Fox Management Group (#66)

Friday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$150.71 from an original $75! Just over double the original amount!

The ED-iot Strikes (#4)

Despite the fact that it's Thanksgiving, the Ed-iot doesn't take a day off.
He struck again before 7am...

Despite that, we graciously say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all turkeys, especially Fox Management Group & the Ed-iot!

No increase today to Fox Management's unpaid bill. Unlike the Ed-iot, we don't work on Thanksgiving.

The ED-iot Strikes (#3) & Fox Management Group (#65)

Yesterday afternoon, I put up a poster on our unit's front door about the BBB ruling against Fox Management.
It remained untouched after the Ed-iot returned home later in the afternoon.
At 1am this morning, I replaced it with another copy of the original poster about Eddie Foss' $10 a month living space.
As of 6am, the Ed-iot has left for work and the poster is gone.
Interpret as you will... ;-)
(And yes, I replaced the poster. We'll see if it survives the Ed-iot's return home!)

Wednesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$149.22 from an original $75! It'll be double the original amount right after Thanksgiving (a holiday, and not billable)

The ED-iot Strikes (#2) & Fox Management Group (#64)

A sign about Fox Management's wrist-slapping by the Better Business Bureau has gone up on the front door. Let's see if the Ed-iot (who ever it is--wink wink) removes it...

Tuesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$147.74 from an original $75! It'll be double the original amount right after Thanksgiving (a holiday, and not billable)

The ED-iot Strikes & Fox Management Group (#63)

As you remember, I posted on Friday...
I took an excerpt from the (Board Minutes) sheet and "translated" it for a poster which I placed on our unit's front & back doors.
What they said...
“The Board reviewed the proposal submitted by A&B
requesting to dismiss the current renter of the '58 storage areas (sic) and rent to A&B at a higher rent .
The Board has not had any problems with the current renter, so the decision was made not to change the current situation at this time.”
What they meant...
Our friend, Board Member Eddie Foss, currently rents the over-200 square-foot room (behind the mailboxes of '58) for $10 a month as a living/work space.
Instead of renting it as storage space for $150 a month (15 times the present rent) to A&B, we will raise the assessments of EVERYONE by 5%. (which works out to less than or barely equal $150 per month!)

Well, some Ed-iot has taken down the posters from our front door not once, not twice, but three times in three days! (The only reason the Ed-iot hasn't taken down the back-door posters is that they're behind a locked storm door!)
Besides being an inconvenience, it's a criminal misdemeanor (vandalism) under local law!
Who do I think did it?
Personally, I suspect the Ed-iot named on the posters!
1) The timing of the posters' disappearances coincides within 15 minutes of his comings and goings at times when no one else in the building would be around! (Edward Vincent Foss works as an art therapist early morning to mid-afternoon. The posters disappear before 6:15 am and between 2:30-4 pm in the afternoon.)
2) No one else even cares what's on the posters except the Ed-iot named! (and since the information written on them is true, the Ed-iot can't get a court order to remove them on the basis of libel!)
Luckily, we have plenty of paper and toner!
I'll keep you appraised...

Monday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$145.98 from an original $75! It'll be double the original amount right after Thanksgiving (a holiday, and not billable)

Fox Management Group (#62)

Received the assessment and minutes of the October meeting.
To her credit, Mara didn't try to falsify the billing from the Unknown Man.

As to the minutes...
I took an excerpt from the sheet and "translated" it for a poster which I placed on our unit's front & back doors.
What they said...
“The Board reviewed the proposal submitted by A&B
requesting to dismiss the current renter of the '58 storage areas (sic) and rent to A&B at a higher rent .
The Board has not had any problems with the current renter, so the decision was made not to change the current situation at this time.”
What they meant...
Our friend, Board Member Eddie Foss, currently rents the over-200 square-foot room (behind the mailboxes of '58) for $10 a month as a living/work space.
Instead of renting it as storage space for $150 a month (15 times the present rent) to A&B, we will raise the assessments of EVERYONE by 5%. (which works out to less than or barely equal $150 per month!)

They also repeated the lines Mara inserted into her response to the Better Business Bureau about my billing. (The BBB found the billing valid and actionable!) A poster responding to that item will go up Monday.

