carta sobre calles a Vistamares - letter to Vistamares

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English is below the Spanish version.
Comentarios son bienvenidos/Commentaries are welcome

Grupo Pro Altos de Cerro Azul Residencial

(PACAR)

Panamá, 8 de enero de 2012

Doctor
Domingo Batista
Vice-Presidente
Altos de Vistamares, S. A.
Ciudad

Estimado Doctor Batista:

Como es de su conocimiento y el de sus colaboradores, ha sido, es y será una preocupación latente la condición de las Calles del Residencial de Montaña Altos de Cerro Azul.

El pronunciado deterioro de una gran parte de las calles de nuestro Residencial está incidiendo gravemente en nuestro bienestar, nuestra seguridad, en nuestra salud y en nuestras propiedades, sin mencionar los daños que sufren nuestros automóviles. Entendemos que la naturaleza, las filtraciones de agua y la antigüedad de los materiales han sido las principales causas de esta situación.

Los trabajos realizados durante el 2011 dentro del Residencial fueron de muy poca duración y consistencia, pues se limitaron a echar la gravilla en los huecos sin la debida preparación de base, poco asfalto y sin la requerida compactación. Se taparon algunos huecos con cubos y palas. Estas pocas reparaciones prácticamente se perdieron con la entrada de las lluvias, lo que significó que esa parte de los dineros que pagamos al TSM se desperdició y continuamos con las calles en mal estado.

Aunado a esta situación, llamamos la atención al hecho que durante los primeros meses del año 2011 (que incluye el período óptimo para la reparación de las calles) la administradora decidió destinar cuatros (4) veces más dinero en limpieza y ornato que al mantenimiento de las calles.

Somos de la opinión que el impacto del recién aumento del TSM no se reflejó en el mejoramiento de las Calles del Residencial de Montaña Los Altos de Cerro Azul. Muchos propietarios quieren ver los resultados de este aumento, de lo contrario terminarán por no pagar.

Por todo lo anterior, solicitamos reorientar las prioridades con respecto a los propietarios y la preparación de un Plan de Mantenimiento de las calles del Residencial de Montaña Los Altos de Cerro Azul para el año 2012.

Para la tranquilidad de todos, este plan debe ser presentado formalmente a los propietarios al inicio de este año.

Para concluir, queremos enfatizar que, nuestro grupo y sus asociados, deseamos colaborar con la administradora Los Altos de Cerro Azul, trabajando todos para y por los propietarios, convencidos firmemente que la cooperación y el diálogo son los más adecuados instrumentos para lograr la buena marcha de todo negocio.

Agradecemos que las comunicaciones y respuestas se hagan al siguiente correo electrónico:

GrupoPACAR@altosdecerroazulresidencial.org

Deseándole lo mejor para este nuevo año, quedamos a la espera de sus noticias,

Atentamente,

COMITÉ GRUPO PACAR

Jacques Lechat Ana Inés Lorenzana-Lechat Terani O. Simons
El Frente El Frente El Frente

William Adsett Steven Luce Iris Quintero de Simons
El Torreón El Fortín El Frente

Esther Carles de Adsett Nicanor Polo Mariela de Polo
El Torreón El Centinela El Centinela

Leslie Lieurance
El Centinela





c.c. Ing. Arturo Melo S.
Ing. Federico Melo

English version:

Grupo Pro Altos de Cerro Azul Residencial (PACAR)

Panama, January 8, 2012

Doctor
Domingo Batista
Vice-President
Altos de Vistamares SA
Panama

Dear Doctor Batista

As you and your colleagues know, the state of the roads of Residencial de Montaña Los Altos de Cerro Azul has been, is and will continue to be of great concern.

The pronounced deterioration of a large number of the roads of our housing area is having a grave effect on our wellbeing, health and properties not to mention the wear and tear caused to our vehicles. We understand that climatic conditions, water filtration and the aging of the construction materials are the principal causes of this situation.

The work performed within the housing area during 2011 were of short duration and consistency, since they were limited to throwing gravel in the holes without adequate preparation, with little asphalt and without the necessary compacting. Some holes were patched with buckets and spades. The few repairs carried out were largely lost as soon as the rains started, and that means that part of the monies we paid in TSM was thrown away and we continue to have roads in a bad state.

Added to this, we point out that during the first months of 2011 (that includes the best time for road repair) the Administration decided to dedicate four times more money to cleaning and gardening than to road maintenance.

