PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
January 2020
During the past year, we have been busy upgrading the property and trying to prevent water damage in our units by completing our High-Risk Inspection this year and replacing common element plumbing when a unit is remodeled.
During the inspection, the plumber inspected all the water features in each unit and notified the owners of items needed to be repaired.
Since the inspection, we have had very few complaints of leaking water features. Just a reminder: if your water heater is 10 years or older please consider replacing it because if it leaks and causes considerable damage covered by our casualty insurance, the premium becomes the single most expensive cost in our budget.
New Stairway
The instant installed stairs in the hill by building #6 were not built to code so the Board of Directors elected to remove the stepping stone steps and replaced it with a cement stairway to code with two handrails.
Budget and Maintenance Fee
This year the Board approved a new budget with an increase in maintenance fees by $11.39. Increases in our insurance premiums have gone up because of all the weather disasters that have happened this year in our country. Every year we also had increases in all basic services like sewer, water, and garbage.
Office/Laundry Roof Replacement
Due to the considerable termite damage to the wood frame of the Office/Laundry room roof, it is unsafe to walk on to do any repairs. It must be replaced. An architect and structural engineer recommended to the Board that the roof area, including the rafters and other supporting structures, be removed and replaced with new pre-made trusses and roof.
Since we are replacing the whole roof structure the board considered changing the roofline. The existing roofline is too small to install many solar voltaic panels for the laundry room and the low pitch at the ends does not allow some roofing materials to be used.
Since the total roof needs to be replaced it was our chance to replace the roof with an extended higher pitch, larger mid-section Plantation style roof as an option for the association. It would provide more room to install solar voltaic panels to supply electricity to the laundry equipment and it would be more economical to replace the roof by using pre-made trusses with a continuous roofline.
The Board has asked for estimates from contractors and we are planning to replace the roof in the months of August and September of this year 2020.
Fires
Maui has had many fires this year in the old sugar plantation fields One fire caused the north end of Kihei to be evacuated. During the year we have had at least 10 separate fires. One burned from Ma’alaea around the mountain to Olowalu causing many guests to wonder what happened to all the vegetation on the bare hills.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Potlucks
Both the Thanksgiving and Christmas potlucks we a big success this year with 125 guests attending even though the rain rescheduled the Christmas potluck.
A big thanks to homeowner Donna and her volunteers for preparing the food and setting up. If you are on the property during the holidays this year plan to attend and volunteer so we can continue to celebrate with our guests.