28 October 2010

Board members nominee list

To all residents

NEW INFORMATION SENT TO ME FOR PUBLISHING

Please note that the AGM is tonight at the clubhouse at 6pm. Here is the list of nominees for board members.

Please see below the developers 5 candidates – they won’t be on the voters list.

LT= been on the board for a long period with continues service.

Rean Booysen – Developer

Nico Kruger – appointed by the developer - LT
Jan van der Merwe – appointed by the developer - LT
Ewald Coetzee – appointed by the developer
T Coleman – appointed by the developer - conflict of interest as managing agent of the estate - LT
Martin Wolmarans – appointed by the developer

Here is the list of all nominees and it is said that we should nominate 6 candidates out of this list:

Candidates from the previous year:

Neil Diamond
Elizabeth Waite - LT
Malcolm Storey - LT
Danny Twala
Archie Rutherford

New candidates:

Collin Gallop
Teresa Fernandes
Bruno Tranchina
Bert Nel
Grant Hinckley
Rynette Farrar
Brad Frew
Ghume Strydom
Bungane Radebe
Barry Mills
Wikus Steenberg


Please note that as per the Articles of Association, the developer has the right to appoint directors to the board, therefore the nominees that have been appointed by the developer will not be on the voters role, only the other 16 nominees will be on the voters list.

Ciarra

25 October 2010

Reply to Boet's "Gutsy Lady"

It is now Monday 8H00 and I'm pleased to inform everybody that I have at least 70 signatures in our campaign to prevent the crusher site development and I still have more signatures to collect. Either I am very lucky or very many people don't want this to go ahead.

Regards

Rynette

24 October 2010

Gutsy lady

You are doing a great job but you dont know what you are up against . These people are "Teflon Dons" as nothing sticks to them. You got my signature but I bet you dont get too many. Almal is bang gatte!!

Boet

Crusher site

Ciarra

The petition to stop this housing is development in the crusher site is most welcome.

I was unaware that the stands were already on the market for sale and I would not be interested in one for investment or otherwise. A few years ago I read a Geotech report on the crusher site which plainly stated that the ground is "unstable". I'm willing to bet that this is not being told to prospective buyers or any of the other problems and I can understand why . But it does lack ethics on the part of the seller.

I was one of the first to buy into the Eco Estate about a year after the initial major sale and was totally in love with the concept. My wife and I drove around the area with the estate agent and saw the size of the area within the fence. What a shock to us that we NOW only discover that the estate is far from the size that we thought it was. There is a large area in the North of the estate but is still within the fenced area that DOES not belong to our Eco Estate and therefor us members. Why then was or is the estate's true size marked with a fence or at the very least told to us in the first place? This is intentional deception to give an untrue sales pitch of what we have all bought into. Effectively our estate has shrunk by about 1 500 000 square metres and we thought that the estate was ALL the area within the fence. Were we foolish to believe them in the first place or should we have gone to the council offices and studied the plans of the area demanding to know who owns what size of ground. NO, the trouble is 99.99% of us trust in human integrity-----foolishly obviously.

Show a man a car for sale and when his payment is made and the ownership is changed, then give him the vehicle without the wheels and seats --- a poor comparison but you get the idea.

Mr Owl

Welcome waste of money

So I hear the trustees are considering building a 'Welcome centre' for visitors at a estimate of R3 million or so. What a bloody waste of our money with far more important issues. Who dreams up this ***?

There are important issues but I'll give you a list of few very unimportant stupid issues that the trustees are throwing their toys out of their cots about.

a] Palisade fencing onto the veldt must be erected - why? Does it annoy anyone apart from them -no! If people don't want that extra security or animals eating their plants, so what, who cares.

b] Burgler bars must be remove. Who cares if some want their houses to look like Pretoria Central prison even if their reasons are good for having them.

c] Non indigenous plants. The veldt has plenty that should be sorted out before even considering k** like this again, who really cares where they come from.

d] Insect friendly lights. Have you ever heard of such stupid *** in your life, it is ignored anyway. There is not a house in the place that has not got at least one can of insect killer.

