HERE THEY GO AGAIN!

     Several months ago, I attended a meeting where I suggested that we perhaps stockpile tarps, wood, etc. for damage after a hurricane or even hire a company to stockpile and then come in to the Village. I was poo-poohed, told it was too costly, no room, they had already tried that with a roofer from Texas and then Ed Black and David Israel gave wicked snide little laughs and smirks and went on to another issue. Not ten minutes later David Israel had a great idea. Why not stockpile material for hurricane damage!!! I really did not care, for the idea was to get help quickly should G-d forbid, we be hit again.
     Talk of forming a committee was bruited about but nothing happened for months. Then finally there appeared to be a spin-off from the Insurance Committee and the Disaster Committee was formed. The same people who make up most of the committees now are to be found here as well. Suddenly, supposedly an RFP (I hope) was brought forth and answers were received from several companies and now, one company was chosen with several questions remaining. Did anybody in the Village get this information, details, terms, etc.? NOPE! So here we go again.
     The following is from David Israel's emails that he sends out so, trust me, I did not make this up.
 
     "Minutes - disaster Committee Meeting - 6/19/14

         Call to order
         Discussed merits and drawbacks of all contractors
         Voted and chose Cotton - motioned by John Hess    and seconded by Phyllis Siegelman.
         Decided to make a list of the associations needs after a storm to discuss with Cotton.     
         Agreed it would be beneficial to add an additional contractor and would speak with Cotton on how to move forward.
        Jason Cloar will contact Cotton and ask when they are available for a meeting."

Whoa! So it seems there was no RFP, no solicitation of proposal answers so where did these companies come from? How was this Cotton chosen over other companies and who were the other companies and why was no one in the company spoken with so more details as to ability to fulfill needs would be clarified. Sounds like another M&M Paving story to me. Then a decision is made as to add other companies on - to what and where and why? Now to go and speak with Cotton - NOW - after a decision was made, a sloppy one, but this is truly backwards - again!! First now we are going to speak with Cotton and first now a list of needs is being made? How do you look for a company if the needs are not clarified?
     Just who or what is this Cotton? I looked up Cotton Construction , close enough I figured and found one in Katy, Texas - Texas again! They have a nice website, true, but anyone can write anything on a website. How do we know it is true without having spoken with them before? What are the terms of this contract - what materials? Where stored? What is time frame? Are they capable of doing all that is needed from mold remediation to concrete repair should a building lose its front due to a tornado spinoff? Have they ever done it before and if so, where? Has anyone spoken to someone from a previous job? Has there been a comparision with other companies in the category - but how could there have been if no RFP was sent out in the first place?!! And if there was an RFP then publish it. Transparency, remember?
     Additionally, is UCO even entitled to make a deal on behalf of the Associations for this kind of repair. They did that back with the roofer after Wilma, I believe and Ed Black THREATENED associations if they did not use this roofer and even blocked other roofers from coming in. The buildings of an association belong to the association and UCO is not entitled to infringe on that building. It cannot force anyone to use a particular contractor. It can recommend, but it cannot force. What if this contractor cannot due a roof such as the one we have on our building. One has to be trained and licensed by Dow who guarantees the roof and how much is this going to cost?
     I am in favor of having a stockpile or several companies on a favorite son basis to be recommended AFTER they have been truly vetted, and only then but they cannot be forced on anyone and the entire Village must be made aware of all that this whole thing entails. Who are the companies, their reputations, their experience, their project managers, has the contract been read over by a lawyer and not Tennyson! There are so many questions to be asked and answered and I have just touched on the tip of the iceberg. We cannot allow David Israel and coterie to set us up for a major fall again. This whole thing is a result of lack of proper experience and procedure in setting up contracts. I have so much experience in this but , sorry folks, David Israel is too afraid of me so he will not appoint me to a committee and this is one I asked for too. If we allow this situation to continue, then we have brought it upon ourselves and we reap what we sow. Action is up to all of you. I have said my piece.