Palmeras Townhomes Meetings

BOARD MEETINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

NOTE: The information below are reviews by Townhomes News and/or other credible Townhome’s homeowners of the Board of Directors assuming authority in December, 2021. While we may include direct quotes from their meetings and their meeting minutes, please refer to thei official minutes for substantiation.

Most Recent Meetings

  • August 2024 The Board of Directors finally were obligued hold a "Special Board Meeting" at 5:30PM in person to discuss our newly reported Insurance cancellation and proposal for replacement. It was well attended by the homeowners attending with three principal questions. 1) First, why hadn't they been notified about the meeting from CID instead of from neighbors. 2) Second, why hadn't the HOA and board of directors told them about the cancellation until 6-weeks after the board was notified and only 5-weeks left before the cancellation date? Refer to the meeting minutes or the New Board of Director's "Candidates" publication. 3) Three, what was it going to cost. The board approved a $2,100.00 assessment with an optional $233/mo. payment progtram proposed and engineered by a CPM insurance broker while accompanied by the CPM attorney. These costs are only covering us till September 2025. This new insurance policy removed us from our HOA CC&R's "full coverage requirement". Oct. 22, 2024 Considering the board had not had any "in person" board meetings for over a year and having been criticized by we the homeowners, our Board of Directors surprised us with another 5:30PM "in person" General Board Meeting. This meeting resulted in several admissions.
  • -Our CID director made heresay statements attempting to discredit the CA Fair Act as did one of the board members casting doubt on any cost relief in 2025. Upon being challenged by a homeowner, they admitted they had no direct knowledge of their claims.
  • -The landscape committee chairman stated that our grounds look terrible at the hands of our landscapers. In 3 years our president (Chelsi) confirmed Townhomes had never met with the vendor excepting the landscape committee. This includes contract reviews and negotiations,, complaints, and walk throughs.
  • -One board member firmly tapped the table twice while twice insisting; "The board has always collected 3-bids for all projects". We have reviewed all the minutes from your 24 meetings since your board assumed power on 1/1/2022 that is certainly not true. Only on March 24, 2022 a homeowner and the management company reminded the board that a 3-bid rule was passed by the prior board did you approve three projects clearly through a 3-bids process. This was accomplished in lieu of strong objections by both our President (Chelsi) and Vice President Gus. After CID replaced Gold Coast in 2022 there was only 1 more bid project recorded as a 3-bid process. The 3-bid rule was openly abandoned by Chelsi and Gus in a 2022 board meeting. 28 more projects were, however, were recorded as being purchased with some or no additional bids totalling $152,705.00. We'll never know how much we could have saved. Nov. 20 2024 Chelsi's Board of Directors announced even another 5:30PM in person Board Meeting. Their recent efforts to communicate after 3 years of hide and seek would be due to a competitive election. It will be up to the homeowners as to whether they will trust them in 2025.

(NEW) BOARD MEETINGS CALENDAR YEAR 2024 AND BEYOND The Board of Directors has voted to reduce their number of official board meetings to 6 meetings per year down from 11 meetings which has been the policy for 36 years. Reason given: "Everything is running so smoothly... 6 meetings is enough." YES, THEY ACTUALLY SAID THAT! (NEW) THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO MAKE PERMANENT ZOOM MEETINGS AT 1:30 PM ON WEEKDAYS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BE RESCHEDULED. This decision makes the appearance at a meeting difficult for those of us that work for a living. Homeowners may only speak for 3-minutes as well.

  • PREVIOUS COMMENTS:
  • Without homeowner's ZOOM attendance or emails (from those who can't attend the board meeting) our Board of Directors "will pass" a CC&R rule change making interior damage caused by the HOA's leaking roofs the responsibility of the homeowners. Currently, there is no steadfast rule allowing or disallowing unlucky homeowners relief from interior leak damage occurring from our 33 year old roofs. Interior damages can cost well into the thousands of dollars and the board has decided they will pass that burden onto the unlucky homeowners who by no fault of their own are victims of a sudden roof leak. It is expressly stated in the CC&R's that the HOA is responsible for damages if they fail to maintain the roofs. Help us stop this!
  • Although we appreciate the time our volunteer board of directors donate, it's becoming more and more aparent that their agenda and the respect they provide to we the homeowners is suspect. For example, when asked by opposing homeowners in Oct for an open meeting to discuss the matter our board president Chelsi Reuter made it clear she would be inconvenienced by a meeting if just a few homeowners showed up to discuss the rules change.
  • How many of you knew she scheduled a live meeting on Nov 14 at 5:30 across the street from her home? You were only notified in a little newsletter produced by CID and stuffed into monthly statements around Nov first. The notice asked that we RSVP by Nov 4. Many people do not even get statements. Those who do don't open them as they pay by bank draft. Our guess is no more than 10% of the Townhom,es homeowners ever heard of this meeting until now and that was purely by design. Chelsi can stay home that evening as no further announcements has appeared. We'll see the board on Tuesday instead and discuss it then.
  • Oh, the slight of hand gets even more obvious and disrespectful. One homeowner did contact CID to RSVP and she was reminded (?) that the meeting will be cancelled unless 10% of the homeowners RSVP and attend. How does this board believe they are so special? Meetings conducted or cancelled by head counts?

