The following notes were made at the biweekly Men's Coffee meetings.  Please note that the information listed is based on comments made at the meetings and is not endorsed by Divosta Homes or the VillageWalk of Bonita Springs Homeowners Association.  The Men’s coffee club meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:00 am.\in the Hibiscus Room at the Town Center. Each meeting has a theme of “Tell me what I don’t know”.  Biweekly e-mails outline specific themes / questions.  Contact Frank Kearney or John Adams for more information.  Coffee is supplied by Dave Varano, a resident who owns AAMCO Naples.(with car advice from Nick Burtoni)

Click on the topic below for more information in the notes below the table.

PAST TOPICS

PAST SPEAKERS

Mark Semack gave an update on DiVosta sales plans.  New models will be shown ar a sales event on February 6th.  It was noted that homeowner's fees may change in 2011 if the total number of homes is reduced from 1791 to 1711.  New home sales were strong for the 4th quarter; highest in the Pulte organization.

Wildlife issues can be addressed by calling

- Bobby's Wildlife Removal 340-3882

- Lee County (domestic animals) 432-2083

- Wildlife Conservatory (alligators over 4') 866-392-4286

Melissa will find out who to contact re street lighting on Bonita Beach Road.  It is likely under the CDD. She mentioned the weekend contact number for Southwest Property Management is 261-3440  - it is staffed 24 hours / 7 days a week

Michelle will look into getting favorable green fees for VillageWalk residents at nearby golf courses.

Mulching

Mulching is applied once a year (in August/September/October) using a contractor (not GreenCare).

Trimming Plants / Trees

In the spring, selected trees such as Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus), are trimmed / pruned to keep the head tight and attractive.  About every third year, trimming is tighter than other years to rejuvenate the plant.

Auto Repair

AAMCO Transmission Naples - our coffee sponsor

Rick Johnson Service Center (Goodyear) on the right hand side of Bonita Beach Rd.

The new Divosta customer service number is 1-888-898-9714

Seamstress

Alterations and all sewing needs, call me home 495-8170 cell 233-3309 Camille Arciere

Carpenter

Dennis Klemencic 209-4488 denniskle@yahoo.com  

Lanai sliding glass door repair Diamond Glass 334-7008

Cell phone reception may improve if you enter *288 and follow the instructions.  One member suggested that AT&T was the best carrier in the area.  Another mentioned that he had installed a $145 repeater manufactured by Sprint Airway

Brinks has changed the name of the company. They are now Broadview Security. All other information will remain the same: your monitoring equipment, passwords, yard sign etc. are still valid. For your protection, if anyone visits you to talk about the system or service, please ask for identification as they do not send representatives without proper ID. The website address is mybroadview.com

The speed limit on our portion of Bonita Beach Road was raised to 45 mph on June 16th.  Signage is in place. The double laning of Bonita Beach Road is expected to be completed in March 2010.

Privacy walls streaked with black and in need of a power washing. So what works? The product, Krud Kutter, sold at Home Depot or any home improvement store, according to two of our Homeowners (thank you Bill & Les!). First, wet down the privacy wall and spray the top and streaked areas with Krud Kutter. Scrub the black streaked areas with a long handled brush. Finally, power wash the area and most of the crud will be removed.  Ray talked about washing walls with 1 part outdoor chlorine to three parts water.  He offers handyman services.  Some use Big Shark

Black stained strip down your garage door? Garage Doors of Naples states this is most likely from grease overrun used in the lifting mechanism of the door. As the door goes up and down the mechanism puts pressure of the casing, squeezing some grease out and onto the garage door. It can be removed with a degreasing soap. If the strip of grease/dirt reappears after cleaning, your door may need to be adjusted.

