February 2018

Your Board Members

• Vicki Perkins President • Pete Keller

Vice President • Tom Delebreau

Secretary • Mike Corio

Treasurer • Steve Gnech

Director at Large

Newsletter Editors:

Debbie Troise

Linda Chindelas

Look for us on the

web:

BSMPOA.com

Email:

s.danko@starhospitali

tymanagement.com

Our Management

Company is:

Star Management

26530 Mallard Way

Punta Gorda, FL 33950

941-575-6764

941-575-7968 (fax)

Emergency Preparedness

So how prepared are you? 2017 was an interesting year for weather. Hurricane Irma was a challenge for Emergency Management throughout the State of Florida, with Maria closely behind. The inability to predict Irma’s landfall created a massive evacuation problem. We were very lucky to have somewhat avoided this massive storm, but nature being what it is and living in Florida, sooner or later we will once again be in a hurricane’s path. You have a question? Hopefully we can get it answered. On March 19, 2018 @ 6:00 pm, BSMPOA is going to have guest speakers from the Punta Gorda Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management to discuss our vulnerability here in the Meadows. Topics of discussion will be “Know Your Zone”, Storm Surge, Evacuation, and Hazardous Material Releases. If you’re interested in attending, it will be held at: Burnt Store Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall 11330 Burnt Store Rd Punta Gorda @ 6:00 PM Thank you, Pete Keller

The Away from Home Program The Away from Home Program is an invaluable courtesy service offered by the City of Punta Gorda to its residents. The primary purpose of the Away from Home Program is to offer vacationing, seasonal, and year-round residents the reassurance that if a problem exists at their property such as suspicious activity, utility emergencies, or other emergency conditions, the resident or their designated key holder can be contacted expeditiously. Members of the Punta Gorda Police Department’s Volunteers on Patrol may also conduct periodic House Checks on your home while you’re away and immediately notify you or your designee of any problems or concerns at your residence. Participants can provide contact information for themselves or a key holder which will enable the Police Department to more quickly remedy emergency situations. It is important to note that the Away from Home Program is not intended, or designed, to replace home security systems or other security devices. Rather, it is a courtesy service designed to further protect your home and enhance the Police Department’s ability to rapidly respond to and remedy, an emergency at the homes of our residents. The link to sign up is at: http://www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us/government/police/away-from-home, or you can call 941-639-4111 and speak with a dispatcher.

Treasurer’s Report This report is for the period ending December 31, 2017. The total amount in the operating bank accounts is $277, 107.54. There is $13,500 in the construction Clean Site account. The Accounts Receivable total is $21,592.06 of which $16,318.78 is for the current year. About 93% of the assessments due for the year have been collected. Estoppel Certificates Estoppel certificates are required by a POA per Florida Statute 720.30851 when a request is made by a title insurer or closing agent, etc., to show that any liens are cleared and assessments have been paid at closing. Part of Star Managements agreement is to process them on behalf of the Association. It was recently brought to our attention that an estoppel fee of $200 was being charged as opposed to the contracted rate of $100. It was found that while Star Management has the right to increase their fee, it has to be written into a current contract, which is currently under review. Star Management is in the process of identifying those overcharged and refunding the difference to the Title Company so the fee can be refunded to the appropriate party. 9th Annual Christmas Lights/Holiday Decorating Contest Thanks to everyone who participated in decorating their homes for the Christmas holiday, giving the community a festive look. In addition to the Visa gift cards for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, we also had some gift certificates provided by local businesses, John Ski’s House of Breakfast & Toula’s, which were given to 4th, 5th and 6th place winners. Congratulations to all of you. The winning addresses are as follows: 1st Place 601 Trumpet Tree $100 *GIFT CERTIFICATE* winners are: 2nd Place 7505 Wedelia $50 4th Place 559 Philodendron 3rd Place 613 Trumpet Tree $25 5th Place 7233 N Blue Sage 6th Place 7166 N Plum Tree Thanks also to Sue Delebreau for handling this event.

