KTOA Spring NewsletterGreetings from our President
Mahalo. All Good Things Must Come to an End For those of us who have been around since 1996, the daunting task of selling 300 plus weeks has finally come to an end. We are down to less than 15 one-bedroom weeks for sale. I suspect that by the time this newsletter is published, those too, will be gone. Now the task will be to keep the units in the same condition as when we refurbished them. Come to the Owners Meeting to hear about our long term plans from Don James. Now that we are no longer in the resale business, D403 will be available to book starting the first week in December. The reason we picked the first week in December was twofold. The first is that up until then, open time is available in the other units. The second is that up until the first week of December, we are using some of the items in D403 as replacements until chairs, couches, etc can be recovered in some of the other units. We opened the unit up for booking at the March board meeting and many owners have already taken the opportunity to book it. Two Bedroom Units up for Sale Your board also voted to make 8 weeks in the two-bedroom unit available for sale @ $10,000 plus closing fees. Over the years, many owners have expressed an interest in buying into this. If you are interested, you MUST send a letter to Dick Weaver expressing your interest. You may have talked to him on the phone in the past, but for this, we must have it in writing. Our expectation is that there will be more demand than supply and we want to make sure that no one gets left out if they are interested. If there are more than 8 weeks worth of interest, we will decide by lottery. Names will be drawn at the Owners Meeting in Las Vegas on September 27th. The two bedroom was the last of our units to be redone. It looks very nice. It is decorated very similar to the one-bedroom units but we had to choose a different fabric and color pallet to get a more durable fabric for the couch and chairs. Of course, that led to different bedspreads in both bedrooms. Take a look when you are there. Annual
Owners Meeting - Sept 27th- Las Vegas The annual owners meeting date was changed from Spring to September in the hope that more of our owners would be able to attend. For those of you who have not been able to come, it is a great way to meet other owners and just "talk story". The dress is casual. There is a light buffet of rolls and fruit plus coffee and tea right before the meeting. After the formal part of the meeting, there is a question and answer session. Please try and attend this year. Board Interest and Participation This board has had little turnover in the past several years. Sometimes, this is a good thing when a long term project is underway and one needs historical perspective. But we also recognize that board appointments should not last a lifetime. The current board has accomplished the tasks of getting this association on strong legs and some of us think it appropriate to pass the baton. We suspect that
some of you have experience in the business world and would be willing
to take the hand off. If committing time to a board appointment seems daunting, then volunteer to be part of a committee. We Each Need To Do Our Part Hard work and money has gone into making our units special. We need you, our owners to help keep them that way. If you send guests, please make sure they are aware of our "requests". Requests are such things as not smoking, doing as much of the laundry as you can, and only leaving towels from your shower for the cleaning crew. Also please make sure that your dishes are done and put away. Everyone wants to enter and leave the units on time. We only have a four-hour window to clean and prepare for you, so please help us as much as you can. Also make sure "Quiet" hours are respected and that as much sand as possible remains at the beach! If you are participating in an exchange, PLEASE make sure your maintenance fees are paid in advance of the exchange. What's Happening in Kihei South Maui is expanding every year. More development is occurring on our end of the island than anywhere else. We have been notified that a housing development is in the planning stages for the open field behind Kihei Akahi. It will be to the left (as you face the Pilani Highway) A couple of us saw the plans and noted that a Green area is planned between the complex and the houses. Projects like this seem to take quite a bit of time so don't expect to see it on your next visit. We will try and keep you updated in future newsletters. Also in the works is the North South Collector road. We have heard about this for years but since we have a new mayor, it seems to have been bumped up in priority. The road is planned to run between the Kihei Akahi and in front of the first set of houses in back. Suggestions From the Owners Anytime that you have a question, suggestion etc., please let Lani at Oihana Properties know. Also feel free to send any comments etc to your board members. We would be more than happy to answer you or carry your questions forward to our meetings. A long awaited inventory list is in each unit now. Some of you have been great in pointing out items that are not in your unit. Thank you for doing that. Some of the suggestions that are now part of our process are
The key to a good association is communication, so keep it coming.
