May 24, 2023:

In response to the May 17, 2023 Report published on this News Site entitled, “Armed Uniformed State Law Enforcement Officer For Protection from Resident Predators at Board Meetings and Residents Packing Pistols,” we received a number of supportive emails.  Here’s one that sums it up:

"Hi Vicki,

First, [name of homeowners] want to thank you and Arthur for your tireless work applying your very impressive skills and intellect in exposing what is truly evil and corrupt in our community. It would be easy to overlook the cesspool in favor of enjoying oneself.

You both are unique in that you recognize your higher responsibilities as citizens and as people who can actually make a difference. Now more than ever, as you well know, it is critical to defend our freedom of speech and civil liberties. Thank you!

It is truly shocking the level of degeneracy and criminality that you have experienced and exposed. Your impeccable documentation is indeed the sunlight that can lead to disinfecting the community.

…Wishing you a safe, healthy and enjoyable summer.

Warm regards,

[name of homeowners]"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your introductory comments were brilliant. I believe that your synopses have made a major contribution to resident interest in the board meetings and have shined a bright light on behavior that has been tolerated for too many years.  Kudos to you and your Tonto."

December 5, 2021:

We were inundated with feedback concerning the December 1, 2021 synopsis and commentary entitled “Secretariat and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”  All, without exception, were positive and appreciative of our report, which blew the lid off the ugly machinations of some of the male Board members.  Here is a small sampling:

1.  Wow.  You have outdone your previous endeavors to shed light and a foundation of legality and common decency on the Board’s actions, intentions, and behavior.  Alas, your report exhibits the worsening condition of the situation. Misogyny, disrespect of law and tradition. Mean-spiritness, ill-tempered outbursts, sneaky covert maneuvering.

All this now exposed and exhibited must set the stage for fresh minds in the future commencing with the March elections.  Without you, darkness and danger would prevail.  Very frightening.  Bless you.  Thank you.

2.  …Essential in finding out the true nature of two Board Members.  Make it three... I'll include Jeff Green in that statement.

We were horrified to read Vicki's synopsis of that meeting.  When did being a Board member have anything to do with gender?  It's boys against women?  Note that I used the word boys. That meeting was a bad reflection on voted-in Board members.  Linda and Sue, you kept your composure and acted like mature individuals.  I think that the rest of the Board should hang their heads in shame.

If there was any question as to reelecting Bob and Richard in anyone's mind, this meeting showed true colors. Infantile behavior from Bob should not have been tolerated by Jeff, the President.  Vicki, you were right on point when you made legal references.  I have great respect for all three of you.

I agree with the importance of Town Hall Meetings.  People need to know what is going on, and, Vicki, I hope many people read your article and found themselves enlightened by your reporting.  With great respect …

3.  We were very upset to read the synopsis.  I’m so impressed that Linda and Sue were able to keep their cool.  I am somewhat of a feminist and don’t like the way you are treated.  I always thought of the Board as having nothing to do with gender, but it’s obvious that I am wrong. You may feel free to share my email.  Keep up the good work you are doing. You have my support!

4.   This was like [volcano] Krakatoa at Cascade Lakes.  I picked through the aerosols emitted into our atmosphere-- trying to catch my breath … Krakatoa Cascade Lakes -- disruptive but so needed to build a new world.  Thank you for being on the scene of this eruption, documenting the heat of it, taking the hot risk.  This was hot.

5.  Exceptional Work.  You really outdid yourselves.

6.  Vicki you’re spot on with your synopsis.

November 7, 2021:

We have had several residents weigh in on our November 3, 2021 synopsis and commentary entitled “Moolah Rouge ~ A Burlesque Show About Your Money," "Punches and Counterpunches," and "Getting To Know You.”  Here is one: 

"After reading your most recent review of the Board meeting, which as ever, I read with much appreciation for your dedication and work, I would like Jeff and his kindred scoundrels to read the definition below. It is what you do. It is what anyone in any form of governance should expect and respect:

"Fifth Estate

October 26, 2021:

We had several residents weigh in on our October 20, 2021 synopsis and commentary entitled “The Lawyer and the Shakedown.”  Here is one:

"Spectacular!  A glistening clean window for all of us to see--WHAT'S UP!...

The PBB saga was gripping…

As for Jeff?… he doesn't like to be questioned.  When questioned, he withdraws into "you don't know all the facts." His "dominant white male" forte doesn't serve him well.

The work you've been doing has a whistleblower effect on him.  You've managed this risky business and pay the price courageously.  We all benefit in so many ways () --even the blind, deaf and mute among us..."

October 10, 2021:

We had several residents weigh in on our October 6, 2021 synopsis and commentary entitled “You Are The Champions.”  Here is a sampling:

1.  Resident #1:

I would wear a t-shirt that read, “I support our Editor in chief and Roving Reporter!” … I’m sure you would have many supporters who’d pay for a t-shirt (short sleeve).

2.  Resident #2:

LOUD APPLAUSE WITH STANDING OVATION:  The existence of our editor, our roving reporter, our News Site, our resident of the month -- was presented with heartfelt beauty. 

