Window Washing Reminder
Just a reminder, the Inaccessible windows will be washed tomorrow December 28th and Thursday December 29th.

Theater/Clubhouse Reservations
We had a homeowner reserve the theater from 5-8 last night through Michelle. When the homeowner came down to use the theater another resident said that they reserved it through Michelle from 5-10 and kicked the other homeowner out that reserved it. After looking on Michelle’s calendar, it does show, (not in Michelle’s handwriting and it was not there Friday before she left) the clubhouse from 5-10, not the theater. This was not properly reserved through Michelle. Michelle puts all of the reservations on the NSYC Shutterfly website, please refer to that calendar and do not reserve anything on your own or put it on. We do know who this party was and will be discussing it with them.

Back Gate Codes
The back gate codes will be changing TUESDAY January 3rd due to Monday being a Holiday. You will be receiving an email with the codes.

Washing of Cars on Association Property
Section 20 of the Rules and Regulations states:
“No owner, occupant, or other person shall conduct repairs, maintenance, washing or restorations on any motor vehicle, or other vehicle, or race the engine of any motor vehicle, upon any portion of the Condominium Property.”

Rules and Regulations – Reminders
Leases – All leases must be approved by the association. Leases must be no less than 30 days and no more than 4 times a year.
Pets – All pets must be registered with the association. No more than 2 household pets are allowed and the weight restriction is 25 pounds each.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year and I will see you all next year!

Spa Heater
A replacement spa heater has been installed at zero notice by our pool company Tri City. Suburban propane will be here today to make the final connection, so by later today we will be up and running.. sorry for any inconvenience this caused last night.
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.. I will be back in the office Tuesday Morning... Merry Christmas! Michelle Waldron

Update - 21 December 2011

Window Washing
The inaccessible windows will be cleaned December 28th and 29.

Parking
Please make sure you are parked in your assigned parking spot. We have received a lot of complaints in the last couple of weeks due to people parking in the wrong spots. If you are unsure of your assigned parking spot, please let me know.

Association Mailing Address
If you are down here this winter and would like to receive your association mail at the property address, please send me an email letting me know to change your mailing address to the property address. I can only change it if an homeowner puts the request in writing.

AC in the Gym and Aerobics Room
The AC controls in the Gym and Aerobics room have been unlocked. The AC company does not recommend the AC being below 68 degrees. If you do turn down the temperature, please remember to turn it back to 74 degrees when you leave.

Update on the Beau Drive Resident Gate
The gate company was out Wednesday afternoon to adjust the Resident exit gate at Beau Drive so it does not hit the curb.

Flowers and Flower Beds
New river rocks will be installed at the flower beds located at the entrances of the towers and the islands out by the pool. There were a few annuals that did not make it through install and will be replaced at no cost to the association.

Popcorn Maker
If you use the popcorn maker, please clean it out after you are done.

Accepting Packages
If you need Michelle to accept a package please make sure the company knows that her hours are 8 AM to 4 PM.

Update - 14 December, 2011

Pool and Spa
The propane company was out here Monday afternoon. They checked for a leak and found nothing. They did refill the tanks and came out again today to make sure the usage was correct. The system on the spa heater was in lock out. I was able to get the faults to clear and it is up and running again. On a side note, the association is looking into using natural gas instead of propane. The cost per gallon for natural gas is about $0.90 as opposed to around $2.50/gallon for propane. As I am just starting to gather information and pricing it looks like the spa and pools heaters would be able to run on natural gas which means we would not have to get new heaters. We do have a natural gas line that we can hook up to on the property. They would be able to use our existing underground tank. I would like to thank Dave Large for getting me in touch with Teco Gas

Beau Drive Gate
Please do not push these gates open to walk through them. We have pedestrian gates on Beau Drive by the marina walk way. Please use this gate instead. The reason why the gates do “give” a bit is if a car does bump it, it will not cause damage to the gate/motor. Also, when exiting the property, please wait for the gate to stop moving before passing through the gate. We are having issues with it hitting the curb and bouncing back a bit. A work order has already been put into Maingate. Once they correct the problem or find a solution, I will update the owners via the Blog.

Update - December 12, 2011

2012 Budget/ Quarterly Maintenance Fees
The 2012 Budget was Approved by the Board of Directors on November 21st and coupons were mailed out last Friday. The new quarterly amounts are:

Type A - Aquarius $2,029.00
Type B – Libra $1,905.00
Type C – Capricorn $1,760.00
Type D – Orion $2,132.00
Type E – Perseus $2,354.00
Type F – Pegasus $2,460.00
Type G – Polaris $3,190.00

The fees are due by January 1st, 2012. If you have any questions regarding the quarterly dues, please let me know.

Back Gates Key Pad
At the Board Meeting the residents in attendance asked about a fob system for the back gates instead of the key pads we currently have there. I am working on getting prices and will provide them to the Board Members. It would be the same system we currently have for the garages into the clubhouse. This way we would not have to distribute any other fobs/keycards. I will keep you informed if the Board decides to approve this project.

Holiday Hours/ Vacations
Property Management and Concierge will be closed Monday December 26th and January 2nd. Michelle will be off December 20th and I will be off December 22nd-23rd and December 29th-30th. Sales will be closed December 24th, December 25th and January 1st . On December 31st, they will be closing at 2 PM.

Pool/Spa
The propane company is coming out today to look into a possible leak. A homeowner reported this morning that there was a very strong propane smell Saturday night over by the spa.

Trash Chutes
Please remember not to put cardboard or styrofoam down the trash chutes.

HE Detergent
We have had issues in two units with soap suds coming up in their toilets/drains. The engineer and plumber has asked the association residents to start using HE detergent in the wash machines. We are hoping this will correct the problem as it has in other communities.

Screen Door Flyer
Attached is the flyer for the screen door that would not attach to yesterday's email.

Office Phone Line
Century Link was out here again yesterday to look at our phone line (239-656-1430) and it looks like they finally found the issue. Let’s hope this fixes the problem. If you experience any message stating "the mailbox is full" then please let me know.

Back Gate Codes
Just a reminder, the back gate codes changed last week. If you did not get the email with the codes, please let me know.

Board Meeting Report
Here are the items that were decided on at the Board Meeting that was held on December 2nd at 12 PM:

Phantom Screen Doors
The Board has approved the Phantom Screen Door for homeowners to install at their front doors. Please see attached flyer from Lowes. This is the only screen door the association will allow homeowners to have. Lowes will need a letter from the association saying the Board of Directors have approved this door for the association. Please let me know if you are looking to do this and I will provide you the letter.

Security Cameras/ Security Bars for the Garage Openings
The Board has approved the Security Bars for the garage openings on the second floor. They will be installed around the 1st of the year. The Board did not approve the Security Cameras but discussed the issue at length.

Smoking Policy
The association had an incident over the summer at the pool regarding smoking. A poll was put on the Associations’ Shutterfly Website on whether smoking should be banned on all common areas of the association or if there should be a designated smoking area. The results were:
Smoking should be banned – 5 votes
Smoking should not be banned – 5 votes
Designated smoking area – 4 votes
At this time the Board decided not to take any action on this and felt homeowners, smokers and non smokers, should be considerate and respectful to others as it is everyone’s home.
Just a reminder smoking in the elevator is not allowed. It is against the Law.

Lease Restrictions
The Board is working on tightening up the lease restrictions within the Association. This matter has been turned over to the Association’s attorney to draft the amendment with the language the Board would like. The Members will vote on the proposed Amendment at the Annual Meeting.

Holiday Party
Reminder, the Holiday Party is tomorrow! Contact Michelle if you have any questions about the Party.

Back Gate Codes
The back gate codes will be changing Monday December 5th. If you do not receive the gate code via email, please let Michelle or I know.
Thank You.

URGENT - PHONE LINE ISSUE

We are having issues with the office phone line. Please use 239-656-1796 to get in touch with Michelle or I. Century Link is working on the issue but line 1, 239-656-1430, is not working at this time and is not rolling over to the other line. If you cannot reach us by phone, please use email.

