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Summary of the last six months of the year 2022.

A few months with many improvements and promises kept

Improvements in our streets and gardens

We have managed to improve the collaboration with the Mijas Town Hall for the cleaning of streets and gardens.

We have managed to maintain the support from Mijas Town Hall for the cleaning of Miraflores, which consists of sweeping with both machinery and personnel, as well as the watering of the streets.

The town hall is also supporting us with personnel for the cleaning of slopes. These personnel come from the Renta Básica social and labour insertion programme. This programme creates job opportunities for people who are at risk of social exclusion and who have been unemployed for years and cannot easily access the labour market.

Meridional together with the president are coordinating and supporting the working group that has been set up between the town hall and the Miraflores gardening and cleaning service to optimise these services.

Asphalting of streets

Another great news is that asphalting work has started on Hortensia, Dalia, Verbena and Rosa streets. Meridional has been requesting this work constantly since it took over the administration of Miraflores in February 2020. Even during the pandemic, they were working with the council’s technicians to check the streets.

Finally, thanks to these efforts of the administrator and the work of the technicians and officials of the infrastructure area of Mijas town hall, we can celebrate the start of these long awaited works in Miraflores.

Control of wild animals

We are also collaborating with the environmental department of the town council to control and capture wild boars that have been seen on some occasions in the streets and gardens of Miraflores.

At the same time, complementary measures are being studied to prevent wild boar from leaving their natural environment.

On the other hand, the technicians of the environmental department of the town council have sent us some recommendations and advice:

● Reinforce the fences so that they are not breached from underneath.

Do not leave rubbish outside the containers.
Do not feed pets in the streets.

River clean-up

In the river area several fallen trees have been pruned and removed, which were creating quite a danger in the area. Many dry plants have also been uprooted to avoid fire hazards and to prevent insects and rodents from entering the area.

These dry plants have been replaced by fescue, creeping rosemary, penisetum, fornio and stipa, which are plants that can stand all year round with moderate watering and look great all year round.

Work on Avenida Del Sol.

Thanks to the impulse of our president Urszulla Karlsson, an agreement could be reached with Riviera to remodel the median that separates the two urbanisations. The work has already started and we expect it to be completed by the end of January.

They have started with irrigation works, repairs to the magnolia tree and the placing of white decorative stones marking the borders of the flower beds. In this way we will have a more beautiful and cared for area all year round.

Paseo Joseph Defresne

At the urging of President Urszula Karlsson and Meridional, it was unanimously approved that the path along the river from the tennis court to the fountain through the Club be named after Joseph Defresne.

With this detail we would like to pay tribute to Joseph after his recent death; a loss that all of us who knew him and worked with him in Miraflores feel very close to him.

For almost 30 years he was a president who worked to improve the Great Community every day; and he did so with a constructive and dialoguing character, earning the respect and support of the whole community year after year.

All the presidents of the communities have praised his career and the work he has done for Miraflores during these 3 decades and naming this promenade after him is our way of recognising his dedication to this community.

Summary of the last six months of the year 2022.Read More

Miraflores and Meridional attend La Cala Neighbourhood Council security meeting

Squatting and petty crime were the topics discussed with the police.

On the 12th, one of the first meetings of the Junta Vecinal de La Cala was held and the main topic was security. This meeting was attended by our president Urszula Karlsson and our administrator Domingo Ariza from Meridional.

The meeting was attended by the councillor Tamara Vera of Citizen Participation and Civil Protection, as well as the Head of the Local Police of Mijas, Mr. Juan Manuel Rosas and the Head of the Investigation Group of the Guardia Civil, Mr. David Vivas.

As explained by the Councillor for Citizen Participation, Tamara Vera, it was the residents themselves who chose to discuss this issue «and who asked to have the presence of agents of the State security forces to ask them questions in person and to know through them how La Cala is in terms of security, what situations can be improved and which ones we must continue to demand, all for the benefit of our community».

They responded to the main concerns of those present, stating that Mijas is a very safe municipality, and that crime has dropped by 59% in the last year. Even so, they recommend continuing with the usual security measures during this time of year and encourage people to report crimes so that they appear in the statistics and offenders can be charged when they are arrested.

