LA SCALA NEWS
1st Quarter 2005 from Andrew Fentiman (603)
TURNOVER – The big news is that at last WCI are turning over the building to us, on Wednesday April 6th 2005. Please attend at 10 a.m. on La Scala’s Card Room, if you can. The actual turnover is a mere formality, a single event (where WCI relinquishes control of the condominium association) during an extended transition process. Post-turnover, any disputes between the association and WCI over items such as common-area deficiencies can be resolved by the new Board and
WCI, each party being counseled as necessary by legal representation. We have time to identify any problem areas and to negotiate a satisfactory settlement. Your volunteer Pre-Turnover Steering Committee has had several meetings to identify all concerns and potential problems and has been ably assisted in this regard by building manager Joseph Loiacono. Chaired by myself, the committee consists of (in alphabetical order) Joseph French, Fred Hirschovits, Paul Hoefler, Al Hoodbhoy, Char Lupke, Jack McDonnell, John McGarvey, Shawn Rooney and Frank Ryan. We owe them all a debt of thanks for their diligence and hard work in helping to prepare us for turnover. The committee has selected Steven Falk of Roetzel & Andress in Naples for legal representation and Nancy Reynolds of Reynolds & Associates in Naples for accounting and auditing.
ELECTION – There are eight candidates running for the new Board and five Directors will be elected to the Board at the turnover meeting, so please ensure you vote for your five candidates of choice, on/before the turnover meeting. In addition to the new Board, volunteers will be needed to run a few basic La Scala committees (Finance, Maintenance, Covenants & Enforcement, Entertaining, etc.) and so please volunteer if you are able to.
QUICK NEWS – Joseph & Isabella’s Christmas Party in early January featured excellent food and drink, was well attended and was a great success. It was nice to get to know so many other owners; what nice people bought units in La Scala! ☼ The Bay Club held a sold-out Valentine’s Day dinner/dance which was great fun and La Scala was well represented ☼ For updates and events at the Bay Club and Country Club, e-mail Emily at
emilysmith@wcicommunitries.com and ask to be on her mailing list ☼ See the Pelican Landing community website at
www.pelicanlanding.org for lots of useful community information. E-mail PLCA@comcast.net and ask to be put on the mailing list for the Pelican Landing Newsletter ☼ If you’re away and want to keep up with local news, see
www.naplesnews.com/npdn/bonitanews ☼ The March/April issue of Where To Retire magazine votes Bonita Springs as the top spot to retire to ☼ Around 24 units are still in ‘decorator-ready’ condition ☼ Welcome to new owners Tom & Cindy Davis (1504) ☼ Char Lupke’s Mahjong group meets regularly in the Card Room and is two tables strong ☼ Good close-by restaurants include Crispers (soups, salads & sandwiches), Farfalla, Bella Vita, Molino’s (all Italian), Duval Street Seafood. At the Hyatt are Tarpon Bay (lunch, casual) and Tanglewood (excellent breakfast, plus dinner) and if you show your Pelican Landing I.D. card, you can get a 15% discount ☼ Colony Sales Center released their latest tower, Florencia (to be built next to Treviso) and all units sold except four ☼ Beach Park: on Wednesdays & Sundays (until April 30th), bus and boat shuttle service will continue until sunset, with the last boat leaving the island 30 minutes after sunset. Beach chairs & umbrellas will still be taken down at 4 p.m. ☼ Pelican Landing tv channel 96 has information on activities, clubs, classes, amenities, events and neighborhood meetings ☼
PELICAN LANDING – As your La Scala U.O.C. (Unit Owner Committee) representative, I just attended the Annual Meeting for Pelican Landing. Here are some highlights. Proposed improvements to be incorporated in Pelican Landing’s $5 million P.I.C. (Plan Integration Committee) plan can be viewed online at
www.pelicanlanding.org/Capital%20Investment%20Plan.htm. Here are some 2004 statistics, by ‘activity’. Community clubs, organizations & classes: 5,600 people (some people join lots of clubs and take lots of classes!). Fitness Center: 5,700 uses. Tennis: 28,800 uses. Canoe Park: 880 uses, 9 new kayaks. Sailing: 1,940 uses, 134 qualified sailors, 3 new boats.
HOUSE-KEEPING – If you lose a fob or clicker, notify the office at once so it can be deactivated to maintain security☺ If you purchase additional fobs or clickers, notify the manager, Joseph, so they can be activated and recorded ☺ Never give your fob, clicker or keys to decorators, realtors or anyone else. Joseph has a master key and he can give access ☺ If you enter/exit via a door not secured by fob access, please be sure to lock the door behind you ☺ Your common-area key opens all locked interior doors (galley kitchen, pool bathrooms, etc.) ☺ All notices are displayed on the board in the Mail Room; please check it frequently ☺ Notices of private parties are posted in the Mail Room and also outside the room/area being used for the event ☺ Since March 7th, La Scala now has 24/7 front-desk security/personnel. Bob (Jeff’s father) and Francis have joined Larry, Glen and Jeff ☺ Newspaper delivery people are not permitted inside the building. Newspapers are delivered to your unit by the front desk/security personnel ☺ A pest control company is on retainer. Notify Joseph if you require complimentary service ☺ Please return provided grocery carts to the appropriate storage room, immediately after use ☺ Any concerns or problems should be addressed to Joseph and not to the staff, please ☺ For health reasons, cooking utensils cannot be provide at the barbecue grills. Please provide your own and ensure you clean the grille so that it is ‘as you found it’ ☺
RECYCLING – The recycling room is off of the parking garage. Vegetable matter should go down your sink garbage disposal. General household garbage – including styrofoam - should be put in a plastic trash bag, tied up and sent down the trash chute. Any oversized bags or boxes will get stuck in the chute! Newspapers and magazines should be put into the appropriately marked recycling bin (not put inside a trash bag and then dumped in the container). Glass, cans and plastic (marked with any number from 1 through 7) should be cleaned and put into the appropriately marked recycling bin in the recycling room (not put inside a trash bag and then dumped in the container). A small garbage bin has now been provided for plastic trash bags only. If we do not comply with the recycling rules, Onyx will refuse to pick up from us since we do not pay for this service. Cardboard boxes should be broken down flat and put in the corner of the recycling room. Any questions should be addressed to Joseph.
CLOSING UP YOUR UNIT – It’s in your best interest to let Joseph know when you are leaving for more than a few days and also when you are returning to La Scala. It's important to know who is in the building (for deliveries, alarm-system events, power cuts, impromptu socials, etc.). Joseph keeps a daily list of ‘occupied units’ at the front desk. When leaving for more than a few days, you should prepare your unit by doing the following. Let down the shutters and adjust the shades/drapes; turn off the main water valve; set the a/c (78º is suggested); let Joseph or Isabella know if you would like your unit checked from time to time; advise them when you will be returning, so the water can be turned back on for you and a/c reduced to 74º. If you are leaving a vehicle here for any length of time, you can leave the car keys with Joseph and he will arrange to have your vehicle started weekly.
END-OF-SEASON PARTY – After the success of the Christmas Party, Joseph & Isabella are doing it again at the poolside barbecue grills on Wednesday April 13th at 6:30 p.m., this time to say farewell to those going back home for the off-season. All La Scala unit owners are invited. Please call Isabella for further information.
As I have said previously, let me know if you have any news that other owners might be interested in. Should you have any questions, I am always only a phone call (cell: 239/405-3455) or an e-mail (acfentiman@comcast.net) away.