Painters

Hanson Highlites 560-2594 / 573-5929

Dale Debeljak 440-477-3513 (Trevally Way)

Electricans

Pablo's Electric (Pablo Torres) 222-5708

Manatee Electric (Jim Lukacs 456-6687)

Jerry Maaz 596 8900 or 440 759 2890 (cell) - resident

Pool Services

Big Shark Pool Service Manny Brito, 947-0706 or cell 692-0740 info@www.bigsharkpools.com www.bigsharkpools.com - resident

Aquatic Reflections Pool Service,     Richard Young  239-7457665

Thermometer with Hydrometer

Springfield Precisetemp indoor thermometer with hydrometer model 91551 available at Walmart for $10 - not connected to air condtioning. About $10

TIPTEMP Temperature & Humidity Alarm System: Remote humidity sensing is optional. The standard time delay for reporting a power outage is 5 minutes, but it can be adjusted at the factory if you ask for it when placing an order. Steve had his set for 40 minutes so that I would not be bothered with a call during a short outage. All other settings are programmable by the user   About $300

Melissa Wood reported that Village Walk does not have a recharge well.  Water percolates through the aquafier, but is not pumped into the lakes from a recharge well.

Lowell Kuntz reported that tinted caulk can be obtained from Sherwin Williams in Sarasota. Their telephone is (941) 924-1174. 

Lock Box

Key lock box for your door to allow firemen to get into your home  www.knoxbox.com  units start at $169

Dick Rutkowski described a 'sewer poper" or check valve product that is used in his apartment condo;  further discussion with Sunrise Plumbing (who worked for DiVosta) indicates that this device was not needed at VillageWalk as there is only one home on the initial sewer line.

Andy Koehneke and Michael Bonnough from the Allstate Agency near Publix talked about homeowners insurance and the impact of State Farm leaving the state of Florida.  They also discussed whether you need flood insurance, liability insurance and how to determine  valuations in these economic times. Home insurance does not included flood insurance: 75% of attendees have flood insurance.  VillageWalk is in flood zone X, the lowest risk zone, but 30% of Florida's claims are from flood zone X. Valuations are based on replacement cost excluding land, not market value. Getting hooked up to the fire station (cost around $25) can save $50 or more in annual premiums. In discussing car insurance, uninsured motorist coverage is very desirable as there are many uninsured motorist in Florida as the state can't keep up with motorist who drop coverage. Safe driving courses can reduce premiums by as much as $125.

Home Insurance

Some found St Johns Insurance was cheaper than American Strategic (through Westwood, a DiVosta affiliate) It was difficult to compare insurance costs because of deductibles, cages, models, etc.  Generally a Capri cost 1,000 to $1,600 per year and an Oakmont $1,250 and up.  It will be best to compare actual policies for owners of the same type of home.  Be sure that your home is insured for total replacement cost.  St John’s insures cages. Royal Palm excludes cages.  Some members have stopped in to see an agent (Andy) located in the Publix mall at Bonita Grande and Bonita Beach Roads.  Most members have flood insurance to cover surface water intrusion. despite being 18 feet above sea level. One member had a quote from Westwood for an Oakmont for $1150.  I called AAA Insurance in Naples who came in at $886.  And that's through the same insurance company American Strategic Insurance

Vince discussed the recent meeting with Wackenhutt and the review of gate security. He indicated that security was good, but that there needed to be better communication from Table 82 to the gatehouse (which has been addressed now).  All unknown visitors have their identity checked at the gate and are checked to the permanent guest list or the day visitor sheet; otherwise the owner being visited or Town Center business is called for clearance. 

Frank Kearney reported on his meeting with Lieutenant Traci Sonier of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The former Ronto land is now owned by the Foley Group who are in the process of posting the property as No Trespassing; this will allow the police to enforce the ATV laws on the property to the east of VillageWalk.  d parking:

Have a problem with stagnant pool as a result of a foreclosed house next to yours. Contact health code enforcement at 949 6257.

At the Home Maintenance seminar, the community was told that most replacement parts for DiVosta homes can be found at Raymond Building Supplies 3455 Beck Blvd, Naples, FL 34114 (239) 348-7272 near the intersection of Highway 41 and County Road 951   Stevens Industries carries some items, such as clothes rods.

