Journal Notes—May 2015

by Michael Hamline, Editor / Published May 2015 

PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT

Boards of directors for community associations are tasked with a fiduciary duty
to care for their communities. This duty en-compasses a lot of individual components, interconnected operating systems, and vital infrastructure. It is simply the nature of things that these elements, even as they start their life, are already degrading and breaking down, and Florida’s salt air only adds to the speed in which this breakdown occurs. Being a board member is not a job for the faint of heart.

Recognizing how difficult the job can be and with a desire to help boards of directors for community associations to protect their investment, this month’s Florida Community Association Journal seeks to focus in on one area that a board of directors must give attention to. The focus for this month is taking care of your building’s painting and waterproofing needs. In Kathy Danforth’s article on page 8 “Painting: No Time for a Whitewash Job,” Christina Chacon, a manager with Castle Group, shares how an engineer explained “that the paint is protection, which we especially need with our exposure to salt in the air.” Additionally, she wisely comments, “Expect the unexpected” when it comes to the timeline for the project, as well as additional repairs. These are just a couple of words of wisdom on how a community can advance with a painting and waterproofing project.

In another article by Donny Morelock on page 16, he shares, “Always remember the biggest, ongoing enemy to your property is moisture/water penetrating the envelope of your building.” Furthermore, Morelock provides some key steps for how a community can decide whether it needs to hire an engineer or construction consultant. Both these articles are good jumping off points for learning how to protect the investment you have in your community.

As always, we are grateful for our readers and want to hear from you on what steps you are taking to protect your investment—your community.

Editor