Author: admin

DROP OFF:   21944 Masters Circle 

 TIME:            Between 10am and 4pm

ITEMS:     Non-perishable food

DID YOU KNOW?

For every $1 donated, $8 worth of food can be purchased. CLICK HERE if you wish to Donate online instead.

Food items generally most needed:

• Meals in a Box: Pasta, Rice & Soup Kits
• Canned Meat: Ham and SPAM
• Cooking oils : Olive Oil & Canola Oil (mild flavor)
• Herbs: Oregano, Basil, Tarragon, Pepper, Rosemary, Thyme, Cinnamon, are good basics
• Granola Bars
• Whole Grain Cereal
• Canned: Tuna, Salmon, Chicken
• Crackers: Whole Grain
• Fruit: Canned or Dried
• Canned Vegetables
• Rice & Pasta
• Soup, Stew & Chili

• 

Part of a Pelican Sound Foundation effort to recognize the food needs of our larger community.

The 31 roofs to be cleaned in 2020 as part of the Association’s periodic roof cleaning responsibilities, are:

21700, 21708, 21716, 21732, 21748, 21749, 21752, 21756, 21767, 21772, 21773, 21776, 21788, 21789, 21809, 21819, 21824, 21835, 21836, 21840, 21860, 21864, 21872, 21888, 21892, 21924, 21925, 21929, 21940, 21944 and 21952.

List revised: July 5, 2020

Roof Cleaning & House Painting

The Board will proceed with 2020 roof cleaning and the Association will pay for the cleaning.

This year is unusual, with homes having new roofs, roofs in litigations and original roofs continuing to perform. Normally we would clean all roofs, but not all roofs need to be cleaned.

Our Declarations require us to clean all roofs. We will do so unless you notify us otherwise. You should have received the request asking you to acknowledge to have your roof cleaned or decline to have your roof cleaned in 2020.

The recent opinion survey showed interest in the community for residents to assume responsibility for their roof cleaning; The Board will discuss this issue at an upcoming meeting and may request a vote to make the change effective January 1, 2021.

Selection of a painting company will proceed within the next month. We will target the painting to start early January 2021. This will ensure the majority of residents are here while their homes are painted.

Shutters, housing and rails will not be painted under the Association contract. A Declaration change with a Notice for your approval will be sent in a few weeks. Note however, that homeowners may choose to paint at their own expense.

 ARC CHANGES

The Board approved hurricane shutters, housing and rails need only to blend with the house color and not need to match exactly. The word match was dropped from our guidelines to provide flexibility.

The Board also enhanced the Masters ARC Guidelines by requiring that: “Bird Feeders and Bird Baths are not allowed anywhere in the Masters. The feeding of wildlife is not allowed anywhere in the Masters.”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Our community has been privileged to have flags on display on key dates. This task has been undertaken by Rusty and Mary Demeules every year since our community began. We owe them a heartfelt thank you for the service they have given us all.

Days we display flags in the Masters:

Presidents Day: 3rd Monday in February Memorial Day: last Monday in May Flag Day: June 14

Independence Day: July 4th Labor Day: 1st Monday in September Veterans Day: November 11th

When you use Zoom to participate in a remote meeting, using the “Raise Hand” function is the best way to ensure you have your say without having to interrupt the meeting mid-flow. 

It simply puts a little hand icon beside your username and lets the meeting’s managers know you have a question, input, or otherwise need some attention when possible.

Here’s how to raise your hand in Zoom.

1. During a meeting, click on the icon labeled “Participants” at the bottom center of your PC or Mac screen. 

2. At the bottom of the window on the right side of the screen, click the button labeled “Raise Hand.” (If you are in full-screen mode, the participant window should appear as a floating box.)

Your digital hand is now raised. Lower it by clicking the same button, now labeled “Lower Hand.”

The same method can be used to raise your hand in a Zoom meeting on a mobile device, simply tap “Raise Hand” at the bottom left corner of the screen. The hand icon will turn blue and the text below it will switch to say “Lower Hand” while your hand is raised.

