A Wonderful Breakfast Worth Waking Up For www.Culinary.net April 6, 2023 Share Waking up, no matter how late, can be such a drag. You’re moving slow and cuddled up under the blankets. However, your stomach is growling which means eventually you are going to have to arise. When you do stumble out of bed, it’s time to get the day started with a delicious casserole on your plate. It’s a warm, freshly baked Overnight Apple Cinnamon Fresh Toast Casserole. Prepared the day before and chilled overnight, this casserole is ready to throw in the oven once you’re up. It’s gooey on the inside and baked to a perfect crisp on the outside, plus it’s filled with mouthwatering apples and ground cinnamon, not to mention the sweet glaze drizzled on top at the end. It’s perfect for any breakfast or brunch occasion and the little ones will enjoy the sweet crunch, as well. To start, add cubed French bread to a glass baking dish. Add apple pie filling on top of the bread and smooth it out over the entire dish. Then add more cubed French bread on top. In a mixing bowl, whisk nine eggs, half-and-half and cinnamon. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and chill overnight. Remove the foil and bake for about an hour. Let cool. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk to form a sweet glaze. Drizzle the glaze over your warm casserole and enjoy. Whether you are waking up on an early Monday morning or lounging around in your pajamas for an hour (or two) over the weekend, this breakfast casserole is worth the wait. Find more breakfast and brunch recipes at: www.Culinary.net . If you made this recipe at home, use #MyCulinaryConnection on your favorite social network to share your work. Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole Servings: 12 Nonstick cooking spray • 1 package (20 ounces) French bread, cubed, divided • 1 can (20 ounces) apple pie filling • 9 eggs • 1 cup half-and-half • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 cup powdered sugar, plus additional (optional) • 2 tablespoons milk, plus additional (optional) Spray 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In baking dish, add 10 ounces cubed French bread in bottom of dish. Pour apple filling over bread. Top with remaining cubed French bread. Set aside. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread. Cover with aluminum foil and chill overnight. Heat oven to 325 F. Remove foil and bake 50-60 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes. In small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and milk. Add additional, if needed, until pourable glaze is reached. Drizzle over casserole before serving. < Previous News Next News >

Hollywood Gets A Community Shuttle Program Thu Oct 27 2022 16:16:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Surprise Powerz: Popular STEM Dolls Available At Macy’s Aventura March 10, 2023 Share Surprise Powerz, providers of educational talking STEM dolls that make it easy for girls to build confidence in critical subjects like math and science, today announced that their 16-inch dolls are available for sale at Macy’s Aventura in Florida at 19535 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura, Florida 33180. March is a crucial month for women and girls - Women's History Month, Expanding Girls' Horizons in Science and Engineering Month and Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 being Science Education Day. Surprise Powerz dolls inspire young girls to build curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and confidence. A recent study found that by third grade, most children believe boys are more interested in computer science and engineering than girls. Furthermore, the study notes, "the more that individual girls endorse gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys in computer science and engineering, the lower their interest and sense of belonging in these fields." This results in young girls being systematically tracked away from Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in schools - limiting their future opportunities. Women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce. Surprise Powerz’ educational talking STEM dolls make it easy for girls to gain confidence in the critical subjects of math, science, and more. The dolls, created for toddlers and preschoolers ages two to five, encourage counting, STEM vocabulary, problem-solving, and healthy imaginative pretend to play. The dolls: Astro the Astronaut, Vera the Vet, Maria the Mathmagician, and Codie the Coder were conceived to spark curiosity and engage kids in the world of STEM while helping them reach developmental milestones. Each time the doll's hand is squeezed, she can deliver one of 75 phrases, singalongs, and sound effects - all of which encourage playing and learning. The toys also feature a diverse range of real girls' voices to reflect ethnicity and create an authentic experience - with Maria, the Mathmagician speaking both English and some Spanish. "This is a great time to celebrate the future breakthroughs that our toddler and preschool girls are capable of. It's also a great time to empower our young girls to know they can be anything they put their minds to, and one day they can change this world to be a better place,” said Surprise Powerz Founder Kristel Bell. “Like most women today, the girl toys available when I was a kid were for playing princess or mommy. As an adult, I was surprised that girls’ toys hadn’t changed much. Boys’ toys, in contrast, were already teaching critical skills in serious subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math. So