberto Tano.  Mr. Anthony Argiz, Treasurer Was Unable To Attend.

 

The President Welcomed & Introduced The Honorable Mayor And Mrs. Jim Cason, Public Works Director Mr. Glenn Kephart, Public Works Engineer Mr. Noel Polo And The Club’s Accountant Mrs. Connie Givens Catarineau.  The Membership Welcomed Them With A Warm Applause. 

 

The President Introduced The Management From G4s Security Solutions:  Mr. Orlando I. Aguilera, General Manager; Mr. Robert Cooper And Mr. Ronald Fagan.

 

Mr. Guerra Reviewed The Following Club Accomplishments With The Membership:

 

1)      Road Enhancement Project For Arvida Parkway, Leucadendra And Casuarina Are Completed With New Paving Of Arvida, Leucadendra And Casuarina, New Pavers At All Bridge Locations, Traffic Calming Locations And Traffic Circle And Repaired Curbing On Leucadendra And Casuarina.  This Phase Of  The Club’s Capital Improvement For All Streets Is Complete Except For Final Punch List Items.

2)      Arvida/Leucadendra Traffic Circle Re-Designed For Safety To Include Large Bismarckia Tree

3)      Arvida Lane Traffic Triangle Re-Designed To Include Palm

4)      Install New Curbing At The Dock Area Off Arvida Parkway And Install New Curbing At The Casuarina Concourse Entrance

5)      Board Of Governors Refunded $100,000. Back To The Membership In Good Standing 2010/11 Year.

6)      Board Increased Transfer Fee To $10,000. Per Transfer.

7)      Club Is Scanning All Documents.  Five Years Past To Current Documentation Were Scanned And Preserved By Our Cpa Office.

8)      New Entrance Marquees Were Installed At Both Entrances.

9)      The 1,800 Ft Main Force Sewer Line Was Corrected On Leucadendra By The City Of Coral Gables.

10)  Approved New Awnings For Both Gatehouses For Shade And Relief From Rain For Security

11)  Instructed G4S To Implement New Semi Automatic Weapons For All Officers Effective Immediately After Training Requirements Are Met At No Cost To The Club For Weapons.

2012

  1. Training Sessions Of Officers For New Semi Automatic Weapons Cost Was Paid By Gables Estates Total $3,035.
  2. Completion Of The New, Detailed Job Description For The President, Treasurer And Secretary Of The Board Of Governors.
  3. City Submitted Plans To The Club’s Architectural Board For The “New” Pump-Station Area And Will Improve The Overall Look Of This Area (Neighbors And Board Approval Is Required ).
  4. A List Of Areas Which Need Improvement Has Been Created By The Beautification Committee Chair, Mrs. Sissy Ruffe, To Include Enhanced Landscaping, Lighting And Irrigation.  The Board Voted On A Budget Of $250,000.  And Priorities Have Been Decided Based On Safety And Adding Value To The Community.  As We Collectively Increase Our Landscaping, Irrigation And Lighting The Maintenance And Cost Involved Will Also Have To Be Increased.  This Shall Take Place By Hiring One Additional Part Time Employee, For Five Days A Week For Five Hours Per Day, To Concentrate Solely On Maintenance Of Landscaping Such As Weeding, Cleaning Out Beds, Picking Up Trash, Etc….  Our Administrator Will Supervise Both Gables Estates Part Time Employees.  In Order To Be Cost Effective, The Existing Contract With Golden Sun Tree Will Be Reduced From $89,000. To $75,000.   This Reduction In Cost And Services Will Reflect The 2nd Handyman’s Contribution To Detailed Work And Provide The Club With A Savings Of $14,000. Which Will Be Allocated To The 2nd Handyman’s Salary.
  5. In Process Of Hiring  2nd Handyman For 25 Hours Per Week, Monday Through Friday, Five Hours Per Day – Noon To 5 P.M. Cost Savings From Reduction In Yearly Maintenance Contract Will Offset Salary Of 2nd Handyman.
  6. Increase The Application Fee From $60,000. To $75,000. 
  7. Place Security Cameras To Be Located At 8545 Old Cutler Road To Cover The North End Of Old Cutler Road. 
  8. Better Communication Between All Parties Within Gables Estates, I.E., Administrator, Security Staff, Handymen And Landscape Provider Must Be Improved on To Create The Ultimate Appearance For Gables Estates. 
  9. Reserve Of Funds Last Year $500,000.  For The First Time In Gables Estates History The Club Has Over One Million Dollars In Cash. 

Mr. Guerra Stated All This Could Not Be Possible Without The Hard Work Of The Board, Their Loyalty And Dedication And He Thanked Them.

