MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES
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EXPERIENCE
Ameri-Tech has taken seriously the role of offering the utmost in professional management services to our client communities. We utilize a number of proven community management practices to efficiently work together with your volunteer staff and Board members. The Board performs and the community prospers! Our business skills from budgeting to maintenance, activities planning to compliance issues, are among traits that allow for strong and cohesive communities.

INNOVATION
Ameri-Tech provides Boards with comprehensive monthly financials and accounting. We have onsite bookkeeping and administration staff to provide additional support. We provide architectural reviews, operating and reserve budgets. All community compliance issues are efficiently tracked and delivered in a timely manner to the Board of Directors.

INTEGRITY
Ameri-Tech effectively becomes a member of your team. We are your professional managers and business consultants. Our associates hold many Florida licenses such as Community Association Manager (LCAM), Real Estate Instructor, Real Estate Broker, and Licensed Mortgage Broker and abide by a strict code of ethics in all that we do. When we say we’ll get it done, we get it done!

HISTORY & EXPERIENCE
We have been working with community associations for nearly 20 years and bring to our clients a sophisticated level of service and experience. Our team of professionals is specially trained and experienced to meet client needs. We experience little turnover of personnel providing an ongoing continuity and quality services. Our client experience ranges from 10 to 2,000+ units/lots within a community. No job is too small or too large. Based on our years of experience, we have developed and employed a number of proven management systems and tools to help our clients receive a comprehensive level of services and at a higher level of efficiency than other management companies. The result is better service and frequently at less cost to the client.

RESERVE BUDGET
Proper budgeting and financial planning are most important to a well run community. One of our primary responsibilities as your management company will be to review, prepare and recommend to the Board of Directors an operating budget which adequately covers the immediate and long term needs of the community. The budget should reflect the requirements of the community documents, as well as the requirements of applicable state law. A well planned association can help provide for the health and stability of the community for many years.

RESERVES
Whether you need an update, or a full reserve study, we can help. Every community is unique: therefore every reserve study and maintenance plan will have distinctly different components. We investigate each component, starting with the specific materials used, and consider how the application of those materials could affect the projected useful life of that component. We utilize our understanding of current building trends and materials to determine the most accurate estimate of useful life. Ongoing consultation with manufacturers and professionals in each trade allows us to anticipate price increases and index future costs.

MAINTENANCE PLANS
An important factor in a sound management program is the ability to anticipate and plan for future maintenance requirements. Planning and scheduling of deferred maintenance items allows funds to accrue and eliminates the necessity for special assessments. Proper planning and maintenance assures the owners that the value of their investment will be protected.

OWNERSHIP TRANSFERS
We work with the title company escrow officer in establishing procedures that allow for expedient processing of information needed for the timely closing of sales.

We can create and distribute new owner packets that provide comprehensive Association information and guidance. We will provide assistance and guidance to realtors and brokers in understanding the Association documents, Policy and Administrative Resolutions, Budgets, and other procedures that the owners anticipate when purchasing and becoming members of the community.

We also provide homeowners with a level of advice, education, and assistance so that community members have some level of understanding and involvement in the Association operations (subject to Board approval). This, hopefully, leads to a group of educated owners who will be willing to serve on future Boards.

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SERVICES

TOOLS
We take an integrated approach using state of the art administrative tools. Ameri-Tech uses software modules that provide interfacing and comprehensive data on vital components. These tools improve administrative and management efficiency, save staff time and provide a mechanism for tracking activities and events.

Each module provides reports available to Board members as monthly reports of activities within their community. Information is available by property (unit or lot), summary of specific/generic areas and overall information. These management tools can be very helpful for both the Board of Directors and the Managing Agent in being aware of on going activities of the Association and its administration.

REPORTS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Each month the Board of Directors may receive an information package that includes reports from each of the modules listed above, including the monthly financials that includes the balance sheet with bank balances and capital reserve items, income & expense report with budget comparisons by month and year-to-date, capital reserve report showing the addition of funds and expenditures on a monthly and year-to-date basis, account status of each member, delinquency aging report, check and accounting information relating to paid bills, and reconciled bank statements. Other reports are available based on the needs of each community. Reports are available for distribution by US Mail, through e-mail exhibits and facsimile.

