“KevinFlagg” suggested opening a discussion on BCC security. Please see his comment among those below.
Actual 2008 Security costs (including vehicle fuel & maintenance) were $185,290. These costs (discounting SRD) are our 4th largest expense. It is one of few BCC expenses which is discretionary and which has proven to be an ineffective waste of money.
A well-designed system using properly placed surveillance cameras and monitored by the gate guard would actually permit apprehension and arrest of thieves and vandals that have been preying on BCC residents. (Please don’t use the lame SRD system stolen from Rec 2 as a reason to dismiss cameras!) Motion activated cameras linked to radar automatically generate speeding tickets and stop sign violations. License plates for entering and departing vehicles would be video recorded along with entrance and exit times. Similar systems are being used successfully in many high-end Florida condos.
With elimination of useless day-time roamers plus increased fines, a decent system would pay for itself in months, reduce speeders and actually protect residents. (However, I am certain that some night-roaming members of our BOD will do their best to defeat a cost/benefit analysis of any effective security system.)
Why not a more effective, lower cost system? Let’s have your thoughts. Add a comment.
3 comments:
THE FOLLOWING POSTED BY KEVINFLAGG. IT HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY EDITED AND POSTED HERE BY CP)
I would like to open a new discussion on our Security system. I've lived in BCC almost 15 years and I feel it's not up to par anymore. We had a great Security system before Steve left (complete with huge going-away party and a nice big fat cash donation for him). Dawen took over as Chief and it continued on as usual - great "PR" and great service. Then Steve came back and it started to change. Dawen (sic) was bumped to second-in-command again and Steve went back in as Chief (and there was talk that he was given back his seniority, even though he quit). Steve had changed and became somewhat mean with his staff and his guards were not happy with him.
(Kevin Flagg had statements regarding the mishandling and/or misappropriation of Christmas gifts and a sexual harassment complaint at this point in his comment. In the interest of fairness, these have been omitted, pending some verifiable substantiation from him.)
Right after that Christmas, most of the guards quit when the Board ignored their complaints.
Then United Community was hired and the same Board brought in that out-sourced Securitas, who were told they HAD to hire Steve. From that point, things have gone downhill.
Our Security system is a waste of money. We still have far too many speeders, the guards ignore vehicles backed into parking spaces or parked erratically over the line (which in the past would get a ticket immediately) and if you drive around at night, there are pickup trucks parked overnight. What do they do besides drive around in the air-conditioned vehicle? Many times I've observed that they spend hours parked at the Intracoastal watching boats go by.
I would propose that we save a third of the security costs by keeping a 24-hour gate guard but reducing the mobile patrol to only the graveyard shift. If the office needs to post notices in the laundry and trash rooms, let Maintenance do it.
The guards don't know the Rules anymore. A motorcycle was ALLOWED in through the gate at 2 AM to roar around the complex! I place the blame squarely on Steve's shoulders; the Office hires, but Steve as Chief is supposed to train them. He is failing miserably. He is far too involved with the BCC politics and that's not good. But I guess if the BOD loves him, his job is secure no matter how sloppily he does it.
I am extremely unhappy with our Security and would like to know if anyone else feels as I do.
KevinFlagg, if you'll provide an email address (can be anonymous) I can get back on future problems and extend an invite to join R&R team.
cp
How come Security doesn't lock the laundry rooms at night anymore? I don't remember the Board passing a Motion to allow the laundry rooms to stay open all night. (Or perhaps it was one of those behind-closed-door decisions that they're so fond of!)
We run the risk of someone breaking into the machines to steal the quarters. Not only would we lose income for BCC, but we'd probably have a bunch of busted machines to either replace or repair.
I know of three women (in different buildings) who love this - they go do their laundry at 5 AM before the heat of the day.
Do the Board members know this? Do they care? Or are they content letting us THINK that we have a great Security system? Or is it yet another instance of slipshod and sloppy training on "Chief Steve's" part?
A lot of money was spent replacing all the door locks with new ones keyed to ONE master key so that the Security guards didn't have to spend hours guessing which key fit which door. Looks like it was (yet ANOTHER) waste of money.
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