5/9/23
ESTERO ISLAND BEACH CLUB ASSOCIATION, INC. NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEMBERS’ MEETING TO ALL MEMBERS: On Friday, June 23, 2023, at 10:00 A.M., at RAL Resort Property Management, 17810 San Carlos Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931, a Special Meeting of the Members of the Association will be held for the purpose of conducting the lawful business of the Association. The agenda for the Special Members Meeting is: 1) Certifying Quorum – Call to Order 2) Proof of Notice of Meeting 3)
Reading and disposal of unapproved minutes 4) New Business (a) Vote on Proposed Amendment to Article XV, Section II(B) of the Declaration of Condominium regarding Member approval of building reconstruction plans and specifications (copy attached) 5) Adjournment Fifteen percent (15%) of the total voting interests in the Association (a “quorum”) must be present, in person or by proxy, at the meeting, in order for the business to be conducted. It is therefore VERY IMPORTANT that you either attend or provide a proxy. Please note the following information about PROXIES: A proxy is for the purpose of appointing another person to vote for you in the event that you might not be able to attend the meeting. It must be signed by the person authorized to cast the vote for the Unit. The proxy should be submitted to the Association Secretary prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. The proxy can be hand-delivered, either by you or your proxy, electronically transmitted to the Association via e-mail to eibc@ralresorts.com, facsimile to 239-481-9386 or mail c/o RAL Resort Property Management, 17810 San Carlos Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931. It is encouraged that the proxy be submitted as long before the meeting as possible, in order to avoid delay in registration. Again, please be sure to either attend the Special Meeting or submit a proxy. Thank you for your assistance in conducting the business of your Association. DATED: ___May 3, 2023_________________________. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS By: James E. Murley, President This notice has been mailed or delivered to all Members and posted in a conspicuous location on the Condominium Property at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting referred to above.
The link for viewing this meeting will be posted prior to the meeting itself. The link to the Zoom recording of the meeting will be made available following the meeting itself. The regular BOD meeting will begin shortly after the conclusion of this special meeting.
4/25/23
1. Now that some of the initial hurricane related activities and support for
EIBC have started to calm down, Al Dodge, Ramona’s wing man, will be
transferring from the EIBC staff to another RAL managed property/staff.
We thank Al for his years of service and commitment to EIBC and look
forward to his hopeful return to our EIBC staff once our rebuild is
completed.
2. Demolition of the 2 story building began this morning, Tuesday April 25. Pictures will be posted later today or tomorrow.
As stated in this morning’s BOD meeting, we anticipate receiving the demolition permit from FMB by Tuesday April 25. Once received demolition will begin immediately thereafter and should take two weeks to complete. Heavy equipment is already onsite and ready to begin.
I recommend that all owners watch and listen to the recorded session of today’s BOD meeting. The link to the recording is found both on this page and will be posted shortly on the RAL EIBC website.
4/12/23
AGENDA: ESTERO ISLAND BEACH CLUB CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.
MEETING: BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
DATE: APRIL 21, 2023
PLACE: RAL RESORTS OFFICE—ZOOM
TIME: FOLLOWING THE ANNUAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PRESIDENT: JIM MURLEY VICE PRESIDENT: CRAIG BLOCK
SEC/TREAS: JEFFREY HUNSUCKER DIRECTORS: MATTHEW WADD DALE DELIZIO BONNIE SCHAAFSMA (VACANT)
1. CALL TO ORDER
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CHANGES IN THE RECORDING OF NAME OF BOARD MEMBER AND THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMENTS/VOTING
2. ROLL CALL/ESTABLISH QUORUM
3. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE WHO WILL BE RECORDING THE MEETING
a. RAL TO RECORD MEETING FOR PURPOSE OF VERIFYING THE MINUTES
4. APPROVE THE BOD MINUTES FROM 12/2/22 MEETING
5. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
6. OWNER COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS
8. FINANCIAL BUSINESS
a. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE REPORT
b. CURRENT FINANCIALS
c. MONEYS MOVED FROM SURPLUS OPERATIONS INTO RESERVES NOTICE
d. RESERVE INTEREST REALLOCATED IN RESERVE ACCOUNTS NOTICE
11. HURRICANE IAN UPDATES
4/1/23
Please
note that our next board meeting has a change in the start time. Our
April 21, 2023 meeting will now begin at 9am Eastern. Information
regarding the meeting agenda and Zoom access will be posted shortly. The
recording of the meeting will be made available as has been done in the
past.
If you have questions that you would like the board to answer during that
meeting, please email them to eibc@ralresorts.com to be received by no
later than 5pm on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Your email must include the
owner’s name and the week/unit(s) of ownership. Emailed questions
received by the cutoff date identified above that are not answered as
part of the normal agenda discussion will be answered to the best of our
ability prior to the adjournment of the meeting itself.
