Views From The Cliffs - The Cliffs at Princeville

Views From The Cliffs
The purpose of the report is to illuminate aspects of the situation and condition of The Cliffs, which should be interesting to those who receive it. Questions and suggestions
should be sent or called to AOAO President, Don Jacobs, (9046 E. Colorado Circle, Denver, CO 80231; (303-750-3214) [email protected]; CCIOA President Gus Daal,
4444 Delaney Drive, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7L 5J2 (905-637-8083) [email protected]; CRVOA President, Chris Stawski, 1139 E. Knapp Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202,
(414-276 8202) [email protected]. Comments on the Newsletter should be sent to the Editor, Lou Genett, 1849 Oakmont Drive, Denver, NC 28037 (704-489-8984)
[email protected].
THE CLIFFS NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2007
eliminate the present key system (for which they will
reimburse us.) All whole unit owners will be given the
opportunity to convert their present locks to the new
electronic locks.
CLIFFS AOAO
Donald M. Jacobs, President
A
loha Owners and Guests – We recently
completed our January Board Meeting and I
want to share some of the major items we
discussed. If you are on property we always
invite you to attend our meetings so you can
hear first-hand about the issues and can provide
immediate feedback to us. Please remember that our next
Meeting will also be our Annual Meeting. It will be on April
19 at 9 am. Prior to that we will have our Board Meeting
on April 18, that immediately follows the joint meeting of all
three boards which begins at 9 am. Please try and attend
some or all of those meetings. We appreciate your input.
We continue our focus to upgrade our property. After we
complete reconstruction of our Administration Building, we
will be renovating the pool and the Recreation Building.
The Long-Range Planning Committee had an expert in
pool design and construction provide a presentation at our
Board Meeting on January 19. The drawings and layouts
were exciting and stimulating. In addition to having a
Hawaii-type pool, we are also considering having it solar
heated (the pool is quite cold during this time of the year)
and a children’s wading pool. We are still in the planning
stage and want to be sure we are as close to what we
budgeted as we can.
The Long-Range Planning Committee also discussed other
projects. First, although we want to continue to implement
as much alternative energy as possible, we are going to
wait to use solar energy for Buildings 1 and 2 until after the
Administration Building is complete and we also
understand how we can take maximum advantage of the
tax incentives.
Second we are going to enlarge the walkways though and
have allocated to have our architect to develop a walkway
plan for the entire Cliffs. Third, we agreed to convert all of
the Cliffs Club timeshare units to electronic locks and
Fourth, we are investigating installing wireless internet
high-speed service for the entire property. It is not as
simple as it might seem because our buildings are all
concrete and signals are blocked from traveling very far.
Finally, the committee is just beginning to evaluate the
putting green area. It is not used very much and is not in
very good condition. Initial ideas are for Bocce Ball and/or
Croquet. If you have ideas or thoughts be sure you e-mail
your
ideas
to
Fred
Constantino
at
[email protected].
Relative to our current financial operation our Treasurer,
Mark Barra reported 2006 will be a break even year, which
is outstanding considering that we had a big insurance
increase midyear. We also earned approximately $75,000
in interest income. We only have $450 in bad debt, and we
are fortunate to have a group of owners who are paying.
At our joint meeting it was suggested we should make our
entire property smoke-free (with designated smoking
areas). We are receiving more and more complaints that
when people smoke on their lanais, that smoke is affecting
others on neighboring lanais and is even been “sucked”
into their units. Our Legal Committee is working with our
Legal Counsel to draft a new House Rule to address this
concern.
Remember at our Annual Meeting in April we will be
electing 3 board members. Fortunately, we have received
a number of applications and our Candidate Review
Committee is evaluating each application to make a
recommendation to us. You will be notified shortly of the
candidates and the committee’s recommendations.
We appreciate hearing from you. It helps us know we are
doing what you want and your comments are most
appreciated. We hope to see you at our next meeting.
Mahalo Nui.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
CLIFFS CLUB INTERVAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Notice of the Twenty-Second Annual Meeting of the Cliffs Club Interval Owners Association
(“CCIOA”) is given pursuant of the Exhibit A, Section 2.5 of the Bylaws of the Cliffs Club
Interval Owners Association. The date, time and place of the annual meeting appear below:
DATE: Friday, April 20, 2007
TIME: 9:00 a.m. HST (CHECK IN TO BEGIN AT 8:30 a.m.)
PLACE: The Cliffs Recreational Pavilion
3811 Edward Road, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii 96722
Resort: (808) 826-6219 Fax: (808) 826-1272
FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE:
1) To receive report of officers and report of committees; 2) election of directors,
cumulative voting shall take place; 3) to transact such business as noted on the Agenda
and any other business as may properly come before the Association.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE:
Only owners of record appearing on the association’s current membership list are entitled to
vote at the meeting. If you are not sure whether you are in the association’s current
membership lists, please contact Fred Constantino, administrative manager at (808) 8266218.
