VIEW FROM THE CLIFFS Fall 2012 KIMO M. KEAWE
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VIEW FROM THE CLIFFS Fall 2012 June Sundberg reports that the front desk and reservations have been busy handling calls from potential exchangers and rental guests. The positive comments on Trip Advisor as well as high ratings from RCI and II are driving people to experience the Cliffs. Our efforts to generate rental income continue to grow and expand. Utilizing several partners including Interval International we have far exceeded our original budget for the year. We thank Rosarie Kelekoma, Owner Services Manager, for her efforts as she continues to find new and innovative ways to generate rental income. KIMO M. KEAWE General Manager We are all excited to welcome John Young to our Cliffs Ohana. John assumes a new position as Assistant General Manager. He comes to us with years of experience including 14 years here in Hawaii managing several different properties. He also spent time with the Hawaii Visitors Bureau focusing on Sales and Marketing and those skills will definitely be utilized as we look to expand our reach globally. He has been immersed in operations since he arrived and has brought a new sense of energy and excitement working with all of our existing managers and staff. All of us are eager to support him in his new position and know, with that support, he will do well. Now that we have scheduled the remaining capital projects for this year and with the addition of John, we can focus on continuing to improve our on-site operations and efficiencies. After several heavy rainstorms over the past 18 months which resulted in more roof leaks, we decided it was best to begin the reroofing project right away. The first phase is underway and includes installing new roofs on buildings 1, 5, 8, 9, and a section of Building 2 and is scheduled to be completed by the first week of December. We concentrated on those buildings that needed immediate attention in this first phase. Phase two, which will encompass the balance of the buildings, will begin in May of 2013 and should be completed by the beginning of July of that year. Since we are changing all of the roofs, it was also decided to replace the existing exhaust fans on each building with upgraded units that are quieter and energy efficient. You may remember that they were initially installed after Hurricane Iniki to remove damp air from each bathroom to retard the growth of mold. The old fans used a pulley system that utilized fan belts similar to what you have in your car. These belts would stretch and break and become very noisy over time and were the cause of many noise complaints from guests and owners alike. The new fans have no belts and also incorporate a sensing system to run at different speeds during the day and at night further reducing energy costs. The fence which was installed to restrict the number of outsiders who access our property through the cul-de-sac at the end of Edward Road has been completed. The fence begins at the coconut trees fronting Building 4 and extends all the way along Edward Road, following the existing hedge line to the property boundary cliff side. It is anticipated that as the hedges continue to grow they will completely hide the fence, a condition of the Princeville Community Association’s approval. The summer of 2012 will be remembered by one word, “busy”! Occupancies were pushing 90% and September, a traditionally slow month, finished at 88%. This trend continued through October as well. Suffice to say the Hawaii vacation market is back and raising the bar to new levels. The Cliffs Exchange Club is now a legal registered entity with the State of Hawaii and we have begun to accept bankings for 2013. We encourage all owners to visit Rosarie while on property and find out more about this new service that was developed exclusively for you. The big project this past quarter was the commitment to further training and utilization of the Asgard property maintenance system. Since the last Board meeting in July, we have had a standing weekly web conference with our project manager from Asgard’s corporate office along with her associates. We have revamped the system to be more user friendly and have cut the input time from several minutes to a few seconds. We have gained more efficiency to process and close work orders in a timely fashion. Where we once had hundreds of open work orders we now have a just a handful. We look forward to fully utilizing all of the features of this program that will allow us to track and measure everything from fixed assets and normal work orders to short and long term capital projects. We have all been extremely impressed with the team from Asgard and will continue to work closely with them to customize the system to suit our needs. Readyman Services recently completed the replumbing of the Building 5 experimental solar hot water system. Our crew was responsible for rewiring the electrical circuits and new service connections to the central heaters on the third floor closets. We will continue to monitor the data on energy use in the months to come. We are hopeful that this system will reduce our energy needs and be a long term property wide solution. Our crew, in conjunction with Princeville