THE SANDS SCOOP December, 2002
FROM THE BOARD............
DIRECTORS VOTE TO REPLACE BOOKKEEPING SERVICE
During the past year, the Association has experienced an increasing number of difficulties
with its outside bookkeeping service. Most recently, approximately 10% of our owners did not
receive their quarterly assessment billings due October 1, 2002. Our Treasurer Bob Ettensohn
had attempted on a number of occasions to resolve these issues with the firm’s owner, without
success. Therefore the Board at its regular meeting on November 14, 2002, voted to replace
our service provider with Naples-based Collier Financial, Inc. (CFI), effective
January 1, 2003. (That explains the enclosed return envelope with a different mailing address).
CFI is a 12 year-old family owned and operated company specializing in condominium and
homeowner association accounting. The transition is now underway and will result in our
receiving much improved service and more reliable, comprehensive, and timely financial data.
FINAL REMINDER AREA CODE CHANGE
In case you have forgotten, the grace period for 941 ends on March 10, 2003. You must
use 239 or calls will not be completed.
POOL RULES
A quick reminder to advise your guests about the rules at the pool. We recently had
an incident where a swimmer was narrowly missed by a ‘jumper’ who did not ‘look before she
leapt’. And NO DIVING, please. This is for the safety of all since the pool is not deep
enough for diving.
FIRST NOTICE: SANDS’ ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF DIRECTORS SET FOR MARCH 6, 2003 AT MACKLE PARK
Election of Board members will be held at the annual meeting at Mackle Park on
March 6, 2003 at 4:00 p.m. You will be receiving a mailing with more information. In the
meantime, consider serving on the Board. There will be 4 openings this year, each for
a 2-year term and you have until January 25, 2003, to send in your name and a brief resume
for mailing with the election ballot.
"The purpose of the Board of Directors is to maintain and enhance the
value of The Sands and the quality of life for the owners."
REMINDERS
SOLAR PANELS
The solar panels are in full operation and working to keep the pool at a very comfortable
temperature. If you happen to be at the pool and see a lot of bubbles on the south side, you
know the warm water is flowing in.
CONDO DOCUMENT REWRITE
The Committee members have been hard at work all summer and met for a workshop on
November 5th and then with the attorney on November 7th. Both of these meetings were
over 2 hours in length. The changes/corrections to the first draft are completed and we
just received the second draft this week. Our attorney suggests an informal meeting with
owners prior to the final draft, which we are trying to set up for the 2nd week of January.
The committee will then recommend approval of the documents to the Board of Directors prior
to being sent to all owners for formal approval. Hopefully, after we bring our documents in
line with State law, our lawmakers will not be making a lot of changes!
WELCOME NEW OWNERS
B-203 Mary O’Sullivan & Geraldine Hunt Brooklyn NY
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Since many of you were not here during November, you missed the bananas. Yes, bananas.
Our banana palms on the north side of the pool sprouted a bunch of bananas. They were put
in a paper bag the week of November 11th and Marilyn just tested one on December 4, 2002.
It really is a banana! Lots of photos were taken and one is posted on the bulletin board.
The Christmas palm to the west of the pool (on the mound) sprouted some beautiful bunches
of red berries. A photo of that is on the board also.
LEGAL ACTION
In the 2003 budget packet mailed to you recently, there was a notation regarding legal
fees. This is in defense of a lawsuit filed by an owner. The current owner and the seller
signed an Agreement with the Association agreeing to remove the tile prior to the closing on
the unit, and then in January, the current owner wrote the Board regarding the agreement.
In terms of what has or has not transpired in the lawsuit, counsel has requested that those
items not be discussed since the action is still ongoing.
2003 BUDGET ADOPTED
At the December 5, 2002 Board meeting, the 2003 budget was approved as previously
submitted to owners. It is a very tight budget and includes increases in many categories,
most of which over which we have no control. In the meantime, there has been an underground
water pipe break under the kitchen floor in unit A-102 that is going to involve extensive
work to repair, at a cost approaching $10,000. This could have a negative impact later in
the year.
