Spring 2016 A Newsletter for Residents of Southwood Property Owners Association

Transcription

1 Southwood Newsletter Spring 2016 A Newsletter for Residents of Southwood Property Owners Association Spring 2016 President's Message Annual Meeting and Covenant Vote. The SPOA Annual Meeting, held on January 9, 2016, was able to achieve a quorum to conduct regular business based on the percentage of homeowner attendees who either attended the meeting or returned the A PROXY and Ballot for the election of 2016 Board Members and carryover of 2015 funds. However, there were insufficient attendees or ballots to enable a vote on the Phase One changes in the SPOA (Master Board) By Laws and Covenants to ensure that all meetings achieve a quorum to conduct business. In an effort to achieve the necessary ballots required to achieve a quorum for a vote, the 2016 SPOA Annual meeting was suspended so that the Board of Directors could re contact those who had not returned their ballots. Through this extra effort, sufficient ballots were gathered, which resulted in achieving the quorum required. After all ballots were counted, all six proposals passed with overwhelming support. The suspended Annual Meeting was re opened at the start of the February 17, 2016 SPOA Master Board Meeting, the votes were announced and the 2016 Annual Meeting was adjourned. Thank you to the SPOA Board members who re contacted homeowners to gather enough ballots for the vote. Preserves. Preserves are areas set aside by the County of Sarasota to maintain the ecological integrity of the lands within the Country. To that end, the County has established rules covering the preservation and protection of these areas. To view the document covering Preserves, go to: Caldwell.com click on: References scroll to: Southwood Masters Assoc., Inc. click on: Owners Website click on: Documents click on: Preserves Preserves and Common Ground. We are about to come to an agreement with the County on our preserves and common grounds. Please, do not do anything to or in these areas until their final County visit and the agreement is reached. Newsletter Distribution. Effective with the summer edition of the Southwood Newsletter, the newsletter will not be published in paper form nor delivered house to house, with a few exceptions. Instead, Newsletters can be viewed on the website of the SPOA Master Board s management company, Keys Caldwell. To view the newsletter on line, go to: Caldwell.com click on References scroll to Southwood Masters Assoc., Inc. click on Owners Website click on Documents click on Newsletter NOTE: You can view this edition on the web site now. If you do NOT have computer access, you must notify your block reporter in advance of the printing of the publication June 20 th, September 20 th or December 18 th, March 20 th of each year, so the newsletter Editor can have a paper copy printed for you. If you need a paper newsletter mailed to you after you leave on vacation or for the summer, you must notify block reporter so a copy can be printed for you AND you must provide a stamped, self addressed envelope so it can be mailed to you. Note dates above for deadlines. The Long West Wall. I would like to thank the people of Stonecastle for the great job cleaning out and planting they did on the long West Wall. It really finished off our entrance beautifully. And, speaking of the long West Wall, we are trying to find anyone that can tell us who owns this wall. Not what someone thinks, but what is in writing. Please let me know if you might have information on this matter. President s Message continued on the next page

2 President s Message, cont. Garage Sale. Mollie Johnson, once again, did a great job organizing and promoting this year s annual garage sale. Thank You, Mollie! Timberline Committee. A personal thank you to Keith Boehm for taking my place on the Timberline Committee. He is knowledgeable about what is needed for this task and he will do a great job for us. SPOA Board of Directors Meetings. The SPOA Board of Directors meetings for the next few months will be held at the Jacaranda Library. Meeting dates are as follows: April 20 th at 3:00 p.m. and May 18 th at 3:30 p.m. There will not be a meeting in June. Joe Thornton SPOA President Block Reports Jane and Roger Blakewell will be moving and we wish them well in their new home. We thank Roger for his service on the Board of Directors and thank Roger and Jane for the beautiful gardens they tended so