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Crime Prevention

The City of Punta Gorda was rated as having the 2nd lowest crime rate in the state of Florida (based on other cities of our size and larger). WE ARE NOT, HOWEVER, CRIME FREE. We are not a gated community and as such, anyone can come and go. It is imperative that each and every one of us become extra eyes and ears for the police, as they can’t be everywhere. BSM, like the rest of Punta Gorda is considered a fairly wealthy place, in my personal opinion. That’s where criminals like to “shop”. Criminals do not like to get caught; they will commit their crimes where an easy opportunity exists. Do not give them that opportunity!!! Is the house dark? Did they leave their car doors unlocked? How about the house doors? Are shrubs so over grown they can easily hide behind them and not be seen? I am not trying to scare anyone by any means, rather educate. I am speaking to you from experience. I am a retired NYC police Sergeant. I spent 25 years in some of the most dangerous areas of NYC dealing with criminals. I was a Crime Prevention officer for a number of years as well and dealt with too many victims. I am trying to make BSM “Target hardened”. What that means is to get as many of us to be proactive about protecting ourselves and our property. When you do that, the criminals go elsewhere. THIS WORKS. Here’s what we all need to do:

• Lock our cars and homes ALWAYS (even when home) • Keep outside lights on. Criminals hate to be seen, caught on camera or be described. Darkness is their friend. • Keep ladders indoors. • Keeps shrubs trimmed near entrances so no one can hide behind them and surprise you. • Keep a light on indoors or use a timer when away to make it look like someone is home.

In addition, keep in mind a $100 lock is USELESS if you don’t have a good door to support that lock. Other suggestions which can be a little costly are cameras and a security system. Lastly and most important. From what I have seen, people tend to use Nextdoor to advise others of crime. THAT SHOULD BE DONE ONLY AFTER THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED. The 911 system is for emergencies and a suspicious person or car is an emergency. Never get personally involved. Do the following:

• When you see something, say something. CALL 911 • Give as much info as possible. Car/person descriptions, locations, direction of and method of travel. • CALL 911 back if circumstances change. Did they do something you didn’t initially report? Are they now

traveling in a different direction? Did they take property? Tell the 911 operator all this NEW info. The arriving officers may very well pass the car leaving as they enter and can stop them, but only if you give them enough information to do so!!! After all this, THEN you can post info to Nextdoor, knowing you’ve done good and helped your fellow neighbors. We are all in this together folks. Keep your eyes and ears open at ALL times. Use the non-emergency number to report things like speeding, loud music, etc. Anything that needs immediate police response is a 911 call!!! Better to err on the side of caution. I never minded when someone called; PGPD won’t either. Bob Troise

Living with Coyotes We have noticed numerous posts on NextDoor regarding Coyote sightings in our community. We thought it would be pertinent to include an article found on Florida’s Fish and Wildlife website. Coyotes are found throughout Florida. This medium-sized canid is extremely adaptable and can be found in rural, suburban and even urban landscapes. They are typically shy and elusive but encounters between people and coyotes in Florida are occurring more often. Coyotes help maintain balanced ecosystems by controlling the populations of rodents and small predators, such as foxes, opossums and raccoons. They are native to North America, have been in Florida for many years, and will continue to make their homes around the state. The following are suggestions for coexisting with coyotes.

What should I do if I see a coyote? Coyotes are not large animals and rarely pose a threat to people, especially adults. They can be curious but are also timid and generally run away if challenged. If a coyote approaches too closely, there are methods you can use to deter it and frighten it away. Hazing the animal by making loud noises and acting aggressively will typically cause a coyote to leave an area, but you may need to increase and continue hazing efforts until the coyote is effectively deterred and leaves the area for good. There are several methods of hazing that are effective with coyotes. • Waving your arms in the air and yelling will usually get a coyote to retreat. You may need to move towards the

coyote and increase hazing if the animal does not immediately run away. It is important to continue hazing efforts until the coyote has left the area or the animal may return.

• Noisemakers are often effective deterrents to coyotes, including air horns, banging pots and pans and homemade noisemakers. A “coyote shaker” made from placing pebbles or coins in an empty drink container can be an effective noisemaker.

• Throwing small stones or sticks towards (but not at) a coyote will usually cause the animal to leave. .Spraying water from a hose and using squirt guns or bear repellent can also be effective hazing methods. Do not attempt to hurt the coyote because injured animals are more likely to defend themselves; the goal should be to scare the coyote away. Remember that wild animals will attempt to protect themselves or their young if threatened — keep your distance.

• Vary your methods of hazing so that the coyote does not become desensitized and hazing is still effective. • If a coyote approaches a child, the animal can be startled away by an adult yelling loudly first and then moving

towards the coyote. This gives the adult an opportunity to lift the child as quickly as possible and back away from the animal. Do not run from a coyote, as this may cause the animal to chase.

• Teach children to recognize coyotes. If children are approached by a coyote, have them move slowly inside and yell – teach them not to run, which could cause a coyote to chase.