Window Replacement – East Tower
Tomorrow, Friday November 18th a window is being replaced. If you are in the 7 stack of the east tower you will see rope and cord hanging outside your living room window. The 3rd, 4th and 5th floors will see a swing station outside of the living room windows for a short time while they work their way up to the 6th floor to do the work. They will also be using a generator that will create a bit of noise. I apologize for inconvenience this may cause.

Offices Closed
The offices will be closed Thanksgiving and the following Friday.

Update 16th November 2011

Recycling
Please be careful when throwing glass bottles into the recycling totes. We have had a few incidents of broken glass in this area.

Wasps
We have been battling with wasps up on the roofs. The East tower roof was sprayed at the end of last week and the West tower will be sprayed today or tomorrow morning depending on the wind. The wasps are finding tiny holes in the tin roof where the slats meet. We have been working with a pest control company and the roofers to find a solution. I will keep everyone updated via the Blog.

Budget Meeting
The Budget Meeting is being held Monday, November 21st at 3 PM in the Clubhouse Theater. All Owners were mailed Notice of the Meeting and the 2012 Proposed Budget in accordance with the Florida State Statutes.

Mailing Addresses for Homeowners
If you need to change your mailing address to the property address for association mailings for the winter season, please let me know.

Update - 8th November, 2011

November 13th to 19th is Safety Awareness for Elevators. I received an email from the Elevator Company, Kone, today and thought it was a good idea to share their safety tips and reminders.
Elevator Safety Tips
• Be mindful of floor levels before entering or leaving elevator
• Stand aside for exiting passengers
• Enter and exit carefully, watching your step
• Don't try to stop a closing door with anything, including hands, feet, canes, etc. Use the Door Open button or wait for the next elevator to arrive
• Hold pets and children firmly
• Stand clear of the doors-keep clothes and carry-ons away from the opening
• Hold the handrail and stand back from the doors
• If the doors do not open when the elevator stops, push the door open button
• No unauthorized person should enter the elevator shaft

Back Gate Push Button and Key Pad
Both the key pad and push buttons have been fixed. Let me know if you experience any problems with them.

Pool and Spa – Out of propane
A propane delivery will be here today or tomorrow for the spa and pool heaters.

Tree Trimming
The tree trimming will be taking place tomorrow and Thursday.

Back Gate Codes
The Back gate codes will be changing Monday November 7th. If you did not receive the email with the code, please let me know.

Trash Chutes and Dumpsters
Please do not throw carpet and construction debris down the trash chute. Earlier this week someone put a roll of carpet down the trash chute and clogged the chute. If you have big items that need to be discarded, please make sure you call into WastePro for a special pick up. Their number is 239-337-0800.

Pet Stations
The west tower pet station is broken. A new one has been ordered and will be replaced once it comes in.

Beach Area and Volleyball Court
The beach area and volleyball court will be getting new sand. The board is also looking into doing some additional plans in this area along with some benches and/or picnic tables. Any enhancements, once board approved, will most likely be done in the beginning of 2012.

Garage Sweeping
I just want to thank those homeowners that have sent in suggestions, recommendations and information on the cleaning of the garage floors.

Elevators
If you are moving items in or having furniture delivered, please contact Michelle or I so we can schedule to have the elevator pads put up. Also, if you are moving in or out, please let us know so we can lock out an elevator for you that way two elevators are not being tied up.

Fountain Lights
It was reported that a few of the fountain lights are possibly out. Tri-City Pools will be here today to take a look at it.

Garages
A few weeks ago, the janitorial staff tried to clean the sand out of the garages and tried something new. This did not work. We are looking into a few other ways (with the help of suggestions from NSYC residents) to get the garages cleaned of the sand. Any suggestions are welcomed to help us with this problem. Maid to Perfection will be getting me prices and different options to present to the board.

Building Lights
All of the ballasts that needed to be replaced have been taken care of except one that needs a new socket. Orlando checked the building lights once a month.

Update on Key Pad and Push Button
Both should be up and running by the end of the week. The parts come in on Wednesday and the company will be out Thursday or Friday.

Happy Halloween!

Spa Push Button
The push button by the spa is jammed and the vendor has ordered parts to install inside of the box to prevent this from happening again. The reason we switched to this button is due to water intrusion with the other buttons so we decided to try a non mechanical push button.

East Tower Garage Key Pad
The key pad by the east tower garage has been playing-up for some time now. We have replaced the key pad 3 times. The vendor has recommended a key pad that has a membrane covering the buttons which should not allow water into the box, which they believe may be the problem. They have ordered this and I will let you know when it is scheduled to be installed.

Spa
The spa has been fixed. If you experience any problems with it, please let me know.

Fountain Motor
The circulation motor for the fountains behind the pool has died. The motor has been ordered and will be installed shortly.

Landscape
The sabal palm trees will be trimmed November 14th and 15th but I am trying to get this moved up to November 9th and 10th. I will let you know what date it will be, once Greencapes get back to me.
The flowers will be installed November 17th or 18th depending on the flower shipment.

Building Lights
Orlando checked all the building lights yesterday. We have 7 building lights that need new ballasts and 8 of the recessed can lights by the elevators that need new ballasts. Someone will be out later today to work on the 7 building lights and a work order has been put in with the electricians to fix the recessed can lights.

Update - October 12, 2011

Light out in Fountain
It was reported to me that a light in the fountain out by the pool was not working yesterday. Today Tri-City Pools was here and was able to replace the light bulb. If you notice any other lights out, please let me know since I am not here at night.

Alarm from Panel in the Lobbies
I am aware of the panels in the lobbies beeping. Every time they beep I do get a call from the monitoring center. The fire alarm company was out here Friday, Monday and yesterday trying to pin point the problem. They are continuing to work on the issue.

Reminder for Quarterly Dues
Just another reminder, the fourth quarterly maintenance dues were due October 1st. Those that have not paid as of today will be receiving a letter in the mail and interest we accrue on their account.

West Tower Elevator #2
The elevator is now up and running again. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

October 14th, 2011
I will be out of the office October 14th, 2011.

Elevator Problem

Elevator Down
West Elevator #2 is not working. The elevator company has been called and will be out tomorrow morning. The elevator is stuck on the 8th floor. I apologize for this inconvenience. An update will be sent out via email when the elevator is up and running.

Update - Theater Projector

This morning, I received an email from a homeowner that was at the Monday Night Football last night in the theater. Due to the issues with the projector for last night’s football game, we are looking into another projector. One NSYC Resident also contacted me about the old projector, as he might be able to repair it for the Association so we can have a spare. The company will be giving me a proposal sometime today for the Board to review. The Board is aware that the Association does have events going on in the theater more this month, and will try to expedite this but they also want to make sure we get one that will work for the Association. I appreciate everyone’s patience in this matter.

Update - Oct 10, 2011

Theater
The projector has been installed and is up and running. However, they will be back tomorrow to replace the lens and adjust the picture to fit on the screen. Currently the picture is not fitting to the entire screen due to the lens but at least it will work and not turn off in the middle of Monday Night Football tonight.

Back Gates
It was reported this weekend that the back gates leading from the pool to the garages were not working. This morning both of the gates were checked and are in working order. If you have any other issues with these gates, please let me know.

Noise
Please be mindful of your neighbors. Noises do travel from your unit to others, especially if you have tile floors.

Guest Parking
With season right around the corner, please leave the guest spots at the circle of the towers for guests.

Trash
Someone is leaving trash in the west tower parking spot P-050. It looks like someone was changing oil and doing some work on their car and left a lot of debris in this parking spot. This is an owners spot. Do not leave trash in a parking spot or in the garage. The condominium documents states “no owner, occupant, or other person shall conduct repairs, maintenance, washing or restorations on any motor vehicle or other vehicle or race the engine of any vehicle, upon any portions of the condominium property”.

Grills
Please remember gas and charcoal grills are not allowed on Association property. The only grills that are allow are electric grills per the Rules and Regulations.