3.  Resident #3:

July 18, 2021:

June 5, 2021:

Several residents have weighed in on our latest synopsis, the June 2, 2021 report entitled "Canine Contemplations and A (Guinea) Pig": 

[Editor's note:  the below abbreviation in the resident's comments, "HGPG," stands for Harvey (Guinea) Pig Ginsberg as referenced in our synopsis.]

One resident wrote:

Several residents have weighed in on our latest synopsis, the May 5, 2021 report entitled “A Very Strange Cartographer, Indeed":

One resident wrote:

April 10, 2021:

A resident has weighed in on our latest synopsis, the April 7, 2021 report entitled “All Roads Lead To Roam":

We don’t think Board members ought to be touting their position on this matter during an official Board meeting.  Official Board meetings are specifically for the purpose of conducting official HOA business, and they are not to be used as propaganda opportunities for individual Board members to urge a specific community vote, especially on a hotly contested issue such as this one.

This is not a Board vote where discussion and opinions are welcome.  This is a community vote matter, where each Board member’s vote counts the exact same as every other household’s vote.  It is the one time that a Board member’s vote is not worth more than yours or mine.  That is why it is wholly inappropriate for a Board member to use his or her bully pulpit in this manner. 

The right to speak at Board meetings on one’s opinion on this matter should be during the Residents’ Input Sessions only.  If a Board member wants to opine on a community vote issue, do it the same way the rest of the members are required to do so, at the Residents’ Input Session, because that’s where your opinions on a community vote issue belong.

To The Editor:

Living in a gated community like Cascade Lakes provides great opportunities to meet neighbors, make new friends, play tennis, pickleball, swim, sunbathe, or workout at the fitness center, as well as playing cards or billiards at our amazing clubhouse.

These luxuries do not, however, come without a price tag.  As a homeowner in Cascade Lakes we all have a financial responsibility to maintain each and every area of the community whether we as individual homeowners take advantage of and use every amenity.

We must think of the community’s common areas and amenities as extensions of our individual homes because legally and financially, they are just that!  We can not pick and choose what things to repair, replace or upgrade based on only the specific ones we use as individuals.  That being said, sometimes we just need to pony up to the table, pay our fair share and keep the entire community in A1 condition.  This is no different than maintaining your own residence.  If you air conditioner, hot water heater, or roof needs repair, replacement, or upgrade you are obviously going to do it.  Of course, you have the option to wait until your roof leaks into your living room, but likely you're going to repair, or replace any broken tiles before that happens.

As our community ages, so do things like furniture, roads, mailboxes, our front entry, the clubhouse, its air conditioning and roof, its windows and doors, just to name a few.  So, when repairs, replacements and/or upgrades to the community are necessary, we all have a responsibility to see the light, cut a check and make sure our community remains one we can all be proud of.  It’s, simply put, the right thing to do.

Lastly, we all have a responsibility to be sure when repairs, replacements and/or upgrades are required, that due diligence is done to ensure that the correct vendor and the correct product are chosen.  The cheapest is usually not the best choice unless the comparison is truly apples to apples.  More often, however, a more expensive initial investment pays off in the long-term because of the longer life expectancy of the product purchased, or the parts used to make the repair.

On a final note, we must all be informed, we must all voice our opinions.  To do so requires attending board meetings and making your voice heard.  If only the same few people comment during the resident input sessions, the decisions reached may not be the same as yours.  Stand up and be heard.  It’s your right.  It’s also your obligation.

Mike Gentry

Candidate for The Board 2021

December 22, 2020:

Editor’s note:  We received a lot of positive feedback to our December 16, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary entitled “Can’t Touch This.”  Here is a small sampling of what we received:

1. “Brilliant and appropriate coverage.”

2. “Again...superb coverage of some out of control people.  Your editorials and facts are so needed. I just hope everyone keeps their eyes open! You know...watch what they do, not what they say!!”

3.“Thank you...thank you. Your analysis is the highlight of every meeting.”

4. “I think your report on the board meetings should be required reading for every resident that cares about this community.”

5. “I think that you should write something to the effect that when you call out people it’s not personal but for the betterment of the community.”

6. “So CL folks who engaged in the political signage event --forgot how to peacefully protest.  And the incident report submitted about the event was handled "willy-nilly"--if that still means haphazardly. We await the full BOD response to this incident report…

Yes, we at CL are to blame for directing inquiries et al.--to Marion, rather than to the full BOD.  Our mistake is treating Marion "as if" she was the Queen of CL, rather than as one among equals on the BOD.

In addressing "rumors" at this BOD meeting, our "Queen" took an "off with your heads approach.  It's OUR failure for tolerating this management style in silence

The BOD meeting is not a forum for us getting "played" because we lack the chutzpa or oxygen to use our 1st amendment right to redress grievances responsibly and respectfully.  

False allegations must be purged; they pollute our CL ecology.  Our BOD meeting agenda needs to include all this "old" business--in the name of justice for all, going forward.

Thank you both (a zillion) for transforming and upgrading our grip on what's being said and done (in our name) here at CL. 

OMG- Kamala Harris worked on a book with you?  Awesome…”

7. “Thought you'd be interested in knowing that your synopsis of and commentary upon the 12/16 Board meeting contained 13,863 words…The United States Constitution, including its Amendments, contains 7,591 words...” 