How can I protect my pets from coyotes? Coyotes can and do prey on domestic cats and small dogs. Most coyote attacks on pets occur either at night or in the early evening or morning hours (dusk and dawn). To protect your pets, do not allow them to roam freely. • Keep cats indoors. Free-roaming cats are at a high risk of being preyed on by coyotes. • Walk small dogs on a short leash, especially at night, dusk or dawn. Be extra careful if you are going to walk your

pet in wooded areas or areas that have heavy foliage, where coyotes could hide. • If pets are kept in a fenced yard, be sure the fence is high enough (about 6 feet) to prevent coyotes from jumping

over it and check the bottom of the fence regularly to ensure there are no holes where coyotes can get underneath. • Remove other attractants from around your home, such as pet food and unsecured garbage left outside. Problems

with coyotes can be significantly reduced if residents remove attractants and secure trash.

How can I prevent problems with coyotes? • Never feed coyotes either intentionally or unintentionally. Do not place food outside that will attract wild animals.

Clean up pet food, fallen fruit and seed around bird feeders – coyotes will be drawn to and eat all of these potential

food sources, since they are opportunistic feeders. Coyotes that associate places where people live as an easy place to find food will gradually lose their natural fear of humans.

• Secure garbage cans and compost in animal-proof containers. DO NOT put your trash at the curb in plastic bags.

• Be aware of unusual coyote behavior. Unusual behavior could include a coyote that has lost its fear of humans and is approaching people, chasing joggers and bikers, or attacking leashed pets. Unusual coyote behavior can be reported to FWC’s Wildlife Alert number at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

• Close off crawl spaces under porches and sheds to prevent coyotes and other animals from resting or raising their young in areas around your home.

• Educate your neighbors and ask them to follow these same steps. Why can’t coyotes be relocated or completely eliminated from my neighborhood? • Removing coyotes is an inefficient and ineffective method to control populations. New coyotes move into areas

where others have been removed. When there is pressure (such as trapping) placed on coyote populations, the species can actually produce more pups per litter in response and populations can quickly return to original size.

• Coyotes are found throughout the entire state of Florida as part of natural range expansion from western states and now live in every state but Hawaii.

• Coyotes fill an important role in the ecosystem by keeping rodent and small predator (fox, raccoon, opossum, etc.) populations under control.

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Community Yard Sale We wanted to take a moment to thank Karen Otto and Joyce Tilden for coordinating this years’ Community Yard Sale. A special thanks also goes out to Paul Schaefer of Sage Homes for paying for the newspaper advertising and printing of the flyers. BURGER’S AND DOG’S Our first community picnic went off without a hitch. I want to thank all the residents that attended and supported our efforts to “Greet and Meet” your neighbor. I believe most people enjoyed the gathering and the opportunity to meet others in the community. I want to thank the Picnic Committee, Vicki Perkins, Reenie Keller, Enola Kelley and Cindy Johnson, for taking the time to help organize this event. There were also several volunteers who helped set up, clean up and of course the members who did the grilling. A special thanks to Steve Gnech who was able to acquire the Burnt Store Lakes outdoor community facility for our event. It was a really nice area with full accommodations. We’re hoping next year will draw an even larger crowd! As a side note, members of the Board are trying to run events that will spark interest and get you out and involved. We really can use more volunteers! We understand that meetings can at times be somewhat boring and heated based on the topic. It’s the nature of the beast. This is your community and the Board is there to try and resolve complaints and issues from the residents. Sometimes we can and sometimes not, based on our governing documents. Your attendance is always appreciated. And please remember that we are volunteers and do the best we can. Pete Keller

Next Door For those of you who have not signed up yet for Next Door, please consider doing so. Active members of the Next Door site can all agree how helpful this site was during Hurricane Irma. It was the only way to get up-to-date information from Emergency Management services. IT Analyst II Alicia Oates, who is with the City of Punta Gorda Fire Department was our City lifeline before, during and after the storm. It was also a great way to allow those who’d evacuated to check-in to see how the community had held up and to ask for home checks to make sure their place was OK. Overall, I believe using Next Door helped to diffuse an already stressful situation. Our newsletters go out quarterly, and at times the information is too late in coming. This is the fastest way for the Association Board to get information out regarding important issues, upcoming meetings, when community mowing will take place, etc. It’s also a great way to keep apprised of what’s going on in the neighborhood. At the very least, sign up prior to the next hurricane season so you can stay in the loop. Newsletters We encourage all homeowners to sign up to receive the quarterly newsletter via electronically rather than by mail. The cost of printing and mailing the paper newsletter is about $2,600 per year. This money could be better utilized to do additional ditch work or to beautify our community! We now have a total of 197 property owners receiving the e-newsletter. Thank you to those who have signed up for the electronic version! Please help us reduce this overhead cost by signing up for the e-newsletter today via our website: http://www.bsmpoa.com/newsletters.html

