Century Village executive directors deny special meeting request

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel

By Hemmy So

Published October 7, 2007 

 

Executive directors at Century Village in Deerfield Beach handily rejected a petition to have a special meeting on Tuesday, causing ire among members who accuse the top officers of holding back information from residents.

More than 25 directors of the Condominium Owners Organization of Century Village East signed and submitted a petition in early September to President Ira Grossman to discuss insurance matters relating to Hurricane Wilma at a special meeting. Although the board has 350 directors, only 25 are needed to formally ask for a special meeting — something rarely requested in Century Village, according to members.

The directors who signed the petition wanted specific questions discussed and answered, including how much money the organization received from insurers, how much money has been spent, and what advice attorneys have given in writing. Mel Schmier, a director who represents Cambridge E, said the issues need to be resolved because of $14 million to $18 million in potential claims against the retirement community.
"Because this is such a complex issue, it requires a meeting where we discuss nothing else and we get reports in writing," Schmier said.

Many residents feel the group's executive officers make it difficult for people to get information about important issues. Schmier and other directors say they don't receive written back-up materials regarding agenda items before meetings and must listen to materials being read aloud before voting on them.

"We sit there like idiots and they read. They tell us what they want to tell us and only that," said Roy Landesman, a delegate to the board. "For an item on the agenda, there should be pros and cons from a lot of people, but if people don't know what's coming up on the agenda, you have to wing it."

Executive board members, however, say that because of the limitations of a volunteer staff and the timing of when certain types of documents such as financials are generated, they're not able to provide all documents desired by various directors. "We provide as much information as we have available," said Judy Kirshner, the group's first vice president. "It depends on what they're asking for, the research it takes to compile that information, and what they're looking for."

The executive board rejected the petition based on Robert's Rules of Order, Grossman said. Because the insurance matters weren't considered an emergency item or occurred after the last regular meeting but before the next one, a special meeting wasn't necessary, he said. Instead, the executive board answered the petition with a two-page response.

"These people in the last COOCVE meeting were answered," Grossman said. "We made 400 copies. We had a quorum at the meeting at 287 people. They all know we answered it."

Schmier called the answers "perfunctory" with no room for discussion. He said the directors who supported the petition won't go to court over the matter but hope that after December elections a new board will provide delegates with the documents and reports to help them make educated decisions about issues affecting Century Village, especially insurance.

The current executive board members say they already have started making their work more available by publishing meeting minutes in the community's newspaper, Century Village East Reporter, recording certain meetings and having meetings during the summer.

"This body here is going to do its utmost best to give out information," said Steve H. Fine, Reporter editor-in-chief.

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