2013 Approved Budget and Quarterly Amount

At Monday's Budget Meeting, the Board approved the previously mailed Proposed 2013 budget.

The quarterly fees are as follows:

Type A - Aquarius       (01, 08)	$2,123.00
Type B – Libra               (01, 07)	$1,993.00
Type C – Capricorn     (03, 06)	$1,841.00
Type D – Orion             (04, 05)	$2,231.00
Type E – Perseus        (PH1, PH5)	$2,463.00
Type F – Pegasus        (PH2, PH4)	$2,574.00
Type G – Polaris          (PH3)	$3,337.00

 

As of January 1^st Sandcastle Community Management will be taking over the responsibilities for  North Star Yacht Club. They will be mailing out welcome letters in the next week to all homeowners.

Any questions, please contact Sandcastle Community Management at 239-596-7200. Their website is www.sandcastlecm.com.

 

This will be my last blog for the year. It has been a pleasure working at North Star Yacht Club. I wish you the very best of luck with the turnover and your future enjoyment of the property.

 

Update - December 5th, 2012

Chaise Lounges

The cleaning of the chaise lounges out at the pool has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, December 11^th.

Window Cleaning

Just a reminder, the windows will be cleaned this Thursday and Friday.

Lanai Cleaning

I would just like to take the time and say thank you to all the owners for being very cooperative and patient during the lanai cleaning. I would also like to thank those that offered suggestions on how to make this project as smooth as possible. It is not very often that no complaints are received during this type of project that affects so many owners.

Doors

Do not prop doors opens, this includes the front entrance doors to the towers, stairwell doors on the ground floor as these doors are to remain locked, the business center interior doors and the kitchen and hallway doors in the clubhouse.

December Vacation Days

I will be out of the office starting Friday, December 21^st until the end of the year. Michelle will be here covering for me. Our offices are closed Christmas Day, of course.

Smoking on the Lanais

I have received some complaints about owners smoking on their lanais and flicking their ashes and cigarette butts down which is hitting the 3^rd floor lanais, especially the 04 stack in the west tower.

Blue Ray DVD Player

Larry and Lana Ziegler donated a Blue Ray DVD Player to North Star. We will be hooking it up in the theater here shortly.

Reminder

The back gate codes will be changing next Monday. The email with the code was sent out Monday November 26^th.

Chaise Lounges

The Board has requested the cleaning of the chaise lounges at the pool that was scheduled for next Tuesday to be rescheduled so it does not interfere with the lanai cleaning.  As soon as I can get this rescheduled, I will let everyone know.

Update - November 27th, 2012

NSYC 100^th Blog Posting for 2012

So far in 2012, I have put out 100 blogs to owners regarding numerous different subjects, issues, complaints and storm updates. This is something I really do enjoy doing especially for the residents that are not here, that are not seeing certain things going on. Since we are coming up on the end of the year, I would like to ask all residents if there is anything you would like me to discuss, provide information on or address through the blog. Since we have started this Blog (June of 2010) this blog marks a total of 190 blogs that have been done. The first two years, I averaged about one blog every week and now I am averaging about 9 a month. This has definitely been a busy year! I really hope everyone enjoys reading my blogs as much as I enjoy making them. I hope we all can make the next 100 blogs positive and informative.

Dogs

Over the holiday, one of our resident's dog got sick from dog feces that was not picked up. Months ago I stressed about Parvo outbreaks in Lee County which is spreads from feces. The vet confirmed that it was not parvo but an infection from possibly ingesting fecal matter. The owner witnessed the dog pick up the fecal matter and shortly after this got sick. The dog is on antibiotics and pain medication. I do not only stress to owners to pick up after your dog because it is in the Rules and Regulations, it needs to be picked up to prevent any spreading of disease and/or infections.

Also, after sending in a few DNA test (one came back feline, two came back not enough of a sample and another one waiting to be sent out) we finally got a hit on one of the samples that was left on the sidewalk of the east tower. The results will stay with the board and myself but the homeowner will be receiving a letter along with a bill for the cost of testing and the supplies to ship it.

NSYC Christmas Tree

The real 10 foot NSYC Christmas Tree was to be delivered here sometime today during business hours but unfortunately they got delayed. The tree will be delivered around 5:30 PM. Since our cleaners are not here at this time, I have asked the delivery company to make sure they clean up any needles that fall. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause during homeowner happy hour.

NSYC Budget Meeting Notice

The NSYC Annual Budget Meeting Notice was mailed out yesterday in accordance with the Florida State Statutes. The Budget Meeting will be held on December 10^th, 2012 at 3 PM in the NSYC Theater. This is a Board of Directors Meeting so only a quorum of the Board of Directors is needed. Included in the mailing, which was mailed out to all Homeowners at the last address that they provided to us, was the notice of the budget meeting, the proposed 2013 budget and an email opt in letter to be filled out and submitted to our office if you would prefer to get notices (notice of meetings, coupons, correspondences) through email instead of USPS. If you have any questions AFTER the you receive the mailing, please let me know.