The security forces meanwhile are going to increase their presence, as an increase in visitors is expected, which may attract criminals who specialize in petty theft.

Our president took the floor to highlight the squatting problems that have arisen in Sirius Street and other areas due to property break-ins. Ms. Karlsson’s intervention generated an important and interesting debate on this issue.

In another intervention, our administrator was interested in knowing how we can report incidents that are not wanted or not worth reporting, because in most cases, it is a problem for our foreign residents because they do not know the procedures or because they are complicated and time consuming.

In this sense we can advance that we are studying with our lawyers, the possibility of creating a document so that the presidents can act on behalf of the owners who so express it and be able to denounce in their name problems of squatting, trespassing or other incidents.

Our representatives were also able to speak personally with the police authorities who attended about the increased police presence in Miraflores, to which they again committed themselves as they have been doing so far.

<strong>Miraflores and Meridional attend La Cala Neighbourhood Council security meeting</strong>Read More

Urszula Karlsson´s Interview

The interview begins as we take a stroll through Miraflores and head to the community where she has been president for 16 years.
Urszula is polite and jovial but as soon as we bring up the subject of Gran Comunidad she becomes more formal. She takes this responsibility very seriously.

During the walk she has stopped to chat with some members of the community, others have greeted her and another has approached her to discuss a parking issue.

I want to create community, a sense of community, because together we can do more things and do them faster.

Miraflores is a Community that includes 18 micro-communities. Coordinating everything must be complicated?
It is not complicated, you just need to dedicate time and be clear about the direction. It is also essential to have a professional and solvent administrator. I am sincerely happy with the work done by the Meridional office. In any case, I have been working and running my own business all my life and I can understand priorities and urgencies. There was also a time when I worked in my husband’s construction company, where I took care of administrative tasks and we grew to 125 employees. It was a very stressful time, but also a very lovely time because I learned the value of working in a team and the loneliness of making decisions, which not everyone likes, but which have to be made.

What made you stand for president of Gran Comunidad?
I am also a homeowner, I am also affected by everything that happens in Miraflores. I understand perfectly well that some owners arrive with a problem that is important to them. I too have suffered from burst pipes, electrical faults, the poor state of the streets and the lack of parking. I didn’t want to run, but a group of people met with me and insisted that I do it and I don’t regret it. Honestly, I think we have done well during this time, despite the difficult times we have all had. We have been faced with new problems to solve and for which there was no handbook and, honestly, I think we have done well. The essential thing is always to keep the owners safe within the community and that the environment is always clean and cared for. And all the changes we are making are aimed at increasing beauty and wellbeing, without forgetting security.

What do you like most about this job as president?
The contact with people, being able to help them. I don’t mind receiving calls and e-mails telling me about anything that happens in Gran Comunidad. Nor do I mind being asked questions of any other kind, from legal issues to questions about tax matters. If I don’t know the answer, I give them Meridional’s telephone number or I go to the office myself and speak to them about the problem.

What do you like the least about this job?
There is really nothing I don’t like, and being president of Pueblo 1, I am already aware of what comes with the job. The most complicated thing sometimes is explaining administrative and legal issues that don’t seem like common sense, but it’s the law. Apart from that, there is nothing I don’t like. Of course there are bad moments, but they soon pass.

What challenges do you have ahead of you?
There are still problems that we could call historical, that go back 5 years or more and that we are now trying to solve, after years in which nothing has moved. An example of this is the pedestrian bridge. At least we now have it made safe and with a good company, because we have spent many years without it, and thank goodness we have not had any misfortune. It is incomprehensible how no one had worried about the insurance of this basic infrastructure for Miraflores.

What vision of Miraflores would you like to implement?
I want to create community, a sense of community, because together we can do more things and do them faster. That’s why I think that initiatives such as having this website that can be updated and not be left forgotten and creating a new logo that the 18 communities can use freely and without having to ask for permission, seem to me to be another way of reinforcing the identity of Miraflores.