PRIMARY OCCUPANT
In our Association Declaration of Condominium, there is a section regarding types of
ownership and primary occupant. If one person owns a unit, that person is the primary
occupant. If the unit has two or more owners other than husband and wife, one person must
be named as primary occupant. If there is ownership by a trust, partnership or corporation,
one person must be named as primary occupant. The primary occupant has the right to one vote
and to run for the Board of Directors. That person will also receive all mailings from the
Association. In order to update our Association records, we are asking every owner who is
not a single owner or husband/wife owner, to send a note to the Board naming a primary
occupant. See sample below.
I/We the trustee/owners of unit ________at The Sands of Marco Condominium appoint ________________________________ the primary occupant effective immediately.
_____________________________Trustee/Owner _______________________Trustee/Owner
Date____________________________
Every owner or trustee needs to sign. This can be faxed to the office at 239-642-9953; or to Joyce Kaelin at 239-642-0950. It can also be mailed to the office at 129 S. Collier Blvd. 34145. Please do not mail to the post office box.
SANDS SCOOP September 2002
FROM THE BOARD:
Board Forms Family Issues Task Force
The Board of Directors at its August meeting voted to form a Family Issues task force to determine what steps can be taken the make The Sands’ environment more conducive to family living. The task force, chaired by owner Bob Martin, has been requested to submit specific recommendations to the Board for its consideration. All owners are urged to provide their input. No director shall serve on the Task Force. Call Bob at 309-543-4836 with constructive suggestions, or mail your comments to Bob c/o The Sands’ office. The challenge for the Task Force will be to recognize the needs of owners in a manner that is balanced and equitable for everyone.
Association Insurance
The time for the annual review of the Association’s insurance needs is rapidly approaching. We’re all aware that our premiums increased dramatically last year, as a result of 9-11. As we have in the past, the Board is asking for your assistance. If you have an insurance background and are willing to review proposals with our Insurance Committee, please contact Committee Chairman George Bell at 570-288-9920, or call the office and let Tim Richart know.
Reminder
ALL OWNERS, TENANTS AND GUESTS MUST register at the office as soon as they arrive, or as soon as the office opens. All overnight occupants of a unit must be listed, as well as all children’s’ ages. You need to list a person to contact in case of an emergency as we did have need of that information this past season. In the event of an emergency evacuation, the Association needs to know exactly who is occupying each unit. Failure to register will be subject to a fine. All vehicles must be registered, as well.
Applications for Sale or Lease
These forms have been revised and are available on our web site or in the office. Note the required advance submission requirements.
Condo Docs Rewrite Update
The first draft of the condo docs has been received from our attorney and the members of the committee are now reviewing them. As soon as they meet with the attorney, he will prepare a second draft for the Board for further review.
In Memoriam
Sincere condolences to the family of Catherine Seifried of B-204 who passed away on June 21, 2002.
Welcome, New Owners
| A-101 | Vincent & Linda Scocozza | Bronxville NY |
Building and Grounds
The new locked outgoing mailboxes for A/B and D/E buildings have been installed. All of the new signs for the entrances to The Sands, the building identifiers and unit numbers have all been installed. (We hear from some of the year-round residents that they look elegant and are so easy to read). Also, permanent ID markers were put on the rooftop A/C units. Th solar heat installation has been completed and new sod installed in some areas. The bridges have been re-stained, the parking lot re-seal and new striping should be completed before this goes to press. The Oleanders are already blooming after their drastic trimming last spring. Tim, Marilyn and the B&G committee, including Ed Bartsch, have been very busy this summer. When you return, please check for torn screens and broken windows.
Naples Daily News Article
On August 10, 2002, The Naples Daily News published an article in its Home and Garden section on the extensive remodeling that Ed and Dottie Bartsch have done of their Sands unit. It included color photos of their condo, and the Sands’ grounds. Take the time to read the article, which can be accessed through our web site by clicking “Information for Owners/Renters” on the home page’s left menu bar. Thanks to Joe Ferris for establishing a link to the newspaper.
Office Hours
Note that the morning office hours have resumed as of September 15. If you need to speak with Tim, please call between 8:00-10:00 AM.
Water Conservation
As a follow-up to our April 2002 Scoop, we need to again remind all of the owners and
lessees how important their participation becomes in controlling our water and sewer charges.
The sewer charges are directly related to the gallons of house water we use in our complex.
For every $1.00 we have in water usage, we would have an additional $1.55 in sewer charges.