Mailing Addresses for Homeowners

We are only allowed to change your mailing address (even if I know you are back for the winter) by the homeowner putting the request in writing. If you do not put the change in writing (email is the best way) then all mail from the association (meeting notices, coupons, correspondence) will be sent up north.

Property Issues/Work Orders

Pool Chairs

Next Tuesday, the pool chairs will be cleaned so there might be limited chairs out at the pool deck on this day.

Pool Light

There is a pool light that is out at the end closest to the West Tower. A work order has been put in with the pool company and they will be out this week to replace it.

Dry Turf

A work order was put in with the irrigation tech last Friday for some areas in the turf that are dry. The irrigation tech will be out this week.

Reminders

GE Dishwasher Recall – Additional Information (First Notice sent out to All Residents by Michelle on August 10^th, second notice sent out August 14^th and third notice sent out August 15^th)

We have found out from some of the residents dishwashers were included in the recall. Please check your model numbers and serial numbers. These are the model and serial numbers that are included in this recall.

Recall - Dishwasher Models

Brand	Model Number begins with:	AND Serial Number begins with:
GE GE Profile GE Eterna GE Adora	GLC4, GLD4, GLD5, GLD6, GSD61, GSD62, GSD63, GSD66, GSD67, GSD69, GLDL, PDW7, PDWF7, EDW4, EDW5, EDW6, GHD4, GHD5, GHD6, GHDA4, GHDA6	FL, GL, HL, LL, ML, VL, ZL, AM, DM, FM, GM, HM, LM, MM, RM, SM, TM, VM, ZM, AR, DR, FR, GR
Hotpoint	HLD4

If you have one of these with the model and serial number, please contact GE at 866-918-8760 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET. Before calling, have the model and serial numbers on hand. For more information on this, please go to http://www.geappliances.com/products/recall/dishwasher_2012/

I am posting this again since homeowners are coming back down for season, I want to make sure that all dishwashers have been checked and the parts replaced if needed. This is the responsibility of each homeowner.

Happy Monday Afternoon. Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

WiFi

The association has WiFi in the clubhouse and business center for all homeowners. It will show up as NorthStar as unsecured. All you need to do is click on this to connect. There is another one named NorthStar Sales which is secured for us in the office (management, concierge and sales). Do not connect to this as it is password protected.

Garage Door/Gate Remotes

In the garage door/gate remotes, there are two batteries that work the buttons. If you are having a problem with one or both of the buttons, please replace the batteries as this is most likely the issue. Security does not have extra remotes and we will not be given extra remotes out for ones that are not “working”. If you replace the batteries and it is still not working on BOTH the garage door and gates, please let me know.

NSYC Christmas Trees

The NSYC Residents Tree is up. Lights and ornaments will be added by the end of the week - all thanks to Michelle. The outside decorations will be put up on Wednesday by Vito and Carl. The real Christmas tree that is delivered to the property has been delayed and I am waiting to hear back on when we will have it.

Back Gate Codes

The back gates codes will be changing next Monday December 3^rd. The new codes will be emailed to you. If you have not received them, please let me know.

Window Cleaning

The quarterly window cleaning will be done December 6^th and 7^th.

Update - 21st November 2012

November 23^rd, 2012

On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, our main office will be closed. So both offices at North Star will be closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving. Security will remain the same. If you have a service provider coming on Friday (a/c or cable) security can give them access.

Pets

Please do not let your dogs pee at the front entrance on the pillars or in the landscape right out front. For owners in the West Tower, please take your dogs to the grassy area by the back parking lot. East Tower owners, please take your dogs to the back parking lot by the tennis courts. If you have a question regarding locations, please let me know.

Update - 14th November 2012

Winter Annuals and Beach Sand

The winter annuals were installed late last week. Thank you to Kevin Chapman who helped out again in selecting the annuals for the association with the assistance of Greenscapes.  The beach sand was replenished a few weeks ago and is looking very nice. We are doing this twice a year to the beach area along with weekly raking to help keep the sand looking fresh & inviting.

Dog Violations

In the last week, we sent two more samples to be tested at the lab. Once the results come back, those owners will be contacted. Thank you to those keeping an eye out for samples that need to be collected and tested. Also, we ask that you do not let your dogs pee on the pillars or trash cans right outside the lobby doors. This makes the entrance of your home not very pleasant to other owners and guests coming in and out of the tower.

Quarterly Fire Sprinkler Inspection

The quarterly fire sprinkler inspection will be taking place tomorrow, Thursday November 15^th. They will not need to access the units and alarms should not sound. Any questions regarding this, please let me know.

Pool Stains

The test spot was done but we didn’t get definitive results as to if it is going to work or not. The pool tech is going to do another sample today to see the results for himself. An update will be included in a later blog.

