March 8, 2025

On Tuesday, March 4, owners gathered in the CC meeting room to enjoy doughnuts and orange juice while attending the annual meeting with the Board, General Manager David Martella, and Hilton management.  The Board would like to thank Michael Schillali and David Rossetti that ran for the Board and recognize their accomplishments and their wish to serve the CC. We are fortunate to have such an array of owners with a wealth of knowledge and whether an elected board member or not it’s wonderful to be able to draw from the talent of owners that are happy to help as needed  on special projects, etc. 

Once again, owners re-elected the existing directors, ensuring continuity in leadership. The Board will continue to serve with Marty Terry as President, Lyman Wood as Vice President, Carlos Wehby as Treasurer, Bob Stammer as Secretary, and Gary Jelim overseeing Special Projects. We are fortunate to have a well-rounded Board that remains committed to keeping CC safe and financially stable while addressing key challenges such as rising insurance costs, reserve planning, and the long-term impact of climate change, including stronger hurricanes, erosion, and aging infrastructure. 

Thanks to the Board’s foresight, CC underwent structural inspections and necessary repairs several years ago—without requiring a special assessment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board acted decisively, securing beach access and allowing the use of umbrellas and sailing, even while the neighboring Marriott remained closed due to its different property structure.

In the face of soaring costs and supply chain disruptions, the Board made the strategic decision to delay room updates until prices stabilized. Instead of replacing all furniture, they opted for thoughtful upgrades, ensuring improvements while maintaining financial prudence. These were not easy decisions, and there were differing opinions, but the Board worked together, debating and compromising to reach solutions that prioritized the best interests of all owners. 

Recognizing the rising insurance deductible—potentially increasing from $25,000 to over $3 million—the Board continues to take proactive steps to secure CC’s financial future. They carefully manage reserves while balancing the diverse ownership, where units range from as little as $500 to as much as $50,000 in peak season, yet all owners share the same maintenance fees. Their goal is to keep fees manageable while preparing for the future to reduce any necessary assessments should they be needed.

Our Board early on saw the importance of a website for owners.  Now owners can list their units for rent and once the unit is in the system they can post on other sites but most importantly letting potential renters know they can verify all the information on the CC website before a potential guest sends money.  They added the ability if someone wants a specific week they can sign up and if a unit becomes available an email will be automatically sent. They knew the importance of keeping owners aware of an incoming hurricane.   The beach camera was added as well as all forms, including comment forms for owners to send in.  The Marco Review and Newspaper were added with links for beach conditions, weather, and City of Marco.  The CC guidelines that used to reside in a book on the tables was removed during Covid and now all rules, regulations, guidelines etc are at your fingertips. Owners may now view in the owners section “HOA Documents”  all Hilton notifications that will be sent to owners  The latest Hilton Structural notification with structural reports on North snd South buildings are located here (and Hilton website) Your Board continues to grow the website and a volunteer keeps it updated at no cost.   

Board meetings are scheduled when most directors are present, often at their own expense, to minimize costs. Their dedication reflects the principle that “a penny saved is a penny earned.  We are in good hands going forward with a dedicated Board, an outstanding General Manager that brought home the coveted Best Resort award,  a dedicated team that keeps us sailing, our rooms and pool area clean, a smile when we check in and out, and maintenance where our long timer Percy is working side by side with our new Maintenance Manager, Ryan and they are always there for<our needs!  When we need a unit we have Jeannie too!  Even our postman, Peter who says he is the best ever has been delivering our mail for over 20 years and we see him dining with us most days! And let’s not forget Paul and his team always having our chairs and umbrellas ready along with his Slushies for sale!  Truly our Home away from Home!   And if you are at the beach you may just look up and see our beloved Scott (retired asst Mgr)  and Joe (newly retired) walking the beach.  Be sure and give them a shout out! Lastly when you see our great security team say Hi to Corey (our regular) as they watch out for us.