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New Updates
OCTOBER 1, 2021
TURNOVER HAS OCCURRED!!!
The VCA Board of Directors election is now complete, and we’re proud to introduce your new
Verandah Community Association Board Members:
Ian Shaffer, President
Lorie St. Lawrence, Vice President
Luba Grossman, Treasurer
Gary Dittman, Secretary
Douglas Daniel
David Keeley
Susan Marie Shields
Congratulations!
Please join us in extending thanks and support to those who will lead our first resident-run VCA Board.
Thanks also to all who voted and made your voices heard. We had strong participation for electronic voting, with 587 electronic votes cast, representing 73.2% of the total resident vote. If you would like to consent to electronic voting and/or electronic notices going forward, please let us know via email to VCAadmin@Evergreen-LM.com and we will provide the necessary paperwork to sign up.
Some feedback received from the Verandah Community on the voting process:
“We would like to offer our thanks to those who are serving on the Turnover Committee and those will serve on our first self-governed VCA board of directors. We surely appreciate your giving of time and talent!”
“Very impressed with the whole process - including video interviews. Extremely helpful for those that aren't permanent residents.”
“I want to thank everyone involved - it is abundantly clear how much time has been devoted to helping making Verandah better. On behalf of my household - THANK YOU!!”
“Thank you for this seamless process!”
“I am very impressed with all the details including the video links of all the candidates. The ease of online voting was very well orchestrated. The process was very user friendly. Congrats!”
“Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to serve our community. Your leadership is greatly appreciated!”
Previous Updates
VOTING TIMELINE
September 30, 2021 - Electronic Voting Open, Limited Proxy Ballots accepted via U.S. Mail; all Limited Proxy Ballots must be
received by 4pm EST on September 30, 2021 in order to be included.
October 1, 2021 – In-person voting at the NEW VCA Offices (located at: 11390 Palm Beach Blvd First Floor)
will take place from 9am to 12 noon, EST.
Turnover Process
Turnover meeting will be Friday, October 1 at 2 PM
Limited seating at the River House and online by Zoom
Link appears in the official Notice of Meeting; link also emailed
Organizational meeting will follow shortly thereafter
Board officers to be elected and initial meeting schedule to be set
Verandah Community Association Advisory Committee Meeting
September 29, 2021
On September 29, the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) met to receive an update from the VCA Turnover Committee. The focus of this month’s meeting was to review the work of each Subcommittee and the plans for the Turnover and Organizational meetings.
Governing Body
Subcommittee members – David Garratt, David Keeley, Linda Lach
Impact:
Board election vote is by household not neighborhood representatives
Electronic voting is an added option
Proxies are limited and must direct how the votes will be cast
Currently over 50% of ballots distributed have been exercised
Feedback suggests electronic voting very well received by community
Finance
Subcommittee Members – Jim Glatz, Luba Grossman, Wally Watson
Impact:
Draft 2022 budget developed - set up to allow more granular tracking of expenses by type and neighborhood
Draft 2022 Reserve/capital expenditure budget created
Q4 2021 budget and cash flow developed
Parking lot of key items was created for board consideration over the next several years e.g., reserve management, association assessments, vendor contracting and management
Governing Body
Subcommittee Members - Elena Kezelis, Sandie Pearl, & Bob Petrich
Impact:
Coordinated with VCA legal counsel to:
Incorporate by-member vote & election initiatives into Governing Documents—completed 6/30/2021
Review 2002 Governing Documents for compliance with current HOA law; counsel found:
--no violations of current law, but identified necessary expansions/modifications and additions
--absence of important post-Declarant language allowing Governing Documents to remain current with the Homeowners Act “as it now exists or as it may be amended from time to time”
--necessary revisions incorporating all above to be signed and recorded by 9/30/2021.
Review Declarant Rights post-turnover—completed 9/10/2021
Team will ensure all revised documents are added to the website.
With delayed document review, the Quick Reference Guide is a continuing project with a target completion of 10/31/2021.