Thanksgiving

Our office, along with the sales office will be closed next Thursday for Thanksgiving. Our office will  open again on Friday November 23^rd but the sales office will be closed, reopening on Saturday November 24^th.

Reminder – Originally posted October 16^th, 2012

Cleaning of the Lanais

The Board and I have set up a schedule as to when homeowners can clean their lanais. This is in response to a request by many homeowners. Homeowners also asked that if the board allowed, having it scheduled right before the window cleaning is done. The next window cleaning is scheduled for December 6th and 7th. Please see attached schedule.

Nov. 26th – PH floor –AM

12th floor – PM

Nov. 27th – 11th floor – AM

10th floor - PM

Nov. 28 – 9th floor

Nov. 29th – 8 floor

Nov. 30th – 7th floor

Dec. 3rd – 6th floor

Dec. 4th – 5th floor

Dec. 5th – 4th floor

We have tried to take everyone’s thoughts and concerns into consideration here but do realize that the dates may not suit some unit owners, for which we apologize in advance.

Update - 6 November, 2012

East Tower First Floor Garage Door

Garage Doors by Roy North was out here yesterday late afternoon to make the necessary repairs to get the garage door operational. They ran into problems last week and were unable to get the garage door working.

Beau Drive Entrance Gate

The Beau Drive Entrance gate was sticking open this morning and making some noise. The gate company was called out and they found everything to be working. This is an intermittent problem that we will monitor.

West Tower Elevator / Elevator 5 Year Test

It was reported yesterday morning that Elevator 2 - 5^th floor push buttons were working but not lit. The elevator tech was on-site yesterday morning and had to order parts. The parts should be delivered within the next week and will be installed shortly after that.

Elevator 1 – The cab fan was not working and a new one had to be ordered. The fan came in yesterday morning and has been installed.

The 5 year test of the elevators will begin today and go until Thursday. During this time, the elevators might be a little slower than usual. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Pet Rules – Elevators and DNA Registration

As a reminder Section 20 of the rule and regulations states:

Pets are permitted only in pet designated areas and are not permitted at any recreational amenity areas. Pets are permitted only in unoccupied elevators so long as the pets are on a leash and accompanied by the unit owner. An Owner with a pet may not enter into or occupy a passenger elevator presently occupied by other persons.

With season approaching, please remember you have 48 hours to have your dog DNA tested once you get back to the property. The best way to do this is to set up an appointment with me. This way I will have everything ready to go and it should only take a few minutes at the most.

Quiet Time

Section 22 of the rules and regulations states:

The Board of Directors shall have the right to determine if any equipment, fixture, improvement, materials or activity producing such noise or odor constitutes a nuisance. In particular, during the hours of 11 PM to 8 AM or any other hours set by the Board of Directors, no unit owner shall play (or permit to be played in its unit or on the limited common elements or common elements) any musical instrument, phonograph, TV, common radio or the like in a way that unreasonably disturbs or annoys other unit owners or occupants.

Be mindful of your neighbors, noise travels within the community especially if you have your sliding doors open. Please call Security if you are having an issue with noise within the complex. If they are unable to correct the situation, they are instructed to contact the Lee County Sheriffs Office.

Update 10/30/12

Results of Pet DNA

Two samples were sent in two weeks ago and the results are back. Unfortunately one sample, as I suspected, was not canine. It was feline. The other sample did not have enough DNA to test. Next time, I will make sure to get more of a sample.

 

East Tower First Floor Garage Door

It was reported this morning that the garage door to the East Tower First Floor is not working and is stuck open. The company was called out first thing this morning and was here by 11 AM. Two parts are broken on the garage door, the nuts on the up limit and the hose reel spring. All parts are very common and if they don’t have them in the shop they should have them in a day.

 

Pool Staining – Acid Treating

Tri-City Pools will be doing a test spot to acid treat the sun burst we have in the pool that is cased by the copper returns. They will let me know what sunburst they are doing so we can look at the results. If it works and turns out nicely, we will get the rest scheduled asap.

 

November 1^st and 2^nd

I will be out of the office Thursday November 1^st and Friday November 2^nd. Michelle will be covering me on these two days.

 

Back Gate Codes

The back gate codes will be changing next Monday, November 5^th. All residents should have been emailed the new gate code. If you haven’t, please let me know.

 

Mullions

All of the mullions have been repaired as of last Friday. If you see one coming up, please DO NOT pull on it. Just report it to me or security.

Community Computer Printer

The community printer has failed. For the time being, we have networked the printer behind Michelle’s desk to this computer until a new printer is ordered.

Annuals, Mulch and Rocks

The winter annuals are scheduled to be installed the week of November 19^th or sooner, depending on the nursery. We are scheduled for the mulch to be laid mid December. When they lay the mulch, they will also touch up the rock boarders we have around the property. 

2^nd Floor Lobbies

The tile will be cleaned this Saturday and Sunday. They ran into problems last week and this is why it wasn’t done. Any questions, please let me know.                               