MANAGING
At Ameri-Tech we provide continuity to our communities. As Board Members and committee members change, we will provide new Board members and owners with an historical perspective. Board and committee members are advised to avoid direct confrontation with their neighbors in difficult areas such as delinquent accounts, compliance/enforcement issues and design review of major architectural and landscape design. Utilizing Ameri-Tech as the third party allows the matters to be kept at the business level and not turn into a neighbor against neighbor situation that creates ill will. Well-designed policy resolutions establish procedures for Ameri-Tech to follow in administering community policies and practices. When the Agent is placed in this role there is an opportunity for the Board to serve in the capacity of handling appeals and special considerations/exceptions that might be appropriate, creating a more positive role for the Board. Reports are available to keep Board and committee members up to date of events within their community.

PLANS
Administrative and maintenance month by month calendar plans are routinely utilized by Ameri-Tech to identify a schedule of events and tasks. The maintenance schedule lists various maintenance and repair activities for each month, which helps the Board and members to understand when events occur and according to the planned budget. The Administrative calendar identifies Board and Committee meeting schedules, advance planning and adoption of the Association budget, annual meeting, major projects, etc. These road maps assist the Board and Management in identifying agenda items for upcoming meetings so that contract proposals, policy resolutions and other decision making materials and information are available to the Board. These tools can be shared with the membership at large so that they also understand the planning and timing for various activities.

COMMUNICATIONS
Periodic communications with the membership is important in maintaining a healthy community. Members have the right to be aware of Association activities and how they impact the value of their housing investment. Ameri-Tech can work with the Board of Directors through newsletters, web sites and other communications tools to meet the needs of the community. Well-informed members are more likely to understand and support community policies and projects, and provide support to Board members.

PLANNING
Operating budgets are routinely reviewed and adjusted annually based on normal inflation and changing needs of the Association. Ameri-Tech prefers to utilize extensive budget notes to provide a description of each budget item. Budget notes help the membership to understand the financial needs of the Association and the level of projected services, improving community wide support.

Capital reserve studies and budgets are required by state laws under the Condominium and Planned Community Acts. Ameri - Tech has considerable experience in both the development and administration of capital reserve budgets and the administration of implementing the plans. A component often lacking in reserve studies is periodic maintenance of reserve components. A good operating budget and capital reserve maintenance program can have a significant effect on the life of various building components and reduce the potential for more costly repairs. A variety of approaches can be used by older communities in bringing their capital reserve funding to an appropriate level and to become compliant with current law. The Board will find the need to occasionally use architectural and engineering consultants to provide evaluations and plans for the maintenance and repair of some elements. Reserve studies should be more than simply listing components and calculating their projected replacement costs. A major responsibility of the Board of Directors is setting a standard to preserve property values by implementing a timely and quality maintenance and replacement program for their Association. Failure to meet a reasonable standard may have legal ramifications for Board members.

When Ameri-Tech prepares a capital reserve budget there is an opportunity for the Board to be involved in the process for a higher level of understanding. Records and calculations are within Ameri-Tech's system and frequent updates and scenarios can be made available more readily and at considerably less cost than using an outside consultant to provide updates. The Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for approving all capital reserve studies and their involvement in the process can greatly improve their understanding of the reserve, components, costs and maintenance/replacement schedule. The reserve study should also be presented in an easy to understand format with appropriate descriptions for each item.

RECORDS
Association records should be kept in good order and provide an appropriate history of events and activities. Ameri-Tech utilizes an extensive master filing system, both paper and electronic, to retain records for each client. These records remain the property of the Association. Many records are scanned into electronic files to reduce the volume of paper storage needs. These files can be provided to clients in CD form. Records in electronic format provide an opportunity for sharing information via the internet. Copies of documents can be printed for those clients preferring the paper approach.