All owners are encouraged to attend the meeting. A quorum of owners is necessary, either
in person or represented by proxy, to conduct the business of the meeting. If you cannot
physically be present at the meeting, you may designate any person to vote on your behalf
by completing and returning your proxy to The Cliffs, no later than 4:30 p.m. HST on April
17, 2007. Should you change your mind and attend the meeting, your presence at the
meeting permits you to void the proxy and vote in person.
If you are giving your proxy to the Board of Directors, check the box if you wish the proxy
vote is shared with each board member receiving an equal percentage. If the box is not
checked your proxy vote shall be counted with the preference or choice of the
majority of the board. Please read the proxy documents carefully, it is important to e
having your proxy count.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
CLIFFS MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC.
Notice of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Cliffs Management Group, Inc. is given pursuant
to Article II, Section 2.4, of the Bylaws of the Cliffs Management Group, Inc. The date, time
and place of the annual meeting appear below:
DATE:
TIME:
PLACE:
Friday, April 20, 2007
2:00 p.m. HST (CHECK IN TO BEGIN AT 1:45 p.m.)
The Cliffs Recreational Pavilion
3811 Edward Road, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii 96722
Resort: (808) 826-6219 Fax: (808) 826-1272
FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
1) To receive report of officers and report of committees; 2) election of two directors; 3) and
any other business as may properly come before the Association.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE:
Only owners of record appearing on the association’s current membership list are entitled to
vote at the meeting. If you are not sure whether you are in the association’s current
membership lists, please call Fred Constantino, administrative manager.
All owners are encouraged to attend the meeting. A quorum of owners is necessary, either
in person or represented by proxy, to conduct the business of the meeting.
If you cannot physically be present at the meeting, you may designate another CMG, Inc.
member to vote on your behalf by completing and returning your proxy to The Cliffs, no later
than 4:30 p.m. HST on Tuesday, April 17, 2007.
Should you attend the meeting, your presence at the meeting permits you to void the proxy
and vote in person.
Please read the proxy documents carefully, it is important to having your proxy count.
Page 2
CLIFFS RESORT
CALL FOR
CANDIDATES
The Cliffs Resort Vacation
Owners Association (“CRVOA”)
Annual Meeting will tale place on
July 17, 2007. The terms of
James Moyes, MD and Charles
“Chuck” Gehrke will expire at
that time.
The Committee on Nominating
invites paid-up members with
strong financial (accounting),
legal
and/or
management
backgrounds, who are interested
in serving on the Board, to
submit a brief biography stating
qualifications and a letter of
candidacy by April 30, 2006.
Two (2) directors will be elected
to serve a term of three years
each. Candidates are expected
to attend two meetings a year
and participate in two or more
teleconferences as needed.
Board related expenses are
reimbursed in accordance with
the approved expense policy.
Resume and letter of candidacy
should be sent to the CRVOA
Committee on Nominating, 3811
Edward Road, Princeville, Kauai,
Hawaii 96722. Documents may
also be faxed to (808) 826-1272
or emailed to Fred Constantino,
administrative
manager,
at
[email protected]
.
WHAT IS “CMG” AND WHY DO I KEEP
GETTING THESE PROXIES?
Planning a successful and
memorable vacation starts with
a phone call or email to one of
your Cliffs Activities specialists.
As your personal concierge, we
can advise you on the various
activities available such as some
of the newer adventures such as
Kayak
Adventures,
Tubing
Tours, Soaring Zip Lines, and
ATV Rides. Summer and Holiday
seasons are very busy on Kauai.
We recommend making early
reservations for your activities with
us.
Cliffs Activities
808.826.2005
Email:
[email protected]
NEW – BOOK YOUR ACTIVITIES
ON LINE AT
www.cliffsatprinceville.com
This article is the first in a planned series of articles about CMG Corporation, which owns much of
the land under Cliffs Club timeshares. Because it is so poorly understood, we are taking this
opportunity to explain its history and function.
W
hen the Cliffs Club was first developed, the timeshares held only a
lease on the land. In 1993, the Developer offered to sell the land
as whole, but not piecemeal to individual owners. Although most
of us will agree that owning the land, rather than leasing it, was -and is – very desirable, such a major decision would have required board
action and an affirmative vote by the majority of shareholders, which is a very
time-consuming process. The terms of the offer were such that it would have
been unlikely that approval could have been obtained in time to complete the
purchase.
Rather than lose the opportunity to purchase the land, the Board empowered
three enterprising owners, Chuck Gehrke, “Mac” McCormick, and Greg Barris
to form a corporation to purchase the land. They called it the “CMG
Corporation” for Chuck, Mac and Greg. (This was later changed to the “Cliffs
Management Group.” The CMG Corp. arranged financing and bought the land
(subject, of course, to the leases) from the Developer. It then went about
allowing owners to buy their leaseholds, rather than continuing to pay the
annual land rent.