Dog DNA Samples

I have collected two samples to send into PooPrints for DNA testing. The samples were found (1) over by the east tower extra parking lot in the middle island and (2) in front of the east tower in the grass along the retention area.

Changing of Light Bulbs/Ballast

Over the last week, I have received a lot of questions and concerns about the building lights being on during the day. This is due to regular light inspections (twice a month) and corrective work by the electricians (monthly). 

Office Furniture

There is some spare office furniture that the association is looking to donate to Goodwill. We would like offer it to the residents before we ask Goodwill to pick it up. There are two desks and two chairs. If you would like them, please let me know.  

Beau Drive Gate

Yesterday afternoon the gate started acting up again. They found the loop detector had gone bad and needed to be replaced. They had the part on their truck and was able it install it and get the gate functioning again.

Mullions

The long vertical mullions have been ordered and should be in this afternoon. They will be installed sometime next week. There are about 5-7 windows that will need to be done. If you see a mullion that is lifted, please do not pull on it. This is the reason why they had to be replaced. If they come up and are not pulled they can be repaired very easily

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

 

Update - October 16th, 2012

Smoking in the Elevator

Please do not smoke in the elevators. This is a federal law which we are all bound to abide by, thank you.

Direct Debit Form

We currently have just under 1/3 of the community set up on direct debits. Being set up on direct debit saves the association money since we don’t need to send out coupons to those owners or late notices. For 2013 it would be great to get ½ of the owners set up on direct debit. You can either print the form or complete it online at http://sterlingpropertyfl.com/forms The form is secure, should you decide to complete online.

Cleaning of the Tile and Grout – 2^nd floor lobbies

We will be professionally cleaning the 2^nd floor lobbies (inside and the tile right outside in the garages) and the elevators, which will be done this Saturday, October 20^th.

Cleaning of the Lanais

The Board and I have set up a schedule as to when homeowners can clean their lanais. This is in response to a request by many homeowners. Homeowners also asked that if the board allowed, to have it scheduled right before the window cleaning is done. The next window cleaning is scheduled for December 6^th and 7^th. Please see attached schedule.

Nov. 26^th – PH floor –AM

                     12^th floor – PM

Nov. 27^th – 11^th floor – AM

      10^th floor - PM

Nov. 28 – 9^th floor

Nov. 29^th – 8 floor

Nov. 30^th – 7^th floor

Dec. 3^rd – 6^th floor

Dec. 4^th – 5^th floor

Dec. 5^th – 4^th floor

We have tried to take everyone’s thoughts and concerns into consideration here but do realize that the dates may not suit some unit owners, for which we apologize in advance.

The Board did give the sales team permission to have the PH1E unit power washed today since there is a drain up there and they promised no water will be going over the edges.

HE Detergent

Just a friendly reminder, please make sure you are using HE detergent in your washing machines. We are still having some minor problems with soap suds and using the HE detergent will lessen the risk of soap suds back up. If you have any questions about this, please let me know.

Umbrellas

Please make sure you put the umbrellas down when you are done using them.

Clean Sweep of the Property

For all dog owners, we will be doing the clean sweep of the property October 14^th. The pooprints program will then start on October 15^th. Any “deposit” left on the property after this date will be sent in to the DNA lab for testing.

Garage Door

The West Tower garage door is not closing. The company has been called out but they are completely booked today and will be out here tomorrow.

Maintenance Fees

The 4^th quarter maintenance fees were due October 1^st. Interest charges will be applied to homeowner accounts who have not paid they fees by October 10^th. Final notices will be sent out on the 10^th. We rely on all homeowners paying their maintenance fees on time. You can pay your maintenance fee online from the Sterling website www.sterlingpropertyfl.com

Business Center Doors 

In a previous post, I stated the doors in the business center (meeting room, library, computer room and sitting room) need to remain shut at all times. Every morning when the cleaners get here at 6 AM, the doors are propped open. These are 20 minute rated fire doors. If the fire department sees these doors open we will receive an immediate fine. The North Fort Myers Fire Department frequents the property regularly.

Update - 2nd October 2012

Cigarette Butts

We have noticed in the garages and around the property that people are not disposing of their cigarette butts in the proper trash receptacles. Please try to do so in order to reduce fire risk and to maintain the cleanliness of the property.

Homeowner Breezeway Windows

In a previous blog, I informed owners that the windows outside in the breezeway were the responsibility of the homeowner to clean.  At the last Board meeting the Board asked me to contact a few companies and provide the prices and information to the homeowners. The companies, their contact information and prices are below:

Jan-Pro

3^rd floor to 12^th floor - $10/home

Penthouse floor - $15/home

239-482-8800

 

Maid to Perfection

$8 for homes with one window

$15 for homes with two windows

239-590-6243

Of course, you do not have to go with these companies and are free to use any company you wish but these companies gave a special price for North Star owners as they work in here already (for the association/sales). If you do choose to contract with a different vendor, please be sure to verify their license and insurance. 

