Procedure to follow for nominations for board members

Hi everyone

The procedure to follow for nominations for new board members is as follows:

A nomination form is collected from the estate office and is filed in by the one doing the nomination and signed by the one who is nominated to show his/her willingness to serve on the board.

This is then submitted to Coleman's offices before a specified time in order to be placed on the list.

I would suggest that as you hand in the form to Coleman's offices to ask for a confirmation of receipt.

Please people, kindly consider giving of your time to serve the community. I do know that some members are tired.

Regards

Dr George

Relatonionship between board and HWS?

Greeting folks

Your thoughts and comments on proceedings last night?

I wonder what effect the break down in relationship between the board and HWS has on the current incidents?

Is HWS trying to blame the committee for the incidents? Surely they are the ones providing the security or lack thereof?

Are we getting a proper service from the service provider?

There are a lot of inconsistencies in their service and this has been pointed out on many occasions. They search certain cars and not others, they fingerprint some and not the other?

I have heard many residents comment on this. Why don't the board do something about this?

Cheers

Snoopy

Security meeting feedback

Dear fellow homeowner,

I do hope and trust that all your concerns and questions surrounding security issues were addressed on Monday nights meeting?

If not please post them so they can be answered.

I also hope that it is very evident that a lot of time and effort is being put into trying to resolve these issues.

I believe the questions around the cameras and expenditure were addressed?

Please also know that we will not be able to rest till we can catch these perpetrators.

We do however need your support and co-operation.

Being able to notify us when you do see non compliances and non conformances by either security and or homeowners.

It is not ratting on your neighbour but in fact being Good Neighbourly to the entire body.

Once more please volunteer any further ideas, thoughts and suggestions.

Also please be vigilant, arm your homes and keep your eyes open.

Thanks

Dr George

DARREN'S WALKS

Ciarra,

Reading Darren Farrar's mail I want to ensure him that I am continuing with my wildlife research and monitoring and will definitely invite him to assist me with field work as the lad has a real passion for wildlife. I am presently busy planning and marking trails on Nature Estate and once completed he is welcome to join me on my walks at Nature Estate. Darren - bring those field guides with and ask as many questions as you like.

Regards

Deon Oosthuizen
Estate & Environmental Manager
MEYERSDAL NATURE ESTATE
Cell: 082 857 2019
email: naturemanager@naturteestate.co.za


Thanks Deon - I always loved a good end to any story, and this is a good end for Darren. I am sure he will be happy again.

Regards

Ciarra

Estate bestuur nie meer in goeie hande nie

Hello almal

Ons moet die huis eienaars kry om vanaand se vergadering te kom ondersteun.

Ek dink ons het almal te lank aanvaar dat die bestuur van die estate in goeie hande is, maar die teendeel is bewys.

Ons sit op die kantlyn maar dit het tyd geword dat ons almal betrokke raak want as daar 'n probleem is dan is dit ons - die huis eienaars - se probleem, maar as hulle R4m op kameras spandeer wat slegs in die dag werk, dan word die eienaar nie geken nie.

Groete

Zorro

Your opinion about our security provider

Hi all

Please take part in our poll regarding the current security provider HWS. Poll closes on the 15th August 2010 and feedback will be given to the board.

Also bring along all your suggestions regarding security issues and or our current security provider tonight.

How do we address the issue about the searching of homes, containers etc., without a warrant?

Regards

Ciarra

Security suggestions

Hi everybody

I see on the blog that there is a security meeting tonight. I doubt if I will make it back in time from my meeting, but here are my suggestions:

• To put proper electric fence especially where we are most vulnerable. The current fence is just strands and can be easily lifted with a fork type branch. The fact that they carry the stolen goods into the veldt does not tell us if they store it there to bring back to the houses later or if they store it there to take to the fence at a later stage.

• The fact that they run towards the houses could be that
they know there are more hiding places for them as against being open in the veldt

• The only way we will find out if they do live amongst us is to get the sniffer dogs in faster. Surely the dog will take us straight to them.

• Maybe to have a wooden watch tower, place in a position to cover the most vulnerable area and a guard manning it with night vision binoculars like they use in the army. Of course this guard must also have a clock in pad, to make sure he is on duty all the time.

• I have been told by home owners that they have seen a car getting in at Soetdoring gate with about 5 people in the car and then after doing it’s rounds through the estate, leave the same gate with only one person in the car. We have to pay attention to these types of scenarios.

• Lately a lot of contract workers are walking around – in the beginning this was not allowed at all and I think we should return to this procedure. They must be fined heavily if caught.

• Also why don’t we purchase a bus for all domestic workers and gardeners and stop them from walking around as well.

