Hi Misolites
Here are the minutes taken at the public meeting held in the bar on Sunday 30th May.
They have been read by 2 Residents and 2 Committee members, all present at the meeting and they (the minutes) are deemed to be accurate.
Minutes of Informal Meeting held in the Bar 30th May 2010
A good crowd turned up for the meeting which had been asked for by several residents, mainly because of the rumours circulating the park that Mrs. Taunton had resigned as president and that 2 committee members had also resigned.
(I)Pat Olive opened the meeting saying
“Hi Everyone,
Welcome to this meeting called on behalf of the Residents and not by any one person.
The original object of this meeting was to confirm or deny the rumours circulating around the park.
As Mrs. Mo Taunton has now declared her status (retired) via the blog and the letter that Shelagh will read out, this no longer applies.
The fact is now that Shelagh is acting president, she is going to need all the help she can get.
People are needed to man the office as there are now only 3 committee members.
Regardless of what some people seem to think, the committee is elected to carry out the wishes made clear at the AGM, NOT as some seem to think, to run the park as they themselves seem fit.
If anyone has any questions, could they please raise their hand and wait to be recognized. Can we please have a meeting without any shouting or name calling.” I then sat down.
Shelagh stood up and said that Lynn would read out the letter from Mo…which she did. Letter as follows:-
“28th May 2010
To Residents of Misol Park.
It is obvious that Misol does not need a President or committee but a group of people who are willing to place themselves in situations whereby they are subject to criticism, mistrust and insults.
The majority of owners vote these people in to meet regularly in order to maintain the management of the community guided by the outdated Statutes. Unfortunately they are not allowed to carry out this role without receiving snide and damaging remarks.
This week two of the committee members decided they no longer wanted to continue; Jeff Brown, who has tirelessly spent many hours looking after the pool and carrying out the necessary repair, at no cost to Misol and despite the libellous accusation put on Facebook, received no financial credit. Kate Ellerton who genuinely thought her efforts would be appreciated, has decided to put her family’s welfare first and who can blame her.
When I was elected in November 2008, Misol was in debt, there was very little money in the bank account and there was a split community, the only winners were the lawyers and an incompetent Administration group.
The situation today is (1) Misol has no debts, (2) there is a substantial amount in the bank account as well as a contingency fund of €20,000 for emergencies and (3) most importantly the community is no longer split. This has been achieved by myself and the committee members working together putting Misol’s interest first and I thank them.
For the last 18 months I have taken accusations, criticisms and insults and have decided enough is enough. I feel sorry for those people who do appreciate the efforts of myself and the committee and sympathise with the small minority who seem to get a thrill out of their mindless and bullish attitudes and actions.
On the advice of the lawyer, I have decided to waive my role as President and according to the statues hand over responsibility to the longest serving committee member to represent me until the AGM in September when a new President and committee can be elected. My apologies to Shelagh but I am confident that the business is in safe hands. You can rest assured that the finance and accounts will continue to be maintained by Peter Hopkins who has proven that he is a competent administrator and I ask those concerned to desist from the back stabbing and name calling and leave him to carry on with the good work.
When I began as President, I stated that I would do my best complying with the rules and regulations of Misol and the law, as this is in jeopardy, I do not wish to and will not continue. When it reaches a point that my husband, who is suffering from cancer, is almost blind and deaf being insulted himself, I draw the line.
I have received an unsigned note inviting me to a meeting on the bar terrace on 30th May to refute any rumours, this is not a rumour, this is a fact. I will not be attending any such meetings but will ask a remaining committee member to read this notice out and I will also post it on the official Mi-sol blog.
Mo Taunton
This was followed by the attendee’s then being asked if they had any questions.
Question 1. Why didn’t Mi-Sol Park have a separate Pool President?
Answer 1. Mi-Sol Park has never had a Pool President.
Question 2. Is anyone willing to volunteer to man the office in order for the community to be able to collect their post?