Standing Committees
Subcommittee Members – Lorie St. Lawrence, Alan Feld, Ken Krach, Alyce Woods
Impact:
Work has been completed. Considerations for the new Board include:
Request for authority over design review for existing homes from the Declarant, allowing formation of a Design Review Committee (DRC)
Implementation of design review process under a DRC to include written process guidelines and supporting documents
Steps to bring clarity to the current Design Review Guidelines
Implementing consistent covenant enforcement and updating the existing fining policy
Property and Infrastructure
Subcommittee members - Steve Seidl, Tim Eyrich, Susie McIntyre
Impact:
Compiled a body of knowledge through interviews with: Paul Martin, Johnson Engineering, the Community Development Districts, Resource Conservation Services, Reserve Advisors, & Verandah Maintenance Staff
Current state of community maintenance
Need for a documented maintenance plan
to preserve infrastructure and control operational/capital expenditures
Document and understand property boundaries/ownership and responsibilities of various community partners
Property Deeding Map: 70% done
Declarant has 90-days post turnover to deliver all deeds
Once LEEPA updates system with new deeds, the map will be finalized by Johnson Engineering; and Declarant will review with new Board
Finalizing any remaining agreements and easements necessary to operate the VCA: walls/fences; paths/bike trails; dog park; shared cost agreements
Turnover Process
Turnover meeting will be Friday, October 1 at 2 PM
Limited seating at the River House and online by Zoom
Link appears in the official Notice of Meeting; link also emailed
Organizational meeting will follow shortly thereafter
Board officers to be elected and initial meeting schedule to be set
Updates, August 2021
The Turnover Meeting will be held on October 1, 2021, and our community will move
from Developer control to full self-governance.
In response to the recent call for nominations, the Verandah Community Association (VCA) has received eight Notice of Intent forms from individuals placing themselves in nomination to run as candidates for the new resident Board of Directors. All eight have been certified as eligible to run based on the requirements of our Governing Documents and Florida law.
Candidate names are listed below (in alphabetical order by last name). Next to each candidates name, click on Bio or Video to view their Biographical Information and Video Interview.
While not mandatory, the Association made available to candidates the ability to record and post a video message on their candidacy. Those video links are included here. The inclusion of a video, or not, should not be construed as being an endorsement for, or against, any candidate. Such participation was fully voluntary and not a prerequisite. All video content was the full responsibility of the candidate and was not altered in any way.
2021 Board Candidates:
Douglas Daniel - Bio - Video Interview
Gary Dittman - Bio - Video Interview
Luba Grossman - Bio - Video Interview
David Keeley - Bio - Video Interview
William A. Middleton - Bio
Ian Shaffer -Bio - Video Interview
Susan Marie Shields - Bio - Video Interview
Lorie St. Lawrence - Bio - Video Interview
Key Dates:
August 6, 2021 – Homeowners will be provided an opportunity to submit questions for the Board of Directors candidates to address in their video interviews to be posted to the community YouTube Channel by September 1, 2021.
Questions received will be aggregated into a common set for each candidate to address in their video. Look for an email from Lynne Pietrzyk, VCA GM on August 6 requesting your questions, to be submitted during the week of August 9-13, 2021.
August 9-13, 2021 - Those who have consented to vote electronically will receive an email from Vote Now, Electronic Voting Company, providing the opportunity to do a practice session to ensure that you are able to access the system.
August 31, 2021 - Second Notice of Turnover and Election and a Limited Proxy Ballot will be sent via U.S. Mail to those who have not consented to electronic voting and/or to receiving notices and documents electronically. Those who have consented to receiving electronic notices will receive information via email. Copies of the Board Candidate bios will be included in the mailing and viewable links will be added to the email.
September 1, 2021 -Homeowner Board Candidate interview videos posted to the VCA Turnover page of the VerandahLife.com website. Email reminder sent from Lynne Pietrzyk, VCA GM announcing that the videos are available for viewing and providing a link.
September 1 - 30, 2021 - Electronic Voting Open, Limited Proxy Ballots accepted via U.S. Mail; all Limited Proxy Ballots must be received by 4pm EST on September 30, 2021 in order to be included.
