Property Manager’s Report – August 2010

WHAT WERE THOSE SIGNS?
There were a number of rumors about why there were signs at each entry last month and what it was all about. I heard a lot of interesting rumors (some were downright scary!) but the fact is that the signs were required by the City so PGA POA could amend the “PCD”. When each community in PGA National was originally constructed, certain setbacks were established. In short, this determines how close to your property line you can construct the walls of your home, your screen enclosure, your pool, etc. Because of the way the original language was filed with
the City, these setbacks changed over the years (ie: whenever the City’s setbacks changed for all of Palm Beach Gardens they changed PGA’s setbacks too). This had the potential to cause problems if your pool screen needed to be replaced and you may not have been able to put it back where it always was.

The POA and City Staff worked hard reviewing almost thirty years worth of site plans, surveys, aerial photos and other documents to ensure that the setbacks were accurate for each of the approximately 40 communities in PGA. A “spread sheet” listing setbacks for each community was created so all data is available on one document and both the POA Architectural Review Committee and the City’s Permit Department could both work from the same document. City Council approved the setbacks and all is once again well in our world!

AUGUST IS TIME FOR:
Really HOT days! Believe it or not, you are now a month away from the height of “H” (storm) season …sorry but we don’t use “the H Word” this time of the year! If you don’t already have a supply of batteries, water, non-perishable food items and other things you may need to survive a week or more without electricity, it is time to get things organized! You can find information on how to prepare before, during and after a storm elsewhere on this website.

It is also time for you to get a reminder letter telling you that if you haven’t paid your annual assessment to PGA POA, your account is now in arrears and interest penalties have begun to accrue. Please mail or deliver your payment.

CRAFTY PEOPLE
While staying in the air conditioning, you can work on your arts and crafts project and make some extra money! The POA Special Events Committee started an Annual Arts & Crafts festival each December. You don’t need to be a professional artist to participate so go to the above website to get more information and an application. It is a one day event being held on Saturday, December 11th so even if you don’t participate you should plan to attend!

THE PGA POA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Your Board is governed by nine members of the community whom you elect for a two year term. You will elect four members to the Board in January of 2011 but it is now time to find candidates. If you are interested in serving on the Board or know someone who may be interested, please ask them to call Dawn at 561-627-2800.

DON’T TELL AND SEARCH LIKE HECK (well, I lost the rhyme but I hate it when I get my mouth washed out with soap for using “bad words”)
The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department often sends us notices regarding protecting your property and they let us know about the latest “scams”. We post information here on the POA website.

The “bad guys” are really getting creative now that the internet allows people easy access to all kinds of information about you. By going “on line” I can find out where you live, your phone number(s), the names of your family members, your bank, your mortgage company and all kinds of other things. I can then call you and claim to represent one of the agencies (such as your mortgage company) and get all kinds of personal information
under the guise of “confirming your information in our records”.

It surprises me how willing people are to give out their date of birth, drivers license number, and even their social security number!

Please, if anyone calls you on the phone, do NOT give them any information. If it is a legitimate call, they will already have the information they are asking you to “confirm”.

There are also those who go door-to-door offering to do work at your home because they are “in the neighborhood” and can give you a great deal “if you sign up now”. First, soliciting of any type in PGA National is against the rules and you should immediately call security (627-1600). Second, many of these people do not have a license or insurance and in many cases, you will sign an official looking document, pay a deposit then never hear from them again.

The answer: BE CAREFUL AND CHECK THEM OUT (search like heck)! If you are hiring a contractor, you can call (561) 233-5525 to see if they have a Certificate of Competency.

Anyone who provides services in the following trades MUST have a certificate from the State of Florida: Plumbing, Electrical, Air Conditioning, Burglar Alarms, Concrete work, Drywall, Fabric Awnings, Fences, Garage Doors, Windows, “H” Shutters, Irrigation, Roofing, Pools, etc. You can go to SunBiz.org to look up the name of a company (by officer name, corporate name, etc) to see if they are registered with the state. Whether the company is incorporated, a Limited Liability Corporation or a Partnership, you should find information at this site.

You can also contact the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed. The City Building Department may be able to tell you whether the company has permits pulled and may be able to answer some of your questions. Talk to your friends and neighbors to find out who they hired and remember that any changes to the outside of your home need prior approval by the POA Architectural Review Committee.

ALWAYS get a Certificate of Insurance from your contractor so you can verify they have general liability and workers compensation coverage. Otherwise, if they are hurt on your property, your insurance will be paying!

IN OUR THOUGHTS
In the more than 12 years I have been privileged to work at PGA, the community has lost many good people who left us quietly and while in our thoughts and prayers, they are (unfortunately) seldom mentioned here.

Before I came to PGA Property Owners Association, The man in charge was Mr. Bill Foley. He looked after the residents of PGA National for many, many years while the community was still under Developer control. After transition from the developer, Mr. Foley agreed to come out of retirement to work part time to ensure that everything was being properly covered since PGA National is the size of a city. Everyone in the PGA community knew Bill Foley and he was well liked and well respected by residents, contractors and employees.

The PGA POA Transition Committee, Board of Governors and management staff send our sincere condolences to Mr. Foley’s wife and family – he will be sadly missed.

Property Manager’s Report – July 2010

STORMS:

As evidenced by the number of shutter applications being submitted to the POA Architectural Review Committee, it is obvious that it is time again to start making sure your property is protected from storms. (Sorry, but for the next few months I am not permitted to use the “H” word so I will simply say “storms”).