 

 

 

 

 

Mayor Jim Cason

Mr. Guerra Invited Mayor Cason To The Podium.  The President Explained That Mayor Cason

 

Was Named Ambassador In His Native Land Of  Cuba In The Year 2000 And As A

 

Cuban/American He Owned Him A Debt Of Gratitude.  Mr. Guerra Added That Since 1959

 

No One Had Done a Better Job than Mr. Cason,

 

The President said He Was Confident That The Mayor Would

 

Do A Wonderful Job In The City As Well.  Mayor Cason Stated After Traveling To 15 Countries

 

And A 40 Year Career With The State Department He And His Wife Carmen Knew There Was

 

Only On City They Would Retire To And That Was Coral Gables.  They Moved Here,

 

Purchased A House And Went Through The Permitting Process.  Because Of The Permit

 

Process Mr. Cason Got Interest In Politics.   The Mayor Explained The City Was Fortunate To

 

Have A Great City Manager.  He Stated He Had Many Ideas To Move The City Forward And

 

His First Order Of Business Was To Lower The Millage Rate And He Hopes To Lower It Again

 

Next Year. Mr. Cason Stated Property Values Were Up 1.4%   The City Removed Eighty Six

 

Employees In The Last Two Years And Maintained Services And Quality.  He Stated The

 

Biggest Problem The City Faced Was Pension Costs, Ten Years Ago, The Pension Cost Was

 

Ten Million And Today It Is Nearly Twenty Seven Million.  Negotiations With The Teamsters’

 

Union Have Resulted In Their Contributing ½ Income Which Will Help Us Move Forward And

 

Assure Their Involvement.  He Stated The Next Step Is To Reform The Police And Fire

 

Pensions.  The Mayor Stated The City Is Investing Twenty Two Million Dollars In

 

Thirty Lane Miles City Wide To Include Sidewalks, Trees, A Senior Center In The

 

North Gables, Parks, Monuments And Lighting And Traffic Lights. Another 16.1 Million Is

 

Being Invested Into The Downtown Infrastructure To Include Fountains, Lights And Sidewalks. 

 

He Said The Biltmore Issues Is Set To Be Resolved Within The Next Ten Days And Jose Cuervo

 

Tequila Will Be Investing ½ Billion Dollars Into Coral Gables In New Apartment Housing.  The

 

City Is Creating An Entertainment Area To Overlap With The Jose Cuervo Development And

 

There Currently Is 166 Restaurants In The City.  Rand Mc Nally Voted The City Of Coral

 

Gables One Of The Top Cities For 2011.  The Permit Department Has Been Revamped And

 

Some Permits Can Be Issued On Line To Save Time And Money, Such As Painting Permits.

 

In closing The Mayor Stated He Is In His Office Eight Hours Per Day And Welcomes Those

 

Interested To Come By To Discuss City Matters.  The Mayor Received A Hearty Applause From

 

The Membership.

 

 

Proxy Report

Mr. Canal, Chair Of The Proxy Committee Gave The Following Report:

There Are 193 Voting Interests In Gables Estates, Everyone Owning A Lot In Gables Estates Is Entitled To Vote, In Accordance With Florida Statue 617.305 (A).  Florida Statutes 617.305 (1) Provides That 30% Of The Voting Interest Shall Constitute A Quorum.  30% X 192 = 57.90 Voting Interests Shall Constitute A Quorum.  The Number Of Interests Voting By Proxy Is 52.  The Number Of Interests Voting In Person Is 6. The Total Number Voting Is 58.  Therefore, We Have A Legal Quorum.  Signed: Mr. Daniel Canel, Chair.

 

 

Minutes – Semi Annual Minutes, April 27, 2010

Mr. Guerra Asked For A Motion To Be Made That The Reading Of The Minutes Of The Semi Annual Meeting Of April 27, 2010 Be Waived And Be Adopted.  A Motion Was So Moved By Mrs. Bell And Seconded By Mr. Box.   All Were In Favor And The Motion Carried.

 

Nominating Committee:

The Chair Gave The Following Report:  The Nominating Committee Met At The Home Of Bill Box, 300 Leucadendra Drive, On Thursday, October 13, 2011 At 6:00 P.M.  Those Serving On The Nominating Committee Were:  Chair; Mr. Bill Box,  Mrs.Pat Bohn, Mrs. Maggie Miranda, Dr. Sanford Rakofsky,  And Mrs. Connie Ryan Bales.

 

Names Of Persons Nominated:

 

 

 

  1. 1.  Mr. Antony Argiz
  2. 2.  Mrs. Bunny Bastian
  3. 3.  Mrs. Trish Bell
  4. 4.    Dr. Alberto Tano

 

 

All Four Members Have Agreed To Serve On The Board For A Two Year Term.  The Chair Asked For Additional Nominations From The Floor?    Hearing None, Those Nominated Are Unanimously Elected To Serve On The Board Of Governors for two years. 