We are of the opinion that the impact of the recent increase in TSM has not been reflected in the improvement of the roads of Residencial de Montaña Los Altos de Cerro Azul. Many property owners want to see the results of that increase, and if they do not they will stop paying.

In view of the foregoing, we request a reorientation of priorities to respond to the needs of the property owners; and the preparation of a Road Maintenance Plan for Residencial de Montaña Los Altos de Cerro Azul for the year 2012.

For the sake of all parties, this plan should be formally presented to the property owners at the beginning of this year.

To conclude, we wish to emphasize that our group and its members wish to collaborate with the Administration of Los Altos de Cerro Azul, so that we all work in favor of the property owners, convinced that cooperation and dialog are the best instruments to achieve the proper conduct of any enterprise.

We shall be grateful of communications and responses would be sent to the following email address:
GrupoPACAR@atosdecerroazulresidencial.org

With best wishes for the New Year, we hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely

GRUPO PACAR COMMITTEE

(Signed)

Jacques Lechat Ana Inés Lorenzana-Lechat Terani O Simons
El Frente El Frente El Frente

William Adsett Steven Luce Iris Quintero de Simons
El Torreón El Fortín El Frente

Esther Carles de Adsett Nicanor Polo Mariela de Polo
El Torreón El Centinela El Centinela

Leslie Lieurance Noemí Farinoni
El Centinela El Valle del Alcázar

[rob]

This is a very distructive approach. Making a comment or a complaint is one thing, making a demand or a threat is another.
I stand 100% behind MELO GROUP and in my opinion, you are causing MELO is give "second thought" about their position of managing our community.
We are receiving much more than we are paying for. We have the best security record of any gated community. The cleanest community. We have never lost water service. The quick solutions to electrical outages are only because of MELO.
Sure, the roads are in desperate need of attention. They will be repaired as soon as funds are available to do so. You want to threaten MELO by not paying your required fee? Let me propose what will happen. Take a ride down to Los Pinos, drive thru and take a look at the future if you don't pay. You investment in your home will be a total loss. Property values will drop to ZERO.
I have a solution to your problems. Just move somewhere else & stop destroying our future.
I love our community & I will support MELO in every way possible.
Here is an example of a personal experience:
2 weeks ago I left my house to run an errand down in the city. When on corridor sur, I recieved a phone call from Megdalia at the office. "Mr. Shirley--you left your garage door open" I said "how do you know I'm not home?" she said "because security drove by your house & noticed the garage door open & your car was gone" "he called the gate to see if you had gone out of the project" they confirmed that you had gone out. Then they called the office to have me call you. Do you want security to close your garage door? I said yes thanks, but it is electric & they will have to go inside & find the white button to push. Magdilia called back in 15 min. to confirm that the door was closed. "WHERE IN THE WORLD DO YOU GET THIS KIND OF SERVICE?"
Please stop your petty complaints, we have what most communities would dream to have.
I have just two suggestions: Those who don't pay should pay a huge penalty & Those who don't like the way MELO is managing "find something better"
Rob Shirley #16 Centinela

[colmport]

My wife and I agree with Rob. We are guests in the Republic of Panama. If you want to know what other mountain communities experience, drive a few hundred meters past the police station outside our gate or to the other communiteis cited by Rob. If Mr. Melo abandons our community, we will be driving on roads like those in a year or less. Mr. Melo and company give us approximately $250,000.00 per year out of his pocket to maintain our community. He could justify raising the fee we each pay to cover these costs, but he does not becasue Mr. Melo is a gracious and a conscientous man. I have friends and relatives living in communites in the United States who pay many hundreds of dollars per month for far fewer services than we receive. Are the roads in less than ideal condition, yes. Do we live in a rain forest. Yes. If the government paved our roads it would lay several inches of asphalt at a cost of several millions of dollars. I, for one, do not want the government intruding into our community and taxing us for the privilege. We cannot expect the Melo Group to donate millions of dollars to pave our streets as if they are Avenida Balboa. They are not. Is the tar and chip process ideal. Clearly not. Are the pot holes repaired within reason. They are. I would be willing to pay a higher maintenance fee for improved services, but again, this is Panama. If you want to live in a ity, move to a high rise apartment in Panama City. If you wnat to live inthe Chagres National Park, understnd that we live in a National Park in the mountains and inside a rain forest! I suggest that we work with Mr. Melo and I nominate Rob Shirley as our leader to do so. He is a proven business leader who can relate to a fellow business man. I am a lawyer and I will gladly add my two cents worth. We live in a paradise. My Panamanian wife and I want to keep Altos de Cerro Azul a paradise for our children and for our grandchildren. If we lose the support of Mr. Melo and of benevolent and wealthy Panamanians like him, we are gong to kill the goose that has been laying our golden eggs. Mark P. Ort and Yari U. Ort Casa 61, Altos de Torreon

[stevenospam]

I'm wondering why you say "Mr. Melo and company give us approximately $250,000.00 per year out of his pocket to maintain our community." How do you know this and where might it be documented?

