Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Neighborhood Watch Meeting

Chet has scheduled a Neighborhood Watch Meeting for Monday, March 29, 2010 at 7pm in the clubhouse.
A representative from our local law enforcement will speak on crime statistics in the neighborhood, and also how to prevent break-ins.

Trash and Treasures

The doors will open early for vendors only on Thursday March 25. All others will wait til the doors open at 9am. This annual event is usually very well attended, and many come out for the delicious lunch that is served.
Please stop in and support our sellers. You never know what treasure you will find.

Hours: 9am - 1:00pm

Bayside West Neighborhood Assn.

Mark your calendars!

Just to let you know our April meeting is just around the corner, April 12th at 7:00pm.

This is the program that everyone has asked for.

Alex Size from the Trust for Public Lands will give us an update on the Georgetown property. Monte Rosenberger, DeBartolo Corp. will give a sneak preview of their plans.

The police department will send a represenative, and Councilwomen Linda Saul-Sena will talk.

I hope you will all come to this meeting.J

Jerry Frankhouser - President


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

March 23 Board Meeting

A FOUR HOUR BOARD MEETING TODAY??? Are you kidding me?

Holy Mother of Resident-Owned-Communities!

How much more can our Board President regulate?

Answer: Everything he possibly can!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Water Is Off

There reportedly is a water leak on Blvd 1 and the water in the park is off. No idea yet how long this will last.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Election Results

Again, a quorum of the membership was not represented at the Annual Meeting today, so no business was conducted.

Reports were given by the Treasurer Rosalie Reis, an annual audit report by Charles Godels, of Godels and Solomon LLC, a President's Report, and a Seawall Engineering report by Christina Grubbs, P.E. There were quite a few member comments regarding the validity of the Karin's Seawall Report, many of whom who expressed their opinion felt that the report was superficial. For as many opinions expressed against the report, an equal number or more demonstrated support FOR her report. All sides were heard.
Finally a report from the Election Committee: 262 VALID votes were cast. The results were reported as follows:

Susan Dunphy 190 votes.... elected to 3 year term
Dennis Kralick 206 votes.... elected to a 3 year term
Betty Ridge 155 votes.... elected to a 3 year term

Parker Kimball 132 votes.... elected to 1 year term


Sandy Ross 127
Robert Simmons 78

In an Organization Meeting that immediately followed, the Officers were then decided by the board.
President: Paul McCumber
Vice President: Betty Ridge
Secretary: Dennis Kralick
Treasurer: Susan Dunphy
Assistant Treasurer: Rosalie Reis

I offer my best wishes to the newly elected board. I thank the 127 people who offered their support for me.

Very few people in the Park share the honor of having served on the Board of Directors of Regency Cove, and I feel blessed to have been chosen to serve for three of those years.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Annual Meeting Wednesday

March 17, 2010 marks the day of the annual meeting of the shareholders of Regency Cove. Historically, the Election Committee meets early to begin opening the outer envelopes of the ballots, checking off the names from the shareholder list. The Election Committee will meet in Goodwin Hall at 8 am to begin their formalities. The last call for ballots will be at 10 am.
The Shareholders' meeting is scheduled to begin at that time, depending upon the check-in process for the designated voters.

If any topics are brought up, there may be a vote, if a quorum has been met (203 voters or proxies). Shareholders received the agenda for the meeting in the Second Notice mailout, which was hand-delivered or mailed in early February. Shareholders can discuss

After the shareholders meet, and the results of the election are announced, the directors meet to select the officers. The Agenda for this meeting was also in your Second Notice mailout. Typically the board selects the new officers, and the date of the next board meeting is set. In the recent past, a photograph of the new Board of Directors is taken for the web page. That's usually all that occurrs, but you never know what may come up. Stay tuned. Hope all shareholders are present on Wednesday, or have given their porxy to a friend.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Its Grapefruit Time - Beware!


