About a month ago, on January 16, 2012, the Blog ran a post entitled the $3,064 phone call, where we pointed out that our Association was on the wrong rate plan with Georgia Power. In that post, we detailed our analysis of prior and current electricity usage, which indicated a minimum possible savings of $3,064 on the Board's budget for common area electrical expenses over the coming year. We even included the phone number so that they could easily call and switch our rate plan.
But, predictably, The Blog has confirmed that, as of today, no one has called to change the rate plan, as we suggested – nearly 30 days after the Board was made aware of a painless and cost-free way to save homeowners $3,000. No sacrifice to the quality and level of service homeowners receive required. But Kit Sutherland would rather throw $3,000 of your money out the window than to admit to being wrong about anything.
Not that anyone is very surprised, though. After all, last week she threw a brand new utility cart that had been donated to the community in the garbage and declined an offer for four additional donated carts (nearly a $1,000 donation in total) and made an announcement via the Board that if she determined any new carts were needed, the Association would pay for them. How's that for responsible stewardship of your money?
For anyone that’s keeping score, that’s about $4,000 – or nearly 7% of the sumo wrestler-sized assessment they just got done pummeling homeowners with this year – that Kit Sutherland has literally chosen to throw out the window in the last month that we know of.
But everyone should know that their Board didn’t take a match to that money with any deliberate, malicious intent. Rather, our money got torched as a consequence of our perverted and corrupted system of Association governance whereby the whims, wishes and even tantrums of one homeowner, Kit Sutherland (who is neither on the Board nor acting in any elected capacity) have come to completely dominate our weak and ineffective Board, currently comprised solely of her hand-picked ‘yes’ members.
But $4,000 is chump change when compared to the subcutaneous fleecing GIL homeowners get in the contracted services department, which will be the subject our next post. For those who have a high tolerance for financial pain, we invite you to join us tomorrow to learn the real reason behind our runaway monthly assessments.
I know there are many people living here like me that are concerned that our HOA dues have risen so much over the past two years. It's frustrating to see money being wasted like this when I have to work so hard to earn it.
ReplyDeleteThe HOA dues at Glen Iris have gone up disproportionately to those of most all other complex in the Atlanta Metro area. We pay more per square foot for the least amount of amenities in the area. This is so out of control and it is so sad to see that Kit and Stuart Sutherland have been the ones reaping the benefits of all our hard earned monies through the years. I would at least not feel so bad if they were such hateful monsters that attack us if we step out of line -- Heil Hitler(s)!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet's all take it upon ourselves to make sure that all homeowners at GIL know about this blog. I know for a fact that the Board does NOT want information about the rampant mis-management of the complex to be widely disseminated.
ReplyDeleteMAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW ABOUT THIS FORUM so that we can initiate change and throw the bums out!