3/10/23
The demolition of both buildings was approved by the board at the last emergency meeting held on 2/10/23. RAL has received 7 bids for the demolition of the buildings ranging from $450K to $1.8M. The bids are being reviewed by RAL who will be making their recommendation and asking for board approval of the expenditure. Once approved and awarded, the company can then file for permits with the city to proceed with the demolition. It is possible however that the board will decide to delay the demolition until we receive more favorable net payout calculations from both insurance carriers.
Our Wind insurance carrier has now provided their calculation of loss for both buildings. As anticipated, their calculation of the net payout which reflects reductions for deductibles and depreciation is less than what will we accept. Although RAL follows up routinely with the Flood insurance carrier, we have yet to receive any such net payout calculation from them. Consideration as to whether or not we wish to engage either our legal representation or a public adjuster in an effort to improve their net payout calculation is a decision which the board will need to make shortly. RAL is in the process of hiring a videographer to further document the buildings as they currently exist. Pre-hurricane inventories of furnishing and equipment have been documented by RAL as well.
Initial meeting of the rebuild design committee was held on 3/1/23. The main focus was to prepare a recommended design/layout of the rebuilt units themselves in terms of unit size and then using that size to determine how the building(s) might look and “sit” on our property.
The recommendation as currently presented to the board calls for a “U” shaped building (the bottom of the “U” nearest Estero Blvd). The entire “U” shaped building structure would be elevated with parking in both the elevated areas and in the current parking area off Estero Blvd. Above the elevated 1st level would be three levels of units, all of which having the same, but larger floorplan than previous units and all having a view of the gulf. As a side note, the size of the units in the 2 story and 3 story were just under 500 square feet. The current recommendation calls for units just over 800 square feet. Understandably, the cost for this increase in unit size is a concern but should also result in both a favorable increase in unit value and desirability. Again, this is only the design committee’s recommendation currently in review by board members.
Once initial concepts for unit size and the property layout are accepted by the board and then by the city, we can then proceed with development of building cost estimates along with recommendations for fixtures, furnishings and amenities inside the actual units themselves and for the property as a whole. A separate committee would be established for those internal recommendations and providing estimated costs for those items.
While it remains our hope that we will be able to keep both pools in their current locations, the layout of the new “U” structure where the 2 story stood will determine whether or not we will be able to keep the office pool.
Once total estimates costs are determined, recommended options as to how those shortfalls can be met will be determined by the board and then presented to owners. Loans are being looked at as a viable alternative to assessments to make up anticipated, but unknown at this time, shortfalls. Loans would increase our annual budgets for the term of the loan which by definition would increase our annual maintenance fees. RAL has already made application to the SBA for possible loans and has also started discussions with banking institutions to discuss loan options available to us as an association.
Next EIBC BOD meeting will be Friday, April 21 at 10am. It will be available on Zoom that day with the recording available shortly thereafter.
2/12/23
The last emergency board meeting was held Friday. I will summarize the highlights.
1.The petition to call for a vote on dissolving the association did not have enough signatures.
2. The board was unable to come to a consensus on replacing Billy Wilkerson so will proceed with 6 bd members going forward
3. Jeff Hunsucker was elected secretary/treasurer.
4. The board voted to grant an easement for beach nourishment which will provide sand to fill in the beach and also require 75% of the beach front to have plants on a berm 10 feet wide.This will have mimimal inpact on the view but will limit access to and from the beach.
5. We still have no definite numbers on the insurance claim.
6. The structure engineering report confirms the need to demolish the 2 story bldg. Under the 50% rule and engineering report the 3 story building will need to come down. After emotional discussions, the board voted unanimously to tear down the 3 story bldg and bids will be received immediately to start that process.
7.
Jim Murley is appointing a design committee which Jeff will serve as chair.
8. The budget is revised and adjusted and any excess funds are added to the hurricane line.
The board is working for the best for the association and appreciates your understanding. Further updates will be provided as we move down the process.
The board mtg was recorded and you access it on the website.
2/2/23
For personal reasons, William Wilkinson has resigned from the EIBC board.
We thank him for his many years of service and contributions to EIBC.
Wishing you the very best Billy !
1/31/23
Reminder:
today is the last day to call in and make payments, pay online, or mail
out your payment with a postmarked date of 1/31/23. Payments made with
a credit card or debit card over the phone or online will have a 4%
service fee added. Please call 239-481-9580 or visit www.ralresorts.com .
