Two New Candidates Seek Election to Mara Villa Boards

Responding to the community's call for improved communication and fiscal responsibility in our community,  two residents have stepped up to the plate for election in the upcoming April Mara Villa elections. In Mara Villa 1, this is the first contested election in it's 20-year history.


We heard your concerns in the survey we conducted about more accountability, the needs for bids for all vendor services, and full disclosure. We attend meetings and understand the issues. Heightening concern is the fact that we have since found out through the Barlow Group that there are NO CURRENT CONTRACTS IN PLACE FOR VENDOR SERVICES PROVIDED IN MARA VILLA MANAGEMENT, and possibly no current contracts for the other boards. The only contract documents that are on file are dated from many years ago and the current vendors have been allowed/directed by the board to continue their services in the absence of valid contractual specifications!  INEXCUSABLE!


Board members owe a fiduciary duty to the Mara Villa owners to manage and operate the Association.


Consequently, we've seen our homeowners fees skyrocketing and question "why?" We believe in controlling costs and implementing responsible, long term plans. If elected, we will also implement a stellar communication system that will enable all residents to understand the issues, participate in public discussions and influence board decisions. We will listen to you!


We understand that our economy is at a historical low and that every one of us is affected financially. Our homes are depreciating in value, yet homeowner fees are the second highest in Prestancia (out of 14 communities) and also one of the highest in Sarasota. We see a community governing process in Mara Villa (MV Management and Mara Villa 1) that needs to reflect the needs of residents in these changing times. If elected, we will  implement committees to oversee new projects, landscaping efforts, and renovations. New people have moved into Mara Villa who are shocked at the fees, and older residents on fixed incomes feel threatened financially. Can something be done? 


We believe it can. We believe it must. But only if you vote for us as a team. We call ourselves "The Mara Villager Team" and we are asking for you to vote for both of us in order to initiate the new processes we need in our community. Below are our bios and we appreciate your vote. Please remember to return the election ballot mailed to you by Barlow Group this week. The deadline to receive all ballots is no later than April 28 (for Mara Villa Mgt.), and April 29 (for Mara Villa 1).

Please Vote for Mara Villa Management

Andrea Martone, Keith Cipielewski, 

            note: Doug Snyder (left) has withdrew his name from this election as of 4/18

Andrea Martone

Vying for a seat on  Mara Villa Management Board

There are three important thoughts I’d like to state up front to be clear where I stand and why I am running. First, I am very grateful to the volunteer efforts over the years of our elected officials – particularly Dottie Baker --- who have helped to create a beautiful community with unsurpassed esthetic appeal. Second, I believe that when – and if - we pass the torch to new leaders in the community, our efforts will not compromise the beauty in which we deeply appreciate and to which we have become accustomed. Finally, my decision to run for a seat on the Mgmt. board can be summed up as follows:

1. Change is healthy. It allows the opportunity for new ideas, insight, fresh perspectives, and valuable life/ business experience to be brought to the table.
2. It is critical that the mechanisms used to govern any community association should be periodically re-evaluated and updated to reflect the unprecedented changes we’ve seen in our economy.
3. We need to review and re- evaluate the process of decision-making, especially the process by which decisions are implement. In an age of technology that supports mass communication, we need to encourage online dialogues and give residents access to all key documents in our community. I helped design and write the content for a website for Prestancia over four years ago, but until very recently, no effort was made by our boards to utilize this website.  (e.g. comprehensive minutes of mtgs. recorded/written; full financial, communication and accessibility is paramount.) MV One finally came on board, but what about the MV Mgmt. board? What’s the hesitancy? 

Communication is key and vital to the proper functioning of any community. Residents deserve to be heard and believe it is the duty of our elected officials to evaluate their input before making decisions. This especially holds true as it relates to key expenditures and assessments.

Besides a genuine passion for living here and loving my neighbors, here are my credentials:

Mara Villa 1 Resident for 5 1/2 years……..Editor of the Prestancia Pipeline Newsletter………..National Public Relations Expert and Former Editor in Chief of New York Community Weeklies………..Former Host of National Public Affairs Shows for iON Television Network……….Active participant at the Prestancia Board of Governor Mtgs. during the year, Networks with Presidents of Prestancia communities………..Mother, Wife, Grandma……….Good Neighbor……..and cooks great Italian meatballs for MV pool parties.

Write me at pwnewsgirl@aol.com

Keith Cipielewski:

Vying for a seat on  Mara Villa Management Board

I’ve stepped up to the plate by announcing my candidacy to run against three incumbents on the Mara Villa Management Board. My colleagues tell me I’m nuts to do so, but my heart tells me it’s the right thing to do. And more important, it’s time for positive and forward-thinking change on the board, and to open up a new line of communication with all the residents who live in this beautiful community.

Together with my wife, Beth, we own Siesta Key Oyster Bar and have lived and worked in Sarasota (Mara Villa 2) for seven years. We love living here; we have good relationships with many neighbors, and hope to remain living here for a long time. Like many of you, however, I question how realistic it is living in a community that has one of the highest maintenance fees in Sarasota? And perhaps more important, why we have the highest fees and where do we draw a line?

This said, and having attended numerous management meetings and networking with neighbors, I’ve decided to team up with two other neighbors who are running for the MV Management board. Our candidacy and potential election to office as a group will open the door to challenging the status quo and “business as usual.”

Running for office and advocating change does not mean you have a magic wand that makes everything perfect. In fact, it requires the willingness to admit, "I don't know exactly what we need to do to make everyone confident here and reduce costs, but I am willing to hear everyone’s voice, tap into our collective business skills, and try something different."

I also want to say my reason for running is not about “Us vs. Them.” Some owners view their board of directors and the community association as an extension of governmental authority, (but more to the point) authority that should be challenged at every opportunity. Personally, I simply see board members as fellow homeowners volunteering his/ her time, and believing they are in office to do the best they can. But are they? Consider some of the initiatives I’d implement if elected:

1. Regularly scheduled board mtgs, especially during peak months when a majority of residents are living here. Resident input prior to – and during mtgs, with no major expenditures voted upon until all community feedback is heard and evaluated. More use of internet for all notices. 
2. The implementation of detailed, comprehensive minutes prepared and shared with all, instead of the practice of brief synopses that overlook key discussions and issues raised by residents 
3. No more sole source contracts! Immediate evaluation of all communal landscaping costs and a call for new bids to existing vendors for cost comparisons and negotiating new contracts. And this includes a full review of property management fees. 
4. Housing all key documents on our Prestancia.org website, including financial statements, minutes of mtgs, property rules and regulations, bylaws, meeting notices, and other pertinent info that is readily available to all who use the internet in an age of warp-speed technology. 

I feel well qualified to serve you. My experience as a Project Manager for MCI gave me oversight of a $200 million budget. I operate a successful eatery that employs 58 and has become a staple within the community. I am President of the Sarasota Chapter of Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, a sitting, Board Member for Siesta Key Village Association, a member of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, and Sarasota County Visitors Bureau. Feel free to contact me: 941-223-7274, keithskob@gmail.com.

“You may never know what results come from your action, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.” ~ Gandhi