[colmport]

I have not met Mr. Frederico Melo personally, although my mother-in-law knows Sr. Arturo Melo. Mr. Shirley has been in face to face meetings with Mr. Melo and he related, in depth, the information obtained in such meetings. Rob can give you more detail but he stated to me that Mr. Melo was willing to discuss the operations in depth. He explained how much he collects in maintenance fees and then he detailed how much he spent in the last year to maintain the common areas, to include the roads. He also explained that this amount did NOT include what he pays to maintain the office or the club as well as to pay the staff of the office and the club (if my recollection is correct).

Apparently, Mr. Melo is open to sitting and discussing matters of interest with rob who approached him as one business man to another in a polite manner. This is why I rely on Rob as my conduit. He is a businessman himself, who has cultivated a cordial relationship to our benefactor. Maintaining this relationship is our best avenue to address our concerns to Mr. Melo. I say this only from my own business experience. We lawyers are most comfortable discussing legal matters with other lawyers. I have found that accountants feel more comfortable conversing with accountants, and not lawyers. Ditto for physicians. It seems that businessmen are like minded.

My understanding is that Mr. Melo is willing to discuss openly what income and expenses are incurred. Like most of us, he is not amused to be insulted, threatened (as if anyone in the Republic of Panama has the juice to threaten one to the Titans of Panama), or generally annoyed. thus, I renew my suggestion that Rob Shirley be our conduit to any and all interaction with Mr. Melo lest we find ourselves as skunks at Mr.Melo's garden party...



Mark P. Ort

[rob]

RE: mr. Orts comments.
Like many conversations, as words pass from one to another, thinks get altered.
The $250,000 was number that was estimated as a loss oner the last 10 years.
At any rate "it really doesn't matter" The real problem here is that some comments on this blog
are damaging to our relationship with management.
To demand an answer or threat to not pay, is not the way to get things done.
A simple way to a positive result is to state your concern in a positive way.
such as:
I'm really concerned about the road condition, does anyone know if they will be fixed soon? or
The present maintaince fees is $27, does anyone know if the fees will increase this year? or
I'm concerned that some people burning leaves might start a big fire, does anyone know if this is legal? or
There's a lot of loose dogs running around chasing animals. does anyone have a suggestion on what to do?
But the "bottom line" as they say, is "am I happy living here"
This is a retirement communnity, in a National Park with certain rules to follow. It seems that some people just don't enjoy it here.
I know people that feel they made a bad investment. Don't like the rain, don't like the roads, don't like this or that. Well, I guess they did not do their dilligence
when making the purchase.They will have to deal with their investment the best way they see fit.
Myself & many others love it here & will do what we can to protect & sustain our investments.
Cost of living goes up, things that cost last year $10 does not cost $10 this year.
We are receiving much more pleasure than the $27 maintance fee.
My big question is "can we help management collect the fees that are delinquent?"I hope everyone can forgive my anger and sometimes overstated comments.
It's just that my wife & I LOVE IT HERE and don't want our community to get downgraded. We think Melo is doing a great job for what we pay.
Thank you for this outlet to express concernes. Rob & Nubia Shirley Centinela #16

[colmport]

I want to correc the record, lest I be called a fabricator of fables. I made further inquiry and was told that the actual out of pocket contribution by Mr. Melo to us was approximately $250,000.00 over the past decade. Obviously, this means that the annual contribution to our community was approximately 10% of what I stated previously. I had made notes of what I thought I had heard but I was corrected when I asked if I made a correct statement.

I apologize for the confusion but the underlying point remains the same. Mr. Melo is a benefactor, not an evil robber baron.

