A pizza party was held on Friday, October 15, 2010. The pizza was great. Everyone had a good time. Special thanks to all the committee members for their hard work. Click on picture to enlarge it.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Pizza party
A pizza party was held on Friday, October 15, 2010. The pizza was great. Everyone had a good time. Special thanks to all the committee members for their hard work. Click on picture to enlarge it.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Newsletter 6, October 11,2010
POINT BRITTANY SIX NEWSLETTER
NEWSLETTER 6 OCTOBER 11, 2010
My first inclination in writing this newsletter is to apologize! I must assume personal responsibility for preparing such an aggressive Board Meeting for October 6, 2010. We had so many things on the agenda that were important and I should have taken the audience into consideration. Having said that I want to extend a heart felt thank you to those many owners who showed up and contributed to the meeting. You were a wonderful audience and we appreciated your interest and your courtesy to all of us. Its great to be back.
We received two committee reports which were very interesting, informative, and provided the Board and of course the audience with information and suggestions which will help us to proceed with the many things needed to improve our building.
a. Mr. Gorski, presenting for the Landscaping Committee, presented a number of projects for the Board to consider:
As its first priority, the committee made a proposal to improve the appearance of the upper level garage. Their proposal was ambitious and aggressively addressed this challenge. The plan is still in it’s early stages and will require a review by a qualified engineering firm to be sure that we do not encounter the problems we had in the past.
The second issue is the challenge of what to do with the Dolphins. The Committee presented a detailed plan for the Board to consider. We will address this subject at the next Board meeting.
The Board will address the other issues which are generally in the common area and the responsibility of the PBAC. They include such issues as the service road, the pool area, the walk way along the sea wall and the plants in the island located on the south west side of the building.
Mrs. Nichols reported for the Hallway committee. They have worked extremely hard to develop a detailed plan for our consideration. To provide the options and the details for the Board and the owners to consider, she requested that the Board approve the expenditure of $3,000.00 to have two design firms prepare detailed plans and alternatives for us to consider. We are extremely confident that they will be able to develop a plan which will provide the most cost effective and efficient hallway redecorating plan for us.
The Board has been faced with a number of issues concerning pets. We advised the pet owners that they must abide by the rules regarding the care of pets in our building so as to avoid accidents. The members present at the meeting were advised that if it would come to a vote, the unit owners would probably vote not to allow pets. This comment precipitated a comment from an owner about whether the Board disliked pets. Let me state this publicly, that we believe pets are a special part of many families. They help to calm us, focus us and often offer silent companionship. Our only concern is that the owners who have pets follow the rules and clean up after them should there be an accident. If an owner can no longer care for their pet, they need to make arrangements to have someone attend to the needs of the animal.
The Board approved the installation of a key pad locking system to be installed on the first and second floor lobbies. The doors will be locked but can be opened using the key pad, a key or a remote opening device . Detailed plans will be presented at the appropriate time. It was felt that this will provide a security system consistent with the security programs in the area and is being accomplished consistent with advice from the St Petersburg police department.
The Board has accumulated a list of unit owners who have some issues with the surface of their balconies. We will attempt to have each of these balconies inspected and a determination what must be done to repair them. Some of the work may very well be under warranty. Of additional concern is the preventive maintenance which is proposed by the inspection team. We will have an engineering firm address this issue to determine the scope of work and the necessity for such maintenance. We believe that any such work can be accomplished within our budget. The Cathodic Protection system has been upgraded and is working as anticipated.
We had a Fire Safety Inspection in July and are pleased to report that there were only a few minor violations which are being addressed.
The Board is tackling a challenge regarding the assignment of parking spaces in our building. A complete and comprehensive review of all assigned parking spaces in our building was conducted. We found 16 units with assigned parking spaces which were not consistent with our documents. If you are one of the 16, you will receive a letter advising you of the discrepancy. The Board will address this issue at our Board meeting scheduled for October 19, 2010 at 7 PM. If you have not received a letter, you are not involved. For the record, we are doing this so that we can meet the terms of the condo documents which requires the Board to maintain an accurate and up to date list of assigned parking spaces.
Why do you need Home Owners Insurance? Under Florida Law, “it’s not what caused the damage that determines which policy responds, it’s what got damaged.” As an example, there is a water leak in the unit above you and causes damage within your unit, you are responsible for the repair. It doesn’t seem fair but that is the way it is. We cannot force you to buy this insurance but we wanted you to know why you should consider buying it.
NEWSLETTER 6 OCTOBER 11, 2010
My first inclination in writing this newsletter is to apologize! I must assume personal responsibility for preparing such an aggressive Board Meeting for October 6, 2010. We had so many things on the agenda that were important and I should have taken the audience into consideration. Having said that I want to extend a heart felt thank you to those many owners who showed up and contributed to the meeting. You were a wonderful audience and we appreciated your interest and your courtesy to all of us. Its great to be back.
We received two committee reports which were very interesting, informative, and provided the Board and of course the audience with information and suggestions which will help us to proceed with the many things needed to improve our building.
a. Mr. Gorski, presenting for the Landscaping Committee, presented a number of projects for the Board to consider:
As its first priority, the committee made a proposal to improve the appearance of the upper level garage. Their proposal was ambitious and aggressively addressed this challenge. The plan is still in it’s early stages and will require a review by a qualified engineering firm to be sure that we do not encounter the problems we had in the past.
The second issue is the challenge of what to do with the Dolphins. The Committee presented a detailed plan for the Board to consider. We will address this subject at the next Board meeting.
The Board will address the other issues which are generally in the common area and the responsibility of the PBAC. They include such issues as the service road, the pool area, the walk way along the sea wall and the plants in the island located on the south west side of the building.
Mrs. Nichols reported for the Hallway committee. They have worked extremely hard to develop a detailed plan for our consideration. To provide the options and the details for the Board and the owners to consider, she requested that the Board approve the expenditure of $3,000.00 to have two design firms prepare detailed plans and alternatives for us to consider. We are extremely confident that they will be able to develop a plan which will provide the most cost effective and efficient hallway redecorating plan for us.