1/26/23
Reminder: The last day to pay your annual maintenance fees is 1/31/23. The offices at RAL Resorts will be open until 5:00pm EST that day. The phone number to call is 239-481-9580. Calls received after hours will be considered late. Leaving a voicemail will not be considered as an on-time payment. Credit and Debit card payments have a 4% fee added to the total charged. Credit and Debit card payments are also able to be done on your owner account at
www.RALresorts.com.
We also stress that the last postmarked date for fees to be paid by mail is also 1/31/23. It is imperative that the mail you send out is stamped with the correct date. We suggest you take your mail directly to the mailing center to have them stamp the mailer in front of you with the proper date.
ANY PAYMENTS SENT BY MAIL AND RECEIVED WITH A POSTMARK OF FEBRUARY 1, 2023 OR LATE WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE!
Also, fees that are not paid in full as directed by your board of directors will incur late fees and interest charges. Partial payments are accepted but do not save one’s account from incurring these late fees and interest charges.
1/4/23
Topic: EIBC Emergency Mtg Continued.
Town Hall Format
Time: Jan 11, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
12/27/22
Further Explanation Of EIBC Hurricane Ian Reconstruction Notification
On
December 12, 2022, a notification, as provided for in our bylaws, was
given to all Owners addressing the Declaration for “Major Damage”. The
Declaration can be found both in Public Records of Lee County, FL but
also as part of the Resort Docs contained on the RAL website
(ralresorts.com) for EIBC Amendments. The amendment to Article XV,
Section II was recorded in 1997. This document is prepared with the
intent to clarify some of the points made in the notification itself and
not as a replacement for it.
The purpose of the notification was to follow the bylaw’s requirement which
gives Owners the opportunity to call a special meeting to determine
whether the Condominium is tenantable based on the “Major Damage”
section. It is NOT a meeting for discussion of insurance proceeds, build
back governmental restrictions, build back layouts, build back costs or
possible owner assessments as none of these are known, much less
finalized, at this time. Developments for any or all of these items will
continue to be addressed in our recorded/live meetings.
“Major
Damage” section that was amended in 1997 removed determination by the
Board as to whether or not 75% percent (or more) of the units cannot be
occupied in their current condition. The right for this determination
was shifted to Association members who are now tasked with deciding
whether 75% or more of the 75 units cannot be occupied. There are 33
units in the 2 story; 42 units in the 3 story. 75% of the 75 units
equates to 56 units.
The
”Major Damage” Declaration allows a vote to be taken at a specially
called Unit Owner’s meeting as to whether the Condominium is
tenantable, if 25% of the owners of the total unit weeks submit a
petition to the Board President or Board Secretary requesting that a
special meeting be held. The 25% requires that the petition signatures
represent a verified total of 956 unit weeks of the 3,825 unit weeks
possible. The signed petition must include each Owner’s name(s) as shown
on the deed, their signature along with each Unit Week owned and must
be submitted and received by no later than February 10, 2023. If no such
qualifying petition is received by February 10, 2023, no meeting will
be called. We would instead proceed with determining whether or not
sufficient insurance proceeds and other funds to build back will be
available.
Q/A
Who has the responsibility to petition for the special meeting?
Only
the Owners. It is not the Board’s responsibility to initiate or
circulate the petition. Understanding the obvious difficulties in
circulating a petition requiring actual signatures, deeded Owners that
desire to call the special meeting may submit their petition to do so as
described below.
What are the required number of petitioners necessary to call the special meeting?
Unit
Week Owners representing 25% or more of the 3,825 total unit weeks.
Owners that own multiple units weeks and are reflected on their
submitted petition will count as multiple petition votes.
What is the deadline to file the Petition?
60 days from December 12, 2022 (February 10, 2023)
If I choose to be
a petitioner that desires to call a special meeting for the purpose
described above, where and how does an Owner submit their petition
information that states their desire to call a special meeting?
Along
with stating your desire to call a special meeting, include the deeded
owner’s name and the unit(s) week(s) owned as reflected in the Public
Records for Lee County, Florida by either mail or email.
Mail your information noting your desire to participate in the petition to:
RAL/EIBC 17810 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
OR
Email your information noting your desire to participate in the petition to:
eibc@ralresorts.com
What if I choose not to be a petitioner for the calling for a special meeting?
No action is required or necessary on your part.
What happens if the required number of petitioners are not obtained by February 10, 2023?
The
Board will proceed with determining the course of action of
reconstruction/rebuild after all the appropriate information has been
provided including engineering reports, insurance proceeds, planning and
zoning requirements, building plans and specifications, estimates for
rebuild, timelines, as well as all other information the Board needs to
make the best decision for all Unit Owners.
What happens if the necessary number of verified petitioners are submitted?