faithfully. The Blakewell home is being purchased by Timothy and JoAnne Kadar and we look forward to meeting them. The 2016 Board of Directors. Ed Scarlett and Chris Prysmont left the Board, with thanks for their good work. Ed had served for 8 dedicated years and President for 3. Both Ed and Chris were devoted to their service and we thank them profusely. Ron Hawkes and Bill O Donnell were elected to the Board and they are thanked for their willingness to serve. Since the elections, there have been additional changes to the Board due to the resignations of Roger Blakewell and Ron Hawkes. Derek Boid was nominated and voted upon by the Board as a new Director and he will serve as Treasurer and assume the duties of the ARC Chairperson as of March 22, Cynthia O Donnell volunteered to fill the position of Secretary for the balance of the year. Pool Upgrade. Have you seen our wonderfully refurbished pool? When you see Roger Vossler and Becky Lawson, thank them for their very hard work in doing the research for the pool lining and pool tiles and getting the quotes for the deck painting and, overseeing the process before, during and after. It was no easy task. They kept us so well informed during the process and it was appreciated. The deck painting will be done this summer, based on a recommendation by the painter. ARC. Ron Hawkes and his committee Roger Blakewell, Natalia Carroll, Ted Laskey, Chris Laskey and Marge Wilbur, conducted this year s ARC review. The follow up inspection was conducted on March 21 st. Awnings: Homes on Block One that were designed to have awnings must retain and maintain those awnings. If it was noted in the ARC review that an awning needed to be cleaned, painted or replaced, the problem must be corrected. Chair Repair. Becky Lawson offered a clinic to repair pool deck chairs for the residents of Block One and another for all of Southwood. See the article on page 6. Socials. The social season continued its successful ways and so well attended. Thanks to all who provided the great dishes and to our gracious hosts. Sharon and Chuck Kriska and Kay Foy set the tone for the season in January with their wonderful appetizer social. Sandy Smith, Ken Bland, Michelle and Derek Boid transformed the pool area in February to resemble a café next to the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. The food was fabulous and there was even a DJ a Block 2 resident Salvatore, a former member of the 1960 s group called the Brooklyn Bridge! It was a blast! Thirty seven happy, dancing people attended. Ron and Kathie Hawkes and Barbara and Mort Rosenstein hosted a terrific corned beef dinner in March! Great job big fun! And, the luck of the day, to all! Dorothy and Ron Hall will host the final social of this season in April, which will be a fine way to say farewell to those who will leave for summer. Hosts for the season are urged to partner with new Block 1 residents to host a social easing the burden on the current homeowners and helping to make new residents feel a real part of the Block 1 family. Dues Reminder: Block 1 Association dues of $545 are due on April 1, Please remit to T & H Comptrollers, Inc., 130 Shamrock Blvd., Venice, FL Cynthia O Donnell (941)

3 Social Events: Our annual St. Patrick s Day party was held at our Cabana. Block News: We are all saddened by the passing of Jack Ryan, a long time resident of Block 2. Jack was well known, and always had a smile for everyone. Lucy and her dog Caesar will remain in Block 2. Lucy is a past Board member and is active on our social committee. Landscape: Our grass will be mowed every week starting on May 1 st. All Palm trees will be trimmed in April. Irrigation System: If you experience a failed sprinkler head or notice other irrigation problems, please call Pete Schwan, at Clyde Sanders President Paul Jones Vice President & Treasurer Howard Early Pool & Cabana Pete Schwan Irrigation and Fountain Detailed information regarding your Board, the Officers, Committee Chairpersons, meeting dates and times, etc. is provided in the pull out section of this newsletter. Please keep for use during the year. Dues: Block 2, Association dues are $500 per quarter, and are due April 1 st for the 2nd quarter of Please read your coupon book and use the payment method best suited for you: If you mail your payment to Stone Gate Bank, a printed mailing label is attached to your coupon. Pool and Cabana: Our pool and Cabana are in great shape due to the efforts of