Why has the street and garden cleaning service been changed?
Without wishing to take any credit away, and even less so after so many years of service, it is true that complaints had increased and, in order to resolve them, they asked for their budget to be increased (you can find more details in the news). As is normal, we wanted to compare and see what the market was like. For us it was a surprise to see that we´ll get more service for the same money, and they also include other services that were previously paid for separately. So it would be accurate to say that they are comparatively cheaper.

Are you going to improve the service or are they just cheaper?
The decision was not taken lightly. Before giving the final approval, we also found out about the new contractor and they have a very good track record. Meridional even called other administrators and communities to get their opinion and they have always spoken very well of them and recommended them to us. If they don’t cost us a single € more, I think the decision makes sense.

Urszula Karlsson´s InterviewRead More

Management Report

The main purpose of this newsletter is to give a brief summary of the most important developments in the last year in Gran Comunidad.

We hope they will be of interest and useful to know some of the things that happen in Miraflores and how they are being done. Thank you very much for reading them.

What has happened with street cleaning and the state of the gardens?

In 2020, during the pandemic, Sagesa, the company in charge of cleaning and disinfection, acted with normality and professionalism. However, some members of the community noticed that a number of areas needed more attention, and in most cases, it has been possible to repair the problem with a small investment.

Since the beginning of the state of alarm, Meridional has also been concerned about the disinfection of streets being carried out by the Mijas Town Hall and has been in constant contact to receive details of the disinfection measures being carried out in our area. Thanks to this management it was achieved that most of our streets were disinfected 2 or 3 times a week.

Meridional also recommended to the cleaning companies to try to increase the doses of disinfectant (bleach) in those areas where there was more danger of contagion and this was done.

The cleaning service provided by Sagesa, with the exception of a few critical weeks, operated normally. In this regard, it should be noted that the company disinfected the rubbish bins in order to prevent them from becoming a source of contagion.

It is amazing living in Miraflores!

Street cleaning: changes and improvements

Street cleaning has been the subject of a great deal of criticism and complaints from many residents for several months.

In response to this problem, Sagesa proposed to increase the cost of the service by around 10% in order to resolve the complaints. It also suggested that the community needed to buy a truck to improve cleaning at a cost of around €18,000. To this cost we had to add maintenance, taxes, fuel, insurance, etc. for the truck.

In order to compare and evaluate this proposal, several quotes were requested and studied by the president together with Meridional, before making the final choice.

Finally it was decided to contract the proposal presented by Jaydo Tecnic, because it maintains the current budget paid by the community for this service. It also provides a multi-purpose sweeping machine for cleaning.

With this management it is expected that the street cleaning service of the community will be improved and modernised. This will have a positive impact on the image of the Greater Community without having increased the budget by a single euro.

Gardens, latest news

Sagesa’s performance as regards the gardens has had some errors throughout this time. The community members and some of the presidents continued to detect incidents that they communicated to Meridional, which informed Sagesa so that it could act as quickly as possible. Undoubtedly, there was a need to improve some areas quickly.

It must be acknowledged that Sagesa responded immediately to this, although the complaints continued to be repeated. This led Sagesa to the conclusion that the gardening service was insufficient and that it needed to update its proposal to improve the gardening service.

Therefore, Sagesa made a proposal to increase the budget by 34% in order to reach the goal of making the complex’s gardens better.

The increase only contemplated the increment in manpower and machinery, to which other expenses involved in the gardening service would have to be added. It also suggested automating the entire irrigation system, which is still manual in some areas.

Finally, after studying all the proposals on the table with the president, the decision was taken to contract Jaydo Tecnic. The reason is that their proposal is more comprehensive, including labour, products, removal of pruning waste, replacement of 600 plants per year and irrigation repairs by their own staff and without a real increase on the previous budget.

Hortensia Street will be repared shortly

Undoubtedly, this past year one of the main concerns has been the deterioration of Calle Hortensia. Meridional, together with an engineer from the Town Hall, went to visit this street to seek help from this department. The Town Hall prepared a dossier for a grant to repair Calle Hortensia and other streets in Miraflores that Meridional indicated to the Town Hall were also in a bad state.