The Board has been faced with a number of issues concerning pets. We advised the pet owners that they must abide by the rules regarding the care of pets in our building so as to avoid accidents. The members present at the meeting were advised that if it would come to a vote, the unit owners would probably vote not to allow pets. This comment precipitated a comment from an owner about whether the Board disliked pets. Let me state this publicly, that we believe pets are a special part of many families. They help to calm us, focus us and often offer silent companionship. Our only concern is that the owners who have pets follow the rules and clean up after them should there be an accident. If an owner can no longer care for their pet, they need to make arrangements to have someone attend to the needs of the animal.
The Board approved the installation of a key pad locking system to be installed on the first and second floor lobbies. The doors will be locked but can be opened using the key pad, a key or a remote opening device . Detailed plans will be presented at the appropriate time. It was felt that this will provide a security system consistent with the security programs in the area and is being accomplished consistent with advice from the St Petersburg police department.
The Board has accumulated a list of unit owners who have some issues with the surface of their balconies. We will attempt to have each of these balconies inspected and a determination what must be done to repair them. Some of the work may very well be under warranty. Of additional concern is the preventive maintenance which is proposed by the inspection team. We will have an engineering firm address this issue to determine the scope of work and the necessity for such maintenance. We believe that any such work can be accomplished within our budget. The Cathodic Protection system has been upgraded and is working as anticipated.
We had a Fire Safety Inspection in July and are pleased to report that there were only a few minor violations which are being addressed.
The Board is tackling a challenge regarding the assignment of parking spaces in our building. A complete and comprehensive review of all assigned parking spaces in our building was conducted. We found 16 units with assigned parking spaces which were not consistent with our documents. If you are one of the 16, you will receive a letter advising you of the discrepancy. The Board will address this issue at our Board meeting scheduled for October 19, 2010 at 7 PM. If you have not received a letter, you are not involved. For the record, we are doing this so that we can meet the terms of the condo documents which requires the Board to maintain an accurate and up to date list of assigned parking spaces.
Why do you need Home Owners Insurance? Under Florida Law, “it’s not what caused the damage that determines which policy responds, it’s what got damaged.” As an example, there is a water leak in the unit above you and causes damage within your unit, you are responsible for the repair. It doesn’t seem fair but that is the way it is. We cannot force you to buy this insurance but we wanted you to know why you should consider buying it.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Newsletter, May 9, 2010
POINT BRITTANY SIX
NEWSLETTER #1
May 9, 2010
Since our Board meeting of April 8, 2010, we received the resignation of Bob Anderson from the Board of Directors. The Board appointed an interim member, Terry Bishop, who agreed to serve until the next election in April of 2011. We wish to thank Bob for his service and wish him well. We feel confident that Terry will be a real asset to all the unit owners and to the Board. Welcome aboard Terry!
We have established a committee to assist the Board in developing a plan to renovate our hallways. This is an exciting and challenging job and one that requires significant study before we proceed. The committee has been given instructions on how to proceed and will have considerable autonomy in developing alternative plans. They do not have the authority to spend any funds. Funding is the responsibility of the Board. As a reminder, the committee will prepare a minimum of three options for unit owners to review prior to any Board action. We as a Board are obligated to proceed with this initiative and are committed to approve a plan which will be cost effective and enhance the appearance of the building. As a reminder, the previous Board approved the expenditure of funds to support this project which will require a special assessment. The actual amount will be determined once we have an approved plan. We are committed to keeping this assessment as low as possible. Unit owners will be provided a minimum of 90 days notice prior to the due date.
About a month ago I received a letter from a unit owner telling me of her dissatisfaction with the Board and accused us of finding ways to spend money. I must admit that I was not happy about the tenor of the letter but I’m truly glad she sent it to me! I promise you that I will not spend a penny of your money unless it is absolutely necessary to maintain our building and accomplish the necessary administrative tasks. Having said that, some may challenge the need to renovate the hallways. The Reserve Study advised that this project be accomplished in order to maintain the value of this property. This then becomes the fiduciary responsibility of the Board consistent with Florida State Statues.
We have had two incidents which we believe should be called to your attention, both of which have cost you money! We had a flood on the 14th floor caused by someone plugging up the drain in the sanitary tub. The tub overflowed and ran long enough so that seven floors were affected. The PB maintenance staff could not handle the magnitude of the problem so we had to hire an outside firm. The clean -up was paid for from your pocket since the person who did this did not accept responsibility. The next incident took place over a weekend. Someone, for no apparent reason, put a shopping cart in the doorway of the elevator on the eighth floor. Although the door closes automatically, it couldn’t close, so it continued to attempt to close by repeatedly hitting the cart. The cart was damaged and ultimately the controls overheated and took the elevator out of service. We had to call General Elevator to fix the problem. As it turned out, this foolish act caused other problems which had to be addressed, causing even more inconvenience to all of the residents, in addition to the expenditure of time and money.
In another incident, a relative of one of our owners decided to move her property on a weekend. We all know this violates our rules and affects the peace and harmony within the building. In addition, the elevator was not padded. If you see something like this happening, please call security. It is my understanding that they have a procedure to handle this type of situation.
We will soon be working on our budget for 2011! Please don’t get alarmed! This is an invitation for you to let us know what you would like the Board to fund in the next budget cycle. We really do appreciate input from all of you. This enables us to better address your concerns and perhaps fund a special item of interest to you to improve living conditions and our way of life at Point Brittany. If you have a computer, you can send your comments to me at cbertz103@aol.com
The Board of Directors moved to have the lock changed on the door leading to the roof. We did this for safety reasons and to protect the surface of the roof. Contractors requiring access to the roof can make arrangements with our building custodian or in the event of an emergency, our security personnel.
We are in the process of changing the elevator service contract from General Elevator to Otis Elevator. We are required to do this by virtue of a previously negotiated agreement with Otis who has the service contract for all of Point Brittany. Please be patient! I have received notice that some our residents were somewhat nasty to the contractors who were working on the elevators. Please do not do this! They are doing their best to resolve these problems.
