NewsJuly04

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration as you enjoy your delicious barbeques, lazy days on the beach, visits with friends and family, and awe-inspiring fireworks displays.

The Independence Day holiday is Sunday, July 4. Because the holiday is on a Sunday, the Association staff will be off on Monday, July 5.

All Association management offices will be closed on Monday, July 5. Maintenance personnel will not be available from the close of business on Friday, July 2, until Tuesday morning, July 6, unless there is an emergency. The customary front desk coverage will be here for the full period of the long holiday weekend.

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

Effective immediately, there is a simplified procedure for visitors to your apartment. When you buzz in any visitor through the entry door (after the visitor has called you on the security entry system) that visitor will no longer have to sign the Visitor Register at the Concierge desk. Instead, they may proceed directly to the elevator and then to your apartment. Contractors and other service personnel must still sign in and out.

The only times the Concierge or Security Officer will call you to notify you that you have visitors will be:

1. If the visitor is a maintenance person, or delivery company and they will be using the service elevator.

2. If you did not buzz the visitor in via the security entry system, and they gained entry to the building in some other way.

A confidential suggestion box will be in place at the Concierge Desk, beginning July 1. The Association Manager and the Board will read and consider any suggestions that are submitted.

Photos will be taken of all dogs that are pets of any residents. Those photos will be on file with the Association Manager. JoAnn Lerer, the Concierge, will contact owners to set up a time to take these photos.

For safety reasons, in-line skating and skateboarding are not permitted anywhere on the Renaissance property.

The final phase of our security program is to remove the key locks at the second and third floor doors that lead in from the parking garage.

The security consultants recommended that we remove all keyed locks and rely totally on our proximity card system. Currently the Association has no ability to track or confirm an entry or exit from the building if the individual uses a key to enter. Without total control over entry into the building through these two vulnerable doors, we leave ourselves open to any unauthorized individuals who might be in possession of a key.

On July 1, 2004 the keyed locks on the second and third floor garage entry doors will be disengaged. From that date on, all residents will need to rely on their proximity cards for access to the building.

At last year's annual meeting, several owners suggested that voting be based on one vote per unit, rather than each vote representing the owner's percentage-of-ownership. The current procedure is that larger apartments have a larger weighted vote and smaller apartments have a smaller weighted vote.

There are benefits to both methods. The one-vote-per-unit makes counting ballots and votes very simple and can speed up the annual meeting. In addition, some people feel that it is the most democratic way to run a condominium association.

The method that is currently employed at the Renaissance is that each apartment's vote is based on the percentage of ownership of the entire building. For example, if you own a large apartment, representing .58% (1,470 square feet) your vote carries more weight than an owner whose smaller apartment only represents .19% (485 square feet) of ownership.

The reasoning supporting this current approach is that an owner with a larger unit has more invested in the building, a larger percentage of ownership, a larger annual maintenance assessment, and that the owner's vote should reflect that fact.

In order to determine whether we need to change the current condominium documents (a 2/3 majority is required to make a change) the Association would like to get a sense of whether the majority of the owners are interested in pursuing this change. Please send an email with your preference to the Property Manager at Renaiissance@comcast.net with the subject line "Voting Preference" or mail a note with your preference to the Association Manager.

Assessments are based on percentage of ownership and any change to the voting procedures will have no effect on assessments.

Your opinion will assist the Board of Directors in deciding whether to consider changing the voting procedures or to continue with the current percentage-of-ownership method. Please send your opinion by the end of July.

Please do not over water any plants on your balcony. The excess water may drip down to the areas and balconies below. One other outcome might be that maintenance will get a report about water coming from your unit and have to make a visit to investigate a water leak.

Emergency shelter, food pantries, day care and over 2,000 other health and social services available in Sarasota and Manatee counties can now be accessed by dialing 211.