it’s no surprise that many girls lose confidence in those subjects as early as nine." Noting this imbalance fueled Bell to create her line of toys to equip girls with critical skills like curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. Bell founded Surprise Powerz because she believes in empowering girls and understands that girls need dolls that look and sound like them to instill confidence and facilitate STEM learning from an early age. “As a professor who focuses on early science, math, and engineering in the early childhood classroom, I can state without hesitation that the Surprise Powerz Stem Dolls are a wonderful addition to the STEM toys-for-kids market,” says Kathleen Sheridan, Ph.D. “The focus on empowering young girls to engage in science activities and careers is laudable.” The dolls are available at Macy’s Aventura and at: https://www.macys.com/ for $64.99. For more information, please visit: www.surprisepowerz.com - Call: (313) 467-4365 Or email: media@surprisepowerz.com < Previous News Next News >

2.6 Million Students Begin New School Year Across Israel As 260,000 Teachers Return To Classrooms Aventura Digest Sep 17, 2026 According To Israel's Ministry Of Education, The Country's Education System Opened The 2026-2027 School Year Today At Approximately 28,000 Educational Institutions Across The Country. About 2.6 million students began the year, including approximately 180,000 first-grade students taking their first steps in school and approximately 143,000 twelfth-grade students beginning their final year in the education system. Approximately 260,000 teaching staff began the new school year nationwide, per Ministry figures. Within that national opening, Israel Sci-Tech Schools (ISTS), Israel's largest independent “charter” school network, welcomed 100,000 students today across 265 educational institutions in 57 towns and municipalities throughout the country, supported by 8,373 teachers and staff. "We are excited to open the new school year with an outstanding education staff that gives students the knowledge, tools, and sense of capability to dare, take initiative, and make an impact," said Raz Frohlich, CEO of Israel Sci-Tech Schools Network. "We are proud to raise, at ISTS, a curious, values-driven, and engaged generation that acts for the benefit of Israeli society. We will continue to cultivate excellence in values and academics, out of belief in our students and their ability to lead tomorrow." Frohlich added: "Our role is not only to provide knowledge. Our role is to create the environment in which they will discover who they can be - to build a community of excellence, values, innovation, responsibility, and a sense of mission. To be the place where the seeds are planted that shape the Israeli society of tomorrow. This was the mission of the pioneers and leaders more than a hundred years ago, and it is also our mission today. I wish all of us a meaningful, successful school year.” About Israel Sci-Tech Schools: Founded in 1949, Israel Sci-Tech Schools is Israel’s largest independent charter school network, educating 100,000 students across 264 middle and high schools, vocational training centers, and colleges of practical engineering in 54 municipalities. The network delivers inclusive, life-changing iSTEAM education (innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to students from all backgrounds—Jewish (secular to Haredi), Muslim, Christian, Bedouin, and Druze—regardless of gender, religion, or socio-economic status. Through academic excellence and values-driven leadership, the network empowers students to succeed in high-demand 21st-century careers and helps close social and economic gaps in Israeli society. Previous Next

History Fort Lauderdale Presents “Three By The River” - Artists-In-Residence Annual Show From Thursday, June 4th 2026 – Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 South Florida Sun Times May 28, 2026 History Fort Lauderdale Presents “Three By The River,” An Artists-In-Residence Annual Exhibition, From Thursday, June 4th, 2026 To Tuesday, June 30th, 2026. Featured Will Be Acrylics By Constance Ivana, Mixed Media Works By Stephanie McMillan, And Portraits By Florencia Clement de Grandprey. An Opening Reception And Meet-And-Greet With The Artists Will Take Place On Thursday, June 4th, 2026 From 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., At The New River Inn Museum Of History Building On History Fort Lauderdale’s Campus. Complimentary Light Bites And Beverages Will Be Provided. “We’re proud to continue creating opportunities for artists and the community to connect through art and culture,” said Patricia Zeiler, Executive Director of History Fort Lauderdale. “’Three by the River’ highlights a diverse range of creative perspectives and celebrates the imagination and talent that help shape South Florida’s vibrant arts scene.” Constance Ivana is a Fort Lauderdale–based Mural Artist and visual creative passionate about creating bold, vibrant artwork that sparks reflection, conversation, and joy. Her art is inspired by social justice, Black stories, women’s voices, and nature. Stephanie McMillan is a third-generation Fort Lauderdale resident and artist. Her distinctive style combines affectionate humor with the bright colors of the sunny tropics. A graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, with a focus in animation, she began drawing illustrations and editorial cartoons, for which she won several Florida Press Club awards. This led to 25 years as a widely published freelance cartoonist and illustrator