October 1, 2021 – In-person voting at the NEW VCA Offices (located at: 11390 Palm Beach Blvd First Floor) will take place from 9am to 12 noon, EST.
Recent Turnover Committee activity:
The Verandah Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) on August 25th to receive an update on the preparation for Turnover. This meeting featured an update on the election process, from each subcommittee and the work of the VCA Turnover Committee. Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
If you’d like additional information, please visit the Turnover Website. CLICK HERE.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the VCA Turnover Committee at VCATURNOVER@gmail.com.
July 28, 2021
July 28, 2021
Below is an update from the New Governing Body subcommittee.
600+ Electronic voting/electronic notice forms have been returned by homeowners
8 Notice of Intent forms to run for the Board have been submitted
Eligibility check of the 8 individuals will be complete by 8/6
After the eligibility check process is complete, the names and bios of the candidates will be posted to the VCA Turnover page on the Verandahlife website
“Meet the Candidates” videos will be created and posted to the community YouTube channel
Questions will be solicited from the community in advance and aggregated for use in the candidate videos
Electronic voting takes place in September, for those who have consented. Location and time for in-person voting will be announced. Voting by limited proxy via U.S. Mail will also be offered.
Turnover meeting will take place on October 1. Election results will be announced, the Developer-led Board will resign.
If you have a questions, please feel free to reach out to the VCA Turnover Committee at VCATURNOVER@gmail.com.
July 2021
July 2021
The Date for Turnover Has Been Set: October 1, 2021
The Date for Turnover Has Been Set: October 1, 2021
The VCA has received official notification of the Developer’s intent to turnover control of the Association to its homeowners at a Turnover Meeting to be held on October 1, 2021. To view a copy of this notice, CLICK HERE.
On July 2, a First Notice of Turnover Meeting and Election & Call for Candidates was mailed to each homeowner. This mailing consisted of a Notice of Meeting (including instructions on how to join the meeting online via Zoom), Agenda, Candidate Nomination Form, Board of Directors Information Packet and Summary of Key Dates. To view a copy of these documents, CLICK HERE.
Election of the First Homeowner Board of Directors
To accomplish Turnover from the Developer, we must elect a new, homeowner-led Board of Directors. The VCA will be using an electronic voting company, which will allow homeowners (one vote per unit) to cast their ballot from anywhere—even from right here in Verandah.
Becoming a Candidate for the Board of Directors
Homeowners are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Board of Directors Information Packet. This document provides a summary of the responsibilities, powers and duties of Board members as well as brief descriptions of the officer roles. After reading the information, you may request to place your name in nomination by completing and returning the Nomination Form, CLICK HERE. To view the Board of Directors Information Packet. CLICK HERE. This will be an exciting time to serve your community and help shape Verandah’s future.
NOMINATION FORMS ARE DUE BY JULY 26, 2021: Full instructions are included on the form
Consent is Required
Electronic voting requires consent in writing (one form per household). Participation is voluntary, and consent may be revoked at any time in the future. If you choose not to vote electronically, you may still vote by limited proxy or in person. To provide consent, you may complete, sign and return the form that was included in the June 16 hard copy mailing CLICK HERE or to access a fillable PDF version of the form CLICK HERE. If you own multiple properties in Verandah, you must submit one form for each address—each home/unit you own is authorized one vote in the election.
CONSENT FORMS ARE DUE BY 4PM EST ON JULY 26, 2021
Please return your completed, SIGNED form as soon as possible, but no later than 4pm on July 26, 2021:
Via U.S. Mail: Send to Verandah Community Association
11571 Verandah Blvd.
Attn: D. Busbin
Fort Myers, FL 33905
In person: Drop off the form at the VCA office in the old Sales Center building at the front of the community
Electronically: Complete, sign, scan the form and email to VCAadmin@evergreen-lm.com or Fax to 239-694-1137
Use of this voting methodology was approved at a Special Meeting of the current Board of Directors that was held on June 30, 2021. You may scroll down on this page to the June Update section to find a link to that meeting notice, agenda, and resolution.