If you plan to install hurricane shutters of ANY type, approval is needed from the POA Architectural Review Committee (“ARC”). Contact JoAnn at 627-2800 for information regarding what type of shutters are permitted in your community and to find out about the application procedure. Most of the local shutter companies are familiar with the submittal procedure.

In addition to shutters, you should be stocking up on batteries, water, and similar items NOW. If you wait for storm warnings, you will likely discover that what you wanted is no longer available. Supplies disappear off the shelves the moment a storm-watch is issued. Elsewhere on this website you will find helpful information for storm preparation. If you prefer, you can also pick up a copy in the POA office.

THEFT:

Storms are not the only thing that could result in loss of property. It is an unfortunate fact that you must also protect your property from “crimes of opportunity”. While PGA National is privileged to be a “safe” community, there are still a number of thefts. Typically, this is due to carelessness: people leave valuable items in plain view in their vehicle and don’t even lock the door! Wackenhut Security is currently operating the “smart car” program where they make a visual inspection of parked cars to see if there is evidence of valuable items left in sight (and then contact the owner if anything is seen) but they can’t be everywhere so secure your property!

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS? OH MY! How about Dogs, and Gators and Birds?

I don’t know if you realize how fortunate you are to be surrounded by so much wildlife. Although you may be frightened (and therefore you should respect) by that alligator sunning on the lake bank, and although owners should keep their pets on a leash, these ‘critters’ are out and about. You should never, ever, for ANY reason feed the alligators since they quickly lose their fear of humans and this is when tragedies occur.

As for the other wildlife, such as raccoons, opossum, foxes, rabbits and everything in between, leaving food out for the “neighborhood cat” (or even your own dog in your back yard) attracts other wildlife to the area. The “critters’ were here long before the homes were built but you can live peacefully with them. Simply be aware of your surroundings. Hiring a “trapper” will likely get rid of your cash before you ever get rid of all the animals so most associations do not provide this service. Simply stay out of their way and don’t “invite” them on your property by leaving food sources out for them. If an animal is aggressive or acting “strange” call Animal Control or Wackenhut Security.

As I repeat in almost every issue: WATCH YOUR SPEED. Those beautiful Sandhill Cranes (the BIG birds with the red crown) tend to “blend in” with the color of the street and they don’t just get out of the way. The only thing worse than watching an animal get hit and suffer to the end would be if it was a human. Keep that in mind when you are rushing to wherever and slow down!

HELP…I’M FLOATING AWAY!

This is rainy season. When it rains, the water flows into the lakes/canals via a special drainage system and there are FIVE pumps that pump the water west, out of PGA National. When it has bee pouring for an hour without stopping, the water will rise. It is not likely it will come into your home (I hope) and the moment the weather takes a break, you will see the standing water recede very quickly. Please don’t call the POA to tell us you have standing water in your driveway or on your lot when it just stopped raining. As silly as that sounds, you would be surprised.

In addition to the main drainage system, PGA is designed with swales (in front and behind homes) designed to hold water. I said designed to hold water….meaning you WILL have standing water; however, as stated above, as soon as the rainfall slows down, the water goes down. Please be patient.

HAVE WE BEEN NAUGHTY OR NICE?

In the current issue of C.A.N. you will find a ‘PGA POA COMMENT CARD”. The Board of Governors would appreciate it if you would review it and give your comments/suggestions. Your input is truly appreciated…whether your comments are good or bad!

THANK YOU

Property Managers Report – June 2010

SHORT AND SWEET:

This month I will keep things brief. I know you can’t believe it but I will try really hard not to ramble on. I only have a few reminders (and a couple humorous things) to tell you about.

REMINDERS

Theft: We enjoyed a couple months where there were no break ins but (to quote a popular horror movie: “they’re baaaacckk!”. Typically items are stolen from unlocked cars when owners leave valuables in the car (often in plain view).

Please remember to lock your car and your home and set your alarm. Seems like an obvious thing but because the residents of PGA enjoy such a low crime rate, there is a false sense of security. Be aware and be safe, please!

Animals: it was a cold winter (well, cold for Florida) and all the animals that cuddled to keep warm have now had babies and they are all over the place. There is a wilderness preserve and four golf courses as well as beautiful landscaping everywhere so the animals have a great habitat. Not all are cute fuzzy bunnies: there are raccoons, foxes, opossum, armadillo, bats and the like all looking for a tiny little corner where they can live their lives. Sometimes they decide they like YOUR corner and try to move into your home; however, before you start killing things keep in mind that some of the wildlife is endangered or protected (not talking about rats here!). For example if bats are coming and going, it is against the law to just board up the opening and preventing the bats from getting to their family. If you have bats or suspect that you do, there are specialists who must be called and they must follow strict guidelines for eradication. You can call me for the contact number or check the internet by searching under “Bat prevention, Florida”.

Because the animals try to hide from humans, many are only seen at night or in the early morning or late evening hours. Unfortunately, they must also cross the street and can be hit by cars. I received a message from a resident who was (rightfully) very upset because he watched a raccoon die after being hit by someone’s car. The Sandhill Cranes (the big, beautiful birds with the red crown on their head) are very hard to see against the gray roadway and often don’t move out of a vehicle’s way. Please remember that one of the reasons you purchased in PGA National because of the beautiful habitat – be tolerant of the animals and by all means SLOW DOWN so you can perhaps stop in time if one of the animals does happen to cross in front of your car.