Editor’s response: “And War and Peace is 587,287 words…”

December 8, 2020:

We received, as usual, lots of feedback about our latest synopsis and commentary, that of the December 2, 2020 Board meeting entitled "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina," but this one seems to sum it up the best:

"Dear Vicki and Arthur,

The synopsis is exquisitely crafted--it's a fantastic, gripping read. 

No doubt, intense labor, creativity, subtle irony (humor) is sensitively applied to result in each morsel offered to us.  It's a banquet. 

The reversals may not be full-bodied apologies by specific residents or members of the BOD--but--the reset button is tapped--and change is evident.  People who need face saving, will go to great lengths...

Meanwhile, the whole thing is priceless...Anonymous

November 29, 2020:

More feedback landed in our inbox in response to the November 25, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary to the Annual Board Budget Meeting.  Here are two samples of the many emails we received:

--"1.  Bravo on your introductory poem.  2.  RE no chat function – Obviously there are those on the Board who are not interested in the opinion of their fellow residents.  It’s much more important to them to retain control of their fiefdom….”

-- “Gripping.  It was before 7 a.m.- coolish, damp on the lanai; sipping yesterday's Panera dark roast (FREETIL2021 promo code)--when my Amazon Fire Stick lit up the synopsis--to grip me 'til the end...with the incisive, surgical account of the CL budget meeting...

The opening rhyme was clever, Lego clever. BUT--The cartoons are uproarious, the more the merrier.  I allege that the cartoons have so far blown CL mish-mash to smithereens--with the side-effect of belly laughing on some lanai's on some pods...

You're making CL good again.  Massive applause…”

Editor’s response to the second resident:

I would love to use more cartoons -- it is very, very time-consuming to find just the right ones to incorporate, and sometimes we put some in preliminarily and then we decide it is too forced so we take them out.  It has to flow smoothly, or it just wouldn't work.  Other times, we find something riotous but for various reasons cannot publish.  You would not believe the amount of material that ends up on the Editing Room floor all the time.  It does make for some pretty hardy laughs over here in our dining room aka newsroom, so it's all worth it!  So often we say to each other, “OMG, that's hilarious, but we can't use it.”

November 28, 2020:

Several residents wrote about the synopsis and commentary to the November 25, 2020 Board’s Annual Budget Meeting.  Here are a few excerpts:

--"Your poem was very cleverly written. It's very unfortunate that a small group of cavorters are putting us all at risk...very irresponsible, immature, and should be illegal!!..."

--"Thank you for including me in your emails, please continue I am rather interested in both HOA board activities, First Residential and ALEX SANCHEZ. I wondered why Alex was banned from the property short of an egregious activity, it didn’t make sense to me..."

--"It appears that the meeting was orchestrated as part of a deranged story by Kafka.  Lunacy, bureaucracy and autocracy. Not sure if I should laugh or cry.  Thank you as ever.  Lies, distortions.... how you exhibit patience is amazing.  Bless you."

--"This stupidity on the part of Marion and Harvey is overwhelmingly alarming.  God help us.  The board won't!"

--"Thanks again for your detailed report from the Board meeting, and their lack of fiscal responsibility!"

Editor’s response in general:

We are making progress by exposing all of this as it occurs and as we learn about it.  It's incredibly time consuming; you have no idea!  But I am passionate about it and we want this community, which is our home, to be a place where fairness, honesty, transparency, and goodness prevail.  Being creative in that process makes it fun. 

A resident has weighed in on our October 21, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary entitled, Deflection and Projection:

Anonymous wrote:

"...We all want to thrive and prosper here at CL.  None of our problems are irreparable; none of our imperfect efforts have caused irreversible damage.  Our CL environment is not too hostile or too divisive for people to live safely and enjoyably.

Those who need and want to move out of CL have an opportunity right now, to spread peace and harmony (right here)-- before they bring it ( peace and harmony) to another community.

The news site has provided enormous clarity. Not to mention math and logic.  It's a battle ground only to the battle conscious. 

---Yes, the news site is un-apologetically outspoken about CL's need to create a balanced reciprocal exchange of solutions;

---Yes, the news site occasionally cartoons authoritarian programming--because--that is NOT participatory.

Here's what's obvious: Inherent in all CL transactions, official and unofficial, there a "try me" easy switch that could restore respect and kindness--but who's going to ADMIT it onto the budget?

Here's to being firmly honest and a lot more funny --about letting light shine freely into all corners of our people to people transactions within our CL community. Thanks so much for all you do.” --Anonymous

September 5, 2020:

Editor’s note:  We received very positive feedback from our latest synopses.  Here are some excerpts from some of those emails.  The first one is about the September 2, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary and the second one references both the September 2, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary as well as the August 28, 2020 Synopsis and Commentary:

1. “I love the supporting delightful visuals. Very charming and sprightly cute.  More smiles from me than usual....at my age smiling at insanity and inanity are preferable to scowls.  Thank you as ever for your precious work.”

August 30, 2020:

August 21, 2020:

In response to the publication of the August 19, 2020 synopsis and commentary, we received very positive feedback.  Here is a sampling of emails from five different residents:

1.  “Hooray for you. Thank you. We need you. Gratefully…”

2.  “I love your commentary... keep up the great work."