Here is a video that someone made to give the same instructions:

Your feedback is important for Board considerations         

The Board is considering changes to the Masters Declarations that if approved by two-thirds of the voting members, will result in owners taking responsibility for the cleaning of their house roofs from the Association, and painting of the exterior of the houses to exclude hurricane shutter housing and rails.

Roof Cleaning

The Board is considering changes to the roof cleaning practices as it has become apparent that the existing Declarations, while it served our Association well in the past, needs to be amended in light of the impact from Hurricane Irma and the introduction of new cleaning techniques.

Since Hurricane Irma, we have seen just under a third of the houses in our community have new roofs approved and many are installed. Just under a third of the roofs have their original roof tiles that continue to perform well. For the balance of houses, the owners have open claims with their insurance company that have not been resolved.

Our existing Declarations require us to clean all roofs. Under the current circumstances, the new roofs do not need cleaning and it is not appropriate to clean roofs for houses with open insurance claims. The Board considered only cleaning roofs with the original tiles and providing the owners not having their roofs cleaned with equivalent refunds. Regrettably, under our Declarations refunds are not permitted to some, while others receive services.

We could have cleaned the roofs with original tiles and not provide any refunds, however, it was felt that two thirds of owners paying for roof cleaning for the other third is not appropriate.

The use of chemical treatments for cleaning roofs has increased in general as has interest in our community to offer this technique as an option to roof cleaning. The Board investigated and concluded that it is a viable service, unfortunately, the treatment is not considered cleaning and therefore not part of our mandate as articulated in our Declarations.

The challenge we face is not only for this year but every year moving forward. Owners want choice of techniques to clean their roofs and we cannot ignore any future impact from hurricanes.

The implications are if the existing Declarations continue in effect, every time we clean roofs, a segment of our owners will not benefit from the basic cleaning services, and assessments would still be required from all members. In effect, the segment not wanting to have their roofs cleaned by the current technique, would subsidize the cost of roof cleaning for the rest of the members in the community.

The Board feels that these are compelling reasons to change our Declarations for roof cleaning.

Painting

The Board is considering changes to align our Declaration with past painting practices.

The existing Declarations state that the “exterior” of a lot be painted and be paid for by the Association. It does not define or limit “exterior” which would require all the exterior of a house to be painted and paid for by the Association. The Association has not in the past painted shutter housing and rails and the Board believes this practice should continue. The reasons are that the cost for painting shutter housing and rails would be high and not all houses have shutters and those that do differ in the number of shutters.

Survey

The Board would like to hear from members if they will support these changes. This does not replace the need for a member vote should the Board ultimately decide to proceed with the proposed changes.

A survey will be sent out asking your feedback on whether you support:

1. An amendment to our Declaration to shift roof cleaning responsibilities from the Association to each individual homeowner.
2. Excluding the painting of the hurricane shutter housing and rails.

Responses will be kept confidential, only aggregate totals for each survey question will be provided to the Board of Directors. We want to stress confidentiality as the voting process will need your house number for verification purposes.

The survey will be sent April 24 via blast email, with a link to the survey form for your completion by 5:30 pm on Monday, April 27, 2020. This will allow the Board to make a more informed decision at its upcoming meeting.

Questions and Answers

To help the reader better understand the changes under consideration, the following questions and answers have been provided.

Roof Cleaning

• Roofs with original tiles where an insurance claim has not been filed 

Q1 – What do I have to do if the changes to the Declarations are approved?

A – We are in discussions with Cambridge Property Management to use their services for arranging roof cleaners for our houses. We have two quotes from roof cleaners for cleaning 30 or more roofs for the same unit cost.

When we are ready roll it out, all you have to do is confirm interest and send a check to Cambridge. They provide economy of scale but no liability of choice of vendor, which is standard procedure in other HOAs. We are still working on the details.

If you wish, you may also make your own arrangements with a roof cleaning company of your choice.

Q2 – By when do the roofs have to be cleaned?

A – They should be cleaned by October 2020. The paint company has advised us that roofs need to be cleaned 90 days in advance of painting. In January, we can start painting the house not having their roofs cleaned and in February start painting the houses that have had their roofs cleaned.

Q3 – Will PS ARC send me a noncompliance letter if the roofs are not cleaned by the end of October?

