VillageWalk

As many of you know, I became the new Town Manager on June 7, 2010. This was solely a business decision in the best interests of VillageWalk of Bonita Springs. I spent six and a half years in the U.S. Army where I became an Airborne Ranger serving in a Ranger Battalion and then went to the Berlin Brigade where we patrolled the Berlin Wall in the American Sector. I then went to Cleveland State University and earned a B.A. I spent the next twelve years as a compensation analyst working for BP Oil, Lincoln Electric, Core Comm, and Ohio Health (hospital system in Columbus). In 2004, I moved to Naples and became a Community Association Manager (CAM). I’ve been with Southwest Property Management since July 2007. The past three years, I was on-site at the Cascades which is a community in Estero with 614 homes. My wife, Lynn and I live in Estero with two cats: Tatchmo Vagabound and Chattenooga Choo Choo McGoo. My personal interests are European travel, music, movies, theater, museums, art, and reading. I am very proud to be here at VillageWalk of Bonita to serve this community. Please be patient as I learn all of your names.

The irrigation schedule is mandated by the South Florida Water Management District. We water your home twice weekly. While we have fertilized the turf, it will grow more slowly than in the summer months. We mow the grass every other week until the turf starts growing more .

The 2010 Budget has been adopted by the Board of Directors and I am delighted to say the increase to your fees will be less than 2%. A copy of the budget was mailed to you and can be seen on this web site..

Definitions of Gated community on the Web:
• In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community containing strictly controlled entrances
for pedestrians, bicycles, and ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gated community
• Means a neighborhood, often surrounded by a barrier, that is only open to residents and their visitors.
www.dbh.govt.nz/unit-titles-review-section-
• A neighborhood or group of neighborhoods, usually surrounded by masonry walls, restricting access through the
use of a manned guard station or electronically operated gates. The electronic gates may be opened through the
use of individual remote controls and/or a numeric keypad and code. ...
www.mongolia-properties.com/option,com_rd_glossary/Itemid,81/limit,25/limitstart,150/
• A walled or fenced housing development which has a secure entrance of a remote control gate, security guard or
other secure measure at the entrance. www.10realty.com/realestateterms-g.html

All of these definitions refer to ACCESS CONTROL. We have a controlled access community. It is not to be
misconstrued to think that you are any more secure when you pass through the gate arm than you are in any other
scenario.

t is imperative that you LOCK YOUR CARS, LOCK YOUR HOMES AND WINDOWS, NEVER LEAVE
CHILDREN OR PETS UNATTENDED, NEVER ALLOW A STRANGER INTO YOUR HOME UNLESS THEY
HAVE PROPER IDENTIFICATION AND YOU ARE EXPECTING THEM.
It is NEVER POSSIBLE for the officer on duty at the gate house to leave the gate unattended and they cannot call for
you in an emergency.

If you experience any emergency situation you must call 911. When emergency vehicles arrive there will not be a delay
at the gate.

Wakenhut ’s Mission Statement reads as follows :
“Our mission is to provide expert security services that exceed customer expectations. We differentiate ourselves by
attracting the best people; offering innovative solutions; and fostering long-term partnerships. We are committed to the
principle of professionalism and integrity instilled by our founder and strive to positively impact our nation, communities
and stakeholders.’

In the past month I have attended two presentations on behalf of Villagewalk of Bonita Springs Homeowners' Association. On April 22, 2009 an independent engineering firm provided the South Lee Residents with scenarios and a recommendation on changes in the watershed plan that originated in 1999. This became necessary as the permits were issued for the widening of I-75 and it was determined that the 1999 report may require revision. Many Bonita residents have expressed concern over the flooding that occurred with tropical Storm Fay in 2008 and the lack of information in this study pertaining to a solution. "The original intent of the South Lee County Watershed Plan Update was to look at Halfway Creek, Estero River, and Spring Creek due to the Florida Department of Transportation requesting a permit for that area for road construction. As we moved through the public process several requests came in from Bonita Springs officials and landowners to expand the model south boundary to Bonita Beach Road and the Imperial River. Information and data for the Bonita Springs area has been collected and added to the update. It helped to lay a sound foundation for future efforts. A project at Halfway Creek is going to have minimal impact on the Imperial River. However, the report identifies problems in the entire watershed that have to be resolved. Discussions are all ready underway on what can be done specifically for the Bonita Springs area. There is no one single “silver bullet” project that is going to resolve all the issues in such a large watershed. It is going to take a number of projects / solutions. If everyone continues to work together these solutions can occur.” Steve Sentes, South Florida Water Management District