3.  “Bravo.  Keep up the good work. About time someone took the Board Members to task.”

4.  “Please be sure to keep me on your mailing list! I am thrilled that you are there to report the truth. Your clarity and willingness to bring to light some of the ridiculous issues is sorely needed. I look forward to meeting you.”

5.  “So funny.  Reminded me of Jon Stewart's Daily Show.  Even with a tinge of irreverence (Saturday Night Live-ish)--this was a great read. (The ego thing can be serious but it was served up so playfully...) …”

We thank these and all the other residents for their continued support and encouragement, without which there would be neither a need nor a desire to press on.

Your Editor and Roving Reporter write:

THE ULTERIOR MOTIVES BEHIND ELAINE CRAMER'S POSTS:

Elaine Cramer posted on July 8, 2020 on both the HOA message board and the unofficial Cascade Lakes Facebook page a post stating that the “real” resident award goes to Diane Green for doing something that any neighbor or decent human being would do - catch a falling resident who was fainting.  That post read:

“The Real Resident Award for Heroism

Kudos to Pickleball President, Diane Green, who came to the rescue of tennis player, [name identified by Elaine], who was fainting and falling onto the concrete walkway due to dehydration this morning. Great job Diane!!!

Last edited on Jul 08, 2020 10:51 am by Elaine Cramer”

It was fortuitous and it was serendipity that someone was there to assist the individual in need.  It happened to have been Diane Green, and everyone is grateful for her presence at that moment, but anyone would have done so.  Neighbors regularly do these types of things for neighbors without having it broadcast as some kind of hero worship (e.g., when a neighbor was assisted with CPR and another neighbor helped resuscitate him until the ambulance arrived, and neither that rescuing neighbor nor his spouse ever said a word to a soul), and other neighbors who come to the aid and assistance of other neighbors with nary an acknowledgement and frankly, none needed, because that’s what decent people do. 

And what exactly does her position as pickleball president have to do with being a neighbor coming to the aid of another neighbor?

Furthermore, did Elaine clear this announcement with the neighbor that she specifically identified by name before blasting it on the HOA message board and the internet via Facebook?  Some people might not want it known that they had a medical issue and yet Elaine just couldn’t wait to praise “Pickleball President, Diane Green” at the first opportunity she believed presented itself, and this News Sites knows why, and this News Site shall explain it in detail below. 

Elaine Cramer’s post was also a direct insult to the July Resident of the Month because Elaine’s post clearly stated that the “Real Resident Award” belonged to someone else, and that necessarily means that the current Resident of the Month Award winner was not real, i.e., fake.  This is insulting to your fellow neighbor who actually won the award and all the residents who look to see who is the actual Resident of the Month each and every month, and per our statistical diagnostics, there are many, many, many hundreds and hundreds of those.  So, you have insulted a majority of the community.  To use your words, “Great job!”

Often during pickleball or tennis individuals become light-headed, either because of fatigue, dehydration, a sugar drop, or other reason.  They are assisted to a seat, and they are offered water or other aid that they might require.  It happens occasionally.  But when it is Diane Green to the rescue, all of a sudden, some residents go overboard and want to call her a hero.  The word heroism used by Elaine in her posts is one that ought to be reserved for true heroes.  Per the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “heroism” is defined thusly with an included example by the OED:

"noun: heroism      

1. great bravery.

“they fought with exemplary heroism””

To use the word heroism in the context of assisting a neighbor by an act that is not uncommon is insulting to true heroes.  Further, usually when this situation occurs, the person who needed assistance says, “thank you very much,” and everyone moves forward.  There is no broadcast of it; this is pure drama.  If it were anyone else, this News Site surmises that no one would be posting anything anywhere. 

Now let’s look behind the post and see it for what it really was.  This post by Elaine Cramer was specifically intended to act as a counterbalance to the shameful conduct this News Site pointed out chronologically and with documented proof on the part of Diane Green in our June 24, 2020 synopsis and commentary.  The attempted resurrection campaign has officially begun.  In that context, this News Site asks: Elaine Cramer, is pickleball so important to you that you would compromise almost anything for it, because it sure seems like it.  Let us now explain the background to Elaine Cramer’s over-the-top display of sycophantic behavior.  For the record, the Oxford English Dictionary defines sycophant as follows:

noun: sycophant; plural noun: sycophants

1.  a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.

At the time when you, Elaine Cramer, were the official secretary of the pickleball club, how is it that Diane Green mysteriously ended up on the ballot sent to all club members when she was neither present at the nominating meeting, never nominated, and never seconded? 

Last year you had the Editor of this News Site, Vicki, on the telephone for a full two hours from your home in Massachusetts complaining that you were “hated” here in your words and you were hoping that she, Vicki, would be your new pickleball savior. We also enjoyed wonderful times with you and your husband, Chuck, at the wetlands during the Hike and Bike Sundays when you were here in Cascade Lakes. 