It is true that, during this waiting time, we have made repairs to dangerous potholes, but we have continually insisted to the council about the problems in Hortensia Street.

Finally, the tarmacking has been approved by the Mijas Town Hall. Now we only have to wait for them to award the job to a company and start the repair work.

When the Mijas Town Hall asked Meridional for some documentation last April, this information was provided immediately so that the process would not be delayed in the slightest.

This is good news, we just have to wait a little longer and hope that the town hall will be prompt.

The foot bridge now has insurance

The pedestrian bridge is a problem that the community president and Meridional have been trying to solve since the beginning of their appointment. Reports and assessments of the condition of the bridge have been carried out to try to get the municipality or the ministry to take action.

The current administration was able to get a major insurance company to agree to provide liability insurance for the bridge and the community’s governing board. This initiative has given all the community members of Miraflores a lot of peace of mind because we are the ones who use the bridge the most.

The first step we took to try to find a solution to the bridge problem was to request all available information from the previous administrator. However, he replied that he had no documentation on the matter.

To fix this problem, the president together with Meridional commissioned a technical report assessing the bridge, condition and necessary improvements in its maintenance.

The report has revealed that the bridge has a number of faults that require attention and repairs. This report also includes an estimate of the cost of these corrections for the community.
In order to solve the problem as soon as possible, the administration has contacted the Town Hall to obtain some form of assistance for its repair.

An independent professional was also commissioned to take the necessary steps to get the Ministry to accept the transfer of the bridge, and after all the steps taken, it has not been possible for the Ministry of Public Works to take over the pedestrian bridge.

For this reason, Meridional is in contact with various departments of the City Council. The aim is to work to ensure, on the basis of public interest, that the Town Hall takes over the bridge.

Apart from this issue, the bridge is in need of some repairs. For this reason, several estimates have been requested in order to be able to analyse them shortly and decide which is the most appropriate.

Franjus has done a good job

Franjus’ security service has functioned with total normality throughout the pandemic. In fact, Meridional congratulated their dedication, patience and professionalism. They have ensured at all times that the lockdown and health security measures were complied with in all the communities. Likewise, the willingness and proactivity of the guards and their bosses can be highlighted.

Franjus has been in contact with the administration at all times and we have been able to coordinate with them for the planning to maintain owner´s security, as well as the indications made by the vocal of security Mr. Paul Mc Crumlish.

The incident of the occupation of a property was solved in a record time of 11 days and did not cause any further problems. Franjus was collaborating at all times with the administration and the president.

Several meetings have also been held with the mayor and the Mijas Local Police. In these meetings a direct line of communication was established between Meridional and the Local Police in order to be able to inform directly about incidents due to occupation.

Subsequently, there have been 35 relevant incidents from October to March that have been dealt with by Franjus without major problems.

Undoubtedly, the work done by the security company has not only been as expected, but has been even better.

This line of communication has been useful in recent weeks to alert the police about the increasing number of break-in attempts. In addition, a reinforcement of security guards has been hired this Christmas to intensify surveillance and prevent this and other types of incidents.

Savings in the Grand Community are consolidated

In 2020 there was a saving of 56.000€ in the accounts and the positive evolution continues in 2021 with 67.500€.

The periodic reports on the economic situation of the community show very positive conclusions, the most important of which is that savings have been increasing each year. Having this money available has allowed us to invest in some urgent works needed by the community and to reserve another part for future works.

The year 2020 closed with savings of more than €56,000 over the approved budget, rising to €67,500 this year.

Another conclusion from the accounts reports is that the evolution and timing of the budget and expenditure are normal and balanced.

The budget has remained the same over the last two financial years because, as no new budget could be submitted for approval, and the law states that the existing one must be extended.

The conclusion of these reports is that expenditure is under control and there are no major discrepancies. The financial situation has been improving over the years, and the community has a very good financial situation.

Meridional is working day after day to maintain this positive evolution of the accounts and in this way to be able to save more and more. These savings will basically allow us to continue making the improvements that Gran Comunidad needs.

Avenida del Sol

A few weeks ago, the presidents of Riviera and Miraflores met to look for solutions to improve the appearance of Avenida del Sol and to collaborate jointly in its maintenance.
At the moment, they are analysing various options to see which is the best and most sustainable.

