Finance Committee Prepares 2022 Budget
By Steve Smith
Once again it is time for the Finance Committee to begin its annual work putting together a budget for 2022 to be recommended to the Board of Directors. This is a good time to review some facts concerning the current budget (2021) and monthly assessments, to help put in perspective the work the committee will be tackling.
To keep monthly dues down because of financial hardships caused by the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic that continued into 2021 the Finance Committee recommended, and the BOD agreed, to use nearly half a million dollars of accumulated surplus to supplement dues in 2021. The result was that instead of dues being raised to $158 they were held to $120 a month.
Budgeted expenditures for 2021 (excluding the landscape enhancement project which was also paid from accumulated surplus) came in at $2,085,000.
Exactly where was that $2,085,000 budgeted to be spent in 2021?
| Transfers to the Reserve Fund (to cover future costs of replacing and refurbishing all amenities including streets) | $410,000
|
| Landscape needs (mowing, trimming, edging along the boulevard and on the Osprey Landing, Marsh Pine, Lakeshore islands and the Myrtle Creek and Sparrow Landing green spaces, as well as the entire area at the dock and clubhouse and around 16 retention ponds). Irrigation repairs, tree trimming and sod replacement are also part of this budget line. | $323,000
|
| Personnel costs including payroll taxes and health insurance | $276,785 |
| Amenity Maintenance (including streets, pool, tennis courts, basketball court, playground, softball field, fitness center, dock area, etc.) | $255,500
|
| Utilities (including streetlights) | $205,500 |
| Safety (including private patrol, off-duty deputies) | $168,500 |
| Management company fees and expenses | $ 90,715 |
| Gates (including electricity, maintenance, internet, cameras) | $ 65,300 |
| Insurance | $ 63,000 |
| Legal costs – General | $ 50,000 |
| Legal costs – Lawsuits | $ 30,000 |
| Legal costs – Collections | $ 24,000 |
| Independent audit and tax return preparation fees | $ 18,000 |
| All other expenses (including clubhouse maintenance, pet waste bags, trash bags, restroom supplies, office supplies, copier lease, copies, printing, postage, social events, holiday lighting, golf cart use, offsite storage, etc.) | $104,700
|
The Finance Committee will spend several hours over multiple days to put together the best budget possible making sure that all assets of the HOA are properly maintained, which has caused North Shore home values to be at the highest in history. The budget will also ensure that the high-quality lifestyle that homeowners enjoy continues and makes North Shore the most desirable place to live in the entire area.
Steve Smith is the treasurer of the North Shore at Lake Hart HOA.
BOD Approves Hedge Height Increase
to Six Feet in Some Areas
When North Shore at Lake Hart was being developed nearly two decades ago, North Shore Golf Club Boulevard traffic was limited to homeowners and residents only. It was a hidden oasis away from the heavy traffic and noise found on Narcoossee Road. At that time only 1,000 to 1,500 cars a day drove the boulevard.
As we all know, much has changed in 20 years.
Today, more than 50,000 vehicles drive the boulevard weekly and many more people walk and ride bicycles on the boulevard sidewalks. Homes that back up to the boulevard have lost that sense of privacy and security. It is for this reason that the Grounds Committee decided it was long overdue to adjust the hedge height both here and on select areas in the community.
All the changes that have occurred during the last 20 years including noise, safety, privacy and overall home values were considered by the Grounds Committee during their July 27th meeting. Recommendations were made that adjusted hedge heights for these unique areas for approval by the Board of Directors (BOD).
At the Aug. 3rd BOD meeting, the board recognized the significant increase in traffic count and thus road noise, listened to the comments from affected residents along North Shore Golf Club Boulevard and followed their input to allow hedge height to be raised by two feet, from four feet to six feet to help buffer the traffic noise.
Height restrictions of hedges and shrubbery have been increased for homes that back up to North Shore’s main thoroughfare and for homes with large lots in the Lake Shore Community. There are 60 homes that back up to the boulevard that are directly affected by the rule change that allows the increase in hedge height in the backyards along the lot boundary lines.
Cleaning the yard this weekend? Follow these tips for waste disposal
Many of you take great pride in maintaining your yards and that’s no small feat this time of the year when the frequent rains make everything grow like crazy. Please follow these simple tips to dispose of yard waste. There is a right and a wrong way to do so.