Ever since Diane Green became president of the pickleball club, you have shunned Vicki.  Now you have no use for her and instead have cozied up to Diane, and that makes you happy because you are no longer the “hated” one, to use your word.  You are all too happy that Vicki has taken your place in some people’s minds thanks to Diane Green’s baseless character assassination of Vicki that a few lemmings have bought into.  Ever since Diane’s “election” under your watch as secretary, you have made efforts to avoid Vicki, actually to avoid both of us, in public, beyond saying a quick hello to Arthur and then urging your husband to move along.

In conclusion, Diane Green is in fact permanently disqualified from ever earning the Resident of the Month Award based on her vile conduct as detailed on our Calling Out Bullies page and in our June 24, 2020 synopsis and commentary under New Business #6, Scavenger Hunt by the Pickleball Club.  The July Resident of the Month Award winner won the award for being kind all the time, not just once in a moment’s need doing an act that anyone in their right mind would reflexively do if presented with the same scenario. 

There are no other human beings on the planet that share that honor with the current July Resident of the Month, and any claims to denigrate her honor as we see with Elaine’s post stating that someone else won the “Real Resident Award” should be rejected outright because it is both false and insulting to the true winner and to the majority of the residents who eagerly anticipate the announcement of the true deserving winners each month.  Congratulations to all the winners of this honorable award.  They all meet the only criteria necessary to earn this wonderful distinction:  for kindness and warmth towards everyone they meet.

May 17, 2020:

In response to our email blast announcing the Resident of the Month Award for May 2020, we received an email from a resident attacking, without explanation, “our methods.”  As a courtesy to that resident, we replace his/her name with the word “Anonymous.”  This was more than any courtesy extended to us, as is obvious from the below email exchange, especially since prior to receiving the resident’s below email, we had a cordial relationship with that resident.  That otherwise unedited email exchange is as follows:

Our initial email:

From: vicki <vicki@cascadelakesresidents.com>

To: Anonymous

Sent: Friday, May 1, 2020, 07:33:50 PM EDT

Subject: Cascade Lakes Resident of the Month, May 2020

Cascade Lakes Resident of the Month, May 2020

<award image>

Congratulations to the winner of the Cascade Lakes May 2020 Resident of the Month Award!  See which wonderful and deserving resident won by clicking on the below link:

CascadeLakesResidents.com

On May 3, 2020, at 3:26 PM, Anonymous wrote in direct reply to the above email announcement of the May Resident of the Month Award:

Please delete my name from any future emails you may choose to send out. I do not support your methods.

Arthur Andelson, your Roving Reporter, wrote back to this resident:

Dear Anonymous,

Arthur Andelson here. I am equally involved with my wife in our news site, CascadeLakesResidents.com. You wrote the below email to my wife this afternoon and stated to her in that email, “I do not support your methods.” What methods? Honoring a resident of the month? Calling out bullies? Calling out rule breakers? Asking for transparency? Asking for the Board to be fiscally responsible?

When playing pickleball, we all are expected to follow the rules of the game. And once we leave the court, one would also expect the same to apply to the community. So I do not understand what you mean by “your methods,” which are my methods also, whatever you are referring to.

I am in the dark here. What exactly are you talking about? What gossip are you a party to? We are always open for discussion, but making a blanket statement about unidentified methods is unfair and hostile.

Sincerely,

Arthur Andelson

[Editor’s note:  we received no response.]

May 9, 2020:

HOA member Jeff Hyman, Ph.D., Epidemiologist, Harvard/Hopkins, has a very important post on our Residents’ Input Page, under the Message Board: General page concerning the coronavirus.  This post reiterates what he stated at the Board meeting on May 6, 2020, and also repeats what he wrote on the HOA’s message board.  We are reprinting all of it here so that a much wider number of people can read it and be advised accordingly.  We thank Jeff for sharing his expertise with the community at large.

From the May 6, 2020 BOD synopsis:

Jeff Hyman:  I’m an epidemiologist.  Covid is a respiratory virus….you don’t absorb it through your skin, food, sunscreen, not from sitting on infected surfaces unless you touch your face with your hands and touch your nose; then it gets into your respiratory system.  The virus survives for a very short period of time in sunlight, only a few minutes.  There is no specific risk of playing in the pool or tennis.  Ninety percent of the virus travels less than six feet; a few percent travel further.  Stay away from people, a ten-foot distance, and the chances of getting the virus are very low.

[Editor’s note:  Jeff provided an expansion to what he stated at the Board meeting, which we post unedited below.]

Jeff Hyman:

“I would like to expand on the comments I made at the board meeting regarding Covid 19 and our response to it.

For those who didn’t attend, Covid-19 is a RNA respiratory virus in the Coronavirus family. This means that we are infected when we inhale liquid droplets (from coughs, sneezes, etc) which contain the virus.  It colonizes our noses, causing a mild flu like disease 2-14 days after infection..  Depending on a number of factors such as age, comorbidities, immune status, ACE2 and other receptor status, and many currently unknown factors, it can also cause a more severe disease and also travel to our lungs where it causes a much more severe disease, which can lead to death in some cases.

The recommendation to maintain a 6” social distance is based on the fact that 90% of droplets travel 6 feet or less.  The virus can survive on surfaces for varying lengths of time and we can also become infected if we touch the surface and then touch our face, transferring the virus to our nose.  This is the reason for the recommendation to frequently wash our hands.  Washing with soap and water for 20 seconds will kill the virus by disrupting it’s lipid shell, causing it to fall apart, i.e. soap is all we need for our hands).  

