From the Desk of the President
by Glenn L. Davis
The distribution of the bar-code decals for the new bar-code system began on August 7th. Approximately 65 percent of the Cedar Creek property owners participated in the application of the new decals. Cedar Creek residents in good standing will not need to use their remote “clickers” or openers from their vehicles after they have received their decal(s) and attached them to a right side window. The bar-code window decals will allow any vehicle with the Cedar Creek decal, entry into Cedar Creek, providing they are within five (5) feet of the reader in order for the bar-code to be read properly. There will be a transition period where both the old “clickers” will be operational as well as the new bar-code reader system.
BARCODE MAKEUP DAYS
Remember: You will have to bring your completed Registration Form, your vehicle registration certificate(s) and your vehicle(s) to the Pool-Cabana parking lot.
In September there will be two makeup days.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 and Wednesday, September 8, 2010. Times will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm each day. Since we do not know how many Residents will show up on a given day, Residents will be served on a first come first served basis. We will stop accepting Residents around 6:45pm in order to allow time to take care of the residents who are waiting. Bar-code makeup other days...
Monday, October 18, 2010 (5:00 to 7:00 pm)
Thursday, November 18, 2010. (5:00 to 7:00 pm)
Friday, December 10, 2010. (5:00 to 7:00 pm)
For those who missed any of the scheduled dates and times and cannot be at the Pool-Cabana parking lot on any of the future assigned dates and times, after October 1, 2010 you may call ….
Greg Coury at Global Security (239) 949-3357 ext 3500 (9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday)
for an individual appointment to have your bar-code decal applied to your vehicle(s).
We thank Wain Garrison for his role in organizing the bar-code registration and application, along with help from Greg Coury, Peter Allard, Dennis Berens, Lloyd Zimmerman, Rick Hall, Mike Ferreira, Chris Dill, Hank Case and Robert Bruce.
Here are the main issues Cedar Creek owners should be made aware of:
If you are not in good standing with your assessments with the Association, you will only get one (1) decal for that address.
You can purchase a Prox-card for $20.00 if you want a back-up way to enter the neighborhood, other than the Tele-Entry system, which will always remain in operation.
You may wish to register your local cell phone number, instead of your home phone number, to be used in case you are out for the evening in someone else’s vehicle, and do not have either a decal or a Prox-card.
If you own a motorcycle, it must be registered. You will then receive a Prox-card, not a bar-code decal.
Renters must purchase one or two bar-code decals for $50.00 from Global Security. This charge also covers the setup of your name and phone number in the tele-entry system. Additional decals for renters will be $25.00 ea . These decals will be de-activated at the termination of your lease.
If you purchase a new vehicle, you will have to purchase a new decal from Global Security for $15.00. These decals are not transferable from one vehicle to another vehicle.
The 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beam at the entry gate will continue to be in effect in perpetuity.
If you are an absentee owner, you need to arrange with Global Security to receive your decal(s) as soon as you return to Cedar Creek for the season.
Board Meeting
There was no Board of Directors’ meeting for the month of August. The next Board meeting will be held on September 20th in the Cabana at 7:00 p.m.
CEDAR CREEK GARAGE SALE,
NOVEMBER 13, 2010
It's time to clean out your garage and closets looking for those items that you don't need and that others can't live without. The date for the annual Cedar Creek Garage Sale has been set and you won't want to miss out on the fun, not to mention the financial gain. Further reminders will be in upcoming issues of The Cedar Creek Newsletter.
Community Management
MMI of the Gulf Coast, Inc., is our management company. Their address is 3511 Bonita Bay Blvd., Suite 1, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Their office telephone number is (239) 949-7741 and the fax number is (239) 949-7751. Please make a note of this. The Property Manager is Jennifer Waters. She oversees the day-to-day operations of Cedar Creek and will be in the community on a weekly basis to identify problems, notifying any owner(s) of observed violations. If the violations are not resolved in a timely fashion, she will articulate such to the Board for possible action.