In addition, I recently attended a swamp buggy ride through a small portion of the CREW (Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed) Lands and areas managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Many of our residents may not recognize that we live in an area mostly surrounded by a 60,000-acre watershed encompassed in both Lee and Collier Counties. The SFWMD manages 3,000 acres of that land and is looking to acquire more in the future. The plan for this watershed is for a multitude of purposes including hunting, public education, watershed, water flow, animal protection, bird protection, forestry and vegetation management. The history of the land is fascinating and includes private homes, cattle farms, timber / logging areas and agricultural farms. Please refer to the 2006 management plan at the link

Most recently SFWMD acquired Poor Man’s Pass which is located just East of Villagewalk of Bonita Springs. This additional 13 acres adds to acres of strategic land the District has successfully acquired to restore north of Bonita Beach Road and upstream of the Kehl Canal Weir.

The purpose of this project is to achieve ecosystem restoration of 4,670 acres in the southern Flint Pen Strand region of Lee County and reestablish the natural historical flow-way to Estero Bay. Two side benefits of the restoration would be reestablishment of natural flood protection and natural aquifer recharge. When completed, the restoration project will provide significant benefits to the ecosystem including:

Restoring wetlands and the natural sheet flow of water.
Improving regional flood protection and improving drainage.
Increasing water storage and aquifer recharge capability.
Reducing the flow of fertilizer, pesticide and septic pollution into the Imperial River.

Water once flowed freely across landscape of what is now Bonita Springs in Lee County. Historic water sheet flow in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed was later blocked by dirt roads, agricultural ditches and several home sites. This altered the ecosystem and contributed to flooding in residential and other areas. Floods in 1995 led the District to develop the Southern CREW Restoration Project to restore the ecosystem while protecting area residents and their properties. As I learn more about these areas of local concern and interest, I am available to any resident to discuss these matters. Feel free to contact me.

The number for Southwest Property Management’s after-hours answering service is 239-261-3440.

When a major disaster occurs, professional first responders are not always available to meet the demand for its services. When that happens, “CERT” can be called into action.
The Bonita Springs Fire Department has formed this award winning group of volunteers known as the “Community Emergency Response Team”. CERT members are trained
and called out to assist the Fire Department when needed for hurricane, tornado, and flood preparation and recovery, search and rescue, emergency triage medical assistance, use of fire extinguishers, setting up temporary rehabilitation facilities for firefighters and victims, and assisting in the event of other local disasters. There is presently a CERT team consisting of 9 San Remo, Palmira, and Village Walk residents that is in training with the Fire Department. The teams generally consist of a mixture of permanent Bonita residents and “snowbirds.” There are currently 4 active CERT teams in Bonita Springs and the group in training will be the fifth and the only one on the east
side of I-75. If you are interested in joining the CERT program, contact Greg Chaberski at 949-4875 or gregchab@msn.com or Nicole Giuliano, the Bonita Springs Fire Department CERT Coordinator, at 949-6228 or nicoleG@bonitafire.org.

We do have on site an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). It is centrally located in the gym which is accessible 24 hours and 7 days a week with your provided key. Remember to call or have someone call 911 first.

We are looking for those who may be interested in serving on any committees within he community. Some of the committees to be formed include Budget, Violations / Compliance, Fining, Security, Safety, Disaster Preparedness and External Affairs.

If you are in need of landscape attention at your home, please contact the Homeowners Association Office located in the Town Center at 949-9909 and describe your concern. The weekly landscape walkthroughs are conducted on Fridays. If plants are to be replaced, please allow three weeks for that to be completed. In some instances, the corrective measure would be to fertilize or treat for insects; improvement may take time in the winter months.

Likewise, if you have an irrigation concern, please contact the Homeowners Association Office. The irrigation team is on site daily Monday – Friday and should be able to address your concern within two business day s..

If you see a street light out, simply jot down the number on the pole and let the Town Center office know.

The VillageWalk Homeowners Association pays for private mosquito control at the Town Center so Homeowners may enjoy the amenities without being bothered by bug bites. However, if you are experiencing a problem at your home, the number to call is Lee County Mosquito Control at 239-694-2174. The Homeowners Association does not budget for nor contract for any pest elimination for individual homes. Please contact a licensed and insured pest control company to perform periodic pest control should the
need arise