Answer 2. (I) Pat Olive offered to do one day, Pat Ainger offered to do one day,
Jean Titterton offered to do one day. Carol May said she would do one day after being shown the ropes.
Shelagh then stated that she was very disappointed that a letter from our lawyer detailing the resignation of Mrs. Mo. Taunton had not appeared before this meeting. Although Peter had asked the lawyer for the letter, it had not arrived. (The meeting with the lawyer regarding Mo’s resignation had taken place on Tuesday 25th May, our lawyer has apparently been too busy to put anything into writing and email it to the secretary for a week.)
Question 3. Why does nothing ever come from the lawyer in writing?
Answer 3. They say they will do it, but they don’t.
Question 4. Why had Mo resigned?
Answer 4. Refer to the letter.
Question 5. Why hadn’t the pool opened on the 1st of May as was usual?
Answer 5. Because there had been on going problems with the contractors. Who we have since found out have gone bankrupt.
J. Brown then read out a letter as to why he had resigned as a committee member. He said the problems started when he had filled the pool with water and started the chemical process. Several members of Mi-Sol Park ignored the committees request to wait until the pool was officially open, and as the gate from bar to pool was locked they climbed over the terrace wall and used it anyway. The gate from road to pool was unlocked as he was in the pool working. Also when erecting the fence he felt under pressure from the same and other residents who did not want the fence erected.
He continued by saying that he was told by one person “IF you put that up, I will pull it down”, Then he was told by two ladies that the fence looked a mess.
He felt that all the good work he had done on the pool was under rated and not appreciated. (There was more but I cannot remember exactly what the letter said) I did ask Mr. Brown for a copy of his letter, but it had already been shredded.
Committee member stated that a trellis fence had been voted for not the one used by Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown said “A trellis fence would not last very long”
It was pointed out that the previous fence had been trellis and had been there for five year’s
Question 6. Who decides when the pool opens?
Answer 6. The committee.
Several residents at that point said the pool had always opened on or about the 1st May.
Question 7. Are pool cards going to be issued this year?
Answer 7. Yes
A long debate started on whether you could stop debtors from using the pool…It was stated that debtors could not be kept out of the pool no matter how much they owed as this is against the law. The Pool cards are to keep non-residents from using the pool.
Question 8. Where will we get them and when will they be needed?
Answer 8. They will be available in the office ready for when the pool officially opens on the 15th June.
Question 9. What is the matter with the pool now?
Answer 9. Since Jeff resigned, no-one is looking after it.
Mr. Brown then stated that the state of the pool was probably the fault of the irresponsible owners who had used the pool before it was ready.
Question 10. When will maintenance of the pool start again?
Answer 10. It should start on Monday.
Question 11. What is the problems with the pool now?
Answer 11. The small pool needs cleaning (grout etc)
Question 12. Is it true that Jeff was paid 80.00 Euros per week for pool maintenance?
Answer 12. Yes, he did received 80 Euros per week for the months of July and August 2009, but had not received any money for work carried out this year.
Question 13. Is it true that Mr.T volunteered to do the pool maintenance?
Answer 13. No, he did not volunteer, he wanted to be paid, the lawyer said this was not possible, and that only professional people can maintain the pool.
Question 14. Why do the committee keep running to the lawyer to check up on everything?
Answer 14. I don’t know
Question 15. What does it cost to maintain the pool?
Answer 15. I don’t know, you will have to put that into writing and ask the secretary.
Question 16. Who has the keys to the pump house?
Answer 16. Peter.
Question 17. Why was the gate from the bar to the pool locked with a bicycle chain, and the gate from the road to the pool left open?
Answer 17. Paco broke the lock of the gate leading into the pool from the bar, and put a chain on it to make it secure.
Question 18. How did Paco break the lock?
Answer 18. I don't know
Question 19. How did Paco end up on the committee?
Answer 19. Paco was co-opted onto the committee in order to liaise with the Spanish residents.