However, rather than selling the land outright to owners, in many cases, CMG
issued owners a share of CMG Corporation, which continued to hold title to the
land. Please read that sentence again. This is the crux of the matter.
Many owners are unaware of the mechanism of ownership, believing that
since they no longer pay an annual fee for the lease, they hold title in “fee
simple.” Owners are, in fact, entitled to surrender their share of CMG stock
(whether or not they can locate a certificate), and take title in fee simple.
Generally, though, this is done upon transfer (sale) of the timeshare, as new
owners prefer to take title in fee simple. It’s simpler and better understood.
In order to convert the leasehold interest (with a share of CMG stock) to a fee
simple interest, a deed must be filed and signed by the CMG Secretary. This is
based on the legal principle that an owner cannot convey (sell) better title than
he owns. The CMG Secretary signs many deeds, converting the leasehold to
fee simple, upon request, and at no charge and at no additional filing cost
when the timeshare is transferred. A CMG shareholder who wanted to convert
to fee simple interest would also be entitled to do this, but would incur the
costs of preparing and filing the deed. (CMG does not charge anything to sign
the deeds, but does not currently prepare or file them.)
Until and unless the land interest is deeded to the owner, Cliffs Club owners
who have paid up their leases remain CMG shareholders. If you receive
materials regarding voting for CMG board members, our records indicate that
you are a CMG shareholder, rather than a fee simple owner.
Leaseholders, who pay annual rent for the land, are not CMG shareholders or
members. If you wish to convert your lease to a share of CMG stock, or to a
fee simple ownership, you may contact [email protected].
Page 3
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF APARTMENT OWNERS
OF THE CLIFFS AT PRINCEVILLE
Notice of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Association of Apartment Owners of the
Cliffs at Princeville (“AOAO”) is given pursuant to Article 1, Section 3, of the By-Laws of the
Association of Apartment Owners of the Cliffs at Princeville. The date, time and place of the
annual meeting appear below:
DATE:
TIME:
PLACE:
Thursday, April 19, 2007
9:00 a.m. HST (CHECK IN TO BEGIN AT 8:30 a.m.)
The Cliffs Recreational Pavilion
3811 Edward Road, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii 96722
Resort: (808) 826-6219 Fax: (808) 826-1272
FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
1) To receive report of officers and report of committees; 2) election of directors, cumulative
voting shall take place; 3) To transact such business as noted on the attached Agenda
and any other business as may properly come before the Association.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE:
Only owners of record appearing on the association’s current membership list are entitled to
vote at the meeting. If you are not sure whether you are in the association’s current
membership lists, please call Fred Constantino, administrative manager.
All owners are encouraged to attend the meeting. A quorum of owners is necessary, either
in person or represented by proxy, to conduct the business of the meeting.
If you cannot physically be present at the meeting, you can designate any person to vote on
your behalf (excluding Cliffs staff) by completing and returning your proxy to The Cliffs, no
later than 4:30 p.m. HST on April 17, 2007.
Should you change your mind and attend the meeting, your presence at the meeting permits
you to void the proxy and vote in person.
If you are giving your proxy to the Board of Directors, check the box if you wish the proxy
vote be shared with each board member receiving an equal percentage. If the box is not
checked your proxy vote shall be counted with the preference or choice of the
majority of the board.
Please read the Proxy documents carefully, it is important to having your proxy count.
Congratulations to Chad Rapozo
Cliffs Employee of the Year
Pictured (l-r) August Sajonia, Employee of the 1st Quarter; Kekoa Hooikaika,
Employee of the 4th Quarter; Kimo M. Keawe, General Manager; Chad
Rapozo, Employee of the 2nd Quarter and Cliffs Employee of the Year 2006;
Ann Hermosura, Director of Physical Operations; Julie Cabutaje, Employee of
the 4th Quarter.
Page 4
NEWS FROM
PRINCEVILLE AT
HANALEI COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION
- Winter 2006 PHCA Newsletter -
T
he old Princeville nursery
Mauka of the Church of the
Pacific is being cleared and
restored.
Clearing work is in progress on the
Hanalei Plantation property to allow
for topographic mapping and soils
investigation work required for
planning the site.
The Princeville Health Club will
eventually be relocated to a
renovated Makai Clubhouse and
various
layouts
are
being
considered.
Princeville Airport is being cleaned
up and renovated.
Overall the
effort
to
correct
deferred
maintenance and add shine to the
resort will be continuing.
The Princeville Hotel will be
undergoing
an
extensive
renovation in 2007. The renovation
consists of removing the European
theme throughout the hotel and
replacing it with a theme that is
more Hawaiian in nature; relocating
the spa to an on-site location, and
changing the theme and menu of
the restaurants.