We are blessed with wonderful neighbors who share the fruits of their harvest with us, and we just recently received a bucketful of sweet Regency Cove-grown grapefruit. What a wonderful treat! We enjoy them daily.
Grapefruit is one of those powerhouse miracle foods that many claim to reduce hardening of the arteries and even cancer. (see MedicineNet.com)
I do realize, however, that it interacts with some medicines. I decided to do a little research, now that I seem to be entering the age of senior-infirmed.
A decade ago, according to MedineNet.com, a study was done which, by accident, proved that grapefruit juice inhibits the absorption in the small intestine, of particular medicines. You may take your regular daily pill, but the simple act of drinking a small glass of grapefruit juice may inhibit your body from absorbing your medicine. The effect is so strong, that the juice may interact with your medications longer than 24 hours. On the other hand, some medications may absorb even stronger doses on grapefruit juice, and provide toxic levels to your system. Not a good thing.
A partial list of the medications which MAY be affected by grapefruit juice include:
certain cholesterol drugs, antihistimines, some blood pressure medications, certain psychiatric drugs, and even viagra. (again MedicineNet.com)
I am not a doctor. Check with your physician! Read up on this effect. And then enjoy the sweet citrus harvest. Yum.

New Irrigation Schedule Begins

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.

Saturday night is when we will turn our clocks ahead one hour. The time change is also a good time to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly to ensure that your system operates consistently with current water restrictions. New irrigation dates begin officially on March 14, 2010.

Beginning March 14, locations in Tampa will have the following once-per-week irrigation schedule:
• addresses ending in 0 or 1 - Monday
• addresses ending in 2 or 3 - Tuesday
• addresses ending in 4 or 5 - Wednesday
• addresses ending in 6 or 7 - Thursday
• addresses ending in 8 or 9, locations with no address (common areas, entry areas), and locations with mixed addresses (office complexes, shopping centers) - Friday
• allowed irrigation times remain at once between 12:01 a.m. and 8 a.m. or between 6 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. on the designated day.

In addition to following restrictions, residents are also urged to continue conserving water in other ways indoors and outdoors at their homes and businesses. Residents should consider turning off their irrigation systems if it rains before their next watering day. With outdoor irrigation accounting for as much as 50 percent of residential water usage, turning off your irrigation system can result in a significant water savings.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What Is An Annual Meeting?

Florida law requires that every cooperative holds at least one membership meeting every year.(1) This is often referred to as the Annual Meeting, or the Members’ Meeting, and may be best known for the Election of the Board of Directors. It requires two specific notices on designated dates, to be mailed out or handed out with signatures of receipt.

The first order of business is to check in the designated voter of each unit or to have a roll call. Due to the size of our park, it was established years ago that all our residents must check in to record the presence of the designated voter of each unit. In the past, the voter received a stick to use to indicate his vote. And then the doors were locked.

It is necessary to establish a quorum before any business begins. A quorum is one half of the number of shareholders plus one.

If a resident can’t make the meeting, he can assign someone to vote for him by filling out a proxy and naming the individual. You received a proxy and a proxy envelope with your ballot in the last notice you received.

Last year at the annual meeting at Regency Cove, we had 124 shareholders or proxies represented, but we needed 201 to conduct a business meeting. There was, therefore, no business conducted last year.

It is customary for the president to run the meeting. This is, however, truly the meeting where the shareholders can run the meeting. The board of directors has no more power than any resident present at the Annual Meeting. (2)

A vote of the membership is required to make certain changes. Any amendment to the By-Laws must be done with a 2/3 vote of the membership. Other changes require half of the membership plus one. This year that constitutes 203 votes.

This year we have no business planned for the meeting that will require a vote from the membership. It is still a good idea to send in your proxy, because you never know what may come up. If you are not going to be present, please fill out your proxy and give it to your assigned representative to bring to the meeting, so that your vote will count. If you designate the Board secretary, mail or bring the proxy to the Office.

“A membership meeting provides the opportunity for the membership to make certain decisions that only they are allowed to make.” (3) These include amendments to our documents, considerations of material alterations or capital expenditures, or allocations to our reserves.

Any shareholder can bring up a topic of business for consideration by the membership. Voting is done just like at a board meeting, by raising a hand or your voting stick, or by voice. There is no secret voting allowed, everyone should know how their neighbor is voting.

At times some controversial issues may arise and cause considerable debate. A good chairman will keep the meeting organized and everyone on topic. This is your time to voice your suggestions and complaints. Make them matter.


Sources:

1. 719.106(1)(d)1, F.S.