Howard Early throughout the summer. Please use your pool, as it is well maintained, and an effort is made to keep the water temperature at 87 degrees. You may also pay your dues online, or have the payment made automatically from your bank. A late charge will be applied to dues paid in excess of 30 days passed the due date. Lake: Our Lake is lower this time of year due to the lack of rain; however, we still have ample water to maintain our irrigation system. The lake fountain has undergone annual service to replace the spray head pattern, light bulbs and service the motor and pump. ARC: A few homes need the roofs pressure washed, and owners will receive reminder letters from the ARC. Please look at your roof. Reminders: Care of the Block 2 preserves and the trees on common ground is now the responsibility of the Master Board. Sarasota County dictates how designated preserves in the County are maintained. Pet Ownership: Dogs must be on a leash in Sarasota County and your pet must be under your control at all times. Thank you for picking up after your pet. Board Meetings: The Block 2, Board of Directors meet on the 2 nd Wednesday of each month in the pool cabana at 10:00 AM, (except for June, July and August) Officers, Board members and Chairpersons for 2016, are posted in the Cabana. Annual Meeting: Our Annual Block 2, Homeowner s meeting was held in February. The elected officers are: Clyde Sanders Warm Weather: We are welcoming the warm spring weather as are many of our sun birds from the north! Block Parties: We all enjoyed the Soup, Salad and Leap party held on Feb. 29 hosted by Liz and Al Bosch. All the many kinds of soups were delicious, as were the salads and desserts. Walter and Donna Stacy will be hosting a potluck party at 5 p.m. on March 29, so be thinking about what you would like to bring and let them know. Document Committee: We thank the members of the Block 3 document committee for their hard work in updating the block s documents in accordance with the master board Al and Liz Bosch, Dean MacLeod and Michael Starn. Surgeries: Both Annette Goodsen and Doda Rye had shoulder surgeries within a day of each other. They wish to thank the family members, neighbors and friends who helped them out during the recovery period. And we Block 3, continued on the next page

4 Block 3, continued. offer prayers for Julia Campbell who is scheduled for surgery in March. Also, the Marker family appreciates the condolences of neighbors and friends on the passing of Sue Marker on December 4. Block Meetings: Block meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the pool cabana. All residents are welcome to attend. Homeowners are reminded that for any concerns they have to please contact Jim LeRoy, Argus Management of Venice ( , Dues Reminder: The next quarterly payment is due on April 1, 2016 in the amount of $499. Homeowners should mail their checks payable to Southwood Block 3 HOA using the payment coupon located in the coupon book to BB&T Association Services, P.O. Box , Orlando, FL Linda Hoops (941) Happy Spring! Where did the winter go? It s good to finally have warmer weather and a chance to visit with neighbors outside. New Neighbors: We have several new neighbors who have moved to Southwood over the last few months. Barbara Johnson bought the Arone s house at the end of Summertree and she and Mike Coulthurst have moved here full time from Wisconsin. Mike actually lived in Venice for 25 years, so he s come home again. Andrew and Anne Beal purchased the Thomas house on Summertree and will be snowbirds spending the winter here and summers in PA. Christine and Pete Ravish s house was bought by Jim and Denise Morris who will be moving here from Bowling Green, KY and will be year round residents. Please give them a warm Block Four welcome! Socials: We partied hearty at Caren and Dave Herald s in mid February for a delicious pulled pork and BBQ beef feast. We were 35 or more and the night was perfect weather wise. Thanks for a great time Heralds! Then on St. Patrick s Day we had a traditional corned beef dinner at the pool hosted by Dan and Susan Rephun. We sure do eat well on Block Four. There is a plan in the works for a Block Four golf outing in early April followed by burgers at the pool. Stay tuned. Travels: Glenda Schneider just returned from a visit with her daughter in Dallas. She needed to come home to rest after what sounded like a full schedule of outings with grandchildren. Tom and Ann Lukas spent