Money: This is the third month and it is now time; THE BILLS HAVE BEEN MAILED. The $650 annual assessment to PGA POA is due on July 1st. As indicated in several places in the mailing, if there is any reason you can’t pay in full by the due date, you need to call me. The Board does not want to refer an account for collection and have the owner pay legal fees and costs if they are already having a financial hardship.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

I keep saying I will someday write a book with the crazy things people call the POA for and want us to “do something”. A well-known builder pointed out that no one would ever believe these things really happen but those in this business can attest to the truth!

Here are some humorous things regarding a few not-to-funny matters:
Full of water: There was one day when we had at least a foot of rain within one hour. PGA National has a swale system which is designed to hold water. The swales hold water that flows to the lakes then out to the preserve west of PGA. There are five pumps on the western perimeter that pump water at hundreds of thousands of gallons per minute but when the rain comes down that hard, that fast, it takes a little while for the system to “catch up”. We had no less than a dozen owners who called to report that they had standing water in their street, driveway or yard – really? Of course an hour later it was mostly gone but there was a moment of panic initially.

Full of gas: In mid-May, the natural gas was not working in all of Palm Beach County. I don’t know exactly what the problem was but we got a few calls from residents who felt the POA should “call someone” to get it turned back on. I admit that the staff calls me The Wizard (yep, as in Oz) but I think that’s really only because it would be rude to call me what they really want to! Despite this, I really don’t have “someone” I can call to magically have service restored. We call the same customer service number that you do whenever any utility is not working. Unfortunately, no one could tell us when they anticipated the gas to be restored so we couldn’t get any further updates to the residents – we did try!

HAVE A HAPPY SUMMER: All the snowbirds are gone….it’s safe to go to your favorite restaurant (as long as they have gas to cook with!)

Property Managers Report – May 2010

SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR

Everyone was complaining about the colder temperatures this past “winter”…well now you’ve done it!  The warm weather is here and will only get hotter.  Many plants were badly damaged during the cooler temps and now need to be trimmed back to cut off the dead branches and encourage new, healthy growth.  Take a close look at your property and be sure your gardener is addressing the brown, dead, ugly plants.  You may need to fill in bare areas which won’t need ARC approval but if you decide to “re-do” your landscape you will need to get prior approval from the POA ARC.  The process is actually fairly simple and will ensure that you don’t do something that could result in having to change the landscape back later or having fines imposed for not following POA rules.

If you have any questions about whether your plans for updating your landscape need approval, give JoAnn at call at the POA: (561) 627-2800.

To those community Board members reading this article, take a look at your association’s entry!  Need work?  It’s time!

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT

The assessment notice and payment coupon will be mailed on June 1^st. The PGA POA annual assessment payment is due on July 1^st and has increased slightly to $650.00 for the year. This is due solely to “bad debts” or the homes that are in foreclosure.  Despite the Board’s diligence in holding down costs and even reducing many costs, the number of homes in foreclosure and those expected to be added to the foreclosure list have resulted in a budget shortage (meaning the assessment had to be raised).

As indicated in my article last month, if there is any reason you cannot pay the full $650.00 assessment by July 1^st, you must contact my office to make arrangements so the account doesn’t end up in collection with a bunch of legal fees and costs added to a balance you already can’t pay!

SECURITY

Last month I told you about all the changes in the security to improve service.  It is important that we hear from you if there is a problem.  Please call the POA office at 627-2800 if there is any problem.  If it relates to the entry gates, please be sure you tell us which gate and the approximately time.

NEVER TOO OLD TO ENJOY CHILDHOOD

For those who didn’t make it to Masters Park on April 24^th, you missed another fun day at PGA!  The Annual Children’s Party in the Park was a great success and a lot of fun as always.  In next month’s issue we should have photos available and, as usual, the pictures are on the Website at www.pga-poa.com

YOUR INNER ARTIST?

The POA Special Events Committee will again hold the Arts & Crafts festival in Masters Park in December.  If you have a talent that you want to show off and you’re willing to part with some of your items, why not join us?  The POA offers one tent on a “first come” basis for artists who don’t have their own tent. You can also purchase one at Target, Wal-Mart or similar stores for under $90.00 and the investment will be returned on your first good sale of the day!  If you and some of your friends enjoy knitting, painting, or similar arts or crafts, why not get together in one tent to sell your creations?  It’s fun!  Please go to www.pga-poa.com for information about the event and how to get started.

I LOVE RULES…..AS LONG AS THEY DON’T APPLY TO ME!

I will attempt some pathetic humor now (so don’t say you weren’t warned).  The story is the POA story and the heading explains it all.  Every day we get calls from owners who are upset because they got a citation for putting their trash out on the wrong day; leaving their garage door open; parking an unauthorized vehicle outside overnight; making too much noise; etc.  The names have been changed to protect the (not so) innocent and if you think I’m referring to you – I’m probably not because every one of these has happened several times.

Trucks:  The caller tells me they have a beautiful, brand new truck that was cited for being left out overnight.  They want permission to park it there for THREE MONTHS while their family is visiting.  Why can’t the POA just give them a pass that lets them keep the truck outside but only for that period of time?