Doggie DNA

I would just like to take a few moments out and thank everyone that has made the Doggie DNA process so easy. Almost everyone that is in residence has made an appointment to come in. Everyone has been great, and especially the dogs! Just a reminder to the owners that are starting to make their way back to the property, please contact me to set up an appointment within 48 hours of your arrival.

Window Mullions

All of the window mullions that were pulling-up have either been repaired or replaced except for the one on the 9^th floor of the west tower. I assume this is the one that was left in my basket that I was asking about in yesterdays blog. They did not have a mullion long enough to do this one and will have to wait until next time. Please do not pull any mullions off as this one might have just needed to be repaired and not replaced. Blue tape has been put on the mullions that have been replaced/repaired. Please do not pull this tape off, it will be taken off by the janitorial staff when the adhesive is dry and safe to be removed, which will be next Wednesday or Thursday. The edges where there is extra adhesive will be cleaned up after the tape is removed. Thank you.

Update - September 25th, 2012

Doggie DNA Testing

The cheek swabs arrived yesterday. A formal letter will be sent out later this week via USPS to all homeowners.  I will send out the letter via email tomorrow since I know some homeowners are making their way back to the property and might have their mail on hold or not yet changed to the property address.

Mailing Address for Season

If you would like your association mail (budget notice, coupons, annual meeting notices, correspondence) sent to the NSYC address, you will have to request the change of mailing address in writing. You can just send me a quick email when you would like to change the mailing address and then let me know when you leave for summer so it can be changed to your northern address.

 
4^TH Quarter Maintenance Fee Reminder

The 4^th quarter maintenance fees are due October 1^st, 2012. If you have any questions on the different ways to pay (check or credit card) or where to send it, please let me know.

Update on the Resident Gate at Beau Drive

Main Gate was out here yesterday morning and checked the residents gate on Beau Drive, the entrance and exit. Security reported that the exit gate was remaining open after a car would go through. It was thoroughly checked and no problems could not be found. It worked for the hour that the tech was here. He checked all the sensors, the ground loops and checked the sensitivity of the gate.

Back Gate Codes

The back gate codes will be changing on Monday October 1^st. You will receive an email with the new gate code.

Window Mullion

This morning a window mullion was removed from a window and put in my box on my door. If you placed this there, please contact me. Last week I walked all floors in both tower to document all the mullions that needed repair or replacement. If you see one coming up, please do not bend it up or pull it. If it is bent up or pulled up most likely it will have to be replaced and will take some time. If it just needs to be repaired we have the glue for it and it can be repaired within a day or two. The company should be back tomorrow to do the rest of the repairs.

Business Center Doors

All the doors in the business center must remain closed at all times per the North Fort Myers Fire Department. They are twenty minute rated fire doors. The cleaners noticed yesterday morning that all the doors were propped open. If the fire department comes in and sees these doors open, they will issue an immediate fine of $100.00. Thanks for your assistance in complying with these legal issues.

Update - 24th September 2012

Fire Alarm – Friday, September 21^st, 2012 at 4:30 PM

Last Friday around 4:30 PM the fire alarms went off, of course those of you home at that time know this. We had a nice, powerful rain storm that blew the clubhouse hatch going to the roof open. When this happened, the rain water coming in fried the smoke detector causing the alarms to go off. I was able to climb up and shut the hatch but the system would not reset. The alarm company was out here at 5:30 PM and was able to replace the smoke detector and make sure the roof hatch was secured.

Spa Heater

The parts have arrived for the spa heater that has been down since September 13^th. The company will be here between 12 PM and 3 PM to install the parts and get the spa heater up and running. There was a problem caused when the gas company converted the spa heater to natural gas which caused the heating element to stop working. They found this out when they were about to replace the heating element last Wednesday and ordered the correct conversion kit for this specific heater. The heating element is covered under warranty but if the manufacturer stated it was caused by a bad conversion, they will not cover it. After speaking to Teco Gas, they accept full responsibility for this and will cover any and all costs associated with the repairs and conversion. The technician will also look at the other heaters for the pool since they are a different heater than the spa to make sure those were converted properly.

Residents Gate on Beau Drive

This morning I received an email from security stating the residents gate at Beau Drive was not working. They reported it was opening but not closing and it had to be manually closed. For some reason security turned the power off to this gate which is why most residents experienced the gates not functioning at all. The power has been restored as of 10:45AM and the gate company will be out later today to take a look at it and hopefully fix it.

Clubhouse Fan and Light

The Clubhouse fan and light has been reinstalled and is working now.

Theater Projector

The theater projector needed a new bulb which was ordered last week. The bulb will be in sometime early this week and the company will have the projector installed by the end of this week. Thank you everyone for your patience.

Update from Yesterdays Board of Directors Meeting

Doggie DNA

At yesterday's Board Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the Doggie DNA Testing. Please see attached flyer as it should answer all of your questions on this subject.
The swabs have been ordered and will hopefully be here next week. Once they come in a letter (USPS and email) will be mailed to all homeowners with dates and times for the DNA to be collected from the dog.