Just as people depend on 911 for emergency help and 411 for directory assistance, residents in the two-county area can now call 211 any time to be referred to an agency for help, according to Alberto Suarez, Executive Director of United Way 2-1-1 of Manasota Inc, which is operating the program.

The United Way's call center, which is staffed by 6 full-time employees and 12 volunteers, links callers to 877 social service and health agencies that operate over 2,540 programs in Sarasota and Manatee counties. After-hours calls are routed to the Tampa Bay Crisis Center; so 211 calls may be made at all times, every day of the year.

The local program is part of a national effort to promote 211 as the universal social service referral line after the Federal Communications Commission designated the number in 2000.

In Florida, 75% of the population has access to 211. Most of the surrounding counties, except Charlotte, have it. Cell phone users, however cannot use 211. They must call 308-HELP to access the same referral services.

The July movie will be "Cold Creek Manor", a heart-pounding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat in tension-filled suspense.

Wanting to escape city life for the safer countryside, New Yorkers Cooper Tilson (Dennis Quaid), his wife Leah (Golden Globe winner Sharon Stone) and their two children move into a dilapidated old mansion still filled with the possessions of the previous family. Turning it into their dream house becomes a living nightmare when the prior owner (Stephen Dorff) shows up. A series of terrifying incidents lead them on a spine-tingling search for clues to the estate's dark and lurid past.

The movie will be shown in the media room on Thursday, July 1, at 7:30 pm. Popcorn and sodas will be provided.

Good news! The Board approved a reduction in the rate charged for the Guest Suites during the off-season months of June through October.

The Guest Suite rental rate has been reduced to $85 per night for the months of June, July, August, September and October. These months are a great time to have your family or friends visit you, and have them stay in the comfort of an on-site Guest Suite.

The Guest Suites are available on a "first come, first served" basis. To make a reservation, contact the Concierge, the Association Manager, her Assistant, or send an email request using the RenCondo website.

The Guest Suite rate for the months from November through May will remain at $120 per night, or $100 per night if the same guest uses the suite for more than five consecutive nights.

Excerpted from the Red Cross website at http://www.southwestflorida.redcross.org Visit the website for further information.

During hurricane season, know where your local evacuation centers are. Call ahead because shelters can be moved or added. Do not go to the shelter until local officials announce that the shelter is open. Contact the American Red Cross at 941.379.9300 for the latest evacuation news.

Prepare a Personal Evacuation Plan - identify ahead of time where you could go and choose several places - a friend's home in another town, a motel, or a shelter. Keep the telephone numbers of these places, as well as a road map.

§ Ask an out-of-town friend to be your "family contact". After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance.

§ Find out how to care for your pets. Many shelters do not allow them because of health regulations. For more information on how to care for your pets, visit the Animal Safety section at www.redcross.org.

§ Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

§ Documents, including driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.

§ Food: non-perishable, high-protein items that require no refrigeration, no preparation or cooking and little or no water

§ Personal items: eyeglasses or contact lenses and solutions; copies of important papers and comfort items (toys and books)

Keep these items in an easy-to carry container such as a covered trash container or a duffle bag.

§ Be aware that the calm "eye" is deceptive; the worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from the opposite direction. Objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by the second winds.

§ Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.

§ Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road with waters rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground.