A – Our Association President will discuss our situation with the Chair of the PS ARC and we expect that they will be supportive.

• Roofs where there is an open insurance claim

Q4 – What should I do if the changes to the Declaration are approved?

A – Nothing is required until the status of your claim is settled. If approved, you will get a new roof and then you will have to decide which technique (mindful of your roof warranty) and the company you will use to keep your roof clean. In the future, we’ll look at other Cambridge group purchase plans for roof cleaning. Cambridge provides economy of scale but no liability of choice of vendor, which is standard procedure in other HOAs.

Q5 – What happens if my claim is declined?

A – If declined, you will need to get your roof cleaned. If the claim decision is made within the 90 days of the planned date for painting, then it might be best to wait until after painting to clean your roof as the paint company recommends not to clean roofs within 90 days of the start of painting.

• New Roofs

Q6 – What should I do if the changes to the Declaration are approved?

A – You need to decide which technique (mindful of your roof warranty) and company you will use to keep your roof clean. You must make sure you don’t apply any treatment within the 90 days of the planned date for painting of your house. In the future, we’ll look at other Cambridge group purchase plans for roof cleaning. Cambridge provides economy of scale but no liability of choice of vendor, which is standard procedure in other HOAs.

• All situations

Q7 – Will all members get a refund from the Paint and Roof Cleaning reserve for the changes in roof cleaning responsibilities?

A – Yes, we are looking to return to each member part of the Paint and Cleaning reserve representing the roof cleaning portion. The Board needs to verify that it can be done. If not, the funds will remain in the reserve for future painting needs.

Q8 – Will the Association still be involved in roof cleaning?

A – The PS ARC Guidelines state that: “Individual homeowners and condominium associations must maintain clean roofs as needed, but in no case will ARC require roof cleaning within three years of the last cleaning. Owners and associations must document the last cleaning, if requested to clean their roof(s).”

This will continue to apply, and our Association will set up procedures to facilitate compliance. As well, if a chemical treatment is used, the SDS sheet and EPA registration number will be required to be recorded by the Association.

Painting

Q9 – If the Declarations are changed, the only thing outside our houses not painted will be the hurricane housing and rails. Will we be given the option at our cost to have the hurricane housing and rails painted by the Association selected painting company?

A – Yes, assuming the chosen painting company provides such service.

Q10 – When will house painting start and when will it to be wrapped up?

A – The planned start date is January 2021 and be finished by the of end of April.

Q11 – Will we be able to choose the warranty period of the paint on our house?

A – The Board will make the decision as we need one quality of paint to be applied throughout the community.

last update: 4/24/2020 9:57 AM

The Masters Board has provided the following chart to help explain homeowner responsibilities.

Click here for an enlarged view and a file you can download and/or print

I wanted to provide you information on the water pressure issues that have been reported. We had Lee County Utilities out to evaluate water pressure issues that have been reported throughout Pelican Sound.

Lee County Utilities noted that they were not able to find any deficiencies. They recommended that unit owners replace fixture filters and clean aerators. Owners who have done so have seen improvement in water flow.

Bill Ellis

The following was provided by Heather Keel, Cambridge Management

Community Associations and COVID-19 

Over the past several days we have spoken to many clients with questions on how their Condominium, Homeowners, or Cooperative Association may or must respond to COVID-19 and the myriad of Federal, State, and local orders.  Below we will briefly address some of the most common questions.   
 

What does the Statewide Stay at Home Emergency Order Mean for Associations?

Governor DeSantis issued a statewide stay at home order effective at midnight on April 2, 2020.  The Order requires all persons to stay at home unless their job provides essential services or unless they engage in essential activities.  The list of essential services is lengthy but relative to Associations includes contractors/trades that provide services necessary for maintaining safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and structures, legal and accounting services necessary to respond to virus-related orders, landscaping, and pool care.  Property management, although not expressly listed, would likely be deemed to be an essential service as it is necessary to maintain and operate Associations.  Our law firm will remain open and available to assist our clients with their Association’s legal needs. 
 

How does a Florida State of Emergency effect how my Association operates?  