Address Changes
To all out-of-area owners who have either had an address change or a problem with receiving mail from MMI, please contact MMI at: JWaters@miamimanagement.com or call her at (239) 949-7741 with your correct mailing address. This address will be your “official” address for all mailings from MMI.
Cedar Creek Ladies Book Club
The Cedar Creek Ladies Book Club meets once a month on the fourth Monday at 7:15 p.m.. We read mostly fiction with a few non-fiction, and bios included occasionally. If you're interested, call or email Carolyn Gallagher, 949-0949, gallahawk@aol.com.
Cedar Creek Ladies’ Coffee
Meet Your Neighbors
We will have a Luncheon at the Cabana on Wednesday, September 15th, at 12:00 noon. Anyone attending can bring a choice of small sandwiches, salads, or deserts. Beverages and tableware will be supplied. Please call LaVerne Stein at 498-9647 by Monday, September 13th to advise that you will attend and what you will bring.
The October Coffee will be held at the home of Linda Faas, 25610 Inlet Way Ct. on Tuesday, October 12, at 2:00 p.m. Please call Linda at 495-7544 by Sunday, October 10, if you will attend. We are now looking for Coffee volunteers for February to December 2011. Anyone wishing to volunteer or has questions may call LaVerne Stein at 498-9647.
Waste Collection
Monday, September 6th will be the next holiday that impacts Cedar Creek. Household waste and Recyclable items will be picked up on Thursday, September 9th. Yard waste collections will be on Friday, September 10th.. Please make a note of this. Trash receptacles should be kept in your garage until trash collection day. Remember, recycled goods are collected on Wednesdays, as is household waste. And also, if you have boxes containing “popcorn styrofoam” packing material, please secure the shipping container with either twine or tape. Please put trash and recycled items by the curb on the scheduled pick-up day only. Yard waste is collected on Thursdays. If there is a major holiday during the week, the collections will be delayed by one day following the holiday.
For all residents whose property backs up to one of our six lakes, LakeMasters, the company that maintains them, has made the following request. “Please have your lawn mowing contractor, or if you cut your own lawn, refrain from directing the lawn clippings into the lakes.” Apparently, this practice increases the amount of algae growth in the waters. This is detrimental to the quality of the lake waters, which in turn, increases the amount of algaecide needed to control the algae growth.
Volunteerism
Again, we want to thank the regular group of neighborhood volunteers who help with weekly cleanups and light maintenance in the common areas of Cedar Creek. The common areas seem to be a dumping ground for residents and outsiders alike, disposing of fast food wrappers, beverage cans and bottles and other items of waste. You will usually see these volunteers picking up debris along US 41 in front of Cedar Creek, along the main thoroughfare and in the Community pool and tennis court areas on Tuesday mornings. If you would like to donate some time on any Tuesday morning to help with this ongoing project, please call either Lloyd Zimmerman at 992-8123 or Glenn at 992-2120. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Delinquencies
Due to space limitations, we will no longer list delinquent properties in the Newsletter. If you wish to know the status of delinquent properties in Cedar Creek, please send me an e-mail requesting that list.
Eleven (11) properties are listed as delinquent for not paying their required assessments, late fees and/or interest, as of August 31, 2010 for the year 2010. These accounts are in the hands of the Association attorney for foreclosure. On the advice of the Association attorney, we will wait until each of these properties sell and collect any outstanding debts via estoppel letters when they go to closing with new owners, or when the banks release them from their indebtedness.
Also, we have six (6) properties that paid their assessments after the January 15th deadline but did not pay the late fees or interest.
The total of account receivables is $24,131.02, including assessments, late fees and interests through July 31, 2010 on these accounts. The attorney’s lien fees are a minimum of $400.00 and a fee of $450.00 for the filing of foreclosure papers with the courts.
In addition to the above, the Association is currently maintaining six (6) properties that have been vacated by the respective owners. These incurred costs total $12,733.28, over and above the total accounts receivable.
Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch volunteers are still needed to complete the monthly schedules. If you are interested, please contact Angela Elmore at: Angelaelmore@verizon.net or by phone at
(239) 206-6650. There are five more dates that need coverage, so, if you can assist one night a month for approximately 30 minutes, your involvement will be greatly appreciated.