SANDS SCOOP June 2002
FROM THE BOARD: Last fall, the Association instituted a Compliance Policy and asked for volunteers to serve on the Fines Committee. The hope was that the committee would never have to meet and the policy not needed. Condo rules and regs, reviewed annually by the Board, were revised in February and copies sent to all owners even though there were no major changes. Unfortunately, the Fines Committee had to meet in May and fines were assessed to several owners for failure to turn in the paperwork on tenants and failure to pay the $100 leasing fees, as well as having more than 6 persons occupying the unit overnight and failure to register.
The rules clearly state that leasing paperwork must be in the office 15 business days prior to occupancy along with the $100 fee. This rule will be strictly enforced and tenants will not be allowed to occupy a unit or will be asked to vacate if proper paperwork is not completed, in addition to a fine on the owner. This rule is to protect your interest in the Sands.
ALL OWNERS, TENANTS AND GUESTS MUST register at the office as soon as they arrive, or as soon as the office opens. All overnight occupants of a unit must be listed, as well as all children’s’ ages. You need to list a person to contact in case of an emergency as we did have need of that information this past season. In the event of an emergency evacuation, the Association needs to know exactly who is occupying each unit. Failure to register will also be subject to a fine.
GUESTS: The original prospectus for The Sands specifically defines “guest” as it relates to a unit as one who occupies a unit on a temporary basis at the invitation of the owner, without payment consideration. “Occupy” means to spend two or more days, including overnight. All other persons, who are not owners, are tenants or lessees.
SUMMER OFFICE HOURS: The new summer office hours are 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon. This will give Tim a chance to work outside during the morning hours before the intense heat sets in. The hours are in effect from May 15th through September 15th.
APRIL SPECIAL OWNERS MEETING: With almost two-thirds of all owners participating in the voting issue on April 25th, the final vote was 80-1 in favor of the Board recommended uses of the 2000 Special Assessment Funds. The Board of Directors thanks all the owners for their support.
NEW LEGAL COUNSEL: In early April, the Board voted to appoint a new firm to represent the Association. Samouce, Murrell & Francoeur, P.A. is located in Naples and Robert Samouce is the attorney we are working with. Many of you may recognize his name from the Naples newspaper where he contributes articles about condominiums. We will be working with his firm for our document rewrite in the coming months. That procedure will take several months and later in the year, you will be invited to an informal meeting for your input on the documents. There are five people serving on the committee including directors Dick Gagnon and Joyce Kaelin as well as owners Joe Nedza, Don Conboy and Ed Bartsch. Because of the many changes in Florida laws in the past few years, our new documents may be quite different from our present ones. We need to be in compliance with all of the Florida laws.
WELCOME NEW OWNERS:
| D 202 | Lamar & Joan Persing | Williamsville NY (long-time renters) |
| D 205 | Keith & Jacqueline Corbin | Lake Forest IL |
SHUT OFF VALVE REPLACEMENT: Anyone who has replaced their water shut off faucet and washer faucets with single lever valves will encourage you to make the change. Since water to the building or, in some cases, the entire complex, needs to be shut off in order to do this, Tim will set specific dates to do this work. If you are interested, call your plumber and have him coordinate with Tim on a date and time.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS: The riprap rock project behind C building has been completed with no small thanks to Don DeSimone, Bob Martin, Trudy & Don Conboy, Chet Stewart and Victor & Denise Falco. They moved a lot of heavy rock! The new locked outgoing mailboxes for A/B and D/E buildings are here and will be installed soon. The walkway to the pool at D/E buildings has been enhanced with new plants as well as some new ones around the pool area. More Bougainvilleas have also been added to C building area. And special thanks to Marilyn Richart for her help with all the plantings. And the lady out there working all the time is Lynn Stevenson, Chairperson of B&G.
Have a great summer and see you in the fall.
SANDS SCOOP April, 2002
FROM THE BOARD....
The owners’ annual meeting was held on March 5th at Mackle Park. The Board of Directors’
organizational meeting occurred shortly thereafter and the names of officers, directors and
committee chairpersons appear elsewhere in the SCOOP. Linda Loux of Brown & Brown, our
insurance carrier, spoke at the meeting and left brochures to assist owners in making choices on
their insurance coverage. The brochures are available from Tim in the office.