Because there is confusion on the respective roles of Street Representatives and Neighborhood Watch captains, I have tried to summarize each role.  Street representatives are elected by the residents on their street to coordinate xtra activities on their street, communicate issues to the Board of Directors and, on behalf of the Board, liaise with residents on their streets.  Street representatives are a part of the Home Owner's Association governance process at VillageWalk. Neighborhood Watch are volunteers and not a part of the governance process (i.e. they have no formal relationship with the Home Owner's Association).  Neighborhood Watch captains agree to enhance communication on security related matters.  There are 60 street representatives, representing all finished streets (except one street)  There are only 13 Neighborhood Watch captains representing 12 of 31 streets.

Ben Skelton from IslandWalk Realty addressed the state of the market from his experience as a realtor re-selling DiVosta homes.  It was a excellent presentation,  Ben is a resident and a street representative for Trevally. PDF copies of Ben's charts are here

Kitchen Cabinets

Participants have reported that some cabinet doors were delaminating, creating bubbles between the cabinet laminate and the underlying wood, often after the warranty period.  A committee was struck (Eddie Apalakis, Jim Bridges, Carl Cappadona, Frank Kearney and Stan Shuart) to speak with DiVosta . DiVosta responded and has announced that it will replace defective cabinet doors after an inspection is made.  Owners who had appointments with DiVosta before February 25th, were old that installation would be no charge.  DiVosta changed its policy around February 25th and will no longer pay for installation of replacement cabinet doors.

PROCEDURE

- Homeowners should take a look at all of the cabinets in their home, making a list of any defective cabinet doors. 

- If there are any defective cabinet doors, homeowners should contact Beatrice Waldeck at DiVosta Customer Relations 239-495-4818 with a list of defective cabinet doors. (additional contact information is can be found at  http://www.villagewalkbonita.com/contacts.asp)

- The Pulte / DiVosta Customer Relations representatives will schedule an appointment with each homeowner to inspect the cabinet doors reported

- Cabinet doors requiring replacement will then be ordered from Pulte / DiVosta’s cabinetmaker. Please note that not all doors will be considered defective; a field inspection will determine what is warrantable and what is not.  (homeowners will sign a no charge work order for approved replacement doors).  

- Installation will be the responsibility of the homeowner; DiVosta has a list of possible installers.

Naturally, cabinets which have been damaged for other reasons (for example as a result of excessive heat from a toaster oven) will not be covered.

Pulte / DiVosta has researched their past purchases of drywall and, to the best of their knowledge, have never been supplied with "chinese" drywall.

Information on valuation, elevations, etc. can be found at http://www.leepa.org  In general, the lake high level is 13.5 feet above sea level, storm drain/street level is 16.5 feet and homes are at 18 feet above the 100 year flood level.

Gas Pricing

The price of gas is calculated at cost FOB Port Everglades (71%), plus freight (about 2%), plus taxes (23%), plus credit card fees of 7 cents, 2 cents to Table 82 for management (1%) and 2 cents to the Homeowners' Association for repairs and maintenance of the equipment. In essence, gas is sold at cost which can be above or below the competitive market price.  The price is adjusted (calculated) after each tanker truck delivery.

The stucco like (STO) coating on our homes is available from Sea Coast Supply, 6190 Shirley Street 597-7109, but only in 5 gallon cans which may not match due to fading. However, the Color Wheel, Green Tree Shopping Center, Airport Pulling Road at Immokolee can match the wall color with the appropriate paint.  You need to know the year your home was built.

Cable TV reception on Channel 95 is poor - reported to Melissa. Comcast has been on site and is investigating. Melissa will follow up  Memebers are encourage to report issues / problems.

Earl presented the results of a meeting he attended at San Remo on the flooding that occurred earlier this year.  The county is rewriting its plan (last done in 1980) with regard to water retention, this should be done early next year.  Earl showed a map identifying the high water areas.  Our community should not be a problem because of our retention ponds.  Any new developments will need to put in substantial retention areas.  He will continue to follow the issue and report on:  What is the water table in this area?  Where does the water go if Village Walk must pump water from our area?  Excellent report.