The Board is working on a number of projects one of which is landscaping. The planter project on the upper garage is not finished. We will continue to pursue a satisfactory solution to this challenge but it will take some time until we can fix the discoloration on the garage surface. Before that can happen, we must get a solution to the irrigation system. We will keep you posted . The Board approved a request to create a flower bed at the entrance to the building, this should be completed this coming week, finally! The landscaping on the south side of the building is being addressed and hopefully you will see some progress in the very near future. As you know, most of this work is the responsibility of the PBAC. We are working with them to get this work completed.
Thomas G. Bertz, President
NEWSLETTER #1
May 9, 2010
Since our Board meeting of April 8, 2010, we received the resignation of Bob Anderson from the Board of Directors. The Board appointed an interim member, Terry Bishop, who agreed to serve until the next election in April of 2011. We wish to thank Bob for his service and wish him well. We feel confident that Terry will be a real asset to all the unit owners and to the Board. Welcome aboard Terry!
We have established a committee to assist the Board in developing a plan to renovate our hallways. This is an exciting and challenging job and one that requires significant study before we proceed. The committee has been given instructions on how to proceed and will have considerable autonomy in developing alternative plans. They do not have the authority to spend any funds. Funding is the responsibility of the Board. As a reminder, the committee will prepare a minimum of three options for unit owners to review prior to any Board action. We as a Board are obligated to proceed with this initiative and are committed to approve a plan which will be cost effective and enhance the appearance of the building. As a reminder, the previous Board approved the expenditure of funds to support this project which will require a special assessment. The actual amount will be determined once we have an approved plan. We are committed to keeping this assessment as low as possible. Unit owners will be provided a minimum of 90 days notice prior to the due date.
About a month ago I received a letter from a unit owner telling me of her dissatisfaction with the Board and accused us of finding ways to spend money. I must admit that I was not happy about the tenor of the letter but I’m truly glad she sent it to me! I promise you that I will not spend a penny of your money unless it is absolutely necessary to maintain our building and accomplish the necessary administrative tasks. Having said that, some may challenge the need to renovate the hallways. The Reserve Study advised that this project be accomplished in order to maintain the value of this property. This then becomes the fiduciary responsibility of the Board consistent with Florida State Statues.
We have had two incidents which we believe should be called to your attention, both of which have cost you money! We had a flood on the 14th floor caused by someone plugging up the drain in the sanitary tub. The tub overflowed and ran long enough so that seven floors were affected. The PB maintenance staff could not handle the magnitude of the problem so we had to hire an outside firm. The clean -up was paid for from your pocket since the person who did this did not accept responsibility. The next incident took place over a weekend. Someone, for no apparent reason, put a shopping cart in the doorway of the elevator on the eighth floor. Although the door closes automatically, it couldn’t close, so it continued to attempt to close by repeatedly hitting the cart. The cart was damaged and ultimately the controls overheated and took the elevator out of service. We had to call General Elevator to fix the problem. As it turned out, this foolish act caused other problems which had to be addressed, causing even more inconvenience to all of the residents, in addition to the expenditure of time and money.
In another incident, a relative of one of our owners decided to move her property on a weekend. We all know this violates our rules and affects the peace and harmony within the building. In addition, the elevator was not padded. If you see something like this happening, please call security. It is my understanding that they have a procedure to handle this type of situation.
We will soon be working on our budget for 2011! Please don’t get alarmed! This is an invitation for you to let us know what you would like the Board to fund in the next budget cycle. We really do appreciate input from all of you. This enables us to better address your concerns and perhaps fund a special item of interest to you to improve living conditions and our way of life at Point Brittany. If you have a computer, you can send your comments to me at cbertz103@aol.com
The Board of Directors moved to have the lock changed on the door leading to the roof. We did this for safety reasons and to protect the surface of the roof. Contractors requiring access to the roof can make arrangements with our building custodian or in the event of an emergency, our security personnel.
We are in the process of changing the elevator service contract from General Elevator to Otis Elevator. We are required to do this by virtue of a previously negotiated agreement with Otis who has the service contract for all of Point Brittany. Please be patient! I have received notice that some our residents were somewhat nasty to the contractors who were working on the elevators. Please do not do this! They are doing their best to resolve these problems.
The Board is working on a number of projects one of which is landscaping. The planter project on the upper garage is not finished. We will continue to pursue a satisfactory solution to this challenge but it will take some time until we can fix the discoloration on the garage surface. Before that can happen, we must get a solution to the irrigation system. We will keep you posted . The Board approved a request to create a flower bed at the entrance to the building, this should be completed this coming week, finally! The landscaping on the south side of the building is being addressed and hopefully you will see some progress in the very near future. As you know, most of this work is the responsibility of the PBAC. We are working with them to get this work completed.
Thomas G. Bertz, President
Newsletter, June 7, 2010
POINT BRITTANY SIX
NEWSLETTER #2
June 7, 2010
The National Weather Service is forecasting a more active hurricane season for 2010. We must prepare for the possibility that the weather will be severe. To those of you who will be absent from our building during the hurricane season, you must comply with the guidelines that we have published to prepare your unit for an extended absence. To those of you who will be staying in the building, you should likewise review these guidelines and be prepared to implement them should there be a hurricane warning. In addition, we suggest that you have sufficient food, water, and batteries on hand to sustain you should there be an emergency. Should there be an evacuation notice, you must leave the building and seek shelter in a safe place. If you fail to leave, you must be aware that emergency services may not be available. We encourage any of you who are staying in the building to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Prior planning and awareness of the situation are extremely important to your health and safety. We will publish any information we receive regarding this subject.
This has been an extremely active time for the Board of Directors. The following is a list of significant projects we have been managing:
DHS is in the process of completing the lighting in the dog walk area, the east end dumpster area, and the east end entrance into the garage. This project took care of a number of safety and security concerns.
Two water pumps have been installed with minimum interruption. We should see a significant energy savings. We anticipate the savings in electricity will cover the cost of the installation in 3 years. We have a two year warranty on this project. As a result of competitive bidding, we saved approximately $5,000. from our original estimate of $30,000.
We have a contract to repair the damaged section of the parking garage surface. This should be accomplished in the very near future.