producing award-winning editorial cartoons, syndicated comic strips, comic journalism, and graphic novels. In recent years she has returned to painting, drawing, and mixed media assemblage. She is the author/illustrator of several books including As the World Burns and The Beginning of the American Fall: A Comics Journalist Inside the Occupy Wall Street Movement (Seven Stories Press). Her original sketches, illustrations, comics, and papers are archived at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University. Born and raised in southern Spain, Florencia Clement de Grandprey is a self-taught mixed media figurative artist whose mission is to empower and inspire through meaningful and uplifting artwork. Her artistic journey began in 2014 when she left her full-time job in interior design to follow her true passion: painting. Clement de Grandprey has developed a style without rules, granting her the freedom to express herself fully. She blends her love for the classic masters with contemporary design, resulting in unique mixed media paintings. Her award-winning work celebrates strong, confident, soul-aligned men and women. She aims to highlight our unique, perfectly imperfect nature, bringing out our strengths and beauty as a reminder of who we truly are. She ensures that a variety of ethnicities are represented, making everyone feel seen and honored in her art. History Fort Lauderdale, proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, hosts a variety of engaging multicultural experiences, year-round. It seeks to bring awareness to the community through both traveling exhibits and multiple permanent exhibits including “Women Trailblazers,” “Fort Lauderdale – the Early Years,” “The Roots of Resilience: The Journey of Black Broward,” “Fashion & Musical Theatre,” “From Dugouts to Dream Yachts: the story of boatbuilding along the New River,” Seminole Arts & Culture,” “New River Archaeology,” “Viva Fort Lauderdale: Celebrating Hispanic Art & Culture,” and “Take PRIDE, a retrospective on LGBTQ life in South Florida.” History Fort Lauderdale’s Artists-in-Residence Annual Show is sponsored by the following funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Jan and Ed Crocker Unrestricted Fund, Leo M. and Alice J. Rutten Fund and The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Broward Community Fund. Additional funding is provided, in part, by Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward County Cultural Council and Visit Lauderdale. History Fort Lauderdale is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. with docent guided tours, daily, at 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Group walking tours are available upon special request. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors and $7 for students (through age 22 with a valid student ID). Admission is free for members, military and children ages six and under. Tickets are available online at: HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets. For more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call: (954) 463-4431. Or visit us online at: https://historyfortlauderdale.org . Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ftlhistory , on Instagram @ftlhistory and on Twitter @FTLHistory. Subscribe to us on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/user/FTLhistory . History Fort Lauderdale Since 1962, History Fort Lauderdale has served as the proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors. It brings the stories of our diverse community to life through engaging educational experiences, innovative cultural exhibits, research, and preservation of artifacts. Guests to Fort Lauderdale are invited to explore the city’s rich past that is housed in historic buildings on a lushly landscaped campus - the History Museum of Fort Lauderdale situated in the 1905 New River Inn, the 1907 Pioneer House Museum, the 1899 Ivy Cromartie Schoolhouse Museum and the Hoch Research Library, South Florida’s foremost history center housing print resources and newspapers from 1910 - present plus 400,000 archival photos, 2,500 maps and 5,000 architectural blueprints. History Fort Lauderdale is located at 231 Southwest Second Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301. Tickets are available online at: http://bit.ly/HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets . History Fort Lauderdale is a NonProfit agency supported by memberships, grants and charitable contributions. “Universal Reflection,” 46" x 62" hand-painted acrylic on fiber, by Florencia Clement de Grandprey “Representation,” acrylic, by Constance Ivana “Superorganism,” mixed media, 78”x 48” by Stephanie McMillan Previous Next

Raising The Curtain On A New Arts Season: A Halloween Dance Party, Heart-Pounding Rock And Roll, Comedy And Family-Friendly Theater Thu Sep 22 2022 16:08:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Time Has Come For Rosemary's Miami: Highly-Anticipated NYC Mainstay Opening To The Public On Friday, February 7th February 6, 2025 Share The much-anticipated opening for Rosemary’s Wynwood has arrived! The beloved Italian neighborhood restaurant from New York City will open in the heart of Wynwood located at 322 Northwest 25th Street, Miami, Florida 33127 on Friday, February 7th, 2025. The brainchild of Casa Nela Hospitality Group Founder/Owner Carlos Suarez, Rosemary’s Miami is a bit of a homecoming for the Cuban-English restaurateur, whose family called Miami home for close to 20 years. “The foundation of the Rosemary’s concept is comfort, a space to step out of your busy life for a moment