The Right Way
- Palm branches and other tree limbs should be gathered together into manageable bunches and then tied with string. These bunches can be neatly piled together at the curb.
- Smaller debris such as leaves, mulch, weeds and hedge trimmings should be placed at the curb in one of two ways:
- A garbage bin you own (NOT the county issued trash or recycling bins)
- Inside paper bags
The Wrong Way
- Palm branches and other tree limbs should NOT be tossed in a loose pile at the curb.
- Smaller debris should NOT be placed in plastic bags. When plastic bags are used, the workers have to tear each bag open before placing the waste in the truck. This extra step causes a mess on the street and it takes longer for them to collect the yard waste.
Your assistance before these items make their way to the curb will help to maintain a more pleasant and clean North Shore.
Employee Spotlight:
Meet Our Jack of All Trades: Irving Alvarado
North Shore at Lake Hart’s Maintenance Manager Irving Alvarado has been fixing things since he turned 12.
Alvarado learned how to do repairs around the house from his father, who also worked as a maintenance manager. When his father came home from the military, he would repair lighting problems, replace toilets and install ceiling fans around the house. At 12, Alvarado began mastering many of the same jobs and liked the feeling of satisfaction in knowing that he could fix things himself.
As he makes the rounds to check on the North Shore community, he visits with residents and makes sure everything is in working order.
“I like working with residents,” Alvarado said. “They appreciate what I do for them and the community. That’s what motivates me.”
Alvarado’s duties include ensuring all nine gates are working correctly. If a gate gets hit by a vendor or resident, Alvarado takes pictures and collects all the information so the North Shore HOA can bill the offenders to correct the problem.
Each day while making his rounds, Alvarado collects trash and debris around North Shore, fixes plumbing and electrical problems and makes sure all lights are working inside and outside the clubhouse and at the pool.
“Irving is involved in most of the maintenance areas that many people do not see,” said John De Crotie, general manager/community association manager. “He is a jack of all trades. In my opinion, one of his biggest assets is his willingness to take on any job and get it done right. I am so glad he is part of my team here at North Shore.”
Alvarado has worked for Access Management at North Shore at Lake Hart for two years. He has 16 years of maintenance management experience and previously worked for Access at the Grand Palm Apartments in Venice, Fla.
The 41-year-old father of three gets to relax on the weekends. Fortunately, a maintenance service he is not involved with gets to fix any problems that may arise at the apartment complex where he lives.
What is the Architectural Review Board?
By Michael McCauley
One big complaint of people living in a homeowner’s association (HOA) is being limited to the changes they are allowed to make to their homes and yards. So, here’s why it’s necessary to have an Architectural Review Board (ARB) to guide homeowners with these decisions.
One of the biggest benefits of living in an HOA is protecting your property values. This is achieved by maintaining a certain consistency with the home’s aesthetic appeal. The standards are spelled out in the governing documents, found on the North Shore at Lake Hart HOA website.
The ARB meets every two weeks and determines if requests from homeowners meet the standards established in those documents. North Shore at Lake Hart’s current ARB committee members are: Ish Samuels, Paul Johnson, Mike McCauley and Rob Taub.
When all the homes comply with approved paint schemes, mailboxes and fence styles, it creates a cohesive and appealing community image. There are a variety of color choices and horticulture designs that appeal to individual tastes. The consistency within the guidelines keeps most homeowners happy with their communities and helps increase property values.
While the ARB determines if your application complies with the governing documents, it is not there just to say no but to help guide the homeowner with changes that can be made and are pleasing to all residents. All homeowners are held to the same standards. On occasion, a small variance is permitted or perhaps some rules need to be changed due to changing traffic flows or new styles.
The ARB’s goal is to maintain consistent community standards and enforcement of HOA rules and regulations.
Michael McCauley has lived in North Shore since 2003. He is an Air Force veteran, a retired fire fighter and was a supervisor at Southwest Airlines until retirement in 2014. McCauley has served our community as a former BOD director, member of the compliance committee and a current member of the Grounds and ARB committees.