Front Gate FAQ
Q: Will my old gate clicker still work in the future?
A: After the transition period, only the bar-codes, prox-cards and the Linear GT-30 units will work.
Q: Will the Prox-cards still work at the tele-entry system after the bar-code distribution is finished?
A: Yes. If yours stops working, contact Greg Coury for assistance. 239-949-3357 ext 3500
Q: Can I use my cell phone for the telephone entry instead of a home phone?
A: Yes, provided it is a local 239 number. The system cannot dial long distance.
Q: What happens if I sell my car?
A: Contact Global Security 239-949-3357 ext 3500 to purchase a new bar-code for $15. At the same time, notify them of which vehicle is being sold so it can be removed from the system.
Q: I need a way to get in the gate when not using my car. How can I get in when driving with a friend?
A: Purchase a prox-card or have your cell phone programmed to the gate so you can let yourself in via cell phone. Only local 239 cell phone numbers will work.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS & INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS
Property Manager: MMI of the Gulf Coast, Inc.,
Manager: Jennifer Waters (239)949-7741 For address
changes please contact Jennifer via phone or by email: Jwaters@miamimanagement.com 3511 Bonita Bay Blvd., Suite 1, Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Gate Tele-Entry Directory: Global Security, Inc.
Contact Owner - Gregory Coury (239)949-3357 x 3500
or email: greg@globalsecurityusa.com
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Bar-code Problems or Prox Cards Purchases:
Global Security, Inc. Contact - Gregory Coury
(239)949-3357 ext 3500 greg@globalsecurityusa.com
Cards are $20 each or 2 for $30.
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Neighborhood Watch: Volunteers always welcome.
Contact Angela Elmore at (239)206-6650
or at Angelaelmore@verizon.net.
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Neighborhood Directories:
Contact Glenn Davis at (239) 992-2120 or GLDavis88@aol.com Printed copies are $.50 each, emailed versions are free.
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Community Email List:
You can sign up to be included in the community
email list by visiting the neighborhood website at
www.OurCedarCreek.com. The link is on the
main page.
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Trash Days: Household waste and recycled
goods are collected Wednesdays, yard waste is
collected on Thursdays. Please do not place garbage
cans or yard waste at the curb on noncollection
days.
_______________________________________
Pool, Spa, Bocce & Tennis: These facilities are
open to residents from 8:00am to 9:00pm. Please
turn off the A/C and lower the umbrellas when not
in use. For more Bocce information please call
Dan Durante 498-9982 or Bill Schwessinger at
992-4539
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The Architectural Review Committee:
Any visible changes to your house or grounds requires
approval by the Board of Directors. You
can obtain a form online at www.OurCedarCreek.com
or by calling Karen DeVoll at (239)948-8831
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
with Bill and Anita
NEWSLETTER #4 (2010)
My sincere thanx to those of you that sent best recovery wishes for my leg. I am pleased to report it is healing nicely.
On Monday the 19th, we arrived in Cherokee, NC. As a former ad man, I should realize you can’t believe everything you read. The RV Park where we had a reservation was a lot different than the advertisement in the ad, so after a night there, we moved 7 miles to a much nicer one, and stayed for 3 nights. Cherokee is named for the famous Indian tribe. As I have said before, I am really interested in the stories of America’s first people.
The town of Cherokee and a large surrounding area is on an Indian reservation. While there, we visited a mock Indian village that had Cherokee Indians working on their crafts. It also had replicas of several Indian homes that they lived in over many years. We also visited the Cherokee museum which was very informative and well done. It was the Cherokee nation that marched on the trail of tears that I described in my last newsletter. Of course, the Cherokees have a very large casino which Anita and I visited for a short time. We left quickly, as I was a winner of $52 on a poker (4 six’s) slot machine. I think the Indians are getting back at us, as they have a 10% tax on everything on the reservation, including food in grocery stores and restaurants.
