Hi Misolites, 25/09/2010
Oh, what a gay (in the old fashioned sense) day, today has been. Me and ‘t’other half arrived up at the terrace about 9.30….there were already several people queuing and several sitting down. T’other half signed in (I am not allowed to vote, he says I cause enough trouble….who me?? I really don’t mean to) and went to the bar for coffee’s.
There was a new, shiny “secret ballot box” on display, I wonder how much that cost….we only had an old box last year…..stuck up with sellotape.
Many members of the community had to have the voting system explained to them by the committee.
Myself, Pat Ainger and Jean Titterton decided to put our names down for the committee. First of all the President said that we couldn’t do that, then she changed her mind (with a little bit of persuasion) and said yes, we could put our names forward, but as we were too late to be included on the paper (secret Ballot) we would have to make do with a show of hands. We all agreed to this.
There was a lot of muttering and people voicing objections to the secret ballot voting system, but no-one spoke up in such a way that it could have been minuted.
A certain member spent an awful lot of time rescuing a small bird (of the feathered variety) from the swimming pool. You can never find a lifeguard when you need one. Eventually it was decided this bird was determined to commit suicide so another member took it home to keep it safe. He now has his own cage, a likkle bed and loads of food…aaaaahhhhh.
The old wannabe spent a lot of time instructing people how to fill in the voting slips….(How hard is it to tick every box?)
A member asked the lawyer if it was legal to hold a secret ballot or not. The lawyer said it was entirely up to the members of the community. The President said that no-one objected last year (I did) The lawyer said someone must object this year to stop it for next year.
Anyone who does object must put it into writing and ask for it to be voted on at the next AGM (see later more info)
The meeting started at approximately 11.00am. Karina was interpreting to the Spanish at the far end of the bar. The meeting was opened with a motion voiced by the president as to whether the members present wanted an open or closed vote (regarding the election of committee members only) The 1st vote for a secret ballot netted 32 votes. The votes used against the secret ballot were 56. Because of all the shouting and other things going on (don’t ask what, because I don’t know) Mo decided to ask again for a vote supporting the secret ballot. This time the number voting was 63 members!!
Therefore the “Secret Ballot” for each and every committee member has been passed. What this means to you as a member of the community, is that you will never be able to stand up at an AGM and offer your services. You will have to decide in advance if you feel you would like to volunteer to help the park, so as your name can be added to the voting papers. Is this a good thing or not?? Only time will tell.
The minutes were passed with objections (me again) noted. I asked that a letter written by a member , stating that he did not vote last year was also included with the objections.
At 11.15a.m.The bar was brought up for discussion.
Basically The bar owner would like the community to purchase the movable furniture etc at a price of 15.000.00 Euros. The lawyer spoke for quite a long time in Spanish explaining about licenses etc. This item was brought forward as the lawyers were on call at the courts. There are too many points for me to try and tell you here (that means I don’t know) but the top and bottom was: if the community agreed to buy the furniture etc. the bar would close and Bob would leave.
During this debate the lawyer stated that there is a claim against the community by a worker who fell down. …I wonder who that is? I did ask, but was told it was confidential information….
2 quotes have been received regarding improvements to the toilets: 1 for 10,000.00 and another at 15,000.00 both to my mind ridiculous figures. It was put to the vote as to whether this matter should go ahead or not….63 Against it and 28 for it, sooooo the toilets are going to left for another year.
It was asked if the committee now had a copy of the Bar Escritura….the answer was yes, and that it is in the names of 12 community members, who had signed on behalf of Mi-Sol Park. Unfortunately several of these members have died since the bar was taken back by Mi-Sol Park ..Leaving the heirs in inherit the bar.
Another BIG problem for Mi-Sol Park and the committee to sort out.
There was a proposal put forward to give Bob a deadline by which time he would have to have had all relevant licenses etc in place or forfeit the tenure of the bar.
This caused quite a bit of shouting and bawling and it was decided in the end to waive the motion……
Rosario (another of our lawyers) appeared at about 12.30p.m.
Several of the Spanish members argued with a committee member as to whether the three ladies could stand to be on the committee or not. Eventually it was decided that whilst the two lawyers and Karina counted the “secret” votes, there would be a show of hands (the old system) for the 3 ladies (I do use the term loosely) The vote went 46 For Jean Titterton and 33 Against. 53 for Pat Ainger and 3 against, 51 For me and 38 against.
At 12.45 The meeting was adjourned. At that point I showed Peter the letter I had been asked to have included as an objection to the accuracy of last years minutes.
At 1.15p.m. the meeting resumed. The counters had finished counting the votes, and several people were looking over the results. The previous president was overheard by one of the 3 ladies making unnecessary comments about them standing. She took him to task and asked him to remember his manners.
At 1.20 p.m. the lawyers left after counting the voting papers. They took the voting papers away with them. The lawyers stated that I and any other member of the community are welcome to go to their offices and check over the voting slips if they so wish to. Once again the voting slips are easily forged. If we are to continue to have “secret ballots” then the voting papers will have to be much better designed.