Real Estate Roundup: Protect your Property from Hurricanes; Hot Taco Street Taqueria Opens
By Bob Schoneman
Hurricane season is upon us. Protect your family and property by preparing before a storm threatens the area. Make sure that generator you bought four years ago still starts and that you have fuel to run it. Stock up on canned goods and batteries and make sure you secure those loose items outside that can become projectiles during the storm. Most importantly, check on each other before and after the storm. Finally, as our kiddos are back in school, let’s be extra cautious on the roadways to allow them to get to and from school safely.
As usual, there’s lots happening in our community in terms of real estate.
Real Estate Update
As we edit this newsletter, there are only two homes for sale in North Shore out of the 1,049 homes in our community. Obviously, inventory remains extremely low. Great news if you find yourself needing to sell, but not so good if you are a buyer trying to move into our amazing community.
Here are some statistics for the Orlando market for July 2021 vs July 2020:
- Active listings down 51 percent (again low inventory),
- Average days on market 19 Days, down 67 percent
- Total sales 6.5 billion up 16 percent
- Average sales price up 21 percent
As for North Shore specifically: two homes on the market, two sales pending (under contract) and eight sold in the last 30 days with an average time on market of nine days, average of 104 percent sales price vs. list price (4 percent over asking) and an average of $182 per square foot.
Check Out What’s New
Hot Taco Street Taqueria opens: Where Pig Floyd’s used to be www.hottacotaqueria.com
Lake Nona Performance Club is now open: Check them out at www.lakenonaperformanceclub.com
P.F. Chang’s To Go is now open in Lake Nona at 6982 Lake Nona Blvd. Check out their menu at https://www.pfchangs.com/menu
FSU Coach Bowden’s Legacy Lives On
With college football season here, it is fitting that we honor the legacy Florida State University Coach Bobby Bowden who died recently. His passing has brought to our attention the impact we can have when we focus on others. I am blown away by the number of stories from his players, coaches and his family, sharing how much Coach Bowden meant to them and how he influenced their lives.
Coach Bowden had an amazing sense of humor and loved to make people laugh, but along with his one liners and humorous stories he rarely missed an opportunity to share his faith. So many people would consider themselves Christian coaches. Bobby Bowden was a Christian who coached football. What a legacy he leaves behind; I am looking forward to the tribute that FSU most certainly will have for Coach Bowden when they kick off the season against the Fighting Irish September 5th in Tallahassee!
Bob Schoneman is an United States Air Force Veteran, a Real Estate Broker, Author of “SOLD! 8 Simple Steps For Successfully Selling Your Home,” Co-Host of The RIOT Podcast and North Shore homeowner since 2005. He is married to his beautiful wife, Crystal, and is the lucky father of Samantha. Bob can be reached at 407-687-1490, www.facebook.com/bob.schoneman or www.expbob.com with any real estate questions you may have.
Announcements
HOA MEETINGS TO CONTINUE VIA ZOOM
As our region grapples with thousands of new cases of COVID-19, HOA Board meetings will continue to be held via Zoom. Your participation is very much encouraged. To ensure that only homeowners gain access to the meetings, we have created a ‘homeownership verification’ form that needs to be completed at least an hour prior to the start of the meeting. An email with simple to follow instructions will be sent out before each meeting. See you in Zoom!
HAVE QUESTIONS? PLEASE ASK
If you have questions for the HOA Board or our management, please send them to jdecrotie@accessdifference.com. The questions will be answered via email or at the next HOA Board meeting. This process helps make meetings run more efficiently and allows for your questions to be answered thoroughly, particularly when some research is needed to collect all necessary facts. We try hard to be informed, but we don’t always know every detail off the top of our head. ALL questions are welcomed.
SPEED LIMIT IS 25mph
With school returning and many more children outside their homes, we want to remind all residents of the speed limits in our community. With only one exception (North Shore Golf Club Blvd, north of the traffic circle) the speed limit on ALL of our roads is 25 mph. As you know, inside the gates our streets are not very wide, so we ask that you take your time and observe the speed limit as a courtesy to your neighbors and for the safety of our children.
GARAGE DOORS
Our Community Patrol have observed many open garage doors in the late evening. All residents should take this matter seriously and keep them closed. Open garages invite theft and may create potentially more dangerous scenarios. Please be safe.