Weeds in the driveway can be prevented by a product from Quickrete – a sand that seals the area between the bricks.  Call 1-800-282-5828  The H.O.A. does not cover the treatment of weeds, although individual streets can vote on this and create an weed control assessment for their street (everyone has to pay)  Weeds along the shores of the lakes are an H.O.A. responsibility..

Toro (available at Ace Hardware is a great ant bait.for ghost ants, AKA vinegar or crazy ants

Foreclosure information can be accessed at:

http://www.foreclosure.com/search.html?st=FL&cno=071&z=34135  thanks Jim or, per Don, there are two web sites that I used www.leepa.org pick database search and click "I Agree" Then under "real property browse", enter street address and zip, then click search at the bottom of the page.  The return is a range of addresses starting with the address entered showing the STRAP, address and owner's name. also clicking on the detail tag will show the sale price and the last assessed price. Talk about an invasion of privacy! The owner's name will be used in the next web page www.leeclerk.org/or/search.aspx Enter last name, space, and first name (last name only will also work but you can get more unrelated results).Changing document type to LI,LP narrows the search to liens and "lis pendens". After the date range to June 2006 also gives a realistic start date.  Under Florida law, a bank is for H.O.A. Fees, up to one year’s maintenance fees or 1% of mortgage, whichever is less.

The Traffic Agreement has been signed and is now in effect.  Speeding and stop sign violations are now being enforced.

Concerns over the construction gate easy to bypass have been addressed by DiVosta.

Shutter installation cannot be done before the start of the hurricane season and shutters must be removed by November 30th.  Electric shutters can be purchased from AluFab Electric Shuuters on Plantation Road

Landscape Plants

Sanctuary Nursery 7600 Sanctuary Road North (off Immokalee Road) 692-9630

Members encouraged Melissa to enforce this Declaration (especially commercial trucks and pool heater screening) uniformly throughout the complex.

Kitchen Drawers

Several participants have installed sliding drawers to make shelves more usable – Home Depot works well.

Handyman

Ken Beach 860-8474

Edward’s Handyman 313-1585

Carlos Ortiz 537-8891

Charles W Glenk 949-7038

Residency

Best way to get information is to go to one of the free seminars.  To be eligible to vote, VillageWalk residents must have registered to vote in Lee County.   Voter registration can be made with the Supervisor of Elections at:

2480 Thompson Street Ft Myers 239-533-8683 or

24851 Old US 41 Suite 10 Coconut Commerce centre 239-949-1581 

Naturally, you can only be registered to vote in one state and county.  Residents can vote in Precinct 149 at St. Mary's Episcopal Church located at 9801 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs (head west on Bonita Beach Road the church is on the South side of the Road beyond Old 41). Further details are attached or can be accessed at http://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/

 Pool Heating

Several people talked about roof top solar water heating panels.  Permission needed and need to be on a southern exposure.  Possible incentive refund from the state.  Some participants are using salt instead od chlorine.

GE Refrigerators

See the website http://www.villagewalkbonita.com/TownManager.asp for GE warranty extension.  Special warranty work at no cost expired in 2008, but motherboard has a 5 year warranty. Mold in the ice maker may be due to frost buildup around the flapper – clean the flapper, use bleach or replace the flapper.  To optimize refrigerator performance, clean the refrigerator coils found on the bottom of the refrigerator.  If the water line freezes, use a hair dryer or open and turn off the freezer Dale Debeljak, 15410 Trevally 303-903-4424, is offering to help any one who may have a problem with a malfunctioning ice door on their refrigerator.  Typically the door will not fully shut. Thanks Dale

Home Watch

See the website http://www.villagewalkbonita.com/ResidentBusinesses.htm Mentioned Michael Novonity, Kelley Short and Village Home Watch

Stains on Walls

Use ammonia, bleach or crud cutter – power wash

Cage Protection in Hurricanes

Pull spline out when a hurricane is imminent – better than cutting screens

Screen repair Shane Prossor- 239-994-7004

Generators

Several members have installed generators, some using the dryer power connection to input generated power.  Be sure to isolate your home from the power grid if using a generator.