a week in Anguilla with son Ryan and family in January and will be going out to CA to visit daughter Lindsey and new husband later in the spring. Visitors: The Gravels, the Lukas s and the Cope s have all had kids visiting with grandchildren this winter. Bob Cope reports that his son will be coming in April to go on a Father/Son pig hunt. Will we be having another Block Four BBQ, Bob? Celebrations: Kay Stewart had a birthday party on March 5 with a special cake sent by her daughter that revealed the sex of her soon to be born 11 th grandchild. The cake was blue when cut, thus letting her know that her daughter s third child will be another boy! On the Mend: Lorna Griffiths had a hip replaced several weeks ago and has been working hard to get back into full action. The recovery progress has been slow but steady and Lorna is glad to be gaining more mobility each day. Block Four Ladies: Finally the weather is allowing us to get out to the pool more frequently. You have a standing invite to join gals at the pool on Wednesdays at 4 PM. Bring your favorite libation and share some gal time with your neighbors. Landscape/Maintenance: Block Four has contracted with a new landscape company, US Lawns, to begin work on April 1. They come with top reviews and recommendations from other communities where they work. Roofs: Many thanks for the prompt response from neighbors who were advised that their roofs needed to be cleaned. Many found that they needed to replace their roof rather than just clean it, and the folks on Limetree win the prize for the most number of roofs replaced 5!!! Seriously, all our homes have reached or are nearing the point that roofs need replacing. We can all share the pain of the huge financial burden this entails. DUES Reminder: Your HOA fees of $493 are due on April 1, Please remit to: Keys Caldwell, Inc., 1162 Indian Hills Blvd., Venice, FL., Susie Gravel (845)

5 What a cold winter we ve had!!! So nice to have some warmer weather to enjoy the pool. Socials. Our luck held for the wonderful Souper Bowl Party. We have some great cooks and the many different soups were delicious. Loved all the appetizers and desserts too. Thanks Jane Mahoney for getting it all together, AND to the ladies who made the many other dishes. The Southwood Ladies met at The British Open Pub for a great lunch. Thanks to Sandy Weis, Block 6, who planned the event and kept track of the attendees. Homes For Sale. We have many homes for sale on our block. We re sad to see people leave, but we ve added great new neighbors. Mary and Larry DeVillers have moved to Pepperwood. and Lori and Bruce Twiss are on Tamarack. Be sure to say Hi! when you see them. Congratulations to Nick and Stephanie Magero on their recent wedding! Not often do we have marriages in our neighborhood! Etna Bonatz had knee surgery in Jan. and is really doing so well. She s a tough cookie! Her daughter, Patty, came to help and kept Al company while Etna was in the hospital. Later the Bonatz s son, Chris, and his wife, Karen, came to be here for Etna and Al. Then son, Paul and his wife, Tracey, came in March. Party! In Feb. Judy Houston and Mollie Johnson hosted a Chinese New Year party with lots of good appetizers from our local Chinese restaurant. Welcome to the Year of the Monkey. Luncheon. The Southwood Ladies enjoyed an exceptionally nice lunch at The Heron Creek Country Club. If you have a birthday coming up soon, call about their FREE birthday dinner! Company. Many residents have enjoyed company this winter. Judy Houston s sister, Sylvia, and her husband, Bill enjoyed the pool. Pat and Gary Fisher welcomed his mother, Betty, for a couple of weeks. Fun. Lots of fun coming up: Brunch at Pelican Pointe, and Ladies lunch at The Family Table. An outing to Snook Haven for Block 5 is being planned for April, and a cookout for Memorial Day. Water Aerobics. The pool is getting warmer. If you re interested in water aerobics, call Mollie Johnson. The Board of Block 5 reminds us that we need to observe the rules that keep this such a wonderful place to live. Using the Pool and Cabana. Always return the chairs to their former position when you leave the pool area. Please don t leave trash in the cabana. No one empties it! The trash can is for use during parties. Guests. Residents should accompany guests to the pool or make sure that the rules are understood. No one wants to tell your guest to shower before entering the pool! Remember, we don t know your guests, and