Speaking of the billing...
Friday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$144.54 from an original $75! It'll be double the original amount right after Thanksgiving (a holiday, and not billable)

Fox Management Group (#61)

Still waiting on the assessment billing & minutes from the October Board meeting...even though they were due today (so timely payment could be made without sending it via Delivery Confirmation, which we do anyway)!

Thursday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$143.11 from an original $75!

Fox Management Group (#60)

Waiting on the assessment billing & minutes from the October Board meeting...

Wednesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$141.69 from an original $75!

The Unknown Man (#4) & Fox Management Group (#59)

One last note on the Unknown Man Affair...
In the future, if I see someone unknown to me hanging around the building for more than 1/2 hour, I'll simply call the police and let them handle the person.
Let the chips fall where they may...

Tuesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$140.29 from an original $75!

The Unknown Man (#3) & Fox Management Group (#56, 57 & 58)

Sorry about the break in posting. Christmas has come early online and business in my online store is booming! Lots of work to do on my customized products!
When last we left our hero...
Faced with unethical threats, I made sure my doors were locked, and went shopping...
I returned to find the FOX-XX SUV parked in front of the building (but no Mara Fox in sight) and the Unknown Man working on the door buzzer to '58. I recognized the voice on the intercom prompting his adjustments as unit owner Ana Garcia, an airline customer service rep.
Apparently, he had been called to repair the buzzer. (Why he didn't identify himself as a repairman to me is beyond human reasoning.)
I went inside, and stowed my groceries.
I noted that both his (unmarked) car and the FOX-XX SUV were gone about 1/2 hour later.
I'm now waiting for the assessment billing (to see if Mara Fox's threat of what I interpreted as false billing is carried out) and minutes from the October Board meeting (to see how they list the vote on Eddie Foss' $10 a month living space [which they claim was taken at the previous meeting but not recorded] and their statement about my billing of Fox Management, which the Better Business Bureau found valid), both of which are due about the 20th, so the assessment can be paid by the 1st of the month.

Thursday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$136.17 from an original $75!
Friday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$137.53 from an original $75!
Monday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$138.90 from an original $75!

The Unknown Man (#2) & Fox Management Group (#54 & 55)

He glared at me. I glared back.
Seeing I wasn't backing down, he growled, "Well?" I responded, "You tell me."
After exchanging those pleasantries, he grunted something about "I belong here!" which in his feeble mind was supposed to persuade me not to observe him lurking around.
I didn't move.
(All this time I was at least 15-20 feet away from him and made no hostile movements or gestures.)
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a cellphone and dialed.
When he reached his party, he commented that he was being observed, that he had identified himself (which he hadn't) and then described me to the other person.
You could hear the scream emanating from his phone from where I was standing.
He lurched over to me, grunted "She wants to talk to you." and handed me the phone.
As I expected, it was Mara Feldman-Fox.
She screeched something about my "interfering" with the man, even though he hadn't begin working, since his client (Either Carol Krengelis or Ana Garcia) had not arrived home as of yet!
She then told me to leave since the man billed by the hour. I asked what that had to do with me and she said he (Unidentified Man) would bill "extra time" which she (Mara Fox) would then "pass on" to my wife as a punitive measure against me.
I took this to mean that Mara, the still-unidentified man, or both would falsify their billings and file a false bill against my wife!
Faced with unethical threats, I made sure my doors were locked and went shopping...
More tomorrow!

Monday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$133.49 from an original $75!
Wednesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$134.82 from an original $75!
(Tuesday was Veterans' Day, a legal holiday. Billing is suspended on weekends and holidays)

The Unknown Man & Fox Management Group (#53)

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 4th, I noticed an unfamiliar man sitting in an unmarked car in front of our condo, watching our building for over an hour.
As a New Yorker, I had three thoughts.
1) Policeman observing criminal activity.
2) Burglar casing the place for criminal activity.
3) Friend or relative waiting for someone. (admittedly a long-shot)
I walked up and enquired politely as to whether he was in distress and needed assistance. He said "no", got out of his car, went up to the gate, rang the bell of a unit owner I knew to be at work at the time, pulled out an enormous keychain , opened the gate, and went thru to the entrance of '58, when he used the key to go in.
As a precaution, I immediately took my trusty digital camera (which I always carry) and photographed his car & license plate from various angles. Thus, if anything did happen, I'd have a record of his presence that could be traced. I noticed an assortment of tools in his front seat including wire cutters, pliers, and other potential burglar tools.
He came back out and stood at the inside of the front gate. I took up position about 15-20 feet behind him. He did not speak, nor did I.
He then shifted his position, moving to the gate on the other side. I followed to a position 20-30 feet from him.
He glared at me. I glared back.
Seeing I wasn't backing down, he growled, "Well?" I responded, "You tell me."
Monday: the Confrontation, and threats by Mara Feldman-Fox!