Initially there was some debate as to whether the emergency powers statutes applied in the current environment.  However, the Division of Business and Professional Regulation (“DBPR”) has issued Emergency Order 2020-04 for all Condominiums, Cooperatives, and Homeowners Associations governed by Florida Statute Chapter 718, 719, and 720.   It provides that while the Florida Statutes on emergency powers were drafted in response to physical damage to property (such as with a hurricane), the statutory emergency powers have the same application under this State of Emergency.    Therefore, the Association may operate with emergency powers under Florida Statutes and your governing documents.  
 

What are the emergency powers?   

Florida Statutes provide that an Association may schedule Board meetings with less than the required notice.  The Association may also close portions of the Association property and prohibit or limit access to the community by guests, tenants, vendors and others.   In general, the Association may take such action as is “reasonably necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare” of the Association owners residents, and guests.  Your Declaration may provide greater or fewer emergency powers.

How does my Association conduct a Board meeting?   

The Federal government has issued guidelines which require social distancing of at least 6 feet between individuals and bans gatherings of more than 10 people.   This makes in-person Board meetings virtually impossible.  Until such time as the social distancing and gathering restrictions are lifted, we recommend that all Associations conduct their regular Board meetings via phone conference or video conference.   For owner participation you must allow the owners to call in to the conference call or join the video conference.
 

How does my Association conduct an Annual or Membership meeting?  

Currently, we recommend that you postpone any membership meetings so that you can acquire and test the necessary technology to conduct a meeting that will involve substantial meaningful participation from owners, including voting.  Keep in mind that any proxies you have received are valid for up to 90 days from the date of the originally scheduled meeting.  The Board, management, and attorney should work together to ensure compliance with the Association’s Declaration in rescheduling and conducting the meeting.  If you conduct a meeting, you would want to limit or prohibit physical attendance and permit owners to participate remotely via proxy or another authorized method.

Can the Association close a portion of the Association property? And should you?   

Yes, under the Florida Statutes emergency powers you can close a portion of the common areas.   If any portion of the common areas is used in a manner which violates social distancing or gathering guidelines, then you should close it. This includes pools, spas, gyms and other indoor or outdoor areas.   The Association may also close party rooms or gathering spaces to the extent they may be used for gatherings of more than 10 people.   If your Association has an onsite management office and your manager is going to continue to report to work in person, we recommend that you limit the office to only necessary occupants and visitors.  Keep in mind that you cannot prevent access to the units or homes, so common hallways, foyers, elevators, stairways, and the like must remain open.  Miami-Dade County has ordered ALL common amenities be closed until further notice.  This has not yet occurred in any Southwest Florida County, but it is quite possible this will occur in the near future.

What happens if someone in the community tests positive for COVID-19? 

This is a difficult question that raises several legal issues.  The Association should not be actively inquiring about the medical status of residents or guests.  However, if the Association acquires actual knowledge that someone has tested positive for COVID-19, it is our opinion that you should notify all owners and residents.   However, you must keep the address and identity of the individual confidential.   The Association should also ensure it is taking all appropriate precautions to comply with social distancing, limited gatherings, and if possible, increase cleaning of common areas. 

How does the Federal Stimulus affect Associations?

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES”) has been signed into law. The 800 pages of text allocate over $2 trillion in federal money to bolster the economy during this difficult time. Under CARES, Associations may be eligible to apply for a loan to cover certain operating costs.    If the funds from the loan are used in compliance with the Act then the loan, including interest, may be forgiven if the Association qualifies under certain aspects of the law.  Feel free to contact our law firm for an application and FAQ to see if you qualify.
   

Can the Association continue to collect assessments?  And should you?

Yes, on both accounts.  Without assessment income Associations are unable to provide basic services to the owners and residents.  We recommend that Associations continue to aggressively pursue collection of assessments.  A strong collection strategy that begins when an account first becomes delinquent will reduce the amount of bad debt in the long term.  It will also help owners who become delinquent to structure their income and debt so that they can make payments or other arrangements to resolve it quickly.  Ensuring assessments are collected now will help insulate the Association from any future pause in collection.However, if a person requests relief from paying assessments, the Association can negotiate a payment plan with them, however, the Board should document the actual hardship and need before agreeing to a payment plan.  Further, we do not recommend that you proactively offer payment plans to all owners but rather deal with each request on a case by case basis.
   