2. Poliakoff, Gary and Poliakoff, Ryan, New Neighborhoods, The Consumer’s Guide to Condo, Co-op and HOA Living, Emerald Book Co. Austin TX, 2009, Pg 127

3. Ibid.

Additional source: Dunbar, Peter M., Resident Owned Communities Guide for Florida Cooperatives, Aras Publishing Co. Tallahassee, 1998

Monday, March 8, 2010

Proposed Waterfront Park to Rise in South Tampa

By GEORGE WILKENS
gwilkens@tampatrib.com
Published: March 6, 2010

TAMPA - As demolition of the former Georgetown Apartments nears completion, planning is under way for the half of the 164-acre site slated to become South Tampa's second-largest waterfront park.
A fishing pier, canoe launch, nature trails and playground with climbing structures are suggested for the property, according to a draft of proposed improvements. The site also could hold four 300-square-foot picnic shelters, an observation tower, boardwalk, bathrooms, drinking fountains, outdoor shower and benches.
"How many places in South Tampa do you have the opportunity to access the waterfront? Not many," said Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio.
Picnic Island Park, a 100-acre peninsula near Port Tampa with a beach, fishing pier and boat ramp, is South Tampa's largest existing waterfront park.
Development of the sprawling Georgetown site dates to the mid-1960s opening of the popular apartment complex that eventually had 624 units and, often, a waiting list of prospective tenants.
In 2005, the property that stretches between South West Shore Boulevard and Old Tampa Bay was sold to a Fort Lauderdale group planning to raze the apartments and build 1,249 condominiums, townhouses and single-family homes. Georgetown tenants were told to vacate by Oct. 31, 2007.
The development plan fizzled, a victim of the slumping real estate market. In 2008, the property went into foreclosure and the former apartment complex remained empty.
Last October, DeBartolo Development and its partners bought the property from the mortgage holder, Bank of America, for $30.5 million.
Demolition, which began in early December, has leveled 40 of the 50 two-story red-brick buildings, with completion of the work scheduled by April 1, a DeBartolo spokeswoman said.
Tampa-based DeBartolo has a contract to allow a national nonprofit land conservation organization, The Trust for Public Land, to buy and preserve the undeveloped waterfront half of the acreage.
The former apartment site fronting West Shore Boulevard, just north of Gandy Boulevard, will be redeveloped as a residential community. Details are not finalized.
"The county is in the final throes of their appraisal process," said Greg Chelius, Florida director for The Trust for Public Land, which conserves land for parks, community gardens and the like.
"It's fabulous, and we really, really have our fingers crossed on this one," he said. "Not only will it preserve that property, it will be restored, then be open to the public to enjoy. The passive park is going to be a nice addition to the city."
In early 2009, Iorio asked The Trust for Public Land to put together a proposal to buy the waterfront acreage in cooperation with Hillsborough County's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program.
"Anytime you can take a valuable piece of land and preserve it for nature and open up for people to have access, it's big plus," Iorio said. "We have this very rare opportunity to partner with the developer and ELAPP to have the portion along water for passive park use. It will be beneficial to the environment and the community for many generations to come."
A citizens committee that advises ELAPP voted last fall to add Georgetown to a list of properties that need to be acquired.
The draft of proposed improvements accompanying a memorandum to the city from ELAPP acquisition manager Kurt Gremley says the site will be managed as a passive park. He declined comment, saying it would be premature while negotiations are under way.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 259-7124

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Gandy Overpass Meeting

There is Still Hope

There was an interesting meeting tonight at the Scan Design store next to SweetBay. Representatives from our own Bayside West Neighborhood Association, our neighboring friends south of Gandy Blvd at the Gandy/Sun Bay South Civic Association, and multiple store owners and residents all along Gandy were present.
The message presented was made very clear: THEA (Tampa/Hillsborough County Expressway Authority) continues to publish that there is no community opposition to the proposed Gandy Overpass Project. At an earlier community meeting, THEA declared that they will not build if the surrounding communities oppose the project.

http://www.tampa-xway.com/images/editor/Sept%2030%20Process%20Information.pdf

Our two local neighborhood associations were extremely pleased that Regency Cove finally published a statement that by a 3 to 1 vote, our residents are against the project. Local petitions outside our park have gathered 1500 signatures against this project.
Tampa City Council has no authority over this project, however this issue is foremost in the minds of those people we are paying to represent us. They should be representing us to the THEA board.
We will appear this Thursday morning at the meeting of city council to let John Dingfelder, our representative, and the rest of city council know that Regency Cove, and 1500 other locals have voted against this project.
If you would like to come along for a hands-on Civics lesson, speak to our city council or just observe, and let them know that a two to three-story concrete bridge outside our front door is not our idea of community improvement, give me a call. I'll drive. I am leaving the park at 8am. Sandy Ross 835-9098