Thursday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$130.86 from an original $75!
Friday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$132.17 from an original $75!

Return of the BBB & Fox Management Group (#52)

The results of the most recent complaint filed against Fox Management Group...

Case Description: Performed work at the request of Fox Management Group's authorized representatives (contact information on invoice).
Billed Fox. (Delivery Confirmation information available upon request)
Fox failed to pay or even respond within billing timeframe. (Contact information and my request that, if there were any questions or problems with the bill are included on the enclosed invoice itself.)
Since Fox Management Group failed to take ANY action, Fox Management Group gave tacit approval to the terms of the bill and, due to their nonpayment are now in default.
Payment of the bill and late charges as specified in the terms listed on the invoice....
Desired Resolution: Payment of the bill and late charges as specified in the terms listed on the invoice.

The complaint was received by the BBB on October 22, 2008 and has been assigned case # 94205306 in our files.

Below are Mara Feldman-Fox's unverified assertions, as well as my verified responses from parties involved...

You may be interested in the BBB's resolution of Fox Management Group's currently-unpaid bill to me. It's at the bottom of the page.

Fox: It is Ms. A's practice to send her monthly assessment payment by certified mail.
Each month along with the assessment payments there are copies of past correspondence. Apparently, the July 28, 2008 certified mailing included an invoice from Mr. B.

BB: 1) There were three other sheets and a check along with the invoice. Four pages total!
2) We have cut down on the volume of paperwork to accommodate Ms Fox's "special needs", notably her claimed inability to read long documents. (A curious condition for a property manager, whose job requires reading long documents!)
3) Fox Management had the bill in hand, and failed to respond, question, or pay within the deadline.
Their failure to perform proper clerical functions, while indicative of a poorly-run office, are not my concern.

Fox: This was inadvertently overlooked until we received a second copy...

BB: It's the first time I've heard of incompetence being used as a defense for not paying bills!
If they tried this with the power company, they'd be sitting in the dark!
But note: they do acknowledge receiving it!

Fox: On September 15, 2008, Mr. Stuart Fox, President Fox Management Group sent Mr. B an e-mail that stated in part:
"I was not aware of any invoice that was mailed from you until this e-mail. I did not realize that you staple it to the back of the renewal proxy that also included copies of previous letters. I do not recall requesting you to provide any services for Claremont Condominium Association or for Fox Management Group. Please let me know when that request was made and to whom you spoke."

BB: See 1, 2 & 3 above. And it wasn't stapled, just loose in the envelope.

Fox: Mr. B's response was in part:
"While you, Stuart Fox, personally, did not request my services, your authorized vendors did request my services to help perform work contracted for by Fox Management Group.
Their names, contact numbers, and work performed for Fox Management Group are all on the invoice, as they were on the previous two hardcopies in your possession.
Fox Management Group had the opportunity (and contact information) to question the invoice, but failed to do so before payment was due (8/19/08)."
The vendors that Mr. B is referring to are The Security Shop and Fox Valley Fire and Safety. There was a call placed to Security Shop for service call to make some necessary repairs to the back gate. Security Shop has been servicing this Association for almost 10 years with out any need for unit owners or residents to assist with their work. After speaking with Security Shop I was informed that they did not request Mr. B's assistance nor did they ask for any. Mr. B volunteered his time to apparently oversee their work.

BB: In a phone conversation on 11/3/08, Seth Strong, the Security Shop worker who performed the work on-site, disputed this version of events.
He confirmed that he had NOT spoken to Mara or ANY Fox Management personnel about this matter and then corroborated my statement that he solicited my advice & knowledge of the history of the lock and that I did NOT volunteer it without his asking for it.

Fox: There was a call placed to Fox Valley Fire and Safety to complete the annual fire extinguisher maintenance. Fox Valley Fire and Safety has been servicing this Association for 6 years with out any need for unit owners or residents to assist with their work.

