The Renaissance News January 2003 DID YOU KNOW? "Happy New Year" will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way. The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Ceasar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. However, in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Ceasar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days. Traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. There is the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl football game. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man. Black-eyed peas, the hog and its meat and cabbage leaves are considered to bring luck. We wish everyone and their families a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year. ELECTION AND TURNOVER The Wynnton Group turned over control to the homeowners on December 16. This is the new Board of Directors of the Renaissance of Sarasota Condominium Association: Ann Bubeck President Richard Dibello Secretary/ Treasurer Leslie Ann Brown Vice President and the representative for the developer. When the ballots were counted, Charles Bubeck was declared the winning candidate. However, earlier in the meeting questions were raised by several owners about a husband and wife serving on the board at the same time. To prevent a cloud of suspicion, Mr. Bubeck sincerely thanked all the owners who voted for him and immediately resigned from the Board. He related that he would continue to work with the Manager and Board members in any capacity to ensure that the Renaissance continues to run smoothly. Residents can read a complete review of the Turnover Meeting at: http://RenCondo.com. COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUESTED! Over the next few months your Board of Directors would like you to consider volunteering for some important committees. Several standing committees will be chartered by the Board to address: Architecture (standards, change proposals, upgrades and enhancements, and the like); Maintenance (assist in developing maintenance, repair and housekeeping policy, priorities, and evaluations; Social (parties, seasonal events, etc); Welcome (new owner orientation); Newsletter (prepare, edit and distribute the monthly newsletter.) As the need arises, additional standing or ad-hoc committees will be formed. If you have a special skill, interest or expertise, and would be willing to serve on one or more committees, please contact the Building Manager at (941) 957-3957 or renaiissance@comcast.net. HEARTY THANKS! The turnover has occurred and Management would like to take this opportunity to thank Ann Bubeck, Chuck Bubeck, Rich DiBello, and Bruce VanDuyne for their help in getting the budget completed and distributed to the owners; interviewing and evaluating prospective attorneys, accounting firms and insurance brokers; and Chuck Bubeck for developing and maintaining the computer program that manages our daily business operations. RESIDENT WEB SITE The residents' web site is an independent information resource for owners, residents and anyone interested in the Renaissance of Sarasota. Visit the web site at http://RenCondo.com. RENAISSANCE SALES As of December 20, 2002, 212 units have been sold. This figure represents 87% of the total sold. MOVIE NIGHT The January movie is Kate and Leopold. Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman are paired as star-crossed lovers who discover that passion and chivalry never go out of style! When a rip in time brings together a charming 19th century bachelor and a thoroughly 21st century woman, the potential for an old fashioned modern romance ignites! The movie will be shown in the media room on Thursday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. Popcorn and sodas will be provided. ENERGY - As an energy saving measure, we have begun reducing the number of lights that are illuminated in the parking garage during the hours between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Testing has confirmed that the reduced illumination levels in the garage provide more than enough light for safe driving, parking, and pedestrian activity by our occasional late-arriving and early-departing residents. If at any time you are apprehensive about exiting your car and walking in the parking garage during nighttime hours, you can buzz the security guard (use the pushbutton on the garage entry keypad to speak with the guard), who will be happy to meet you at your parking space and accompany you into the building. We are also investigating adding a timer to the main fountain to turn off during the hours of 11 p.m. 8 a.m. PARKING As a reminder, please park in your assigned parking space. Visitor spaces are to be utilized by owners' guests. If you have a second car, it must be parked in one of the spaces located East of the parking garage. Additional parking spaces are available for purchase. . CHRISTMAS TREES If you have a "live" Christmas tree, and need to dispose of it, please contact the concierge or Manager for a member of our staff to remove the tree from your unit. We will take the tree to an area designated by the City. INSURANCE No one likes to think about it, but natural disasters could take all our belongings away in seconds. We recommend that you make space in your budget to purchase homeowners insurance. GENERAL INFORMATION Chute/Trash Room - Please do not place unwrapped trash into the trash chute. Unwrapped trash can cling to the walls of the chute that results in odor problems and pest infestation. Don't place boxes or other large objects into the trash chute. They may get stuck on the way down, blocking the shaft and causing a system shutdown. Be sure to take all glass, plastic, newspapers, and cans to the Service Elevator alcove on the lobby level. Door Hardware - Door knockers, door handles cannot be changed unless Board approval is obtained. Handicapped Parking Spaces Handicapped parking spaces are not to be used permanently. If you will not be using your car for a while, we would appreciate it if you would park in your assigned space so that other handicapped parkers can use the space. DVD Movies We still have two movies missing from our library. Would you please look to see if you have "Don't Say a Word" and "Score" and return them as soon as possible. Holiday Office Closing - The Management Office will be closed on January 1 and will reopen on Thursday, January 2. |