Are short-term rentals (less than 30 days) permitted?  What about long term rentals (more than 30 days)?

As of March 28, 2020, and continuing for at least 14 days, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-87 banning short-term rentals of less than 30 days.  (There are certain exclusions so you should check with your legal counsel.)  The ban applies to new bookings as well as any occupant whose rental period began after March 28, 2020.  We expect this order to be extended until at least April 30, 2020.  Enforcement of this ban is being handled by the DBPR.  In certain areas, such as Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach, local Emergency Orders have been issued prohibiting ALL new rentals, including short term (less than 30 days) and long term (more than 30 days).  You should consult your legal counsel regarding local emergency orders.  

How does the Association timely complete its year-end financial report?

The DBPR Emergency Order has suspended the deadline to comply with financial reporting.   A new deadline has not yet been established. 

This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be specific legal advice for a particular situation.  Consult your governing documents and your own legal counsel.

We are taking preventive measures as the Coronavirus news develops by canceling the remaining Masters Social events for the 2020 spring season.

Specifically we are canceling:
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 Golf and Picnic event at the Clubhouse

Donald J Jancin, Social Chairman

Dear Board President & Members of the Board of Directors

We are in the middle of an extraordinary health crisis in this country and throughout the world due to the global pandemic surrounding COVID-19. As this pandemic continues there are daily developments with event cancellations, travel restrictions, school closings and more. Industry Specialists, such as local law offices and the local and national chapters of Community Association Institute (CAI) are operating under modified procedures and have canceled educational seminars and meetings for the near future. We recognize that this pandemic has an impact on our local community associations and Cambridge Management is trying to anticipate and plan for the possible effects of this situation on our clients.

As your management team, we want you and the community members to know that we have systems in place to ensure continued management of your community and individual needs. Our offices remain open on a normal business schedule at this time. In the event we need to make changes, we will alert you as soon as possible. Please be reassured to know that our Managers and support staff have the ability to work remotely and we will do our best to ensure all tasks are completed timely and efficiently.

The situation remains very fluid and we encourage everyone to follow the latest guidance and updates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It is important to recognize, however, that Cambridge Management and its’ employees are not health care professionals. The CDC and other qualified health officials should continue to be the primary source of current information and guidance. It is our goal to simply offer general, precautionary guidance from officials and adding some common-sense guidelines for our industry.

Below are steps that may be appropriate for your consideration:

• Many Community Associations have decided to cancel or postpone Board of Directors and/or committee meetings, Annual meetings and social functions. We believe given the current circumstances, cancellations and postponements are a practical course of action. It will be up to each individual Board of Directors to determine if they wish to cancel meetings. It is important to note that the current closings of Libraries, municipal buildings and other meeting locations may directly affect your ability to hold a meeting if the meeting is at such a location. 
• Some Board of Directors are choosing to hold meetings via telephone conference which can be permitted under law (some restrictions and specific requirements may apply). Most attorneys have provided a guidance memorandum regarding these matters. However, as things are changing quickly there are sure to be further developments and recommendations. In many instances it may be appropriate to consult your legal counsel to ensure the Association acts within its’ authority.
• Work with your designated management team to communicate with your membership often, explaining measures that are being taken in your community where applicable and providing resource information from the CDC and other local, state and federal health resources. With the large amount of media attention on the COVID-19, we would encourage our Board of Directors to simply direct owners and residents to the resources provided below for information and have the Association focus their communication with regard to this pandemic to only the ways in which the Community Association is directly affected.

For more information and resources, please visit the following links:

• Center for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• Florida Department of Health: http://www.floridahealth.gov/
• CAI’s Coronavirus Page: https://www.caionline.org/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

This is a unique situation for all of us. Therefore, patience, flexibility, common sense and a little creativity will go a long way.  Please know that we are here to provide support to your community and all its residents. The Cambridge Management Team remains dedicated to providing exceptional service to all of our clients. We will continue to provide updates, as needed. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your management team directly.

Thank you,

Cambridge Management of SWFL
(239) 249-7000