We have a problem with a drain on the upper garage surface which is causing some flooding in the area around the entrance to the building in the lower level of the garage. The drain needs to be replaced with a larger diameter pipe to handle the water run-off. We are in the process of securing proposals to have this situation corrected.
There will be an inspection of the balconies and the cathodic protection system on the 17th of June. This inspection will include a test of the system and will address the necessary maintenance and repair functions which we are required to accomplish. This will also include a mandatory update to the monitoring system. The inspection of the balconies will be coordinated with the unit owners who are available on that date. More to follow as we develop the plan.
PBAC has advised us that they will be finishing the landscaping along the sidewalk and will begin the demolition of the Jacuzzis this month. The two Jacuzzis will be replaced with one larger, more energy efficient one. The surface will be repaved and a fence will be built around it. The fence is a mandatory requirement. It is our understanding that PBAC will address the sidewalk and landscaping issues of building six after these projects are completed.
As you know, we appointed a Hallway Renovation Committee. They have taken a very aggressive and proactive approach to this project. It is my understanding that they are looking at a number of building complexes for ideas to help develop an approach to our project. At the appropriate time we will establish a meeting with the unit owners to review the status of the project. We are committed to getting the best, most cost-effective plan possible and will keep all of the unit owners informed of the status of the project.
As a reminder, we own all of the washers and dryers in building six. That means we must pay for any maintenance services and replacements. We pay for all the water usage and electricity. You should treat this equipment as though it is your own, because it is! We are asking that you wait until you have a full load of soiled laundry prior to using the washers and consider using the cold water cycle. This will save on electricity and will also reduce the wear and tear on your clothing. We ask that you use the dryers the minimum amount of time needed for drying. It is considerably cheaper to add minutes to the drying process than it is to run the machine for an excessive period of time. All of this will help extend the life of these machines and save us considerable money in the process. Please give this some thought.
Condominium rules, I wish we didn't need them! The revised rules which were approved by the Board and sent to our attorney for a legal review have been returned. The attorney proposed some changes which we will incorporate into the new document. Once these changes have been made, the rules will be distributed to the owners and will be voted on by the Board of Directors at a scheduled Board meeting. We have reduced the rules to the minimum essential number. It is important that you understand that the Board is required to publish rules. They standardize functions within the building and are published to comply with Federal and State Statutes. As always we ask that you read the revised rules very carefully and provide your carefully thought out comments.
We have two incidents which I need to call to your attention. Just recently, someone, on a weekend, became ill and regurgitated in the elevator. It actually got into both elevators. The person who did this did not clean it up. One of our Directors was told about this and she cleaned it up. None of us signed on to do that. I think you will all agree that it is the individual's responsibility to clean up their mess. A number of us have cleaned up dog dirt and spills in the hallways and corridors. Please help us! In another incident, an owner was advised that he was violating a rule regarding a soda can at poolside. This could have been easily corrected. There was no sense or good reason for the abusive and foul language which this owner used to address this person. Ladies and gentlemen, we need your help to have a friendly and congenial atmosphere at Point Brittany. Please help us by doing the right thing for your neighbors.
We have a number of landscaping issues in progress at the present time, some of which are guaranteed. Please do not take it upon your self to do anything to our landscaping. I know that some of you have done some well-intentioned things in the past that may have been helpful, but please do not do anything now. We need to hold the landscaper responsible for his work and to keep the guarantees in place.
This paragraph is related to number 8 but it is important and I feel that it should be addressed separately. Laura Randall chaired a committee to review the situation regarding the planters on the garage and make recommendations to the owners and the Board. She did a terrific job considering the limitations imposed on her. The primary objective was to develop a plan to remove the existing planters completely or to develop an alternative plan. The Board was advised by Karins Engineering that the existing planters were much too heavy, so we had to reduce the size and weight of the planters on the garage surface. In addition, the landscapers who looked at the project agreed that the existing plants were dying and many of them out grew the planters. The irrigation system was not working correctly, causing excessive run-off of water and nutrients which was discoloring the surface and causing some deterioration. She was stuck with two alternatives, remove all of the planters, or come up with a plan to use a reduced number, change the plants, and fix the irrigation system. She was also trying to develop a plan which would accommodate the concerns of the unit owners on that level. In retrospect, she was saddled with an almost impossible task. At this point, we feel that the landscaper did not accomplish what he told the owners and the Board at the meeting. The Board has sent a letter to the landscaper expressing our dissatisfaction with him and that we are holding him to our agreement.
One more landscaping issue - the Board would like to appoint a committee to provide a comprehensive review of the landscaping around building six. They will be tasked to develop a plan which will enhance the appearance of the building and the common areas around building six. The committee will contact outside agencies to come up with ideas and alternative proposals. As always, the committee will provide options for consideration by the owners and the Board. This will enable us to determine responsibility for the work (either Building 6 or PBAC) and aid us in the budget process. Beverly Woodall will be the liaison between the Board and the committee. We are looking for volunteers. If you are willing to help, please contact Beverly.
The Board of County Commissioners of Pinellas County issued a notice of Dredge and Fill Application DF 2053-09 on or about May 26, 2010. This applies to us because we are within 500 feet of the projected project. This project will have little or no impact on us. The plan provides for the dredging of the channel east of our building and the villas. The channel has filled in as a result of tidal action, current, and storms. Sand will be dredged from the channel. The spoil which is expected to be sand will be collected on barges and taken to Eckerd College and placed in their spoils area.
One final thing! We would like you to become a Blogger. We are developing a Blog site and would like you to join us at: http://www.pointbrittany6.blogspot.com/. After you have a chance to review the site, please comment. Carolyn Bertz is the site manager. We are excited about this idea and really do want you to join us.
THOMAS BERTZ
President, Building Six Board of Directors.