Golf Course, completed the renovation of our putting green. This was a great learning opportunity for our crew as they participated in turning our green into a Princeville quality product. We were also fortunate to obtain a special reel mower that will allow us to cut the green properly with the frequency needed to maintain it in its current condition. We continue to work on the CRVOA units and have recently installed new sofa sectionals in a few units. In addition, replacement countertops for several units have been ordered for installation in January of 2013. These are scope of work items that were included in the renovation program but, could not be completed because of high occupancy. We have been conducting speed and signal strength tests on our wireless network and are working on solutions to solve these concerns.. It has become apparent that we will need to upgrade our system as technology changes and due to the number of devices each guest may be utilizing at one time, i.e, smartphone, tablet and laptop computer. These all have an effect on our system overall. We all have much to be thankful for and during this holiday season may we express that gratitude to friends and family. Here’s wishing you a happy Holiday Season! Kimo cious, I can testify to the greatly improved condition of the green and bunker. AOAO PRESIDENTS REPORT Jim Ricker Additionally, Kimo and staff are selectively pruning trees behind buildings 1 and 2 resulting in greatly improved views, more daylight, and better air circulation. This work will also allow the fruit trees to flourish, and we expect that guests in those buildings will quickly discover the fresh fruit. Other amenities look great. The refurbished Rec Center, fitness center, pools, courts, and playground are being utilized by a growing number of guests – either individually or as part of planned activities, such as Yoga classes. AOAO President’s Letter Dear Friends: I’ve recently returned to the cold Northeast after spending three weeks on site – for the final Board meetings of the year and for enjoying our home at The Cliffs. We were blessed with great weather with lots of sun, very little rain, and occasional VOG drifting in from the Big Island. The VOG was a very minor nuisance compared to what folks in NY and NJ experienced from Sandy. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to experience the beauty of Kauai. The meetings were very productive. As you probably know, we spend the first few days of the week in committee meetings – with all board members serving on multiple committees. In addition, we try to have each board member chair at least one committee. These meetings provide a framework for detailed reviews of past results, new proposals, and general discussion about those areas upon which a committee focusses. With this format, the overall board meetings have become very productive with the committee chairs making their reports and proposing initiatives that require board approval. Mahalo to Kimo and his staff for keeping the property looking great and making some much needed improvements. The putting green and bunker adjacent to buildings 1,2, and 3 have been rebuilt with the assistance of the greens keepers from the Prince Course. And since the Prince Course was also buying new mowers, we were able to purchase one of their used specialized mowers for greens. I had a chance to use the green earlier this month. Although my putting was still atro- And, while not very glamorous, we are continuing to replace roofs. You may recall that last year’s rains caused roof leaks in all but the three buildings that were recently reroofed; the Administration building, the Recreation Center, and building 7. This year buildings 8, 9, and 1 and portions of building 2 have been reroofed. The remaining buildings will be completed next year which should keep us dry for many years. The roof work also includes replacing the metal flashing and the rooftop fans that ventilate the bathrooms and dryers. The old fans had reached their useful lives and were costly to maintain and operate. The new fans are more efficient and will help reduce our energy costs. We hope you will be able to return soon and enjoy the property as The Cliffs becomes one of the best resorts on the island. With our dedicated staff, constantly upgraded facilities, and the culture and weather of Kauai, we have become very popular with occupancy rates often exceeding 90%. Best wishes for the holidays and hope to see you soon. Aloha, Jim Ricker Our interior unit renovations don’t begin again until CCIOA From the Presidents Desk 2014, but we have formed a committee to begin looking at what might be needed in this round of upgrades and refurbishments. This will undoubtedly be a continuing subject to discuss over the next year. Occupancy hit 90+ percent this past summer so it’s gratifying to see our members use their resort. We expect this trend to continue and are staffing accordingly. We also are in the early testing of Hotel key cards for Aloha from not so sunny Connecticut. For the first time in over a decade, I was forced to miss our quarterly meeting at the Cliffs due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy. My thanks to Lou Genett for stepping in and running the meetings during