Journal Notes—December 2016

by Michael Hamline, Editor/ Published December 2016

I am a huge baseball fan. My favorite team is the Kansas City Royals, and I had two wonderful years in 2014 and 2015 by being able to watch them advance to the World Series and win The Commissioner’s Trophy in 2015. Unfortunately, 2016 was not as kind to them, but it did set up an epic showdown between two teams—the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs—neither of whom had won a World Series since 1948 and 1908 respectively.

This past October I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago, IL, to attend a trade show held from October 24–28, which coincided with the Chicago Cubs appearing in their first World Series in 71 years. At one point, it looked bleak for the Cubs to come back from a 3-1 deficit, and yet, the Cubs won the final game at Wrigley. They then went on to beat the Cleveland Indians at their home stadium, Progressive Field, in the final two games of the Series, including a game seven that went into exciting extra innings that the Cubs won, securing their first World Series title win in more than 108 years. It was a testament to hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

In a very real way the Chicago Cubs and their attitude are a microcosm of what I see in the community association industry. First, I clearly see a testament to hard work in the industry. Almost every month, we have profiles of managers, association communities (read boards of directors), and service providers who have formulated  a vision, have established goals, and have put in the labor to reach those goals for the betterment of the communities they manage and serve.

I see this hard work realized in the articles I read every month in FLCAJ. In the last three issues, there has been a plethora of topics, such as access control, dealing with the Zika virus, maintenance of lakes and waterways, helpful tips for returning snowbirds, women of the industry profiles, sprinkler opt-out clarification, drones and privacy concerns, the reason for reserves, and lobby renovation, to name a few. These articles are filled with information gained by hard work from the individuals that write them.

I also see the never-give-up attitude in the industry. There are many challenges to deal with, some good and some not so good. Yet, it is amazing to see managers, boards of directors, and service providers adapt and overcome to better their communities.

Florida Community Association Journal wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,  and a Happy New Year!

Editor