Journal Notes—April 2023

Journal Notes

by Michael Hamline, Editor / Published April 2023

     Alligators can be found in all 67 counties in Florida. This past February an 85-year-old woman was walking her dog at her community association in St. Lucie County, Florida, when she was attacked by an alligator and tragically was killed. Last month a man opened his front door in Volusia County when he heard a noise at his door and was bitten by an alligator. Fortunately, he survived.

     On page 8 Jeff Rembaum with Kaye Bender Rembaum has written an article partly in response to the death of the elderly woman. He asks, “Is there liability for dangerous wild animals in your community?” Rembaum remarks, “Simply put, if there is a foreseeable zone of risk, then the association’s members should be made aware of it.” The board of directors has a duty to act, in other words. 

     Turn to page 36 to read the article, by Tammy Leeman with Absolute Patio Furniture on whether to replace or restore outdoor patio furniture. She shares that buying new furniture is not the only option and that there are many benefits to restoring existing patio furniture, such as saving money and time as well as offering many custom color options and texture selection.

     When you turn to page 40 you can read SOLitude Lake Management’s article about proper care of the community’s lake shoreline, which pays dividends for property values and resident safety. Several steps for proper shoreline management are recommended throughout the article. Beautiful, healthy lakes and ponds make your community safer and more desirable to reside in.

     On page 46 Lisa Elkan with Alliance Association Bank tackles two types of fraud—payment fraud and check fraud. She recommends several best practices: train management and employees about fraud methods, modernize your business tools and practices, document appropriate processes and approval steps, consider cyber insurance, stay vigilant with recordkeeping, adopt secure payment and deposit methods, and take advantage of your bank’s resources.

     On page 52 Darion Samuels with ADT Community Association Program shares what can be done to protect board members and to make meetings safer. He lists and develops the following steps: set a time, invite attendees, choose an ideal location, invest in a personal safety solution, invite local leaders to the meetings, have an agenda, and follow up.

     FLCAJ is thankful for the valuable information in these pages. Please contact us at 800-443-3433 or info@fcapgroup.com with any questions.

Editor