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1 unit / updateunit / updateunit / updateunit /up dateunit/ updateunit / updateunit /updateuni t/ updateunit / updateunit / update This is a publication of UnitCare Services and is offered as information only and isnot intended as a substitute for professional 193 4872 3265 UnitCare 1 UnitCare ServicesUnitCare ServicesUnitCare ServicesUnitCare ServicesUnitCare Servicesphonephonephonephonephone08 8364 002208 8364 002208 8364 002208 8364 002208 8364 0022faxfaxfaxfaxfax08 8364 682208 8364 682208 8364 682208 8364 682208 8364 6822web site site site site site Box 4040 Norwood Sth Box 4040 Norwood Sth Box 4040 Norwood Sth Box 4040 Norwood Sth Box 4040 Norwood Sth 506746 Kensington Road, Rose Park46 Kensington Road, Rose Park46 Kensington Road, Rose Park46 Kensington Road, Rose Park46 Kensington Road, Rose Park4 hours emergencies - must phone 8364 0022 for up to date numbersafter hours emergencies - must phone 8364 0022 for up to date numbersafter hours emergencies - must phone 8364 0022 for up to date numbersafter hours emergencies - must phone 8364 0022 for up to date numbersafter hours emergencies - must phone 8364 0022 for up to date numbersEMERGENCYEMERGENCYEMERGENCYEMERGE NCYEMERGENCYNUMBERSNUMBERSNUMBERSNUMBERS NUMBERSS erviceServiceServiceServiceServiceNumber NumberNumberNumberNumberPlumbing , Gas, Roof Leaks8356 27508356 27508356 27508356 27508356 2750 Electrical8244 07338244 07338244 07338244 07338244 0733 Breakins.

2 & Glazing0437 818 4490437 818 4490437 818 4490437 818 4490437 818 449 Police to attend - noise/robbery etc131 444131 444131 444131 444131 444 State Emergency Services132 500132 500132 500132 500132 500 Published by UnitCare ServicesEdition No 1 Gordon Russell CPMM anaging 08spring 08spring 08spring 08spring 08 NNNNNEWEWEWEWEW W W W W WATERATERATERATERATER C C C C CHARGESHARGESHARGESHARGESHARGES ANDANDANDANDAND R R R R READINGSEADINGSEADINGSEADINGSEADINGS spring 08spring 08spring 08spring 08spring 08 SSSSSTOPTOPTOPTOPTOP W W W W WAITINGAITINGAITINGAITINGAITING - C - C - C - C - CELEBRATEELEBRATEELEBRATEELEBRATEELEBRAT E L L L L LIFEIFEIFEIFEIFE N N N N NOWOWOWOWOWC heersGordon Russell CPMps: Do you have any friends who need to read ournewsletter? Ring and we will post one out Sometimes we overlook celebrating thoseimportant in our lives. The following is athoughful piece written by Ruth Ostrow in theWeekend Australian this month I was invited to what might beconsidered a strange event.

3 A leadinginternational businessman hosted what wasdescribed on the invitation as an event tocelebrate "An occasion of Happiness" in Sydneyfor a gathering of his Australian friends, many ofwhom were corporate celebration felt like a wedding orengagement party. Guests were seated at tablesin a lovely hotel; it was beautifully catered. Butwhile there was speculation as to the "realreason" for the event, including the host'sbirthday which was coming soon, he maintainedthat he merely wanted to "celebrate life, love andthose close to me"."Some of these dear people sitting here tonight,"he confided to me, gesturing around the room,"won't be here this time next year. Or perhapsthe year after that. We never know what thefuture will bring. We must celebrate themoment, for no reason. Just because now is allwe have. We must show our appreciation ofeach other," The evening's speeches consistedof friends acknowledging him while he, in turn,said fine words about each of 's rare to see a sacred ceremony where peopleacknowledge one another, particularly comingfrom the corporate elite.

4 The only other time I'veseen it done on a large scale was last year whenI went to a "pre-funeral" wake for the formerpresident of the Byron Bay chamber ofcommerce, Tony Narracott, in which he got topay respects to friends whogot to pay respects to him inan elaborate party before made me reflect on thosedear to me who I wished I dpaid homage to while theywere alive. Why wait until it stoo late to say all thosepowerful words?This materialistic society inwhich we live thrives onmaking people feelinadequate and unhappy,thereby prompting us all tokeep consuming in order tofeel better. As one funny quip Iheard on TV in passing theother night went: If womenwere conditioned to feel goodabout themselves, wholeeconomies would nice to stop the madnessfor a short time and celebrate the greatness in usall, simply by telling our friends how valuable theyare, how well they are doing, for no apparentreason, and hearing praise in return. Hey, younever know, "Acknowledgement Parties" couldend up all the rage in the trendy suburbs on aSaturday night.

5 Water has increased it's water use charges. The following is an extract from thenewsletter of Strata Water Solutions. It explains the changes including the quarterlyreading of water have reported previously of the likely change from half yearly reading ofmeters to quarterly reading and billing. The first stage in that process hascommenced and your SAWater meter is now to be read quarterly. Probably thequarterly account rendering will commence on 1st July 2009 depending on theintroduction of Government and when a public announcement is made on this issue it will use this logic1. Quarterly accounts will be more manageable particularly for the elderlyand With scarce water resources, the public will be made more aware of theirwater will be up front and in the face on a regular basisThere would be other reasons improved cashflow but my prediction isthat sooner or later this creates the opportunity for the introduction ofseasonal pricing of water. In the quarter January to March when thereservoirs are low, the price per kilolitre is raised to reflect the scarcity.

