2019 Ibis Cove Board of Directors

 

Roger Thorpe, President

George Rakowski, Vice President

John Della Marco, Treasurer

Susan King, Secretary and Sergeant-at Arms/ Parliamentarian

Brian Schena, Director

 
 

May you all have a successful and enjoyable term of office!! 

 

WHY? Why do we have rules??? Why do we have to follow them?

 

As adults, we tend to think that we understand and don't need to be told or reminded of anything. We like to think that we know what's best and necessary for ourselves. We have "grown-up" and have learned throughout the years and experiences, what to do, and hopefully, what not to do. So why, when we buy into a community, like Ibis Cove, are there Rules and Regulations, and By-Laws and Documents, which we are expected to abide by?

 

Rules simply create order out of chaos. Although you might want to be able to do whatever you want, whenever you want to do it, you might not be happy if this same absence of rules, applied to everyone else. (Wonderopolis) To live peacefully and to function effectively, we have established rules, which the majority agreed to. While we do have 416 individual homes in Ibis Cove, we certainly do have some uniformity. It was designed that way, and while some rules and regulations have slowly evolved over the past 19 years, there will always be rules.

 

It is the responsibility of each owner and those who live in Ibis Cove, to be respectful of these rules. It is so important to the welfare and future of Ibis Cove, that for many years, each owner has signed a document that states the rules are understood, when they purchase their home. It is part of the sales application. A second document, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Receipt of Association Documents, is also signed, stipulating that the purchaser agrees to have "read and understood” the Declaration of Covenants, Restrictions, and Easements, Articles of Incorporation, By Laws and Budget. If you no longer have these documents, you can make arrangements at the Association office to get them. Unfortunately, not having them or not knowing them, is not an excuse to not follow them.

 

We all want to be content and happy in our homes. Lou Holtz, a former American football player, coach and analyst, once said - "I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can and always show people you care."

 

Seems very simple to say, but embracing those three little rules, can make all of our homes content and happy.

 

Susan King
Secretary and Sergeant-at Arms/ Parliamentarian, Ibis Cove

 

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To help keep our community safe and attractive, do you follow these rules?
 

~Trash containers can be placed on the sidewalk between 6pm the night before pick-up and removed by 12 am(midnight) the day of pick up. (Currently Tuesday and Friday)

~ No for rent or for lease signs are permitted. ~ All lanais shall always be kept in orderly condition. ~ Parking is not permitted on any Association or common areas, grass or sidewalks.

~Any owner of a dog or cat shall obtain a county license for each animal when the animal is four months old or older.

 

Thank you for your cooperation!

 

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Do you know? Board Meetings
 

The Ibis Cove Board of Directors must meet together to conduct the business of the Ibis Cove Master Property Owners Association. There are five directors, which have been elected to represent 416 owners - this is the governing body of the Association.

 

At each advertised meeting, there must be a quorum of at least three directors, in person or by phone, in order to hold the meeting. This Board is tasked with adhering to the Association documents and by laws as well as county, state and federal regulations and enforcing the Ibis Cove rules and regulations. According to the bylaws of the Ibis Cove Master Property Owners Association, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of Association proceedings. ( Ibis Cove Bylaws, Article XIV, Section 1- Parliamentary Rules- Robert's Rules of Order)

 

Robert's Rules is a set of rules for how to handle business at meeting and public gatherings. It originated in the early English parliaments and came to America with the first European settlers. It became uniform practice in 1876, when Henry M. Roberts published his manual on parliamentary law. It is important to follow because it allows everyone to be heard and to make decisions without confusion. It follows a fixed agenda, minutes are taken for future review, motions are made which are proposals to take action and then, voted upon. It basically keeps the public meeting in order, to allow business to be performed, in a civil and courteous manner.

 

Boards are responsible. They provide fiduciary oversight, influence strategy, oversee management and guard against unnecessary risks and violations. The Board is the greatest champion of the community!!

Now you know....

Susan King
Secretary and Sergeant-at Arms/ Parliamentarian, Ibis Cove

  

 

Ten years ago, Stacy came to Ibis Cove and became our Assistant Association Manager.  Her actual position stated that she would assist the Property Manager in day-to-day operations.  Stacy worked side by side with Sandy and then, Cindy, but she was often at the forefront of meeting potential and new residents. She was the “meeter and greeter” as she dealt with buyers, owners, realtors, accountants and contractors.  Stacy maintained records of all sales and rental applications and knew exactly where everything was and could immediately find it!  She worked closely with the Construction Committee, and was a knowledgeable source of valuable information. In calling or emailing the office, it would be Stacy who could help get the answers or resolve a problem. 

Work and life sometimes overlap and in the past ten years, Stacy’s own two children have grown up, moving onto college and career.  We heard stories of their sports and academic achievements and felt like we actually knew them. Whenever her mom stopped by, we all could see how very proud she was and is of Stacy.   Stacy and her family became our family, too. 

Stacy shared her enthusiasm and friendliness with all and truly exemplified her job description of “being a team player at all times.”  