The
Board President or Secretary will call a special meeting. A
ballot/proxy would then be distributed to all Owners. The only question
on the ballot to come to a vote would be: “whether or not the
damaged improvement is a building containing Condominium Units, and if
Units to which more than 75% of the common elements are appurtenant are
found by the Unit Week owners to be not tenantable, then the damaged
property will not be reconstructed or repaired and the Condominium will
be terminated without Agreement.” It will require 51% of those voting to pass this proclamation.
What happens if the vote to terminate is successful?
The
Board would take the appropriate action to terminate the Association as
provided in the bylaws. The land would need to be sold and insurance
proceeds would be collected. Ultimately a calculation would be made as
to how the proceeds and other association funds are divided among the
Unit Week Owners.
What happens if the vote is not successful?
The Board would proceed to determine the feasibility of reconstruction/rebuild and proceed accordingly.
Can the Reserves be used for reconstruction?
The use of Reserves is governed by Florida Statute and cannot be used for actual construction costs.
Why are annual maintenance fees (operations and reserves) and taxes still being collected?
The
Association is still operating and as such still has expenses and
obligations. The Board has previously set the budget and oversees the
expenditures. In addition to the maintenance fees there are taxes which
continued to be paid.
When is the next meeting of the Board?
The
next emergency meeting of the Board will be January 11, 2023. The
meeting will be in the early evening to allow more access by the Owners.
It is anticipated this meeting will be a “Town Hall” format after the
necessary business is taken care of to allow a time for Q&A.
Specific information regarding this meeting to include agenda and Zoom
access will be posted once finalized.
As
stated in the notification, it is your Board’s desire to repair and
reconstruct the condominium building. However, Board members were
elected to represent the Owners and not individual interests. As we have
been since Ian first came ashore, your Board will continue to be
transparent with any and all pertinent, factual information as it is
made available to us. The Board appreciates your contact and concerns,
however the spreading of unverified information and speculation on
social media serves no useful purpose.
12/13/22
Annual maintenance invoices were mailed Monday.
CORRECTION: Hiccup occurred and has delayed mailing. They will go out this week.
11/22/22
Within the past week, Ramona and Al began sending out a generalized EIBC Property Update email to all owners that have an email address on file. The email was sent out from eibc@ralresorts.com and should have been received by Monday, November 21.
IF you did not receive an email dated 11-18, it is likely due to one of two different possibilities. The first being that you either have no email address on file with them or it is not your current/valid email address. This situation can be corrected by sending an email to eibc@ralresorts.com with your name, your mailing address, week/unit number(s) and your correct, current email address.
The second being that the email went into your spam folder. Kindly check your Spam folder to see if it went there. By adding eibc@ralresorts.com to your Contacts, it should correct this problem.
11/14/22
Topic: EIBC Emergency Zoom cont.
Time: Nov 16, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
10/25/22
As previously posted on this page, we will be calling our BOD Emergency Meeting back into session Wednesday, October 26 at 3pm. The meeting will be conducted via Zoom using the access instructions provided by Maggie earlier this week. Please be sure to use the Zoom link for the October 26 meeting. The meeting will be recorded with links and access information to it being posted at the conclusion of the meeting. The meeting agenda is as follows:
ESTERO ISLAND BEACH CLUB CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMERGENCY MEETING CONTINUED
DATE: 10/26/22
TIME: 3:00 P.M. EASTERN
VIA ZOOM
AGENDA
START RECORDING
1. RECALL OF MEETING TO ORDER, ROLL CALL / ESTABLISH QUORUM
2. RECORDING OF MINUTES…ACCESS LINK TO RECORDED MEETING WILL BE POSTED AT CONCLUSION
3. OWNERS COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS ARE TO USE CHAT FUNCTION ONLY
4. RAL UPDATES
UPDATE ON RAL OFFICES
UPDATES FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES
UPDATES AND REQUIREMENTS COMING FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
STATUS OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING CONTRACT AND ASSESSMENT
SECURING OF THE PROPERTY
PROPERTY CLEANUP AND DEBRIS REMOVAL
VIABILITY AND REPAIR OF EIBC
LEGAL REPRESENTATION CHANGES
5. REVIEW / FINALIZE COMMUNICATION TO OWNERS PLAN
2023 MAINTENANCE FEES BASED ON LEGAL DEFINITIONS
STATUS OF PROXY CONTENT, PRINTING AND MAILING
EMAIL OPTION FOR “MAILING”/ RETURNING OF PROXIES RESOLUTION?
6. ANNUAL MEETING AND BOD MEETING DECEMBER 2, 2022 AT 10AM EASTERN VIA ZOOM
BOD ELECTION REQUIREMENT
7. OTHER
8. RECESS
10/24/22
Topic: EIBC Emergency Meeting Continued
Time: Oct 26, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
10/10/22
In conjunction with the upcoming emergency board meeting, we will be changing the format and content of this page. We will no longer be approving posts of pictures from the past or from recent weeks. Instead we will be focusing on providing factual, updated information from RAL or your board as available and avoiding speculative comments and “what if” questions/answers.
