Fifteen minutes before our annual budget meeting on 11/19/25, we were notified that the meeting was cancelled “due to an emergency.”
Now we’re being told that an “error” was identified during the budget review process.
So which was it — an emergency, or a $290,000 mistake? And if it was an error, why was it discovered at the last minute? Is anyone carefully reviewing the budget before it’s sent out?
Key Budget Questions
Salaries Stay Flat
Does this mean no raises for staff?
- This will likely worsen our already serious turnover problem.
- Florida’s minimum wage is $15 and rises to $16 in September.
- Are we competitive with nearby Brickell condos?
Legal Fees Up 66.7% ($60,000 → $100,000)
Because we dropped the case against the BK1 owner, he is now countersuing for legal fees. Declaring to the board: we “won” is very different from actually winning.
Insurance Down 28.43% ($2.1M → $1.4M)
This seems positive — driven largely by:
- Impact glass in common areas reducing premiums by about $400,000
- More insurers entering the Florida market
The Second Budget Mailing
The new cover letter says there was an error in the HOA portion that caused underfunding — yet no changes were made to the HOA budget itself.
Contingency Repairs + Equipment Combined
From November version to December version, one of the biggest shifts appears here:
Together, this category jumps 91% year-over-year — about a $220,000 increase.
By merging categories, spending may become harder to track and question.
Other increases from Version 1 to Version 2 include:
- R&M Building: +6.67%
- False Alarm Fees: +25%
- R&M Health Club: +250%
- Paint: +30%
Why increase Health Club repairs while also planning a new gym costing $400,000+?
Final Thought
Please plan to attend the budget meeting on Monday, December 29th at 6 PM.
Let’s hold the board accountable for clear communication, accuracy, and the commitments they made when they ran for election.