Spa
Friday afternoon, the spa was up and running. Sometime during the weekend, the heater failed and locked out the system. The pool company was here this morning to take a look at it. It is not something they can fix and another company who has worked on the heaters in the past has already been called out.

Theater Projector Update
Approval has been given to purchase a new projector for the theater. The current projector fan is causing the unit to overheat. To fix the fan on the projector would cost about the same to replace it and we would be without a projector for a few weeks. The new projector will be installed Monday.

Fire Alarms and Fire Protection Quarterly Inspection
Friday, October 21st starting at 9 AM the quarterly inspection will begin. The alarms should NOT sound.

Annual Fire Extinguisher Inspection
Fyer Fyter will be on property today and Friday to inspect and service (if needed) all of the fire extinguishers on the property.

Front Gate Entry System
We have discovered that there was a problem with one of the phone lines which resulted in new owner and tenant updates not being uploaded to the system. This should be resolved today. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

I will be out of the office Friday, October 14th. If there are property emergencies please contact Michelle at 239-656-1430.

Update - 28th September, 2011

Personal Codes
Please do not give out your personal codes to vendors and/or guest. We are trying to keep the property secure but when residents are giving out their personal codes, it just opens the doors to a lot of people. Just think if those people you give codes to, either it is a guest of vendor, they could possibly give it out to someone else. We have 24 hour security for this reason, to let your vendor and/or guest in. The phone number to contact security is 239-961-8923.

Pool Area
The spa heater is down, a work order has been put in. I will let you know when the spa is up and running again. One of the large umbrellas has been broken. I am in the process of having someone take a look at it and hopefully they will be able to fix it. I will have Orlando put one umbrella at either side of the pool area to accommodate both towers.

Window Cleaning Reminder
The inaccessible windows will be cleaned tomorrow and Friday.

Bell Carts – West Tower
Please remember to return the bell carts to the lobbies. We have located one of the bell carts and new wheels need to be put on it. Once this one gets repaired it will be returned to the Lobby. We are still looking for one more missing cart.

Gym
Thank you to the person that returned the weights to the gym. We should always have 14 sets of weights in the gym.

Update - September 27, 2011

Back Gate Codes
The back gate codes will be changing Monday, October 3rd, 2011. If you have not received an email with the new code, please let me know.

Theater
Please do not use the sleep timer on the TV in the theater. Also, there were instructions on the back side of the door that someone has removed. This makes it very difficult for others who are not as familiar with the theater to use it. Michelle will be putting new instructions on the back side of the door. We are having an issue with the fan in the projector. The company was out here today and diagnosed the problem. They will be trying to get this fixed without disrupting the service of the projector and will be getting back to me later today.

Gym
We are missing a set of weights that have not been located at this time. Please DO NOT take the weights out of the Clubhouse. If you take the weights to the aerobics room, please remember to return them.

Window Cleaning
The inaccessible windows will be cleaned September 29th and 30th.

Resident information Sheets and Vehicle Decals
For those new owners that have not filled out and turned in a resident information sheet, please see attached form. Please fill out and return to the North Star Office. You can also pick the forms up in the North Star office or the guard house. Also, if you do not have a NSYC decal on your car, please send me an email or call me to set up a time to get your decal. If you are not here right now but will be this winter, I will have designated days and times for residents to get the decals like we did last year which will be posted in the Blog.
Many thanks!

Update - September 14th, 2011

Elevators
The display indicating what floor the #4 elevator is on in the East Tower is not working. Also, the West Tower #2 elevator is saying it is out of service but is still running. This elevator is working but there is a problem with this display board keeping the Out Of Service message on. Both display boards have been order and will be installed when they come in.

Push Button – Back Gates
The push button that was reported as not working Monday is now up and running. The cause of the failure was someone hitting the button too hard and causing the wires to get pinches. The mechanical buttons do not need to be hit hard to allow the gate to open.

Window Cleaning
The window cleaning for inaccessible windows will be done September 30th. A reminder notice will be sent out via the blog and also put on the bulletin board in both towers.

Update - September 12, 2011

West Tower Cabana AC Update (emailed to West Tower cabana owners 9-12-11 at 9:15 AM)

The compressor was installed last Friday but they were not able to turn on the system until they got all the checks done. They were not able to complete this on Friday and are back this morning to do all the checks. The AC will be up and running by mid day. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for everyone’s patience’s in this matter.

Recycling
Please remember not to put trash with the recyclables. The recycling company will not pick it up if there is trash in with it. Also, all boxes must be broken down. Due to the Holiday last Monday, the trash and recyclables were to be picked up a day later then their scheduled pick up, which for the recyclables was Saturday. For some reason they were not picked up. A work order has been put in to get these picked up today.

Clubhouse TV’s
When done using the TV’s in the gym, aerobics room, card room, billiards room and the theater please remember to turn the TV off.

Marina Gates
It was reported to me this morning that the push button on the gate leading out to the marina is not working again. I have placed a work order with Safety Signal.

Pool Area
The step out by the pool deck will be installed this week. Also, please remember to put the umbrellas down when you are done using them.

Update -September 9, 2011

Data Logger for the Booster Pump
The last leg of the boost pump project will be taking place today. The data logger will log the City pressure coming in to the property. The expense for this logger will be absorbed by the developer. Because of the valves that were put in at the end of July, it will allow the logger to be installed without disrupting water service to the buildings. At most, the booster pump will be turned off for 2-3 minutes but this should not be noticeable.

Trash Chutes and Dumpster Rooms
The trash chutes and dumpster rooms in both towers have been cleaned and deodorized.

Tower Luggage Carts
Please remember to return the luggage carts after you are done using them.

Activities
Michelle is getting ready for Season to come. She is working on events for homeowners to enjoy such as movie night and yoga. Yoga will be starting up in October. Michelle will provide more information on these events in her Newsletter.

Update - September 7th, 2011

West Tower Cabanas (as emailed to owners of the west tower cabanas 9-6-11 at 9:42 AM)
Over the weekend it was reported that the AC in the West Tower cabanas was not working. The a/c company was called out and they were here on September 4th. The compressor was found to be locked up and burned out. A new compressor was ordered and it will be installed on Friday if they get it Thursday, as expected. At that time they will also investigate what caused the compressor to fail. One good thing is the compressor is under warranty. If anything changes with this, I will let all West Tower Cabana owners know. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We take measures to prevent things like this happening by having a quarterly preventative maintenance program on all of the common area a/c units (which included the cabanas since they are serviced by one unit). Unfortunately a compressor can be in good working order and the next day it can fail. These things are out of our control and cannot be predicted, but I assure you we are working to get it resolved as soon as possible.

General Reminders
Please do not leave anything in the breezeways. We are noticing toys and pool items left outside of unit doors for days. With Season approaching fast, please remember to park in your designated parking spot. If you do not know if you are parking in the correct spot, please contact me. Every month I try to put a reminder to dog owners about picking up after their dogs. It has been noticed on the East Tower over by the parking lot, someone or more are not picking up after their dog(s). Please do the right thing and pick up after your dogs. It is a privilege to be able to keep a dog at the property, not a right. Also, no tenant, lessees, invitees or visitors shall be permitted to bring pets on the property or into any unit without prior written permission and consent of the Condominium Association. All animals must be registered with the Association. If you have not registered your animal(s) with the Association, please let me know and I will get you the form to fill out. This is not just an Association rule but for the safety for all so we know whose dog is whose in case of emergency.

Pergola Columns
The pergola columns out by the pool and in both garden areas have been a source for frustration for BBL (original builder), the Board and myself. The Board has selected a company that gave a proposal that could possibly correct the problem we have been having with rust stains coming through at the joints. Due to other products and solutions that we have tried, the company is going to work on one of the columns and then the board will decide to do all of them if the proposal works. A few vendors that we have had come to the property to take a look at the issue recommended painting the columns. This is something the board does not want to do as it would change the look of the columns.