Management ReportRead More

A CHAT WITH OLE SIGURDSSON

by Francisco Jose López de Ahumada Beato

What is your background before you came to the Costa del Sol?
I was born in Iran (1942), with an Icelandic father and Persian mother. At the age of 12, my father sent me to a boarding school in Denmark and I thereafter I finished my education as a Civil Engineer at the technical university of Copenhagen. At the age of 25, I got my first job, and had to promise my father not to stay more than five years with any company until the age of 45 years old.

Why did you come to the Costa del Sol?
Five years later at my first job, my father reminded me of my promise, so I began to search for a new job. During that time, my parents took a trip to Torremolinos, and upon return he said: “Now I know what you should do, go to the Costa del Sol, buy land and build houses”. I packed my car and arrived here on the 10^th of May 1973, not knowing anything about the Costa the Sol and not speaking any Spanish.

And how did your career start here?
During the first 3 months of arriving to Torremolinos, nothing happened; but one day everything changed. I used to have breakfast every day in the same cafeteria with a Swedish chap and one day he asks me to go with him to buy shoes? Despite insisting that I knew nothing about shoes, I went with him anyhow. At the shoe store he met his uncle, and he introduced me as his friend, and that I was here to build houses. His uncle asked me if I was interested in his project of building four townhouses and naturally, I immediately jumped at this opportunity. This taught me that nothing happens if you don`t move around, even if it is to go with someone who wants to buy shoes…..!

And from Torremolinos to Miraflores, what led to that?
In 1976, I received a couple of work order in Riviera del Sol, right next door, and I quickly noticed that this area was quite unique due to the constant slope – right from the sea up to the top of the hill, which would allow to build houses with sea views for most of the buildings. So, together with my family and friends we bought 350.000 square meters of Phase 3 of Riviera del Sol and renamed it “Hacienda Miraflores”.

The administration has drafted two reports, one in December and the other in June, on the financial situation of the community. The conclusions in both reports are positive: savings have been made and money has been invested in some urgent requirements. In general, the financial situation has improved compared to the previous year. In the first of the reports we can see that 2020 has been signed off with a saving of more than 56.000 € on the approved budget.

This has made it possible to cover the severance payment of an employee, without having to resort to extraordinary funding. It has also served to cover the bad debt of Oceana Avenue. The rest of the savings have been used to make a provision for future improvements, such as the repair of the pedestrian bridge.

In the second report on the accounts, it is clear that the evolution of the budget and expenditure is normal. At the moment approximately 50% of the budget has been spent, which is in line with the 50% of the financial year.

The budget included in this last report is the same as last year’s budget, because as it has not been able to hold a meeting, it has not been able to submit a new budget for approval and the existing one has to be extended by law.

The conclusion of these reports is that expenditure is under control and there are no major deviations. The financial situation has been improving with respect to the previous year, with the community having a better cash flow situation.

Meridional is working day after day to ensure that this positive trend in the accounts is maintained and thus to be able to make more and more savings. These will then allow us to continue making the improvements that Gran Community needs.

Did you achieve your dream?
When one compares Miraflores with our neighbouring urbanizations, one can clearly see the difference. As a developer, I am quite stubborn to achieve my ideas and often told that “I am too forceful” which is probably true. But before every idea is put into reality, I very carefully think through each item and check every single detail resulting that Miraflores is still after 40 years one of the most desired developments on the Costa del Sol.

How Miraflores has changed in the meantime!

The planning of Miraflores is not only great houses and gardens, but also a well united community of owners where the majority is under the same rules and regulations.

For same reason, I also wanted a single homeowners community administrator for all the 18 homeowners’ communities as well as the grand community, where Miraflores was the absolute single priority. Being united, does not only have a logistic benefit but also an economic benefit for our homeowners. Our first administrator was Mr. Salvador Cordero and for many years Miraflores managed to keep the communities together, but unfortunately, over the past few years this was partly lost.