 

Flooding Occurrences in Gables Estates

Mr. Guerra Invited Mr. Kephart To Address The Membership Regarding The Flooding Which Took Place This Past Month On Arvida Parkway And Casuarina Concourse.  Mr. Kephart Stated The Storm Was An Unusual One Which Brought 10 To 12 Inches Of Rain.  Mr. Kephart Stated His Department Looked At The Areas In Question And Feel Several Issues Can Be Addressed To Help Minimize The Flooding.  Most Paramount Is To Remove All Vegetation From The Drainage Systems Prior To The Storm.  This Will Free Up The Drains To Allow Water Flow And Stop Clogging.  Mr. Kephart Invited Those Experiencing Drainage Problems to Please Call Him Directly to Meet and Address The flooding Problems.  

 

Financial Report

The President Explained That Mr. Argiz, Treasurer Could Not Attend Tonight’s Meeting; However, The Club’s Accountant Was In Attendance To Answer Any Questions Regarding The Financial Statements For This Fiscal Year October 1, 2010 Through September 30, 2011.    Hearing None, The President Asked For A Motion To Approve The Proposed Budget For This Fiscal Year October 1, 2011 Through September 30, 2012.  Mr. Bared So Moved And Mr. Box Seconded The Motion.  All Were In Favor. 

 

Beautification Committee

The President Addressed The Plans For The Beautification Enhancements For 2012 And Stressed The Success If This Program Will Depend On The Administrator’s Supervision And The Communication Of All Employees In Order To Take The Level Of Quality And Control To Perfection.  The President Asked The Chair Of Beautification And The Administrator To Look For Ways To Say Money With The Enhancement Contracts.The President Invited Mrs. Ruffe, Chair Of The Beautification Committee To The Podium And Stated She Had Done A Wonderful Job In Designing The Entrance Marquees And Has Worked With Such Passion To Beautify Gables Estates.  He Stated Mrs. Ruffe Can Be Trusted With Any Task Given To Her And Works Tirelessly For The Community.  Mrs. Ruffe Greeted The Membership And Stated She Is Very Pleased With The Lovely Way The Marquees Turned Out.  She Stated The Road Enhancement Project Was Completed; However, The Punch List Was Still Pending And Those Items Should Be Resolved Shortly With The City Public Works Department.  She Stated She Is In The Process Of Interviewing And Hiring The 2nd Handyman.  She Explained She Received Three Bids For The Ground Lights, Landscaping Of New Plants And Irrigation And Is Currently Finalizing And Fine Tuning The Approved Bid.   Mrs. Ruffe Stated Holiday Decorations Will Be Installed Later This Week And Wishes Everyone A Happy Holiday Season.  Mrs. Ruffe Received A Warm Applause From The Membership.  

 

 

 

Security Committee

Mr. Canel, Chair Of Security And Mr. Guerra Invited Mr. Orlando I. Aguilera, General Manager; Mr. Robert Cooper And Mr. Ronald Fagan To Present The Following Awards To The Gables Estates G4S Officers:      Each Officer Was Pinned And Presented With A Monetary Award From Gables Estates:

 

Officer Of The Year

(Cpo Pierre Beaton Was Unable To Attend Due To A Marine Commitment)

Cpo Beaton Displayed A High Level Of Professionalism This Past Year.  He Stood Out Due To His Uniform Appearance, Punctuality And Customer Service Skills.   Officer Beaton Is Very Conscientious About Implementing The Post Orders On A Continuous Basis.  Officer Beaton Is A Key Member Of Captain Urra’s Team. 

 

One Incident In Particular Highlights Officer Beaton’s Professionalism.   Officer Beaton Was On Duty At A Gate House And A Resident Pulled Up.  However, The Resident Was In The Back Of The Car.  Office Beaton Stepped Out And Greeted The Occupants Of The Vehicle But They Would Not Roll Down The Window.  Officer Beaton Patiently Waited Until The Windows Were Rolled Down And Then Spotted The Resident In The Back Seat And Only Then Was Access Into The Community Granted.

 

Distinction Award

(Cpo Juan Vera)

Cpo Vera Has Made Marked Improvement This Past Year.   Officer Vera Has Greatly Improved His English Skills And Has Impressed The Captain By Taking The Initiative To Assume A Leadership Role Those Rare Times When A Ranked Officer Is Not Present On A Particular Shift.

