Twenty-one (21) members were present.

President Mike Moore opened the meeting with the introduction of Mr. George Chandler, an Investigator with the Virginia Beach Department of Consumer Affairs.  The Department is made up of 1 Director and 3 Investigators. Their job is to enforce the Consumer Protection Laws.  The initial process starts when a Compliant is filed.  The signed complaint is then, along with invoices etc. filed with the Consumer Protection Department.  If there appears to be a violation of the Laws, the Department can mediate, or if need be, take the violator to court.  90 to 95% of the businesses are more than willing to do something to make the consumer happy.  In some cases, it is the business that needs protection.  Some of the most frequent complaints deal with automobiles.

There are 34 items that are prohibited by law.  They include, bait and switch practices, a business advertising they are the only company in the area providing a particular service or product etc. 

Under ACT, Auto Repair Facilities are required by law to have the requirements contained in the Law posted and included on the invoice.  These include a breakdown of the cost of the labor and parts.  If parts are replaced, they must be labeled, new, rebuilt etc.  A number of Repair Facilities are unaware that they are required to have this posted for the consumer.

Part of the Department’s job is to educate Businesses.  If you purchase an item or service at your home, under the Home Solicitation Act, the consumer has 3 days to cancel and the consumer must be made aware of the “refund” policy.  

If a consumer has paid for a service, and the contractor doesn’t show up when scheduled, the consumer must send a 15-day letter, after which it is considered a criminal act. 

A few years ago, a company went door-to-door selling siding. The contractor’s team knocked on the door, separated husband and wife and talked to them for up to 8 hours, until they signed a contract.   The customer received a copy of everything they signed, but not the signed copy of the 3-day waiver rule.   There were 2,000 complaints filed.  Ultimately, the contractor was fined $85,000 and had to make reimbursement to the complainants.   

In these cases, the contractor will generally sign an AVC, (an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance which states:  “I didn’t do it and won’t do it again.”)

There are few exceptions to the 3-day rule and the reason for the exception has to be specific in the contract. The reason must be legitimate, such as a roof falling in which would need to be fixed immediately.  

The Department has maintained a Data Base of complaints since 1984.  A consumer can call and obtain information on the number of complaints lodged against a business.  They cannot specify what the complaints are, but can tell you how many there were and if they were resolved.  Complaints are removed after 5 years.

The Department of Consumer Affairs cannot:  Set prices, give legal advice or close a business.
Only the courts can tell a third party what to do or not do.
Often a letter sent on the Commonwealth’s Attorney letterhead, will resolve the problem.

Door to door solicitors:
They must have a solicitor’s license on them with their picture.  They cannot claim their license comes under someone else, i.e. their supervisor.  If they do not or cannot show it to you, call the police.  It is a Class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by fine and 1 month in jail.  A solicitor’s license is obtained through the Police Department.

CASE:  Committee Against Senior Exploitation  
Information on CASE can be obtained by calling Kathy Parks (385-5836.)  She will provide a packet of information for the community.  They send out fraud alerts etc. to an e-mail address, which is then sent out to the community.

Every few months the area agencies meet to find out what is going on in their community and what may be heading their way.  Sharing information has proved vital in heading off scams that may be heading into the community.

Local Agencies see what needs to be changed or items that, if added to the law, can make the laws more workable and they may suggest legislation. For years the Consumer Protection Agencies tried to get a Gouging Law passed and it was only recently that it was passed.   

CASE information packets were distributed at the break.
 

BUSINESS:

The next General Meeting will be May 21st.  This will be the last meeting until September.

Copies of the March minutes were available and reviewed by the members.  
A motion to accept the minutes as written was made and seconded.  The motion passed.

TREASURER’S REPORT:
For the period January 1, 2009 to April 3, 2009, there was $29,555.15 in the Treasury.  
Expenses for this period totaled $1,809.64 and $3,600.00 was transferred to a Business Money Market account for a total outlay of funds $2,491.07.

Block Security issues:

A fire was set on the outside of the Travis home.   It was suggested that it may have been accidental and the kids who did it ran, rather than deal with it.
The vandalism at the pool included damaging the Record Board, items thrown into the deep end and having the water turned on.

CLEAN THE BAY DAY:

Volunteers are needed for Clean the Bay day on June 6th.  Pembroke Meadows/Shores will again participate.  The Zone captains must get the forms, bags etc. and Coordinate the reporting.
If you can’t volunteer on June 6th, you can do it earlier.  Call Jim Willenbrink and he will give you an area to pick up trash etc. 
Jeff Brown volunteered to be our Zone Captain for Clean the Bay Day   

NEWSLETTER:

Bruce Blair will be out of town for a few days and the Newsletter will be done the next week.  Bruce can be reached at:  daddybb@verizon.net. 

The speaker for the May meeting will be a representative of Lynnhaven Now.  Jim Willenbrink will contact the speaker to verify the date and time.

WEBMASTER:      Clif Furedy has been doing a wonderful job as our Webmaster.

PET LOST AND FOUND:

Forms aren’t being submitted to Gerri Richter for our neighborhood pets.  The form is available on www.pembrokemeadows.org and can be printed from our website. When filled out they should be sent to Gerri Richter along with a picture of the pet. When animals are picked up, they can only be kept for 3 days.  After that they are sent to the ASPCA.   Animal control really doesn’t want any more animals due to a Parvo problem.  

POOL:

The fiberglass coating is underway and the pool is a bright white with blue edging tiles.

The Norfolk Flower cards are completely sold.

The Day before Mother’s Day there will be Breakfast at Appleby’s as a fundraiser.
TAKE YOUR MOTHER TO BREAKFAST AT APPLEBY’S!!  

There is an opening on the Pool Board.   Please consider volunteering.

Even with the $ 1,000 deductible, the cost of the Vandalism was high enough to file a claim with the insurance company.  The Recreation Center Board will look into the cost of installing cameras around the pool.     The 3rd precinct has jurisdiction. 
T-Mobile is paying the back taxes.

Jeanne Blair reminded the Civic League that anyone who brings in a new member gets 10% of his or her membership fee refunded.  (10 new members cover the member’s membership fee.)
A Reminder:  The deadline for the Pool Membership discount is April 30th.

BUILDING AND GROUNDS:

The 1st VP was absent.

Volunteers are needed to police the median strip at the end of June and the beginning of July.

The Spring Fling is May 2nd.   Lunch will be served for the workers.

Pembroke Meadows Fun Run: The Prize at the Fun Run was a Pool Membership.

Social:  Linda White volunteered to bring the refreshments for next month’s meeting.

Jeanne Blair asked whom she had to contact to have her Cub Scout troop plant seedlings at area at the far end of the Park.  Permission from the city is needed. 

The city recently worked on the Median strip.  Unfortunately, the bushes were severely pruned.   

DRAWING FOR THE POOL MEMBERSHIP:   Roger Vaughn won the Pool Membership

LADIES LUNCH:      MAY 28TH - Bubbas on Shore Drive
                                   JUNE 24TH - Surf Rider

The meeting closed at 8:40.

Respectfully Submitted,
Teri Mikulka