Elections - Cider Mill's Ballot Valid?

The decision to disqualify Cider Mill Apartments ballot with its 864 votes for three (3) seats on the MVF Board of Directors “because of $334 it owes the foundation in late fees” is not supported by the Foundation’s assessment collection records dating back to 1991.

Ballots are disqualified and not opened or counted if there is a delinquency balance owed to the Foundation of $25 or more. Assessment payments for the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) and Designated Users Facilities (DU) funds from 8,480 homeowners of the eleven (11) Homes Corporations are collected quarterly and according to MVF Collection Policy assessments are delinquent if not received by the last day of the first month of each quarter and is subject to a $25 administrative fee plus interest at an annual rate of 6%.

The nine (9) Condominiums with 2013 units and four (4) Apartment Rental communities totaling 1400 units are invoiced each month for the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) fund assessment charges for its units.

The MVF Collection Policy only applies to assessments paid to the Foundation from homeowner members of the Village’s Homes Corporations. It is unclear what are the Foundation existing policies or practices concerning overdue unpaid assessment charges to Condominiums and Apartments. Does the Foundation charge Condominiums and Apartments late fee for passed due amounts based on a fixed amount per unit, a percentage of the delinquent amount and or an annual interest cost?

The $25 threat hold for ballot disqualification is equal to 8.3% of the annual assessment of Homes Corporation owners while ranging 00.05% for the Heron’s Cove 408 units to 00.19% for Thomas Choice 103 units for Condominium communities and 00.0015% for Cider Mill 864 units to Sunrise Village 00.13% with its 147 units.

The “Fourth Quarter 2007 Delinquency Report” given to MVF’s Board of Directors before it January 24^th board meeting included an “Analysis of Delinquent Accounts December 31,207 and a “Comparison of Delinquency Rates 1991-2007” summarized by Homes Corporations and Condominiums/Apartments.

These reports indicate Cider Mill has had a zero unpaid balance on its account since December 2002 and there is no indication Cider Mill has not paid its monthly assessment on time since 1991.

Is there any reason why Cider Mill’s Ballot should not be opened and its 864 votes included? Is there any reason why the owners of Cider Mill Apartments should not be given a public apology? Can anyone at MVF count or account?

Elections - Deye, Bort and Perley Winners!

The Results

Reform candidates Jim Deye and Pam Bort lead a field of ten (10) as Whetstone Homes Corporation President Linc Perley edged out Mark Firley for the final position for a three (3) year term on the Montgomery Village Foundation’s Board of Directors.

The results signaled for the second year in a row homeowners’ dissatisfaction with the board leadership as incumbents Jerry Donegan and Scott Frohman ran 8^th and 9^th only besting first time candidate Steward Merritt who was not a factor in the campaign.

Candidates		Votes	% of Vote
Deye, Jim	1	1,836	18.1%
Bort, Pamela	2	1,478	14.6%
Perley, Linc	3	1,208	11.9%
Firley, Mark	4	1,120	11.0%
Musante, Marie T	5	938	9.3%
Negro, Toni	6	864	8.5%
Greenspan, Steven	7	840	8.3%
Donegan, Jerry*	8	766	7.6%
Frohman, Scott*	9	742	7.3%
Merritts, Stewart	10	346	3.4%
Total		10,138	100.0%
Bort – Deye – Firley		4,434	43.7%
Perley-Negro-Frohman		2,814	27.8%
Donegan – Frohman*		1,508	14.9%
Traditionees		5,358	52.9%
Reformits		4,780	47.1%
Unaffiliated		2,890	28.5%
Previous board experience		4518	44.6%
*incumbents

The final outcome and margin of victory may well have been determined by which of the 1700 block vote ballots from the four (4) Apartment communities were voted or counted. - Breckenridge Apartments (178), Cider Mill (864), Sunrise (147) and Walker House (211)

In past elections these communities seldom participated in the MVF Board elections. The year Cider Mill with its 864 votes to cast for three (3) candidates and one other unidentified Apartment community voted. However, the ballot of any eligible voter delinquent $25 or more is disqualified. According the MVF records Cider Mill’s was one of four (4) eligible voters in arrear of more than $25 whose ballots were not opened or counted.

If Cider Mill’s votes were counted it would determined the outcome of the election except for Jim Deye who would have won with or without Cider Mill’s support and last place candidate Stewart Merritts. It is the Observer’s speculation that the other Apartment community that voted, probably Walker House which voted for Deye, Bort and Perley electing Linc Perley instead of Mark Firley.

The Winners

James Deye is a 32 year Village resident, PhD hospital administrator, and a member of the MVF Audit Committee. He campaigned for full examination of MVF’s fiscal infrastructure, a reinvigorated and expanded communications with Village residents, a more transparent and routine review of the monthly finances, creating a MVF budget and finance committee to monitor and advise the board on financial matters, streamlining and MVF website and electronic communications.

Pamela Bort for the past 28 years has been a senior paralegal with experience in corporate law, banking and public finance and is a member of the South Village Board of Directors. Her campaign focused on restoring MVF financial health, improving communications and relations between the MVF Board and residents, enhancing the Foundation’s imagine, addressing safety concerns, balanced budgeting and adequate fully funded reserves.

Lincoln Perley is a retired Information Technology executive and returns to the Foundation’s Board after eight when he served as MVF President and Vice President. He campaigned on expending the current President’s Council influence, organizing the Village against M-83’s negative impact, safeguarding MVF finances and lobby elected officials in the Village’s behalf.

The New Alignments

With the election of two (2) reform candidates and the defeat of four (4) candidates who have served on the MVF board in the recent past, the control of the board has shifted to a 6 to 3 voting majority that favors fundamental reform and change.

Current members Bob Hydorn, Jim King, Katherine Gray and Scott Johnson will join new members Pam Bort and Jim Deye as the new voting majority. Keith Silliman and Dick Wright will team up with Linc Perley to oppose any change.

A word of caution to the new voting majority

The March 2007 MVF board election the 3 Reformits candidates received 81% of the votes cast and supported Bob Hydorn for President winning with a temporary and fragile 5 to 4 voting majority.

Despite the good intentions and valiant efforts by Bob Hydorn and last year new members over the last year the little was accomplished because Reformits action plan and program was not well planned or articulated. The Traditionees still controlled the finances, the staff and the agenda while opposing and derailing those few initiatives that came before the board for vote.

As Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed have learned a voting majority is not sufficient unless you can control the decision making, governing and communication processes; have the loyalty, support and compliance of the staffing organization and are synchronized and in concert with the committee organizations.

The new committed voting majority has only a total of five (5) years experience on the MVF Board of Directors while the minority has close to forty (40) years.

And let us not forget 2008 is the year the sleeping giant Apartment owners especially Cider Mill with their 1700 votes can determine the outcome of any election if the MVF leadership doesn’t behave and not take them for granted.

But what do I know. I’m only the 800 pound gorilla in the Village.