we have had some intruders to our pool area. It s difficult to ask people if they belong in the Block 5 pool, only to find out that they re guests. A Reminder trash may be taken to the curb on Thurs. night only AFTER 5 P.M. according to Sarasota County and our covenants. On a personal note, I am most grateful to my secret helper who always brings my trash can and recycle bins up to my garage door. This is what makes Southwood such a great place!! Dues Reminder: Block 5 quarterly dues of $ should be paid by April 1, Please remit to: Southwood Block #5 Homeowners Assoc., Inc., Keys Caldwell, 1162 Indian Hills Blvd., Venice, FL Mollie Johnson Beautiful Block. Bravo to the homeowners on our block, who continue to amaze me with how well you are keeping up your homes! Thank you so much for what you are doing. Preserves. We are going to have some changes in our common ground and preserves areas after the county okays the final plan on maintenance. I will try to keep you informed at every block six meeting until it happens. The Block Six Board meetings are held at Keys Caldwell on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:00 pm. Come get informed! Parking. Please don t forget that cars cannot be parked on the street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The Master Assoc. has the right to tow vehicles. Block 6, continued on the next page

6 Block 6, continued Mailboxes. We ve had our new mailboxes long enough now, that we need to see if they need cleaning or touchup paint. White spray paint will work fine. Dues Reminder: Block 6 dues of $50 are due April 1, Please make checks payable to Southwood Section A Block 6 and send to Keys Caldwell, Inc., 1162 Indian Hills Blvd., Venice, FL CodeRED Emergency Notification System Joe Thornton President CodeRED is a community alerting system that Sarasota County utilizes to notify residents of pending emergency situations. Communications are sent to areas within the County warning residents of severe weather warnings that are issued by the National Weather Service tornados, flash floods, severe thunderstorms, etc. when your address is in the path of a storm. The information is provided through land line telephones, cell phones, text messages and/or alerts. A TDD ONLY option is available for the hearing impaired and another for those who do not have Internet access. Registration is required and can be done on line at or by calling the Sarasota County Contact Center at (941) and ask to sign up for CodeRED. The Country states that contact information will be private and only used for critical communications. It will only be used for public health, safety and wellness purposes. Take the time today to read about the system and to register for the service by visiting the website or calling the County number (941) Be Safe Be Secure Be Informed Clinic to Repair Pool Deck Chairs It s An Easy and Inexpensive Fix Yes it is, according to Becky Lawson of Block One, and she should know she has repaired a lot of these chairs, including the ones around the Block One pool. This information can be a real money saver to block HOA budgets and to personal budgets, as well. Becky has offered to share her knowledge with Southwood homeowners and is inviting interested homeowners to a 'come and learn' clinic at her home. If you have a chair that needs repair, bring it and a pair of cotton garden gloves to protect your hands from the hot water needed to stretch the straps. The clinic will be held on: Saturday, April 2nd 10:00 a.m Summertree Road Block One Grandparent Baby Equipment Exchange For all you grandparents who have children visiting with young children, let s share our equipment!! No need for all of us to go out and buy or rent stuff to keep everyone safe and comfortable for the week or so they may be visiting. I am offering to keep a registry of who has what equipment and the corresponding phone number. When you are expecting young visitors, give me a call or e mail me and I will share the list with you. You can then get in touch with whoever has the equipment you need to see if it is available for the time that you need it. So, call or e mail me with your list of equipment and let s get the registry started. Susie Gravel 4997 Tamarack Trail gsbkgme@gmail.com The above offerings by Becky Lawson and Suzie Gravel are two more examples of neighbors helping neighbors. Kudos to them and to all of you who have reached out to volunteer their time to the community of Southwood.