The hotel will
remain open during the renovation.
Once work is complete Starwood
will assign the St. Regis brand to
the hotel.
Many of you may not be aware that
the PHCA does not own and is not
responsible for maintenance of the
Princeville entry area including the
fountain, water features, Gate
House and Ka Haku Road from
Kuhio Highway to the intersection
of
Wyllie
and
Kekaulike.
Discussions with representatives of
Princeville Phase II Community
Association and the Princeville
Operating Company have taken
place.
The actual entrance to
PHCA’s part of Princeville is via Lei
O’ Papa Road at Hanalei Plantation
Road.
The Cliffs Milestone Service Award
Aloha Cliffs Resort Timeshare
Owners if you have not done so,
please submit your reservations
request in writing, by fax, or by
email. Please note that weeks do not
carry over to the next year.
Cliffs Reservations
(800) 367-8024
(Mon. to Fri., 8:00 am to 4 pm, HST)
www.cliffsatprinceville.com
Upcoming 2007
Board Meetings
Apr 18 Joint Board
AOAO Regular
Apr 19 AOAO Annual
CCIOA Regular
Apr 20 CCIOA Annual
CMG Regular
CMG Annual
July 17 CRVOA Regular
CRVOA Annual
Meetings will be held at The Cliffs.
NEW MAILING ADDRESS
FOR CLIFFS AOAO, CLIFFS
CLUB, AND CLIFFS RESORT
OWNERS.
Please send reservation
requests, letters, packages and
payments to:
THE CLIFFS
3811 Edward Road
Princeville, Kauai, HI
96722
Pictured (l-r) Benson Peralta, Ann Hermosura, Julie Cabutaje, William Ovalles,
Valli Celaya Smitly and Kimo M. Keawe.
At the Cliffs Employee Appreciation Party that took place in January, eight
individuals were recognized for their length of employment and service at The
Cliffs. We are thankful for the customer service that our employees provide.
TWENTY YEARS OF SERVICE: Julie Cabutaje, Housekeeping; William Ovalles,
Maintenance. TEN YEARS OF SERVICE: Valli Celaya-Smitly, Reservations;
Jesusa Cubangbang, Housekeeping; Benson Peralta, Maintenance; Venancio
Raza, Laundry. FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE: Kimo M. Keawe, General Manager;
Julie Monroe, Controller.
Reserve Your Week
Attention Cliffs Club owners, if you are an owner who does not own a
permanent (fixed) reservation, you are reminded to submit your
reservations request in writing. Requests may be submitted in writing, fax,
email, or by filling out the Reservations Request Form on The Cliffs
Website. Please provide at least 2 alternative dates and state the order of
preference. CCIOA owners may submit their request to reservations 1) no
more than 12 months before the start of the season which the requested
Use Period is in, or not less than 45 days before the check-in date for that
Use Period; and 2) after maintenance fees have been paid.
Owners must reserve during their purchased season and unit type.
Deadline - December 15 (of the prior use year)
For Season - Pikake (weeks 2 to 16)
Deadline - March 15
For Season - Plumeria (weeks 17 to 34)
Deadline - July 15
For Season - Ginger/Protea (weeks 35 to 50)
A Use Period for one calendar year, if not used, does not accrue or carry
over to the next year.
Cliffs Reservations (800) 367-8024
www.cliffsatprinceville.com
(Mon. to Fri., 8:00 am to 4 pm, HST)
Page 5
These contributions and efforts will start to become visible
in the next 6 months or so when our reconstruction of the
administration building will switch into full gear.
CLIFFS CLUB Report
Gus Daal, President
This Board of directors and officers will be completing their
elected term at the upcoming AGM. As a result I wish to
extend my thanks to the Board and its two appointed
Advisors. To you, the CCIOA members, my thanks for
having trust in us and allowing us to manage your Kauai
Paradise.
H
ello Owners! Our January Board meeting turned
out to be an active and very productive meeting
for Board and staff. This was related to all the
activities that will be taking place this year based
on our long term plans approved last year.
g{x VÄ|yyá Rent Plus
The long standing bylaw projects were recently completed
and were presented to the CCIOA Board for approval. It
addresses a number of updates and deletions which have
become due to the current self management originations
The Cliffs is today.
As scheduled this year we will commence the start of our
periodic interior refurbishing that normally would take place
every 7 to 9 years. Our start will be Buildings 1 and 2; this
refurbishing will be taking place over the next few years
until all units are completed. This process has many
challenges that are associated with selecting furniture, floor
covering and products that will withstand wear and tear
due to high occupancy over a period of 7 to 9 years.
Cost of upgrades and furniture are affected by inflation and
other factors that we have very little control over. This past
year some of you have expressed your concern with the
interior appearance of such items as the interior carpet,
rusty appliances and overall quality. During the past
meeting we did approved a list of interim improvements to
correct certain units not meeting our resort standard.