NEWSLETTER #2
June 7, 2010
The National Weather Service is forecasting a more active hurricane season for 2010. We must prepare for the possibility that the weather will be severe. To those of you who will be absent from our building during the hurricane season, you must comply with the guidelines that we have published to prepare your unit for an extended absence. To those of you who will be staying in the building, you should likewise review these guidelines and be prepared to implement them should there be a hurricane warning. In addition, we suggest that you have sufficient food, water, and batteries on hand to sustain you should there be an emergency. Should there be an evacuation notice, you must leave the building and seek shelter in a safe place. If you fail to leave, you must be aware that emergency services may not be available. We encourage any of you who are staying in the building to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Prior planning and awareness of the situation are extremely important to your health and safety. We will publish any information we receive regarding this subject.
This has been an extremely active time for the Board of Directors. The following is a list of significant projects we have been managing:
DHS is in the process of completing the lighting in the dog walk area, the east end dumpster area, and the east end entrance into the garage. This project took care of a number of safety and security concerns.
Two water pumps have been installed with minimum interruption. We should see a significant energy savings. We anticipate the savings in electricity will cover the cost of the installation in 3 years. We have a two year warranty on this project. As a result of competitive bidding, we saved approximately $5,000. from our original estimate of $30,000.
We have a contract to repair the damaged section of the parking garage surface. This should be accomplished in the very near future.
We have a problem with a drain on the upper garage surface which is causing some flooding in the area around the entrance to the building in the lower level of the garage. The drain needs to be replaced with a larger diameter pipe to handle the water run-off. We are in the process of securing proposals to have this situation corrected.
There will be an inspection of the balconies and the cathodic protection system on the 17th of June. This inspection will include a test of the system and will address the necessary maintenance and repair functions which we are required to accomplish. This will also include a mandatory update to the monitoring system. The inspection of the balconies will be coordinated with the unit owners who are available on that date. More to follow as we develop the plan.
PBAC has advised us that they will be finishing the landscaping along the sidewalk and will begin the demolition of the Jacuzzis this month. The two Jacuzzis will be replaced with one larger, more energy efficient one. The surface will be repaved and a fence will be built around it. The fence is a mandatory requirement. It is our understanding that PBAC will address the sidewalk and landscaping issues of building six after these projects are completed.
As you know, we appointed a Hallway Renovation Committee. They have taken a very aggressive and proactive approach to this project. It is my understanding that they are looking at a number of building complexes for ideas to help develop an approach to our project. At the appropriate time we will establish a meeting with the unit owners to review the status of the project. We are committed to getting the best, most cost-effective plan possible and will keep all of the unit owners informed of the status of the project.
As a reminder, we own all of the washers and dryers in building six. That means we must pay for any maintenance services and replacements. We pay for all the water usage and electricity. You should treat this equipment as though it is your own, because it is! We are asking that you wait until you have a full load of soiled laundry prior to using the washers and consider using the cold water cycle. This will save on electricity and will also reduce the wear and tear on your clothing. We ask that you use the dryers the minimum amount of time needed for drying. It is considerably cheaper to add minutes to the drying process than it is to run the machine for an excessive period of time. All of this will help extend the life of these machines and save us considerable money in the process. Please give this some thought.
Condominium rules, I wish we didn't need them! The revised rules which were approved by the Board and sent to our attorney for a legal review have been returned. The attorney proposed some changes which we will incorporate into the new document. Once these changes have been made, the rules will be distributed to the owners and will be voted on by the Board of Directors at a scheduled Board meeting. We have reduced the rules to the minimum essential number. It is important that you understand that the Board is required to publish rules. They standardize functions within the building and are published to comply with Federal and State Statutes. As always we ask that you read the revised rules very carefully and provide your carefully thought out comments.
We have two incidents which I need to call to your attention. Just recently, someone, on a weekend, became ill and regurgitated in the elevator. It actually got into both elevators. The person who did this did not clean it up. One of our Directors was told about this and she cleaned it up. None of us signed on to do that. I think you will all agree that it is the individual's responsibility to clean up their mess. A number of us have cleaned up dog dirt and spills in the hallways and corridors. Please help us! In another incident, an owner was advised that he was violating a rule regarding a soda can at poolside. This could have been easily corrected. There was no sense or good reason for the abusive and foul language which this owner used to address this person. Ladies and gentlemen, we need your help to have a friendly and congenial atmosphere at Point Brittany. Please help us by doing the right thing for your neighbors.
We have a number of landscaping issues in progress at the present time, some of which are guaranteed. Please do not take it upon your self to do anything to our landscaping. I know that some of you have done some well-intentioned things in the past that may have been helpful, but please do not do anything now. We need to hold the landscaper responsible for his work and to keep the guarantees in place.
This paragraph is related to number 8 but it is important and I feel that it should be addressed separately. Laura Randall chaired a committee to review the situation regarding the planters on the garage and make recommendations to the owners and the Board. She did a terrific job considering the limitations imposed on her. The primary objective was to develop a plan to remove the existing planters completely or to develop an alternative plan. The Board was advised by Karins Engineering that the existing planters were much too heavy, so we had to reduce the size and weight of the planters on the garage surface. In addition, the landscapers who looked at the project agreed that the existing plants were dying and many of them out grew the planters. The irrigation system was not working correctly, causing excessive run-off of water and nutrients which was discoloring the surface and causing some deterioration. She was stuck with two alternatives, remove all of the planters, or come up with a plan to use a reduced number, change the plants, and fix the irrigation system. She was also trying to develop a plan which would accommodate the concerns of the unit owners on that level. In retrospect, she was saddled with an almost impossible task. At this point, we feel that the landscaper did not accomplish what he told the owners and the Board at the meeting. The Board has sent a letter to the landscaper expressing our dissatisfaction with him and that we are holding him to our agreement.
One more landscaping issue - the Board would like to appoint a committee to provide a comprehensive review of the landscaping around building six. They will be tasked to develop a plan which will enhance the appearance of the building and the common areas around building six. The committee will contact outside agencies to come up with ideas and alternative proposals. As always, the committee will provide options for consideration by the owners and the Board. This will enable us to determine responsibility for the work (either Building 6 or PBAC) and aid us in the budget process. Beverly Woodall will be the liaison between the Board and the committee. We are looking for volunteers. If you are willing to help, please contact Beverly.
