CAS is excited to announce the expansion of our Senior Management Team. Recently, CAS has promoted two long time members of our team to Vice President roles within the company.

CAS has named Lisa Cordialini as the Vice President of Operations. Lisa has been a part of the CAS team since 2000. She brought with her 15 years of experience in banking operations. Lisa oversees and manages all operations from our headquarters, located in Pinehurst. Her knowledge and background make her a vital resource for all of our staff and communities, as she is able to pin down solutions for any issue that a community may be facing. She is highly skilled in managing and administrating effective systems and processes to ensure that our communities operate seamlessly.

Amy Damone has been named Vice President of Community Relations. Amy has spent 12 years with CAS and has had the opportunity to experience and work with many facets of Association Management. Her time as a Community Manager gives her an understanding of the needs of your community, as well as allows her to effectively troubleshoot day to day problems that may occur. With an affinity for legal documents, she is always eager to dive into Covenants, Deeds, and statutes to dig in and find answers and solutions for our communities. Amy obtained her bachelor’s degree in from Meredith College. She is oriented towards organization, problem solving and is always glad to find the most effective way to accomplish any goal.

CAS is proud to elevate these team members to allow them to use their knowledge and skills to serve our communities in the most effective way possible. We know this growth will give the CAS team, and the communities we manage more resources to meet their needs.

Over the next few weeks, many residents will be spending more time at home to practice “social distancing” in an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19. If young children are at home it may be especially difficult to find things to do. Especially with schools, libraries, play areas, and social activities all shuttered.

Arbor Creek came up with a new, fun way to get outside and be entertained. Residents saw other communities hosting “scavenger hunts” throughout their neighborhoods and decided to organize one themselves. They called on neighbors to put up shamrocks in their windows or on the outside of their homes on a designated day, in this case, March 17. The idea is for young children to walk through the community and make a game of seeing how many “shamrocks” they could find.

Residents said it’s been perfect for the neighborhood to get out while still social distancing. Not only young children had a good time, but older kids and adults were involved as well.

“Getting out getting fresh air, it’s great to do. It’s nice to see other neighbors doing the same thing. Kind of wave to each other at a distance, but enjoying an activity together but apart,” one neighbor said.

In hopes of spreading cheer during this difficult time, some community residents have started to put Christmas lights back up and try to add pops of color to their homes exterior. During a scavenger hunt such as the one organized in Arbor Creek, good cheer was spread with not only a genius neighborhood activity, but a healthy, social (from afar), and interesting one to boot.
Currently, in communities around the state, kids are drawing colorful images to put in their windows for other children to find. Every time kids go out for a walk, they can go on mini “scavenger hunts” to locate homes with a colorful decoration in the window. In some cases there are even Google maps dedicated to the idea, showing all the participating homes nearby. Members of a community are able to access a map and add their property to it if desired. Residents have been posting photos of the images and objects they find online, and in this time of extreme social isolation, this activity helps others feel a bit less lonely.

On working with the Arbor Creek HOA, CAS manager Jim Herold says “The board of directors have a great sense of humor, they created a vibrant social scene with a family focus and a passion for increasing the value of their community. They think big and do not sweat the small stuff. ” Jim has ten years of experience in the HOA management field and has earned his CMCA and AMS. He states his favorite part of being a manager is “leaving a community better than I found it and forming quality working relationships.”

CAS Manager Ebony Heart-Curtis was recently selected to win the NEC POWER Social Media Giveaway.

By entering on Instagram and on Facebook, Ebony was chosen to receive the Quarantine Prize Pack. She received a pack of KN95 Protective Masks, an 8oz hand sanitizer, a bottle of Vitamin C, and a $100 Harris Teeter gift card. A $150 dollar value!

Ebony, a Portfolio Manager for CAS in the Raleigh office, was notified of her win via email after participating in the contest online. Though she normally uses social media for personal reasons, she felt compelled to enter because “…this helps the small guy promote their business and they appreciate me for taking time.”

