Earlier this month, Laurie Belcher completed 15 years with HIR Security, where he is a Supervisor. Laurie is pictured above, with Security Manager, Darren Bell.

Before joining HIR Security, Laurie served with the Royal Australian Navy for 20 years, starting in 1968. For 15 years of that time he was in the Submarine Service. Laurie was a Chief Petty Officer (Coxswain) Submarines when he left the Navy in 1988.

In his spare time Laurie is a keen golfer and loves playing with computers. Known for his jokes, he always has a good story to tell about his adventures over the years.

Best wishes to Laurie – with our thanks for your commitment to HIR and to the owners and residents in the Resort

CONVERSION TO

HOPE ISLAND MARINA SHOPPING CENTRE
As you may have seen, significant construction works have commenced to the BI-LO supermarket at the Hope Island Marina Shopping Centre.

The PBC has been advised by the owner of the shopping centre, Recurring Pty Ltd, that the works are now getting underway to upgrade the existing BI-LO store to a high quality Coles supermarket. Work will continue, with an expected completion date of early 2011.

We understand that for a supermarket to wear the Coles brand, it must have a minimum floor plan size and first class fitout standards, which the current BI-LO store cannot offer within the existing footprint. As a result, the supermarket is being extended to be in-line with the Hope Island Medical Centre building.

In addition, Recurring Pty Ltd will be undertaking various other improvements, which will provide a fresh image for the Centre that will better relate to the modern style of the surrounding buildings. Recurring P/L is a member of the HIR Primary Thoroughfare Body Corporate (PTBC) and is committed to this project to enhance the appearance and reputation of Hope Island Resort commercial precinct.

Trading at BI-LO will continue as normal during the course of the internal upgrade of the supermarket. Also, access around the rear of BI-LO past the Medical Centre will still be available through the car parking area, although please observe the signage and directions given by Site Management.

During the period of construction, we ask all residents to please take special care when traversing in and around the shopping centre whilst the works are being undertaken.

New equipment has now been installed to improve the capability and capacity of the HIR Alarm Reporting System. 

When it was installed originally, the system was designed to send alarm information from individual residential units to the central control at Security, over Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) lines.  Unlike calls over the public networks, VoIP calls are free.  As the number of homes in the Resort has grown, there has been some congestion on these VoIP lines and alarm reporting has defaulted to the land-lines installed in residences.  These calls are charged on the normal telephone account of the residences affected.

The new equipment doubles the number of VoIP lines and provides for almost another doubling of capacity in the future.  The previously existing receiver has been retained as part of the system, increasing overall reliability and integrity.  The incidence of defaulting to the public switched network will be reduced, avoiding charges to owners' telephone bills and alarm reporting times will be improved, in some instances by up to 80%.

The installation was completed on time and on budget by Comverge, who manage the communications facilities in the Resort, supervised by Truls Fauske, the CMS ICT Manager.

For more than 12 months the PTBC has been running a trial to allow dogs to be off-leash at Allabah Park between 5:00pm and 8:00am.

The Gold Coast City Council has informed the PTBC that there are requirements that must be met in order to operate an off-leash area:

• Daily inspections of the area by trained and properly equipped personnel
• Measures to ensure that “owners have effective control of their dogs” and “Owners have verbal control of their dogs”
• Ensure that appropriate by-laws are in place

In light of these requirements, the PTBC feels that it has no option but to cancel the trial immediately and investigate the cost and practicality of meeting the requirements specified by the Gold Coast City Council.

Consistent with existing PTBC By-Laws, anyone taking a dog into Allabah Park is required to ensure that the dog is kept on a leash at all times.

We ask for the understanding and co-operation of Residents.

There has been some speculation in one of our local newspapers that Hope Island Resort may be included in the properties to be levied to contribute to the cost of two bridges on Sickle Avenue, one of which has been constructed.

HIGH SPEED BROADBAND AND FIBRE TO THE HOME

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Lower Electricity Costs

Congratulations to "Taffy" - Michael Roberts

Michael celebrated 15 years with HIR Security on 10 February. He is on the left in the picture above, being presented with his Service Certificate by Security Manager Darren Bell.

BODY CORPORATE FEES?

Have you heard speculation that we are paying too much for our Body Corporate fees? 

WHO CAN
YOU BELIEVE?
(PART 2)


It has come to our attention that assertions are being aired on the Internet about the veracity of our earlier article, "Who Can You Believe?"  These comments appear to centre on four areas:

1.    There is uncertainty about the BC levies applicable to RBCs that have not cancelled their existing Management Agreements
2.    Proxies should not be allowed at AGMs or EGMs
3.    Mr V Vine sits on the PBC Executive Committee without proper authority
4.    The HIR News website cannot be considered to be "the only official website for HIR"

MANAGEMENT OF COMMON PROPERTIES - THE REAL SITUATION

An article floating around on an unofficial website, purporting to explain the situation concerning the management of common properties in our Resort has been brought to our notice as a misrepresentation of the real situation. We thought therefore, that we would set the record straight once again.

Obviously the authors of the article are still living in the past and cannot comprehend or do not want to recognise and accept the improvements achieved from recent negotiations for new Management and Administration Agreements.