The Board of County Commissioners of Pinellas County issued a notice of Dredge and Fill Application DF 2053-09 on or about May 26, 2010. This applies to us because we are within 500 feet of the projected project. This project will have little or no impact on us. The plan provides for the dredging of the channel east of our building and the villas. The channel has filled in as a result of tidal action, current, and storms. Sand will be dredged from the channel. The spoil which is expected to be sand will be collected on barges and taken to Eckerd College and placed in their spoils area.
One final thing! We would like you to become a Blogger. We are developing a Blog site and would like you to join us at: http://www.pointbrittany6.blogspot.com/. After you have a chance to review the site, please comment. Carolyn Bertz is the site manager. We are excited about this idea and really do want you to join us.
THOMAS BERTZ
President, Building Six Board of Directors.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Newsletter 5 September 5, 2010
POINT BRITTANY SIX NEWSLETTER
NEWSLETTER 5 SEPTEMBER 5, 2010
As you recall, we had an inspection of the Cathodic Protection system and the balconies in general on June 17, 2010. Overall the findings were very good. There were several items which require repair but as best we can tell they are under warranty. The cathodic protection system was checked entirely either through on site review or electronically. We know that the system is working. What we need to determine is what unit balconies need repair beyond those actually looked at by the inspection team. We will address this issue at our next board meeting.
This is a reminder to unit owners who are having work done by contractors. Please have the contractor load/unload their vehicle(s) at the dumpster area at the west end of the building. When they are finished, have them move their vehicle(s) to the lot on the other side of Leland Street. They can gain entrance to the parking area by advising the security guard of the unit where they are working. They should be advised that this is a tow away zone.
We have a long standing rule which specifically prohibits deliveries on weekends. The only notable exception to this rule is in the case of an emergency. As an example, if a refrigerator would fail and there was a danger of losing medications or for that matter food items, an exception can be made. In a situation such as this, simply contact a member of the Board for approval to have the delivery made. The Director will contact security to authorize the delivery.
What has the Board been doing since the last Newsletter?
- Since our last newsletter, we experienced transmission failures in 3 of our washing machines. Since the cost associated with the replacement of the transmission is so high, it is more prudent to replace the machine. As a result of the effort of the Board and specifically Mr. Feldwisch, we were able to get the manufacturers to extend the warranty to cover the cost of repair of these washers. This will result in the savings of approximately $2,400.00. The savings will increase if we experience more transmission failures during the extended warranty period. You can help! The primary reason we experience these transmission failures is through overloading. Please do not wash heavy items in these machines such as heavy bed spreads, carpets, etc.
-We arranged to have the drain replaced on the upper garage level, along with the installation of a larger drain pipe which will assist in the removal of rain water in the basement area. We are very hopeful that this will stop the water leaking onto the garage floor.
- I failed to mention the installation of a motion detector in the west dumpster area in the last newsletter. This, along with enhanced lighting in the dog walk area, improves security and helps to insure the safety of our residents.
- The Board is working very closely with the landscaping committee and the hallway renovation committee. There will be a presentation by both of these committees at our next Board meeting. I know that I am speaking for all the members of the Board when I say that the members of these committees are working extremely hard to come up with the best, most cost effective initiatives to improve our building. We owe them a big thank you for all their good work.
The Community Association Institute published the fundamental guidelines which essentially governs the actions of the members of the Board of Directors in buildings such as ours. These fundamentals are as follows and I quote;
“ Associations ensure that the collective rights and interests of homeowners are respected and preserved.
Associations are the most local form of representative democracy, with leaders elected by their neighbors to govern in the best interest of all residents.
Associations provide services and amenities to residents, protect property values and meet the established expectations of homeowners.
Associations succeed when they cultivate a true sense of community, active homeowner involvement and a culture of building consensus.”
If we were to write a charter for the Board of Directors, it would have to include these basic principles. I believe the members of your Board understand these concepts and adhere to them. But, to be truly successful, we need you to work with us to develop the “true sense of community”.
We will publish a formal announcement of the date, time, and place of our next Board meeting which is tentatively scheduled for October 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM in the ballroom in Residence Hall. Please plan on attending this extremely important meeting.
7. By now you should have received your tax notice of proposed taxes for the year. It appears that many of us will receive a significant reduction in our taxes. This is a good thing. I would like to suggest to those of you who are not “Homesteaded” to consider doing so while the value of your unit is low. This will assist you when the appraised value increases in the future. The negative side of this issue is that our units do not have the value they once did, but this is true throughout the State of Florida and many other States. On the positive side, while your unit may have decreased in appraised value, you have not lost anything unless you sell your unit in this depressed market. This may be the time to sit back and enjoy the tax savings you have received.
Thomas G. Bertz, President, Building Six Board of Directors
NEWSLETTER 5 SEPTEMBER 5, 2010
As you recall, we had an inspection of the Cathodic Protection system and the balconies in general on June 17, 2010. Overall the findings were very good. There were several items which require repair but as best we can tell they are under warranty. The cathodic protection system was checked entirely either through on site review or electronically. We know that the system is working. What we need to determine is what unit balconies need repair beyond those actually looked at by the inspection team. We will address this issue at our next board meeting.
This is a reminder to unit owners who are having work done by contractors. Please have the contractor load/unload their vehicle(s) at the dumpster area at the west end of the building. When they are finished, have them move their vehicle(s) to the lot on the other side of Leland Street. They can gain entrance to the parking area by advising the security guard of the unit where they are working. They should be advised that this is a tow away zone.
We have a long standing rule which specifically prohibits deliveries on weekends. The only notable exception to this rule is in the case of an emergency. As an example, if a refrigerator would fail and there was a danger of losing medications or for that matter food items, an exception can be made. In a situation such as this, simply contact a member of the Board for approval to have the delivery made. The Director will contact security to authorize the delivery.
What has the Board been doing since the last Newsletter?