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Dog Waste on a Daily Basis On any given day of the week, you can usually see me walking my beloved pet along the streets of Burnt Store Meadows. About a year and half ago I found myself saving a rescue dog from Animal Welfare League in Port Charlotte and life has not been the same. My girl is a very large dog who was used as a puppy mill and didn’t have the experience of much freedom outside, so now I walk her 2-3 times daily. When I do, you can be assured that my pockets or (fanny-pack) are full of all the essentials. (poop bags, sanitizer, and treats). The reason for this information is to allow all my furry friends and their owners to understand the importance of those POOP BAGS. I must come across at least 5 to 10 loads of fecal matter from dogs daily, YES DAILY. And it’s not bagged or sitting in a waste basket. I’m talking about the BOMBS left to create the havoc it already is doing on OUR waterways. Now before you think I’m being petty just hang in there a bit to understand a little more since there have been many studies showing the detriment to our water and soil. It was shocking to me as well, and I thought that sharing my findings may at least make aware the importance of cleaning up after all sized dogs and their piles of poop. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) one single dog dropping can contain 3 MILLION fecal bacteria, along with parasites, and viruses that can be passed to human adults and children, as well as other pets. Some of these parasites, bacteria and viruses that could be present are as follows:

• (Parasites)Cryptosporidium,Giardia,Hookworms,Roundworms,Tapeworms• (Bacteria)Salmonella,E.coli,Campylobacter,Leptospira,MRSA• (Viruses)Rabies,Parvovirus,Coronavirus,Distemper,CanineHepatitis

Statistically a dog’s digestive system can handle just about anything and often does, making it’s poop very toxic. In fact, according to the CDC a single dog will produce more bacteria in one day than a person, a horse, and a cow combined. (Mr. Dog Poop, Crime Lab’s 2014-2017) Now if you are thinking okay that’s a lot of bacteria from one dog then take a moment and really do the math. Let’s assume on average a dog poops 2 times a day X 7 days a week= 14 piles a week. YIKES! According to the CDC that has the same number of bacteria as 14 wheelbarrow loads of combined human poop, cow poop, and horse poop. NOW, think about that being left behind and the fact that these parasites, bacteria, and viruses will seep into our ground water contaminating it, as well as our soil. I’m starting to scare you right? Well think about how many times a year, waterways and beaches around us are showing high levels of toxins. It may be an area south of us so who cares right? Well that poop from our backyards is seeping into the aqueducts that flow southwardly. We are the culprits. We are to blame. Where do you think the water from others is seeping? Yes, towards our own Burnt Store Meadows community. If we dog owners can just do the simple task of cleaning up our neighborhood from our own pooches we can make a difference. Many of you may be shaking your heads thinking it’s just fertilizer. Well that is FAKE NEWS! In fact, it can make you sick because there is no benefit to the soil from pet waste. That dog waste has become the third on the list as a contributor to our contaminated water. Also, as it washes into our water supplies it kills wildlife. I bet many of us haven’t considered the number of flies that are attracted to these piles of waste? The diseases that flies carry is disgusting. Those same flies hanging around the picnic basket of food, or open can of soda, or garbage area. What surprised me and scares me the most besides the risk of sickness and death is that after all my research I found that round worms, tape worms, and whip worms, can have eggs that remain in the soil for YEARS. Think about a child playing in the yard or in the grass and then puts their dirty hand in their mouth or scratches their eye and transfers an egg. I DON’T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT UGH! Unfortunately, many of us are getting older. I hear too many stories about our own community residents who are fighting one illness or another. Who has cancer, etc. the immune systems of our neighbors are at risk already and now they have all this disease to worry about because of their already suppressed immune system. I could write at least three more paragraphs about the dangers but instead I would like to end with one simple statement. Please act responsible and clean up after your pets for your health and the safety of all of us here in BSM. Reenie Keller

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Burnt Store Meadows POA Star Hospitality Management 26530 Mallard Way Punta Gorda, FL 33950 FEBRUARY 2018 Newsletter

PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Punta Gorda, FL Permit No. 201

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