On Friday the 24th, we drove 189 miles into the high country of North Carolina, to Linville. We had made a reservation to stay at Linville Land Harbor, a large summer home development on the side of a mountain, located on the eastern continental divide at 3500 feet. The site was too small for our RV so the next day we were able to find a very nice one…as a matter of fact, the nicest site we have ever had in 5 ½ years (Damie of Woodsmoke, we still think yours is great). It is located in deep woods, and it has an adjoining wooden deck with stairs that lead to a lower level area which is a great playground for Hunter. Linville, a small community is located almost at the base of Grandfather Mountain, and nearby are the small towns of Newland, Banner Elk, and Boone is 17 miles north.
This site is what we have been looking for, so we will stay here for some time. The weather has been great, high 70’s during the day, and low 60’s at night. We can enjoy all of the amenities of Linville Land Harbor, golf, tennis, hiking trails, pool, square dancing and much more. We even have cable TV and wifi. Chris, Bob and Richard, they even have a solo sailing event twice a week. I sailed one and did very well. We also are fortunate to have friends in the area, Wilma and Chuck Jones and Bill and Eileen Kopp, both couples are from Naples. We had dinner with the Kopp’s one night and the Jones’s took us to the top of Grandfather Mountain (5035 feet), as well as to their home for lunch. We could see for miles on the mountain, it was so clear, as the humidity was gone, A cool front passed by with showers the night before. Crossing the swing bridge, over a 500 foot gorge, in 40 mile an hour winds made it exciting. I think Anita opened her eyes only once or twice.
One day we drove to the top of Beech Mountain, a well known ski area, also 5000+ feet high for a picnic lunch. It is the highest town in eastern North America. While we were there we visited Fred’s store, a unique mercantile store that has everything imaginable, including a café overlooking a garden. Another evening we enjoyed the music of Dallas Reese at the park in Banner Elk.
We are very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Last Sunday we drove about 30 miles on it to the Apple Orchard, enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery and the dense woods, The Apple Orchard features live mountain music several times a week. We danced to it on a large dance floor and enjoyed watching the locals clogging. We even treated ourselves to some ice cream.
We have told you many times how much we enjoy the old mountain music, now called bluegrass. Last Friday we drove to Boone to hear the legend of mountain music, Ralph Stanley. Dr Stanley, along with his brother Carter, who passed away in 1966, are credited with preserving and making famous the traditional mountain music played in this area for over 200 years. Last year we spent 2 wonderful hours visiting his museum in Clintonwood, Virginia, where we learned so much about our favorite music. There was not an empty seat in the 1600 seat theater of Appalachian State University when he made his appearance; there was a 3 minute standing ovation. The 83 year old master sang, and played his banjo for over an hour and one half with the Clinch Mountain Boys, his band for the last 50+ years. Those old timers were as enthusiastic as he. He said he would never quit, God be willing, as a matter of fact, he said he was planning his 100th year show. Seeing that he and I are the same age, I am now making plans to attend the show! Needless to say, Anita and I were thrilled to be there.
Thanx for traveling with us
Bill, Anita and Hunter
NEWSLETTER #5 (2010)
This newsletter, written on the 18th, will probably not be as newsy as others , as we have not traveled in the RV since our last letter. We are still at Linville Land Harbor, and we will be here until the day after Labor Day. We have been enjoying the area and its cool weather so much, that we decided to stay. It will be a total of 6 ½ weeks. ..a record!
Linville Land Harbor, where we are staying is 3500 ft above sea level, and has over 1500 building sites, which includes about 800 homes. Also there are about 70 RV sites, most of which are occupied by their owners. We were very fortunate to be able to rent a nice one for our 6 ½ week stay. All of the home sites are wooded, some overlook lakes, a river and a golf course. There are many steep roads and driveways as the development is on the side of a mountain. Last winter they had over 100 inches of snow, but those few we talked to, who stayed here over the winter, said the road maintenance is very good. There is a large community center here that offers over 60 things to do each week, from knitting to daily activities in the pool. There are 8 square dancing classes and dancing every week and we have been attending 2 of them. Everyone here is very friendly and helpful.