Extend your stay at The Cliffs at affordable weekly
rates. Our spacious and well appointed one
bedroom and one bedroom with loft units
start as low as $800 per week.
CALL TO RESERVE
(800) 367-8024
EMAIL [email protected]
It is expected that we will be encountering a very active
year and we are asking for your understanding during on
site construction conditions and possible unavailability of
the particular week of your choice.
Our annual board meeting is scheduled for April and this
year there will be 3 vacancies on the Board. Our CCIOA
nominating committee will be presenting us with a slate for
your consideration and votes.
This year Mr. Jim Hunt and Mr. Mark Barra are forced by
our bylaws to step down after 10 years of service. On
behalf of all of us I wish to extend my sincere thanks for all
their professional contribution.
As your President I am able to assess and witness every
ones contribution. I can assure you that each of our Board
Members is dedicated to their assignment. There is wealth
of knowledge and experience that each member brings to
the table.
What is the Cliffs at Princeville?
It is a mixed-use resort condominium developed in the
early 80s. Our 202 units situated on 22 acres are built
on a secluded bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 130
of these units are organized into two timeshare
programs with almost 7,000 individual owners. The
remaining 72 units are individually owned, the majority
of which are used as vacation rentals.
Page 6
Cliffs Resort
REPORT
Christopher Stawski
President
I want to make it clear that this utility charge will not be
imposed upon Cliffs Resort owners who use their week to
visit The Cliffs, as many of you do. It will only be charged
to guests who own at different properties and trade into
The Cliffs Resort. The Cliffs Club has adopted this policy
as well and it will immediately apply to all new reservations.
NEW DOOR LOCKS Planned
INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL Contract
Update
Many of you have expressed an interest in having the
ability to trade your week at the Cliffs Resort utilizing the
services of the exchange company, Interval International
(II). In the past, our contract with RCI prevented us from
allowing our owners to trade through II. This year we
renegotiated our contract with RCI and expect that you will
soon be able to trade with II. The final details of the
agreement are now being worked out. I anticipate that I
will have a further update for you in the next newsletter.
REMODELING Continues
As you may recall, 16 of the units
owned by The Cliffs Resort were
completely remodeled last year. New
furniture, appliances, electronics and
carpeting was installed in each unit,
among other things. This initiative will
continue in 2007.
Buildings 1 and 2 are going to be taken
out of service later this year, starting in
August. Building 1 will be out of service
initially while Building 2 will be taken out
of service this fall. The Cliffs Resort
owns a total of 8 units in those two
buildings.
Our Cliffs Resort units will be completely remodeled as part
of the renovation of Buildings 1 and 2. This means that, by
the end of 2007, every Cliffs Resort unit will have been
completely refurbished within the past two years. We were
able to accomplish this by budgeting in a way that allowed
us to reserve sufficient funds to pay for these renovations
without having to levy a special assessment or significantly
increase maintenance fees. I have had the pleasure of
staying in one of the newly refurbished units recently and
was very impressed by what I saw. I’m confident that you
will be too.
UTILITY FEE to be imposed on Exchange
Guests
In 2007, The Cliffs Resort plans to convert all of its existing
outside door locks from the traditional door knob style locks
that we now have to the type of electronic lock system
seen at most major hotels. We believe that this is a good
idea for a number of reasons.
First, the electronic door locking system that we will be
installing at The Cliffs Resort will allow us to monitor who
goes into a unit. This will provide better security for our
guests and their belongings.
It also will not cost you anything if you lose an electronic
door lock key. At present, those of you that lose a key are
charged a $75.00 lost key fee. This is important news for
everyone that is at risk for losing a key,
like those of us that inhabit Tahiti Nui
after midnight.
Next, electronic door lock keys that are
not returned to us or are lost at the
beach or bar can be deactivated. This
is in contrast to the keys that we
currently utilize which, when found,
can be used to enter a unit.
Finally, and you may find this hard to
believe, it is less expensive to replace
a malfunctioning electronic door lock
than it is to rekey our current locks.
For all of these reasons, we are all
very excited about the prospect of the
installation of the electronic door locks at The Cliffs Resort.
We hope to have all of our units are fitted with the
electronic door lock system by the end of 2007.
NONTEMPLATED MODIFICATIONS
to Loft Units
As you may be aware, RCI does not deem the majority of
our two bedroom loft units to be two bedroom units for
trading purposes. The Board is looking into ways to
remedy this misunderstanding.
RCI contends that it is prevented from considering CRVOA
loft units as two bedroom units because its definition of a
two bedroom unit. We are going to review this definition
and try to determine if there is some way to have our loft
units fit within this definition.