Mark P. Ort

[3Alcazar]

As a part-time resident of Cerro Azul, and having been a member of the community for a little less than 2-years, my opinion is that MELO is doing a good job keeping the community in shape. I think it would be incredibly short-sighted to try and insult or threaten the MELO family and could result in a community that none of us would be happy to live in, let alone risk the dramatic decrease in property values with a steep escalation of fees. Of course I would like to see better roads, but nothing comes without a cost. In the U.S. I have a house in Maine that is on a year-round dirt road. We constantly have to pay to keep it in shape for driving and each resident pays about $300 a year for the upkeep of that road...and it is only 1/8 of a mile long. My Florida condo association dues are about $600.00 per month. We know what we pay in Cerro Azul, and it is a small amount of money for what we get. If the MELO family offered to fix the roads to a higher standard, and offered us the chance to vote as residents if we want to pay for that through higher association fees, that is one thing...but to threaten the MELO family is not in my opinion a good stance. Like Rob, I too am a businessman, and feel there is a better way to address our collective needs that does not involve insulting the very family who keeps our community in overall good standing for a very small monthly fee.

Regards,

John Brier
3 Alczar

[HKreuzwirth]

Having 3 lots up in Cero Azul I have to pay three times the maintenance fee and still think it is nothing compared to what we get.
Why?

Security:
Something similar happend to me like to Rob Shirley, the security called when I forgot to switch of one light at my weekendhouse.
And since they knew I am not there they double checked it.

Roads:
When I bought the first lot, arround 9 years ago, the roads were in the same condition like they are now. Did I expect it to be better in the future?
NO.
Why?
Because it is in the middle of a RAINFOREST in Panama, Central America.
To me the roads look safe and when a tree gets blown over the road, MELO is there to cut it up and remove it at once.
Yes, there could be always improvements to the road but that will cost money. Have you been driving arround in Panama?
Last time in the City I almost hit a whole in the road because the "cover for the water drainage was missing".
Should I go after the goverment now because I am paying tax here and ...
I am OK, with the roads in Cerro Azul, anyway you drive slow and I like to stop to let some "Gato solos" over the road and look at them and enjoy
beeing so close to nature and do not have to pay to go into a zoo to see that. I hope nobody comes now up with the idea to put up some fences!

Water:
Coming from Europe my imunsystem can not cope with water qualitys all over the world.
Here in Cerro Azul I can drink straight from the tap and do not get any "problems".

Workers;
Nice friendly people, always greeting. It does not matter if it is in the Office, Clubhouse, Gate or the guys who fix the road and cut the gras, etc..
Some of them I know by name and I do enjoy stoping and having a small chat with them.

Electricity:
OK, this is not really Melos part, but who is calling the electricity company when there is no power?
Living in the mountains inside a National park in Central America and having things taken care for you for that money is INCREDIBLE.

Clubhouse:
Tenniscourt, Basketball court, Swimmingpool, Restaurant, Nice to have.

Picknickareas:
Hanging bridge, Place to swimm in the river, etc... Love it and so do my kids.

I could go on with the list and know not everything has something to do with the maintenance fee.
But in my opinion the big picture here is.
YOU GET ALL THIS AND MORE FOR LESS THEN 30.00 USD.
Do not forget, everything is connected.
Are you willing and able to run everything and all of that for 30,00 USD like MELO does???
Do you think that all the property owners are sending you the Maintenance Fee on time?
Where do you get the money from if some owners are not paying and you still have to cope with everything and on top you will get complains of the other ones who are paying.

Has anyone made a list (calculation) of how to run Los Altos de Cerro Azul? I really would like to see that one. Please send it to HaraldKreuzwirth@hotmail.com or post it here in the forum.

PLEASE, do not destroy what we have here in Cerro Azul for a couple of dollars.

with best regards,

Harald Kreuzwirth



I know

[san]

Buenos días Señores,

He leido con atención la carta que escribió el Grupo PACAR, y no ví nigunos insultos, ni amenazas.

Creo que fué muy buena esta llamada de atención a la Administración al respecto de las calles, y de preguntarse por qué
se gastó 4 veces más en "Ornato" que en "reparación de calles".

No es un ataque al Sr Melo. El tiene muchos proyectos y negocios, y no puede estar al tanto de todo los problemas.

Tambien estoy de acuerdo con el Sr Harald Kreuzwirth, en su pregunta de quién sabe cuánto dinero se nesecita para
manejar nuestra comunidad (él dice: "calculation of how to run Los Altos de Cerro Azul").

En mi Condominio en la ciudad, el que me suministra la información cada año, es la Administración.

El Sr Kreuzwirth tiene una buena idea para poner fin a todas las especulaciones, y disputas innecesarias.

Me parece que el Grupo PACAR actua para unir a los Propietarios, no para dividirlos, ya que tenemos todos el mismo
objectivo:
todos aqui amamos a Cerro Azul, y nadie quiere "destrozarlo" ( do not destroy").

San