my absence. I will try to summarize what occurred at the meetings this past November. First and foremost, we approved a new budget for 2013 which once again was without a dues increase for the second year in a row. Kimo and the lighting systems in the room. Several units have been installed as a test case and if we can see electricity savings, we will evaluate the use throughout the property. Overall your association remains in very strong condition. We thank each of you for your continued support of the property and your board. I hope by the next meeting the weather settles so I can get back to serving all of you as I truly enjoy. Mahalo and Happy Holidays and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Mark Barra CCIOA President staff have worked very hard keeping our costs in check and finding ways to increase “other” revenues to offset our normal increase in costs. The largest plus to our new income is additional revenue earned from rental income Rosarie, Kimo and our new Assistant General Manager John Young have been working very hard in improving our rental program and it shows. Several hundred thousand dollars is being earned now annually from rental income, all of which goes to keeping your dues down. We have several new exciting programs being put in place to further increase this revenue stream so let’s hope for continued improvement in this area. In keeping with our new practice, the CRVOA meeting is the last meeting that takes place during that week. Between Monday and Wednesday, the other on-site organizations hold their meetings. CRVOA Board members participate in joint committee meetings during that period as well. The entire CRVOA Board will also participate in a joint meeting of all Boards, scheduled to occur on Wednesday, January 23. Both of the above meetings will occur in the Hale Ho’onanea recreation room. If you happen to be visiting The Cliffs during this week, be sure to come over and say Aloha. I’d love to meet you. CRVOA TIMESHARE UNITS FOR SALE From the Presidents Desk Christopher Stawski BUDGET APPROVED The Board of Directors for the CRVOA met by telephone on November 12, 2012. The most important agenda item at that meeting related to our 2013 agenda. I am pleased to report that the proposed budget was approved as submitted. The agenda takes into consideration all of the matters that we expect to accomplish in 2013 and beyond. Most importantly, the budget that was approved does not contain any dues increase. Yes, you read that right. Many thanks to our controller, Bill Malish, and to our treasurer, Mark Barra, for putting the budget together. Their countless hours of work were instrumental in making this budget a reality. If you would like to obtain a copy of the CRVOA’s 2013 budget, you may do so by e-mailing Kimberlee Kain at kimberlee@cliffsatprinceville.com. She will be more than happy to forward you a copy of the budget by e-mail so that you can see exactly where your dues are being spent. MEET YOUR BOARD IN JANUARY Our winter meeting will take place on property in January. Although the schedule of meetings is subject to change, the CRVOA Board is currently scheduled to meet on Thursday, January 24, 2013. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and is scheduled to last until noon; however, those of you that have attended CRVOA meetings know that they normally do not last the allotted three hours. My expectation is that the meeting will be over by approximately 10:30 so as to allow you plenty of time to explore the island after our meeting has concluded. I know that I’ve been singing this same song for many years now but I’m going to sing it again. The CRVOA has quite a few timeshare units for sale. Most of the units are one bedroom units. You can buy an every year, an odd year or an even year unit. The price to acquire a unit is much more reasonable than you might expect. If you are interested in purchasing a time share from the CRVOA, please e-mail Rosarie Kelekoma at Rkelekoma@cliffsatprinceville.com and she can provide you with all of the details. There’s no better time than the present to pick up a CRVOA unit or two for yourself or as a holiday gift for friends or family. CRVOA RETAINS HIGH RATING As previously reported, the CRVOA has achieved the highest resort ratings from both RCI and II. The comment cards that we receive from these organizations every month confirm that our resort continues to be maintained at the highest level. Thanks to all of our wonderful Cliffs staff for helping us achieve this prestigious status. If you have not visited The Cliffs for awhile, you will be duly impressed by all of the changes that have taken place. In particular, our newly remodeled units are exceptional!! Make a reservation today and come see us soon. Best wishes for a great holiday season, Christopher Stawski Meet our New Assistant General Manager, John Young Aloha from your new Assistant General Manager. It has been one full month now as I type this update. One of my favorite quotes; “Life is a journey, enjoy the ride” has certainly been appropriate for my family these past couple of months! Packing up our home in North Carolina Shipping our belongings and 2 cars Travelling across country to see the grandparents with 2 little ones in tow Travelling