Reservations More and more of our owners are using the reservations part of the website. To save Lani the effort of sending a confirmation by regular mail, we need to have your e-mail address so that the instant confirmation generated when you make a booking gets sent to you immediately. The new week rolls over at gam Hawaii Time on Monday mornings. That time was adjusted so that those on the Internet and those calling Oihana Properties have an equal chance at a particular unit. Be sure to check your owner's page for your lockbox code when you reserve on the Internet. Mine Eyes Are Dim, I Cannot See ....! No, you're not imagining (nor suffering undue response to that glass of wine at dinner)! One of our new owners was instrumental in finding a solution to a longterm irritation to many KTOA owners and residents alike; the bedroom light spillover from the night time hallway lighting. Don Swatman wondered why the lights could not be reduced and/or hooded to prevent the lights from shining into the bedrooms. He found that a certain level of lighting was required to satisfy State safety laws. He also found that the current lights were already low level. The hallway lights are 5-watt fluorescents, which were installed several years ago. Incidentally, these low wattage flouresents have greatly reduced the KA electric bill. At the January kA owners association meeting, the board created a hallway lighting committee to investigate solutions and associated costs. Don, with his wife Mary, arrived the following week with several trial solutions of hoods based on modified plastic plant holders. This started an interesting week at D building. Working with committee member and KAOA board member Warren Woodward, (who lives on the 5th floor of D Bldg.) a different type of hood was installed on each light on the third floor of D building. As witnessed by this reporter, it was quite the conversation piece as a steady stream of owners and board members came by each night to observe and comment. Some hoods shaded the light too much, while other designs didn't stop the light from filtering into the bedroom. Undaunted, Don and Warren persisted in their search and found a spun stainless steel salad bowls at Wal Mart that worked great! Don was able to determine the manufacture of the bowls and obtained a bulk quote for the quantity needed for all the kA buildings - about 200 bowls! Cutting the hole in the bottom of the steel bowl also proved challenging. Don found a machine shop near his home in California that gave an excellent price to punch the holes. The committee sent the costs to the kA board who immediately approved. You will note these hallway light hoods on you next visit to kA Well done Don and Warren! Sunshades Another wonderful addition to our units has been the Sunshades on the lanai of the one-bedroom units. These shades help keep the units cool during that one hour period of the day when it can get a bit warm. If you are one of those who use their "laptop", it makes it so that you can work for hours out on the Lanai!! Betty Cesario on the fifth floor had to lobby the board for over a year to get them to allow the shades to be installed. Most of the shades are being installed in D Building. The shades are optional and we want to thank the current board for them. We also want to thank Betty for keeping up her campaign to get them approved. Kihei Akahi Info... Besides the great accommodations, did you know ..... If you run out of laundry soap you can buy packets of low suds laundry soap at the office. While you are there, and you want to play tennis, you will need to sign up to use the court. The current day sign up sheet is located on the door to the tennis courts. The office accepts sign ups around 11am for the following day. First come, first served ...Of course, you will need to bring tennis rackets, balls and the appropriate shoes .... Next door to the Office is an Activities Office. It is a separate company that leases space but they have been very good at getting good prices for all activities on Maui. They host a 1/2 hour introduction to Maui Continental Breakfast at the Lower Pool the first part of every week. They are not high pressure and the times that we have booked events with them have been pleasurable. Please take the time to read the House Rules on our website www.kiheiakahi.com More Kihei Akahi Info .... When you arrive at Kihei Akahi, you must sign in at the office to get a parking pass. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first one is so that the security patrols know you are supposed to be there and do not issue a fine. The second is so that the office has an idea of who is on the property. A couple of people man the main desk. Most of the time it is Gerry, but there have been different ladies filling in on Saturdays over the years. Lawrence Wilson manages the complex. The Property Manager for the main complex is DMI. The current BOD is about 50% Canadian and 50% Kihei residents. They have monthly board meetings and an annual owners meeting in January. If you would like to keep up with the monthly managers report, etc log onto their website www.kiheiakahi.org. The owner id will be D304 and the password is kihei. Notice a few differences .... Kihei Akahi drilled their own well this past year. They use the water primarily to water the lawns. Many of the plants had to be redone to tolerate the salinity in the water. One of the things you may notice is the lack of noise due to landscaping activities.. The board decided to curtail these activities and move towards shrubs, etc that did not require constant maintenance. One of the next efforts will be to try and find an economic way to heat the pools. Constant maintenance efforts are underway. It is rumored that a Mural is to be painted on the side of the office. We have not seen the details but it was mentioned in one of the Monthly reports on their website. What to do ... ... .... On Maui, bliss comes naturally. The coastline is stunning, the water warm, the breeze cooling, and the sand thick and velvety. Resorts put necessities -- such as pools with faux-stone tunnels and slides -- at arm's reach. The food and drink, fruity and decorated with umbrellas, appeal to kids. Not to mention those abundant beaches, rain forest waterfalls, and a glorious 10,000-foot volcano. For nonstop fun - and ease -- look no further. ACTION SEEKERS SURFING Catch a wave en famille during a lesson with Action Sports Maui (206A Leinani Dr., Wailuku; 808/871-5857; $55 a person, equipment included). HORSEBACK RIDING Roam the pastures with Hawaiian cowboys at Mendes Ranch & Trail Rides (3530 Kahekili Hwy., Kahakuloa; 808/871-5222; from $85 a person). SPELUNKING if the kids aren't afraid of dark, dank places, sign up with Maui Cave Adventures at Kaeleku Caverns (205 Ulaino Rd., Hana; 808/248-7308; from $29 a person) for a hike through a 40-foot-high lava tube in Hana. BEACH REPORT TOP SNORKELING Mile-marker 14 on the Honoapiilani Highway (to get to the reef, swim out 50 feet). MOST FAMILY-FRIENDLY Kapalua Beach appear on the scene to breach and bellow. W. BEST PEOPLE-WATCHING Kaanapah Beach. QUIETEST COVE D. T. Fleming Beach Park, Kapalua. PICNIC WORTHY Kihei's Charlie Young Beach SPOUT-SPOTTING November through March, humpbacks watch them from McGregor Point (mile-marker 9 on Honoapiilani Hwy.) or aboard a 65-foot catamaran with The Ocean Activities Center (1847 Kihei Rd., Kinei; 808/879-4485; from $55 per adult, from $35 per child). TIPS FOR HALEAKALA It's easy to drive the corkscrew road to the top of dormant Haleakala volcano, once you've downed some Dramamine. Families with older kids can bike the volcano with Maui Mountain Cruisers (15 S. Wakeo Ave., Kahului; 800/232-6284 or 808/871-6014; $105) or Maui Downhill (199 Dairy Rd, Kahului; 800/877-2453 or 808/871- ends in a three-hour downward spiral. AND HOW TO SPEND EVENING Taking in Ulalena, a show about Hawaiian mythology and history, at the Maui Myth & Magic Theatre (878 Front St., Lahaina; 808/661-9913; $40 per adult, $25 per child). Kids will be impressed: in one act, an acrobat gives the illusion she's a lizard swimming up a waterfall that cascades from the rafters to the stage. Farmer Markets For those of you who love to prepare your own fresh foods and like to shop at the Farmers Market towards Azeka Plaza, there are a couple more that you may not be aware of. Hooululahui
Farms This one specializes in Tropical Fruits and Produce. Call (808) 572-2525 for information. The other is Keanae Open Market. This one is in East Maui on the road to Hana. The communities of Keanae and Lailua Nui gather together for a monthly market on the scenic Keanae Peninsula. You will find taro and poi, fruit, flowers, crafts such as Hawaiian seed leis, lauhala weaving, fabric creation, jewelry and much more. Call (808) 248-7858 for information.
Your timeshare organization is managed by Oihana Properties. The key contac is Dick Weaver, however the person you will most likely have contact with is Lani Kamaka who takes care of reservations and manages any issues with the units. Your board is Dick Pearson, Mercea Hadigian, Don James, Nancy Wolfe and Lynette Poncin.. Contact can be made with any of us by sending a note to Oihana Properties or by selecting any of the inquiry tabs on the website. |
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