To view a Frequently Asked Questions document addressing commonly asked questions, CLICK HERE. If you have a question which is not addressed in the FAQ document, please feel free to reach out to the VCA Turnover Committee at VCATURNOVER@gmail.com.
AN EXCITING TIME FOR VERANDAH: PREPARING TO SELF-GOVERN
June 2021
The community is nearing the time when the Verandah Community Association (VCA) will move from Developer control to self-governance. Referred to as Turnover, this process is guided by our Governing Documents and Florida Statutes. Turnover will occur at a Turnover Meeting where a newly elected homeowner Board of Directors will be seated, and the Developer controlled Board will step down. The Developer has indicated that the Turnover Meeting will take place on or about October 1, 2021. Official Notice of Turnover Meeting will be mailed to you in early July.
Preparing to Elect the First Homeowner Board of Directors
For this election and going forward, the VCA intends to use an electronic voting company which will allow homeowners (one vote per unit) to cast their ballot from anywhere—even from right here in Verandah. On June 30th our current Board of Directors will be meeting to authorize electronic voting for the community as well as other pre-election requirements mandated by Florida law. All Verandah homeowners were mailed this Notice of Meeting on 6/16/2021. A copy of the complete mailing with notice, agenda, zoom instructions, and voting resolution can be accessed CLICK HERE.
Consenting to Electronic Voting
An important aspect of electronic voting is the requirement for a voter to consent in writing to use this voting methodology*. A consent form was included in the June 16th mailing. You can return the one in your mailing or access a fillable version of the form CLICK HERE.
Please return your SIGNED form to:
Via U.S. Mail:
Verandah Community Association
11571 Verandah Blvd.
Attn: D. Busbin
Fort Myers, FL 33905
In person: Drop off the form at the VCA office in the Old Sales Center building at the front of the community
Electronically: Complete, sign, scan the form and email to VCAadmin@evergreen-lm.com
*Participation is voluntary and consent may be revoked in the future. If you do not choose to vote electronically, you may still vote by limited proxy or in person.
Becoming a Candidate for the Board of Directors
This first election will become a part of Verandah’s history. This inaugural board will play an important role in moving the community forward in it's self-governance. The official Call for Candidates along with the Notice of Turnover Meeting will be coming via an early July mailing and also be posted on this website. Please be thinking about serving your community and becoming a part of Verandah’s history.
Verandah Community Association Advisory Committee
& Turnover Committee
Monthly Meeting Updates
August 25, 2021 - Progress on the Work
The Verandah Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) on August 25th to receive an update on the preparation for Turnover. This meeting featured an update on the election process, the subcommittees and the VCA Turnover Committee.
Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
July 28, 2021 - Progress on the Work
The Verandah Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) on July 28th to receive an update on the preparation for Turnover. This meeting featured an update on the work of the VCA Turnover Committee and its subcommittees.
Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
June 30, 2021 - Progress on the Work
The Verandah Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) on June 30th to receive an update on the preparation for Turnover. The focus of the meeting was on the upcoming Turnover Meeting and Board of Director election scheduled for
October 1, 2021. Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
May 26, 2021 - Progress On The Work
The Verandah Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) on May 26th to receive an update on the preparation for Turnover. The focus of the meeting was to introduce the Neighborhood Representatives to the work of the Governing Documents Subcommittee. Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
April 28, 2021 - Progress On The Work
On April 28th, the Neighborhood Representatives (the VCA-AC) met to receive an update from the VCA Turnover Committee. The focus of this meeting was to finalize, with the consensus of the VCA-AC, four key initiatives surrounding the election of this new Board of Directors at Turnover. Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
March 31, 2021 - Progress On The Work
On March 31, 2021, the Turnover Committee met with the Neighborhood Representatives to review the progress of the Committee and provide an update on the election that will occur at Turnover. Click HERE to view the meeting recap.
The Work Has Begun!
Subcommittee teams have been formed and a launch meeting was held on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. Below is an outline of the Subcommittees, the specific tasks assigned to each Subcommittee, and a list of the team members who have stepped up to do this important work.
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