In my opinion, our current Board is a complete disaster. They either drag their feet and do nothing, or if they do get their act together and do something then almost inevitably it turns to be a disaster.
I really try very hard to maintain a positive outlook and be polite and patient. But I just don’t know how any more. How can anyone? How can anyone be patient considering the way our AOAO is managed now? Over $1.4M in delinquencies; paying to Lyle Hosoda circa $130K (per Richard Emery’s information) to collect Anekona’s delinquencies with $0 collected so far and serious concerns about their collection “strategies”; the $130K+ increase in insurance premiums fiasco; tens of thousands of dollars owned to us by eRealty because they damaged our ramp, with still nothing collected; spending over $20K on attorney fees to investigate the Hilton structure roof and then “forgetting” about it without follow-up; not wanting to deal with the Hilton luau noise even though it affects at least one-third of the building; getting Milton Motooka as the association’s legal counsel back here despite serious questions about his role at the time Forward One brought Shell and Shell’s timeshare here; spending over $100K on some pool membrane repair, and now budgeting to spend over $100K more; planning to spend $80K on a security office relocation even though the AOAO already has a 99-year lease for a security office almost for free (at $12 a year). I can go on and on and on.
But here is the latest example. Did you see what they – the Board and the AOAO manager that is – do to our passenger elevator? After months of talking about elevator cab “renovations,” the Board apparently started the process and “renovated” one. I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. I talked to several other owners, and they were just as shocked. Here is what they did. The Board decided to replace the current flooring in the elevators with carpet. Why? – Who knows. Not only that, but they also decided to put carpet on the walls. Yes, you read it right, carpet on the walls. They then found the cheapest looking carpet available in the City and County of Honolulu, – and put that carpet on the floor and the walls. The result: an elevator that is terribly claustrophobic and hopelessly cheap looking. And of course, the carpet on the floor already looks old, worn and dirty, even though it is literally several days old. How are they planning to keep it clean, with all the sand, wet shoes from the beach etc? Keep in mind that there is no A/C in the elevators. So mold is just a matter of time.
Can you imagine what they are going to come up with for the hallway carpet?
What is my point? – My point is this: Vote for me to elect me on the Board of Directors, put me (Olga Geling) on the proxy, so that I get on the Board, so that I tackle the above listed issues. We need fresh representation on the Board and people who are capable and willing to take the bull by his horns and solve problems. I am such a person. Vote for me.
Olga, good luck. there is a huge conflict of interest on the Board and they won’t leave the contiuing ability to line pockets without a fight. as far as the elevator, get a designer in there! this should be first class accomodation — marble floors and marble or wood or mirrored walls. The Ilikai needs to be updated, carpet on teh wall? that is from the 60’s and 70’s! whoever thought of that and voted for it and approved it should NOT be on any further decorating/renovating committee!
Thanks for taking the time to post these comments. I hear same/similar comments and concerns from owners every day, via e-mail or in person or phone. I wish more folks would post comments. The last Board meeting was yet another eye-opener. Owners in the audience voiced concerns. We also learned that the current Board has ruined relationship with iStar. As we learned, iStar has repeatedly offered help to this Board, incl. the professional designer that iStar hired, and also the help of their legal dept to protect and preserve the easements in our favor at the YHT, incl. at the last Board meeting. – But no, our current Board did not want any of that. You should have seen how the current Board was even talking to iStar reprsentative in audience. It was an eye-opener. This Board is a disaster.
Hi Olga:
I just read your e-mail…YOU HAVE MY 3 VOTES…anyone in their right mind can see thru this board…. Hope everyone sees and responds to your request.
Olga,
For the amount we pay in maintance fees we should have a Hotel that
outshines any other. As it is we are paying out tons and tons of our money and getting NOTHING in return…Why??? Hope everyone ask themselves this question.
Other condos pay very little for their maintance fees and have free parking free Exercise Room etc….What do we have ?? Please ask for answers to this question…..all they have to do is look in the For-Sale section of the local paper and see how we are getting ripped off.
“For the amount we pay in maintance fees we should have a Hotel that outshines any other” – I agree 100%! What happens with all the money we keep paying?
The budget that this Board has approved just a couple months ago allocated $150K for the elevator cab remodel! $150K budgeted! And we get this ugly carpet instead?
Olga,
I read your commemts all of the time and wish you well in your quest to get on the board. I come to the Ilikai yearly for a two week vacation and treat the building and surrounding property with respect as if I lived there. I hope you made a mistake when you referenced the elevator is getting dirty because of sand and water from the beach. That would mean that people are using the lobby elevators instead of using the bathers elevator.
Folks do use the bathers’ elevator, but usually when they have water dripping etc. It is not just from the beach. The elevators get so much foot traffic. With carpet there, how are they going to keep it clean? All the cleaning chemicals etc will just stay there. That carpet in the “renovated” elevator is just several days olds. It already looks dated and dirty. Today I talked to more owners. Everybody I talked to could not find enough words to express how disappointed they are with this.
Olga,
Thank you so much for keeping us up-date on our Winter Home.
I am living in Canada and know well what the floor and wall finishes permitted by Code to be installed at inside the elevator cab.
The Building Code in Canada called the maximum Flame-Spread Rating of 25 on wall, 300 on floor and maximum Smoke developed Classification of 100 on wall, 300 on floor. I am quite sure to put-up the carpet inside the elevator cab wall surface will NOT meet Code.
The carpet supplier can provide the Flame-Spread Rating and Smoke Developed Classification on the carpet what they supplier.
Jack, THANKS for pointing out this very IMPORTANT consideration. A quick research shows that the Fire Codes in the US and Canada are actually synchronized. Also, looking at what various elevator cab companies offer shows that carpet on the walls is never an option!
I’ve received more e-mails from people who are very concerned, if not upset, with this “renovation” of our elevator.