WORK ORDERS
A work order system is utilized extensively by Ameri-Tech to document activities including, but not limited to: maintenance requests by individual owners; routine scheduling and assignment of common areas maintenance; client complaints; requests for information and documents; memorializing and cataloging correspondence and e-mails on a variety of subjects; Board and committee communications; and other items appropriate to the history of Association business activities. The information is filed according to subject category and can be retrieved in report form for all activity or for specific categories. A profile can be obtained on a particular subject to assist in decision making, such as roof repair history for all buildings, or all maintenance and repairs at a specific address . A report of the most recent 60-days is routinely provided to Board members along with their monthly financial reports. Work orders are initiated based on phone calls, correspondence, meeting decisions, routine scheduling of services, e-mails and other sources. E-mails and other electronic communications can be imported into work orders. The work order identifies the request, assignment of the activity and when appropriate is used to provide a response or capture the results of an activity or request.

MAINTENANCE SERVICES
Too many communities, especially condominiums and townhouses, have more favorable and cost effective results when experienced maintenance personnel familiar with the community are routinely assigned to provide those services. Ameri-Tech has a group of maintenance personnel that provides handyman services at an hourly rate that is not included within the routine management fee. Most maintenance requests are completed within one to two weeks depending on the nature of the activity and collective scheduling of multiple maintenance activities for cost efficiency. Emergency needs can be resolved immediately while many other activities can be grouped for the same visit. We have 24-hour emergency maintenance services available for our clients, all days of the year. When feasible, work is scheduled for normal business hours to avoid overtime labor rates. Swimming pool and recreation facility services are part of our normal maintenance services. Our hourly rates are considerably less than those charged by pool companies. Maintaining a swimming pool requires more than is provided by a pool service company, such as cleaning of restrooms, pool deck and furniture, etc. We utilize trained and qualified pool service personnel and in many situations the same individual is capable of taking care of other miscellaneous maintenance needs in the community, saving time and providing efficiency of services. Handyman maintenance, janitorial and swimming pool services are routinely provided by our maintenance personnel. We have weekly meetings with maintenance, management and administrative support personnel to discuss and clarify client maintenance needs, assign responsibilities and obtain updates on various projects. This collaborative effort allows for sharing of information, guidance on tasks to be performed and allows for greatly improved efficiency and administration of maintenance related activities. This efficiency and planning is part of the built in management plan for our communities when determining the proposed level of management services and the time needed to provide those services. Variations to our routine and recommended approach typically require more time of a manager, which translates into additional costs to the client.

INSURANCE
Insurance has become a major issue for many communities, especially the impact of claims on the cost and availability of coverage. Working with an insurance risk consultant we have identified new lines of insurance to improve Directors' & Officers' liability and fidelity coverage. Avoiding claims, clarifying areas of insurance responsibility, and the level of deductibles are among those items that contribute to a better insurance program and reducing the risk of higher insurance premiums.

USER PAYS CONCEPT
Many of our clients prefer the “user pays concept” whereby those individual members requiring considerable attention, special services, and/or are uncooperative in following community policies, are obligated to reimburse the Association's administrative costs. Some of these areas include collections with delinquent accounts, compliance actions, design review/ARC applications, etc. These types of charges need to be identified in advance with members so that they are aware of costs and procedures, which are easily captured within the policy resolutions.

ADMINISTRATION OF UNIT SALES
Ameri-Tech provides assistance to owners, their mortgage company and title company/escrow officer. Costs for these services are paid by the individual owners rather than attempting to burden the Association. The ongoing ability of the escrow officers and mortgage companies to have a central contact on behalf of the Association is most important in helping the Association to collect appropriate funds from both the Buyer and the Seller, plus providing information for use by realtors, mortgage companies, buyers and the new owners.

BUILDERS
Builder warranties related to new construction can be a challenging issue for an Association. Our experience has demonstrated considerable success in helping the Board of Directors to work with the Builder/Developer to resolve warranty issues. We can help facilitate the team of consultants, attorneys and others resolving issues while providing guidance, information and understanding to the Board of Directors through the process. Avoiding litigation is generally the preferred path and is much less expensive to an Association. An Association is normally unable to recover its legal and consulting costs when challenging a Builder or Developer.

Early identification of issues allows the Builder/Developer to often rely on the warranties of their sub-contractors to correct construction problems and reduce costs to themselves and the Association. This special consulting service is not part of the routine management list of services and is available to clients at an additional fee.