and enjoy delicious food at affordable prices in a place that evokes the feel of the Italian countryside.” To that end, and much like its northern predecessor, Rosemary’s Wynwood is firmly planting its roots by repurposing a single-story shoe warehouse and adjacent empty lot, transforming them into a lush oasis for al fresco dining, set amidst an urban farm inspired by the Tuscan countryside, developed in partnership with Miami’s Little River Cooperative. In fact, partnerships and collaborations with hometown heroes and organizations such as Little River Cooperative is a foundational aspect of the Rosemary’s brand. No doubt, Rosemary’s Wynwood will deliver a thoughtful and elevated dining experience rooted in sustainability and locally sourced ingredients while reminding the wider community that great design and food can be approachable. At the helm in Miami is Executive Chef Craig Giunta, whose impressive vitae includes Mother Wolf, Concours Club, and Macchialina. At Rosemary’s, Giunta will focus on locally sourced ingredients – many of which will be grown in the restaurant’s garden, emulating the West Village location’s famed rooftop farm. The menu – echoing Rosemary’s deep-rooted connection to the land – will showcase a variety of seasonal vegetables, handmade pastas, and fresh seafood. Diners can expect an array of Focaccia, along with house favorites such as Eggplant Caponata with Roasted Vegetables, Pine Nuts and Agrodolce; Orecchiette with House-Made Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Fresno Chili and Parmigiano; and Chopped Salad “Siciliana” with Escarole, Olives, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Crispy Chickpeas, Ricotta Salata and Almonds. For dessert, guests can indulge in the popular Olive Oil Cake, Tiramisu and Bombolini with Nutella Crema. A creative cocktail list will offer Italian Spritzes, zero-proof libations, and twists on the classics. The Wine List will feature Italian Wines, curated to complement the menu. Rosemary’s is named after Suarez’s mother and pays tribute to her delicious, made-with-love home-cooked meals and the vegetable garden she tends in Lucca, Italy. It was the glow of these memories that sowed the seeds for what would become Rosemary’s – a restaurant that evokes the spirit of a family dining room warmed by the craft and the affection emanating from the kitchen. Combining a relaxed, botanical design, polished yet hospitality-focused service style, and delicious, reasonably-priced food, Rosemary’s is the type of neighborhood restaurant any neighborhood wants and deserves. Designed by NYC interior design firm Dekar Design, who created all seven Casa Nela restaurants, the 7,000 square foot indoor-outdoor space weaves rustic charm with modern touches. Rosemary’s will open to the public on Friday, February 7th, 2025. Address: 322 Northwest 25th Street in Wynwood, Florida 33127. Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Daily. Lunch, Brunch, and Happy Hour coming soon. For additional information, please click: www.rosemarysnyc.com/location/miami - Stay up-to-date on Social Media: @rosemarysrestaurant. < Previous News Next News >

A Legacy Of Hope: This Month Commemorates Black History Month By Hallandale Beach Mayor, Joy Cooper February 20, 2025 Share Over the weekend, our Hallandale Beach Police Athletic League held its Annual Comedy Show and with great success, having a sold-out room for a great cause. Gulfstream Park graciously provides their beautiful venue. The show that featured MC Richie Minervini, Jeff Norris, and John Joseph with Special Guest Mr. Bruce Smirnoff left the crowd in stitches. For more information, visit: Facebook - PAL of Hallandale Beach. The Legacy of Hope Senior Group Activity for our seniors over 60 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center. This month the group commemorates Black History Month. This Wednesday, February 19th 2025, at 12:00 p.m./Noon for “Painting with a Twist” sponsored by WellCare. Bring your painting, lunch and enough to share. Come and enjoy games, giveaways, and 50/50 raffle. Join us every Wednesday at Noon for a different activity and bring your plastic bags for the “Bags to Beds” initiative. This week, our Commission meets for both the HBCRA and our regular commission meeting at City Hall Commission Chambers at 5:30 p.m. Attending the City of Hallandale Beach by attending a City Commission Meeting. The City Commission encourages citizen participation in the local government process. The City Commission conducts these meetings in an orderly and efficient way to complete City business in a timely manner. The agenda items for this week include, the September Monthly Budget Report, an agreement for Swim Safety Courses, Crosswalk Project, 24-25 Budget on Second Readings, Zoning and Land Development Code, Off-Street Parking, Departments/Naming Conventions, Annual City Manager Evaluation, City Manager Employment Agreement, National League of Cities, One Hallandale Family Fun Field Day, Elections and CRA Discussion. All meetings are available to watch online and you may provide eComments just as public participation. It is important to note that the meetings are accessible on the city website by clicking on the Agenda option. Hallandale Beach’s citizens and taxpayers can express their opinions on the operation of City government and encourage citizen participation in the local government process. Any individual may speak on any agenda item and/or any subject pertinent to the City. Every individual wishing to address the City Commission is encouraged to sign in with the City Clerk prior