Consistent with a practice that has become commonplace
In that regard, we are in the process of consulting with RCI
in the time share industry, The Cliffs Resort will begin
to determine exactly what modifications to our loft units
charging exchange guests a $50.00 per week utility fee.
would be required before RCI would characterize those
Many of you who have used your Cliffs Resort week to
units as two bedroom units for trading purposes. We have
trade into another resort are already familiar with this
obtained some initial feedback and will continue to explore
practice. We hope that, by imposing this charge on
ways to increase the trading power of our loft units. At this
exchange guests, we will be able to continue to keep your
point, we believe that a door would need to be constructed
yearly maintenance fees at a reasonable level.
Page 7
at the top of the stairs and this appears to be feasible.
Something will also need to be done to increase the
privacy of the loft units. That is the issue that we are
currently dealing with.
Thanks to CRVOA’s secretary, Jim Moyes, for his efforts in
connection with this issue. I will keep you updated on our
progress in future editions of this newsletter. As always, I
invite Cliffs Resort owners to contact me via e-mail at
[email protected] with any questions or concerns
regarding any aspect of The Cliffs Resort.
Any Updates?
Please let us know if your mailing address,
telephone number, or E-mail address has changed.
Please send updated information by fax at 808-8261272, by email at [email protected] or
by mail at The Cliffs 3811 Edward Road, Princeville,
HI 96722
Should you have any questions please contact us
at 808-826-6219. Mahalo!
HI-SPEED INTERNET
NOW AVAILABLE
We have high-speed cable modem Internet access from each
of our rooms for guests traveling with laptops. We have
wireless and desktop access from our recreation room
adjacent to the front desk. There are applicable fees for this
service.
SHARE YOUR
ISLAND MEMORIES BACK HOME!
Ralph Kitashima says – “Help me help you, your
friends and family SAVE MONEY on a time share
ownership resale in this wonderful Cliffs Resort.
For your referrals it would be my pleasure to repay
you with credits that you may apply towards airfares,
car rentals, island itinerary, maintenance fees and
groceries at Foodland!
Island Information y Breathtaking Na Pali Coast
ATV Rides y Kayak Adventure y Movie Tours
Luaus y Zip Line Adventures
Tubing Adventures y Golf Discounts
Restaurant Recommendations
Zodiac Expeditions y and Much More!
You’ll receive 250 credits for every interval
purchased as a result of your referral. Each credit
equals one dollar redeemable for the above
mentioned incentives. Give us a call for details.
For those of you, who no longer use or need your
ownership, call us for details on how we can assist
you.
Toll free: 800-222-5541
Office: 808-826-6585
E-Mail: [email protected]
Cliffs Activities
[email protected]
808-826-2005
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THIS IS A TIMESHARE SALES SOLICITATION
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General Manager's
Report
Kimo M. Keawe
A
fter what seemed like an endless process, our Use
Permit for the renovation of the Administration Building
was finally approved by the Planning Commission. We
also received approval of the Solar Energy System for
the building, and our challenge was to integrate that system into
what had been previously designed for that facility. Our architect
Matthew Schaller and Jean Camp our project manager have been
working very closely with Dirk Hosmer of DSH Solar and Flaviano
Reyes our Electrical Engineer on all of the integration details. In
addition, Jean has submitted our demolition permit request with the
County and has been following up daily to get it pushed through.
Our goal now is to get the final integrated design completed
including the bid packages for contractors to bid on shortly. The
contractors who will be bidding are familiar with the project having
already bid on the original drawings.
We hired a new Front Office Manager and are fortunate to find
someone of his skill level and experience. John Mahoney, not the
same John that used to be associated with The Cliffs several years
ago, was serving as the night manager for Harrah's Hotel in Reno,
Nevada. Prior to that, he served as Assistant General Manager of
the Hanalei Bay Resort for five years and also in several different
management positions at the Kauai Coconut Beach Hotel in
Waipouli. He also served as General Manager of a property on
Maui for 2 years.
Owner Services
Rosarie worked on the Shell Vacations sale with me in proofing
documents and notarizing signatures. She currently works on
accumulating inventory for CCIOA. We have been processing
deed backs from owners for the last few months. We are looking
forward to processing the next batch of intervals for Shell. The
CCIOA foreclosure sale was held on November 30th. Forty four
(44) intervals were included in this sale; fifteen (15) intervals were
purchased by existing owners one of which purchased 10 intervals.
Rosarie has been working with John Mahoney to familiarize him
with the reservation department and some of its challenges and
concerns. We look forward to improvements in both the
Reservations and Front Desk Departments under John's direct
supervision.
Facilities (Maintenance)
With each new quarter our facilities crew is involved with many day
to day individual unit work orders that include everything from
unclogging toilets and sinks, repairing stove burners and trying to
make repairs to those non functioning vertical blinds. Some of the
comprehensive projects we have worked on include: rebuilding,
repairing and reinforcing 4 parking lot light standards after we had
guests back into them with their cars. We realigned and rebuilt the
culvert drain next to the tennis courts. We repaired window leaks in
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Building 2. Landing repairs fronting unit 6301.
