Leaders from Community Advocacy Network (CAN) and Chief Executive Officers of Management Companies (CEOMC) held a joint Community Association Legislative Town Hall in Orlando Florida on September 5, 2014. FCAP’s Richard Johns attended and provides the following information.
Senator David Simmons, Senator Geraldine Thompson, Representative Dennis Baxley, Representative Tom Goodson, Representative Victor Torres, and newly elected Representative Jennifer Sullivan met with community association leaders and shared their thoughts on the past year’s legislation that impacted managers’ duties as well as the cost of doing business for community associations.
Alan Garfinkel with CAN and Katzman Garfinkel Law Firm opened the town hall by sharing the mission of CAN and CEOMC and the launch of a new partnership between the two organizations. Mark Anderson, lobbyist for CEOMC, addressed the crowd next and introduced the legislators in attendance. Mr. Anderson shared how legislators worked with CEOMC, CAN and others to create HB 7037 which clarifies what community association managers can do without having to hire an attorney.
Representative Dennis Baxley was awarded the CAN-CEOMC Legislator of the Year Award. When asked about the many hours of meetings and discussions with community association leaders from CAN and CEOMC, Representative Baxley stated, “They were not always easy discussions during our session,” but he went on to thank the group for the honor of working for and representing them. “I strive for faith, family, freedom, and opportunity,” said Baxley.
In closing, Leigh Katzman, Founder and Executive Director of CAN and also with Katzman Garfinkel Law Firm summarized the work accomplished for community associations across the state and a desire for great things in the coming year.