While the virus can live indoors for days on different surfaces, sunlight and warmth rapidly kill it outdoors.  In our warm, sunny, south Florida environment this means we are actually safer outside (on a tennis court, pickle ball court, pool deck, etc) than inside where there have been an equivalent number of people, since we have less chance of touching a surface with live virus on it. We just need to be careful to follow the recommendations to maintain a safe distance and wash our hands (although, as noted, the sun helps us a lot with this one).

In a situation like the current one, it’s natural to want to wait until the virus ‘goes away’ to reopen our facilities.  Let’s look at how likely that is to happen.  It’s been estimated that we need 70-75% of the population to be immune to the virus to achieve herd immunity. This percentage is based on the current Reproduction Number or R0.  Herd immunity is achieved when R0 falls below 1.  In simple English, this means that each infected person infects less than one other person, so the epidemic dies out.  Since the percentage of people now immune from having had the virus is relatively small, this immunity will have to be achieved with a vaccine.  A number of groups are working furiously to achieve this.  But what does it mean to achieve 70% immunity in the population? For example we would need for the vaccine is 100% effective and at least 70% of people take it.
Lets look at our experience with other vaccines-
The shingles vaccine is 51-90% effective
The flu varies by year but is 35-50% effective and about 50% of people take it.
Mumps vaccine is 31-95% effective.
Measles is up to 90% effective.
Pneumonia is 50-85% effective.

These numbers, for established vaccines with long development times, suggest that it will be very difficult to achieve herd immunity to Covid-19 anytime soon, especially since a sizable segment of the population refuses to take any vaccines, and an even larger number of people won’t want to take a very rushed, barely tested vaccine.  
In addition the vaccine under development will (wisely) be tested on healthy young adults, and we really have no idea how the effectiveness of the virus in this population might apply to older populations such as ours.

What does this all mean?  We don’t know the future but there is a good chance that we won’t rapidly achieve herd immunity and this virus will be with us for a number of years. We could expect it’s impact to vary between the current baseline level and higher spikes when we try to return to normal economic life and realize that we can’t.  

We are already seeing resistance in our community to keeping facilities closed and paying full HOA fees for greatly restricted amenities.  This will certainly get much worse as the county approves re-opening facilities.  I think our board and management company would be very wise to start to think about safe strategies for opening as many of our facilities as possible, and to not get their public health advice from pool management companies..  Otherwise the ducks will continue to be the only ones enjoying the pool and there will continue to be reminders on the message board that the facilities belong to the residents, not the board.
Jeffrey Hyman Ph.D. Epidemiology (from Harvard and Hopkins)]”

[Editor’s note:  Jeff Hyman posted a second response on the HOA message board which we repost below unedited.]

“There has been some discussion about the possible inadequacy of CDC’s 6 foot social distancing recommendation and I would like to comment on that.  It has been known for many, many years that in some circumstances (such as totally uncovered sneezes) the droplets from sneezes can carry much further than 6 feet.  Recent research has found that droplets can carry up to 27 feet.

The 6 foot recommendation is based on the fact that 90% of droplets travel less than 6 feet.  Plus these are the bigger droplets that carry more virus particles.  Since the larger, more virus laden particles travel less than 6 feet, the actual risk reduction when standing 6 feet apart is greater than 90%.

The droplets that carry much further are small, more spread out and carry a much lower virus load, which makes them less dangerous.

Masks can offer additional protection, but with the variety of masks being used, disposable masks being reused a number of times, and some people not knowing how to use masks properly, it is very unclear how much additional protection they might offer to the wearer.  Their main purpose, of course, is to block virus transmission from someone who does not know they are infected and who is unknowingly spreading droplets.

At the present time, it is almost certain that well under 5% of Floridians are actively infected with Covid 19.  In addition, in our age range virtually no one has an asymptomatic infection, which means a newly infected person will only shed the virus for a few (mean 5) days before they realize they are sick.  These facts, combined with the 6 foot rule, (plus a mask if desired), minimizing time in stores, plus frequent hand washing offers an extremely high level of protection, probably greater than 98%.   However this virus can cause serious disease and death in people in our age cohort.  If someone desires an additional increment of protection, they are free to stay as far from other people as they wish, totally avoid going into stores,  avoid all outdoor activities, or stay totally isolated in their home.  They will still need to properly handle any packages that they receive and frequently wash their hands.  This option could lead to psychological problems but this is entirely a personal choice for those who are very afraid of the virus.

When people decide to stay home or maintain a 30 foot distance, avoid stores, and not touch anything that another person could have touched they no longer need to worry about what other people do since they won’t be affected by anyone else’s actions.  If someone plays pickle ball and runs into the net or two people walk close together or someone sits in the hot tub once it’s open there is no way it can affect someone who is sitting in their house. So people who are isolating themselves don’t need to worry about, or publicly comment on, the actions of others.

It is entirely possible that this virus will be with us for a very long time, as in years.  We will need to learn to adapt to this situation and live with it with as little disruption and as much safety as possible.  This is one of those times when we need to work to find ways to make our lives as normal as possible within the CDC precautions.   This of course includes regaining the use of our beautiful pool complex, where the hot sun is helpfully killing any covid viruses that have come to rest on places like chairs, tables, or railings. Again we are much safer at the pool than we would be indoors where there is the same density of people in the area.

