Dear Friends and Neighbors,

An organized group of concerned Coronado owners not affiliated with the Board or the Association in any official capacity has come together to share what we believe is the unfiltered reality about recent events at the Coronado. Our goal is to provide the facts, developments, and perspectives owners deserve so our community can move forward with full understanding.

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In this issue:

  1. The Editor’s Corner

  2. Candidates Night

  3. Is Our Community Paying for Fred Ruda’s and Eileen Supran’s Campaigns?

  4. Candidates Night Résumé Incident

  5. The Coronado Fact Checkers (CFC)

  6. Why Is This Happening? Issues Owners Continue to Raise

  7. Looking Forward

  8. Our Endorsed Candidates

  9. Closing

1 - The Editors Corner (Our Editors’ Opinions)

Dear friends and neighbors,

Election voting is right around the corner and our editors unanimously and enthusiastically have expressed our opinions in this newsletter for the purpose of bringing our community together as it was in the past—striving for excellence and competency.

Our editors, along with many owners, desire a community that fosters respectful, constructive communication, transparency, and professionalism—so much of what is missing in our current Board. And, of course, we want a Board that complies with our Directors Code of Conduct contained in our Bylaws; no personal attacks by Directors should ever be tolerated.

2 - Candidates Night

Technology Failures

Getting back to basics, we are told by many owners that Candidates Night held on January 13 was a big disappointment due to ongoing technology problems. Owners on Zoom were unable to hear candidate presentations clearly, including questions and answers.

It is completely unacceptable to many owners that technology problems continue to persist at almost every Board meeting with no accountability or remedies instituted by this Board. To many, this appears to be a microcosm of this Board’s tenure.

Lack of Decorum

Further, many in our community ask whether it is even possible at the Coronado to have a well-run Board meeting while the same group of Board supporters in the back fails to observe rules of civility and do not understand that Board meetings are serious events—not party celebrations.

At Candidates Night, many owners were appalled at the lack of decorum, and some new owners questioned why they moved here in the first place. Yet this deplorable behavior has continued unabated by the Board. Perhaps Fred Ruda can enlighten us as to why nothing but talk is ever accomplished.

Attacks on The Conscience

Lastly, much time was spent by some of the candidates attacking The Conscience (the “Silencers”). It appears this Board, which ran on a platform of “transparency,” only wants the community to know what suits them and not any inconvenient truths.

There’s an old saying in politics: if your record is poor and your competence is questioned, don’t admit failure—just shoot the messenger. We at The Conscience will not fall prey to this strategy, and we hope you wont be intimidated either.

3 - Is Our Community Paying for Fred Ruda’s and Eileen Supran’s Campaigns?

It appears to the editors that Fred Ruda and Eileen Supran will go to any lengths to get re-elected and may be using Association funds to accomplish that goal. Read the evidence below and decide for yourself.

As election season began, one of our editors received a threatening lawyer’s letter paid for by the community, demanding that every issue of The Conscience contain a disclaimer stating it is not an official community document. The Conscience complied.

Editors’ note (Jan 31): The following has been updated to correct an error. Read the retraction here. Below has been updated accordingly post-publication.

A second threatening letter—again paid for by the community—was sent to an editor. This letter identified no untruths in the January 7, 2026 edition and appeared to many as an intimidation tactic. How many more of our dollars are they going to spend to fight free speech, and hide their record.

4 - Candidates Night Resumé Incident

At Candidates Night, Eileen Lavine made an inflammatory public attack on the resumé of one candidate. Why was this one candidate, widely viewed as a threat to Fred Ruda’s and Eileen Supran’s re-election, singled out without any attempt to verify the credentials of all candidates?

The answer seems obvious to many: a targeted hit.

Norman Lavine, Eileen’s husband, then requested that the Board, in consultation with Association counsel, consider next steps. Just imagine that any owner can make an unfounded accusation against a candidate and the Coronado will foot the bill. Owners have since questioned whether Association funds were used on legal fees or backgrounds checks to comply with his request. If yes, why?

5 - The Coronado Fact Checkers (“CFC”)

It appears to many that Fred Ruda and Eileen Supran needed additional means to suppress dissent. Owners question if they are behind the creation of the CFC.

The CFC identified two issues in the January 7th email:

  1. A rumor regarding Single Digits (clearly labeled as such), and

  2. A claim regarding “disappearing reserves,” which did not appear in The Conscience.

In fact, The Conscience argued the opposite—that excess reserves might be used to mitigate future assessments, including a potential seawall assessment estimated at $7,500–$9,000 per unit. Fred Ruda, in his rosy President’s Message, neglected to mention the possibility of an assessment. The Conscience believes that we should always try whenever feasible, to avoid the impact of assessments on the community.

Importantly, the CFC identified no false statements.

6 - Why Is This Happening? Issues Owners Continue To Raise

Below are issues many owners believe leadership does not want discussed.

Questionable Spending

Given the Board has not refuted any claims outlined in The Coronado Conscience, the claims stand as true. So why is the Board spending Association funds to shut it down? Owners ask if it is an effort by Fred Ruda and Eileen Supran to hide inconvenient truths that could hurt their re-election campaigns, and therefore wonder how spending Association dollars on legal fees instead of hiring their own attorneys and spending their own dollars can be justified.

Fiscal Integrity

The fiscal integrity of our Association was not created by them. Our past president, Jason Chudnofsky, and our past treasurer for five years, Allan Liebowitz, were key to putting policies in place, including the $6 million, 3.35%, 10-year loan obtained from Truist Bank.

Poor Conduct

Insulting and condescending conduct by Fred Ruda and Eileen Supran, in violation of the Directors Code of Conduct contained in our Bylaws, led in part to the divisiveness of our community. Behavior and example-setting start at the top.

Ask yourselves why there is such a lack of decorum at nearly every Board meeting, with no effort by Fred Ruda, President, to control the situation.

Secret Board Meetings

Eileen Supran convened multiple meetings involving a quorum of directors without notifying Directors Jason Chudnofsky and Allan Liebowitz or notifying all members of the community. This was a clear breach of Florida law with no repercussions to date.

Community Voting

Every initiative of the Board that went to the community for a vote failed to pass:
(i) lines on the pickleball courts,
(ii) the grill project, and
(iii) the gazebo over the east pool hot tub.

The Lobbies

At Candidates Night, Eileen Supran told owners they should leave it to the designers to come up with the optimum result, as Brown is a well-renowned firm that knows what it is doing.

The lobby process was akin to death by a thousand cuts. To remind owners, not only did the Coronado pay for Brown’s insurance, but:
(i) the first two renderings were rejected outright and the offices had to be removed;
(ii) the card table was removed;
(iii) the workstation was removed; and
(iv) finally, the oversized couch was removed.

As noted above—death by a thousand cuts. It does not appear that the designer lived up to its supposed reputation.

The Generator

The Board replaced the generator in the clubhouse at a cost of $35,000. The generator had been out of service for over 15 years with no repercussions.

Should a hurricane strike, the clubhouse is the last place one would want to be, and Highland Beach would likely be subject to a mandatory evacuation. This appears to be obvious wasteful spending by the Board—but you decide.

The Declaration

Our draft Declaration was finalized by the Governing Documents Committee in August 2024 and delivered to Debbie Boschetti, the Board Liaison, at that time. To date, this document has never been sent to the community for approval.

Our Game Room

The game room—prime oceanfront, Highland Beach real estate in our clubhouse—now houses management offices. This was done unilaterally by the Board with no community buy-in.

Owners were told this move was temporary. Ten months later and counting, there is still no end date. The move was declared an “emergency” by President Fred Ruda due to mold in the detached garage office, with furniture also described as “infested with mold.” Ironically, the maintenance staff has continued to use the garage office after quickly cleaning the desk and furniture.

Holiday Fund

Another microcosm of how this Board operates: to our knowledge, for the first time in Coronado history, holiday funds collected for employees were not distributed before the holidays to ensure workers had adequate funds.

What an embarrassment. Perhaps Fred and Eileen can find a way to blame The Conscience for this as well.

A Do-Over

On January 19, 2026, KW sent an email rescheduling the next Board meeting from Tuesday, January 20, to Tuesday, January 27, at 7:00 PM. The stated reason was to “allow time to correct the ongoing audio issues that have been experienced during the last few meetings.”

Given this admission of serious audio problems, many owners ask why Candidates Night was not repeated so all candidates and all owners—both in the clubhouse and on Zoom—could fully participate without interruption. As stated before, these problems are not new; they have persisted under this Board.

7 - Looking Forward

As you read earlier in this newsletter, this Board has a history of accomplishing very little but has overachieved in dividing our community.

Of course, they blame all their woes and failures on The Conscience but the community is too smart for this, and can determine for themselves where the responsibility lies.

Fred Ruda and Eileen Supran were voted in by this community and can just as easily be voted out.

So many in our community look to the past when our board was in touch with our community, acted with respectful and professional conduct and collaborated to take actions for the betterment of the community and get things done.

On that note, please review our slate of endorsements that, we believe, will operate to insure that all your voices be heard.

8- Our Endorsed Candidates (Alphabetical)

  • Douglas Brennan, (full time resident)

  • Jackie Colaitis, (full time resident)

  • Allan Liebowitz

  • Lisa Ranello

Douglas Brennan

On Candidates Night, Doug was the first candidate to speak, but the audio and video were problematic, making it difficult for owners in the audience and on Zoom to hear him or his answers clearly. Accordingly, we asked Doug to create a synopsis of his views, which is included below.

Doug is the CEO and major shareholder of a private European aviation company and U.S. defense contractor. His minority partner is BlackRock Capital. Doug brings deep experience in fiduciary oversight, stewardship, risk management, and governance, having served for decades as a controlling shareholder and board-level decision-maker responsible for long-term asset preservation and disciplined financial management.

The Coronado is fortunate to have a candidate of Doug’s caliber running for election. He has made it clear that he has the time and ability to serve the community and meet his fiduciary responsibilities. The Conscience enthusiastically supports his election.

His letter to the community follows.

Dear fellow Coronado owners,

Over the past weeks, I have taken time to listen carefully—to resident and non-resident owners, past Board members, committee volunteers, management, and neighbors with differing views. I have also read a substantial volume of correspondence sent to the Board and shared among owners. While opinions vary, several common themes emerge clearly.

First, there is a shared desire for stability. Coronado is not an abstraction; it is a valuable physical asset and a community entrusted to all of us. Stability comes not from agreement on every issue, but from confidence that decisions are made deliberately, within the governing documents, and with a long-term view of the property and its finances.

Second, many owners want clarity and predictability. This means advance notice of major decisions, understandable budgets, professional advice presented transparently, and consistent follow-through. It also means resisting the temptation to govern by urgency, personality, or the sheer volume of emails rather than by process.

Third, there is clear fatigue with division. Disagreement is inevitable in any association of this size, but it should never eclipse our common purpose. A condominium association is an institution with defined responsibilities under law. Its legitimacy rests on consistent rules, civil discourse, and directors who understand their duty to the whole—present and future owners alike.

From these conversations and readings, one conclusion stands out: what owners want most is not novelty, but confidence; not drama, but stewardship; not short-term reassurance, but durable value.

Institutions endure when leaders see themselves not as advocates for factions, but as custodians of something they did not create and must leave in better order than they found it. That requires humility, restraint, and fidelity to the governing framework that binds us all.

Coronado’s strength has always been its fundamentals: a well-located property, committed owners, and governing documents designed to balance individual interests with collective responsibility. Re-anchoring to those fundamentals will restore confidence and unity of purpose.

My hope—regardless of individual votes or outcomes—is that we move forward with renewed focus on what we share: protecting property value, ensuring sound financial oversight, and maintaining a community culture marked by respect and seriousness of purpose.

Sincerely,
Douglas Brennan

Jackie Colaitis

Jackie Colaitis brings extensive experience in business leadership, governance, and real estate—skills that directly support the need for a strong, capable Board. Her professional life has centered on building and managing organizations with an emphasis on structure, accountability, and long-term sustainability. She believes that when a condominium is managed as a business, with residents treated as shareholders, the community is better positioned to thrive.

Through years of investment and hands-on involvement in real estate, much of it in Florida, Jackie has developed a strong working knowledge of condominium operations, regulatory compliance, and Board governance. She understands that effective Boards require clear decision-making, adherence to governing documents and the Directors Code of Conduct, and consistent, transparent communication with residents.

In addition to her business and real estate background, Jackie has served on several Boards, including Northwell Health and Make-A-Wish, and has supported initiatives at St. Jude’s Hospital. These experiences reinforced her belief that thoughtful governance, collaboration, and transparency are essential to maintaining trust and achieving positive outcomes.

Jackie is committed to strengthening the Board through responsible leadership, financial transparency, and respectful collaboration. She believes her experience uniquely positions her to help end the divisiveness and restore confidence in Board leadership. Her professionalism is beyond reproach. Accordingly, our entire Board of Editors endorses Jackie Colaitis for election.

Allan Liebowitz

Allan has been an owner at the Coronado since 2018. Motivated by a strong sense of community, Allan successfully ran for the Board in 2020 and was elected Treasurer, serving in that role from 2020 through 2024. In 2025, he continued to serve as a member of the Finance Committee supporting the Treasurer.

Notably, Allan was the only CPA in Coronado history to serve as Treasurer. He worked diligently to ensure the financial soundness of our community and safeguarded—rather than squandered—the capital accumulated over many years. Allan brings extensive experience in financial planning, budgeting, financial analysis, insurance, and operations.

Key Accomplishments

Insurance Crisis (2022–2023)
Following the Surfside collapse, Allan helped implement a plan to complete the required building recertifications, enabling the Coronado to achieve a significant reduction—approximately 30%—in property and liability insurance costs.

Reserve Management
When Allan assumed financial leadership in 2020, reserves were under $1 million. By the start of 2025, reserves had grown to approximately $5 million.

Truist Bank Loan
Allan negotiated a $6,000,000, 10-year loan from Truist Bank at a highly favorable rate of 3.35%. The loan allowed two years to draw funds with no penalty on unused amounts. By prudently investing available funds, Allan generated approximately $300,000 in interest income for the Association as of the end of 2025.

When asked which personal traits matter most to him, Allan consistently responds: “I am unequivocally honest and a man of integrity.”

We wholeheartedly support Allan Liebowitz for election. His institutional knowledge, financial expertise, and unwavering commitment to accuracy and responsible stewardship are extremely difficult to replace.

Lisa Ranello

Lisa Ranello is a consummate professional with deep expertise in accounting and finance. She has served on the Board since 2022 and currently serves as Treasurer. She also chairs the Finance Committee.

Since 2016, Lisa has served as Chief Financial Officer of the second-largest electrical union contractor, a role she continues to hold today. She is running for re-election and hopes to continue serving the community.

Lisa’s knowledge of construction, operations, and finance has been a major asset. She elevated the Finance Committee by implementing full transparency and transforming how financials are reviewed. She conducted a deep analysis of prior audited financials and unraveled the “owners’ equity” or “fund balance,” enabling owners to better understand the Association’s financial position.

Under her leadership, the Association paid down and recast the Truist loan, strengthening the balance sheet. She also implemented a purchase-order system allowing real-time tracking of committed costs, promoting responsible budget management.

Lisa believes strongly in community involvement and ensuring that owners’ voices are heard. Our editors believe the Coronado is fortunate to have a director of her caliber and experience. Accordingly, we enthusiastically support Lisa Ranello’s re-election.

9 - Closing

As stated earlier in this issue, many owners believe this Board has accomplished very little while deepening divisions within the community. Blaming The Conscience does not change that reality.

Board members were elected by the community—and can be voted out just as easily.

So many owners look back to a time when the Board worked collaboratively, acted professionally, and stayed in touch with the community. We believe those days can return.

Please review the candidates carefully, ask questions, and vote thoughtfully. Excellence and competency are reasonable expectations—and they are within reach.

Yours truly,

The Coronado Conscience Editorial Team

If you support true transparency and accountability, speak out and share these concerns with your friends and neighbors.

Share your concerns with us for coverage in future issues of this newsletter.

Please reply with your feedback, comments and questions. Thank you!

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Around The Coronado

🎶  🎤  🎧  🥂  🏖️  🌴  🐚   🎱  🏓  🏌️  ⛳   🎾  🍔  🌭  🏊  🛟

This section is dedicated to all things happening in and around our community—upcoming social committee activities, special interest gatherings, new clubs, personal milestones, and even buy/sell/trade notices among residents.

Condolences:

It is with great sadness that we report the loss of two of our Coronado neighbors in the last week.

  • Joe Cessa was a long time resident here at the Coronado, who celebrated his 100th birthday last year.

  • Effie Biliris, who has been at the Coronado for several years, passed away last week after a long illness.

  • We also learned of the passing of an ex-resident, Sidney Tartarkin, who spent many years here at the Coronado before moving into an independent living facility.

We send our deepest condolences to their spouses and all of their families.

👉 📆 Community Events Calendar
Presented by the Lifestyle Committee. Location at the Ocean Club unless otherwise stated.

🍽️🕺🎶 1/25 — Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Social w/ Music
7-9 PM

🎯🟡😎🏆 1/29 — 1st Annual Coronado Cornhole Classic
2-5 PM

🏈🎉📺 2/8 — Super Bowl Sunday - Big Screen TV

🎭 2/10 — My Fair Lady @ The Wick Theatre
2 PM

🌅🍹 2/19 — Sunset Happy Hour - West Pool

🎤🎶💃 2/23 — Karaoke & Dancing

🎱 Pool (Eight Ball) - Every Thursday
Last Resort Saloon @ 3205 S Federal Hwy
3–5 PM

🧘‍♀️ Tai Chi - Every Tuesday

💦🤸‍♀️ Water Aerobics - Every Mon / Wed / Fri

🚬🗣️ Bocce Ball & Cigar Talk - Every Friday

Please email your announcement or idea to [email protected]. Your participation will help make "Around the Coronado" a valuable resource for everyone!

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