This Wednesday’s meeting on 10/12 at 5pm will be the first of many over the coming months. The Zoom meeting info and agenda are posted on this FB page and is open to our owners. This initial meeting will address current assessments of what remains of EIBC along with some of the options that we may or may not have going forward. A revision to the 2023 Maintenance Fees will be discussed as well. We will also focus on how we can best communicate with all 2200+ owners on a timely basis to include the upcoming December elections.
We will not be addressing specific insurance coverages, deductibles or insurance adjuster findings. Neither can we address questions regarding our ability to rebuild, what new code requirements would be necessary, the costs associated with any such rebuild, what the rebuild would look like, owner assessments or even possible termination of the association….all of which would require a certain percentage of owner vote to proceed. We are not even close to having enough information to comment on any of those possibilities at this time.
Please bear with us as we work through the challenges that are in front of us….
10/10/22
ESTERO ISLAND BEACH CLUB CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMERGENCY MEETING
DATE: 10/12/22
TIME: 5:00 P.M. EASTERN
VIA ZOOM
10/8/22
The Town is opening access from the Matanzas Pass Bridge on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 7 a.m.
Mayor
Murphy gave specifics at a press conference called by the FMB Fire
District this afternoon at the base of the bridge. (See press release
below.)
He was joined by Town Councilors Dan Allers and Bill Veach and Town Manager Roger Hernstadt.
Access
to the town IS REOPENING beginning Sunday morning, October 9, for
residents, property owners, business owners and insurance adjusters now
that the responsibility of controlling access to the Town is
transitioning from the Fire District to the Town Government of Fort
Myers Beach.
“Since
the storm, the effort to save lives and recover the remains of lost
loved ones has been the top priority,” said Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray
Murphy. “We are now ready to move to the next step in the recovery
process.”
Most
residents of Fort Myers Beach have been off the island since they
evacuated prior to the storm and are ready to get home to assess their
property, take actions to protect their property and begin the insurance
claims process.
Beginning
Sunday morning, October 9, at 7 a.m. access to the Town of Fort Myers
Beach will open to residents, property owners and business owners,
claims adjusters and others that need to be on the island.
Residents and property owners should bring ID with them or proof of residency to be allowed on the island.
To minimize traffic congestion, the following plan will be used:
•
Property owners between the Big Carlos Pass Bridge and Beach Theater
on the south end of the island, or between Times Square and Bowditch
Point Park on the north end of the island can enter beginning at 7 am.
• Properties between the Beach Theater and Publix can enter after 8 am.
• Properties between Publix and Town Hall can enter after 9 am.
• Properties between Town Hall and Times Square can enter after 10 am.
Everyone who wants to come to the island needs to know several things:
There
is no power, no water or wastewater service and no trash pickup.
Internet and cellular service is not at full strength. Many structures
are destroyed, and almost all are unsafe to enter. There is no food or
water available on the island, and no businesses are open. Big Carlos
Pass Bridge remains closed. A curfew at 7 pm remains in place and those
that come to check on their properties should plan to leave the island
before 7 pm.
The
island was covered in 12-18 feet of salt water from the storm surge.
The structural integrity of many homes and buildings is compromised. The
electrical systems of most structures on the island are damaged.
Permits
and inspections will be required before power will be turned back on to
individual structures. The town recommends property owners use locally
licensed contractors.
Disaster
Survivor Assistance Teams from FEMA will be on the island in the coming
days to help people register for federal disaster assistance.
Residents can also register online at
disasterassistance.gov or on the phone at 1-800-621-3362.
An
interim Town Hall has been set up beside the damaged Town Hall.
Details on required permits and inspections will be made available on
the Town’s website and social media channels.
It’s critical that personal vehicles on the island do not block streets, or hinder operations like debris removal.
Representatives
from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Lee County Public
Safety, incident management teams and others are assisting the Town in
moving forward through the recovery process.
10/3/22
Island remains without power and likely will be for some time. Cell service is sketchy at best. All of the individuals that were staying at the resort are in the process of being relocated off of the island. Simply not a lot of information or updates that can be shared at this time. The following has been received from RAL. As updated earlier, a GoFundMe account has been established for all RAL employees. This includes EIBC employees as well.