ME:  If the POA gave a “pass” every time someone needed an “exemption” or “grace period” what would be the purpose of having the rule?  There would be trucks everywhere with little paper passes on the dash.  Why not just do away with the rule if anyone can just get a “pass” to be excused from the rule

THEM:  OK – so do away with the rule.  I think it is outdated anyway, my truck is beautiful!

ME: Then send a letter telling the board you would like them to reconsider this rule…I’ve told every caller this for the twelve years I have been at PGA National.  You know how many letters I’ve received?  None – zero – not one.

WHAT THIS SAYS:  It obviously isn’t important enough to be bothered writing a letter – I just thought I’d try to get away with breaking this rule.  I don’t like this rule because I have a truck and don’t want to make room for it in my garage.

Garage doors:  The owner says they should be able to keep their garage door open if they want to and security needs to mind their own business.

ME:  It isn’t very pretty to drive through a beautiful community and look at piles of junk inside garages but the real reason this rule is important is that we do, unfortunately, have things stolen out of garages.

THEM;  Then it’s my fault if something is stolen.  If I want to take that chance it’s none of your business

ME:  We’ve had situations where we have found owners injured and even dead and the only reason we knew there was a problem was because they fell after opening the garage door and after being left open we investigated further.  How do we know if the garage door is open because you want it open and don’t care; whether something has happened to you; or whether you drove away and forgot to close it and have accidentally left your house open to theft?

THEM:  It’s none of your business.  It’s my house and I should be able to do what I want.

WHAT THIS SAYS:  The owner should get a pass for his garage door, right?

Trash:  The owner said they put yard debris at the curb on Wednesday and got a citation. They feel they should be able to put bags at the curb when they need to because their landscaper comes on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

ME:  The rules require private landscapers to remove their own debris at the end of the work day.  For your own trash, you can put it at the curb no earlier than nightfall on the evening before pick up but if you don’t use a trash can, you shouldn’t put the bags at the curb an earlier than the morning of pick up.

THEM:  But if the landscaper takes the debris I have to pay him and he can’t come on Thursday because he does a lot of houses in PGA and can’t do all of them on the same day.

WHAT THIS SAYS:  The owner should get a pass for their yard waste and trash so they can put it out whenever they want, right?

Everyone bought in a community with rules but no one likes being told what they can and can’t do.  The rules help maintain property values by ensuring the appearance of the community is maintained to a certain standard which is why many people purchased a home in this community.  It is why a community that is 30+ years old can still compete with newer communities when it is time to buy or sell a home.  It is why PGA is a great place to live!  It’s just really not right that those rules have to apply to you too.

We do want to thank you for not taking out your frustration on me or the rest of the POA staff since we are just the messengers who are tasked with letting you know what rules are.  We don’t really care if you call us bad names (I’m sure we’ve been called worse things by better people) but please keep in mind that we have to be sure that everyone abides by the rules. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation with the rules of PGA POA.

Property Manager’s Report – April, 2010

BYE BYE BIRDIES….

Every year I try to give you some reminders of things you should do before you “go north” for the summer (discontinue your newspapers; clean our the refrigerator and freezer; removing caustic blue agents from toilet tanks; do NOT turn off the air conditioner but set the thermostat at approximately 80 degrees and set the switch to “automatic”).  This year there is one simple thing you can do to get security to check the perimeter of your residence in addition to their regular drive by patrols.

The gate access system has an updated website that is much more “user friendly” than the old version.  This new program not only allows you to update your guest list but there is a section for you to enter dates when you plan to be away.  If you put your “vacation information” in the system, it will automatically generate a form for perimeter checks. This will allow security to walk around the outside of your home periodically to check for broken windows or other evidence of a problem (note; we do NOT check door handles).

To get this service (and to update your resident and guest information), you need  internet access.  Go to www.GateAccess.net (which you obviously have if you are reading this post).  You must log in by using PGA as the “community code”; your home (or main contact) phone number with area code but no hyphens, parenthesis or spaces as the “user name”; and your 5-digit access code for your “password”.  Please note that some residents have used their cell phone or other number as the main contact so if you can’t open the program, call the POA with your access code and we will tell you which phone number you gave us for contact.

The other nice feature of this program is that you can register your pet(s) and even post a photo of them!  If they get out we can literally look up “brown dog” or a specific species and get a list of every brown dog or specific species in PGA.  Recently an owner’s sixteen year old dog managed to get out and security saw the dog at about midnight and was able to reunite dog and owner.

One final request for exiting “snow birds”:  It is very important that you take a good look at your home.  If the roof or driveway needs to be cleaned or plants need to be replaced, it should be done before you leave.  It isn’t fair to your neighbors to leave your home in disrepair for months until you return.  In addition, your absence cannot be used as a reason to ignore or delay responding to requests from your HOA or POA if something needs attention while you are away.

SAVING YOU MONEY – IMPROVING SECURITY

As I reported last month, there were some burglaries and the Board worked diligently with Wackenhut (and continues to do so) to improve service.  One of the recent contract revisions allowed the addition of an additional patrol – and they still saved you almost $35,000. per year!    The new patrol is going to be walking around homes and keeping a close eye on perimeters so if you see someone in a different uniform with a baseball cap instead of the hats Wackenhut usually uses, it is probably the new patrol officer.  Many residents have met him when he entered their yard (and congratulations to them for being observant) but if there is any question about someone you see walking around, please be cautious and call security!