to the meeting. Public participation during all items is limited to three minutes, however, the City Commission may allow more time at their discretion. When addressing the City Commission during public participation, speakers are requested to provide their name and city of residency. Speakers shall confine their comments solely to the agenda item being discussed or to matters related to City business. Unless it is an agenda item, speakers are prohibited from discussing their own pending court cases and filing claims against the City or City personnel. Speakers may not engage in commercial advertisement or electioneering. As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our City a better place on my Phone/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or you can email me at: jcooper@cohb.org . Please visit me on my Facebook Page at Mayor Joy Cooper. Like! Follow! Share! < Previous News Next News >

Grant Kemmerer & Friends: Presented By The City of Aventura Mon Aug 16 2021 04:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Awareness Is Key: 3 Steps To Help Recognize Stroke Signs And Risks For Better Outcomes By Feature Impact May 21, 2026 A Stroke Can Happen To Anyone At Any Age. In Fact, Every 40 Seconds Someone In The United States Has A Stroke, With Approximately 800,000 People Experiencing A Stroke Annually, According To The American Heart Association, Making It A Leading Cause Of Death And Serious, Long-Term Disability. A Stroke happens when normal blood flow in the brain is interrupted. When parts of the brain don’t get the oxygen-rich blood they need, those cells die. However, many Strokes may be prevented, treated and overcome by understanding the risk factors and taking steps toward managing them. “When a Stroke happens, every minute matters,” said Dr. Adrian Jaquin-Valdivia, a Stroke Neurologist at HCA Healthcare and American Stroke Association volunteer expert. “The faster someone gets treatment, the better the chance of saving Brain Function. On average, nearly 2 million brain cells die every minute a Stroke goes untreated. Early treatment improves survival rates and reduces disability.” Take control of your brain health with this information from the American Stroke Association. Know the Warning Signs Because Strokes do not discriminate, knowing the signs is key. To help you recognize common warning signs and symptoms of stroke and take action in moments that matter, remember this simple acronym: B.E. F.A.S.T. B: Balance loss – sudden difficulty with walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination. E: Eye (or vision) changes – sudden vision loss or trouble seeing in one or both eyes. F: Face drooping – one side of the face droops or feels numb; a smile may look uneven. A: Arm weakness – one arm feels weak or numb or drifts downward when raised. S: Speech difficulty – a telltale sign of a stroke is slurred speech or trouble speaking. T: Time to call 911 – If someone is having any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call emergency services immediately to jumpstart care. Be sure to check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms started. Explore the signs by playing the interactive, web-based B.E. F.A.S.T. Experience to see what Stroke symptoms may look, feel and sound like. Take Steps to Protect Your Health Approximately 80% of Strokes are preventable, according to the American Stroke Association. Everyday choices – such as eating well, moving more, not smoking and keeping up with routine health screenings, along with managing risk factors with the support of a health care professional – can help lower Stroke risk. Manage Risk Factors High Blood Pressure is the leading risk factor for Stroke, according to the 2025 American Heart Association/ACC Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Controlling Blood Pressure through regular checkups, at-home monitoring, following your treatment plan and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of Stroke and support overall brain health. Additionally, having a Stroke or a Mini-Stroke, known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), increases the chances of having a second one. That’s why identifying what caused your Stroke and reducing your personal risk factors can help protect your health and reduce the risk of another Stroke. To learn more about Stroke risk factors and better understand the warning signs, visit: www.Stroke.org/StrokeMonth , where you can also access stroke support services and subscribe to the Stroke Connection e-newsletter for the latest resources. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Reducing your personal risk factors can help protect your health and reduce the risk of having a Stroke. Previous Next

Who's The Boss? Association Board Or Management Company By Christopher Carter - Real Estate Broker Associate July 13, 2023 Share It is essential for everyone buying into (or already living in) a Florida Condominium Building or residential community governed by an Owners Association to fully understand the relationship between their Boards and their Management Companies. Today's discussion applies to Associations in which membership is mandatory (and attached to) buying and owning in a residential condominium building or an HOA community. These Associations are regulated by Florida Statutes and each one's Governing Documents are recorded with the local County. Many new owners and seasonal residents are realizing they are not familiar with how their Associations function and are regulated. Some admit they have never even looked through their