“The RAL offices are currently closed due to Flooding from Hurricane Ian. All questions regarding refunds for rentals will be addressed after we are able to finish cleanup and recovery. The Resorts will be closed until further notice. All resort employees are accounted for and safe. The status of all resorts is unsure as we are not allowed on any island, but do know each sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Ian. No resort will be open in 2022. For Resort Owners please look up the Act of God clause in your Associations Documents to view what happens when things like this happen. For all HOA & Condo Associations we have been to each property to assess the damages and have put in claims with your Agency. Many RAL Employees (all resorts staff are RAL Employees) have lost homes (flooded and washed away), vehicles or had some type of damage from this storm. There will be a donation account set up to support those that lost things due to the storm in the next few days. We will add information to this post. If you wish to send something before please make it out to RAL Resorts and add Hurricane Donation in the comments area. We are blessed to have survived this storm. Thank you for your understanding, thoughts and prayers while we try to piece together our lives. “
————————————————————————————————————————————————————Owners,
We hope this letter finds you well during this unprecedented time for the Estero Island Beach Club and Fort Myers Beach. It has been a little over a month since Hurricane Ian ravaged our towns down here in SWFL. Thousands of people have been impacted throughout the area, including all resort employees and RAL staff members. Some have lost homes. Some have lost vehicles. And sadly, some have lost loved ones. We are still rebuilding and will be rebuilding for quite some time, so we ask for your patience during this process.
Estero Island Beach Club suffered a good amount of damage at the resort. In the efficiency building, the entire first floor was subjected to extensive flooding with the 2nd and 3rd floors sustaining wind/water damage. The resort’s office detached from the foundation and 2-story and floated away from the resort with the title surge. The chickee hut is no more. All exterior items like the pool pump equipment, gas grills, etc. are all gone.
We currently have RAL and resort staff working on property to clean up the general grounds as well as begin the complete stripping of the first-floor units. The 3-story building allows for temporary access so some work can be done on that side of the property. The 2-story building has been red tagged and nobody is allowed to enter that building until it is deemed safe by the local town building officials. Work is being performed, but we are limited to what we can and can’t do because of insurance inspections and safety inspections. We have met with the wind and flood adjusters for inspections on the property and waiting to see what can be rebuilt and what will need to be completely built from the ground up. We are hoping to have more answers from the insurance providers on what is and what isn’t covered on their end and then see about the forward process of rebuilding the resort. Lots of meeting are ahead of us and as time goes on, more answers will come to light.
Your board has met regarding the hurricane as well as what to do regarding the billing of the resort’s members. At this time, all members are required to pay their fair share of the weeks they own to keep the resort moving into the future. A budget meeting was held back in September and the board voted to set the maintenance and operations bill at approximately $595.00 per unit week not including taxes. This vote was done prior to the hurricane. Now that the disaster has come and gone, things have changed significantly. It has been recommended by the attorney that the board stick with the approved amount for 2023 and to adjust next year as deemed necessary. We understand that paying for a unit that you may not be able to use for the foreseeable future may not seem to be the most pleasant of a situation to be in. It is also suggested to pay these fees in installments so that the annual fee is not a single financial hit to one’s bank account. Please reach out to the management office for more info on this.
For everyone that has reached out to the staff and RAL members offering help, sending kind words, or even calling to simply check in, we appreciate you. At RAL, we have been working tirelessly to get your resort to the front of the lines to make sure there are no delays in getting back open. We have also established a Go Fund Me account for the employees of the resorts that have lost homes and other items. Please consider donating as all monies will be going to employees and not anyone else. Here is the website for donations: https://gofund.me/9d176030
Thank you for being a great ownership and we look forward to the future of EIBC.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors and RAL Resorts
(Above message was mailed out November 2022)
12/26/22
Further Explanation Of EIBC Hurricane Ian Reconstruction Notification
On
December 12, 2022, a notification, as provided for in our bylaws, was
given to all Owners addressing the Declaration for “Major Damage”. The
Declaration can be found both in Public Records of Lee County, FL but
also as part of the Resort Docs contained on the RAL website
(ralresorts.com) for EIBC Amendments. The amendment to Article XV,
Section II was recorded in 1997. This document is prepared with the
intent to clarify some of the points made in the notification itself and
not as a replacement for it.
The purpose of the notification was to follow the bylaw’s requirement which
gives Owners the opportunity to call a special meeting to determine
whether the Condominium is tenantable based on the “Major Damage”
section. It is NOT a meeting for discussion of insurance proceeds, build
back governmental restrictions, build back layouts, build back costs or
possible owner assessments as none of these are known, much less
finalized, at this time. Developments for any or all of these items will
continue to be addressed in our recorded/live meetings.
“Major
Damage” section that was amended in 1997 removed determination by the
Board as to whether or not 75% percent (or more) of the units cannot be
occupied in their current condition. The right for this determination
was shifted to Association members who are now tasked with deciding
whether 75% or more of the 75 units cannot be occupied. There are 33
units in the 2 story; 42 units in the 3 story. 75% of the 75 units
equates to 56 units.