I don't know who dreamed up all this over the top indigenous ***. If they wanted to do it totally correct they should have said that only indigenous people from south of the Sahara desert who are black can live here.

Sometimes we see a chopper flying in and out. Oh sorry, that is not a chopper, that is a indigenous giant ********* dragon fly that eats or spits out people? It has a good choice of food even if it spits some out - must taste bad.

Catch a wake up. At the start of all board meetings they should all give each other a few good slaps round the head to bring them back to the real sensible world.

Radus

22 October 2010

Stop complaining anonymously

Hi Ciarra

I really hope that the next meeting won't be a circus like the previous meeting.

A lot of residents are complaining anonymously about the board.

A few comments -

Anonymous. That is the main problem we have. Everybody is complaining but isn't getting involved to sort our the issues.

Get nominated and get involved in management.

This is most probably the same people that are complaining about everything during the meetings, wasting everybody's time without trying to add value. (Like the guy that is always sitting at the back of the hall).

Most probably the same people that is complaining about security issues but refused to open their cars for a security search.

Or refused to do a Polygraph test on their domestics.

Etc, etc, etc ..........

The majority of the residents must be successful business people for obvious reasons, why can't we then work together as a team to resolve the issues.

It's time to move on. Everybody is busy and don't have time for bulls**t
after hours.

Bert Nel - 51 Roller Street

21 October 2010

Board members not standing again

I have received word that the following board members are not available for re-election at the moment: Ryan Annandale and Dr George Varughese.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank these two board members for the positive contributions they made to the board in the past. A thankless job as we all know.

Ciarra

Not humorous Spiro

Dear Spiro,

Your vitriol towards the Board is quite puzzling.

I have reviewed your posts and am yet to establish something constructive from you.

It leaves me wondering if you are one of the few who remain transgressing in some way blatantly and are unhappy because you are being taken to task.

I trust you will be available to give freely of your time (lots of it), and to be abused by members of the community you serve by making yourself available to stand as a board member.

Otherwise kindly start being constructive, else……………… hold your peace. I have always welcomed and asked for comments/complaints etc and do not shy away from them. But they need to be sensible.

Your reference to last year and the couple that voted for extensions:
Why did you not have the guts to voice that out immediately? Were you also for it?

You were the one that accused the board for voting for the extension, whereas the entire board voted against it.

We are all in this together, if we did not pick this up at the AGM if it did happen, I still ask, why did you not pointed it out immediately.

You are most welcome to bring your bag of rotten tomatoes and eggs to the AGM, perhaps they will come in useful.

There are many folk on this very blog who have been quite useful with their criticisms and suggestions and questions, but that IMHO does not include you.

BTW, RF also has my yes vote, so we agree on something.

Kind Regards,

DR. George Varughese.

P.S. Spiro
I am not afraid of hiding behind a pseudonym.

Careful with proxy voting rights!

I have not post before but here I go.

Late yesterday afternoon a guy gave me a proxy form to sign over by vote to a Liz Waite, should I not be attending the AGM next week.

I do not know much about this lady other than she is a member of our current unpopular board.

I will not be in town for the AGM, but I certainly won't sign over my voting right to anybody that I don't know well.

This applies to board members especially and I would only do this with very good friends or neighbours.

One could be giving their vote to an Al Capone type character.

Regards

Old goat

Rotten eggs & tomatoes

What good news about a top table for the AGM next week.

One question, do we have to bring our own rotten eggs and tomatoes or will they be available at the AGM venue?

The voting for board members should be more of a "no" vote of confidence in the board than a vote for who misses walking the plank.

Many people I know are reluctant to attend because of likely lack of seating.

I was at the last AGM and found that a nearby neighbour to me, split up and had his wife sit away from him and they both held up their hands for a "yes" to the building time extension vote - this is bullsh__t!

RF - go for it, if you stand you have my "yes" vote.

Spiro

20 October 2010

It's a "yes" to the top table

I have received word from Dr George that all the current board members will be seated at a top table during the AGM on the 28th August 2010.

Ciarra

14 October 2010

Answer to top table for board members

There has been no specific reason, that the board members have not sat up at the top.

The only reason I can fathom may be space? as there are lots of board members.

