Vol. VII N E W S L E T T E R,Viki Strandberg, editor - October 2011
For More Information Visit Our Website
The purpose of this newsletter is solely to provide information for residents of Casa del Lago. Schoo Management, Inc. and the DeerLake HOA Board cannot be held responsible for its accuracy. Any misrepresentation is purely accidental and will be corrected.
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FROM PRESIDENT BOYER’S DESK
Clubhouse Committee Pizza Party!
Your neighborhood Clubhouse Committee is going to do it again! Mark your calendars. Friday, October 21, starting at 6 PM, please come to the Pizza Party at our clubhouse. Free to all Homeowners. Any questions, contact Debbie Wiegert at 313-5698 or myself. This is a great way to meet your neighbors. Bring your whole family and we will try not to run out of Pizza!
HOA and Master POA Board Meetings October 20th
The Board of Directors for both the Homeowners Association and the Master POA will vote on drafts of their 2012 Budgets at Board meetings scheduled for Thursday, October 20, 2011. Following the meetings, copies of both draft budgets will be mailed to all homeowners. The final approval of the 2012 Budgets and next year’s assessments will occur at the Board Meetings to be held on Dec. 1, 2011.
Financial Update through August 31, 2011
Total Income year to date was $370,004, Total Expenses year to date were $365,712, and we have a $4,293 surplus to offset expenses during the remaining four months of this year. As of August 31st, our Reserves Accounts are standing at $183,273 and invested in FDIC insured money market or short term, bank CD’s.
Board Election Process
On January 26, 2012 at the Homeowners Annual Meeting, a vote will be taken to elect two homeowners to the open Board seats that are available due to the expiration of the terms of current board members, Rob Cooper and George Boyer. Any homeowners interested in being on the ballot should read and follow the election process information that is contained in this newsletter. This information will also be mailed out to homeowners. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact either Bob Gelles, at Schoo Management or myself. The term of a board member is three years. We have five board members and with staggered terms, we have one or two seats become available every year.
Garage Sale Saturday October 29th
We will open the front entranceway gates on Saturday, October 29thfrom 7AM to 4PM for anyone wishing to hold a garage sale. We provide this opportunity, from time to time, for homeowners to hold their own garage sale. Unfortunately garage sales often cause traffic problems and allow unknown visitors to enter our neighborhood. Since security is a concern for our gated community, our HOA Board established a policy of designating three dates per year to allow homeowners to hold Garage Sales (February, June, and October). If you are interested in having a garage sale, please plan for this date. The next date will not be until the last Saturday in February.
Comcast
In the coming months, Comcast will be enhancing their network to bring you more channels and better reception. They will be converting the analog channels in your TV lineup to all-digital format to provide better quality picture and sound. In order to benefit from these enhancements, digital adapters (DTA’s) will need to be installed on all Resident televisions. Comcast will be sending information to Residents 30 days in advance of the changeover with instructions on how to acquire their digital adapters (DTAs). Homes receiving Comcast service as part of the Association may visit the Comcast store located at 12641 Corporate Lakes Dr., Fort Myers to pick up – up to three DTAs and three remotes at no charge or homeowners may instead call 239-432-9277 to have them shipped at no charge. The boxes come with very easy installation instructions with diagrams. This digital conversion is scheduled to be completed by 3/27/2012. Following the conversion, you will receive the Digital starter channels, limited basic channels, and expanded basic channels- about 107 channels in all.
Clubhouse WIFI Hot Spot!
In case you did not know, we have WIFI internet access at the clubhouse. The WIFI network is named “Clubhouse.” Enjoy surfing the internet all day long!
Maintenance Update
Grout replacement on the pool and spa plus deck paver leveling was just completed. All of our community’s mailboxes and posts were repainted (including every street and stop sign) in September. Remember, our Homeowner’s Association is responsible for repair or replacement of any damaged mailboxes without additional cost to homeowners.
All the best!
George Boyer, Deer Lake HOA – President
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PIZZA PARTY! PIZZA PARTY! PIZZA PARTY! Did we say PIZZA PARTY? – Yes we did! Friday night October 21, 2011 at the Clubhouse – 6:00 till 9:00. Everyone is welcome. Let this be the biggest Casa del Lago Pizza Party ever!
We will be decorating the clubhouse for Christmas on Saturday November 19th. We are looking for volunteers to help decorate. Please meet at the clubhouse at 9:00 a.m.
And now to announce………………our……………….
ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY AND DINNER – SATURDAY NIGHT December 10, 2011, from 5:00 P.M. to ???... At the Clubhouse. Food & Drinks – Music & Dancing! Santa has made an appearance in the past and we are still trying to locate him to join our party! Everyone is invited! Please bring a non- perishable food item to be donated to one of our local charities. This is a free event approved by the Casa Del Lago Board of Directors.
Need a good book to read? Take a look in the clubhouse. There are a lot of great books to choose from.
We are looking for any good ideas you may have for clubhouse activities. We would love to have you join the committee. Give me a call or email me anytime. We meet periodically, so check for a notice at the clubhouse for meeting dates.
Now is a great time to reserve the clubhouse for those holiday parties, birthday parties, showers etc. Please contact Debbie Wiegert at dwiegert54@ yahoo.com or 313-5698 for any questions you may have. The clubhouse reservation forms can be found on our website
DON’T FORGET THE GARAGE SALE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29
FROM THE LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE
We have had to replace the dead and declining hibiscus at the clubhouse pool fence. They have lived out their life span or have been destroyed by mealy bugs. Please be sure to take a look at your hibiscus periodically. If you see that they have a white cottony substance, please let me or CLA know. We will need to treat it right away to save the plant. We will replace the shrubs at the clubhouse with a native Golden Dewdrop, which has light blue flowers and yellow berries. This plant attracts butterflies and should be a pretty addition to our neighborhood.
Our annual mulching is to be applied the week before Thanksgiving, so that the community will look great for the holidays. We are going to use brown mulch, which is a bit darker than our current mulch, but lightens in the sun. It has a more natural look, but is still made of pine, which will break down and add nutrients to our soil.
If you need advice on plants that do well in our environment, you may ask the members of the Landscape Committee and we will be glad to advise you. The addition of trees will have to be approved by the ARB. Remember that we do not want India Rubber or Norfolk Island Pines, as they grow too large for the size of our lots.
PLEASE do not park on the lawn, as sprinkler heads may be broken.
Our next Landscape Committee meeting will be on Friday, October 7, 9 AM, in the Clubhouse. All are welcome.
Landscape questions and requests—and compliments!—may be directed to CLA at , 454-3577, or Donna Cressman, , 415-1633 or Roxana Lugo, 217-6053.
Donna Cressman, Landscape Committee Chairperson
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
George Boyer, President: 415-1633
Phil Poston, Vice President: 275-6742
Carolyn Gilbert, 277-5743
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Jeff Holiman, Treasurer: 938-0014
Rob Cooper, Secretary: 337-670
MANAGEMENT COMPANY INFORMATION
Schoo Management, Inc.
9411 Cypress Lake Drive, Suite 2
Fort Myers, Florida33919
Office: 239-481-4700
President Bob Gelles – 281-4701 (cell)
Assistant – Donna Basile 481-4700
Our Website:
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HALLOWEEN FACTS
It’s that time of year again! Think you know your Halloween trivia? Try these:
The first jack-o’-lanterns were made from turnips.
Pumpkins come in orange, white, blue and green.
Halloween candy sales average 2 billion dollars in the US.
Halloween is second only to Christmas as the most commercial holiday.
Bobbing for apples originated in ancient Rome.
The mask used in the movie “Halloween” was actually William Shatner’s face painted white. (True!)
Legend has it that if you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a watchful loved one.
Also according to legend, if you stare into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, you will see your future spouse.
Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
Viki Strandberg
DEER LAKE HOA BOARD MEMBER ELECTION PROCESS
An Election will be held, at the Annual Homeowners meeting - Thursday Jan. 26, 2012 to fill two open positions.
Term of each Board Seat will be three years.
- This election process will be followed and communicated by mail to each homeowner.
- Any homeowner in good standing (current in Association Dues payments), wishing to run for a Board Seat should contact Bob Gelles at Schoo Management in writing or by email by Nov. 25, 2011.
- Board candidates are encouraged to prepare and provide a one page Bio to Bob Gelles at Schoo Management no later than Dec. 2, 2011. Additionally, candidates may submit up to a 100 word article for placement in the January 2012 Casa Del Lago newsletter and website in writing or by email to Bob Gelles at Schoo Management prior to Dec. 2, 2011.
- At the Dec. 1st, 2011,7 pm Board meeting, any homeowner who has notified Schoo Management of their intention to run for the Board position will get 5 minutes to address the audience. The Board will allow any homeowner from the floor to also announce their intention to run for the open Board position and also have 5 minutes to address the audience.
- Following the Dec. 1st Board meeting, a Ballot will be created containing all of the names of homeowners (in good standing) who made it known to the Board that they want to run in the Election for the open Board positions. The Board will distribute the ballot and Election notice by mail to all homeowners along with copies of any one page Bios that were received.
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