Building Painting

I am working with a few different painting contractors to get bids for painting the buildings around the first part of next year. Sherwin-Williams did the overall specifications of the project which were supplied to the contractors. Sherwin-Williams will give the Association a 7 year warranty on the paint once the job is done. During the painting a Sherwin-Williams Rep will be out inspecting the work. Once all of the bids come in, they will be sent to over to the Board of Directors.

Janitorial

Since the new crew has started, I have received little to no complaints on the cleaning of the building. It has most definitely improved. The guys working in the towers are able to get their scheduled floors done everyday along with tasks that are given to them throughout the day.
We have notices on some of homeowners' windows (the ones in the breezeways) saying “wash me”. These windows are the responsibility of the homeowner. You will see a company cleaning the unsold units who were contracted by the developer. I am currently working on getting prices from two different companies to clean these windows  for the homeowner which I will pass on to everyone. If they schedule it for one day, maybe they will give homeowners a discount.

Also, this week I have asked the cleaning company to clean the walk ways at both of the towers. I was assured yesterday that it would be done today.

If you have any problems or questions regarding the cleaning, please let me know.

Other Property Updates

Front Gate Entry System

There was a delay with shipping the parts for the front gate entry system. The tech is here at the property and is installing them now.

Spa Heater

The heater tech found another problem with the spa heater today when he was replacing the heat return. The part was ordered and will be here tomorrow or Friday. I will let everyone know when it is up and running again.

Ladies Steam Room

The ladies steam room is back up and running.

Projector

The projector needed a new bulb and the company said it would take 7-10 business days. Our light bulb company had ordered us projector lights in the past for another projector and I asked him to look into it to see if he can get it sooner or if he has it in stock. Once I know when the projector will be back up and running, I will let everyone know.

 

Update - September 18th 2012

Spa Heater

The technician was at the property yesterday afternoon to look at the spa heater that is not working. A part has been ordered for it and will hopefully arrive on Wednesday, ready for install on Thursday. If anything changes with this time frame, I will post it in the blog. This heater is under warranty so the part is at no cost to the Association.

Theater Projector

The Theater projector is not working and the company will be out tomorrow morning to look at it.

Front Gate Entry System

The part that was supposed to come in yesterday for the Front Gate Entry System did not arrive. The company is trying to locate the package and find out when it will get here. Once they find that out, they will let me know when it will be installed.

Steam Rooms

The men’s steam room is back up and running. They came across a few problems when they started working on the women’s steam room. They had to leave it down over night and will be down for a few days until a part can be shipped out.

East Tower Second Floor Garage Door

This morning the second floor garage door of the east tower lost power. We reset it but the power did not restore. A call has been placed to the garage door company. They will try to get out here this afternoon, if not, they will be here tomorrow morning. Security will keep an close eye on this garage door.

Reminder – Originally Posted September 10^th, 2012

Window Washing and Weep Hole Clean Out

September 18^th to the 21^st The Clean Up Group will be here to clean out the weep holes and wash the windows. In the last few weeks, the weep holes have been getting clogged so to prevent damage to any units, they will be cleaning the weep holes out on Tuesday and Wednesday. You will notice water streaks on your window for a day or two, this will allow all the water to drain out as it might take a little bit of time. They will be back Thursday and Friday to clean the windows. Any questions regarding this please let me know.

 

 

Steam Rooms

New parts are going to be installed in both of the steam room boilers. We will be shutting down the boilers today at 4 PM and they will need to remain down until the work is completed tomorrow late morning to early afternoon. I will send out a blog when they are up and running again.

Board Meeting

A Board Meeting will be held in the NSYC Theater at 11 AM. The Notice was posted on the condominium property 48 hours before the meeting in accordance with the Florida State Statutes for Condominium Associations.

Resident Gate and Access System

The resident gates malfunctioned late last night. The gate company was called first thing this morning and has managed to fix the problem. The front gate access system’s motherboard is scheduled to be replaced by tomorrow. If you have questions about issues around the property, please contact me as Security does not know the status of these items - thank you.

Business Center

All the doors in the business center must remain closed at all times per the North Fort Myers Fire Department. These are twenty minute rated fire doors. I noticed this morning that all the doors were propped open by chairs, potted plants and cushions. The door stoppers were removed for this reason.

Lanais

Please be mindful of things that might fall from your lanai onto the lanais below, especially the third floors. Sales has found a few of the third floor units littered with sea shells and ice cubes on different occasions. They do understand that debris will fall from time to time from the higher floors.

Game Table Donation

Many thanks to Mr. Proffer and Ms. Flaningan who very kindly donated a Game Table to the association last week. It is now located in the game room.