7 Southwood Ladies News Holiday Angel Project concluded the season just before the Easter Holiday. On March 22 nd Barbara Hope of Block 3, along with Cathy Vossler and Linda Kane of Block 1, shopped for groceries for three Taylor Ranch Elementary School families, then packed everything up and delivered the food and a few Easter goodies to the school. It is Barbara, Cathy and Linda s gift of time and effort that enhances the monetary gifts given by the residents of Southwood and we thank each and every one very much. Dogs must be on a leash at all times when out of the home. It is a Sarasota County ordinance Section Dog waste must be picked up. There are dog owners in the Southwood community who have dogs that feel challenged or threatened or frightened by other dogs that they encounter while on their leashed walk. Always use a leash it is for the protection of the dog and its pet parent. Southwood Ladies Socials So far it has been a GREAT social season for the Southwood Ladies with attendance topping 50 plus at the peak of the season! A great big Thank You to those who hosted and those who attended. November Coffee given by Block 5 at their cabana and hosted by Etna Bonatz and Linda Petrosinelli December given by Block 3 at the Pavillion in Venice and hosted by Linda Hoops and Barbara Hope You Are Invited You are invited and encouraged to attend the Board of Directors meetings of your SPOA Master Board and your individual Block Board meetings. You will learn about your community and have the chance to have a voice in community matters. Keep the pull out section of this newsletter handy and mark the meeting dates on your calendar. It is the best way to find out what issues the Boards are working on to keep the blocks and the community as a whole attractive and viable. January given by Block 6 at the British Open Pub in Venice and hosted by Sandy Weis February given by Block 4 at the Heron Creek Country Club in North Port and hosted by Kay Stewart and Susan Rephun March given by Block 2 at The Family Table in North Port and hosted by Peg Koski and Geri Sanders April Luncheon The final social of the season will be given by Block 1 Hosted by Cathy Vossler and Cynthia O Donnell on April 21 st at DeFina s Restaurant, Venice A flyer with details will be distributed before the event. Heading North? A few practical reminders before you hit the road: Stow or secure all items on or around your property that could become missiles in high winds and storms. Turn off the water from the street. Cancel newspapers. Notify Post Office to forward your mail. Notify neighbors of your departure and return date. Have a safe and pleasant journey enjoy your summer and, come back safely to us in the fall.

8 The Village Smithy That's it for now was an up and down year for our family and we look forward to the very best in We wish the same for you and yours and hope to be with you soon God willing and the creek don't rise. B. Smith Hello I m back for a visit with you! In a recent newsletter I mentioned hobbies that can be enjoyed in these golden years. Let s take a look at fishing. Florida is a fisherman s paradise being a peninsular state with water on three sides. Fish live in water, ergo we have lots of fish. Please Take Heed Fishing is a wonderful and inexpensive hobby and, take note, you don t have to own a boat! Let s look at three types of fishing that don't require water craft. Within a 20 minute drive from Southwood, there are three locations that can provide a full day of on shore fishing: the pier at Sharkey's; the surf along Venice Beach; and the jetties at Venice inlet. Each requires a special technique that can be mastered easily. First, you must understand a law of nature. Small fish eat barnacles, small crabs, and small shrimp. Bigger fish eat the small fish. Large fish eat the bigger fish and so on. At the pier, don't cast your line 100 yards away from the pier. Drop you line next to one of the piling supports. That's where the little fish are feeding and the bigger fish come along to feed on them. In the surf, try to cast over the breakers. That's easy to do in the Gulf of Mexico, breakers are rare and the water is smooth. At the jetties, cast your line out and over the rocks. Make a quick, rod tip up retrieve, and you will catch some nice fish that are feeding on the small fish hiding among the rocks. Fishermen are always helpful. Ask the fellow next to you any question you might have about the current status. Hint: Don't ever say, "are you having any luck?" Instead, say "are you doing any good?" Fishing is a skill, not luck. Despite the number of speed limit signs that are on our Southwood streets and Timberline Blvd., there are still vendors, residents and guests that exceed the limit. The limit is set for the protection of everyone walkers, walkers with dogs, bikers, other drivers and nature s creatures. These streets belong to all homeowners in Southwood. The speed limits are posted at 25 MPH and there are no EXCEPT FOR signs anywhere. Keep that in mind and remind your guests. A word of caution. You will need to have three things to be a successful fisherman: 1. a broad brim hat that completely blocks out the sun (NOT baseball caps or straw hats which allow too much sun to penetrate the scalp and skin). 2. a bottle of quality sun screen apply liberally and often. Go fishing on an overcast day, the fishing is always better. 3. a Florida Fishing License available at Wal Mart and most bait shops. They can advise you on licensing or you can check the following web site for details saltwater fishing. Please remove and retain the pull out center section of this edition of the newsletter. It contains information about the 2016 SPOA Board and all block Boards, Officers/Committee chairs, meeting schedules and other information you might need during the year.