Flashing repairs for unit 1307. We continued with
preventive
maintenance
installing
laundry
doorknobs and locks and replacing current light
bulbs with energy saving models.
We also
reorganized some of the offices.
Housekeeping
Staffing has been the biggest concern as we find it
difficult to fill unit cleaner positions in a very tight
labor market. Without the adequate number of
cleaners our check in days of Friday, Saturday and
Sunday find many units still not ready at the 4 pm
check-in time. Fortunately, we were able to hire
another inspector and unit cleaner.
The Quality Control Program began in December
with a collaborative effort of Housekeeping and
Maintenance personnel. Fred Constantino was
assigned to lead this effort.
With the beginning of a new operating year, we
have ordered new linen and guest room items and
replacements. However, we will need to address
the replacement of many refrigerators and stoves,
which are in poor condition because of extensive
rust. Most are located in buildings that are not
scheduled for renovation for another 3 to 4 years.
We have to consider replacing them now with
capital funds set aside for future replacements.
Landscaping and Grounds
We continue to work with our landscape company
regarding the upkeep of our landscaping and
grounds. We have replanted several areas with
new plant material again to add more color and
diversity to the property. The drain swale that was
installed recently had to be realigned and extended
in order to properly divert the runoff during heavy
rains. This also required pouring a concrete collar
and short swale as a permanent solution.
We have been working with Sean Neubold and
Morton Yamasaki on pool designs to present at the
Board meeting. They are working on 3 designs for
consideration, each one unique in it’s design and
approximate cost. Serious consideration should
be given to allocating more funds for the building of
a new pool complex, as this is usually the highlight
of any resort complex.
Mr. Yamasaki is a
landscape architect and I have asked him to
design a new entrance for our property.
Accounting
The audits for all associations have been
completed and were distributed to the respective
board members. This year was even more difficult
than the previous in trying to get the audit
completed on time.
Due to accuracy and
timeliness concerns we have decided to go with
Myers Brettholtz and Co., and hope that they will
be someone who we can count on and develop a long-term
relationship with.
Once the budgets were approved last October a lot of time was
spent processing individual owner statements for billing.
Accounting took the bull by the horns and processed over 6,000
individual statements. Producing financials for all 4 entities and
managing the investment accounts is still the mainstay of Julie
Monroe and the department. Fortunately, we have a new team of
employees in the department who work well together and are
capable and competent to get things done.
Administration
Our annual employee recognition party was held this past January
at the Hukilau Lanai in Waipouli. This was the employee’s night to
be recognized and thanked for all of their hard work during the
year. We applauded those for their length of service including
William Ovalles and Julie Cabutaje for completing 20 years of
outstanding
service.
We
recognized
Augusto
Sajonia,
Maintenance; Chad Rapozo, Maintenance; Julie Cabutaje,
Housekeeping; and Kekoa Ho’oikaika, Front Desk; as employees of
the quarter. They each were nominated by their peers, which is the
highest form of appreciation when it comes from your co-workers.
Our Employee of the Year was Chad Rapozo. Chad is a fairly new
employee but was a unanimous choice because of his great
attitude, quick response, quality of work and his wiliness to help
who ever was in need.
2006 was a challenging year.
The capital improvement
assessment was absolutely necessary, but caused concern with
many of our long time owners. We slogged through the 40 days
and 40 nights of rain, the Kaloko Dam break and realized how
vulnerable we were when we are cut off from the rest of the island.
When the price of oil topped $70 per barrel our utility rates were
some of the highest in the country. We experienced more power
outages than anyone can remember in recent history. The
resultant disruption and damage to our computer system took many
weeks to recover from.
By the time we move into the refurbished administrative building we
will have operated under temporary and in some cases very
uncomfortable situations for over 5 years. Through all of it we have
tried to maintain a positive perspective and more importantly we
look forward to a new and much improved resort.
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N E W S F R O M A R O U ND T H E I S L A N D
[Gleaned from The Garden Island newspaper, mahalo nui loa to them]
VArinaga Proposed KPD Budget
V EIS Has Strong Support
By Amanda C. Gregg – The Garden Island
By Lester Chang – The Garden Island
The Kaua‘i Police Department will ask the county for roughly
$16.5 million for its 2007-2008 budget. The amount — which
would include operational enhancements that range from
removing mold in the evidence room to increased overtime pay —
is reasonable, Police Commissioner Thomas Iannucci said at the
February 13th commission meeting.
The majority of residents who testified at a meeting on February
th
9 threw their support behind a Senate bill that would require
Hawaii Superferry conduct a detailed environmental impact
statement before beginning ferry operations in July.