The
”Major Damage” Declaration allows a vote to be taken at a specially
called Unit Owner’s meeting as to whether the Condominium is
tenantable, if 25% of the owners of the total unit weeks submit a
petition to the Board President or Board Secretary requesting that a
special meeting be held. The 25% requires that the petition signatures
represent a verified total of 956 unit weeks of the 3,825 unit weeks
possible. The signed petition must include each Owner’s name(s) as shown
on the deed, their signature along with each Unit Week owned and must
be submitted and received by no later than February 10, 2023. If no such
qualifying petition is received by February 10, 2023, no meeting will
be called. We would instead proceed with determining whether or not
sufficient insurance proceeds and other funds to build back will be
available.
Q/A
Who has the responsibility to petition for the special meeting?
Only
the Owners. It is not the Board’s responsibility to initiate or
circulate the petition. Understanding the obvious difficulties in
circulating a petition requiring actual signatures, deeded Owners that
desire to call the special meeting may submit their petition to do so as
described below.
What are the required number of petitioners necessary to call the special meeting?
Unit
Week Owners representing 25% or more of the 3,825 total unit weeks.
Owners that own multiple units weeks and are reflected on their
submitted petition will count as multiple petition votes.
What is the deadline to file the Petition?
60 days from December 12, 2022 (February 10, 2023)
If I choose to be
a petitioner that desires to call a special meeting for the purpose
described above, where and how does an Owner submit their petition
information that states their desire to call a special meeting?
Along
with stating your desire to call a special meeting, include the deeded
owner’s name and the unit(s) week(s) owned as reflected in the Public
Records for Lee County, Florida by either mail or email.
Mail your information noting your desire to participate in the petition to:
RAL/EIBC 17810 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
OR
Email your information noting your desire to participate in the petition to:
eibc@ralresorts.com
What if I choose not to be a petitioner for the calling for a special meeting?
No action is required or necessary on your part.
What happens if the required number of petitioners are not obtained by February 10, 2023?
The
Board will proceed with determining the course of action of
reconstruction/rebuild after all the appropriate information has been
provided including engineering reports, insurance proceeds, planning and
zoning requirements, building plans and specifications, estimates for
rebuild, timelines, as well as all other information the Board needs to
make the best decision for all Unit Owners.
What happens if the necessary number of verified petitioners are submitted?
The
Board President or Secretary will call a special meeting. A
ballot/proxy would then be distributed to all Owners. The only question
on the ballot to come to a vote would be: “whether or not the
damaged improvement is a building containing Condominium Units, and if
Units to which more than 75% of the common elements are appurtenant are
found by the Unit Week owners to be not tenantable, then the damaged
property will not be reconstructed or repaired and the Condominium will
be terminated without Agreement.” It will require 51% of those voting to pass this proclamation.
What happens if the vote to terminate is successful?
The
Board would take the appropriate action to terminate the Association as
provided in the bylaws. The land would need to be sold and insurance
proceeds would be collected. Ultimately a calculation would be made as
to how the proceeds and other association funds are divided among the
Unit Week Owners.
What happens if the vote is not successful?
The Board would proceed to determine the feasibility of reconstruction/rebuild and proceed accordingly.
Can the Reserves be used for reconstruction?
The use of Reserves is governed by Florida Statute and cannot be used for actual construction costs.
Why are annual maintenance fees (operations and reserves) and taxes still being collected?
The
Association is still operating and as such still has expenses and
obligations. The Board has previously set the budget and oversees the
expenditures. In addition to the maintenance fees there are taxes which
continued to be paid.
When is the next meeting of the Board?
The
next emergency meeting of the Board will be January 11, 2023. The
meeting will be in the early evening to allow more access by the Owners.
It is anticipated this meeting will be a “Town Hall” format after the
necessary business is taken care of to allow a time for Q&A.
Specific information regarding this meeting to include agenda and Zoom
access will be posted once finalized.
As
stated in the notification, it is your Board’s desire to repair and
reconstruct the condominium building. However, Board members were
elected to represent the Owners and not individual interests. As we have
been since Ian first came ashore, your Board will continue to be
transparent with any and all pertinent, factual information as it is
made available to us. The Board appreciates your contact and concerns,
however the spreading of unverified information and speculation on
social media serves no useful purpose.
12/12/22
EIBC Resort Video
https://www.facebook.com/johnrhyanshaw/videos/5767149753379648?idorvanity=344681592739027
11/29/22
EIBC Resort Video
https://www.facebook.com/johnrhyanshaw/videos/467130825456093?idorvanity=344681592739027
11/14/22
EIBC Resort Video
https://www.facebook.com/theofficialesteroislandbeachclub/videos/1360542214695247
10/8/22
EIBC Resort Video
https://www.facebook.com/RALResortPropertyManagement/videos/1168251314114662
10/8/22
The Town is opening access from the Matanzas Pass Bridge on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 7 a.m.