MONEY, PLEASE

The POA has an annual assessment that is due by July 1^st.  Assessment notices are mailed on June 1^st and it is your responsibility to ensure timely payment is made (whether you receive the notice and coupon on not).  What is the money being used for?  The budget with footnotes explaining every line item in the budget is mailed with the assessment coupon.   Because of the economy, many owners put off paying then forget completely, resulting in their account being referred to the attorney for collection.  Unfortunately, if you are already having financial difficulties, adding legal fees and costs to your balance is counter-productive!  Please contact my office if you cannot meet the July 1^st payment deadline.  Despite what some people say about the POA, the Board really is very helpful and will work with residents to resolve these problems but they cannot forgive assessments or interest and once an account goes to collection there is nothing the POA can do so don’t wait to call!

FINALLY….THE FUN STUFF:

In closing, let me remind everyone that the 24^th Annual Children’s Party in the Park will be held Saturday, April 24^th at Masters Park from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.  This event is for PGA residents and their guests.  An advertisement is on the homepage and a post card is in the mail – but in summary, there will be tons of fun!  Carnival rides, games and prizes; face painting; clowns; and, if you purchase a $1.00 food pass in advance, you can get a hotdog or hamburger and a soda.  If you don’t want to buy a food pass, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy and other treats are also available.  Kids of all ages enjoy this event so we hope to see you there!

Property Manager’s Report – March, 2010

The POA annual meeting was held at the end of January (too late for the elected board members to be noted in the February issue).  Congratulations to Mike Engelsher (also elected Vice President), Jack Hughes (elected Secretary), Ralph Infanti, Don Paulus and Phil Slifka they were re-elected and will serve another 2 year term with fellow board members Herb Andrew, Bob Brown (Treasurer), Bob Hodgson (President), Jeanne Larsen.  The POA Board and Committee Chairpersons are listed on PGA TV Channel 63 and here on the website

THANK YOU!

To all the dog walkers – I have noticed more and more people cleaning up after their pets ….I thank you personally from the bottom of my shoes.  Oops, I mean heart!  Keep up the great work and help spread the word to others.

ARE THEY BREAKING IN?

In case you haven’t heard, PGA has had a few burglaries this year.  Although it is a very unusual thing in the community, I regret to tell you that it IS happening.  There are a million rumors (as usual) about this subject so please call the POA if you have a question.   Some of you may have received an email about a group allegedly active again in the area but even if you didn’t get the message, there are a few simple things that you can do to keep your home (and neighborhood) safe:

LOCK YOU DOOR AND SET THE ALARM. If you don’t have glass break sensors or motion sensors in all areas, get them!   If your bathroom window doesn’t have alarms – get them installed!   The group I referred to doesn’t let an alarm chase them off if there– they simply come in the master bedroom via the sliding glass door by breaking the glass(most sensors are magnetic on the window frame)  or they enter via the bathroom through  the window you left open for ventilation.

WATCH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD:  A Lexington Green resident called Wackenhut because they saw a couple people carrying things out the back of a residence.  One looked like a vacuum cleaner (no, silly, the thing they were carrying… not the person!  How can a person look like a vacuum?) .  Because they were observed and a partial license plate was obtained, they were apprehended!

DAY TIME IS THE TIME TO BE ALERT:  With all the people in the community during the day, it is prime time for break-ins.  If you see something that doesn’t look right, call security or call the police.

FISHING (OR CASING?):  There are NO authorized fishing areas in any community in PGA National.  If you see someone fishing along the bank near any residence, call security.  Anyone wishing to fish within PGA must obtain a fishing license from the POA and they may only fish in specific areas (along main roads).  Someone standing near homes has a great opportunity to watch a resident’s “routine” or to know who is home.

The bottom line is to keep your eyes open and call security if you see ANYTHING suspicious.  Wackenhut’s phone number is 627-1600.  Palm Beach Gardens Police is 799-4445 but if it is a true EMERGENCY, you should call 911.

ALL THOSE CAMERAS!

To all of you who realize how important it is to put your best face forward and have taken the time to clean up your property for the Honda Classic, the POA Board thanks you!  After mid-March when the blimps are gone and the TV crews have all packed up, please continue your efforts!

When you live in a community year-round you become immune to certain things – good and bad.  You may not notice the un-mulched worn out landscape but others new to the community do!  In the alternative, you may not notice how good the majority of the homes are maintained but other do.  I often hear how nice PGA looks – especially for a community that is 30 years old!  This is due to you (thank you) and we hope that you will continue to take pride and even if financially you are not able to do a lot, just keeping the property neat is a considerable help!

CHILDRENS PARTY IN THE PARK

The Annual Children’s Party in the Park will be held next month!  Yep, it’s that time again!  Mark the date:  SATURDAY, APRIL 24 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. IN MASTERS PARK.   A post card will be mailed to all PGA residences so that you can RSVP and pick up a food pass if you want a hot dog or hamburger.  Hope to see you there!

Property Manager’s Report – February, 2010

GATES AND BAR CODES

As a reminder for anyone who got a new car, please do NOT try to pull your bar code off and put it on the new car.  Even if you get lucky and it works, it will only be for a limited time. The bar codes are made so that they stop working if they are damaged in any way or if the line gets distorted.  In addition, we can’t keep our records accurate if the bar code isn’t on the vehicle where it is supposed to be!

If you get a new license plate, be sure to let us know that too.