Window Protection in Hurricanes

Window film – Armor Shield $1,700 for an Oakmont  Rick Heiser 775-0691

Permanent shutters attached to window frame $3,000 for a Capri made of aluminum Pioneer Enterprises  - can also install pull down vinyl screen on the lanai

Some have purchased clear, carbonate shutters

Film applied to windows will protect the home and filter UV rays, but will not lead to an insurance discount.

My Safe Florida Home.com

This is a free service paid for by the State.  The report may or may not be helpful in getting a reduction in home owners insurance: See  http://www..mysafefloridahome.com/GrantEligibility.asp  The “rules” are that Capri’s don’t qualify, but some have avoided being billed, others pay $30 to $150

Divosta Contractors

Premier Electric at 239-598-2000

Cape Coral Plumbing at 239-693-4714

Conditioned Air at 239-277-7877

Diamond Glass at 239-334-7008 (sliding glass doros)

Businesses run by Residents

This might be a good source for resources.  See the website http://www.villagewalkbonita.com/ResidentBusinesses.htm

Pharmaceuticals

AAA members can get pharmacy discounts at Alberrtsons, Publix, Walgreens, CVS and others

Doctors

GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

General Practice, Patricia Alessi, 9400 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 1, just before Ace Hardware  992-5444

Bonita Community Health Center - Urgent Care, 3501 Health Center Boulevard, Bonita Springs 949-1050

Dr. Gregory Leach, 1250 / 2171 Pine Ridge Road at Goodlette Frank Roads, Naples 566-7676

Dr. Charles Kilo, (Doreen Kasserio, Nurse Practitioner) 4685 Tamiami Trail South, Suite 400, south of Pine Ridge, 263-6062

General Practioner not recommended Dr Bruce Bridewell

CHIROPRACTORS

Chiropractor  Dr. Bohn, 27970 Crown Lake Blvd, Suite 1, Bonita Springs at 41 847-3330

DERMATOLOGY

Dermatologist Deborah Fett, 9250 Corkscrew, Estero 949-2366

Riverchase Dermatology, Andre Jaffe (surgeon) and Kimberley Davidson, 860 111th Avenue North, Naples 596-9075

OTHER SPECIALISTS

Urologist, Dr Earl Gurevitch, 26800 Tamiami Trail South Bonita Springs 495-3800

Internal Medicine, Dr Giuseppe Guaitoli, 9776 Bonita Beach Road 947-4822

Podiatry, Dr. Christopher Paladino, 28089 Vanderbilt Dr. (near corner with Bonita  Beach Rd.)) 498-1176
Pulmonary, Dr. Mitchell L. Petusevsky, 9550 Bonita Beach Road suite 108B  263-8385

Ankle and Foot Constantine Barbounis 9411 Fountain Medical Center suite E 101 947-5300

DENTAL

Bonita Dental Care: Dr. Wallace They do offer In-House Insurance. That would be worth checking into for anyone without coverage.

Dentist: Nicholas Marciano DMD, 947-6610, Bonita Springs

EYES

Retina, Macular Degeneration: Saurabh Patel MD, 390-3339, Bonita Springs

Ophthalmologists – Montgomery Eye Clinic, 700 Neapolitan Way, Naples 261-8383, but not Jon Berlie

Ophthalmology: George Corrent, MD PhD, 659-3937, Naples
Ophthalmology: Rachid Aouchiche, MD, 498-7666, Bonita Springs

Check out "Find a Doctor" at http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html

dermatologist Dr.Faid now uses Dr. Faid Desmond as her name. Not sure but I thought her office had  been relocated  to Ft. Myers- I

Information on FPL possible cost savings:

To request a reduction in monthly charges using the PFL program identified as "On Call", you must call the phone number 1-800-232-2050. The program involves FPL having the ability to draw on electricity designate for your home during one 4 hour time periods in 24 hours. The program involves (1) your hot water heater, (2) pool pump and (3) AC. The saving if involved in the program could be as high as $11.00/month.

Air Conditioner

Check for faulty wiring in the air conditioning unit inside the house.  Cool Air 275-7077 offers a $39 system checkout