PAYING FOR CRAZY?

Rick May, our Village insurance agent of twenty plus years made an appearance at our March Coffee with the Directors. He came there to plant the seed of an insurance premium increase in July.

In wondering how the insurance company feels about insuring our Village, one might envision them shaking of their heads and catching that glimpse of awe and bewilderment on their faces. You might imagine seeing dollar signs for pupils as they read our new insurance contract or just be in a state of trance pondering if they are the crazy ones instead of their clients, with insuring a place now better known by locals as the “Village gone wild”?

Several lawsuits seemed to be a result from poor oversight. One such oversight was a verbal instead of a written rearrangement in the method of paying Arroyo Cable. Simply speaking the Village was not paying the bill the way it was expressed in the contract. All the following boards allowed this to continue and with having nobody enforcing the “no” satellite dish clause, the lawsuit was just a matter of time. That time came when our Village cancelled their services.

Another oversight was when the Village was serious in buying the land beyond the Sea Cottages. Our Village reportedly filed a land easement right-of-way to this property with the Cameron County Office. When it was decided not to purchase this land, the board neglected to remove what they filed. The Cowen Group ultimately procured this land and of course they feel they should be allowed to use this right-of-way on file, thus the pending lawsuit.

Our insurance agent reported a lawsuit filed against our management and to many owners, this is one lawsuit too many. Management actions never seem to require much in a need for accountability, so little is known about the particulars.

Any of these bone head lawsuits above should have some effect towards this impending increase of the Park’s insurance premiums come July.

Many owners seem to feel that none of these above affect a premium increase as much as the grand daddy of all the bone head lawsuits, the one that was filed by Leroy Mulch and Reta Priest against six active board members. The apparent purpose of this lawsuit was to keep these six from requiring our general manager be held accountable for his actions and to thwart any attempt for his removal. Last heard, this lawsuit has cost Villagers well over $20,000 and thousands more yet to come. Villager’s contribution to this lawsuit has been high, but it is only a fraction to what it has cost the insurance company. With that being said, should not our insurance company feel compelled to charge our Village dearly in light of what many have viewed as an act of sheer lunacy?

We also have two lawsuits against our Village involving the bridge that is on a separate policy. At the 5/19/08 Bridge Board meeting it was said to have went up about 33% ($8000 a month to $12,000).

Owners still wonder why Leroy Mulch, Pat Burke and Mary Steffensen, as a group, made no effort to sit down and hash out the differences with these six other directors months before this costly and senseless lawsuit started.

We should not forget to thank those who have contributed to this higher insurance bill when our Village receives it come July.