Once in a while the scanner doesn’t work properly and the gate doesn’t open.  Guards have to get specific information when this occurs so please be patient (even if they “just got it the last time you tried to come through the gate”).   If it happens more than once, please call the POA so we can find out why the reader isn’t scanning your bar code properly.  It is usually something we can easily fix such as an expired lease that we weren’t told was renewed; an owner who had a temporary tag and forgot to tell us they got the permanent one, etc.

We were missing two of our usual four staff members at the POA office during the last two weeks of December  If you were one of the 200 people who came in for bar codes during that time,  we want to thank you for your patience!  The cold weather drove our “snow birds” home again for the holidays and coupled with the seasonal renters, it was a wild time at PGA POA.

SECURITY

The POA Board is happy to announce that they have re-structured the Wackenhut contract resulting in a savings of more than $34,000. per year!  An additional patrol has been added permanently.  Although PGA National enjoys a very low crime rate in comparison with the rest of the Palm Beach Gardens area, there are still some minor problems. Usually they occur when a complacent resident leaves valuables in site in their car and leaves the door unlocked; or when a resident goes to dinner forgetting to close the garage door or lock the front door of their home (and, believe it or not, even leaves the door standing open!).

FISHING

Residents and their guests may fish in PGA National but ONLY in specific areas and only if they have a PGA fishing license.  This may seem strange until you realize that the perfect way for bad guys to watch a community is to fish (or pretend to!) near homes.  This is why there are no authorized fishing areas inside any community.  If you see anyone fishing near any residence, please call security at 627-1600.  Obviously, if you see anyone who looks suspicious or not, you should always call security.

ANNUAL MEETING

If you missed the meeting, you missed the opportunity to win VIP passes to the Honda Classic!  Ed McEnroe and Brent Waugh arranged for the POA to give away two Saturday passes and two Sunday passes to the Nicklaus Village Champions Club (the air conditioned area by the 18^th tee where unlimited food and beverage is served) as well as a number of “any day” passes to the tournament.  See, you should have set aside an hour for the annual meeting!  Besides, this is the time for the residents of PGA to find out what’s happening in the community and the surrounding areas.

HOW THE HECK ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO KNOW???

In addition to this website and the C.A.N. newspaper, there is an additional sources that we would like residents to get used to using:  TV Channel 63 (viewed only by those with Cable TV and only within PGA National community).

For example, Christmas Day fell on a Friday this year.  Trash in PGA is collected on Tuesday and Friday and there were a lot of confused residents trying to find out when debris would be collected.  It was not collected on Christmas Day but it WAS collected New Years Day.  If you tuned in to Channel 63 you would have found the answers you needed (along with pictures of friends playing cards, announcements of Board meetings and other information of interest to residents).  Just wanted to let you know some sources for information.  Of course you can join the others calling the POA for everything and we will always do our best to assist, even when we get questions like “what’s the name of that Thai restaurant by  you?”; or “do you know where we go to get our license renewed?” and everything in between!

Have a wonderful day and remember to smile at a stranger…..it will either make their day or scare the heck out of them!

Property Manager’s Report – January, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

The most important thing first: Wishing all of you a happy and healthy New Year.

ART FESTIVAL:

For those who allowed the overcast skies to keep them away, you missed a terrific event!  The 4^th Annual Art Festival and Craft Fair at Masters Park was THE place to be.  With almost 70 vendors, those who braved the weather found fantastic one-of-a-kind works of art – from the 17 ft mermaid sculpture to a pair of earrings we had it all.  Many PGA residents won more than one item in the raffle and they were especially happy they stopped by!  I would also like to extend a special thanks to all who stopped by Dawn’s Designs to look at and/or purchase my sterling silver jewelry.

ANNUAL MEETING:

Don’t forget the PGA POA Annual Meeting and Election will be held at the PGA Resort on Thursday, January 21^st.  Sign in starts at 5:00 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. It is very important that owners attend this meeting!  County and City officials take time out of their schedule to attend the meeting and speak to the residents of PGA National.  It is important that you let them know you have an interest (and that your vote counts!).

REMINDERS:

COURTESY, COURTESY, COURTESY:  That summarizes it all!

1. Bicycles, skaters, and others “on wheels” should let pedestrians know when they are approaching a pedestrian from behind.

2. Even though pedestrians and bicycles have the right of way, please don’t assume they will stop – When approaching an intersection, STOP and be sure traffic stops for you.  This is particularly important when using the Ryder Cup Blvd walkway – cars leaving the adjacent communities go past the walkway before coming to their stop sign and although they are supposed to yield to those using the path, most don’t!

3. Gates:  you absolutely MUST come to a stop before going through the gate.  Don’t assume the guard is holding the gate open for you because they can’t.  It is an automated system for the most part.  The guard hits the switch to open the gate then when the car passes, it closes automatically (the guard does NOT close it).  This means if you try to follow the car in front of you without stopping at the sign, and your timing is not exact, the gate will close on your car unless you come to a complete stop and allow the guard to then open the gate for you.

4. If you have a dog, please clean up after it! Wackenhut guards are now giving plastic bags to anyone seen walking their pet without visible means of cleaning up. Please be courteous of your neighbors, kids who walk in the area and my shoes too!

5. Wildlife: DON’T FEED IT!  This time of year, we have residents and guests who have never seen an alligator and think it is “really neat” to feed them.  Actually, it is really dangerous and they learn to associate people with food.  I’m sure you can do the math here!  We don’t need alligators attacking so please let them live as they have for many thousands of years:  by taking care of themselves.