Cleaning of the Garages
The garages will be cleaned October 13th-14th. We will be able to work around the cars that are in the garage but if you are here during this time, please park your cars outside. A reminder will be sent out in early October via the Blog.

Gym
The Leg and Arm press were reported to me as being hard to adjust. A work order was sent into the fitness equipment company. They should be out by the end of the week.

Pool Area
The Association will be installing a clock by the water fountain as requested by one of the homeowners. The clock should be up by the end of the week.

During Business Hours and After Hours Service
During Business hours, if you have a questions or issue, please call the North Star Office at 239-656-1430. After hours, for property emergencies, please call 239-947-4552. On the answering machine there is a number to call for the on call manager. If for some reason you are not able to get in touch with the on call manager you can call Security at 239-961-8923 and they will get in touch with me. If you are a tenant and having an issue with something inside you unit, please get in touch with your rental agent or owner of the unit. Just a reminder, Property Management, Concierge and Sales will be closed Monday September 5th in observance of Labor Day.

AC Units
We have received a few calls regarding AC units not working. Most of the time it is from the batteries in the thermostat. To replace the batteries, remove the thermostat off the wall and replace the batteries on the back side of the thermostat.

Back Gate Codes
Just a reminder, the back gate codes will be changing Monday, September 5th. If you did not get an email with the code, please contact security at 239-961-8923.

East Tower Elevator
Elevator 5 in the east tower is not in service at this time. Parts have been ordered and once they come in they will be installed and the elevator will be back in service.

Update - 30th August 2011

Back Gate Codes
It is that time again, the back gate codes will be changing September 5th. You should have received an email with the code. If you did not, please let me know.

Labor Day
Property Management and Concierge will not be in the office Monday September 5th in observance of Labor Day. If you have a property emergency, please contact Sterling Property Services at (239) 947-4552, wait for the answering machine and a number will be given to call the on call manager.

Beach Area
The Resident helping with the new design of the beach area will be sending three options with prices to the Board by the end of September. At that time the Board will look at the three options and prices and will decide how to proceed with the proposed project. I will keep all residents informed on this project via the Blog.

Communication
All of the responses that I received back from my blog last week regarding communication were in favor of the blog and the way it is being distributed to all Residents (email and posted on http://nsyca.blogspot.com/).

Projection of Hurricane Irene - Updated August 23rd, 2011 at 11 AM

Keeping an eye on Hurricane Irene
As most of you are aware, a hurricane is projected to hit Florida early Friday Morning. As of right now they are saying it will be a category 2 when it makes landfall in Florida. Every day I will be posting to the Blog updates about the storm and reminders of storm preparation. We all know that it is still early and a lot can change from now to Friday. The best thing to do is prepare but not panic. The association is already taking certain measures to prepare for the storm such as topping off the generator and fire pump diesel tanks, prepping the janitorial staff for securing the property, such as the pool decks, clubhouse and lobbies, having the elevators park at P2 in case of flooding among other things. The best place to monitor the Hurricane is the Weather Channel. Again, it is still early and Irene's path is subject to change. A few things all residents can do to prepare is make sure all flash lights have batteries and are in good working order and getting a few gallons of bottled water. Once the storm gets closer, please remove all lanai furniture, potted plants and fan blades. All of these items can become dangerous projectiles during a storm.


Stairwell Doors
Security has been noticing someone propping open the stairwell #1 door on the East Tower with a rock. These stairwell doors are locked for security purposes. Please ensure that front doors, garage doors, stairwell doors and gates remain closed at all times as Security will remove any items that are holding doors open during their patrols of the property.

New Exit Push Buttons
New push buttons have been installed for the gates at the back of the property.

Landscape
The landscape company will be spraying for weeds in the pavers and the beds again Monday August 22nd.

Owner and Resident Communication
I am looking for new ways to better communicate with all residents to make sure you are being made aware of any and all Association News. The blogs that I write are posted online at http://nsyca.blogspot.com/ and emailed to all residents that have provided me with email address. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. In the past, residents have requested a TV channel for the association. Proposals were received and the Board opted not to proceed with project as it would only be good for those that are on the property and the emails/blog reach all residents wherever they are. Thanks!

Blog - 17 Aug 2011

Weekend Concierge
Tammy, the weekend concierge, will not be in this weekend, August 20th and 21st.

Gym
New dumbells have arrived for the gym. Please remember to return them to the racks after use.

News Article
http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2011-08-05/Fort-Myers-teens-steal-vehicles-for-a-joy-ride
I guess there has been some talk about the juveniles that broke into some of the storage units here at North Star. The kids are not associated with North Star and do not live here, they have been caught by law enforcement and are being prosecuted. Those affected by this unfortunate incident should have received mail from the LCSO. If you still have questions regarding the incident, please contact me.

Office Phone
Century Link was here this afternoon and believe that they have fixed the phone line. If you get a message stating the mailbox is full, please trust me, it probably is not, so email me and I will get straight back to you.

Landscape
The landscapers will be spraying for weeds in the landscape beds and in between the pavers today.

Feedback/Suggestions
If you have any suggestions on topics that you would like to be included in the blog, please let me know. I only get one or two responses from residents to the blog when I email it out. Any feedback, clarification or questions on an issue, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Pet Reminder
The weight restriction is 25 lbs. All pets must be registered with the association. Please see Michelle or I for the forms. Please be a responsible dog owner and pick up after your dog(s). Please throw the waste bags in the trash can located at the pet station and not in any other garbage cans - thank you!

Landscape
Due to the rain in the last few days, the landscapers were unable to mow a few areas of the property yesterday. Most of the areas they were not able to get to were by the retention ponds. They will try these areas again next. The irrigation clock was down for about a week as the wires in the ground were shorting out. The electricians have been here for the last few days rerunning wires and the system is operational again. Luckily, we had a lot of rain in the last week so the turf did not get stressed.

Security
Just a reminder, please keep all valuables out of sight in your storage units and cars. Also, it's a good idea to keep your cars locked at all times, even if they are in the garage. This is something the Lee County Sheriff’s Office wanted to remind all residents of. For those owners that do not use their storage units, we are asking you to still put a lock on the storage. This will prevent anyone from gaining access to your neighbors storage unit. I am working with the developer on the unsold units to get those locked as well.

Garage Lights
The Board has approved to install a bypass switch for the garage lights so we can turn all the lights on during the day as needed. This was requested from a few homeowners who were affected by the break-ins. The switch was installed yesterday and the lights will all be on 24/7 for the time being.

Miscellaneous Items
The step at the pool deck by the fountains is scheduled to be replaced, I am just waiting for a date from the vendor. As soon as they let me know when it will be replaced, I will include it in the Blog.
The weights that were delivered for the gym were not what was ordered. The correct set should arrive within the next week.
If you notice any ants or other bugs in your unit please call me. The pest control contract includes internal unit maintenance as and when needed.
Once again, we are having problems with the office phone stating that the mailbox is full when it is not and not allowing callers to leave a message. I have reported the problems to CenturyLink (again) and they are working on it.

Suspects Caught
I am sure most of you that were affected by the recent thefts are aware that the suspects have been apprehended. Due to the this incident, the Board of Directors and I are working on getting a few proposals and reviewing some prior proposals regarding security. Revisions to the security camera proposal have been requested to add cameras to all garages. A proposal has been requested for bars to be installed at the openings to the right and left of the 2nd floor garages making it impossible to gain access to the garage from this area. A proposal has also been requested and received to have a bypass switch installed for the garage lights so all of the lights can be on as needed. This was sent over to the Board of Directors for approval this morning.

Other Items/Issues the Board is currently working on
The Board is working on tightening up the lease restrictions for North Star. If the Board decides to change the leasing restrictions, a Special Membership Meeting will be called and all Homeowners will be notified well in advance along with the proposed changes. The Board is also looking to amend the Rules and Regulations in regards to smoking at the pool. The Rules and Regulations can be changed from time to time with just a Board Meeting and Board Member vote. If the Board decides to do this, I will inform all residents via the blog.