(NEW:) October 20, 2022 Monthly Board of Directors Meeting

  • There will be a $30.00 per month increase in our monthly assessment (dues). This equates to a budget boost of $43,560.00 in 2023. This is a whopping 8.5% increase. Remarkably, it doesn't seem to clear that we even "need more money."
  • The financials are still in question. How can you make a budget without accurate and up to date financials?
  • The HOA has a $39,000 deficit in accounts receivable due to homeowners not paying their monthly assessments and their penalties. Traditionally, this number does not exceed $15,000.
  • The board increased our insurance deductible from $5,000 to $10,000 in order to deflect an insurance increase.
  • Beginning a replacement roof program in which the money is already in the reserves was discussed and, of course. pushed on.
  • As expected and in relation to the budget, much was said about inflation and myths about the prior board's lack of attention to maintenance of the property. No details or substantiation. Gus Gonzalez as V.P. stated on record in the open session of a formal board meeting; "putting off repairs in the last 3 years and kicking the can down the road has been a disaster". We have requested his formal apology during the next board meeting for that improper and unsubstantiated reflection of the Garrison/Morris/Ball board of directors efforts.
  • There was meaningful discussion about the rules change proposition. It was decided the homeowners be given the opportunity to attend a Townhomes neighborhood meeting where the board would explain the need and implementation of the change. The board of which only Chelsi was available would also be able to hear the opinions and questions of the homeowners whose money is what's used to pay the bills.
  • Chelsi reluctantly conceded to tentatively schedule a live meeting for 5:30PM on Nov 14 at the clubhouse (more above).