We are close to Linville, a small community only a couple of miles away. Banner Elk, a popular skiing town is 8 miles, Newland is 4 miles, Boone is 20 miles, Blowing Rock is 25 miles and the Blue Ridge Parkway is only 5 miles away as well as Grandfather Mountain. Only Boone has a Wal-Mart. The other towns have good chain grocery stores, and of course, the tourist novelty stores. There are good roads connecting all of the communities and there is a lot of traffic. Boone is a traffic nightmare as all highways go through the city!
The other day we were riding with Wilma and Chuck Jones, from Naples, on a rural mountain road and we saw a little sign saying “funeral ahead”. I wondered where the cemetery was located and Chuck said, “There are none in the area.” As we passed a house we noticed a large bouquet of flowers on their mailbox and Chuck said, “That is where someone lived that died this week, and the flowers are put there or on the door by the town officials honoring the deceased.” He also said it is permissible to bury the owners and their families in their own yard in this part of North Carolina.
Our stay here has been very relaxing. I have been carving whimsical houses and reading while Anita works on editing her many pictures and reading as well We also have cable TV. We enjoy having many meals on the deck as the temperature has not been above 80 since we have been here. We have hiked to Linville Falls and Elk River Falls, which is over 60 feet high. Several times a week we walk the mile and one half river walk in Newland, sometimes with Hunter.
We enjoyed a 3 hour Broadway musical, “Ragtime,” in Banner Elk. The Lees-McRae college production was excellent, and many of the 30 participants were outstanding. The professional actor who played the lead, Coalhouse Walker, Jr., was quite impressive.
We celebrated Heritage Day at Moses Cones Mansion, now a state park, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock. We heard several traditional mountain music groups. One of them , “The Neighbors” sang a very funny song called “Clean Underwear” . We had a tour of the mansion given by one of the Park Rangers. She recreated the lives of Moses and Bertha Cone and their luxurious lifestyle. They made their millions producing denim used by Levi Strauss. The Park Service uses the Mansion now as a craft shop which showcases authentic North Carolina crafts. We saw some very interesting woodcarvings and other crafts. The Mansion was originally, and still is, surrounded by 32,000 apple trees so the Park Rangers were demonstrating the production of apple cider to the children.
We have taken our lawn chairs to several parks to listen to musical groups, some good, some not so good. We have picked blueberries and blackberries in the wooded fields. The last week or so we are consistently getting afternoon or evening showers, caused by the mountains, but they seldom last more than 5 or 10 minutes.
Last Sunday we paid another visit to the Apple Orchard off the Blue Ridge Parkway which we told you about in our last letter. We really enjoy the mountain music there as well as the clogging. While there we decided to take a one hour hay ride which they were offering at 2 PM. The owner of the orchard, Bill Classon, was aboard, and we really enjoyed his many stories about this area. The little road we were on, on the side of the mountain, was actually the road that was used in 1780 by the settlers to march to the battle of King Mountain, 60 miles east. That was the battle that defeated the British and sealed the victory for our patriots that fought for our Independence. While we were riding and enjoying Bill’s stories, one of the fast afternoon thunderstorms struck without warning. ..and there we were, getting wet. As luck would have it we were very close to a bridge of the Parkway which, we ducked under to stay relatively dry. This timely event gave us an additional time to hear more exciting stories. The hour ride lasted ‘til almost 4 PM.
We recently heard about Skype, a computer program that allows a live conversation with someone while on the computer…and at the same time you can see the person you are talking to. And there is no charge! We purchased a mike and camera at Radio Shack for $25. We remembered Dave and Neely Murphy, in Bonita Springs, had the program, so we gave them a call, which lasted a half hour. It was good to see and talk to them…so if anyone with the program would like to see my handsome face as well as Anita’s, just give us a call at anitabills@earthlink.net, our call name is Schwessinger. Some of you may have the mike and camera installed on your computer, my son Scott had them so we also enjoy talking and seeing him. We were recently in a restaurant that had the following 2 signs: No smoking within 15 feet of anywhere and If you are drinking to forget, please pay in advance.
Thanx for traveling with us.
Bill, Anita and Hunter
