NewsAug04

When there is a building emergency, alarms sound on selected floors (adjacent to the floor on which the alarm condition was detected), residents are prohibited from using elevators, and an evacuation of the building may be ordered.

In an emergency situation requiring building evacuation, some residents may need special assistance to navigate the hallways and stairs. Emergency Response personnel are trained and equipped to render assistance, and need to know who requires help as soon as they arrive on the scene.

If you believe that you may be unable to follow emergency evacuation instructions because of mobility or other physical considerations, please notify the Building Manager immediately so that your name and unit number can be provided to trained emergency personnel when they arrive at the building.

Renaissance staff members are not trained nor equipped to render special or personal assistance during emergencies or evacuations. Therefore, it is important for you to plan ahead in anticipation of a building emergency.

U.S.P.S. Mail Delivery: We have an important reminder regarding deliveries from the U.S. Post Office. In multi-unit buildings such as ours, the letter carriers will not take the time to look up an apartment number if the person or business sending mail to you does not include it. Please remind your correspondents to make sure to include your apartment number as part of your complete address. Without it, there may be problems with delivery of your mail. In the worst cases the letter carrier may even mark mail as "Undeliverable, insufficient address - return to sender" when an apartment number is not shown as part of the complete address.

Deliveries: The Renaissance staff is not responsible for deliveries including packages, envelopes, UPS, FedEx or courier deliveries that are left at the front desk. All deliveries are logged and residents must sign for any items when they are picked up.

Proximity Cards: For security purposes, unit owners should always advise the Association Management of the serial number on the back of any proximity card that is given to a lessee.

Safety: Medical injection needles that are improperly disposed of are a potential danger. Please dispose of any needles in proper biohazard waste containers.

Beginning at 7:00 am on Monday, August 2, through 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 4, repairs will be made to the 2nd and 3rd floor garage decks and ramps.

As a result of one of our demand items in the Turnover Engineering Report, scuppers (drain spouts to prevent water from ponding on the roof) will be installed on the elevator penthouse. The roofer will patch and flash the scuppers.

During the week of August 9, the first floor travertine marble floor will be cleaned, honed and polished. Work will start at 9:00 pm each night.

Recently owners were asked to give the Manager their opinion regarding the method used to tally votes in condominium elections. Fourteen responses were received as of July 14. An equal number of owners indicated preferences for and against changing the current method of counting votes on the basis of percentage of ownership.

At the Annual Owner Meeting last November, an owner raised the question of whether we should change the voting procedures, and the Board wanted to clarify and resolve the matter before the next elections are held in November of this year. If there was to be a change, proxies would have to be prepared and distributed, and at least two-thirds of the owners (163 of 244) would have to agree to change the percentage of ownership voting method mandated in the Renaissance Association condo documents.

On July 14, 2004 the Board of Directors voted to continue the current method of voting, which allocates to each owner a weighted vote equal to their percentage of ownership of the Renaissance condominium. Percentages of ownership can run from 0.19% for a smaller unit, to 0.61% for the largest, with the percentages for all units totaling 100%.

Percentage of ownership is also used to calculate the maintenance and reserves assessments that each apartment owner must pay. Owners of larger Renaissance units pay a proportionately larger share of the total annual expenses of the condominium, and their votes will continue to carry a commensurately greater weight in the annual elections.

The Maintenance Committee will meet on August 4, at 4:00 pm, in the Conference Room. If you have questions or comments, please contact the chairperson, Jeanne Sheldon at 951.6027.

The August movie will be "Something's Gotta Give", starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand and Amanda Peet. Diane Keaton was an Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress and a Golden Globe winner for Best Actress for her role in this romantic comedy.

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial playboy with a libido much younger than his years. During what was to have been a romantic weekend with his latest infatuation, Marin (Amanda Peet) at her mother's Hamptons beach house, Harry develops chest pains.

He winds up being nursed by Marin's reluctant mother Erica Barry (Diane Keaton) a successful divorced New York playwright. In the process Harry develops more heart pangs - the romantic kind - for Erica, an age-appropriate woman whom he finds beguiling. However, some habits die hard. When Harry hesitates, his charming thirty-something doctor (Keanu Reeves) steps in and starts to pursue Erica. Harry, who has always had the world on a string, finds his life unraveling.