PROJECTS:

Although the specific timing hasn’t been worked out, I can tell you that the POA is looking into accomplishing the following:

1. Paving General Drive between Ave of the Masters and the back gate to the Championship (Eagleton) communities

2. Paving Old Meadow Way between Ave of the Masters and the entry to Patio Homes

3. Enhancement to all entries.  Within the next year the Northlake Blvd wall and all entry monuments will be painted.  At some later date, there are plans to modify the entry monuments to give them a more contemporary appearance.

4. Northern PB County Improvement District is planning to pave Tournament Blvd and Medalist.

A REQUEST:

If you see a street light out, please call the POA at 627-2800 and let us know the location so we can get the request to the appropriate person.

If your bar code (the “gate sticker”) doesn’t work, please call the POA so we can look into the problem.  Please don’t assume the guard has reported your bar code; we sometimes don’t immediately get the report and you will be inconvenienced each time you enter.

Property Manager’s Report – December 2009

Hi – I fell off my soapbox and I’m back….see last month’s article if you don’t know what I’m referring to. Thanks for all the positive comments to last month’s rant! Sometimes we just have to vent and I guess I felt it was just my turn – thanks again for “listening”.

First, I want to remind everyone that the PGA POA Special Events Committee has been working very hard organizing the 4th Annual Art Festival and Craft Fair to be held Saturday, December 12th in Masters Park. You do NOT want to miss it this year! In addition to more than 60 very talented artists and crafters, there will be food and great weather (do you think the weather sprites would let us down after the cold event last year?). Seriously, stop by between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. – even if you just stop to say hi to me while I sell the jewelry I make in all my “spare” time!

So, what’s up?

Paving
A few months ago I reported that NPBCID would be paving Tournament Blvd. Well, they are going to but it seems it will happen later than I anticipated so I will have to let you know when I hear something

Entry
The POA is still working with the PGA Resort to try to enhance the entry at Avenue of the Champions. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance all entries but that one will be first. Did you notice the new tile roofs on all the guardhouses? The next minor project will be repainting the monument walls and the Northlake Blvd wall.

Turnpike Buffer
Although it has taken longer than expected for the ficus hedge to grow in, I am happy to report that it is thickening up and getting taller. Who knew that White Fly was going to attack Ficus and that we would have the worst drought ever right after the hedge was planted? Speaking of White Fly, if you have a Ficus hedge or tree anywhere on your property, call a pest control company to treat it right away. I’m sure you have seen sections of beautiful, full hedges suddenly turn brown and die…its most likely White Fly! It will kill a previously thought indestructible Ficus in weeks.

Dogs
Many owners have stepped up (which is so much better than stepping in) and are now cleaning up after their pets – thank you! Wackenhut Security is going to start handing out bags to any owner seen walking a pet without visible means of cleaning up. This doesn’t mean you should stop carrying a bag so you can get one from them: if it happens often enough with the same person, it is possible that you could be subject to fining for not following the rules so please continue doing a great job on your own.

Security
Wackenhut has its own article but now that everyone is back in town I wanted to remind you: LOCK YOUR DOORS – SET YOUR ALARM. Please do not leave anything valuable in your car and by all means, lock the door to your car and your home! Leaving the garage door open while you walk to the group of mailboxes two doors down is a great way for someone to slip into your house and you won’t even know it. Keep your garage door closed and stay safe.

A BIG SECRET!!!!
The PGA POA Annual meeting will be held Thursday, January 21, 2010. Sign in starts at 5:00 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. NO, that is not the secret, silly – we send everyone a notice about the meeting! The secret is that the POA will be raffling off
Two tickets to the Honda Classic Champions Club on the 18th Fairway (yep, the expensive ones). All you have to do is attend the meeting (sorry, you can’t sign in and leave, you have to stay). The meeting will only take about an hour and the public officials who diligently attend each year and give a report will be happy to see you there taking an interest (even if we did have to bribe you). Hope to see you there!

In closing I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. We are all going through difficult times and those who can afford it should think about sharing whatever they can: clean out a closet and donate to the local charity; spend a day working at a food bank or “soup kitchen”; make a cash donation; pick up a toy and put it in the “Toys for Tots” bin or buy some extra food for the bin at Publix; or just hold the door and smile at someone if that’s all you can give. Believe me, every little thing means a lot!

Property Manager’s Report – November 2009

POA ANNUAL MEETING –WHY YOU NEED TO BE THERE
The Annual Meeting and election for PGA POA will be held Thursday, January 21st. Every year the POA Board begs residents to attend. This year is no different! Please mark your calendar and plan to stop by the PGA Resort for the 6:00 p.m. meeting. Aside from the fact that you should vote for board members to protect your biggest investment (your home), there are also various City and County Officials who give their annual report and share information regarding your community outside of PGA National.

There may come a time when you need the various officials to support or deny something that may have a direct impact on the residents of PGA National. If you can’t take an hour out of your schedule to listen to what they have to say, it might be perceived as an “I don’t’ care” attitude when we know that isn’t the case so please, please, please join us at the POA Annual meeting. The official meeting notice with all details will be mailed in mid-December.