The proposed budget is an 11 percent increase over the budget
from 2006-2007, which was $14.9 million. If approved by Mayor
Bryan Baptiste and the County Council, the biggest chunk of the
budget — roughly $406,437 — would cover the cost of seven new
hires.
Acting Police Chief Clayton Arinaga said his top priorities itemized
in the proposed budget include the creation of an Internal Affairs
division and a one-time $15,000 KPD accreditation application
fee. Carol Furtado said having an IA division is crucial. “I think the
perception in the community is that the department investigate
themselves,” she said. Getting the department accredited also
would be a key enhancement that would benefit the community,
she added. “It would be enormous to have all our operating
procedures up to par,” she said.
Arinaga also told commissioners that new equipment and updates
to the building were critical as well. In addition to a mold problem
in the evidence room, none of the police has Tasers and all of the
force will have to replace their protective vests within the next
year or so, he said. “
V David Boynton’s Legacy to Live On
By Amanda C. Gregg - The Garden Island
Having spent much of his lifetime capturing the essence of Kaua‘i,
photographer and educator David Boynton will be remembered by
family and friends as one of the many island treasures he sought
so passionately to reveal. Boynton died February 10 after falling
while hiking along a precipitous cliff trail to one of his most
cherished spots on the Na Pali coastline. Boynton, 61, was wellknown on the island for sharing his love of what he once cited as
an “ethereal” beauty, which he photographed in the form of
pristine beaches, rugged cliffs and verdant ridges. Boynton’s most
recent book, “Na Pali: Images of Kauai‘s Northwest Shore,” was
published in October.
An avid surfer, conservationist and teacher, family members said
he was always interested in wildlife. Born and raised in Hawai‘i,
Boynton graduated with a marine biology degree from the
University of California-Santa Barbara. A teacher for 36 years,
colleagues said he was an inspiration to his students at the
Koke‘e Discovery Center and as an environmental education
resource teacher for Kaua‘i public schools. Kaua‘i Complex Area
Superintendent Daniel Hamada, who worked with Boynton at the
Ele‘ele Elementary School, said Boynton always helped train new
teachers and will remain “synonymous” with all that became of
the successful Koke‘e Discovery Center. Hamada said he finds
solace in the legacy Boynton leaves behind.
More than 120 people crowded into the historic Kauai County
Building to hear all or part of the Senate committee hearing
convened to discuss the bill. Those attending voiced concern the
ferries might collide with federally protected marine life, increase
traffic congestion, and bring more crime, homeless people and
drugs to Kaua’i.
Frederick Wells of Kaua‘i said the ferry will bring O‘ahu’s highprofile crimes to Kaua‘i. He said that opinion was formed after
discussions with a newspaper editor on O‘ahu. “Bank robbers,
homes burglarized, cars robbed and people carrying guns,” he
said. “We are very concerned that these people will see a great
opportunity to travel amongst the islands, load up on what they
had stolen during the day, and vanish among 800,000 people (on
O’ahu),” he said.
Hawaii Superferry officials, however, say they will work with
federal and state agencies to prevent such occurrences. Joined
by one or two other audience members, Don Thornburg of Kaua‘i
sparked criticism by saying the Superferry should be allowed to
start up because it has complied with all federal and state
requirements. “I oppose this bill, whose intent is to delay the start
of the Superferry operation,” he said.
Spearheading the crafting of the bill and in attendance was Kaua‘i
Sen. Gary Hooser. Hooser is the Senate majority leader, and sits
on the Senate Committee on Transportation and the Senate
Committee on Energy and Environment. The hearing was
conducted to gauge public opinion on whether an environmental
impact statement should be done. Hooser and Sen. Shan Tsutsui
of Maui, the majority Senate caucus leader, have been at the
forefront of a statewide community-driven movement asking for
an EIS.
Hooser favors the study even though the state Department of
Transportation Harbors Division didn’t require one, citing as one
reason the lack of a requirement for similar studies for passenger
ships and Young Brothers barges and Matson ships. Hooser says
the study should be done to measure the full breadth of the
statewide project.
He was joined at the meeting by Tsutsui, Sen. Ron Menor, District
17 O‘ahu, chairman of the Senate Energy and Environment
Committee, Sen. Kalani English of Maui, chairman o f the
Transportation and International Affairs, and 14th House District,
North Shore and Eastside Kaua‘i, Rep. Hermina Morita, who said
cultural and social impact studies could be required, as allowed
by state law.
David Dinner, president of 1,000 Friends and co-chairman of The
People for the Preservation of Kaua’i, said many people support
the bill because of “concern for the safety and well being of the
People of Kaua’i and its ecology.
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THE CLIFFS
3811 Edward Road
Princeville, Kauai, HI 96722
www.cliffsatrprinceviille.com
Views From The Cliffs
FEBRUARY 2007 ISSUE
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