Status on Maintenance Items
The east tower garage key pad leading to the pool area is working but continues to chirp. A technician was out at the property yesterday and is looking into how to repair it. The two push buttons at the east end of the property (by the kiddie pool and tennis courts) are not working. We have had a lot of problems with water getting into the boxes and shorting out the wires. The company is looking into either a way to correct it with the existing buttons or a different type of button completely. The sensor at the west tower lobby door has been adjusted as a resident reported it not working correctly. One of our residents has volunteered to help with the beach project. He will be reporting to the Board in a month with three different opinions for the Board to review.

Elevators
Please DO NOT smoke in the elevators. Section 823.12 F.S., states that smoking in elevators is unlawful. It is unlawful for any person to possess any ignited tobacco product or other ignited substance while present in an elevator. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in S. 775.082, S 775.083, S. 775.084.

Vandalism Update
Michelle Waldron the NSYC Deputy Property Manager and Concierge has just been informed by the Sheriff's Office that they have apprehended the two individuals responsible for the vandalism and thefts this week.
In addition, the Sheriff's Office will be around for the next couple of weeks to do security checks and advise on any improvements that can be made to the property to reduce the chances of a similar event occuring.

Recent Vandalism and Thefts
During the early hours of the morning on 8/2 and 8/3 two vehicles were vandalized and a number of storage units were broken into in the West tower:

102, 106, 109, 113, 121, 122, 124, 133, 139.

The local Sheriff was contacted in both events and we ask you to continue with this course of action if you see any further suspicious activity at the property.

In response to these unfortunate events, the overnight security function has immediately been increased by an additional guard, who will patrol the storage unit and parking garage areas.
A local security firm will be on property today and/or Monday to identify securing the most vulnerable areas. In addition they will provide a proposal for a camera system to cover the peripheral boundaries, storage areas and parking garages.

If you have been affected by these unfortunate events, please contact the local Sheriff’s office and use the following case numbers for any homeowner insurance claims:

11-295-777 and 11-296-143

Back Gate and Codes
Just a reminder, the back gate codes will be changing Monday, August 1st. You should have already received an email with the code. If you have not, please let me know. The east tower key pad leading from the pool to the garage was replaced yesterday. The technician also checked all the back gates to ensure they were working properly. If you experience any issues with any of the gates, please let me know.

Gym and Aerobics Room
Please do not turn the a/c in these rooms below 68 degrees as it is causing the a/c to freeze up. If you do turn the a/c down while you are working out, please set the temperature to 76 degrees when you leave. This will keep the a/c unit from freezing up and will save energy cost.

Dog Stations and Pet Restrictions
Dog stations are located at either end of each tower. When removing the doggie bags from the station, please pick up all trash and dispose in the trash can located at the pet station. We have been having problems with people removing the bags and leaving the unused bags on the floor. This is not only wasteful but is also littering the grounds. Also, the station at the west tower is broken and from what it looks like it was due to excessive force in removing the bags. Another station will be ordered and installed. Just another reminder, if your dog/cat is not registered with the association, please contact me for the correct forms that need to be filled out for the associations records. The restriction is 2 pets no more than 25 lbs and they must be registered with the Association. PLEASE make sure you pick up your dog’s waste, failure to do so could result in fines, and/or removal of the pet.

East Tower 2nd Floor Garage Door
Today at 2 AM, Security and I were alerted to the east tower 2nd floor garage door not opening. Security was able to manually open it to allow cars to exit the garage. A work order was called in this morning. The company is hoping to get out here today or tomorrow, if not Monday for sure. We did try the reset button on the motor but unfortunately that did not work.

Cigarette Butts
Please do not throw your cigarette butts off of your lanai.

Parking Reminder (Originally Posted April 8th, 2011)
The documents clearly state that boats, trailers, commercial vehicles, oversized vehicles and trucks are not allowed on Association property without prior Board of Directors approval. The Association can tow per the Association documents at the owner's expense. This can be found in Section 19 of the Rules and Regulations. All that is needed is a sign to be posted at the property. The Board has reviewed this and signed a contract with Red’s O.K Auto and Towing. When the Board has given Association approval to a few individuals, there has been restrictions and time frames on how long it can be on the property and unfortunately this has been abused. In some cases, owners have failed to get Association approval. We have the name and numbers of a few places where you can store a boat or trailer. Please contact Michelle or I for this information.

Vacations
Michelle will be out of the office Monday, August 1st and Wednesday, August 3rd. I will be out of the office Thursday, August 4th and Friday, August 5th.

Reminder
The water to the entire building will be shut down on July 27th starting at 8 AM and should be back on within 6-8 hours. The association will be having some much need plumbing repairs which will consist of a new motor that needs to be replaced in the booster pump, replacing a valve that has a slight leak and isolation valves that need to be installed. An engineer has been working with North Star over the last few months along with the associations plumber and boost pump installers and inspectors. We are doing all three of these items at the same time to prevent the building from being shut down more than once. Once the isolation valves are installed, work to the pump will be able to be done without turning water to the entire building off. This day we will have limited staff with only security and myself on property. Michelle, Sales and the janitorial staff will be off. If you are having work done in your unit please do not have them on the property July 27th as there will be no water. The fire system (ie fire sprinklers) are on a different system so there will be fire protection. If we have to turn the water off at the street, a “fire watch” will be set up for the day. A fire watch is just a person that we will hire through our security company to walk the property during the water being turned off. You will not have to do anything inside of your unit prior to the shut down. Once the water gets turned back on, please run the cold cycle in your washer before you turn any other water source on. This is to flush out any particles or rust that might have gotten stirred up when turning off the water. If you are up north or not at the property doing this project, when you return there is no need to do this as anything in the pipes would have already been flushed out. The minor discoloration in the water that might occur is not harmful. When the water is turned back on, I will send an email to all residents. I apologize for this inconvenience that this may cause.
If you have tenants or guest in your unit during this time, please make sure you make them aware of this.

East Tower Garage Gate leading to the Pool Area
The last week we have been experiencing problems with the back gates. All of the problems have been corrected except the east tower garage gate leading to the pool area. You can go out the gate(to get to the pool) but cannot go from the pool to the garage. A new key pad has been ordered and will be installed when it comes in. A notice has been posted at the gate (inside and out).

Women’s Steam Room
The women’s steam room has been not working correctly. A new sensor has been order and should be here either today or Monday.

Flowers
Some of the annuals have not done so well at the entrance of the property. Greenscapes have been replacing the failing annuals at no cost to the association.

Back Gate Code
The back gate code will be changing August 1st, 2011. You should have received an email with the code. If you did not, please contact me to be put on the email list.

WATER OUTAGE - JULY 27TH

The water to the entire building will be shut down on July 27th starting at 8 AM and should be back on within 6-8 hours. The association will be having some much need plumbing repairs which will consist of a new motor that needs to be replaced in the booster pump, replacing a valve that has a slight leak and isolation valves that need to be installed. An engineer has been working with North Star over the last few months along with the association's plumber and boost pump installers and inspectors. We are doing all three of these items at the same time to prevent the building from being shut down more than once. Once the isolation valves are installed, work to the pump will be able to be done without turning off water to the entire building. This day we will have limited staff with only security and myself on property. Michelle, Sales and the janitorial staff will be off. If you are having work done in your unit please do not have them on the property July 27th as there will be no water. The fire system (ie fire sprinklers) are on a different system so there will be fire protection. If we have to turn the water off at the street, a “fire watch” will be set up for the day. A fire watch is a person that we will hire through our security company to walk the property while the water is off. You will not have to do anything inside of your unit prior to the shut down. Once the water gets turned back on, please run the cold cycle in your washer before you turn any other water source on. This is to flush out any particles or rust that may have got stirred up when turning off the water. If you are not at the property during this project, when you return there is no need to do this as anything in the pipes would have already been flushed out. The minor discoloration in the water that might occur is not harmful. When the water is turned back on, I will send an email to all residents. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. Another email will be send out next week with additional information about this project and accommodations that are we are in the process of trying to make for all residents.