If the above plea doesn’t help, here’s a secret: Two passes to the Honda Classic will be given away at the POA Annual Meeting. These passes are for one day at the Champions Club overlooking the 18th Fairway with unlimited food and beverage service. Other ground passes will also be given away.

DON’T RUN THEM OVER!
Who? Anyone! I reminded everyone that school started a few months ago and now that Thanksgiving and other holidays are arriving there are even more people walking, skating and bicycling in PGA National. We have a lot of environmentally conscientious residents who ride scooters or bicycles on the road and (especially in the early morning or late afternoon) when the sun is in our eyes, it is sometimes hard to see them. They don’t bounce well so please give them room when sharing the road. Motorized vehicles are not permitted on the walking/bicycle paths so they must use the street.

The same courtesy is needed for those using the paths/sidewalks: When riding or skating up behind someone, a simple shout out of, “on your left”, or “coming up on your right” will allow that person to step out of the way and hopefully in the proper direction! Simple courtesy, please!

DOGS
OK, this is really for dog OWNERS since if your dog could read you would be so rich you wouldn’t be reading this! If you like to bring your pet to the parks in PGA National, especially the two that have playground equipment: KEEP THE DOG(S) ON A LEASH AND CLEAN UP AFTER THEM!!!! Aside from the fact that the rules of PGA require this, please consider that the two parks with swings and playground equipment are primarily used by people with children. This means lots of little, miniature people easily knocked over by a dog who “just wants to play”. Also, keep in mind that really little ones like to put things in their mouth – I’m not even going to explain that any further but be a responsible pet owner!!!!

A REQUEST FROM THE “YOU PEOPLE”
I’ve been threatening to address this for almost 12 years and after having to call security twice this month when residents threatened staff or became abusive, I felt it was time.

Part of our job in the property management business is accepting that many people will call (or stop by) to “vent” their frustrations. We understand this and we are happy to listen and help in any way that we can. It is expected and isn’t a problem until the caller (or visitor) becomes abusive. There is absolutely no situation that warrants anyone being verbally abusive to any employee of the POA and it is not acceptable.

Please keep in mind that the staff at the POA does not have any power to approve or disapprove anything; we take our direction from the Board and we are here to uphold the provisions of the governing documents and directives from the Board. Since the Board and Committee members are all unpaid volunteers and your neighbors, a separate staff handles the day-to-day affairs within the office.

Yes, we are paid and our favorite expression is “I pay your salary” (its right up there with being called a “you people” since an average salary of $30,000 per year divided by 5,000 homes only works out to about $6.00 per home per YEAR). I received a call this week from someone who insisted that JoAnn O’Mara personally approved a paint color that they objected to. They tried to tell me I was not telling them the truth because they “saw evidence” of her approval which was actually her name on the letter. She did sign the letter but it was “on behalf of the PGA POA Architectural Review Committee” and the matter was brought before the ARC meeting and voted on by the ARC (note: no member of the POA staff votes on any committee or board matter). The date of all meetings of the POA is published on Channel 63 and the door of the POA office and all owners are permitted to attend any meeting. As the Property Manager, I sign letters “on behalf of the PGA POA Board of Governors” but that doesn’t mean that I personally have any opinion on the open garage door, trash violations, overgrown plants, improperly maintained home or anything else…I am simply upholding the governing documents on behalf of the Board AND the residents and sign the letter “on behalf of” whatever committee the matter relates to (or on behalf of the Board).

Here are some matters that come up frequently:
The documents require the board to charge interest on assessments that are not paid on time (July 1st each year). It is not optional, the documents state interest WILL be charged (not may be charged). In order to be fair to everyone the board cannot “waive” interest. It is like your mortgage: due at the same time whether or not you received a statement or invoice. It is the owner’s responsibility to find out why they didn’t get a bill if not received before July 1st.

The same documents require owners to get ARC approval for all changes to the exterior of their home. The By-Laws even go into some detail about the type of changes “including but not limited to” decorative plaques or accessories, statues, lighting, asphalt, driveway treatment, basketball hoops, etc. There is no provision for skipping this application process because your “neighbor has the same basket ball hoop so you thought it was OK”; or “no one can see in my back yard”. All changes require written approval from the POA ARC (even if the HOA/condo ARC has given their approval)

The bottom line is that everyone who purchased a home in PGA National agreed to abide by all governing documents. We all know that rules are great as long as they don’t interfere with what you want to do. No one likes to receive a letter of violation or be told that what they want to do isn’t permitted. Because the POA Board continues to require owners to abide by these documents the homes in PGA National (some that are 30 years old) can still compete with newer homes…..well, once the market picks up! You are fortunate to have a board that will truly listen to your suggestions and comments. The staff will be happy to listen to you too and pass along your comments…but not if you are verbally abusive so please take a breath before calling us. If you are so angry that you must shout at someone, please do NOT yell at my staff – ask for Dawn.

Finally, if you have a question (like the one taped to the POA door about a house color in Glengary) please PUT CONTACT INFO ON IT unless you don’t really want an answer and just want to “vent”. If you don’t want anyone to know who is complaining, you should still give me your name with a request that I not disclose the info …if the Air Force gave me a Top Secret clearance, I assure you I DO know how to keep things to myself. Please also note it is policy that we NEVER tell anyone we contact about a matter that it is because so-and-so complained.

Thanks for listening to me vent. I hope you will read this in the spirit it was written: That the PGA POA staff is here to help you and we will do whatever we can for you….just please ask nicely because we really are on your side!

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