As with many good things in life, they don’t last and sadly, Stacy has gone to seek new adventures and new friends.

We will miss her and sincerely hope that she remembers her time at Ibis Cove with fondness- knowing she helped make a difference!! 

Twenty-six months ago, Ibis Cove was very fortunate when Cindy Reuter-Zingraff came knocking on our doors!  She was to become the new Association manager, as Sandy Houldsworth was retiring.  Sandy was impressed with Cindy from the start – and knew she would be a good fit for our community.  As the days and months passed, Cindy proved to be an invaluable asset to Ibis Cove.  She is unparalleled in her understanding HOA laws and practices, and while confident and concise with our residents, she was always diplomatic and compassionate.  

All of our committees have benefited from her input and expertise, helping committee membership to be more successful and enjoyable.  Our vendors/contractors respected her and her advice, competency and insight for three Boards of Directors have made Ibis Cove a better place to live!

I had the opportunity to interview Cindy and ask her about her “Ibis Cove experience-“ 
One of the funniest and most memorable things that happened was when she saw a Christmas tree with a cinder block anchor pulled out of the lake! She feels that Ibis Cove has great strengths- 

We have learned from our history, we have loyal vendors, there has been good relationships between the Boards of Directors and management,  there has been an efficient chain of command and Ibis Cove has upheld the Documents, by which we were founded.  
As in many Associations, Cindy feels that communication to educate is key and only then will owners understand the Association and their own responsibilities.  

She praised our contractors/vendors for their dedication and quick responses to Ibis Cove and felt that good, competent service cannot simply be equated to dollars and cents.

After going through Hurricane Irma and seeing problems with an aging irrigation system, Cindy’s recommendation was to have an independent evaluation of our almost 20 year old irrigation system. This was accomplished and we now have a blueprint, should our community decide to update and upgrade.  This caring and concern for our future is just one of the reasons she has become an integral part of our history.  

Cindy’s quote, “to realize a dream, you have to give up a piece of your life,” best exemplifies her resignation.  Ibis Cove has been a very important part of her life and now, she is moving on.  She wishes us all good luck and hopes Ibis Cove stays the “nice, quiet, friendly community” that we are.
We were indeed very fortunate to have met Cindy and as she has moved on to new experiences and new challenges, we wish her much success, good health and prosperity.

We hope you don’t forget us!!!
 

MANAGER’S REPORT – January 2019 Newsletter

To recap 2019 so far: 

• FPL Streetlight project – Estimated start date in 4 months
• Painting Phase III scheduled to start after Memorial Day
• Clubhouse – 
  • Toilets in interior Restrooms replaced with Kohler Highline
  • Poker table felt covered inserts have been repaired and installed
  • A/C filters (incl. Fitness) replaced as part of PM service agreement
  • Chandelier in cardroom one hook re-set & hung
  • Exterior window and screens cleaned
• Fitness: TV channels reset by Hotwire; 5 ceiling light bulbs replaced, 2nd qtr. PM performed / no repairs
• Pool/Spa: Spa geo-thermal heater replaced; spa interior acid washed, grout repaired, grate replaced; leak adjustment request sent to Collier Utilities; Leaking Pools Inc. has been called to investigate on 4/23 whether a reported spa water loss is new or attributable to the past repair; the push button cartridge replaced on shower by spa; Gate times adjusted for daylight savings; 3 umbrellas being sent in for repair.
• Parking lot: issues with underground electric cable found and repaired; 2 bulbs replaced
• Gates – Replacement Cameras and DVR with new box have been installed; communication board between arm and gate replaced; Glass replaced on keypad; Bollard that was knocked down was reset
• Common Areas – 
  • Lake Fountains – all 10 timers reset for daylight savings, all fountains up & running w/ no reported problems; semiannual PM is coming up
  • Roads - Waste management hydraulic leak on roads cleaned and monitored by Collier County inspector
  • Four mailboxes repaired
  • Semiannual sidewalk cleaning scheduled last week of April – homeowners received message on how to piggyback on this project to get driveways & private sidewalks cleaned at a discount; Update Tauren Ct. started on 4/25
  • Private Property / No trespassing sign being installed by Indigo Lakes pass through
  • Common Area sidewalks and gutters have been pressure washed
• Landscape – 
  • Irrigation and trimming schedules have been posted on the website.
  • Palms were trimmed throughout the community
  •  Many yards were sprayed to kill the bad grass (weeds) causing dry patches (latest application on 4/22). This is phase I; once fertilizer is applied the grass will start to look much better and cover those patches by taking over.  This is a long-term project that will be ongoing over the summer.
  • Fertilizing: Turf Fertilizer, Plant and Palm fertilizer scheduled within the next 2 weeks
  • Eastern berm trimmed and irrigation inspected
• Irrigation-  Stahlman England  has performed inspection of the entire irrigation system - report was received and distributed to BOD at 4-25 meeting; Preventative Maintenance performed on 7 irrigation pumps – two VFD cooling fans replaced; 
• Security:  In order to uphold the association rules and regulations the on-site patrol personnel does issue parking violations, which are then followed up by the office staff. Residents should not swear or yell at the on duty patrol person; if there is an issue it should be reported to the Ibis Cove office.