 

 

Spa Heater and Light

The spa heater is currently not working. The pool maintenance man was out here this morning and made sure there was enough water flow and that the filters were clear, which they were. He has placed a service call in for the pool heater company and he will try his best to get someone out today to hopefully fix it. The light was also reported as not working in the spa and a service  call has been placed with the pool company.

Clubhouse Fan

The parts have been ordered for the clubhouse fan and should arrive by next Wednesday. The electrician will be back out by next Thursday (or sooner if they get the part in before Wednesday) to get the fan up and running.

West Tower Elevator – Number One

The west tower elevator number one was taken out of service this morning due to unusual sounds and motions. The elevator company was out here this afternoon. They replaced the velocity encoder and returned the elevator back into service at 3 PM. A homeowner came down at 4 PM and said the elevator was having problems again with noise and it was jerking around. I asked security to take the elevator out of service and called the elevator company to service the elevator again.

Elevator Damage

Unfortunately over the weekend, someone carved graffiti into the wood paneling in the elevators. The elevator company has taken a look at it and replacement of the  wood skins seem like the only option. They will also look at some scratching in the west tower elevator doors to see if they can buff them out or if they need to have it replaced.

Clubhouse Fan

The clubhouse fan closest to the Front Desk has been removed for the time being. The fan and lights were not working and the electricians have been working to pin point the problem. This morning they had to completely dissemble the entire fan. They found that the reverse module and capacitor were bad. A replacement part is being located and ordered.  

New Daytime Officer

We have a new daytime officer, Janice Hull, that has replaced Ray who worked on Tuesdays 7 AM to 7 PM. Ray was offered another post within Diamond Security and we wish him the best. If you come through the gate when Janice is here, please make her feel welcome. We know she will be a great addition to the North Star family.

Update - September 10, 2012

Elevator

Elevator One in the West tower is out of service. The part has been ordered and it will be installed tomorrow morning.

West Tower Cabana AC

The AC company is here today and will be replacing the motor for the AC in the West Tower Cabanas. If you experience any more problems with the AC in the cabanas, please let me know.

Window Washing and Weep Hole Clean Out

September 18^th to the 21^st The Clean Up Group will be here to clean out the weep holes in the window frames. In the last few weeks, the weep holes have been getting clogged so, to prevent damage to any units, they will be cleaning the weep holes out on Tuesday and Wednesday. You will notice water streaks  on your window for a day or two as all the water drains. Clean Up Group will be back Thursday and Friday to clean the windows. Any questions regarding this, please let me know.

Update - September 7th, 2012

Elevator Doors/Tile

Please do not prop open the elevator doors as this may damage the mechanism. Also, the elevator technician witnessed a person hitting the door with the bell carts prior to the door opening fully. Please wait for the doors to completely open before exiting with a cart. This causing damage to the bottom on the door.

Wayne Wiles got backed up yesterday and will be out Monday, September 10^th to do the remaining work in the elevators. Notices in the elevators will be going up today.

Community Computer

The community computer has arrived and was installed yesterday. If you experience any problems with the computer, please let me know.

Clubhouse Fan and Light

One of the first floor clubhouse fans (located outside of the theater) is not working. The remote that we had in the office drawers has gone missing and without this, the fan and light are not operational. A new remote has been ordered and should be here shortly.

Spa Repair

The motor in the spa has died which means the spa will be closed this weekend. A new motor has been ordered and will hopefully be in on Monday and be installed shortly after that. I apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause but I can assure you we will get it up and running as soon as possible. As soon as the motor is installed, I will let everyone know via the blog.

Recyclables

Due to the Labor Day, recyclables will be picked up tomorrow. The cleaning staff have placed the totes outside the garage in case they come earlier then 8 AM when the cleaners report for duty.

Donation to the Clubhouse Kitchen

We would like to thank Bill and Darcy Rutledge for donating wine glasses to the clubhouse kitchen. I know they will get a lot of use on Tuesdays with the homeowner happy hour.

Natural Gas Conversion

The gas conversion from propane to natural gas for the pool/spa heaters is taking place today. We should be up and running on natural gas here soon. Another thanks to Dave Large for contacting Teco Gas and proposing natural gas for the pool and spa.

Community Computer

The community computer located in the business center is not working due to a missing cables. This monitor has unique cables and cannot use universal cables. Since the cables and a new monitor are about the same price we will be purchasing a new monitor so if this happens again, we can replace it with a universal cable that we always have on hand. It was ordered on Tuesday and I will let everyone know when it arrives.

Elevators – Broken Tile

Wayne Wiles will be back today to finish replacing the broken tile in the West Tower - Elevator 1, East Tower – Elevator 5. They will be doing one at a time and will have to take the elevator out of service and they will be returned to service first thing Friday morning. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Any questions please let me know. Notices were put up in each of the elevators on Tuesday regarding this repair.