It is not normal for a developer to continue to stay in the management of the development after it is completed. Some ask me why do I stay on and even accept the post of a community president? Is it for economic interest? I understand that some may think so, but I have a clear conscience. Still after 40 years, I continue with daily on-going tasks at Miraflores.

Do you have any regrets?
Yes, but there are only few. I mostly regret that in the past few years, Miraflores is not any more as united as I had envisaged. Politics have entered and for the first time, the decisions made are not anymore unanimous and arguments and decisions are political and not always properly founded.

Is it difficult to return to be united?
Yes, and frustrating, but I never give up. One must bear in mind that Miraflores owners consist of over 32 other nationalities, with different languages, morals, lifestyles, religions and more. Since the communities where split, there are now also eight different homeowner’s community administrators. Fortunately, due to the Miraflores legal bylaw structure, all the 18 homeowners’ communities are united under the Miraflores Grand Community, where the priority is a safe and a clean resort.

What would make a good homeowners community president and administrator?
In my opinion, a good homeowners president in Miraflores should domain the following three profiles. The first one is language: Should speak Spanish and English at a certain level. To be able to communicate for better understanding without needing translation and thereby avoid important misunderstandings.

It is also important that he or she have some understanding of different mentalities of our multinational owners. You cannot speak in the same way to a German as to a Spaniard.

Having read and fully understood the community bylaws as well as have certain degree of technical knowledge. Most of the budget of the communities has to do with maintenance and repairs. Understand providers quotes to be able to valuate same and make proper decisions.

A professional homeowners community administrator is vital for the day-to-day management and maintenance and to make important savings. Some communities choose their administrator due to lowest fee, which is obviously an error. You can´t expect a professional good administration and management or expect to receive proper service, if you don´t pay a reasonable fee.

We must remind ourselves, that most homeowners communities might change their community president after one or more years, while most keep their administrator year after year. So, the choice of a good professional administrator is of utmost importance. But just to be an experienced administrator is not enough.

I have a saying: “Experience only serves its’ owner while knowledge is universal”

<strong>A CHAT WITH OLE SIGURDSSON</strong>Read More

Interview with Javier Ortiz, lawyer and registered administrator

What does it mean to be a member of the college of administrators and what advantages does it have for the community?
Not all administrators can be licenced. For this, it is necessary to have a professional qualification that not all of them have.

Being a Fellow of the Association of Property Administrators means being part of a Public Law Institution with its own legal standing and full capacity to fulfil its aims, which is governed by its own Statutes and Internal Regulations, and is protected by Law.
Therefore, a Community of Property Owners managed by a registered Property Administrator has the security not only of being in the hands of good professionals but also the guarantee of being covered by the rules of a Public Law entity which brings with it the existence, among other things, of a civil liability insurance that covers all the contingencies that may be brought about by one of its members.

Therefore, what are the disadvantages for the community of trusting a non-member administrator?
Mainly, not being subject to the discipline and rules of a public law body, which may mean that the community is not duly protected against inappropriate or improper professional practices that may cause damage and harm to the community.

How can property administrators help the community coexistence?
An administrator must have good communication skills, a certain level of emotional intelligence, conflict management, negotiation, mediation and problem solving skills, because sooner or later they will end up appearing in the community and you will need all these skills to offer a realistic and calm solution.

Does this also apply to community committees?
Of absolutely yes, it does. Leading and managing a community meeting is often not easy either, and for everything to go smoothly during the meeting, in addition to the above, you need to know how to handle person-to-person relationships. If you don’t like people, if you only want convenience and not to be bothered with debtors or conflicts, or if you want to be in a community to sell more services, my opinion is that you should not become a property manager

How important is transparency for you?
It is unavoidable. The code of ethics of the Association is very clear on these issues. But in any case it is the fundamental pillar of your work. An administrator’s most important asset is his or her reputation.

What lines of work do you set yourself at Meridional?
To always give a professional and real answer that solves the problem that the community has at that moment, and of course adjusted to the legislation in order not to harm the owners. One of Meridional’s characteristics is to always have an active dialogue with all the owners and communities, and I want to contribute to keep it that way.

Interview with Javier Ortiz, lawyer and registered administratorRead More