All 2019 HOA Board candidates are responsible for providing their own statements and answers to the five standard questions asked by the Elections Committee.  Please note that the information provided by the candidates has not been edited (other than formatted to fit the space) or verified for its accuracy by the HOA.

Michael Altman – Annandale

For the past 11 years, my wife Cheryl and I have thoroughly enjoyed living in our wonderful Legacy Park home. We appreciate and are passionate about this active, friendly and beautiful Legacy Park community. God, family and country are our ethical and moral compasses. Personally, I was honored with the opportunity to serve our country for 24 years in the United States Army. During that period, I operated as a 91 Bravo infantry solider during the Vietnam era, a combat field medic/certified EMT and finally as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Following my honorable discharge in 2004, I earned a Bachelor of Administration in Accounting from KSU and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO RUN FOR THE LEGACY PARK BOARD OF DIRECTORS?

First, I have always possessed an innate need to serve others. Accordingly, I would embrace an opportunity to be an advocate for my Legacy Park neighbors and the Legacy Park community. Additionally, being healthy and retired, I am blessed with an abundance of time and energy to give back to this remarkable community. Being on the Board is my way of contributing to Legacy Park. Bottom line, I made a thoughtful decision to employ my experience and knowledge to help make a difference for this community through positive contributions.

LEGACY PARK AND/OR RELATED ACTIVITIES:

For the past four years, I have been on the Legacy Park Board of Directors. This experience has reinforced my belief that our tennis courts, pools, sports programs and activities constitute our signature amenities. To this end, I have actively pursued every opportunity to support our Tennis Club, the Sharks’ swimming team, other sports teams and all additional activities. For example, I voted to initiate and support the youth Basketball program, Eagle Scout programs and the Girl Scouts. Furthermore, I routinely vote to support every contributing Legacy Park activity and sports programs, especially those that have family value and/or provide a positive environment for our children. Of note, I intend to support the installation of improved LED tennis court lights because I believe it will help maintain the value of our homes even as we continue to see increased competition from new communities. Lastly, I have fully supported the landscaping enhancements seen throughout Legacy Park. The definitive benefit of this approach has been the positive and direct effect on the increased value of our homes.

OTHER EXPERTISE:

With my administrative and accounting knowledge and experience, I believe the Board should move to appraise our short and long-term strategic planning goals based on the principles of Total Quality Management and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Furthermore, I fully support the continued and progressive integration with the Kennesaw/Acworth communities, increasing our security profile, especially our relationship with the Kennesaw Police Department, strictly enforcing the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions and the continual improvements to our stunning landscaping.

IN CONCLUSION:

Speaking up and challenging the status quo is a critical element of a successful board. Debate fosters a fresh perspective and positive solutions. Good corporate governance (especially in a HOA) should flow from the members to the Board and consider the needs and concerns of every Legacy Park member. If, you once again honor me as a Board Director, without reservation, I pledge your faith and trust will be honored and respected. I have been and hope to continue being the Board member who works for and represents the “Working Class Heroes” of Legacy Park.

Sincerely,
Michael C. Altman

1. What do you consider the most important job of an HOA Board member?

While always keeping the concerns and needs of the entire community foremost in my decision making process, I believe as a Board member I am morally and ethically honor bound to carry out my fiduciary duty of care by ensuring our home values and organizational assets are not only maintained, but hopefully will appreciate over the coming years. To accomplish this task requires many strategic avenues of approach. First, unyielding enforcement of the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions is paramount. One bad apple can destroy the appreciated value of everyone’s property. Second, the community’s assets must be maintained to an immaculate state. There are countless other communities contending for the every real estate dollar. Maintaining and even enhancing our superior current state of maintenance will ensure we stay on top of the real estate market. Second, the Board must ensure the safety and security of the community while providing an environment that enhances and enriches our lives. To accomplish this mission requires an on-going relationship and communication with the Kennesaw Police Department, schools and other community support organizations. There are numerous other components required to ensure the Board succeeds, however, the proceeding objectives are some of the most import to accomplish.

2. Please, choose an issue that you feel should be addressed in Legacy Park and describe how it can be resolved.

Flooding is a serious, although often-overlooked danger to our community property and to Legacy Park’s financial health. During one of the recent downpours, a member posted a video on Facebook depicting one of our creeks severely overflowing. The attached comment asked, “Anyone want to go whitewater rafting.” One hand it is a hilarious video, on the other hand it is a genuine concern. Furthermore, I have noticed that the level of water in our lake while it is raining is reaching the lower limbs of the trees. Both of these observations are causes for action. Addressing the concern now might prevent a large unexpected expense and possibly a special assessment.

One potential solution would be for the Board to begin a community-based conversation to ascertain what can be done today, not tomorrow. We might consider contracting an engineering firm to conduct a survey of our dam, the lake, all bridges and our natural drainage systems. This study would help pinpoint any future costs we may incur. Furthermore, our reserve study does not account for all the possible and costly flooding and/or damage from a failed dam or overflowing lake that the engineering firm might identify. Therefore, I also propose that we commission an updated reserve study conducted by a qualified reserve study company. Having a professional reserve study company establish a new an updated reserve study with accurate expenses and proper funding goals would ensure the cost would be contained.

