MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY OF OWNERS REPRESENTATIVES
DATE: Wednesday 3rd October 2007
VENUE: Community Office 28/1
TIME: 10.00 am
ATTENDANCE
Frank Van Son (President)
Emil J. Böttcher (Interpreter)
Andrew Heaney (Vice Chairman)
Rick Wilmot
Terry Chapman
Martin Heppell
Roger Jay
Dave Dennis
Jack Taylor
Wendy Slade (Minutes)
APOLOGIES
Sandra Miller
Karl-Heinz Schlömer
Chris Gatenby
Malcolm Haughton
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The meeting opened with the previous minutes – 6. Must be: Rick Wilmot abstained.
GARDENING COSTS
Apparently there is a comparison within the budget, this is because of the New Green areas that have to be met. An allowance has been made to cover the extra costs in the new proposed budget, we knew that the price for these services would have to be found eventually, especially as we found the gardening company extra things to do. The President and Administrator will be meeting with the gardening company (Orihuela) to discuss possible cleaning of the statues and seats and to look at the plants and see if any need replacing as a priority.
EGM
We were going to hold an information meeting, but now it has been turned into an EGM to be held at 5pm on October 26th at the Playa Grande Hotel. Some members are concerned about presenting the new budget at an EGM. Surely it must be presented with care to the community. Proxy forms are needed to give everyone a fair chance to make a vote and have their say. We need to inform the community of this meeting A.S.A.P.
A discussion took place whether it is really necessary to put up the budget by 15%. If the 2005 budget will increase by 15% and everything works out we should begin to build up a surplus as a contingency against major repairs in the future. On the other hand the reserve fund is set to 0 €.
It was asked if the budget was being inflated because of the non-payers, but no that was not so.
The previous budget consisted of some 487.000 €. We have to inform the community that the new proposed budget is 562.000 €.
If the EGM votes for not backpaying Huma certain debts, then would this be of any influence to the new budget? Because the AON are adamant that we should not be paying these costs to Huma (we do not know for sure if these debts are legal, as we have not received any invoices from Huma in our name). We will ask Huma again to explain very clear, why we should pay these debts.
As the President is in contact with the AON it is proposed to invite them to speak at the EGM. This is discussed and decided that they do no need such an invitation, as if they want to they will come and have their say anyway. And the president of the AON is not living anymore on the MCC and they haven't had meetings anymore the last couple of months, because there's nothing to discuss about anymore. We heard that the AON want to consult a lawyer with regards to this new watercontract.
COMMUNITY FEES
Huma have not paid their community fees since May this year. Yes, that is true. And if they don't pay up to September before mid October, they will not be able to use their vote like anybody else.
VOLUNTEERS
We would need 2 or 3 volunteers to help make the next News Letter. We also need someone to create any forms regarding to the voting for new CoO Representatives by 30th October. New representatives will be elected in December. Their first meeting will take place on 11th January. AGM can be held sometime in June and we then vote for a new President.
GOLFCOURSE
It is said that Huma has applied for a licence to build the golf course, but that it has been turned down because of water problem. We do not know if this is sure.
WATER
Again the watersubject came up. The minutes of the AGM of January were shown in which Encarna said she did not pay the water bill because we had no habitation certificates. It was stated that because this is written in the minutes, it should be true.
Explained was that habitation certificates do not have anything to do with the obligation to pay for what you use. People interprete it this way, as it is very convenient, but it is not true. The connection-money paid when the keys were handed over, was for supply as well. Only it was written in poor English and misunderstood. And Huma probably had hoped the money would be enough until the formal watercompany could take over the supply.
This (for us new) watercompany 'Servicios y Procesos Ambientales S.A.' is equiped to put approved water meters, to service water supply and administrate everything exactly the same as if you were living in Mazarrón Town. The difference is, that in Mazarrón there is already a water purifications installation and there was not at the MCC. It had to be build and will have to be controlled for 2 years if the quality is good enough. It is operational since August 2006 so before end next year the owner of it is still Huma. Until that moment this installation can not be taken over and so formally Huma is the client of this watercompany. But as Huma is not equipped to administer the supply, the watercompany will do so. All owners will receive their own bill, but they will have to pay to a special account of Huma, from which the watercompany takes the total amount in once.
But Huma asks the CoO to pay old waterbills, so some people fear we will pay twice for the water purifications installation and because they do not want to give Huma the right to take money from their account, people are suspicious. The new contract is about future supply and the old debt is about old supply.
LIGHTING
We have to pay for street lighting, and have found a company who can do a survey on how much the street lighting should cost to check against Humas' charge, so we can separate domestic and commercial costs.
COMMUNITY MATTERS
Someone asked if we had enough money coming in to pay all the companies who we now have contrcted to do these jobs such as gardeners (Orihuela) water company (Aqualia), Security (Salzillo). We need to have an agenda and have a list of the debtors.
We are seeking legal advice as to the problem with unruly gardens and where we stand with regards to getting the owners to maintain them properly.
If anyone in the community wants to hold a party they must inform the CoO and ask permission. Parties are allowd till midnight. Any noise after that can be reported. The restaurant has a licence to operate until 1 o'clock.
We are working on getting some signs made to inform the community where the office is and the opening times.
We also need a set of Internal rules - which cannot be altered, only by a 100% vote.
Internet site - Internet provider we need to set up a proper website and create an information site this will cost 500.00 €. We also need to find a site manager to make the necessary alteration needed. Terry and Martin have made a few suggestions and know someone who is trained to do this.
We have been asked if there is going to be any facilities to accommodate children, such as play areas. It was said, that this is not that easy, as it is quite costly, and also dangerous as we are responsible. The insurance would go up.
ADMINISTRATOR
We have asked several times if we can see balance sheets. We also need an attendance book. And do we need someone to man the office, the phone, et cetera?
SECURITY
We need to put up security signs, these are being looked at. We want security to stop cars that are entering the urbanisation late at night and ask where they are going.
The Administrator will contact Huma with regards to the security cameras around the urbanisation and ask them to hand these over to the CoO, or take them down and we will supply our own. We want to monitor the front and back of the urbanisation with security system which can be monitored by the security guards.
NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR
Monday 15th October 2007 in the new community office (28/1) at 10.00 am