Notes - Communications Committee meeting, November 1, 2007
Attendees: Bill Arnst, Len Godek, Marv Koontz, Margie Kramer, Denzil Willis, Jack Mounts, chair; Dan Owens and Bill Nosal, Board; Susan Manch, Sylva Southwell, Armstrong Mgt.; Ann Jones, Activities Director; Paul Niemi, Joan Bitely, Villa Board.
1. Printout of FR residents for Election Committee:
o A printout of residents, by street, was provided upon request to the FR Election Committee to be used in the FR election process. However, the listing did not include the Villa homes. Armstrong said that the Villa homes are in their db, but were inadvertently excluded from this printout and that the problem will be resolved. Jim Armstrong has said, in response to a Com Com request for clarification of whether or not Villa data is being placed into the Armstrong FR resident db, that he "will be working with Jeff Turner, Villas Mgt, to establish a system whereby his company will forward (to Armstrong) any settlement information they receive." (Note: Armstrong later delivered to the Election Committee a printout that included the Villa homes and also labels for mailing FR election packages.)
2. Completion of FRIS database:
o Sylva is in the process of tabulating responses by FR offsite owners as to how many have returned the Tenant verification forms as a result of the two letters sent out previously. She also is completing the FR census by contacting residents whose names do not appear in FRIS db as having responded to the Census.
3. Maintenance of the Armstrong FR resident db and operation of the new FR Connect system. Sylva is the Armstrong FR Site Manager for the Connect and is responsible for all operational aspects, including data input and scanning of forms, and has access to all areas of the program.
o In preparation for release of a newly designed Connect for FR residents, Sylva has been inputting FR data into the system, including contractual and budget/financial data and basic Association documents.
o A temp to help Sylva clear up the backlog of scanning has been approved by the Board and has been identified and is in the process of being hired by Armstrong. Sylva will be able to provide the BOD with reports of activity relating to Modification requests (e.g., the number of residents asking for decks).
o Armstrong is putting together a system whereby their Settlement Department and Sylva will be able to track the completion of forms by new FR residents and to ensure that data is collected also from Villa residents. Sylva and Ann/concierges are working together to integrate locally the process of obtaining required forms from new residents for input into the Armstrong Connect system. In addition to the forms returned by new residents, the Concierges are asking all residents who request a pass to the Center to complete a Resident Information Update form, which provides telephone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact information. Sylva is waiting for Armstrong to integrate requested changes to their db before beginning to input the data from forms
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4. Implementation of the new Armstrong FR Connect System:
o Attendees reviewed and commented on the two tables/listings provided by Jack: (1) the content and access levels of the FR Connect System, and (2) the listing of discrepancies between the FRIS and the Connect db's.
o It was the consensus of the Communications Committee that the FR Website should continue to be the main source of information from the Association and Board, with the new Armstrong FR Connect providing mostly information and data not now available. The FR Website has been widely accepted and used by the community, and the burden placed upon Sylva to duplicate or replace the FR Website would add to her already large workload. Also, duplication of the FR Website would create confusion among FR residents.
o Attendees noted that some had been given passwords and instructions on how to get on the new Connect system, but were not able to do so, because of technical difficulties. Sylva and Susan said they would report the problem to Armstrong IT.
o As a result of the discussion, emails are being prepared for: (1) the BOD, with Com Com recommendations for implementing the new Armstrong FR Connect System, and (2) Sandra Proffitt-Marsteller, with requests for changes to the Armstrong db to be made before the demonstration and implementation of the Connect system.
o Implementation of the Connect FR resident alert system, based on the paper prepared by Jack, was tabled to the next Com Com meeting because of the need for an in-depth discussion of this topic.
Jack Mounts, Chair
Communications Committee