We were told that there were 125 voters at the beginning of the meeting. That is people present and the proxies added together. The voting was then read out as below:
FOR AGAINST
Phil 68 57
Pedro 88 37
Jim 61 64
Carol 67 58
Antonio 58 67
Jean 46 33
Pat A 53 03
Pat O 51 38
There was a bit of controversy over who was and who wasn’t on the committee. But, at the end of the day it was decided (common sense prevailed) that everyone who had volunteered to help on the committee should be accepted.
Approx. 1.45p.m. Discussion on the swimming pool started, we have had an estimate of 5,800.00 for repairs to the pool. Volunteers apparently were requested to police the pool card system. Because no-one agreed to do this a security guard and a lifeguard had to be employed via an agency for the months June to September. The cost next year of security, lifeguard and the cleaning of the pool and toilets will be approx 2160.00 inc.IVA per month for the period 15th June through to 15th September. I asked if we really needed a guard during June. I was told that this year early in June a group of children from over the way had cut a hole in our fence and were using it as access to and from out pool. So the answer was a resounding YES we do. (OK, keep your shirt on…only joking)
We would told that a quote had been obtained for the maintenance of the pool, which would result in it being kept open all year. The cost would be 325+IVA per month, per year-this includes chemicals. This seems a very reasonable sum and the aye’s had it. It was also decided to rearrange the pool opening times which will be in future 10.30am until 9.00pm. Which raised a cheer from the Spanish owners (because they live in Murcia)
A member of the community spoke up and said that he would get better quotes for the pool repairs and the toilets in the bar which need sorting out.
Communidad will not be increased this year and the date by which you must paid in order to get a discount has been extended from 1 month to 3 months.
There will be a reduction in the price of water and electricity. Water will be 2.50c per unit and Electric will be 19c a unit.
4 Debtors have had pre-paid meters installed. They are plots:513-70-429-430-649
Plans are in place for more should they be needed.
A motion was put forward that anyone with a debt of over 900.00Euros (this is the same figure that the courts use as a starting figure) will have a prepaid voting YES
One Spanish owner claimed discrimination, our treasurer pointed out that he had not paid anything for six years. He continued to grumble for a while and then melted away.
The next motion was for monthly bills to be issued with the hope of getting more money in. This was passed with 104 voting YES.
The next motion concerned the ESTATUTES. The community voted for a draft copy of new Estatues to be drawn up and presented to next years AGM for perusal.
No-one objected.
The community was asked if two adjacent plots could be merged into one. Again, no-one objected.
An owner asked if a debt incurred by tenants on his property could be frozen until such time as he sold the property. All agreed.
A quote was produced for tiding up the middle road which is in a bad state of repair, as is the bottom road and several other sections of Mi-Sol. The quote was not complete, without the metreage and the depth of compression, it was difficult to say whether the quote was good or bad. After quite a bit of discussion – Tarmacing the park in sections was put to the community.:-( NO, cried the majority,(mainly the Spanish) it’s all the park or none of the park. As the last quote for all the park was about 200.000.00 Euros, I think we will be waiting for quite a while.
The community was asked about moving the children’s playground onto the petange court and then making the children’s playground into nice gardens to sit it.
Noooooo, howled the community “Save our money for the roads” I don’t think many liked that idea.
Now then, a tricky one. The Gates. A motion was passed asking if the community wanted the gates reinstalled. Apparently, for whatever reason this has to be a unanimous vote. Sooo, yes you guessed, we had 16 who voted against it.
A member stood up and said as there had already been a vote about the gates, surely we don’t need another unanimous vote? Several people were talking and I didn’t hear the answer. Anyhooo, the next question was….sod it, shall we ignore the dissenters and install the gates anyway at our own peril??? YES!! Cried the crowd. Carried then I suppose……
Rumour has it that several?? Persons have complained about the garden rubbish skip kept near the top of the site. Once again, our treasurer has sourced a firm who will pick up garden rubbish on a twice a week Rota at a cost of 690+IVA per month. Unanimous decision, everyone agreed.
There was talk of a well at the bottom of the site with a view to sorting out the flood waters. This was talked about for a while but ended up being left in abeyance.
The shower blocks were mentioned.. Can’t remember how it went. I think everyone laughed??!!
Fire Extinguishers were mentioned. Too Expensive
The next subject was Post Boxes, again it appears we need a unanimous vote (because of the building needed to house the post boxes is a structure). There were 7 objectors.
I asked about Iberdrola bringing electric from the sub station over to the bar. Apparently new laws came out in 2006 regarding Electricity standards and it would cost approximately 9000.00.euros to bring the bar up to scratch and get the Certificate. Doing this does not guarantee Iberdrola agreeing to bring their electric to the bar and thus creating a separate account. The matter has been held over.
The name of our Auditor is:
Victor M. Minguez Mates
With economist no Col. 2115
Justificantes can be viewed in the office as can the list of credits.
The meeting closed at 3.40pm.
I think overall it went very well. It was the first proper meeting where the Spanish were signed in and could use their votes. I think (I maybe be wrong) that both sides, English and Spanish left the meeting in a happy frame of mind.
I was glad to sit down and have a drink,
Adios, keep flying the flag (Spanish or English)