Ebony has worked with NEC Power on a very difficult project and stated she “prefers to use smaller companies (like this) because they tend to give you better service and since they have less overhead the prices are usually better.” NEC Power Electrical Contracting is a small company serving Wake County. With over eighteen years of experience they specialize in electrical service for both residential and commercial properties, and also provide full service and installation of backup generators.

Ebony used her Harris Teeter gift card to purchase Mother’s Day dinner for her Mother.

Lake Hogan Farms Social Committee hasn’t let social distancing get in the way of social opportunities. The Social Committee leads – Nikki Brown, Lisa Tooloee, and Margaret Swingler, have organized many opportunities for the neighborhood children and families. It started week one of closures with a rainbow hunt in which families were invited to paint a rainbow and place it in a front window. Then when residents walked the neighborhood, they knew to look for them and see how many they could find.

During Easter week, they encouraged painting or drawing eggs to put in the window for a neighborhood egg hunt. In addition, the social committee has organized a birthday parade for anyone in the neighborhood who would like a drive by visit from neighbors. The birthday parade was open to anyone who wanted to participate – just decorate your car, hop in line with your neighbors, and drive by the birthday person’s home while you wave and honk to them. The highlight though, was the wonderful Carrboro Firefighters from Station 2 on Homestead Rd who lead the parade in one of the firetrucks.

The greatest activity organized by this social committee though, was Friday Night Bingo Night. Families hop on a neighborhood Zoom call with Bingo cards that are provided digitally. A host called the numbers while families played from the comfort and safety of their homes. There were gift card prizes from local businesses. The third week of Bingo, they spiced it up a bit with costume night. Many favorites came to play, including Wilma and Fred, Star Wars characters, Avengers characters, and some very beautiful princesses to name a few. 

Even in this time of uncertainty, communities have come together to make the best of the situation.

Article contributed by the Lake Hogan Farms Social Committee

Kitts Creek, a CAS managed community of 845 single-family houses and townhomes recently installed a handicap pool lift at its pool complex. Kitts Creek is a diverse community located in the heart of Research Triangle Park; minutes from Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. This community features a beautiful clubhouse and fitness facility, swimming pool, tennis courts, dog-park, open areas, and community garden for residents to enjoy and use. Kitts Creek HOA held over 40 social events in 2019, and prides itself on accommodating a diverse population by striving to meet the needs of all its residents, to include those with disabilities and physical challenges.

Swimming pools are outstanding recreational areas, but it is important to remember that not everyone can enjoy it in the same way. While we may enjoy the ability to swim in the deep end or leap off the high dive, there are those who suffer from disabilities stemming from either injury, genetics, or some other unfortunate circumstance. Finding ways to get these people involved in swimming activities is vital, but it is not always practical. The obvious solution, however, is to make use of a handicapped pool lift.

A pool lift for handicapped people is a mechanized seat that is tasked with raising and lowering a disabled or injured person into a swimming pool. This seat usually features some type of restraint to keep the individual in question from leaving the seat voluntarily or from simply falling off. The pool at Kitts Creek features a permanent pool lift that was installed on the edge of the concrete pool and will always be available.

People with disabilities were, for too long, excluded from participating in many recreational activities, including swimming. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) changed that. In 2010 the ADA set minimum requirements for making swimming pools, wading pools, and spas accessible to those with disabilities. The requirements for newly constructed and existing pools ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy the same activities— a community pool; a community swim meet; private swim lessons—at the same locations and with the same independence, ease, and convenience as everyone else. The 2010 ADA Standards established two categories of pools: large pools with more than 300 linear feet of pool wall and smaller pools with less than 300 linear feet of wall. Large pools must have two accessible means of entry, with at least one being a pool lift or sloped entry; smaller pools are only required to have one accessible means of entry, provided that it is either a pool lift or a sloped entry. With the new pool lift in place, Kitts Creek meets the standards set by the ADA for handicap accessibility.

The benefit of installing a handicap pool lift is to give everyone the chance to enjoy the water, and simply having it is bound to draw more swimmers to use the facility at Kitts Creek. If a person is able to swim using at least their upper bodies, the pool lift will be able to drop them into the water, and they will be able to swim free of it, thus allowing more residents to participate in pool activities. In addition to the health benefits, swimming is downright fun and something that everyone should be able to experience.