across the pond with 2 little ones Getting the family used to our new surroundings Prepping for and attending October board meetings And most importantly completing my property assimilation plan I have now spent time with each department. I have cleaned rooms, inspected rooms with your Housekeeping Supervisors, reviewed unit work order repairs, discussed exterior building needs with QCl, began work on our first social media campaign with www.livingsocial.com and walked the property during the recent Tsunami warning. Many other items too long to list here have brought me to this point. The next step is to review my action plan for the balance of 2012 and 2013 with Kimo for implementation. I can’t wait to get started It is an exciting time and I’m looking forward to helping bring The Cliffs to the next level. FYI-Living Social promo is scheduled to release Dec 3 or 10, so sign up and keep an eye open! Aloha & a Hui Hou , John Young 2013 Maintenance Fees due January 1st Pay your fees online at www.cliffsatprinceville.com. Invoices have been sent. For those who’ve “opted-in” you were sent an email notification stating your bill is ready to view, log onto our website. Be sure to check your junk/spam mail. *Don’t forget to notify us of changes in your address, telephone, or email* “LAST CONTEST IN 2012” Like us on Facebook! 457 Likes AND GROWING (: By popular demand, see our new contest below ALL NEW ’LIKES” will be entered into the contest. Contest ends December 31st! - so hurry -tell your friends! READ what OUR OWNERS AND GUESTS are SAYING about their recent stay The improvements you made in the last few years are wonderful. Our friends liked it so much, they bought a unit I didn’t get Eric’s last name. He was so kind to us. He came to our room at 3 a.m. to direct us to the ER Room at Kapaa. He called hospital to make arrangements for us to receive treatment to relieve the pain and infection I was experiencing. H. Kuhn Owner N. Tendrils Owner We are very impressed with the continued improvements. Staff are wonderful, even yard workers are helpful and havea smile on their faces. Exceptional value for our continued timeshare investment. One of the top resorts on island It has been five years since our last visit, and we are most pleased with the resort upgrades, i.e., pool, reception, fitness, recreation room. The grounds are well maintained and attractive. We would like to commend the staff for making this an enjoyable vacation. Also, our thanks to the Board for excellent planning and allocation of limited funds. As owners since 1996, we have seen the ups and downs but this Board and staff have our support for a job well done. D. March Owner G. Miller Owner Very Impressed with the Cliffs. Will likely return. Thank you to all! P. Fannon Exchange Guest We have stayed at the Cliffs several times before—this was the best experience by far! The remodel is superb!! J. Hannon Cliffs Club Owner Best Ever Since we Bought in 1983— somebody is doing a great job! R. Knapp Cliffs Club Owner CLIFFS MANAGEMENT GROUP CALL FOR CANDIDATES The Board of Directors has openings for two Board members and two advisors at the election which will be conducted at the annual shareholders meeting to be held during the week of April 1519 , 2013. In order to be eligible, candidates must be shareholders of CMG. That is all those CCIOA members who have paid for their land, but hold the title to the land through CMG, rather than in their own names, are CMG shareholders and therefore qualified to run for office. CCIOA members who are unsure whether they qualify as CMG shareholders should contact Karen Angona at kangona@gmail.com or call 909-920-4625. All CCIOA owners who have not received CMG proxies in the past, and have not paid to convert their share to a deed should qualify. Directors and Advisors attend one to four meetings per year, depending on the needs of the board. Some of their meeting are held in Hawaii, while others may be held at a more convenient or central location for Board members. Necessary expenses for attending the meetings (for travel, car rental, meals, lodging, etc) are reimbursed in accordance with a policy similar to other Cliff’s boards. Interested shareholders should send in a brief (200-250 word) description of their backgrounds in narrative form, stating their intention to run for the CMG board to Karen Angona via email at kangona@gmail.com or to Karen Angona P.O. Box 1094, Upland, CA. 91785 or via fax 909-985-9701. Submissions should state in the subject line “Notice of Interest to Run for CMG Board”. All submissions must be received not later than February 25, 2013 in order for candidate names to appear on the ballot. CMG Board Officers CMG Officers Debra Board Wood President Debra Wood President Karen Angona Vice President Karen Angona Vice President Tom Selders Treasurer Tom Selders Treasurer Deborah Nicosia Secretary Deborah Nicosia Secretary Cmg-hawaii.com Cmg-hawaii.com It’s All About Hawaii KIMBERLEE’S PICK Filmed in Kauai, Hawaii & featuring actress Stephanie Perius, 'Have You Ever Been' features the incredible beauty of this westward Hawaiian Island. “HaveYou Ever Been'“is from Pennan Brae's debut release, 'Shaded Joy'. These images will make you want to come back real soon! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM2t4r65wVs Meet Our New Little Sweetheart Ms. Alana Yoder. With the Holidays Just Around the Corner—Here’s a great gift about Kauai The joys of living in Hawai‘i, specifically on the Garden Island, are brought to life in a new book entitled “Kaua‘i Stories: Life on the Garden Island told by Kaua‘i’s People.” The collection of more than 50 touching, humorous and inspiring stories is edited and published by Pamela Varma Brown — a freelance writer, the former editor of Kaua‘i People and a 24-year resident of Kaua‘i — and includes everything from island music and surfing to the lively and abundant rooster and hen population. “All of the stories are first-person and they’re all wonderful representations of life on our lovely island,” Brown said. “They’re all positive and upbeat. Some are even inspiring.” Approximately half of the stories are written from personal interviews by Brown, while the other half are written by local residents. Discover the joy and aloha spirit of Kaua‘i’s people through their stories of keeping the ancient dance of hula alive, growing up island-style, living in multi-cultural sugar plantation “camps,” and their mischievous childhood high jinks, writes Brown on her book’s website. Follow the lives of patriotic Japanese American soldiers born in Hawai‘i as they fight for the United States in World War II against the country of their parents’ birth. Journey with Kaua‘i people who have sailed thousands of miles to foreign lands in a canoe built like those of Polynesians who discovered Hawai‘i centuries ago, navigating only by the stars. “There is humor in almost every story,” Brown said. “It’s not a dry historical document by any means.” One particularly funny story, according to Brown, is that of a man recalling his innocent childhood on Kaua‘i, making toys of whatever was available, including flying discs made from car-flattened, sun-dried toads. “They made do with whatever they had,” Brown said. Mayor Carvalho writes that Brown’s book is a “must-read for anyone that knows and loves Kaua‘i, as it captures the true essence of the Garden Island through the stories of its people.” New Mommy, Presilla, our AP Accountant, is doing fine and enjoying her new role as mommy! “To tell a visitor what our island is like with real authentic flavor,” she said. “Kaua‘i is known for the beautiful scenery, but it’s really the warmth of Kaua‘i’s people that makes Kaua‘i the special place it is.” BOARD OFFICERS & COMMITTEES 2012/2013 AOAO Board of Directors CCIOA Board of Directors BOARD OFFICERS President James Ricker Vice President Lou Genett Secretary George Bruns Treasurer Mark Barra BOARD OFFICERS President Mark Barra Vice President Lou Genett Secretary Alice Berntson Treasurer Tom Selders CCIOA COMMITTEES AOAO COMMITTEES 2012/2013 Board Meetings at the Cliffs COMMUNICATIONS Lou Genett, Chair, Gus Daal, Mike Cook CONSTRUCTION/CAPITAL PROJECTS Gus Daal , Chair, Don Jacobs, Jim Ricker ENERGY, RESOURCE & CONSERVATION Gus Daal, Chair, Lou Genett, Tom Selders, Mike Cook FINANCE Tom Selders, Chair Jerry Hempenius, Lou Genett, Jim Ricker, Mike Cook, Don Jacobs LEGAL & BYLAWS Don Jacobs, Chair Jerry Hempenius, Alice Berntson, Jim Ricker LONG RANGE PLANNING Gus Daal, Chair Jerry Hempenius, Jim Ricker, ,Alice Berntson, Mike Cook NOMINATING Lou Genett Chair, Jerry Hempenius PERSONNEL Jerry Hempenius, Chair Don Jacobs, Alice Berntson, Gus Daal, Tom Selders, Mike Cook QUALITY CONTROL/MAINTENANCE Gus Daal, Chair Tom Selders, Don Jacobs, TECHNOLOGY Jerry Hempenius, Chair Gus Daal, Don Jacobs, Tom Selders, Alice Berntson CANDIDATE REVIEW JANUARY, 2013 Gus Daal, Chair, George Bruns, Barry Kinman Week of January 21-25, 2013 COMMUNICATIONS APRIL, 2013 Barry Kinman Week of April 15-19, 2013 CONSTRUCTION/ CAPITAL PROJECTS JULY, 2013 Don Jacobs, Chair Week of July 22-26, 2013 Gus Daal, George Bruns OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013 ENERGY, RESOURCE & CONSERVATION Week of October 28 thru November 1, 2013 George Bruns, Chair, Barry Kinman, Norman Litell FINANCE Mark Barra, Chair; George Bruns, Don Jacobs, Barry Kinman, Norman Litell LEGAL & BYLAWS Rolf Ramelmeier, Chair Don Jacobs, Norman Litell LONG RANGE PLANNING Lou Genett, Chair George Bruns, Rolf Ramelmeier QUALITY CONTROL/EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE Gus Daal, Chair George Bruns, Lou Genett, Barry Kinman CRVOA Board of Directors BOARD OFFICERS President Chris Stawski Vice President Paul Cannings Secretary James Moyes Treasurer Mark Barra CRVOA COMMITTEES LONG RANGE PLANNING Chris Stawski NOMINATING Mark Barra, James Quisenberry COMMUNICATIONS James Moyes, , Chair James Quisenberry QUALITY CONTROL Paul Cannings CMG Board Officers Debra Wood President Karen Angona Vice President Tom Selders Treasurer Deborah Nicosia Secretary Cmg-hawaii.com Aloha, you’re invited to come and meet our managers at our Cliff’s Welcome Reception every Monday at our newly renovated Hale Ho’Onanea Rec. Room at 5 p.m. Come and enjoy our delicious pupus, door prizes and meet fellow owners and guests . THE CLIFFS 3811 Edward Road Princeville, Kauai, HI 96722 www.cliffsatprinceville.com Check us out on Facebook “The Cliffs at Princeville” Editor Kimberlee Kain
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