	Renaissance Times July 2004 INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY Have a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration as you enjoy your delicious barbeques, lazy days on the beach, visits with friends and family, and awe-inspiring fireworks displays. The Independence Day holiday is Sunday, July 4. Because the holiday is on a Sunday, the Association staff will be off on Monday, July 5. All Association management offices will be closed on Monday, July 5. Maintenance personnel will not be available from the close of business on Friday, July 2, until Tuesday morning, July 6, unless there is an emergency. The customary front desk coverage will be here for the full period of the long holiday weekend. MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE The Maintenance Committee will meet on August 4, beginning at 4:00 pm, in the Conference Room. If you have questions or comments, please contact the chairperson, Jeanne Sheldon at 951.6027. PROCEDURE FOR VISITORS Effective immediately, there is a simplified procedure for visitors to your apartment. When you buzz in any visitor through the entry door (after the visitor has called you on the security entry system) that visitor will no longer have to sign the Visitor Register at the Concierge desk. Instead, they may proceed directly to the elevator and then to your apartment. Contractors and other service personnel must still sign in and out. The only times the Concierge or Security Officer will call you to notify you that you have visitors will be: 1. If the visitor is a maintenance person, or delivery company and they will be using the service elevator. 2. If you did not buzz the visitor in via the security entry system, and they gained entry to the building in some other way. 3. If the visitor was unable to contact you on the entry security system. BOARD FOLLOW-UP ITEMS A confidential suggestion box will be in place at the Concierge Desk, beginning July 1. The Association Manager and the Board will read and consider any suggestions that are submitted. Photos will be taken of all dogs that are pets of any residents. Those photos will be on file with the Association Manager. JoAnn Lerer, the Concierge, will contact owners to set up a time to take these photos. For safety reasons, in-line skating and skateboarding are not permitted anywhere on the Renaissance property. BUILDING ENTRANCE KEYS The final phase of our security program is to remove the key locks at the second and third floor doors that lead in from the parking garage. The security consultants recommended that we remove all keyed locks and rely totally on our proximity card system. Currently the Association has no ability to track or confirm an entry or exit from the building if the individual uses a key to enter. Without total control over entry into the building through these two vulnerable doors, we leave ourselves open to any unauthorized individuals who might be in possession of a key. On July 1, 2004 the keyed locks on the second and third floor garage entry doors will be disengaged. From that date on, all residents will need to rely on their proximity cards for access to the building. VOTING PROCEDURES At last year's annual meeting, several owners suggested that voting be based on one vote per unit, rather than each vote representing the owner's percentage-of-ownership. The current procedure is that larger apartments have a larger weighted vote and smaller apartments have a smaller weighted vote. There are benefits to both methods. The one-vote-per-unit makes counting ballots and votes very simple and can speed up the annual meeting. In addition, some people feel that it is the most democratic way to run a condominium association. The method that is currently employed at the Renaissance is that each apartment's vote is based on the percentage of ownership of the entire building. For example, if you own a large apartment, representing .58% (1,470 square feet) your vote carries more weight than an owner whose smaller apartment only represents .19% (485 square feet) of ownership. The reasoning supporting this current approach is that an owner with a larger unit has more invested in the building, a larger percentage of ownership, a larger annual maintenance assessment, and that the owner's vote should reflect that fact. In order to determine whether we need to change the current condominium documents (a 2/3 majority is required to make a change) the Association would like to get a sense of whether the majority of the owners are interested in pursuing this change. Please send an email with your preference to the Property Manager at Renaiissance@comcast.net with the subject line "Voting Preference" or mail a note with your preference to the Association Manager. Assessments are based on percentage of ownership and any change to the voting procedures will have no effect on assessments. Your opinion will assist the Board of Directors in deciding whether to consider changing the voting procedures or to continue with the current percentage-of-ownership method. Please send your opinion by the end of July. To summarize, these are the two options under consideration regarding annual elections: 1. Keep the existing method of weighted percentage of ownership voting. 2. Change voting to one vote per apartment regardless of its size. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Please do not over water any plants on your balcony. The excess water may drip down to the areas and balconies below. One other outcome might be that maintenance will get a report about water coming from your unit and have to make a visit to investigate a water leak. DIAL 211 FOR SOCIAL SERVICES Emergency shelter, food pantries, day care and over 2,000 other health and social services available in Sarasota and Manatee counties can now be accessed by dialing 211. Just as people depend on 911 for emergency help and 411 for directory assistance, residents in the two-county area can now call 211 any time to be referred to an agency for help, according to Alberto Suarez, Executive Director of United Way 2-1-1 of Manasota Inc, which is operating the program. The United Way's call center, which is staffed by 6 full-time employees and 12 volunteers, links callers to 877 social service and health agencies that operate over 2,540 programs in Sarasota and Manatee counties. After-hours calls are routed to the Tampa Bay Crisis Center; so 211 calls may be made at all times, every day of the year. The local program is part of a national effort to promote 211 as the universal social service referral line after the Federal Communications Commission designated the number in 2000. In Florida, 75% of the population has access to 211. Most of the surrounding counties, except Charlotte, have it. Cell phone users, however cannot use 211. They must call 308-HELP to access the same referral services. 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.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 JULY MOVIE NIGHT The July movie will be "Cold Creek Manor", a heart-pounding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat in tension-filled suspense. Wanting to escape city life for the safer countryside, New Yorkers Cooper Tilson (Dennis Quaid), his wife Leah (Golden Globe winner Sharon Stone) and their two children move into a dilapidated old mansion still filled with the possessions of the previous family. Turning it into their dream house becomes a living nightmare when the prior owner (Stephen Dorff) shows up. A series of terrifying incidents lead them on a spine-tingling search for clues to the estate's dark and lurid past. The movie will be shown in the media room on Thursday, July 1, at 7:30 pm. Popcorn and sodas will be provided. GUEST SUITE RATE Good news! The Board approved a reduction in the rate charged for the Guest Suites during the off-season months of June through October. The Guest Suite rental rate has been reduced to $85 per night for the months of June, July, August, September and October. These months are a great time to have your family or friends visit you, and have them stay in the comfort of an on-site Guest Suite. The Guest Suites are available on a "first come, first served" basis. To make a reservation, contact the Concierge, the Association Manager, her Assistant, or send an email request using the RenCondo website. The Guest Suite rate for the months from November through May will remain at $120 per night, or $100 per night if the same guest uses the suite for more than five consecutive nights. HURRICANE SAFETY Excerpted from the Red Cross website at http://www.southwestflorida.redcross.org Visit the website for further information. During hurricane season, know where your local evacuation centers are. Call ahead because shelters can be moved or added. Do not go to the shelter until local officials announce that the shelter is open. Contact the American Red Cross at 941.379.9300 for the latest evacuation news. Prepare a Personal Evacuation Plan - identify ahead of time where you could go and choose several places - a friend's home in another town, a motel, or a shelter. Keep the telephone numbers of these places, as well as a road map. After determining your meeting places: § Determine the two best escape routes. § Ask an out-of-town friend to be your "family contact". After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. § Find out how to care for your pets. Many shelters do not allow them because of health regulations. For more information on how to care for your pets, visit the Animal Safety section at www.redcross.org. § Have a local road map. You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes. § Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Take these items with you when evacuating: § Prescription medications/medical supplies § Bedding and clothing § Bottled water, battery-operated radio with extra batteries, first aid kit and flashlight § Car keys and maps § Documents, including driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit including: § First aid kit and essential medications § Food: non-perishable, high-protein items that require no refrigeration, no preparation or cooking and little or no water § Water: one gallon of water per person per day § Protective clothing, sturdy shoes, gloves and rainwear § Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries § Special items for infants or the elderly § Sanitary supplies - toilet paper, towelettes, personal hygiene supplies, bleach, etc. § Personal items: eyeglasses or contact lenses and solutions; copies of important papers and comfort items (toys and books) § Money: have cash (ATMs and credit cards won't work if power is out) § Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise Keep these items in an easy-to carry container such as a covered trash container or a duffle bag. Know what to do when a Hurricane Warning is issued § Listen to the advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so. § Complete preparation activities. § If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows. § Be aware that the calm "eye" is deceptive; the worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from the opposite direction. Objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by the second winds. § Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows. § Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road with waters rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground. Know What to Do After a Hurricane Is Over § Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions. § If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you it is safe to do so. § Inspect your home for damage. § Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles.