With 30 years in the field, Marcus May shares how his team earned BrightView’s “Best Maintenance Branch” in the nation, why communication + follow-through beat fancy proposals, and how a big company’s resources translate into faster hurricane cleanup and steadier quality for HOAs.

What we cover

• Marcus’ path from college baseball to managing SWFL’s top landscape branch
• Why responsiveness is the real differentiator in HOA landscaping
• RFPs: answering line-by-line and submitting a “what you truly need” scope
• Hurricane readiness: pre-authorized cleanup letters, inland staging yards, and East-Coast branch support
• Large-property focus (Collier → Bonita Beach Rd.; Ave Maria/Immokalee growth)
• Retaining crews: higher wages, E-Verify, and H-2B seasonal staffing
• Development → Maintenance: turning new installs into long-term care

I’m joined by Jeremy Mehrhoff and Frank Wright of Mehrhoff & Wright HOA CPA Firm —a firm that specializes exclusively in condominium associations, HOAs, and co-ops (CIRAs). With offices in Bonita Springs and Destin, they serve associations across Florida, focusing on audits, reviews, compilations, and tax returns—not day-to-day bookkeeping.

What you’ll learn

• Audit vs. Review vs. Compilation (what each includes, who needs which, typical costs)
• Florida’s updated requirements (you can only waive financial reporting every other year now)

Revenue thresholds at a glance

• $500k+: Audit (at least every other year)
• $300k–$500k: Review
• $150k–$300k: Compilation

• Internal controls that prevent fraud (board access/signers on bank accounts, oversight tips)
• Taxes for associations (nonprofit ≠ no tax return)
  
  • What’s taxable: interest/investments, rentals, laundry, amenity fees
  • Filing choices: short HOA form vs. corporate return (30% vs. 21% flat rates) and why you can choose each year
  • Why most associations still end up owing $0 with proper deductions
• Self-managed communities: why to consider professional bookkeeping and HOA-specific accounting platforms over generic tools
• CEUs for CAMs: Their firm offers onsite lunch-and-learn courses (financials, audits, tax basics, budgeting).

If you’ve wondered why aluminum rules in Florida—or how to keep your carports, lanais, fences, and railings safe and storm-ready—this episode is a masterclass. I’m joined by Smoot Hull, owner of State Aluminum Solutions (also a licensed GC & roofing contractor), who splits time between Fort Myers and Sarasota serving condos/HOAs and large communities across the Gulf Coast.

We cover:

• Why Florida moved from steel/iron to aluminum (salt air, corrosion, safety)
• Big code upgrades: larger posts/beams, deeper footers, engineered systems
• What’s inside a modern carport build (structural aluminum, rebar, concrete footers)
• Storm lessons from Ian, Helene & Milton and proactive risk mitigation
• Real numbers: multi-phase carport replacements and why they’re expensive now
• Maintenance & restoration that actually works: pull-tests, new fasteners/washers, silicone sealing, seam treatment, gutter cleaning, coatings
• Fences & railings near pools and coastlines (landscaper weed-eater wear is real!)
• How boards can plan: reserve study inputs, annual/biannual inspections, and free assessments

Key takeaways for boards & managers

• Don’t wait—inspect (pull-test fasteners, check seams, look for rusted hardware).
• Prioritize life-safety: secure panels/edges now; phase coatings and cosmetics later.
• Document storm damage, then mitigate (remove loose panels/carports to prevent secondary loss).
• Put aluminum assets (carports, fences, railings, lanais) into your reserve schedule.
• Expect engineering and bigger structural members under today’s code—budgets must reflect it.