Question 20. So anyone can be co-opted on to the committee then?
Answer 20. Yes
Shelagh then spoke again, and said that she feels that not having the open meetings any more was a mistake and it means that every one is kept in the dark about what is going on and this is a bad thing.
She continued by saying that there would be a committee meeting on Tuesday at 1.00pm to which anyone could attend.
Question 21. Why didn’t the secretary attend this meeting.
Answer 21. No reasons were given.
Question 22. We would like to have a look at the accounts
Answer 22. No, you can’t
Mrs. P. Ainger (ex President of a prior urbanization she used to live on) stood up and said “ A new set of accounts should be drawn up. They should run from the 1st January until 31st May. As Shelagh can officially take over on the 1st June a new set of accounts should run from the 1st of June until the end of the year. These accounts should be sent by email or letter to every resident of Mi-Sol Park” She continued by saying “Everyone in the community has the right to view the accounts at any time, and this request cannot be refused”
Question 23. Why isn’t there a telephone line in the office.
Answer 23. Due to Telefonica acting in their usual way and refusing to stop the Broadband connection costing about 60 Euros per month. Also the telephone was being misused by people.
Question 24. What is being done about the Debtors?
Answer 24. This cannot be discussed now.
Question 25. Who is checking on the accounts now that Mrs.E. has had to return to the UK due to her husband’s ill health?
Answer 25. It has to be a committee member.
(I)Pat Olive said (I) she would do it completely free of charge.
Shelagh then said “ We feel we need an independent assessor.” Lynn then said that she had brought up after the A.G.M. that 3 people should be signing the cheques and volunteered to be one of them. The President & Secretary said that they wanted Kate to be the 3rd but that she (Lynn) could be the fourth. This never happened.
Lynn went on to say that an earlier committee meeting it had been agreed that the bar would have new toilets installed and that it would be done before the start of the season. Again, this didn’t happen .
Question 26. Why didn’t this happen?
Answer 26. Because all decisions now have to go via the lawyer or be decided at the A.G.M.
Question 27. Why is there secrecy over what the cheques are paid out for?
Answer 27. Two residents said “There isn’t any secrecy”
Question 28. Who is in charge of the gardener?
Answer 28. Peter because he speaks Spanish.
Resident That is too much work for one person, someone else should instruct the gardener.
Committee Member: The committee have decided to stone the circles to cut the work load of the gardener as the park is too much work for one man. The circles would not be stoned until the electric and water installations had been checked.
Resident: The gardener seems to spend most of his time cutting down trees and cactus plants.
Resident: It is time that the gardener started to spray to eliminate mosquitoes.
Committee Member: Yes, we agree, the chemicals have only just arrived and he will be spraying tomorrow (Monday)
Committee Member Are there any more questions?
Question 29. Why was the pool not maintained all last week.
Answer 29. This has been asked before…see question 8
Committee Member Said that she had asked Peter for the keys to the pool house so she could turn the water on. He said he would drop them in to her on his way out. But this did not happen.
Question 30. Will Mrs. Taunton be returning the mobile phone etc that she had? Will she still be eligible for the payment of her community fees etc.
Answer 30. Mrs. Taunton has never taken up the offer of having her community fees paid.
The general feeling seemed to be that although most people thought that Mrs. Taunton and Mr. Hopkins were doing an excellent job: their communication skills leave a lot to be desired. Several people had telephoned both Peter and Mo and their calls had not been answered. Most residents felt that they were completely in the dark about what was happening on Mi-Sol regarding most things including the accounts-It was stated that: Not everyone has the Internet.
Apparently although Mo has resigned, she is still legally the president but not acting as president (Information courtesy of Mr. Stacey!!
Mrs. K. Ellerton sent an email to say she was no longer on the committee and would not be attending the meeting.
Mrs. S. Evans sent her apologies, and said she would no longer be in Spain.
End of meeting....Minutes taken by Jean Titterton
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