If you have suggestions, ideas, or complaints that you would like Renaissance management to consider, there are several ways to get your message across. Visit the Building Manager and tell her your idea or concern, or send a letter, note or email to the Board at RenCondoBoard@fastmail.fm or put your thoughts on paper and place them in the new suggestion box in the Business Center.

Anonymous submissions won't get a reply or acknowledgment. However, if you take the time to write your comment or suggestion and sign your name and apartment number, it will receive a reply, and your idea or concern might be adopted.

There was a recent incident at the Renaissance that we want to make you aware of because it is apparently a scam. A tow truck was seen cruising the Renaissance grounds. When challenged by the Security Officer, the driver claimed that he was about to pick up a vehicle belonging to one of our residents. He was unable to provide sufficient information to validate his claim, so he was turned away and left the premises.

Upon investigation, the purported "auto pickup" was a ruse, and it is very probable that the driver intended to steal the vehicle, which is a high-demand sports car. We immediately reported the incident to the police.

A similar incident reportedly occurred recently on Longboat Key. Renaissance residents are urged to report any tow trucks that appear to be cruising the property, about to enter the Visitor Parking lot, or attempting to follow behind or "shadow" owner's vehicles as they enter the secured garage. If the tow truck has been authorized to enter the property, the Association Manager and Security Guard will know about it. If not, they will challenge the driver and deny entry.

There are two basket-type carts on the second and third floors. These are kept by the garage entrance on the third floor and in the mailroom on the second floor and can be used by residents for bringing in groceries, luggage and boxes.

Those are loaned on the honor system. As a courtesy, the person who borrowed the cart should return it to the location where they got it as soon as they are finished using it. If everyone complies, the carts will be there when other residents want to use them.

There are two basket-type carts and one large valet cart stored at the Concierge desk. Residents are responsible for signing these out and returning them to the Concierge desk.

This is a reminder to all residents about the importance of condominium insurance. No one likes to think about potential tragedies, but natural disasters can take away all of your belongings in seconds.

We recommend that you purchase condominium homeowners insurance. The Renaissance building insurance does not cover anything inside your apartment, or your personal liability.

Owners who rent should check their insurance coverage to make sure it is appropriate for a rental. Renaissance owners are responsible for the action of their tenants. If you are a lessee, your insurance should cover all personal items that are in the apartment or in a storage unit.

It is always timely to remind our residents of the washer water cutoff valve located in a wall box adjacent to their washing machine. This simple, easy-to-use lever cuts off the water supply to your washing machine between washes so that in the event of a hose or connector leak or failure, your apartment (and others) will not be flooded.

The Association urges all residents to get in the habit of turning the water supply valve OFF every time the washing machine finishes it cycle, and leave it OFF until the next time the washing machine is used.

This is what the valve looks like. Push the blue lever all the way to the rear to turn the water supply OFF, and pull the lever forward to turn the water supply to the washer ON.

If you are not registered to vote, August 2, 2004 is the final day to register for the August 31, 2004 statewide primary election. October 4, 2004 is the final date to register for the November 2, 2004 statewide general election. Call Voter Services at 861.8600 or visit the county website at www.srqelections.com to download the necessary voter registration form. The website has a wealth of information, including demonstrations of the iVotronic touch screen system in use in Sarasota County and answers to some popular questions.

On occasion residents mention they are not aware of new programs or policies that have been initiated by the Renaissance I Condominium Association. This newsletter, Renaissance Times, is an "official" document of the Association. As such, it may be used to give notice about new or revised condominium policies, rules, and other important Association matters. Please take the time to read each issue so that you are informed about all policies and initiatives that might influence you, your tenants and your guests.

Owners should also make it a point to read the minutes of each Board of Directors meeting. Copies are available in the Management Office, and on the official bulletin board (in the second floor mail alcove). A comprehensive index of past Board meeting minutes as well as all of the association newsletters are available at our website, www.RenCondo.com on the Internet (password "ll2" - two lower-case letter L's and a numeral 2, without the quotes).