The Board will remain active during the summer months and will periodically report on its activities and accomplishments.
HELPFUL HINTS - CONDO SHUT-DOWN CHECK LIST
Make sure your main water valve is shut off when you leave, even for a few days. We recently had another water heater go out with water damage. Many of our owners are changing to single lever shutoffs because the faucets are not shutting off completely. Tim needs to be notified if you want this done because the plumber will need to shut off the main water valve for the whole condo. If you are having work done on your air conditioning unit, the serviceman usually needs to check the unit on the roof. Most of the refrigeration pipe insulation is worn away on the units. Have your serviceman check this for replacement. Having no insulation causes a loss of efficiency and higher electric bills.
AS AN OWNER in a condominium association, it is your responsibility to know the rules, to see that all of your lessees and guests, including children, grandchildren and other relatives, also know the rules and abide by them. We have had a problem recently with a few owners in residence allowing their guests to break the rules. This Board of Directors did not make the rules, nor are they the only ones responsible for enforcing the rules. The Sands is our home and some owners live here part or all of the year and do expect their guests to behave as if they were a guest in someone’s home. Please make sure your guests understand this.
RECYCLING AND GARBAGE............
Please recycle all cans, jars and plastics 1 -7 but do not put them in plastic bags.
Newspapers should not be in plastic or paper bags. Plastic and paper bags may be recycled at
Publix or Winn-Dixie or put in the garbage. Flatten all cardboard boxes and put in with
newspapers, phone books, junk mail and magazines. If you have a problem disposing of
something, check with the office for advice.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2002
| President | Dick Gagnon | |
| Vice President | Victor Falko | |
| Vice President -Treasurer | Bob Ettensohn | |
| Secretary | Joyce Kaelin | |
| Director | George Bell | |
| Director | Joseph Ferris | |
| Director | Lynn Stevenson |
COMMITTEES AND CHAIRPERSONS
| Building & Grounds | Lynn Stevenson | |
| Communication | Joyce Kaelin | |
| Executive | Dick Gagnon | |
| Finance | Bob Ettensohn | |
| Insurance | George Bell | |
| Sale/Lease | Joe Leone |
REMINDERS FOR ALL OWNERS
VOLUNTEERS are needed to serve on the different committees. Contact Tim or any Board member or committee chairperson. We need your expertise.
NEW AREA CODE began on March 11, 2002 with a grace period of one year. By March 10, 2003, you must use 239 or calls will not be completed.
THE AREA BEHIND C BUILDING (formerly known as the Corral) has a grill, picnic table, rock, stepping stones and a new bike rack. It looks very nice and the grill is certainly getting a workout back there.
WEB SITE Joe Ferris has been hard at work on the web site. If you have not checked it out recently, take a look.
OUTGOING MAIL At the recent owner’s meeting under the Tiki, an owner brought up the fact that a number of mailboxes in Naples have had checks stolen out of them. These were boxes similar to what we have at A/B and D/E buildings with the red flags. We will be replacing those soon with locked mailboxes and would suggest that in the meantime, you put your outgoing checks in the locked boxes at the end of D building by C and at the end of C building by B as a precaution.
WATER CONSERVATION
Water and sewer charges at our complex are budgeted at $54,700 for the 2002 budget
year. This is our 2nd largest cost item with Insurance being number one.
The sewer charges are directly related to the gallons of water we use in our complex. For
every $1.00 we save on water usage, we would save an additional $1.55 of sewer charges.
Why are we discussing this? Because only the owners and lessees can help us. We will
initiate an on-going program to remind everyone how he or she can be helpful.
The reminders for this month are as follows:
*********************************************************************
DEAR FRIENDS: We wanted to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude for your warm words of encouragement, cards, e-mails, and most important, your prayers for Bob during his recent surgery for throat cancer. Bob’s recovery has been remarkable, and we credit your faithful support for the very happy outcome we are experiencing. We feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends here at The Sands!
Bob and Pat Ettensohn C-306
**********************************************************************
THANK YOU to Joe Fleming for his hard work installing the on/off switch at the tiki to bypass the timing device on the lights. Joe, we appreciate your hard work especially with your torn rotator cuff!