I also see home owners at the gate getting angry when asked to surge their car boot. Please everybody must understand that this measure was not put in place to pick on certain owners but this is good idea for everybody’s sake. It does not even take 20 seconds.

Regards


Rynette Farrar

Why not post your comments on the blog?

Hi all

I receive a lot of mail where people have legitimate gripes but ask me not to publish their letters.

As I am not on the board all I could do in this situation is to read it and file it.

If you give me the go ahead to publish it, everybody can see what is going on and I can forward it to members of the board.

The blog was started to sort out problems that was not addressed by the board or were kept quite from us all, and not publishing your letters are not going to sort out the problems.

Regards

Ciarra

Who is going to walk with us?

Dear auntie Ciarra

We use to have wonderful times with uncle Deon on our walks through the bush. He used to give us a lot of interesting facts about the plants and the animals, and I agree to help him this summer catch tadpoles and scorpions, so that he can update his records.

I am very saddened by the fact that uncle Deon no longer works for the estate anymore, and that there will be no more walks.

Regards

Darren Farrar


Have anybody got an idea of how we can make Darren's heart happy again? Any volunteer's who knows about plants and animals that can take the "lopers" for a walk?

Ciarra

Important security meeting tonight

Hi

Please be informed that there is a very important security meeting tonight at 6H00pm at the clubhouse.

This is to inform people about what is being done and planned. There are a lot of rumours doings the rounds and this meeting is to also put these rumours to bed.

Please we asked that everybody will make positive contributions and suggestions and not just emotive and critical remarks.

Regards

Ciarra

Slink extension list & securelink telephone?

Hi

We have received a letter from Trish Thompson regarding security. In this letter she gives us the slink extension list and she mentions securelink telephone sytem. Has anybody got any idea what this is all about and how it works?

Blou Bulle

Reply from Trish Thompson:-

Hi Ciarra

The Slink phone system is a telephone system supplied by Securelink (the people who do our network). Unfortunately if you do not have a Slink phone the numbers are no good to you. There are quite a few people on the estate who have these phones. If you do not have the phone you can still contact us on the normal Telkom numbers, the list of emergency numbers is available on the website. If you would like a slink phone, you need to apply for one from Securelink. Their telephone number is 011 680 1580

I trust this explanation has shed some light on the subject.

Kind regards

Trish Thompson

We are heading for a serious power crises!!

I am confirming Blou Bulle's statement made about our power supply -

The cables that have been laid cannot really cope with the demand currently from the estate and not all the houses have been build yet. What about the extra 62 stand still to be built on at the crusher site?

Furthermore our neighbouring estate across Michele road will also be drawing power from the same grid. What are the developers obligations to see that we are not going to suffer as a result of this miscalculation?

What do we do? It is and will become a dire problem. It certainly is a high priority point to be raised and resolved at the next AGM.

Dave R

Equine flu?

On our regular walks up Roller we note that at the first house on the right there is a fountain with a dead horse in it. Is this not possible that the poor thing has died perhaps “Equine flu” and are our Zebra’s in danger?

Regards

Long distance walker

Reply to "Get your facts straight"

To Dr George

My reply to your “Get your facts straight”.

Thanks first of all to Dr George (first and only board member so far to finally join the blog) and thanks of course to Trish for the response which was subsequent to Owls posting - "Why are we kept in the dark like mushrooms".

It is not easy for any of us at AGM’S to identify who are and who are not board members simply because you guys do not have a top table! This in itself is abnormal and unheard of by many. There were approximately fifteen votes against the extension and there are fifteen board members. I recognized five or so other people who voted against it who are not board members plus others – do the maths. Had there been a top table for the board members and they were asked to vote first, it would have been a different story. Some of us are of the opinion that persons who have not completed their homes were canvas to attend.

How convenient at our AGM’S there are so many people who come and having seen that there is not enough seating leave? Again do the maths on number of owners. Anyway these meetings are a joke, badly run with lots of promises to look into issues and nothing ever seems to happens. It has been mentioned that there should be a vote of no confidence in the board which will never happen because you can never get enough people in the hall to have a majority ..............VERY CLEVER!!

I am surprised that those board members who are more dedicated have not resigned in protest about the way common members are being treated. The way the board operates when there is anything contentious is to unitedly offer silence.

One blogger asked that you now call for applicants interested in becoming board members - which you have not done so far and the AGM is three months away. Perhaps Ciarra, you should call for names of interested person’s for these positions for if we wait for this board it will be the same situation as last year.

Of all the board members it seems that only you are prepared to be involved in this blog. This is very healthy and will you be able to supply answers after investigating complaints starting with the many already put forward?

Nobody ever said that we as the common members think all board members have the same poor dedication to the position that they are in. Please refer to previous submissions George and you will see that most comments are directed to the board members that decide that they are not answerable in any way.