I will table(no pun intended) this request and see if it can be done.

Regards

Dr George

Answer to award without tender

Coleman Properties was appointed as managing agent at the inception of the estate by the developer and the then board as were many other service providers.

Quite correct there was no tender process at the time.

This year it is going out to tender(with the next board as the decision was taken late this year), and this has been minuted and agreed upon.

This is in order to be in keeping with good governance principles.

Dr. George.

AGM - 28th October 2010

Dear fellow residents,

I trust that everyone was informed about our annual AGM on the 28th of October 2010 at the clubhouse at 18H00.

It is of utmost importance that all of us attend this meeting, as this is where decisions are taken that will have an effect on us all eg financially , and selecting new board members who will represent our interests for the next year etc.

We have to carefully look at previous board members who want to stand for re-election for what they have done for our community in the past and or the lack of what they should have done but did not. We must also consider the fact that some of them have a conflict of interest and maybe should look at rather selecting “neutral” directors.

New nominees for directorship must be made aware that the job as a director should not be taken lightly as we need persons with strong character, that will not be steamrollered over by other board members. We are all aware that this is what has happened in the past. Nominees should be fully aware of the duties and responsibilities as specified in the company legislation as they may find themselves being brought to answer deictically in a court. Section 77 in the new Companies Act is very detailed as to the circumstances under which directors would be called to account.

On top of this, directors have to spend quite a lot of their time serving our community and all this for no financial gain.

Better to select members who have shown willingness to serve and have the best interest of our community at heart.

Please take all of the above into consideration when making your selection of nominees.

Please come and have a say in what happens to all of us!!!!!

Ciarra

Extend the building deadline again?

Hi

There are rumours going around that some in the community want to extend the building deadline again.

If you are against this, make sure that you attend the AGM.

Ciarra

13 October 2010

Top table for board members

There should be a top table for the board members at the AGM, so that questions may be answered by a particular board member and can be done so facing the floor. This saves people having to turn around to see who is replying.

Every attendee should be given a list of current board members and the names of any board member not standing for re-election.

Spiro

Award without tender

I would like to know why the managing agent was not given the contract after due process of successful tender. Why is this so? Is this jobs for pals or what?

I would appreciate it if one of the board members can answer this question before the AGM, as this question was not answer at the last meeting to my satisfaction.

Adrian Farrar

12 October 2010

Answer to 48 hours or not

A big thank you to Rynette for pointing that error out.

The bold letters on the bottom of the Nomination form gives the impression that one can hand in a nomination form at the meeting.

This is incorrect.

A nomination form MUST be handed in 48hrs prior to the meeting at the clubhouse to Trish. A nomination form cannot be handed in at the meeting.

The only form that can be handed in at the meeting is the Proxy form.

A corrective letter/email will go out.

Dr. George.

11 October 2010

Echo / Game Estate Issues

Hi Ciarra,

I am currently living in a similar echo estate out on the west-rand (Letamo Game farm). Reading through your blog and various materials available on the web regarding the Meyersdal Echo Estate, it seems that we at Letamo is facing similar issues around game conservation and property development, conflict of interest between developers and various service providers etc.

I used to be the Chairman of the Board of Letamo Game Farm, which consists of representation from the developer and land owners with the Developer having the major share holding and obviously influence in the future of the 'development', hence the conflicts around game and development.

We are now at a cross roads in our development where we need to change, various concerned residents are coming forward, the normal political 'clicks' are formed and as a result nothing get's done etc.

I would be interested in the issues that exist in Meyersdal, maybe we could learn from one another. Would this be possible or could you point me to someone that can provide some information. I would like to hear from residents rather than service providers or developers.

Thanks in advance,

Tjaart Riekert

IBM Software Group,


Hi all,

It's wonderful to be able to communicate with people from other estates. I have referred Tjaart to Rynette Farrar, but I would like to envite everybody who would like to talk to Tjaart to drop him an e-mail as he would like to hear from various residents. I will forward all mails to him as he does not wish his e-mail address advertised on the blog.

