As promised, this is the second half of the report on the meeting.
Half Million Dollars Past Due
When an owner asked about the half million dollars in past-due balances, Board President Olena Biletska responded:
“The thing is, it’s not really such a problem because we saved a lot of money from last year.”
The audience did not react well to that answer—and for good reason. The statement is misleading. Not to mention a very poor justification.
The board overbudgeted for 2025 by not accounting for significantly lower insurance rates, which resulted in savings of over $500,000. In fact, the year ended with an additional $796,058 remaining. That surplus is now being directed toward the new gym “slush fund.” Notably, just two years ago, excess funds were returned to owners.
Ms. Biletska went on to explain that waiving late fees leads to an increase in past-due balances. While that may be true, it is hardly surprising—when there are no penalties, some owners will delay payment.
A more balanced approach would be to reward those who pay on time, rather than effectively incentivizing late payments. This way the owners benefit from doing simply what they are supposed to do, versus rewarding those that are not meeting their obligations.
Looking at comparable data:
- At the end of February 2025, total past-due balances were $334,524 lower than the same period this year.
- This is despite identical budgets in both years.
This suggests that the board president’s analysis does not fully explain the increase.
This marks the third consecutive year the board has waived late fees for the first quarter—largely due to delays in finalizing the budget on time. If the board intends to continue offering this benefit, it should be clearly communicated to all owners. Better yet get the budget completed earlier in the year.
Additionally, if the official grace period is 30 days, why are fees effectively waived for 90 days?
Another explanation given was that the office is short-staffed. A straightforward solution would be to improve employee retention rather than continuing frequent management turnover.
Late Fee Comparison
| Date | Amount | Comment |
| December 31, 2023 | $10,781 | This board was seated in December 2023 |
| February 29, 2025 | $160,645 | Compare to February 2026 |
| December 31, 2025 | $210,107 | Two years under this board: +$200K increase |
| February 28, 2026 | $495,169 | $335,324 more than one year prior |
Second Floor Elevator Lobby
Ms. Biletska stated that the second-floor lobby is expected to be completed within a month. Delays were attributed to unexpected issues, including:
- A broken water line
- Damaged HVAC riser lines
The board has since approved vendors for electrical work (lighting) and separate plumbers to address water-related issues.
Staff Concerns and Turnover
An owner raised concerns about staff dissatisfaction and high turnover.
- Ms. Biletska stated the board will consult FSR to benchmark competitive pay for similar buildings. However, this is typically done during the budgeting process—not four months into the fiscal year. (As was standard practice in prior budgets.)
- One owner stated that employees are working in fear of losing their jobs.
- Regarding the receiving area issues last November and December, Ms. Biletska said she could not control employees quitting. However, Vice President Julius Barbat stated that Nicole from receiving was fired. Nicole herself confirmed she was terminated, as were Richelman (office staff), former manager Karina, and others.
Employee Holiday Bonus Concerns
- Ms. Biletska stated that holiday bonuses were paid, but employees report otherwise.
- Approximately $3,000 was raised from owners for the fund, and it was reportedly not distributed.
- In 2022, approximately $22,000 was raised and distributed from owners.
- Budget records show $24,078 of a $60,000 bonus allocation was spent—but it is unclear on what. In prior years, over $50,000 was distributed.
- If paid to employees that is less than $800 per person before taxes are taken out!
Multiple owners expressed frustration that Ms. Biletska does not listen to their concerns.
Financial Reporting Issues
Ms. Biletska acknowledged that the 2024 audited financials were not completed within the required timeframe, after initially attributing the delay to office staff, she said it was on her.
This mirrors the prior year’s issue, which resulted in an investigation by the Florida DBPR—in both years suggesting a pattern of repeated mistakes not learning from your mistakes.
Misaligned Priorities
It is becoming increasingly clear that the board’s priorities do not align with those of the owners:
- Two broken elevators remain unrepaired while the board pursues legal disputes with the vendor, in this case it should be FIX IT, ASK QUESTIONS LATER.
- Ongoing staff turnover and workplace concerns
- Delays in architectural modification approvals (see $150K lawsuit)
- Delays in renter and purchaser approvals (see $150K lawsuit)
- Past-due balances approaching half a million dollars
- A collapsed section of the south exterior wall remains unrepaired after six months
Closing Thought
The board must reassess its priorities and take decisive action on the issues that most directly impact residents and owners.