If you have tenants or guest in your unit during this time, please make sure you make them aware of this.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Trash and Recyclables
Just a reminder for disposing of Trash and Cardboard boxes, Cardboard boxes are not to be thrown down the trash chute. All trash must be in a bag and tied tightly. Please see attached pictures of the problem we encountered during this past holiday weekend. This can cause severe damage to the trash chute and it takes the cleaners away from their normal day to day jobs to take care of these unnecessary issues.

Dates to Remember
The window cleaners will be here July 18th and 19th. They will be washing the inaccessible windows in both towers and clubhouse, not the lanai sliders. The quarterly fire alarm and sprinkler inspection will be taking place on July 14th starting at 9 AM. The alarms should not sound.

Clubhouse Doors
In a previous blog, I informed all owners that there are certain doors in the clubhouse that had to remain closed due to the fire marshal's requirements. I forgot to add that the door in the business center on the second floor has to remain closed which automatically locks. You can exit the 2nd floor of the clubhouse to go to the business center but cannot access the 2nd floor of the clubhouse from the business center anymore. I am looking into finding a better solution with the fire marshal. Also the gym and aerobic room doors are to be pushed, not pulled. The hand bars have received minor damage due to them being pulled.

Weekend Hours
Tammy is the weekend concierge, her hours are Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM – 5 PM and can be reached at 239-656-1430. Security is here 24/7 and can assist after those hours for property issues as they know how to get in touch with me after hours if I need to be contacted. Their number is 239-961-8923.

Update - 29th June 2011

Reminder on Dog Restrictions
All pets must be approved and registered with Association. If your pet is not registered with the Association, please contact me for the appropriate forms and any assistance in the process. All dogs must be under 25 lbs, fully grown.

Bikes and Scooters
Please lock up all bikes and scooters underneath the 2nd floor parking ramp at each tower. Do not lock up bikes or scooters anywhere else on the property.

Resident Access Codes
Please do not give out your resident access codes to guests and/or delivery people.

Clubhouse Doors
The billiards room, card room, kitchen and hallway doors have to remain closed at all time per the fire marshall. All the door stoppers have been removed. Please do not prop these doors open.

Gym
Mr. and Mrs. Schneider purchased an Ab Chair and have put it in the gym for resident use. Thank you very much Mr. and Mrs. Schneider! I am sure it will get a lot of use!

Back Gate Codes
The back gate code will be changing July 4th. The new gate code will be 1975*.

Office Hours
Our office will be closed in observance of 4th of July. IF you have a property emergency, please contact Sterling Property Services at 239-947-4552, there will be a number to call on the answering machine for the on-call manager.

Update - 15th June 2011

We are having a problem with the water pressure booster pump as of this morning. I was able to reset it and bring the pressure back up to 110 PSI, where it should be. Since then it has gone down three more times. We were able to restart it each time but it seems like it might go down a few more times before the company gets out here to fix it late this afternoon. If you notice NO water pressure during the work day (8AM-5PM) please give me a call. If you have a problem after those hours, please contact security as they will have instructions on what to do and who to call. The units that will be most affected by this will be the higher floors. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please remember you can always use the showers in the locker rooms in the clubhouse if needed.

The A/C in the East Tower lobby is currently not working. The company was out yesterday and have ordered the part that is needed. They will be here this afternoon (6-15-11) to replace it.

The gate by the tennis courts is not working so please do not use it. A new part has been ordered and I will let everyone know when the gate is working again.

If you are having work done in your unit that causes noise (ie tile, carpet) please let Michelle or I know how long the workers will be in your unit so that we can inform the owners in the surrounding area.

I will be out of the office this Friday, July 17th. If you have any problems or questions, please contact Michelle at the front desk at 239-656-1430 or the main office of Sterling at 239-947-4552.

If you see something broken or have a concern about something with the buildings, please contact Michelle or myself. Please do not ask the janitorial company (i.e Tomas, Orlando or Jose) to take care or look into maintenance issues around the property. They are a janitorial company and not able to fix certain things at the property (like work on the garage doors, gates etc). If they do and get injured, the association could face a lawsuit. I have already spoken to the janitorial company and advised them if they are approached by a resident for a maintenance issue they are to refer the homeowner to Michelle or myself.

Umbrellas
Please remember to put the umbrellas down when you leave the pool area.

Steam Rooms
Please do not use the steam rooms until further notice. We are in the process of doing some general maintenance in the steam rooms and they need them completely dry.

Beau Drive Gate
The resident gate is now up and running. If you have any problems with this gate, please let me know.

Pets
We are still having problems with owners letting their dogs urinate on the trash can and pillars in the west tower. Please be responsible dog owners.

Third Quarter Maintenance Fees
Just a reminder, the quarterly fees are due July 1st.

Update June 2nd, 2011

Back Gate Codes
The back gate codes will be changing Monday, June 6th. The new gate code will be 1518*.

Steam Rooms
The Steam Rooms will be having some work done today. The Steams rooms will be closed Friday Morning at 8 AM and will reopen Monday Morning at 8 AM.

Resident Gate (Beau Drive)
The Resident entrance gate at Beau Drive is not working, please use the main entrance to enter the property. I will let you know when the gate is operational again.

Garage Door
The west tower second floor garage door is not working and will remain open. Security has been asked to keep a close eye on this until the parts come in and it get repaired.

Annuals and New Plantings
The Annuals and new plantings were installed last Wednesday. Greenscapes (the landscape company) was out here yesterday and will be back today to finish up on adjusting the irrigation for the plants, flowers and a few hot spots that we have around the property.

Going Green
By the end of the week we should have a proposal to reduce the building lights in an effort to go more “green”. Once the proposal is received it will be sent to the Board of Directors for their review and final decision. We are still working some of the issues out with the garage lights. There are some areas that are dark and we are in the process of correcting those areas. Tri-City Electric is here today to see what can be done. Thank you for your patience in this matter.

TV in Aerobics Room
The TV for the aerobic room has been installed. We are waiting on getting brackets to mount the DVD player and the electrical outlet for the DVD player will be installed today. When you are finished using it, please turn the TV and DVD player off.

Pool Baths
We will be purchasing mats for the pool bathrooms since the tile tends to get slippery. We should have the mats with a week or two.

Annual Meeting / Board Meeting
At the Annual Meeting that was held last Thursday, Larry Ziegler was re-elected to the Board of Directors for North Star Yacht Club. At the Board Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the following projects/expenses:
• Change in the Window Washing Company which will save the association $1,430 a year and we should get much better service with the new company as we had problems the last two cleanings with the old company.
• The association will be purchasing a power washer for projects around the community.
• A TV and DVD player will be ordered for the Aerobics Room.
• The Board of Directors are looking in to changing the Sandy Beach area as it does not look appealing. If you have any suggestions on what we can do with this area, please let me know. We are very open to suggestions, especially from those that over look the Beach area.
• The new Flax Lilies at the circles of each tower have been approved. The Summer Annuals and new plants will be installed April 20th.
Amendments to the Rules and Regulations
• Clubhouse and Gym age restrictions – Currently the association Rules and Regulations state no children under the age 12 are allowed in the recreational facilities without adult supervision. The Board of Directors decided this age limit needed to be increased due to some of the homeowners expressing concern at recent meetings and open forums. The new age is 16 years old, anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
• The Board approved the use of electric grills on the property.

Parking
The documents clearly state that no boats or trailers are allowed on association property without prior association approval. The association can tow per the association documents at the owners expense. This can be found in section 19 of the Rules and Regulations. All that is needed is a sign to be posted at the property. The Board has reviewed this and signed a contract with Red’s O.K Auto and Towing. The required signage will be on the property by Monday at the latest. When the Board has given association approval to a few individuals, this has been subject to certain restrictions and timeframes and unfortunately this has been abused. In some cases, owners have not received association approval in advance. We have the name and numbers of a few places where you can store a boat or trailer. Please contact Michelle or I for this information.

