How to Control expenses and increase revenues for the Association

This is Palani from unit owner 903.

There are couple of suggestions which board can consider or already proposed by other unit owners.

Issue:

1. From the boards 2009 and 2010 budgets, $83,000 increase in Electricity and Water/Sewer expenses is expected for 2010.  

2. Allow direct A/C procurement which benefits unit owners 

3. Residents please share your ideas suggestions

Suggestion:

1. The current management company and past board tried an year and half back introducing sensor based lights on 4 floors (laundry and compactor room). This was a welcome step. Now the current board has gone a step further in expanding this project to all the floors in the building. 

On several occasions the meeting room 2 A/C were noticed running even though it was unused. Management office had promised to ensure in future it's turned off if unused.

It would be every ones interest, if we could control our common area monthly maintenance expenses by turning off lights in laundry and compactor room if unused.

Note : A 5% maintenance fees is 100,000$ (Approx) on a 2.1 million dollar annual budget. 

2. A suggestion was made by an unit owner on procuring A/C directly from Islandaire company instead of buying it via middle men. This could save 200-300$ per A/C unit avoiding the middle men (vendor company).