Ciarra

48 Hours or not?

On the nomination form for new directors it state that should you be unable to attend the meeting your nomination form must be handed in at Trish 48 hours before the meeting, but the covering letter (written by Trevor Coleman) state that nomination forms must be handed in not later than 48 hours before the meeting. The form and the letter are saying two different things - which one is it? Can we have clarity on this?

Rynette Farrar

10 October 2010

Deon's answer to Uiltjies letters

UILTJIE, I am not the person erecting, or responsible for the fence at the crusher site. As a matter of fact, I have nothing to do with the fence being erected whatsoever. By coincidence this person erecting the fence is also named Deon, so is Eco's security manager also named Deon. I know about the fence and went so far as to personally cut the wires to prevent animals from running into it and hurting themselves. At present there are no wires, only the poles, as I share the same concern for the animal's welfare as you and others do. We had the fence wires removed until shade netting can be erected to make the fence visible.

You have my phone number and are welcome to phone me as always.

Deon Oosthuizen

08 October 2010

Procedurelly unlawful fence

For those who wish to know why Deon is erecting a fence at the crusher site, we do not understand. What we do know is that this is unlawful as the 'services certificate' from the council for this development has up until now, not been issued.

There are no efforts by the fence erectors to make obvious, by using colourful material, where the initial support wires are. This is dangerous to the animals!

Getting back to Deon we were perhaps foolish to believe that he is employed purely with nature issues.

We will gladly throw our weight and financial contribution, as others are doing, with all efforts to halt this unpopular development. If united, we will have both the power by numbers and the money to do so. Success is ours for the taking so lets TAKE IT.

Big thanks to R.

Uiltjie

Animal rights

How disgusting that you humans just think of yourselves and MONEY. This estate is small enough as it is and now you go and fenced off one of our favorite grazing areas. At this rate our areas will be the same as Joburg Zoo. Even our neighbour Mr Archie the zebra stormed out of the estate in disgust yesterday.

Regards

President of RODEB
(Republic of democratically elected bokkies)

06 October 2010

What's with Deon?

I though that Deon is now working across the road and no longer involve with our estate. What's with him now doing the fencing for the new development? Anyone got a answer for me?

Uiltjie

04 October 2010

Answer to Blou Bulle's letter regarding COF's mail 01 October 2010

Concerned owners Forum. Started by Ryan Annandale and Elizabeth Waite and assisted by George Varughese back in 2007, when there some issues that had to be dealt with that were of concern to us as homeowners, by the then board.

Those three were then voted onto the board by the Homeowners.

ABC

Answer to Spiro's mail 01 October 2010

Board members do not resign at an AGM. No board member is resigning.

What happens is at every AGM, the present Board’s term automatically comes to an end.

Prior to this people must be nominated and be voted on by the community.

If a current board member wishes to remain, he/she must be nominated and be voted on. If he/she does not obtain enough votes to see him/her through, then they do not get onto the board.

So to clarify the position, some of the current board members are not making themselves available for re-election while others are. It is up to the community to then decide if they want to elect those who are standing.

You will know at the AGM, who is standing and who is not. Nominations can be sent in upto 48hrs before the AGM and a mail will go out informing people who are standing for election as a Board Member.

I honestly hope that there are quite a few, as if there are not, an election is not required.

So step up and be counted.

Make yourself available Spiro. Come and work.

Dr George Varughese

01 October 2010

Great news

We find it good news that the board finally is calling for new directors. I hope that the directors that are resigning are the ones that have been found to be less than competant. They know very well who they are and should jump before they are pushed.

Rumour has it that the board is to be sued because of some of these very board members who have stuffed up badly.

We demand to know who are resigning before the AGM as this is our right.

Cheers
Spiro

Who or what is COF?

I have heard of COF. What does it stand for and who are they?

Blou Bulle

Rubbish bags unsightly

There is a certain house quite near the main gate that always has rubbish bags lying around their front paving.

This is so unsightly!

Can’t someone please speak to them please?

Gringo

Through rocks away

Ain’t people funny. They pay a fortune to clear their stands of rocks, just to later pay a fortune to buy and get rocks delivered to make their gardens interesting.

Why not store the rocks in one corner for later?

Ou suinig