Governing Documents. After the catastrophic structural failure and deadly collapse of Champlain Towers South Condominium Building in June 2021, the interaction and dynamics between Association Boards and their managers or Management Companies have come under close examination. Short answer: The Board of Directors has final authority over the manager and Management Company. Now let's discuss why. The Florida Condominium Act (Florida Statutes Chapter 718) and Homeowners Association Act (FS Chapter 720) place fiduciary duty on Board members to always act in the best interest of the Association as a whole, placing the financial and administrative well-being of owners above the personal interests and opinions of individual Directors. This means that Board members must make decisions and conduct Association business for the greater benefit of all Association property owners. Directors accept this fiduciary responsibility when they are elected or appointed to a seat on the Association's Board. Florida Condominium and Homeowners Board members (Directors) are unpaid owner-members in the Association who have voluntarily run for a seat on the Board and been elected under the provisions of the Condominium or Homeowners Association Act and the Association’s own Governing Documents. The elected Board must function as a group. Individual Directors cannot make decisions regarding Association business on their own. All decisions that legally or financially affect the Association must be made during a properly noticed and conducted Board of Directors meeting. (Pretty much everything that comes up has a legal or financial effect on the entire Association.) The Condominium and Homeowners Association Acts allow (do not require) Boards to contract with property managers and management companies to help the Board maintain the property and assist in its administration. Here in Florida, managers and Management Companies working for COA’s and HOA’s must have valid Community Association Manager or Community Association Management Firm licenses issued by the Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR). Managers and Management Companies are expected to provide the professional services outlined in their contracts with the Association, though do not have the same fiduciary relationship with owners as do elected Board members. Managers and companies work for the entire Association, taking their guidance and instruction from the Board. When an Association decides to hire an individual licensed manager and maintenance staff as employees, the Association is responsible for withholding taxes, Social Security contributions, and other employment costs. Under this arrangement, the manager and staff answer directly to the Association's Board of Directors. When an Association decides to contract with a licensed Management Company to oversee administration and maintenance, one of the company's licensed managers is assigned to the Association. In this case, the Property Manager is an employee of the Management Company and the company is a contracted vendor to the Association, providing the professional services agreed to in the management contract. Under this arrangement, your Association's Property Manager may also be the Property Manager for a few other Associations at the same time (this is called being a portfolio manager). There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these arrangements. When considering which may be best for your Association, it is critical to receive input from the Association's attorney and accountant. As long as their own Governing Documents and State law are properly followed, it is up to each Owners Association and their Board to decide whether they prefer to “self manage” (Board directly runs Association business without a manager) or pay a licensed manager / Management Company to help them with the ongoing operation, administration, and maintenance of the property and community. Hiring a management company or manager does not relieve the Board of its own responsibility and obligation to maintain Association property and common elements, and to conscientiously direct Association finances and governance. Examples of services that managers and Management Companies provide to Boards and Associations include: • Processing owners' payments • Arranging and overseeing property maintenance • Scheduling Association meetings • Monitoring compliance with regulations and procedures • Managing Association financial accounts (under Board direction and oversight) • Communicating Association business to all owners Without a manager or Management Company, the Board is responsible for carrying out all these operational tasks. Therefore, all Florida COA’s and HOA’s must have a Board of Directors, though there does not have to be a manager or management company unless the Association decides it wants one. In practice, Associations are NOT advised to "self manage" (no manager at all). There are FAR too many critical details involved with the efficient operation and governance of a residential Owners Association for untrained, unlicensed owners and Board members to properly address without professional assistance. Problems arise when Boards either intentionally or unknowingly give managers and management companies too much authority and independent decision-making ability. Boards doing this can be thought of as abandoning their statutory and ethical Directors' responsibilities by trying to transfer them to third-party management. Depending on the severity and the outcome under this type of circumstance, property owners may be able