 

Recognition Award

(Cpo Antonio Romero)

Cpo Antonio Romero Has Been Assigned To Gables Estates Since 1992, Nineteen Years.  His Professionalism And Loyalty To Gables Estates Is Respected By All.  To Most Residents, Cpo Romero Is One Of The Friendly Morning Officers.   However, Cpo Romero Routinely Goes Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty.  When Hurricane Operations Go Into Effect, Cpo Romero Is Part Of The Team That Stays Onsite At Gables Estates Until The Storm Passes (Leaving His Family And Home) And Operations Return To Normal.  Cpo Romero Is Also Cross-Trained At All The Posts At Gables Estates (Guardhouse, Marine And Bike Patrol) And Willing To Work All Shifts (Morning, Afternoon And Night) As Needed.  Cpo Romero Is The Consummate Team Player.

 

Appreciation Award

(Cpo Gary Mcclure)

Cpo Mcclure Just Completed His First Year At Gables Estates.  His Commitment, Flexibility And “Can Do” Attitude Has Won Him Praise From His Fellow Officers And Residents Alike.  Officer Mcclure Does It “By The Book”.

 

Special Mention

(Lt. Castillo, Sgt. Hammett Were Unable To Attend Due To A Prior Committment)

In The Early Morning Hours Of 2-9-2011, Two Subjects Entered The Community And Attempted To Steal A Jet Ski From A Member’s Property.  The Subjects Entered Through The Waterway And In So Doing, Activated The Waterway Beam.  Lt. Castillo Noticed The Activation And Called Coral Gables P.D.  G4s Secure Solutions Personnel, Along With Members Of The Coral Gables Police Department Were Successful In Apprehending The Subjects Identified Above And The Member’s Jet Ski Was Returned.

 

Special Mention-Merit Pin

Captain Urra

Gables Estates Presents A Very Dynamic Environment To Patrol.  A Security Officer Is Required To Interact With A Vast Variety Of Different Individuals Ranging From Board Members To Home Owners To Contracted Vendors; Each Bringing His Or Her Own Uniqueness To Day To Day Operations. Captain Urra Has Been Able Guide And Inspire His Staff To Handle These Interactions With Courtesy, Compassion And Professionalism.  There Has Been A Clear Improvement In Implementing The “Step Out” Policy, Better Communication Between The Captain And Gables Estates Management And An Overall Improvement In Leadership This Past Year.

 

The Awards To The Officers Listed Above Are A Direct Reflection Of Not Only The Officer Involved But The Outstanding Leadership That Captain Urra Has Provided The G4s Staff At Gables Estates.  His “Lead By Example” Approach In Running The Day To Day Operations At Gables Estates And Commitment To The Community Is Paramount And The Basis For His Success.

 

We Commend Captain Urra For His Professionalism And Outstanding Leadership; We Are Proud To Have Him As A Member Of Gables Estates And G4s Secure Solutions “Team Miami”!

 

Mr. Aguilera Thanked The Board Of Governors, Mr. Canel And Mr. Guerra For The Incredible Support G4S Has Received.  He Noted That Gables Estates Was Not The Typical Vendor Client Relationship But A Partnership Instead.  He Explained Due To The Security Chair’s Request, All Gables Estates Officers Have Transition To And Are Qualified To Use 9mm Semi Automatic Weapons.

 

Public Works Presentation:

The President Invited Mr. Kephart And Mr. Polo To The Podium.  He Stated Mr. Polo Was In Charge Of Supervision Of The Roadway Project And That He Has Done A Wonderful Job.  He Stressed That Mr. Polo Acted Very Professional, Addressed All Concerns In A Timely Manner And Completed The Project Within Budget.  Mr. Guerra Stated Mr. Kephart Has Proven To Be Very Supportive Of The Project And Has Shown Great Leadership.  The President Presented Gentlemen With Plaques Of Recognition From The Membership Of Gables Estates.  They Received Applause From Those Attending.  Both Gentlemen Thanked The Board And The Membership.

 

Annual Block Party:

Ms. Anna Collongette On Behalf Of Mrs. Ross, Stated That The Annual Block Party Is Scheduled For Sunday, February 12, 2012.    Festivities Will Begin At 2:00 P.M. At The 369 Leucadendra Drive Island.  The Theme Will Be  “International Day ”.  Ms. Collongette Invited All Members Interested In Serving On The Block Party Committee To Please Let Mrs. Ross Know. 

 

Old Business/New Business:

Mrs. Rava Fridman Presented A Framed Picture Of A Lighthouse Dr. Fridman Had Taken For Mr. Polo For Making The Gables Estates Streets So Beautiful.   Mr. Polo Accepted And Thanked Mrs. Fridman.

 

Adjournment

There Being No Further Business, A Motion To Adjourn The Meeting Was Made And Seconded. All Were In Favor.   The Meeting Was Adjourned At 8:55 P.M.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                            _____________________________________________

MR. RENE GUERRA, PRESIDENT

 

                                                            _____________________________________________

                                                            MR. BILL BOX, SECRETARY

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