Mayor
Murphy gave specifics at a press conference called by the FMB Fire
District this afternoon at the base of the bridge. (See press release
below.)
He was joined by Town Councilors Dan Allers and Bill Veach and Town Manager Roger Hernstadt.
Access
to the town IS REOPENING beginning Sunday morning, October 9, for
residents, property owners, business owners and insurance adjusters now
that the responsibility of controlling access to the Town is
transitioning from the Fire District to the Town Government of Fort
Myers Beach.
“Since
the storm, the effort to save lives and recover the remains of lost
loved ones has been the top priority,” said Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray
Murphy. “We are now ready to move to the next step in the recovery
process.”
Most
residents of Fort Myers Beach have been off the island since they
evacuated prior to the storm and are ready to get home to assess their
property, take actions to protect their property and begin the insurance
claims process.
Beginning
Sunday morning, October 9, at 7 a.m. access to the Town of Fort Myers
Beach will open to residents, property owners and business owners,
claims adjusters and others that need to be on the island.
Residents and property owners should bring ID with them or proof of residency to be allowed on the island.
To minimize traffic congestion, the following plan will be used:
•
Property owners between the Big Carlos Pass Bridge and Beach Theater
on the south end of the island, or between Times Square and Bowditch
Point Park on the north end of the island can enter beginning at 7 am.
• Properties between the Beach Theater and Publix can enter after 8 am.
• Properties between Publix and Town Hall can enter after 9 am.
• Properties between Town Hall and Times Square can enter after 10 am.
Everyone who wants to come to the island needs to know several things:
There
is no power, no water or wastewater service and no trash pickup.
Internet and cellular service is not at full strength. Many structures
are destroyed, and almost all are unsafe to enter. There is no food or
water available on the island, and no businesses are open. Big Carlos
Pass Bridge remains closed. A curfew at 7 pm remains in place and those
that come to check on their properties should plan to leave the island
before 7 pm.
The
island was covered in 12-18 feet of salt water from the storm surge.
The structural integrity of many homes and buildings is compromised. The
electrical systems of most structures on the island are damaged.
Permits
and inspections will be required before power will be turned back on to
individual structures. The town recommends property owners use locally
licensed contractors.
Disaster
Survivor Assistance Teams from FEMA will be on the island in the coming
days to help people register for federal disaster assistance.
Residents can also register online at
disasterassistance.gov or on the phone at 1-800-621-3362.
An
interim Town Hall has been set up beside the damaged Town Hall.
Details on required permits and inspections will be made available on
the Town’s website and social media channels.
It’s critical that personal vehicles on the island do not block streets, or hinder operations like debris removal.
Representatives
from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Lee County Public
Safety, incident management teams and others are assisting the Town in
moving forward through the recovery process.
10/3/22
Island remains without power and likely will be for some time. Cell service is sketchy at best. All of the individuals that were staying at the resort are in the process of being relocated off of the island. Simply not a lot of information or updates that can be shared at this time. The following has been received from RAL. As updated earlier, a GoFundMe account has been established for all RAL employees. This includes EIBC employees as well.
“The RAL offices are currently closed due to Flooding from Hurricane Ian. All questions regarding refunds for rentals will be addressed after we are able to finish cleanup and recovery. The Resorts will be closed until further notice. All resort employees are accounted for and safe. The status of all resorts is unsure as we are not allowed on any island, but do know each sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Ian. No resort will be open in 2022. For Resort Owners please look up the Act of God clause in your Associations Documents to view what happens when things like this happen. For all HOA & Condo Associations we have been to each property to assess the damages and have put in claims with your Agency. Many RAL Employees (all resorts staff are RAL Employees) have lost homes (flooded and washed away), vehicles or had some type of damage from this storm. There will be a donation account set up to support those that lost things due to the storm in the next few days. We will add information to this post. If you wish to send something before please make it out to RAL Resorts and add Hurricane Donation in the comments area. We are blessed to have survived this storm. Thank you for your understanding, thoughts and prayers while we try to piece together our lives. “
10/1/22
Resort Update –
Both Estero Island and Sanibel Island are closed to everyone except emergency personal. They have to go door to door, checking for survivors and fatalities, until that is complete we cannot access the resorts to assess damage at this time. All resorts are closed for the rest of 2022.
The RAL office received damage as well. We are working hard to get operational as soon as possible. All of our RAL employees are safe. Many employees did have their vehicles totaled due to the storm surge. Some vehicles floated away.
Please be patient. We will update as we can.
Warm Regards,
RAL Resort & Property Management