I just got off the phone with CBS Interactive Sports. Seems that in January I had watched a college basketball game on the web using their service and because I approved this "one-time charge" they saw fit to sign me up for a monthly subscription of $9.95. And I used their service once. Now I have to go through Bank of America to get those charges removed.
This got me thinking about our yearly budget here at Farminton Woods, which comes up for approval tomorrow. On the surface it looks like a good deal: virtually no increase in district taxes and a modest 1.43% increase in condo fees for a total increase of 0.99%! Sounds too good to be true and when you look at the fine print, it is.
On the back page, under Golf, the budget notice reveals that residents will again be covering the losses of the golf operation to the tune of $124,397. Under Capital Fund it lists $46K for bridge and cartpath repair.
And if you look under Clubhouse and do the math, that operation will lose $62,479 in the coming year.When you consider that we just wasted $43K last year to hire architects, lawyers and bond brokers for a project residents rejected in an overwhelming manner, it makes you wonder when the madness will stop. By the way, until residents protested, we were looking at a $35. monthly restaurant miniumum next year. Even without these minimums, we're advancing these losing operations more than a quarter million dollars in the next fiscal year! Money that could be used for improvements to the residential community that is Farmington Woods.
If you think that an increase of 0.99% looks good after hearing about the funds that continue to flow to the golf course for infrastructure and operating expenses then think again. All that money should be going into fixing our driveways, completing the sidewalk that passes by the guardhouse, so that mothers with baby carriages and anyone else who chooses to walk there, can walk safely, or buying new pool furniture. But it's not and if we approve this year's budget it's just as bad as approving the charges made by CBS to my credit card. I got nothing for it.
So, one more time I'm going to ask something of you. If you haven't turned in your condo budget proxy yet, save it for tomorrow night. Bring it to the Budget Vote in the North Lounge of the Clubhouse and vote this budget down, both the condo and the district budgets. In one of the articles I wrote for CTwatchdog.com there was a section I called "The Board Jumps the Shark". I was referring to the bonding proposal. But what do you call it when the board on a yearly basis uses public funds to support an operation that is having disastrous financial effects on our community?
Like I told the guy at CBS sports, who by the way could only cancel my "account" but not clear the charges, "It's like you came into my house, found my wallet and took out $10 a month for the last three months." CBS is a huge corporation and I'll have to write a letter to Bank of America to get the charges rescinded. All you have to do to stop the piracy that happens here, every year at this time, is to VOTE NO ON THE BUDGETS. PLEASE COME AND SEND ANOTHER MESSAGE TO THE BOARD!
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
I could not agree more. We need a Board that knows how to properly manage the finances of Farmington Woods and leaders that have some actual business experience. We also need a Board that is not focused on their self interests and cares about the community at large. Lets have a vote to remove the entire Board. They all need to be replaced!
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Deletenot the entire board, sam. just the "old boys club" that has been controlling all the committees ad infinitum.
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