Seasonal Residents
In my last blog, I added some reminders for the seasonal residents when they leave to head back up north. It was brought it to my attention I should remind owners to remove fan blades from their lanai fans and bring in all lanai furniture.

Window Washing
We have hired a new window washing company. They will be starting April 12th and finishing April 13th. The new company is The Clean Up Group.

Quarterly Fire Sprinkler and Alarm Inspection
The Quarterly Fire Sprinkler and Alarm Inspection will be taking place Monday April 11th starting at 9 AM. No alarms should sound.

Exit Gate by Spa
The exit gate by the spa leading to the marina is not working. Safety Signals should be out here today to fix it. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Dog Etiquette
When you take your dog outside, please remember the dog needs to be a leash at all times while on the common property. This is for the safety of your dog, other dogs and residents. We are still having issues with owners not picking up their dogs waste. If you are a dog owner, please make sure every time the dog is taken out that the waste is picked up and discarded in one of the pet station trash cans.

Flowers
The winter annuals have been removed. Greenscapes has submitted a proposal for flax lily to be installed at the entrances and circle of the towers since the annuals do not do well in these areas. These plants will do much better in the shady areas and will be permanent, which will save the association about $2,600 a year. The Board will be discussing this proposal today and I will let everyone know what was decided and when they will be installed.

Seasonal Residents
Just some reminders for the seasonal residents.
•Turn off the water source serving the unit to ensure against any water damage in the event of a leak within the unit.
•Provide courtesy notification to the association office of any visitors utilizing the unit in the unit owners absence - this serves as a security and safety function for both the unit and the association.
•Provide the association with a phone number where you can be reached to ensure the associations ability to contact you in the event of an emergency within your unit.
•It is mandatory that the unit owner sets the units temperature control to 78-80 degrees to discourage the growth of mold or mildew within the unit.

Back Gate Code
The back gate code will be changing Monday, April 4th. If you have not received an email with the code, please contact me.

Parking
Commercial vehicles, boats, trailers, RV’s and other similar vehicles are not allowed on association property without approval. If you are granted approval with the association, there are restrictions on where they can be parked and the amount of time. Please contact me for further information.

Update - 24th March 2011

Visiting Guests
If you have guests coming to see you and they are not on your Resident Information Sheet, please remember to call or email the Security Officers at the gate. The phone number is 239-961-8923 and the email address is nsycsecurity@gmail.com.

Trash/ Cigarette Butts
On January 6th, I posted in the blog about throwing cigarette butts off of the balconies. This is not only littering but also can fall down to the 3rd floor balconies since they have the extended lanais. One of the third floor balconies was just cleaned and three days later there are 3 cigarette butts. If you do smoke on your balcony, please use an ash tray. When you are done using the ash tray, please dump it right away as the wind can cause the butts and ashes to go flying.

Annual Meeting – Phone Conference
A NSYC homeowner spoke last year about possibly having a conference call facility for those homeowners that will not be able to be present for the annual meeting but would like to listen or participate in the meeting. At this year's Annual Meeting we will be able to have this option. If you would like to call in, please let me know and I will provide you the call in number and pass code to get on to the conference call.

Landscape – Flowers and Additions
The flowers will be removed from the beds today and new summer flowers will be planted shortly. The flower beds at the circle in front of both towers, the association will be putting in a permanent plants since the flowers do not do well in this area. Flax Lilies will be installed, once I know the date, I will included it in the blog.

Garages
Last Thursday and Friday the cleaning company worked very diligently to manually sweep the 1st floor of each tower. Next Thursday they will be sweeping the East Tower 2nd floor garage and next Friday they will be sweeping the West Tower 2nd floor. If you are able to, please move your car to the back parking lot on the designated days.

Beach Area / Pool Furniture
The beach area behind the west tower will be raked today by the landscapers and Orlando has started cleaning the pool furniture. He will be doing a few a day and rotating the ones from storage.

Parking Spots
There are a few parking spaces that are soiled with oil. The homeowner who is assigned to the parking spsce is responsible for the maintenance and appearance of the parking space per the association documents. It also states no vehicles are permitted on the property that leak oil. If your car is leaking oil, please do not park it on the pavers, use the side parking lot until you can get the leak fixed. A wonderful product to remove oil stains from pavers is call Pour and Restore and can be found at ACE Hardware.

Computer Room
The computer and printer is almost up and running in the business center. The last computer that was installed there was vandalized by someone so please report any misuse if you witness it.

Damage to the Card Room Chairs
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot damage done to the chairs in the card room. Please try not to abuse the chairs.

Men’s Steam Room
The problem for the men’s steam room has been found. The part has been order and will be installed next week. The men’s steam room is working intermittently. If it is not working and you would like to use it, please come to the front desk and we will have you use the women’s steam room if it is not in use and post a notice on the door letting the women know there is a gentleman using the steam room.

Front Fountain
The pump at the front fountain has a leak and will be shut down to prevent any damage to the motor. A service call was placed today and a technician should be out on Monday.

Possible Projects in the Works
Trash Chute Cleaning – We are working on getting proposals for possibly cleaning the trash chutes. Preventative maintenance like cleaning the chutes will help extend the life of the entire chute system and saving the association on future costly repairs. It also helps control the odor and bacteria. The Board of Directors have received one of the proposals. I am waiting on the others proposals to provide to the Board.
Garage Lights – A proposal was received for switching ½ of the lights off during the day to save energy. The return of investment is about 13 months and would save the association roughly $122.00 a month. The Board of Director have the proposal and will be reviewing it.

Roof Inspection – Every year, West Coast Enterprises inspects the roofs and provides a proposal (if needed) and recommendations to extend the life of the roof. This took place this last week and we are waiting to get the written report, which I should have mid next week. The inspection is at no cost to the association.

Update - March 9th, 2011

Concierge Hours
Michelle’s hours are Monday thru Friday 8 AM to 4 PM. The weekend concierge is Tammy and her hours are 9 AM to 5 PM. Tammy will be able to help on the weekends with all your concierge needs.

Open Forum Meeting
We will be having an Open Forum Meeting, as we have done in the past, before the Annual Meeting. This will be to hear any issues that have not been brought up previously so at the Annual Meeting we can discuss what the board has decided on those items. The open forum meeting will be Wednesday March 16th at 6 PM.

Maintenance Issues
Here are some of the maintenance issues we have been working on for the past month or so:
Landscape – We had seven irrigation decoders and one valve that went bad. Greenscapes have been at the property last Friday, Saturday and Monday to get these zones up and running. Due to these zones being off for a little bit, the annuals started getting stressed and in these areas are not doing so well. Greenscapes will be replacing some of the flowers, at no cost to the Association, next week. As of the beginning of April the property will be mowed every week. The pruning of the shrubs will be taking place this week.
Clubhouse – The men’s steam room is still having some issues but Water Works are working quickly to diagnose which circuit board is causing the problem. The office phone number (239-656-1430) is having problems and is saying the mailbox is full when it is not. I have been trying to work with Century Link to get this problem corrected. If you get that message, please call back in 10 minutes or send a quick email. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience while we get this problem corrected. The TV in the sitting room in the clubhouse is not working. The TV’s power source went bad and we are looking into a replacement TV.
Parties – Just a reminder, if you reserve the theater, card room, and/or clubhouse, please make sure you leave it in the condition you found it in.
Pool Area – One of the gates by the spa is not closing properly. New hinges have been ordered and the gate will be adjusted by the end of the week. One of the large umbrellas broke last week. Please remember to close the umbrellas when you are done using them. Failure to do this will cause the umbrella arms to snap. We are working to get the umbrella repaired since the large umbrellas cost close to $1,500. There is a step that is broken by the fountain. We have put a red cone by it to keep people away from this area for their safety. The cleaning staff will start cleaning the pool furniture.
Towers / Garages – The garages will be vacuumed next week. The east tower will be done Thursday, March 17th and the west tower will be done Friday, March 18th. I have been working with Wayne Wiles on the tile issue in the towers. There is this product that chemically etches the tile to make it more textured to cause less slipping. This product would cost about $16,000 to do the floors plus labor. If the Board does decided to go with this, we would try to get the maintenance guys to do it within their hours so there would be no additional labor cost. Wayne Wiles will be letting us try this product out to see how it works on some spare tile. I will keep the community updated on this issue.
Curbing– The curbing around the property has been cleaned and will be cleaned on a monthly basis.