3. What is your current or has been your past involvement in Legacy Park?

For the past six years, I have been extremely interested in every aspect of Legacy Park Board management. I dedicated numerous personal hours researching and learning what it means to be a member of a volunteer Board. The end result, I made an informed decision to submit my name into the candidate pool to see if I would be allowed by you, the members, to become a contributing member of the Legacy Park Board. Fortunately, I have been elected twice, serving a total of four years to date. I am and always will be honored to serve the members of this wonderful community. It has truly been an honor. My primary goals during this period have been to ensure our community remains enriched and full of pride, a safe place to live, friendly beyond comprehension, and an enjoyable place to live for all of us. I remain committed to providing the highest level of community living with a beautiful, well-maintained, safe and neighborly environment for the common benefit and enjoyment of us all.

Furthermore, for the past 12 years my family and I have been active members of Legacy Park and proud to call this community home. My sons are both members of ALTA and play on Legacy Park tennis teams. Additionally, we all thoroughly enjoy the many swimming pools, events and the numerous other supplementary amenities. In particular, my wife loves to walk the trails while appreciating the beautiful trees and landscaping. This past fall, she utilized a picture of the turning trees as her Facebook cover photo. We all love being involved and hope to continue doing so for many years to come.

4.  What skills or background do you possess that will contribute to being an HOA Board member?

a. Leadership skills – Board members should be natural leaders, and possess the leadership ability to quickly assess and react to the needs of Legacy Park. I have 24 years of accomplished military and hospital management experience. I accomplished this by being open and by deeply caring about the rights and wrongs that occur every day to good people. I will also be ethical. Legacy Park members entrust the Home Owners Association with their personal information, community financial documents and they ability to make and enforce rules. Without the integrity to manage these responsibilities, the Board would lose the respect of the members.

b. Accounting experience – I have a BA in Accounting and graduated with Phi Kappa Phi honors.

c. Team oriented – The board is more efficient when operating as a team rather than as individuals doing their own thing. I thrive in a team environment. The military taught and proved to me that nothing can be accomplished without outstanding team skills.

d. Critical thinking skills – Board members must thoroughly review every circumstance and make hard decisions. Disagreement can be productive, but only before the final decision is made.

e. Communication skills – I believe a good communicator must be a good listener first. Followed by a proactive approach of asking appropriate questions to insure a mutual understanding has been achieved. From his point forward, everything can be accomplished.

f. From 1974 until 2004 I served in the United States Army and was honorably discharged.

5. What two things would you like to change to enhance Legacy Park in the future?

I have heard and read complaints regarding irresponsible drivers speeding around the circle and within individual neighbors. This seems to be a particular problem during morning and evening rush hours while the school buses are either being loaded and unloaded. Legacy Park already hires the KPD to drive around the community primarily on weekends. However, the Board could redirect the efforts of the KPD and hire them to randomly drive by and monitor the bus stops, especially during the times when the children are loading and unloading from the buses.

Additionally, I would like to propose to my fellow Board members a resolution to protect the community. To ensure the safety of your family and mine there is an urgent need for the Board to adopt a community-wide regulation through a special resolution established by the Board of Legacy Park. The resolution would prohibit any type of hunting, trapping or the use of firearms and archery equipment on any common property of Legacy Park. Furthermore, the use of any unauthorized motorized conveyance, dumping or loitering on Legacy Park common property must be prohibited.

One final area of concern would be a proposal to discuss the large amount of money we are unable to collect. Currently, the sum is approximately $400,000. On properties for which the HOA cannot collect fees, we engage attorneys to collect those accounts. Initially a lien on the property is filed, followed by a lawsuit and ultimately a garnishment. The attorney fees are applied to each account and are on a contingent basis, i.e., they will be paid once the delinquent account is collected. However, the HOA has to pay the associated court costs upfront. To improve the collection process I would suggest that all fees in the multistep process be increased to encourage compliance with the required payments.

At this point, I would like to go off script and explain why I stated in my biography that I would vote for upgrading the tennis court lights with LEDs. First, there is more than enough money in the surplus fund to cover the cost. Second, LED lights will pay for themselves in a short period due to decreased electrical cost. Then, there is the fact that by installing LED tennis court lights Legacy Park’s tennis facility would finally be complete and become known as one of the premiere tennis facilities in North Georgia. Because we are Tennis and Swim community, being the best has its advantages. Increased marketing potential, and in the end our homes will certainly be worth more than comparable homes without the same dominant tennis facility. I hope everyone understands, it is a win-win.

In conclusion, I would like to humbly thank you for your consideration and support. If elected, I will serve as the representative who places your expectations and trust to the vanguard of every decision. There is nothing more important than the “Working Class Heroes,” who call Legacy Park home.

Sincerely,
Michael C. Altman