In the last newsletter we asked everyone to report any landscaping or irrigation concerns to the office so we can create a trackable work order. This has been a success, so we are encouraging everyone to continue to contact us at the new email address created for reporting issues at ibisissue@emaildodo.com or you can call 239-348-7340 Mon-Fri 8-4. 

In answer to questions we have received regarding the Volo Village information blasts – no one signs up, everyone’s contact info is added – if you are not getting the messages being sent out, check your email spam. If the messages are not there, or if you are not getting the text messages, call the office to confirm your correct contact info is on file. 

Last year we inspected all properties for any missing trees and letters were sent out. If you received a letter and have not completed the replacement and have not contacted the office please do so as soon as possible. The set deadline for replacement is past, so we will shortly be starting to inspect for compliance. 

At their April Meeting, the Board of Directors approved a policy that the nighttime security notify residents via telephone if their garage door is open, before issuing a violation. If you wish to opt out, please send an email to ibisissue@emaildodo.com stating that you would like to remove your name from the call list.

It has been a pleasure working with you all over the past two years. 
   

Few Notes From The Editor

We have noticed a few folks eating at the pool instead of inside the screened in lanai of the pool. Please make an effort to keep the pool area free of bugs.

Dog feces are appearing in quite a few sidewalks, driveways and grass. First of all, that is dangerous to our health as well as the landscapers who mow the grass and work on the trimming of our shrubs. Please take a bag with you. pick up and take to your home.  It is not necessary to share with the community.

Enjoy the newsletter, and if you are returning to the north for the summer, please let the office know that you are leaving.

Have a great summer, see you in the fall or early winter.

 

 

 

Just wanted to get a message to everyone to let you know some of the events we are talking about .

We have a group of wonderful ladies who brought their ideas to a meeting & I will share some of them here.

We talked about starting a Moms club, where we can get some of our mommas together & meet up...this has only been talked about & we will talk about it further because there were some interests in this already.. we will try & move forward with this at the next meeting so stay tuned !

Ladies luncheons will continue every 3rd Thursday of the month so keep your eyes open for details & if you are able to attend then please RSVP...if for some reason you need to cancel after you said you were going, please let the hostess know ASAP..we understand things happen but please do the best you can, it will be greatly appreciated, thank you !

We are going to try a " back -to-school " event this August, we don't have all the details so as the planning gets underway, watch for the info !!

Other things that were talked about:
1)   Family movie night --2)  Singles night --3)  Trunk or treat

Again, these were just tossed out there & as time goes by we will have more info.
There were lots of other ideas also so stay tuned for things happening here in IC !

As you are reading this, & if anything strikes ( hey maybe a bowling team in the future !! ) you that you would like to see here for an event in IC, whether it be for adults, kids or family, please feel free to reach out to me !

Wishing you ALL a wonderful Summer & if you are traveling North, safe travels & we look forward to seeing you in the Fall !!
 

 

 
              I'm writing this message because I've lived here for almost 13 years now & I think we are a community divided...by age that is !! IC is NOT a retiring community nor is it a 55 & over community...we are a community of families of ALL AGES !!

              When I first moved in here, I was told that IC was NOT kid friendly ( my boys were 3 & 5 at the time...today my oldest just graduated from GCHS & my youngest will be a Sopohmore this August ).

               Two weeks after I moved in it was Halloween & there were a LOT of trick or treaters out here.  Were they all from IC, probably not, but there were trick or treaters of ALL ages, from baby carriages to grown adults... & hey, if the adult was willing to wear a costume then I was going to give them candy!!

               We are a community of pregnant "mommas", which means there will be new
borns arriving shortly here in IC, there are Elementary school age kids, Middle school age kids & we have HS age young adults. Then we have those that are out of school, our 55 & over & maybe even 90 & above !!

                Getting back to the " kids " & the reason for my message..kids will be kids, they will scream & yell & make lots of noise : in their home, on their lanai, out in front of our homes & even at the pool, etc.

                 So with young kids comes LOTS of noise. This generation of kids is our future...
                 They have pumped our gas & will continue to do so..

                 They have bagged our groceries & will continue to do so, & they will bring our groceries out to our cars ( & if we're lucky enough they will even return our carts ) !
                  They have fixed our computers & will continue to do so.. & not just our computers but our Ipads, TVs, phones & any other electronics that we need help with !
                   If your neighbor next to you has kids & they are making "noise ", smile, wave, grin & bare it or maybe even join in on the fun !

                   Kids screaming & yelling is healthy & it gives them a great set of lungs !!

                   So please, go introduce yourself. But do NOT, I repeat do NOT point a finger at your neighbor & tell them how loud their kids are because that is NOT going to work !! This could be your neighbor for the next 10 - 15 years or more here in IC & maybe someday they may be the one kid who you turn to for directions !
                   
Remember, YOU were once a kid to....