Questions – You can always email, call or put a note in my box on my door at any time with any questions, complaints, comments or concerns.

Back Gate Code

The Back gate code will be changing on Monday March 7th, 2011. You will be receiving an email with the code. If you have any questions, please contact me at 239-656-1430.

Update 8th Feb 2011

Tile Floors in the Towers
The tile in the walk ways in each tower can be slippery when wet. I have instructed our Janitorial Company to only use water on the floor as some homeowners feel the slipperiness is caused by the cleaning product. The Janitorial company has spoken to the manufacturer and have had a representative out to the property and they were unable to find any film left by the cleaning product. I have also spoken to Wayne Wiles who installed the tile. This tile was specifically picked by the original developer because it was graded for outside use and non-slip. There was another type of tile used that had a higher grade of non-slip which was used on the outside of the 2nd floor of the clubhouse by the pool. Cliff with Wayne Wiles was not able to recommend anything for the issue we are having when we spoke but he will look into this and get back to me. In the meantime, the janitorial company will be dry mopping the floors when they are wet and using fans to help dry the floors. Please be extremely careful walking on the floors if they are damp.

Card Room Chairs
The janitorial company has been looking for replacement wheels for the card room chairs. They have not been able to find the wheels locally and are in the process of finding them on the internet to order them. As soon as they get ordered, shipped and arrive at the property, they will be installed.

Garages
I have received some complaints about the garage floors being sandy, mostly the first floor garages because of the pavers and the sand that is used to lock the pavers in. In the past we have used a blower to help clean the garage and also swept the garage. This obviously has not helped and the janitorial company and I are looking into vacuuming the garages. Since they do not have a shop vac big enough for the job, they are looking into renting one. Once I get a price from the Janitorial company, the information will be presented to the Board.

Pest Control
The Association does have a contract with a pest control company. They service the perimeter of the property 4 times a year and will do inside the unit and balcony if needed. However, they will not be able to spray your balcony for flying insects. If you are experiencing problems with pests in your unit, please contact me.

Aerobics Room and Fitness Room
Last year, a homeowner asked about having a TV with DVD players in the Aerobics Room. Unfortunately it was not in the budget last year but I promised to revisit the idea in 2011. I have received pricing for the TV, DVD and install from one vendor and researching some other options. Once I have all the information gathered, it will be sent to the Board. Right now, we have two machines down in the fitness room, the bike and one of the elliptical. Commercial Fitness will be out sometime this week to repair both items. I have heard back from 12 residents from the blog posting on February 2nd about possibly purchasing more gym equipment. I will be forwarding the information I received from the 12 homeowners over to the Board this week.

I will be out of the office Friday February 11th and Monday February 14th. If you have any problems or questions on these days, please contact Michelle at 239-656-1430 or the Sterling Office at 239-947-4552.

Questions, Comments, Concerns and/or Suggestions

If you have any questions regarding the condo association or the rules of the association, please contact me by either email or a phone call. I try to make myself approachable and available to all residents. Also, please remember that Larry Zeigler is your resident Board Member and any issues can been brought up to him as well.

Pool

Solar Blanket/Alternative Heating Options – it was brought to my attention by a resident attending the homeowner happy hour on Tuesday night that some of the homeowners were talking about ways to cut costs for the association. Any suggestions are welcomed, and please share with me. One of the items discussed which was been brought up before is a solar blanket for the pool and spa. I did the research on this last October before the budget was approved. There are a few problems with the solar blanket after talking to the pool company. Here are some of the issues:
• The blanket is only allowed to be on the pool while the pool is closed (dusk to dawn).
• While the blanket is on, no one is even allowed to be by the pool area.
• North Star does not employ someone around dusk to put the cover on.
Something they recommended is a TURBO FISH. This is a liquid that is applied to the pool, a little at a time, which creates a molecular bond on the water's surface to help keep the heat/cool in and prevents evaporation. There are some mixed reviews with the product, I have requested documentation on the savings from other communities using this before sending it before the Board again.
I have also looked into geothermal pool heaters instead of the gas heaters we are currently using. I got a proposal from a company in October and met with the sales rep a few different times. The cost for this is about $93,000. This is something the board is not considering at the current time but I wanted to make sure we have a proposal on file for the future to give us a ball park figure.
Diapers in the Pool – Children that still use diapers are allowed to be in the pool, however, they must wear swim diapers such as little swimmers by Huggies.

Garage Lights

This was another one of the items brought up at the homeowners' happy hour that one of the residents informed me about. Some of the residents have asked about having the lights in the garage turned off during the day to save energy cost. After rereading the life safety code, it looks like we might be able to put SOME of the lights on a photocell but some lights will have to remain on at all times to comply with the Life Safety Code. This is something I will look into, get pricing and present to the Board of Directors.

Update - 2nd February 2011

Back Gate Codes
The back gate codes will be changing Monday February 7th, 2011. You will be getting an email with the code. Just a reminder, I change the gate codes the first Monday of the month, not the 1st of the month.

Front Walking Gate
All residents will be receiving the front walking gate code via email. This gate does not have the same code as the back gates and does not change every month.

Gym
We are thinking about buying more equipment for the fitness room and would like to poll the residents to see what equipment you would like to see up there that we currently do not have. If you have any request for the fitness room, please send me an email with what you would like see to added to the equipment that we currently have.

Update January 11th, 2011

Comcast Issues
If you are experiencing problems with your internet service, please contact me with the problems. We are developing a list to present to Comcast regarding the outages we have been experiencing.

Annual Fire Alarm and Sprinkler Inspection
On January 26th starting at 9 AM, we will be having our annual fire alarm and sprinkler inspection. We will need access into each and every unit. A North Star representative will be with the inspectors and will have keys to get into the units if no one is home at the time of the inspection. Please remember that it is a requirement of this inspection for the alarms to sound. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Parking
Boats, Trucks, Trailers, Commercial Vehicles, and oversized vehicles to be left, kept, stored on the condominium property must first obtain the prior written approval of the Board of Directors of the Condominium Association. No campers, camper trailers, motor homes, or other type of recreational vehicle is allowed on the condominium property. There is a trailer and a boat on a trailer, if these are yours, please contact me immediately.

Spa
The spa heater repair company was out again yesterday to fix the spa since it went down over the weekend after repair last Wednesday. They were able to get it back up and running.

Update 6th Jan 2010

Happy New Year everyone

Cigarette Butts
Please do not throw cigarette butts from the balconies. We have had a few complaints from owners of lower floors units, especially the third floor, regarding cigarette butts being dropped from higher floors. Instead, please use ash trays and dump the ash trays frequently, as on windy days the butts can get blown around.

Pet Restrictions
Please remember your association documents state that owners can have two dogs of no more than 25 pounds each. No lessees, tenants, invitees or visitors shall be permitted to bring pets on the common area or into any unit without prior written permission and consent of the condominium association.

Spa Heater
The spa is up and running again. The company was out yesterday and repaired it while they were on site.

Hand Towels in the Fitness Area
We have been having some issues with the hand towels disappearing from the fitness area. I have instructed the janitorial company to pick up 30 more hand towels as there are none left. Please do not remove the towels from the fitness area, when you are done please put the towels in the basket. Tomas will wash and replenish the towels as needed. In addition to the hand towels, the association has ordered sanitary wipes and a dispenser to wipe down the equipment after/before every use.

Men’s Massage Room
Please do not remove the pool furniture and place in the men’s massage room. For the last few weeks, when Tomas comes in there has been a pool chair from the pool deck in the massage room. If you would like a chair in the massage room, please contact me.