All healthcare professionals agree that swimming is an outstanding way to stave off chronic illnesses and those that encompass pain as a regular side effect. In addition, it is known that swimming is good for the prevention of mental illness and other negative mental conditions.. Swimming is, therefore, an outstanding and highly recommended activity for everyone whether they suffer from a medical condition or not. It is a great preventative treatment, and with the installation of a handicap pool lift, it becomes accessible to anyone who wishes to try.

No matter who you are or what condition you are in, there is no reason you should not enjoy the water at Kitts Creek!

The Homeplace I and II in Durham recently completed a million-dollar “face-lift,” and homeowners are “quite happy with the overall results.”

The Association spent approximately $1.4 million on 210 new roofs with CertainTeed Lifetime Architectural shingles by Roofwerks, all new gutters on all homes, repainting of the homes by Onofrio Construction, community-wide pruning of all trees near buildings, streets, and parking lots by Bartlett Tree Experts, and oversight by Giles Flythe Engineering. The community (known as Homeplace Townhomes Association, Inc., Phase I and II) was built in 1984 and consists of 210 ranch-style, brick townhomes, located in building clusters of two, three or four homes.

When a community undertakes a project like this, there are many factors that go into planning and preparation, logistics, coordination, and oversight. The industry generally defines major repair/reconstruction projects as any project that costs over $500,000 or one that involves at least three types of skills, such as carpentry, roofing, and painting. Major projects can take up to two or more years to complete depending on the size of the project and the availability of funds.

Once work is underway, frequent communication between team members is of utmost importance. The HOA manager at The Homeplace was involved with the construction manager, general contractor, and any personnel that were on-site during the project. The Board of Directors and the HOA manager had frequent meetings to receive full reports on progress and any changes in the contracted work. Owners were also allowed input during meetings, and were a big part of the communication chain through email updates and online software portals.

Todd Petheridge, one of the most senior and seasoned managers at CAS, played a prominent role in the oversight of this major repair project at The Homeplace Townhomes. Todd is a certified CMCA and AMS and has worked with CAS for fifteen years. One of the most rewarding aspects of his role as a manager at Homeplace, Todd stated, “is working with the Board and the community to improve the community.”

At this time, estimates are that the COVID-19 virus has infected 200,000 people worldwide, and killed more than 3,000. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) or through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. While we hope this virus will be eradicated soon, CAS has taken measures to reduce the risk to its employees and clients.

In response to this crisis, CAS President Jonathan Stone stated, “The decision has been made to allow managers the option to work remotely for at least the next two weeks as our nation contends with this virus. The exact duration of this time period is unknown and dependent on factors beyond our control. It is important for the health of ourselves and the company as a whole.” Most CAS offices are now closed to the public, but business continues, although in different arenas.

In addition to enacting protections for employees during this time of uncertainty, CAS has also implemented strategies to help protect clients as well. It has been recommended by health officials and attorneys that HOA Associations postpone all person to person meetings and limit contact as much as possible. In response to these recommendations, CAS offers several methods by which association members or association boards transact business in the absence of everyone gathering at the same time and location—some form of written consent, electronic meetings, or a vote outside a physical meeting can all be ways to manage business without contact.

Like many state statutes, the NC Nonprofit Corporation Act provides that a director can participate in a Board meeting by electronic communications. The only requirement is that everyone must be able to simultaneously hear everyone else. Most often that means speakerphone or conference calls, but other online communications platforms like Skype or Zoom can work as long as everyone can hear and speak to everyone else.
In North Carolina, unfortunately, there is no statute clearly authorizing electronic annual membership meetings, so if an association had an annual membership meeting planned for the near future, CAS managers will recommend postponement of the meeting.

We remain hopeful that this virus will soon be contained with minimal loss of life and that daily living for everyone will return to normal. However, regardless of what the future holds, there will likely be at some point a different crisis or natural disaster that will require the association or its Board to act outside of the standard, in-person meeting process. CAS staff are prepared and are embracing the change in business practices and methods. It will benefit CAS clients to become accustomed to the use of the electronic methods of meeting and conducting business for the foreseeable future in order to protect all.