July 21 and August 25. 2022 Monthly Townhomes Board of Directors Meeting

  • The July meeting was without any substantial consequence other than the board still had not provided the financial statements for the membership after seven months of requests.
  • The August meeting was comprised of a financial summary delivered by Sharon Ball who was the previous Treasurer of the Board of Directors. The concern was "where is our money going". Month after month it was reported the operating funds were dropping. In August working capital was almost negative. Sharon gave a short suggestions comprised of a change in accounting procedure. Keep in mind homeowners are only allowed to speak for up to 3 minutes. Her suggestions seemed to be ignored. Townhomes financial suggestions
  • In the August meeting Brian Morris gave a 3-minute presentation opposing a rule change requiring the homeowners to be responsible for interior home repairs even if the damage was caused by a leaking roof which has always been the HOA's responsibility (Townhomes Rule Change Meeting 8-24-22). After some discussion, the board agreed to repair interior sheet rock and framing only. This can bite the homeowners deep as the roofs are old and untested in the last few years. Good luck. Water damage and equipment (pipes, faucets, & regulators) will also now become the responsibility of the homeowner. It appears the board is preparing to save maintenance monies on what was previously the HOA's responsibility by shifting the direct costs onto the homeowners.
  • On a couple of occasions the board has taken advantage of some cost cutting opportunities such as buying pool deck chairs from Costco vs. the high-end pool equipment suppliers as was done in the past.
  • YOUR MONTHLY DUES CHANGES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON. IT IS NO SECRET COSTS HAVE GONE UP. IT'S ALSO NOT SO HARD TO STOP SPENDING MONEY. BE ON ALERT. IF THE MONTHLY DUES ARE REQUESTED TO GO UP AND THE "INFLATION" IS USED AS THE EXCUSE. I COULD TELL YOU STORIES ...
May 19 and June 30, 2022 at 1:00PM Monthly Townhomes Board of Directors Meeting
  • STILL MISSING: SIX (6) MONTHS OF TOWNHOMES FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ... (worrisome)
  • In the January, February, March. April, May, and June 2022 Board of Directors and Palmeras Townhomes Community Meetings Ms. Sharon Ball has been formally requesting for the copies of our financial statements (see financials request 6 months). I have been requesting the updating of our official meeting minutes. To date, no 2022 financials have been sent to Ms. Ball nor the others requesting their copies.
  • The current Board Treasurer Mike Wright asked for a copy as well. The Treasurer must not have had a copy either; (worrisome)
  • One must question why an intact board would keep homeowner's financial information from the homeowners?
  • Surely the financials are being created, correct? How can you monitor if you're in line with the budget without financials?
  • Is there something wrong with the Palmeras Townhomes finances that causes their financials to be withheld from the homeowners or perhaps it's just certain homeowners?
  • In December, the current board revised the budget submitted and approved for 2022 by the previous board. Where is it? It's our money!
  • Immediately following the meeting, President Chelsi Rueter distributed an e-mail to the requesters, board members, and both Management Companies to release the financials ASAP as it's taken way too long. We are nearing two weeks later and no financials have been received by any requesters. We aren't sure about our Treasurer Mike Wright, though.
  • THE BOARD IS BACKSLIDING ON A 3-BID's REQUIREMENT FOR WORK PROJECTS EXCEEDING $1,000.00 OR ... (worrisome)
  • Brian Morris personally addressed the Board of Directors in the May and June Board Meetings about this costly reversal in good common-sense management (see Board Meeting Speech 6-30-22).
  • Brian's May letter was met with "crickets". No reaction or comments from any of the board members. Lock Step silence.
  • Brian's June letter opened up some comments from Chelsi Rueter which confirmed they were not going to practice a required 3-Bid policy. The previous board was able to stop a three-year forced march of dues increases ending at a total of $76.00 per month in 2020 by reducing the dues by $12.00 by 2022. A great deal of that savings was due to the 3-Bid policy implemented in 2020 and 2021. Bureaucrats (government and management companies) hate multiple bids because they have to work at it. That's not in their interests.
  • So, how much will our dues be next years, folks?
  • NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY EFFECTIVE JULY 2022.
  • We've been asked what we know about CID Management. We did a little checking and found very little information other than it's owned by an ex-CPM employee so there is the expected connection. We'll see how they do. It's likely they'll do better than CPM and Gold Coast.
  • Not a single mention as to how much more their fee is than Gold Coast. We would have expected the board would announce the spike. CPM's cost was $1,750/mo. when they surprised us by terminating their contract in June 2021. Gold Coast replaced them at $1,300/mo. which saved us $5,000+ over the last 12 months. Our guess is CID's fees are over $2,000/mo. We won't know until the Board of Directors makes public how much and on what they're spending our homeowner's money.
  • UPDATE: Yes, the total management fee for CID billing exceeds $24,000.00 per year.
  • December 29, 2021 at 1:00PM Monthly Townhomes Board od Directors Meeting
  • This was the new board’s first meeting and apparently was not announced as is required. Anyway, the authors of this website nor any other Townhomes homeowners to our knowledge were aware of it.
  • The outgoing Townhomes Board (2020 to 2021) warned the community that the new board was just a return of the same people that ramped up the spending and in turn the monthly assessments for the previous 10 out of the last 12 years (see townhomes election statement 2021). Here is a quote from the 12-29-21 meeting; “The board discussed the budget and the possibility of increasing assessments.” Just hours in power and they already are considering increasing our monthly dues. Not much more to say here. See (12-29-22 minutes page 2)
  • The next quote under the assessments comment is the return to Northstar Roofing as the favorite son of roofing companies. Clearly a chummy favorite of both Gus Gonzales and CPM. The past board's experience is that they were consistently higher than other contractors and delivered equal results. Last summer we collected 3-bids for a neighbor's roof. Olympic Roofing bid in the middle and more than $2,000 less than Northstar Roofing for the same work. Below is the homeowner's e-mail sent to the board after the work was completed.
  • "Thank you so much for your thorough explanation of what led to the delay of my roof repair. I understand now and can see that you and Mike at Gold Coast did a superb job at resolving the issue. I am very pleased with the repair and with Olympic Roofing Company. I’m glad to hear their bid was not the highest and seems very reasonable for what they did. You made an excellent choice with Olympic. I appreciate your help with all that took place and with the completion of the repair."
  • So neighbors, this is the benefit of collecting 3-bids for major projects. We found an excellent contractor we hadn't used before who is reasonably priced and does a good job. But yet, the Board Members now in power have decided to return to their old ways and old choices. Why?
January 2022 Townhomes Board of Director's Meeting (repeated from last posting)
  • Surprisingly, this was the second board meeting of the newly installed Board of Directors. Apparently, they had an unannounced meeting in late December to appoint their officers and conduct business still unknown to the homeowners.
  • The homeowner discussion began with Sharon Ball and Brian Morris strongly objecting to the board meetings start time being changed from the decades long 5:30PM to now 1:00PM. This would make little difference for people who do not attend or have no business at a board meeting, but for those who work during the daytime or have daytime obligations it's a huge inconvenience. The objections were minimized by President Chelsi Rueter as she felt the meetings are on video so you can be anywhere to attend. True, but if at your workplace where would you sit down and set up your phone? Perhaps the restroom? President Rueter retained the 1:00PM meeting time. Those objecting should write mike@goldcoastmgt.com and send your thoughts to the board of directors.
  • President Rueter made comment that she was not aware any objections to the new meeting time other that some grumbling from past board members. This was untrue. Several e-mails were sent to the board including this one from Ernestine Fields who wrote; "Please reevaluate the new time for the Board Meetings. Of course, if the Board wants to appear to ignore the Due Process Rights of the population of Camarillo Springs, keep the new time, which is at 1 pm. If it appears that the Board is ignoring the rights of the people who reside in Camarillo Springs, then it is an easy observation to make that everything that the Board does is in contradiction to the rights of the people it serves. L. Ernestine Fields".
  • Several posts were made on Nextdoor as well, but our "Leads" kept deleting them from public view. Five (5) times. More information about Nextdoor in the page "Letters and Blogs."
  • The board covered a list of maintenance projects to accomplish. A ray of light burst onto our ZOOM screens when the board suggested multiple bids be collected for much of the work. This was a breakthrough as the board prior to 2020 rarely ever collected bids for work to be done. Perhaps the last board's success (years 2020-2021) in saving the Palmeras Townhomes tens of thousands of dollars with their "three bids required" policy could not be ignored. We must be vigilant to insist the 3-bid policy continue to be faithfully implemented. If not, poor fiscal management will return, and your dues will skyrocket again. BEWARE
  • Finally, there will be a garage sale at individual homes on April 23 and the next board meeting will be February 17th.
February 17, 2022 Townhomes Board of Directors Meeting(repeated from last posting)
The February meeting was routine until Sharon Ball asked why the 3-bid rule was not being enforced. The Board President Chelsi Reuter told Sharon that was not an official rule, but an opinion of course. Subsequently, the current board does need to follow its course. There goes the 3-bid rule that most all of the government and private businesses hold sacred as a part of their fiscal function. In the words of Gus Gonzalez during the November 21, 2021, Board Meeting; “I don’t like 3-bids. It takes too long”. The board approved the $260 membership for the CAI association. It was highly recommended by Mike Marsh as he stated, “They have great luncheons and after the meeting you can go out and drink with your fellow HOA management.”