	Renaissance Times August, 2004 DISABILITY CONSIDERATIONS When there is a building emergency, alarms sound on selected floors (adjacent to the floor on which the alarm condition was detected), residents are prohibited from using elevators, and an evacuation of the building may be ordered. In an emergency situation requiring building evacuation, some residents may need special assistance to navigate the hallways and stairs. Emergency Response personnel are trained and equipped to render assistance, and need to know who requires help as soon as they arrive on the scene. If you believe that you may be unable to follow emergency evacuation instructions because of mobility or other physical considerations, please notify the Building Manager immediately so that your name and unit number can be provided to trained emergency personnel when they arrive at the building. Renaissance staff members are not trained nor equipped to render special or personal assistance during emergencies or evacuations. Therefore, it is important for you to plan ahead in anticipation of a building emergency. SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS U.S.P.S. Mail Delivery: We have an important reminder regarding deliveries from the U.S. Post Office. In multi-unit buildings such as ours, the letter carriers will not take the time to look up an apartment number if the person or business sending mail to you does not include it. Please remind your correspondents to make sure to include your apartment number as part of your complete address. Without it, there may be problems with delivery of your mail. In the worst cases the letter carrier may even mark mail as "Undeliverable, insufficient address - return to sender" when an apartment number is not shown as part of the complete address. Deliveries: The Renaissance staff is not responsible for deliveries including packages, envelopes, UPS, FedEx or courier deliveries that are left at the front desk. All deliveries are logged and residents must sign for any items when they are picked up. Proximity Cards: For security purposes, unit owners should always advise the Association Management of the serial number on the back of any proximity card that is given to a lessee. Safety: Medical injection needles that are improperly disposed of are a potential danger. Please dispose of any needles in proper biohazard waste containers. WORK IN PROGRESS Beginning at 7:00 am on Monday, August 2, through 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 4, repairs will be made to the 2nd and 3rd floor garage decks and ramps. As a result of one of our demand items in the Turnover Engineering Report, scuppers (drain spouts to prevent water from ponding on the roof) will be installed on the elevator penthouse. The roofer will patch and flash the scuppers. Landscapers will install new low colorful ornamental plants to replace the existing vegetation that was doing poorly. During the week of August 9, the first floor travertine marble floor will be cleaned, honed and polished. Work will start at 9:00 pm each night. Also on Monday, August 9, the pool contractor will clean the tile in the pool. VOTING PROCEDURES Recently owners were asked to give the Manager their opinion regarding the method used to tally votes in condominium elections. Fourteen responses were received as of July 14. An equal number of owners indicated preferences for and against changing the current method of counting votes on the basis of percentage of ownership. At the Annual Owner Meeting last November, an owner raised the question of whether we should change the voting procedures, and the Board wanted to clarify and resolve the matter before the next elections are held in November of this year. If there was to be a change, proxies would have to be prepared and distributed, and at least two-thirds of the owners (163 of 244) would have to agree to change the percentage of ownership voting method mandated in the Renaissance Association condo documents. On July 14, 2004 the Board of Directors voted to continue the current method of voting, which allocates to each owner a weighted vote equal to their percentage of ownership of the Renaissance condominium. Percentages of ownership can run from 0.19% for a smaller unit, to 0.61% for the largest, with the percentages for all units totaling 100%. Percentage of ownership is also used to calculate the maintenance and reserves assessments that each apartment owner must pay. Owners of larger Renaissance units pay a proportionately larger share of the total annual expenses of the condominium, and their votes will continue to carry a commensurately greater weight in the annual elections. MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE The Maintenance Committee will meet on August 4, at 4:00 pm, in the Conference Room. If you have questions or comments, please contact the chairperson, Jeanne Sheldon at 951.6027. AUGUST MOVIE NIGHT The August movie will be "Something's Gotta Give", starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand and Amanda Peet. Diane Keaton was an Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress and a Golden Globe winner for Best Actress for her role in this romantic comedy. Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial playboy with a libido much younger than his years. During what was to have been a romantic weekend with his latest infatuation, Marin (Amanda Peet) at her mother's Hamptons beach house, Harry develops chest pains. He winds up being nursed by Marin's reluctant mother Erica Barry (Diane Keaton) a successful divorced New York playwright. In the process Harry develops more heart pangs - the romantic kind - for Erica, an age-appropriate woman whom he finds beguiling. However, some habits die hard. When Harry hesitates, his charming thirty-something doctor (Keanu Reeves) steps in and starts to pursue Erica. Harry, who has always had the world on a string, finds his life unraveling. MAKING SUGGESTIONS If you have suggestions, ideas, or complaints that you would like Renaissance management to consider, there are several ways to get your message across. Visit the Building Manager and tell her your idea or concern, or send a letter, note or email to the Board at RenCondoBoard@fastmail.fm or put your thoughts on paper and place them in the new suggestion box in the Business Center. Anonymous submissions won't get a reply or acknowledgment. However, if you take the time to write your comment or suggestion and sign your name and apartment number, it will receive a reply, and your idea or concern might be adopted. ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SCAM There was a recent incident at the Renaissance that we want to make you aware of because it is apparently a scam. A tow truck was seen cruising the Renaissance grounds. When challenged by the Security Officer, the driver claimed that he was about to pick up a vehicle belonging to one of our residents. He was unable to provide sufficient information to validate his claim, so he was turned away and left the premises. Upon investigation, the purported "auto pickup" was a ruse, and it is very probable that the driver intended to steal the vehicle, which is a high-demand sports car. We immediately reported the incident to the police. A similar incident reportedly occurred recently on Longboat Key. Renaissance residents are urged to report any tow trucks that appear to be cruising the property, about to enter the Visitor Parking lot, or attempting to follow behind or "shadow" owner's vehicles as they enter the secured garage. If the tow truck has been authorized to enter the property, the Association Manager and Security Guard will know about it. If not, they will challenge the driver and deny entry. CARTS FOR EVERYONE'S CONVENIENCE There are two basket-type carts on the second and third floors. These are kept by the garage entrance on the third floor and in the mailroom on the second floor and can be used by residents for bringing in groceries, luggage and boxes. Those are loaned on the honor system. As a courtesy, the person who borrowed the cart should return it to the location where they got it as soon as they are finished using it. If everyone complies, the carts will be there when other residents want to use them. There are two basket-type carts and one large valet cart stored at the Concierge desk. Residents are responsible for signing these out and returning them to the Concierge desk. CONDOMINIUM INSURANCE This is a reminder to all residents about the importance of condominium insurance. No one likes to think about potential tragedies, but natural disasters can take away all of your belongings in seconds. We recommend that you purchase condominium homeowners insurance. The Renaissance building insurance does not cover anything inside your apartment, or your personal liability. Owners who rent should check their insurance coverage to make sure it is appropriate for a rental. Renaissance owners are responsible for the action of their tenants. If you are a lessee, your insurance should cover all personal items that are in the apartment or in a storage unit. WASHING MACHINE PRECAUTION It is always timely to remind our residents of the washer water cutoff valve located in a wall box adjacent to their washing machine. This simple, easy-to-use lever cuts off the water supply to your washing machine between washes so that in the event of a hose or connector leak or failure, your apartment (and others) will not be flooded. The Association urges all residents to get in the habit of turning the water supply valve OFF every time the washing machine finishes it cycle, and leave it OFF until the next time the washing machine is used. This is what the valve looks like. Push the blue lever all the way to the rear to turn the water supply OFF, and pull the lever forward to turn the water supply to the washer ON. ELECTION REMINDER If you are not registered to vote, August 2, 2004 is the final day to register for the August 31, 2004 statewide primary election. October 4, 2004 is the final date to register for the November 2, 2004 statewide general election. Call Voter Services at 861.8600 or visit the county website at www.srqelections.com to download the necessary voter registration form. The website has a wealth of information, including demonstrations of the iVotronic touch screen system in use in Sarasota County and answers to some popular questions. IT'S OFFICIAL On occasion residents mention they are not aware of new programs or policies that have been initiated by the Renaissance I Condominium Association. This newsletter, Renaissance Times, is an "official" document of the Association. As such, it may be used to give notice about new or revised condominium policies, rules, and other important Association matters. Please take the time to read each issue so that you are informed about all policies and initiatives that might influence you, your tenants and your guests. Owners should also make it a point to read the minutes of each Board of Directors meeting. Copies are available in the Management Office, and on the official bulletin board (in the second floor mail alcove). A comprehensive index of past Board meeting minutes as well as all of the association newsletters are available at our website, www.RenCondo.com on the Internet (password "ll2" - two lower-case letter L's and a numeral 2, without the quotes). Contact Numbers Manager's office 941.957.3957 (phone) Manager's fax 941.957.1256 (fax) Manager's email Renaiissance@comcast.net Manager's Assistant 941.957.1125 Website http://RenCondo.homestead.com Website password ll2 (lower case L's plus a 2) Resident's fax 941.954.9964 (fax) Concierge 941.957.1956 Concierge email RenConcierge@comcast.net Building Security 941.957.1956 Emergency 911