RECIPE- In this issue we are pleased to print Dru Summy’s recipe for “Chili Spaghetti” which so many of us enjoyed at the March 13th party. Thanks, Dru, for sharing your recipe. If you have a favorite you would like to see printed in the SCOOP, ask the owner to share it with us.
CHILI SPAGHETTI
1 lb ground beef
˝ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups spaghetti sauce-I use the jarred type 24-26oz
1 can (16oz) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
˝ lb uncooked spaghetti broken into 3” pieces
salt & pepper to taste
2 small cans Hormel Chili with Beans
˝ cup water
Cook onion, garlic and meat and drain. Mix with remaining ingredients. Place all in a Pam-sprayed baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes until pasta is tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yield 6-8 servings. Recipe can be doubled.
Many of you will begin the trek north in just a few weeks. Have a safe journey and keep well. See you in the fall.
SANDS SCOOP February, 2002
FROM THE BOARD: A complete insurance review for The Sands of Marco Condominium Association has been completed. We are passing along relevant information to all unit owners in order to assist in your personal insurance review. It will be available at the annual meeting or will be mailed to you.
ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION: The annual meeting and election of the Board of Directors for The Sands of Marco Condominium Association will be held on March 5, 2002 at 4:30 p.m. at Mackle Park. You will be receiving more information. Plan to attend and bring or mail your proxy.
"The purpose of the Board of Directors is to maintain and enhance the value of The Sands and the quality of life for the owners."
WELCOME BACK! Everything looks beautiful and it is great to see so many familiar faces as well as new ones. There are plans afoot for the season so check the bulletin boards or the web site, www.thesandsofmarco.com for the latest news. A Welcome Back party was held on January 23, 2002 under the Tiki and was lots of fun. The February party will have a Mardi Gras theme and will be held on Tuesday, February 12th at 5:00 p.m. Bring your favorite beverage and a hearty hors d’oeuvres or dessert.
MORE ANNIVERSARIES: Nick & Alex Malouta of C-407 celebrate 50 years of marriage in June and long-time renters, Jeanna & Jim DiSanti in February.
NEW OWNERS:
| Dorothy Furman Joe & Joan Nedza | C-206 D-105 | New Milford NJ Palos Heights IL | |
TELEPHONE BOOKS:
If you need a new phone book, check with Tim in the office. He keeps them stored after
they are delivered. Please recycle the old books.
REPLACEMENT SCREENS:
Many of our screens are worn out. If you notice yours are all white, they definitely need
replacing. If you are interested in ordering completely new screens with frames, call Bill
Corkin in D-401 at 642-9310. If we get enough people to order, we can get a price break.
Please call as soon as possible.
REMINDERS:
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to serve on the many committees for the coming year. Contact Tim or any Board member for more information. We need your expertise.
WATER INTRUSION DAMAGE: If you believe you have damage due to water intrusion in your unit, please contact Tim by the end of February for an inspection. THANK YOU to Dave Ramsey for providing the decals for Tim’s service vehicle. They look great. And to Joe Ferris again for the on-going work on the web site. Check it out at www.thesandsofmarco.com.
QUESTIONS? SUGGESTIONS?
Anyone wishing to contribute information or suggestions or have questions answered in
the Scoop, please contact Tim in the office or Joyce Kaelin in D-102. 941-642-3896 or
e-mail, jrk8042@aol.com
MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
IN MEMORIAM:
JoAnn Bloom, daughter of Joe and Betty Fleming B-105Our deepest sympathy goes out to their families and friends.
Doc Brady, longtime renter from Cape Cod
SICK LIST: Dr. Bernard "Bud" Loft is in an assisted living center. Visitors are discouraged but cards are welcome at 298 Shadow Ridge Court, Marco Island, FL 34145
IMPORTANT EARLY NOTIFICATION
In the summer of 2002, the entire parking lot will be coated and re-striped. This includes
the area behind the tennis courts. If you leave a vehicle in the long term parking area,
you must leave a key for Tim in order for him to move the vehicle or risk having to have
it towed (your expense). You may also want to leave written instructions as to your
battery, etc. Check with Tim on this while you are here or call him at 941-642-5575.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
| Richard Gagnon | Bob Ettensohn |
| Victor Falko | Joyce Kaelin |
| George Bell | Chet Stewart |
| Joe Leone |