BB: A Unit owner or resident is needed to allow access to the locked building, since Fox Valley doesn't have a key. A Board member (Judith Lea Marrs, who moved out) previously performed this function.

Fox: After speaking with Fox Valley Fire and Safety I was informed that they did not request Mr. B's assistance nor did they ask for any. Mr. B volunteered his time to apparently oversee their work.

BB: In a phone conversation with Fox Valley's Jeanette, ( Ellen the field agent's dispatcher) on 11/4/08, Jeanette confirms my sequence of events and states that no one from Fox Management had spoken with Fox Valley since the request to check the building in July!

You'll note that Mara does NOT provide dates or names of people she talked to at those companies for verification. Hard to provide names of people you haven't talked to, eh?
(Mara did the same thing on her resume. I vetted it, and you'd be astonished how much of it doesn't check out!)
I, on the other hand can provide phone numbers & phone records (from the phone company) for verification of my conversations.

Fox: The Board of Directors met on October 21, 2008 for the regular quarterly Board of Directors' meeting. Mr. B was present at the meeting. The matter of his invoice and payment thereof was addressed at an open meeting. The Board of Directors stated in part: "The Board of Directors reviewed an invoice presented for services rendered by Mr. B. The Board denied payment and expressed their disappointment that there was an invoice at all.

BB: The Board's opinion is irrelevant since the Board is NOT being billed, ONLY Fox Management.
The vendors were Fox's agents, not the Board's.
If Fox want to be reimbursed by the Board, that is between them & the Board.

Fox: "The Board of Directors is a volunteer position. Unit owners and residents from time to time also volunteer for the betterment of the Association."

BB: I am a resident, NOT an owner OR Board member.
Legally, I am NOT obliged to do ANYTHING that a tenant in an apartment house wouldn't be required to do.
That includes doing the landlord's/super's/Board's job for them (and for free, yet)!
If I do their job for them, it's for pay.
Without my aid, requested by the vendors, the work would NOT have been performed, and in the case of the fire extinguishers, would've rendered the condo in violation of the law!

Fox: In conclusion, there was never any implied or expressed request to have Mr. B assist the vendors that were requested to perform service work at the building.

BB: See above responses from the actual workers involved, not Feldman-Fox's delusions. Work was solicited by the vendors, and they've verified it!
And, the key is that Fox HAD the option to question the validity of the bill BEFORE the due date, but FAILED TO DO SO!
Mind you, I've been able to disprove EVERY "point" made by Fox.
Even if I hadn't (though I obviously did), the letter of the law is clear.
They FAILED TO ACT within the billing period!
They defaulted.
Fox Management owes the money due.

The BBB's response...
We regret to inform you that the BBB can not process your complaint as it is our policy to process only those complaints that fall under the scope of the BBB's activities.
The case has been reviewed by one of our Complaint Specialists and was found to contain issues that are out of the BBB's purview.
The Bureau does not handle matters of collection as we are not licensed...to be a collection agency. We suggest you contact a private collection agency...

Apparently, the BBB considers this a billing situation. (ie; a legitimate attempt to collect payment for work performed!)
Unless payment is made for both the original amount and late fees (as of today: $129.57, total), I'll follow the BBB's suggestion...at a time of my own choosing.

Extra: the BBB's listing for Fox Management Group!

Wednesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$129.57 from an original $75!

Return of the BBB & Fox Management Group (#50 & 51)

We WIN!

The Better Business Bureau has stated...the BBB can not process your complaint as it is our policy to process only those complaints that fall under the scope of the BBB's activities. The case has been reviewed by one of our Complaint Specialists and was found to contain issues that are out of the BBB's purview. The Bureau does not handle matters of collection as we are not licensed...to be a collection agency. We suggest you contact a private collection agency...
This, I feel, legitimizes the billing since the BBB itself considers it to be valid, and thus, not reviewable under their rules since they consider me a businessman trying to collect a debt for services rendered!
(Mara Fox has desperately been trying to claim that the bill was NOT valid!)

I'll be posting the transcripts once I download them! You'll be amused by Mara's ridiculous claims about my volunteering to assist her vendors, and her admission that, while Fox Management did receive the bill, due to their incompetence, they never read it!

Monday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$127.02 from an original $75!
Tuesday's total for Fox Management Group's still-unpaid bill...$128.29 from an original $75!