March 24, 2022 Meeting

All the board members were present, and the meeting started on time. One homeowner spoke to request the community acquire a security company for patrol, security services, and parking enforcement. He gave two examples for it’s need; 1) During the previous week a golf cart drove past his home on Paseo Tosamar at dusk without it’s lights on and the occupants did not have their seat belts on. 2) On New Year’s Eve 2021 two men who had been drinking knocked on his front door looking for a different address. The same homeowner directed them to the correct address. As a special note: When we had the parking enforcement service costing $4,000+ a year their violations were rarely processed by CPM, and we did not contract their optional security services. There was never a security service to use, and the parking enforcement cost a lot of money for nothing. We would be pleased to provide the proof to those who are interested.The Treasurer’s Report was alarming as there was way too little money in the operating budget. This we will be follow up on in the April meeting. One reason is there is an unusually high number of delinquent accounts (members not paying their monthly dues). We must be careful that the board doesn’t manipulate the operating funds into a dangerously low level so they would order an assessment on the membership to increase dues. ANOTHER WIN!It was confirmed that just hours prior to the Feb Common Area Board meeting the proposed monthly fee per RV Lot user was removed from consideration as well as any expanded appearance standards. Thank you to all who helped attract the Common Area Board’s attention.Some encouraging event(s) in the meeting were the continuation of taking bids for services over $1,000. They finally approved the painting of the replaced wood trim under the termite repairs from several bids and made a good financial choice. They at least had 2-bids for palm tree trimming and selected the lowest from their old comrade “Treescapes”. This relationship we will watch along with Northstar Roofing. Finally, out of 3-bids they awarded the replacement of our clubhouse HVAC system to the lowest bidder. If the power on the board continues to withstand their personal objections to 3-bids, we homeowners will enjoy the benefits as a community. We’ll be watching.
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