Also, sometime late last week, we had someone put some type of substance on the elevator doors of the east tower number 5 elevator. I do not believe this was done for any other reason but to help with finger print issues we have with the stainless steel doors and the person was most likely just trying to help. Unfortunately, it took days to get this product off and buff the doors. The cleaners use a stainless steel door cleaner to clean the doors and inside the car. The lobby doors are cleaned everyday along with inside of the car. The doors on the floors are cleaned on the days the floors get cleaned (once a week). It was reported by a homeowner yesterday that elevator two in the West Tower was making some noises when the door opened and closed. KONE was out here yesterday and made adjustments to the doors. Unfortunately, the doors are still rubbing and KONE will be out here again today.

Pedestrian Gate by the Front Entrance

The pedestrian gate by the front entrance (guard house) code does not change once a month. All homeowners will be sent an email with this code since we have been getting a few calls about it.

AC – Gym and West Tower Cabanas

A sign will be going up in the gym above the thermostat asking homeowners to turn the AC up to 74 when they leave the gym. A few times the AC has been left around 68 which can cause the AC unit to freeze up. It was reported to me yesterday that the AC in the Cabanas on the west tower was not working. HL Graves (now Burch) was out here yesterday and will be providing a proposal for the repairs to the unit. The system was completely frozen and defrosted over night. As soon as I have a date for the repairs to be done, I will post it in the Blog.

Back Gate Codes

Due to the offices being closed Monday September 3^rd, the back gate codes will be changed on Tuesday September 4^th. The new back gate codes have be emailed to all residents. If you have not received it, please let me know.

Elevator Tiles

Wayne Wiles will be here this week to replace the broken tiles in the elevators. One elevator will be out of service at a time so elevator service might be a little slow during this time. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Update - 27th August 2012

Tropical Storm Isaac

Well, Tropical Strom Isaac was nothing more than a little rain maker. As of 8:45 AM this morning, the tornado warning for Lee County has been canceled. Due to schools and some businesses being closed, Michelle, the cleaning staff (Vito and Sabrina) and the sales team (Julie, Mike and Laurie) will not be in today.

Please be careful in the breezeways of the towers, the floors are wet and can be slippery. Greenscapes' service manager will be coming by the property today to move away all the palm fronds that fell during the storm and will have the crews pick them up tomorrow.

For additional information on the storm, please visit www.weather.com.

 

Landscape

I met with the landscapers last week and here are a few things we found, and actions that are going to be taken:

The next scheduled pruning is the week of October 10^th.

They will be pruning all Bougainvillea, Arboricola and Green Island Ficus.

They will be cutting back the Mexican Petunias by 50%.

They will be removing the dead fronds on the palms at the pool area.

On the North side of the tennis courts, they will be removing the weeds and dead plants from the Jasmine.

Irrigation was inspected again last week and I met with the irrigation tech. Due to all of the rain we have received and the west end of the property not drying out, they decided to turn the irrigation off and monitor the turf weekly. This will hopefully help this area to dry out (once the rains stop).

The next Integrated Pest Management Services will be scheduled for the week of October 8^th.

Next Irrigation check (unless called in earlier for an issue) will be the third week in September.

Also on the backside of the west tower close to pool area Greenscapes had a mower break a hydraulic line and leak some hydraulic fluid on the walkway pavers. They will have it cleaned up before the end of next week, weather permitting of course.

The service manager was out here on last Friday working on hand weeds at the pool deck. They were already sprayed with weed killer the prior week but the area was looking pretty bad still. He will be back out this week to finish up the area.

 

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.

Update - 24th August 2012

Tropical Storm Isaac

Here is the latest projection for Tropical Storm Isaac. It has made a westward turn a bit but we are still in the outskirts of the projected cone. We are not out of the woods yet, so it is still a good idea to make preparations in the case of it hitting the gulf waters, gaining strength and turning towards Florida.  If we do get winds over 45 mph, security will open the front gates to prevent damage to the gates. They will also add an additional guard to the clubhouse if they feel the need and will use their judgment for this. Sunday before the cleaning staff leave, all lounge chairs and umbrellas will be put in storage. Another thing owners can do to be prepared is fill the gas tanks in your car, I forgot to put this in my previous blog regarding preparation. For additional local information, please go to the website below as I found it most useful:

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/19351382/2012/08/23/ts-isaac-what-you-need-to-know-now

Gym Update

The TV  for the gym has been hung, cable box has been hooked up and is working perfectly. I would like to thank Vito and Carl from JanPro for helping the association hang this TV at no additional cost to us! The Lee County Sheriffs office has been in touch with me this week regarding the thief. Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to charge the individual but they are confident that they know who did it and is currently in jail for other crimes that he has committed. They would not provide me his name or any additional information on this person except for the fact that he has no ties to the community (not an owner, tenant, service provider or guest) and he did gain access into the community by someone letting him in that did not know him as we suspected.

Also, I have gone into the gym several times in the last few weeks and every time there is no one in there but the AC has been set to 68. When you leave please remember to put the AC back to 74 degrees per the AC company’s recommendation to prevent damage to the units.