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 November 2009 
 The Board of Directors is pleased to officially welcome Mike McDermott as our new CRTO General Manager, effective August 1st, 2009. Mike has implemented many new and improved procedures, which he will explain in more detail at our first BOD Meeting in December. The Manager’s office will be putting out a Newsletter periodically to keep us up to date on happenings at CRTO. If you have not met Mike yet, please stop by and introduce yourself; also know if you have any questions or problems, this is where to go for the answers!
CRTO Board of Directors
From the desk of the CRTO General Manager:
Mike McDermott, MSM, MPA, LCAM
Phone 954-566-7700
Email coralridgetowers@bellsouth.net
 It is a distinct honor to be an integral part of the CRTO family. It is my personal and professional mission to be able to make a difference in the quality of life, comfort and safety for all its residents and guests. This mission is number 1 among all of the CRTO staff.
Your new General Manager’s background:
 I have lived in the greater Ft. Lauderdale area since leaving the cold and snow of upstate western New York fresh out of school to attend Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale. I come from a strong managerial and financial background having been involved in local government, Law Enforcement and Education for the past 34 years while possessing 2 University graduate level Master Degrees in Business and Finance. I am presently and for the past several years been very involved as the President of our Board of Directors with our family Cooperative building in Hallandale Beach that coincidentally is the exact age and condition of CRTO. Our Hallandale Beach Co-Op, with its back yard on the intercostal is well known throughout the City as being one of the prettiest most historic Co-Op properties having been fully restored (with concrete restoration designs and colors) back to its original 1962 look. We also have the lowest maintenance rates in the region.
 My Board of Directors and resident volunteers give of themselves, much like the Board of Directors here at CRTO. We all strive to make a difference…and we do....in the lives of our Co-Op families.
 Now that you have a little more information on your new Manager….please allow me to brag on your CRTO property. You have to know that you live in one of the best locations in Fort Lauderdale. Now combine your waterfront location with all of the amenities and lifestyle advantages that CRTO offers and that is hard to beat anywhere else in the nation!
The Buck Stops here...... at your General Manager’s Office!
 Back in August, for the first few weeks in your building, as your new General Manager I met with as many residents, staff, neighbors, vendors and Board of Directors that I could meet with to understand and discuss their individual needs and wants, wish list items and safety and comfort concerns. This initial few weeks of work was to initiate and build a plan to enhance the quality of life for every single resident through careful planning, the use of existing personnel and resources and a lot of hard work. Since day one this has been an on going process that has involved staff training, working smarter, weekly safety meetings, exacting record / inventory and product controls. The staff are required to take responsibility of their work areas while being held accountable.
Budgeting and Finances:
 As your Manager I am reviewing every dollar that comes in and goes out. I am double checking and reviewing every contract and have even renegotiated savings on a few contracts already. I am working closely with both your Board treasurer and our Contract auditor.
Your Safety and Well Being
 Security and Safety: One of our top priorities is for every resident to not only be safe in their CRTO home but to have that warm sense of well being that comes with a secure safe environment. We have expanded on the FOB system to include a new “industry standard” key pad dialer at the front entry way. This allows both residents and their guests to unlock the front door by dialing up a pre registered phone number. When the pre registered number (it can be either a land line or cell number) is dialed the person that answers simply hits the #6 button and the front door opens. This system allows any authorized person remote access to CRTO 24 hours a day!
Your Staff are here for you...... The CRTO Resident Care Program
 We have recently greatly expanded the “resident care” duties of all staff including our security / concierge personnel to include more individualized personal attention to residents and their guests. This service includes assisting our residents in so many different ways. It may be that someone needs assistance offloading their groceries from their vehicle. It may be as simple as opening a door when their hands are full. It is the duty of every staff member to assist in any way necessary to make the lives of residents better. Our staff has been instructed to constantly identify any issues that may involve our senior residents and assist in them any way necessary. From senior referral programs to the appropriate social agency to notifying a relative of any changes that may need to be reported.
Your Manager has over 30 years experience in handling the “at risk” resident and through the new CRTO Resident Care Program each member of the staff has instructions to identify any resident or their residence in need of special care and to notify the Manager’s office. Some of these special care cases have been identified by staff during routine maintenance / inspections or during the monthly pest control spraying.
 The maintenance staff are continuing the Annual residence inspections and repairs. All vital areas of your residence, including water valves and the age and condition of the water heater, bathroom fixtures, windows, smoke detectors, shutters and doors are checked and lubricated as needed. These inspections are then followed up with any recommendations and/or repairs as needed.
The Cleanest Room in the building!
 The Manager’s office listened and reacted. The single most common complaint among residents was from the odor and bugs that came from the garbage room. A new more effective odorant dispensing system was put into place, the room was pressure cleaned and the walls and flooring were freshly painted. Additional lighting was installed with ventilation fans. Every dumpster is emptied twice a week and is now cleaned with a bio degradable cleaner that all but eliminates the bad odors. Your garbage room is now the cleanest room in the building!
Who has the best looking Landscaping
 | | Most Lush Flowers in the Region |
 CRTO enjoys the reputation of having the greenest and most lush flowers, trees, bushes, grass and plantings in the region. The Landscaping contract was recently awarded to a past CRTO Landscape architect and the owner of Modern Image Landscape Company, Mr. Jeff Bowie. Jeff was responsible for many years of plantings and maintaining the grounds here and was brought back to bring your property to its pristine condition. This past week the annual plants and mulching was completed. Those beautiful flowers will be in full bloom throughout the season. As many have witnessed our putting greens have begun to come back to life with the expert advice and services by Golf Course putting greens specialist Mr. Jerry Mills.
Balcony and Breezeway Concrete Restoration and Repairs in full gear
 As everyone has seen and heard the Concrete repairs are in full swing and nearly 75% completed. The contractor was awarded to Pritts Inc, and is overseen by both your General Manager and an Independent Engineer for both quality and performance of work. For those residents that had their patio tiles removed for concrete repairs, you will soon have a new stronger more modern surface installed.
Leave a Message on CRTO new voicemail system 24 hours a day!
 When you suddenly awake at 3am in the morning, and had that nagging question for the CRTO accounting office wondering if you had sent in that last quarterly check? Well all you now have to do is pick up the phone, dial the CRTO main number 954-566-7700 and leave a message for accounting. By the next business day you will be receiving a call back from the office to assist with your issue.
When dialing the CRTO main number you will have 4 options. Option 1 will be for the office Manager, Ms. Jane Trimble, Option 2 will be for Accounting, Ms. Suzanne Andersen, Option 3 will be for the General Manager, Mike McDermott and Option 0 will be forwarded to Security. The after hours phone number is 954-707-2415. This after hours number will be answered directly by the on duty personnel in the building.
 Send us your new and updated email address to receive your newsletters and other CRTO business updates via email
For those that have new or updated email addresses please send them to: CRTO@Bellsouth.net (attention NEW EMAIL ADDRESS in the subject line)
Mandatory 40-year Recertification and Building Inspection underway
 In accordance with the Florida Building Code 109.14, and along with Broward County Administrative Provisions, CRTO must have their building recertified by both a Florida mechanical and electrical engineer. This is a measure that ensures that our building is safe both structurally and electrically. Your Manager’s office is overseeing these very vital and necessary inspections that when successfully completed will be good for 10-years.
The new Look ……..New Employees at CRTO;
 You may have noticed a few new faces in and around CRTO in the past few months. We have hired a new Painter, Paul Shields. You will notice him with the white painter jump suit with the paint brush attached to his hand. He has come to us with many years of maintenance and painting experience.
 Desmond Coke is the new evening shift Security / Concierge that brings with him over 8 years of Security experience. Our veteran Security Joe Cusumano continues to impart all of his CRTO know how to Desmond along with those special “cookies” he brings in to share with staff.
 Michele Sousa is our new day shift Security / Concierge who recently retired after a successful 20 year stint as a New York City Policewoman. She is best known for her “Verbal Judo” training of over 30,000 policemen. She tells me that her training involves being able to control even the worst criminal using some very strong direct language. This coupled with Michele’s very positive attitude certainly makes her a valued addition to the CRTO team.
 Eddy Bien-Aime and Francisco Cano are new part-time Security / Concierge staff that assists where needed through the week. Francisco, known to many as “Cisco” comes to the CRTO family from a strong background of customer care as lead Concierge with the Marriott Hotels. Cisco has led the security team with the “Friendliest and Most helpful” attitude.
Along with new hires I have reorganized and streamlined the staffing at CRTO. All staff are in new uniforms. I have taken two of our multi talented staff and promoted them to supervision. I have made Mr. Huntley Spencer in Maintenance and Mr. Michael Defay in Security “Team Leaders”. They have both taken their position very seriously and have helped lead the staff to better productivity and accountability, a safer working environment with everyone working together as a team. Congratulations to Huntley and Michael and keep up the good work.
Mike McDermott
General Manager
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