- Since our last newsletter, we experienced transmission failures in 3 of our washing machines. Since the cost associated with the replacement of the transmission is so high, it is more prudent to replace the machine. As a result of the effort of the Board and specifically Mr. Feldwisch, we were able to get the manufacturers to extend the warranty to cover the cost of repair of these washers. This will result in the savings of approximately $2,400.00. The savings will increase if we experience more transmission failures during the extended warranty period. You can help! The primary reason we experience these transmission failures is through overloading. Please do not wash heavy items in these machines such as heavy bed spreads, carpets, etc.
-We arranged to have the drain replaced on the upper garage level, along with the installation of a larger drain pipe which will assist in the removal of rain water in the basement area. We are very hopeful that this will stop the water leaking onto the garage floor.
- I failed to mention the installation of a motion detector in the west dumpster area in the last newsletter. This, along with enhanced lighting in the dog walk area, improves security and helps to insure the safety of our residents.
- The Board is working very closely with the landscaping committee and the hallway renovation committee. There will be a presentation by both of these committees at our next Board meeting. I know that I am speaking for all the members of the Board when I say that the members of these committees are working extremely hard to come up with the best, most cost effective initiatives to improve our building. We owe them a big thank you for all their good work.
The Community Association Institute published the fundamental guidelines which essentially governs the actions of the members of the Board of Directors in buildings such as ours. These fundamentals are as follows and I quote;
“ Associations ensure that the collective rights and interests of homeowners are respected and preserved.
Associations are the most local form of representative democracy, with leaders elected by their neighbors to govern in the best interest of all residents.
Associations provide services and amenities to residents, protect property values and meet the established expectations of homeowners.
Associations succeed when they cultivate a true sense of community, active homeowner involvement and a culture of building consensus.”
If we were to write a charter for the Board of Directors, it would have to include these basic principles. I believe the members of your Board understand these concepts and adhere to them. But, to be truly successful, we need you to work with us to develop the “true sense of community”.
We will publish a formal announcement of the date, time, and place of our next Board meeting which is tentatively scheduled for October 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM in the ballroom in Residence Hall. Please plan on attending this extremely important meeting.
7. By now you should have received your tax notice of proposed taxes for the year. It appears that many of us will receive a significant reduction in our taxes. This is a good thing. I would like to suggest to those of you who are not “Homesteaded” to consider doing so while the value of your unit is low. This will assist you when the appraised value increases in the future. The negative side of this issue is that our units do not have the value they once did, but this is true throughout the State of Florida and many other States. On the positive side, while your unit may have decreased in appraised value, you have not lost anything unless you sell your unit in this depressed market. This may be the time to sit back and enjoy the tax savings you have received.
Thomas G. Bertz, President, Building Six Board of Directors
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Newsletter, July 8, 2010
POINT BRITTANY SIX NEWSLETTER
NEWSLETTER 3 JULY 8, 2010
The Board received a suggestion to provide a spill clean-up kit to facilitate the clean-up of waste materials in the building at times when our maintenance staff is not available. Anyone who wishes to assist in this type of activity will have access to the kit by calling a member of the security staff who will provide entry to room 105 where the kit is stored. We have prepared a poster and placed it on the bulletin board in the mail room. If you are personally responsible for a spill or are willing to assist in the clean up of a spill, this kit will be quite helpful. As always, we appreciate the efforts of our owners and guests in helping to keep our building clean and sanitary. I would like to extend a personal thanks to Ceil and Ruth Lasher for their suggestion and support.
The Board has appointed a Landscaping committee. We have made many attempts in previous years to work specific landscaping issues with some success and some not quite what we wanted. This committee will address all of the landscaping issues in our area, essentially the area from Leland Street East. They have been tasked to develop a comprehensive plan addressing all the landscaping issues regardless of whether it is a PBAC or building six responsibility. We envision this to be a standing committee that will provide reports to the owners and the Board at scheduled meetings. For more information please review the appointment letter posted to the bulletin board. The Board wishes to extend our appreciation to the members of the committee who volunteered to work on this project.
We have been advised that the fire doors in the lobbies must remain. We had a Fire and Safety inspection of the building and are waiting for the final report. However, the door issue was discussed prior to the inspection. We were advised that they must remain because they serve a dual purpose. First, they are fire doors and secondly, because of the age of our building and the construction of the elevator shafts, they function just as importantly as a smoke inhibitor. Newly constructed buildings are designed with a system which prevents the build-up of smoke in the elevator shafts and therefore are not required to have doors similar to ours. We are disappointed about this decision but it is for our safety that we must keep them.
As you may have noticed, the light fixtures on the upper garage have deteriorated significantly. They had a one year warranty on them so if they were to be repaired it would have to be at our expense. We made contact with the company who supplied the original fixtures and they agreed to replace them at no cost to us. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that we have to pay to have them installed. The decision had to be made whether to repair five year old fixtures or install new fixtures. The costs were very similar. We have made arrangements to have the new fixtures installed. The installation should be accomplished later this month or the beginning of August.
The Board continues to be asked the question “what do we get from PBAC?” We pay 30% of the overall costs of the Point Brittany operation, what are they doing for us? The other question which goes with this is “why don’t we just sever our ties with PBAC and hire our own management company?” Last question first. If we were able to get 100% of our owners to agree to opt out, we could go to the other buildings and ask them to join us and if 100% of those owners agreed, we could get away from the PBAC. There is literally no chance that this could happen. Now for my attempt to explain the first question. When we bought our units at Point Brittany, we bought the whole thing, that includes all of the amenities, regardless of whether or not you planned on using them. If you obtained a mortgage, these amenities factored into the application/loan process. That’s condominium living. Even if you use little or none of the amenities, you are required to assist in the up keep and maintenance of them. I think it would be appropriate to ask what would it be like to live in Building Six and not have access to the club house, the main pool, the docks, the walk way, the tennis courts, etc. Ok, yes I do get a little concerned that we may not be getting all that we want from PBAC. It is our job to advise them as to what we want them to do for us! I think our primary concern should be to look at the common area surrounding our building and present our plan to them for action. That is one of the main reasons we have appointed the landscaping committee.
We have been asked to address the issue of infants at our pools. If you have guests visiting you who have infants that are in diapers, they must be advised that the baby may not be in the pool. The simple explanation for this is that a babies waste contains a high level of bacteria which is harmful to anyone, especially older people.