to bring charges of breach of fiduciary duty against the Board. Directly related to this is when Boards do not keep a close enough eye on what managers and Management Companies are doing. A prime example is the 2021 Collier County case in which a licensed Community Association Management Firm was charged with embezzling millions of dollars from the accounts of about 35 different COAs’ and HOA’s. In my opinion, this theft could have easily been prevented through proper Board oversight of manager / Management Company function and Association finances. This appears to have been a fiduciary breach (or negligence) by multiple Associations' Boards which resulted in a third-party's criminal behavior and significant loss of owners' money. There we are - a quick overview of the relationship between Association Boards and managers / Management Companies. As mentioned in multiple previous Association-related articles - the keys to owning and living in a Florida Association-governed building or community are education and participation. Use what we have discussed today to better understand and become more involved in your own COA or HOA. Editor's Note: Christopher Carter is NOT an attorney. He does not give legal advice. For interpretation and application to specific circumstances of anything you read in this article, you must speak with a Florida-Licensed attorney. Have a question or comment about anything you see here, if so, visit: www.TheFloridaRealEstateBlog.com < Previous News Next News >

There Is No Place Like Home: The Pandemic Proves The Importance of “Home” By Thomas Ryan June 24, 2021 Share Just like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, the Pandemic has proven the importance of “home” in a crisis Doctors, nurses and the scientists who created the COVID-19 Vaccines, have all emerged as heroes, during the Pandemic. But there's another, under-appreciated group that's been crucial to the country's pandemic response -- those who provide home-based medical equipment, services and care. Without fanfare or headlines, home medical equipment providers saved thousands and improved millions of lives. They are the ones who could transform, the way that we care for our elderly and infirm -- for the better. In order to fulfill that promise, home medical equipment providers, must be paid and commensurate with the value that they deliver, for their patient's and for, the broader, healthcare systems. The people most vulnerable to the Coronavirus, are the elderly and the most vulnerable among them, tragically, have been those, living in nursing homes. By treating people at home, home medical equipment providers kept millions of seniors, safe from COVID-19. Home-based care also relieved pressure on frontline healthcare workers and clinical facilities, which have been nearly overrun several times, during the Pandemic. As the Pandemic begins to wane, home care's importance, will not, it will join remote work and contactless delivery, as rather, one of the staples, of modern life. The COVID-Era surge in home care, is only an acceleration, of long-developing trends. First, our society is aging. Seniors are living longer, more active and independent lives, than ever before. Second, home care is less expensive -- often, considerably, so -- than, institutional care and so, it represents a promising strategy for tackling our nation's health cost crisis. In recent months, hospital discharge rates have started returning to Pre-Pandemic levels, but, when seniors leave the hospital, they're increasingly going home, not, to a nursing facility. Doctors, too, are becoming more supportive. According to a 2020 survey by William Blair, the proportion of doctors preferring to send patients to home health agencies over nursing homes, rose from 54 percent to 81 percent, during the Pandemic. All told, more than three in four seniors, view home care as the preferred way to age, according to an AARP survey. Families should be able care for their loved ones in the setting that works best for them -- and fosters, the highest quality of life. Unfortunately, bad policy, stands in the way of this vision. While our aging population and it's preference for home care, should mean that home medical equipment suppliers are thriving and that nearly 40 percent of them, have closed their doors, over the last decade. Why? A faulty Medicare program is unsustainably, cutting their reimbursement rates. Congress and the Biden Administration must update these rates without any delay. An increase that considers increased product costs and new operational requirements is long overdue. The industry needs to be able to guarantee salaries for its skilled workers. Otherwise, we're setting seniors up for failure. COVID-19 taught us that home may be the safest place to receive care, but, policies that don't reflect the true cost of care for life-saving equipment, represents a failure to heed that lesson. Without properly funded home care, we can expect lower-quality outcomes for patients, increased hospital re-admissions and an overall increase, in health costs. The trend toward home-based health care, is only going to accelerate and the under-appreciated heroes, who have helped us through the Pandemic, will now pivot to helping people of the Baby Boomer's age group and helping their families, to care for them. Home care is good for the patient's well-being, their family's happiness and government budgets. Washington needs to find a way to make home care providers, get the same care that they give to their's patient's with the Healthcare System. < Previous News Next News >