Barring any major change, in the next few weeks, Walden Lake will have a new property management company by January 2014.
In a 5-4 decision, Walden Lake Community Association board members denied Aug. 19, a motion to grant Rampart Properties a chance to interview and pitch a new contract. The decision all but guarantees the master-planned community will have a new property management company, when the existing Rampart contract expires at the end of the year.
WLCA President Jan Griffin, Vice President Marcus Alexich, Treasurer Karen Olson and directors Steve Swantek and Heather Updike voted against Rampart. Board Secretary Jim Chancey and directors Bob Hunter, Bruce Rodwell and Ray Page favored giving Rampart an opportunity.
Rampart President and CEO Patti DuBuque and COO Ken Bade both attended the meeting. Rampart has served as Walden Lake’s property management company since 2002.
The vote came after Rodwell introduced a motion to allow Rampart to speak to the board about some improvements it was implementing within the company.
“We have made and continue to make significant improvements in the level of service we are providing Walden Lake and to all of our clients,” Bade wrote in a July 30 email to board members. “I would hope that we at Associa Rampart/CMC would also be given the opportunity to present alternatives and discuss how we can provide your community with not only a higher service level but also offer options to improve your bottom line in 2014.”
DuBuque told the board about some of her company’s new technologies, which would allow the WLCA to monitor and report items, such as inspections and code violations, through mobile devices.
“We’re in the conversion process right now for new software, which would make all facets of management easier,” DuBuque said.
Rodwell and Hunter both said Rampart’s relationship with Walden Lake should have earned it the opportunity to make a pitch for the contract.
“I would certainly make a motion that we invited Rampart/Associa to a meeting of our board, so that they can offer alternatives to the contract when it comes up for renewal,” Rodwell told the board.
“Rampart has offered us some new ideas and new thoughts,” Hunter said. “(Because Rampart is) our current contractor and, as what I call a good business practice, we should give them an opportunity with an interview.”
Hunter and Rodwell argued Rampart should be given written questions in advance so it could prepare — the same procedure the WLCA used to interview the three other candidates: Qualified Property Management, Resource Property Management and L.E. Wilson & Associates Inc.
Olson disagreed and said the WLCA had all the information it needed about Rampart through its past experiences. Furthermore, Olson said because the board has to give Rampart 60 days notice before terminating the relationship, the WLCA does not have time for another interview.
“I would like to have this settled tonight,” Olson said. “I don’t quite understand why, when their contract is in jeopardy and they got word that we might be looking around, why now would they offer us a higher level of service and improve our bottom line? Why don’t you do that immediately, all the time? I mean, you offer your best first.”
So far, it appears L.E. Wilson & Associates is the front-runner for Rampart’s replacement. But, Hunter and Page have said they worry about the company’s ability to handle a community of Walden Lake’s size. At about 2,200 homes, it is nearly three times the size of the largest community L.E. Wilson & Associates currently serves.
Furthermore, Walden Lake’s four employees currently work as Rampart employees. L.E. Wilson & Associates does not have an employee-management system in place. Rather, it would utilize the services of a third-party company. Hunter said those costs have not yet been explored.
Griffin said the WLCA has a history of problems working with Rampart and that its takeover by Texas-based Associa has caused its service to decline in the last three years.
MEDIA STILL ALLOWED
WLCA leaders voted 7-2 to keep their board meetings open to members of the press.
Treasurer Karen Olson and Director Steve Swantek dissented.
“I am against it,” Olson said. “We’ve been misquoted too many times. I think it’s caused too many bad feelings in the community. I just don’t think we need that kind of bad PR. … I am against having media here.”
PETITION SIGNS GRANTED
The WLCA has granted an exception to its sign regulation to the residents spearheading the campaign against any redevelopment of Walden Lake Golf & Country Club or the community’s two golf courses.
The residents will post signs soliciting petition signatures at the entrance of every Walden Lake neighborhood on the first Friday night of every month. They will be removed by 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Resident Shelly Orrico said her goal is to have 2,000 signatures. She currently has about 700.
Contact Michael Eng at meng@plantcityobserver.com.
IN OTHER NEWS
• WLCA Director Heather Updike is exploring options to add a permanent, marquee-style sign in the community to advertise events and meetings. The board did not decide on a location for the sign, but it possibly could be placed on the back of the main entrance gatehouse.
• The WLCA currently is beginning to plan its annual Howl-O-Ween party. The party will take place Saturday Oct. 26. However, the board is considering changing the time to the afternoon.
• On-site Manager Tom Daramus is looking into options repair the dog park parking lot. Because of the recent rains, the lot is unusable. Daramus said a potential solution is Turfstone, a paver-type product.
CLARIFICATIONS
• The Walden Lake Back-to-School Bash was organized and sponsored by the Walden Lake Community Association and not the Walden Lake Golf and Country Club.
WLCA board member Steve Swantek and his wife, Courtney, organized the event, which was held at the country club pool.
• The Aug. 15 article, “WLCA leaders consider change in management companies,” mentioned a seven-person committee that formed to examine potential changes to the community management company. That committee included four members of the WLCA board, along with the community’s three employees.