Just to help us count our blessings, while the case fatality rate from covid is still difficult to calculate for a number or reasons and certainly increases with age, it is almost certainly well under 1% overall.  By contrast the related coronavirus SARS has a case fatality rate over 10%, and the coronavirus MERS has a case fatality rate of 34%.  So we should be very grateful because this  pandemic could be much, much worse than it is.

Jeffrey Hyman”

April 29, 2020:

Landscaping Issues Which Impact Security and Costs to the HOA and homeowners:

The following is a transcript of Arthur Andelson’s comments during the First Residents’ Input Session at the March 4, 2020 Board of Directors Meeting and Board President Marion Weil’s comment directly thereafter. Arthur's comments were regarding the failure of the Board to negotiate landcaping issues.  The items on that Agenda included tree removal on Landon Circle and ficus replacements in various locations.  This matter is now interwoven with security issues, and is also interwoven with the fact that homeowners are on the hook for additional costs to adequately secure their homes and the community with sufficient hedging to deter unlawful entry.  

“Arthur Andelson, Landon Circle:

New Business Items 4, 5, and 6 totaling 61,702 dollars in additional payments to Palm Beach Broward Landscaping.

Before voting on these items I want to know is there a predetermined price breakdown in our contract with Palm Beach Broward Landscaping for these special assignments.

This price breakdown should be discounted because they are already here in our community with their workers and machinery.

They are supposed to maintain our landscaping by irrigating, grooming, and hopefully fertilizing our plants to keep them healthy.

For example, ficuses should be fertilized once a month during the growing season from spring to fall using either a fertilizer called 10-10-10 or an 8-8-8, diluted 50 percent.

Technically what is going on here is that the way the Board is doing business on behalf of our community is that you are rewarding them for not doing their job.

I don’t know if they are doing the required fertilizing because the items you have on the Agenda strongly suggest that they are not, otherwise why would they even be on the Agenda.

If there is no predetermined price breakdown in the contract, there should be an addendum to the contract by adding a Schedule A and negotiating these types of known issues in advance.

A sample Schedule A would list the following items with detailed descriptions and prices.

Tree removal categories should have listed amounts. There should be a Large tree definition and cost including a bundle rate if there is more than one tree involved at the same time.  This template would be the same for Medium and Small trees. There would be a separate cost for the root ball.

There would be a Palm Tree category.

There would be a Bush category.

There would be a cost breakdown for plant replacement.

The cost of the plant should be no more than 10 percent above their cost.

There would be a spraying category.

There would be a tree trimming category.

There would be a sod replacement category.

And the labor cost of replacement should be broken down by the size of the container holding the plant or plants with bundle rates.

Why hasn’t this been properly negotiated with this major vendor which has a million-dollar contract with us?

Also, ficus are known to be hardy and full.  If they were properly maintained from the get-go, there would not be a need for these types of additional expenses because they have been allowed to grow unmanaged.

Marion:  ok, thank you everybody.  Approval of Minutes, Linda.”

Via email [2 pages]                                                                                        January 15, 2020

Re:  Cascade Lakes Entertainment Contracts

Dear Board Members,

Vicki and I want the best for our community.  One of the Board’s primary goals is Fiscal Responsibility.  With that in mind, we formally requested and received the entertainment contracts for the years 2020 and 2021 and have now reviewed them.

Shortly prior to my improper and illegal suspension from the Entertainment Committee, at the time when I was still the Secretary of the Committee, I had mentioned that I was concerned about the contracts.  My suggestions on how to save the community money without compromising the talent were presented at the meeting.  When I endeavored to include those comments in the Minutes that I prepared, Diane Green, the Chairperson, deleted those comments from her final edit of those Minutes which she emailed to the Committee.  Thereafter, I was suspended from the Committee by an illegal in camera vote at what Eileen referred to as a “personnel” meeting of the Board.

Separately, prior to my illegal suspension, I emailed the Board two times requesting guidance on how to prepare the Minutes in view of Board Member Eileen Olitsky’s rule-breaking concerning the distribution of tickets to the show series.  This issue was part of the same Minutes that I was charged with preparing as Secretary of the Entertainment Committee.  Despite my repeated attempts to work with you on these issues, you all summarily ignored my emails requesting your guidance on this specific issue and instead voted privately and illegally to suspend me from the Entertainment Committee.

With the above facts in mind, we will now address the contracts that you all approved without any input from the Entertainment Committee as far as the 2021 contracts are concerned.  In fact, the Entertainment Committee was never consulted about the 2021 contracts which were provided to you surreptitiously by Committee Chair Diane Green and Committee Liaison/Board Member Eileen Olitsky, neither of whom have any expertise in legal contracts or talent negotiations.  Every one of the larger contracts, with the exception of Sarge’s contract, requires our community to pay the talent many, many, many thousands of dollars upfront regardless of ticket sales.  We then have to hope and pray that enough tickets will be sold so as not to incur a loss.  We have the Committee Chairperson running around begging people to buy tickets to try and stem any potential losses owing to inadequate ticket sales.  This is absurd and no way to run this type of business.