Owners who wish to allow family members to use their unit in their absence may do so. The administrative office should be notified as to who will be in your unit and the time frame. They should also obtain a parking permit for the length of their stay. This should be accomplished upon their arrival or as soon as possible. We must do this for security purposes to protect your interest and that of your neighbor.
As indicated in our June 7, 2010 Newsletter (2), we were scheduled for an inspection of our balconies on June 17,2010. The inspection was conducted in order to be sure that the Cathodic Protection System was functioning correctly and that the balconies were in a good state of repair. The on site inspection was very promising in that there did not appear to be any major challenges. We anticipate that we will receive a detailed report by the end of July. Upon receipt of the report, the Board of Directors will have the opportunity to determine what if any action needs to be taken and of course, we will keep you informed.
THOMAS G. BERTZ
President, Building Six Board of Directors
NEWSLETTER 3 JULY 8, 2010
The Board received a suggestion to provide a spill clean-up kit to facilitate the clean-up of waste materials in the building at times when our maintenance staff is not available. Anyone who wishes to assist in this type of activity will have access to the kit by calling a member of the security staff who will provide entry to room 105 where the kit is stored. We have prepared a poster and placed it on the bulletin board in the mail room. If you are personally responsible for a spill or are willing to assist in the clean up of a spill, this kit will be quite helpful. As always, we appreciate the efforts of our owners and guests in helping to keep our building clean and sanitary. I would like to extend a personal thanks to Ceil and Ruth Lasher for their suggestion and support.
The Board has appointed a Landscaping committee. We have made many attempts in previous years to work specific landscaping issues with some success and some not quite what we wanted. This committee will address all of the landscaping issues in our area, essentially the area from Leland Street East. They have been tasked to develop a comprehensive plan addressing all the landscaping issues regardless of whether it is a PBAC or building six responsibility. We envision this to be a standing committee that will provide reports to the owners and the Board at scheduled meetings. For more information please review the appointment letter posted to the bulletin board. The Board wishes to extend our appreciation to the members of the committee who volunteered to work on this project.
We have been advised that the fire doors in the lobbies must remain. We had a Fire and Safety inspection of the building and are waiting for the final report. However, the door issue was discussed prior to the inspection. We were advised that they must remain because they serve a dual purpose. First, they are fire doors and secondly, because of the age of our building and the construction of the elevator shafts, they function just as importantly as a smoke inhibitor. Newly constructed buildings are designed with a system which prevents the build-up of smoke in the elevator shafts and therefore are not required to have doors similar to ours. We are disappointed about this decision but it is for our safety that we must keep them.
As you may have noticed, the light fixtures on the upper garage have deteriorated significantly. They had a one year warranty on them so if they were to be repaired it would have to be at our expense. We made contact with the company who supplied the original fixtures and they agreed to replace them at no cost to us. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that we have to pay to have them installed. The decision had to be made whether to repair five year old fixtures or install new fixtures. The costs were very similar. We have made arrangements to have the new fixtures installed. The installation should be accomplished later this month or the beginning of August.
The Board continues to be asked the question “what do we get from PBAC?” We pay 30% of the overall costs of the Point Brittany operation, what are they doing for us? The other question which goes with this is “why don’t we just sever our ties with PBAC and hire our own management company?” Last question first. If we were able to get 100% of our owners to agree to opt out, we could go to the other buildings and ask them to join us and if 100% of those owners agreed, we could get away from the PBAC. There is literally no chance that this could happen. Now for my attempt to explain the first question. When we bought our units at Point Brittany, we bought the whole thing, that includes all of the amenities, regardless of whether or not you planned on using them. If you obtained a mortgage, these amenities factored into the application/loan process. That’s condominium living. Even if you use little or none of the amenities, you are required to assist in the up keep and maintenance of them. I think it would be appropriate to ask what would it be like to live in Building Six and not have access to the club house, the main pool, the docks, the walk way, the tennis courts, etc. Ok, yes I do get a little concerned that we may not be getting all that we want from PBAC. It is our job to advise them as to what we want them to do for us! I think our primary concern should be to look at the common area surrounding our building and present our plan to them for action. That is one of the main reasons we have appointed the landscaping committee.
We have been asked to address the issue of infants at our pools. If you have guests visiting you who have infants that are in diapers, they must be advised that the baby may not be in the pool. The simple explanation for this is that a babies waste contains a high level of bacteria which is harmful to anyone, especially older people.
Owners who wish to allow family members to use their unit in their absence may do so. The administrative office should be notified as to who will be in your unit and the time frame. They should also obtain a parking permit for the length of their stay. This should be accomplished upon their arrival or as soon as possible. We must do this for security purposes to protect your interest and that of your neighbor.
As indicated in our June 7, 2010 Newsletter (2), we were scheduled for an inspection of our balconies on June 17,2010. The inspection was conducted in order to be sure that the Cathodic Protection System was functioning correctly and that the balconies were in a good state of repair. The on site inspection was very promising in that there did not appear to be any major challenges. We anticipate that we will receive a detailed report by the end of July. Upon receipt of the report, the Board of Directors will have the opportunity to determine what if any action needs to be taken and of course, we will keep you informed.
THOMAS G. BERTZ
President, Building Six Board of Directors
Sunday, June 20, 2010
"Comments" now easier than ever!
Great to see that so many of you have provided your email address to receive updates to this blog. We will continue to keep you updated with information on Point Brittany.
In addition, thanks for letting us know the difficulty with posting comments to individual blogs. We changed a setting on the system to make this easier. Just hit comments on the bottom of the post and hit "post comments."
In addition, thanks for letting us know the difficulty with posting comments to individual blogs. We changed a setting on the system to make this easier. Just hit comments on the bottom of the post and hit "post comments."
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Newsletter 2
Just posted our new newsletter ... check it out under "pages - Point Brittany 6 newsletters."
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Welcome to our blog site
We are entering the world of social media so we can all stay in touch and in communication no matter where we are. We will use this site to keep you abreast of changes, updates and activities that impact our community. Please feel free to comment on the various postings and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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