Two years ago, and at last year’s AGM , us common members requested more transparency. What did we get? You know the answer George, just the same.
When I look at some of the apparently severe statements made against the board and yet you guys do not make any effort to clear your names. Obviously there is some truth to the allegations.

George don't only respond selectively. What about all the other gripes on this blog? How do we get this gripes answered? In the past when we question Deon all we get is a “sheepish Deon style grin”and no answers. Maybe you should get the board to answer some letters at least - why not starting with Ciarra's letter "Topics to be added to the meeting of 9th June 2010" on the 1st June 2010. It was forwarded by Ciarra to all board members and like normal nobody replied back and these questions were not answered on the information evening as the board was controlling the whole meeting and for obvious reasons.

George I am sure that you will not need to ask permission to reply honestly to any question put to you, especially as a man of integrity . Do not feel obliged to throw your weight behind the board controllers as others have done. You have been tarred with the same brush as you are all perceived as a united group. All board members (except one) should have the testicular capacity to make a stand against issues that lack common values and are flawed. Importantly they should not be made to feel like a black sheep for their stand. There is no place for sheep on any board that blindly follow.

Spiro

Estate information

Hi all

Herewith a few snippets of information

Security-

As you are all aware, there have been a spate of recent security breaches and this is a cause for great concern to us all and the board.

The board is in the process of appointing a Security Manager, and not utilising one supplied by the Security Company providing the service currently. We believe that this will help us to a large extent.

The board is also in the process of giving out the tender for a new security company.
This process should be finalised by the end of August and the successful company will commence work in our estate on the 1st September 2010.

The board is also engaging in some other measures to improve our security and these will be made known at a later stage.

The board places the security of the residents on the highest point of their priority list.

The board would however request that residents do remain careful and lock their doors and arm their alarms.

The board has found houses where residents are away and door that are not locked.

The board remains open to and would welcome any suggestions and observations and criticisms. Bear in mind that a suggestion would be appreciated where there is criticism.

New management structure-

There is a new management structure within the estate.

As you may be aware, Mr Fred Botes has been appointed the new estate manager and has commenced his work. Deon is no longer the estate manager.

Mr Botes reports to an Executive committee, which is made up of 4 board members, currently Danny Twala, Neil Diamond, George Varughese and Ryan Annandale.

The various sub committees are still in place that deal with various portfolios, eg security, architectural, environment etc.

Mr Botes is currently busy with drafting out service level agreements to be implemented with all our service providers.

Any suggestions, questions etc, can be forwarded to me and I will forward it to the correct person for feedback.

Regards

Ciarra

Power cuts

Hi Ciarra,

Last time we had a power cut I made some enquiries with a pal of mine at Eskom and he did a quick investigation. I always though it odd that we in the estate have power cuts yet when I look across at Meyersdal they don’t. He came back to me and said that our estate and others in the “Booysen group” nearby all operate off the same substation/transformer installed by the developer. He did say that this unit is insufficient for the number and demand from the dwellings that all have to draw power. We are all very quick to blame Eskom , however, this appears not to be the case always.

We should all be asking why this is especially now that there are another 62 dwellings at the crusher site as well as the 20% of dwellings in our estate not yet built. Added to this, although I am still investigating, I believe that our neighbours across Michelle Avenue will be also drawing power of our grid and so this problem will only become worse.

Is it reasonable or just, that we having built our upmarket homes should be now be expected to spend a lot of money on generating sets when 99,99% of Alberton residents find this unnecessary?

I note that the developer’s house has and always has had emergency generator power- perhaps because he was aware that this would happen.

It would have been kind to advise new owners to build with provision for generators but perhaps this is not a very good sales feature.

I will investigate further and endeavour to corroborate my findings and report back.

Cheers

Blou Bulle!!

Get your facts straight!

It really irks me that people don’t get their facts straight and make sweeping encompassing remarks/comments that are factually incorrect.

If Spiro’s memory is inaccurate, perhaps he should ask from others.
At the said AGM, ALL the directors voted against the extension of the building deadline. The vote was done and won by residents. In this case the residents did shoot themselves in their feet. As directors we were against it but we had to listen to the majority vote.

I trust this fact will be noted and insinuations and aspersions cast as a result of misinformation will be retracted.

We would definitely welcome “owners with a passion for the estate” to take over and run the estate. I know I would. That would free up my time, that I invest in this estate, purely because of the fact that I live here. I would dearly love for Spiro to come and see what is being done, within the constraints that we have, and to make his/her contribution. I can promise you it would be most welcome.

Regards,

Dr George

Hi all

Please see new comment in reply to Spiro's "Food for thought" from Dr George.

Regards

Ciarra