For the record, Vicki has been negotiating and drafting contracts for 36 years and both of us have been licensed talent agents since 2008.  We have represented many high-profile talent and negotiated their many, many contracts.  This talent includes Englebert Humperdinck and Jermaine Jackson, who are performers similar to the performers you hire for our community.  We have also represented and negotiated contracts for the late David Carradine, Gary Busey, Michael Madsen, Armand Assante, Michael Nouri, Lou Ferrigno, the late Don Kirshner, and others.  Some of Vicki’s contract language and clauses are now standard in many entertainment contracts.

Also, we were approached a number of years ago by Sarge, one of your headliners, to represent him in Los Angeles.  We declined that invitation because he could not commit to engagements in California owing to his commitments in southern Florida.  The payment clause in his contract with Cascade Lakes, however, is a great template and all contracts should mirror that clause in his contract.  It would not only save our community many thousands of dollars for every single contract, but it would also inure to the benefit of the entertainers, assuming they believed in their own talent.

Sarge’s contract requires a $500 deposit and then he takes 80% of the ticket sales.  Our community is guaranteed 20% of the ticket sales.  A 20% return on ticket sales could be broken down as follows:  5% could go for clean-up and refreshments and the other 15% could go towards utilities, insurance, wear and tear, and remodeling.  So, when the Board enters into a contract in the hopes of breaking even or making a little profit, in reality the community is losing money because there is no consideration taken for the cost of utilities, wear and tear, remodeling, renovations, etc.

When the Board voted on and approved the Entertainment contracts at the various Board meetings, did each Board member review the contracts?  Was the Board aware there was never any vote or discussion in the Entertainment Committee about what talent the Committee was going to choose for the 2021 roster?  Did anyone engage in any negotiations whatsoever with the talent or their representatives?  Based on the contracts we have received and reviewed, the answer is a resounding no.  This is not fiscal responsibility.

It seems to us that you were handed pre-written contracts presented by the talent or their agents and accepted them without any negotiation whatsoever.  The Sarge contract’s payment clause should be the model upon which all Entertainment contracts are based from this point forward.  If the talent refuses such terms, we find other talent.  Rest assured, the market is overflowing with hungry talented people.

Vicki and I are available to assist in the proper negotiation of talent contacts so that this community can be fiscally responsible with respect to entertainment contracts.  Since we are not going anywhere as we have stated to those of you who wish we would leave, we will be here to handle these matters and then report to the Board.  Are you willing to be fiscally responsible in the future with regard to Entertainment and other contracts?  Please advise via return email.  We do intend to post this on our website, CascadeLakesResidents.com, because our community owns the HOA and this is their money that you are charged with handling.

Cordially,

Arthur Andelson

“Now let me explain why this entire process is actually discriminatory.  I am not here talking about myself; I am addressing all of the disenfranchised single Member/Owners who are deprived of community access to the entire message board if/when you suspend that Member’s access.  A married Member still has access to the community asset, the community Message Board, through his or her spouse, by simply inputting the spouse’s username and password into the system.  But the single Member is 100% locked out.  You have not merely disallowed them to POST a message, you have locked them out of the entire community asset, and prevented them from viewing other posts, and this is discriminatory in the application of your illegal discipline, as it is based on marital status and numbers of Members in a household.  You have prevented those single Members from knowing what is going on in and around the community, and that by itself is a safety issue.  That is the discriminatory effect of this asinine policy.”

Hello Vicki,

Thank you for creating that board, especially with everything going on with our current board.

While I will not be able to attend the meeting due to a bad cold and wanting to disrupt the meeting, my take is if the board does indeed go forward with procedures against state law, why not reach out to the state to have them investigate them?

I was in another HOA and president of an HOA for 9 years (nowhere as big as this) and I’ve never seen anything like this by a board. I hope that you quote the Florida statutes tomorrow and then at the end ask them how they feel if the state looked into this board and their actions.

You have nothing to lose since the BOD feel they can do what they want. I’m also surprised they weren’t told by the property mgt company as an ‘unofficial’ comment they were treading on thin ice, so to speak.

Also, while I’ve attending some HOA meetings, why doesn’t the board have a lawyer present at the meetings? When we lived at our condo, the law firm or lawyer for us was at every meeting? I don’t remember seeing one at the few meetings I’ve attended here….

Good luck!

January 5, 2020:

Steve Nobel wrote:

why are the comments on your message board coming from "anonymous"?  where's the transparency?  why do you screen all comments?

Answer:

Hi, Steve,

Thanks for your email.  To answer your questions, Residents specifically requested that they not be identified and we respect their wishes.  They feel terribly bullied by other Residents and want to contribute without being harassed the way we are regularly and incessantly harassed.  The website is not set up for automatic posting at this time.  Would you like your comment posted, and if so, would you prefer your name listed or would you prefer to be listed as Anonymous for your own protection? 

If you want your comment posted, with or without anonymity, let me know but I will then, in full disclosure, also post this response to you.

Best regards,

Vicki

Your friendly webmistress

Steve’s Response:

Feel free to post.....and I can be identified.

                                 -sn