6 Gasand Electricity providers have summer and winter tariffs why wouldn t thesame apply to water ?There are 600,000 water meters in this State. I suspect the cost of readingthose meters four times a year will quickly find its way into the quarterlysupply charges to Price Changes from 1/7/081 120 Kls $ per kilolitre120 520 Kls $ per kilolitre> 520 Kls $ per kilolitreAverage usage (all units with sub meters)2004/5 Kls2005/6 kls Cost 2007/8 Cost 2007/8 Cost 2007/8 Cost 2007/8 Cost 2007/8 -$ Cost 2008/9 Cost 2008/9 Cost 2008/9 Cost 2008/9 Cost 2008/9 - $ (+$ )Strata Water Solutions supply, install and read private water meters at some of ourclient groups by UnitCare Servicesunit/ updateunit / updateunit /updat eunit/ updateunit /update2 UnitCareUnitCare 3trees for life volunteerbest practiceTTTTTREESREESREESREESREES FORFORFORFORFOR L L L L LIFEIFEIFEIFEIFE - H - H - H - H - HOWOWOWOWOW Y Y Y Y YOUOUOUOUOU C C C C CANANANANAN H H H H HELPELPELPELPELP O O O O OURURURURUR E E E E ENVIRONMENTNVIRONMENTNVIRONMENTNVIRONMEN TNVIRONMENTAAAAAPPOINTMENTPPOINTMENTPPOI NTMENTPPOINTMENTPPOINTMENT P P P P PLEASELEASELEASELEASELEASEPPPPPAULAULAUL AULAUL H H H H HASASASASAS M M M M MOVEDOVEDOVEDOVEDOVED O O O O ONNNNNIn case you have not heard Paul Raine, one of ourmanagers has moved on to sell real estate.

7 His fellowteam member Janice Marshall has been joined byfellow staff member Kate Plew to look after theportfolio. We wish him well in his new career FFFFFINALISTINALISTINALISTINALISTINALIST INININININ S S S S STATETATETATETATETATE A A A A AWARDSWARDSWARDSWARDSWARDSUnitCare Services is a finalistin this years Real EstateInstitute Excellence in RealEstate is the first year that theREISA has included BodyCorporate Managers in awards ceremony will beheld at the EntertainmentCentre in October this will of course let you know how we go BBBBBESTESTESTESTEST P P P P PRACTICERACTICERACTICERACTICERACTICE - M - M - M - M - MEETINGSEETINGSEETINGSEETINGSEETINGS & Q & Q & Q & Q & QUORUMSUORUMSUORUMSUORUMSUORUMSWe are continuing our new column where we tackle bodycorporate issues and look at best practice in This edition we look at calling meetings Strata and Community Titled groups there are twotypes of meetings. The first is a general meeting of allowners, these include the Annual General Meeting.

8 Thesecond is a meeting of the management Meetings:General Meetings:General Meetings:General Meetings:General Meetings:The legislation for both community & strata titles requiresat least 14 days written notice to all owners [Strata TitlesAct (STA) Sect 33. Community Titles Act (CTA) Sect 81].Those calling the meeting must take reasonable steps toensure that the proposed day, time and place arereasonably convenient to a majority of members of can call a general meeting?Who can call a general meeting?Who can call a general meeting?Who can call a general meeting?Who can call a general meeting?For a Strata Corporation, a meeting can be called bythe secretary of the corporation, by any two membersof the management committee of the corporation orthe unit holders of one-fifth or more of the totalnumber of a Community Corporation, a meeting can be calledby the presiding officer, treasurer or secretary of thecorporation, by any two members of the managementcommittee of the corporation or by a member ormembers of the corporation, the value of whose lotentitlement or combined lot entitlements is 20 per centor more of the aggregate value of all the lotentitlements; or who holds, or who together hold, 20per cent or more of the total number of communitylots in the will we know if we have a quorum?

9 How will we know if we have a quorum?How will we know if we have a quorum?How will we know if we have a quorum?How will we know if we have a quorum?For Strata - a quorum consisting of persons entitled toexercise the voting power in respect of not less thanone-half of the units, is present at the time when themeeting proceeds to business. The quorum for a stratacorporation of 9 units would be 9/2 = (round up forwhole number) = 5, for a group of 10 would be 10/2 = Community - a quorum for the transaction ofbusiness at a general meeting is determined bydividing the number of persons entitled to attend andvote at the meeting by two, disregarding any fractionand adding one. The quorum for a communitycorporation of 9 units would be 9/2 = (ignorefraction) = 4 + 1 = 5, for a group of 10 would be 10/2= 5 + 1 = not forget to count proxies as persons to do if you are short of a quorum?What to do if you are short of a quorum?What to do if you are short of a quorum?What to do if you are short of a quorum?

10 What to do if you are short of a quorum?Both the STA & CTA allow for the meeting to berecalled in 7 to 14 days time if a quorum is not presentwithin 1/2 hour of the meeting start time. Whoeverturns up at that time forms a :Hint:Hint:Hint:Hint: If you have less than a quorum continue as if youdo with all decisions subject to ratification at thereconvened meeting in 7 to 14 days time. Distributethe draft minutesto all owners withthe notice of thereconvenedmeeting. On theproxy form thesecretary can askowners to approveor otherwise thedraft minutes. Thebenefit is that theowners whoshowed interest byturning up usefully use the time and do not have toreattend. Our experience is that owners appreciate thisapproach. Remember that no action can be taken onresolutions of the inquorate meeting until and if theminutes are Meetings:Committee Meetings:Committee Meetings:Committee Meetings:Committee Meetings:The legislation for both community & strata titles requiresat least 3 days written notice to all committee members[Strata Titles Act (STA) Sect.]