NewsSept04

Labor Day is Monday, September 6. It is a holiday for the Association staff. This holiday has long marked the time-honored end of the Summer season as well as a day for the fashion-conscious to store away their white shoes. This year Fall actually begins on September 22, with the Autumnal Equinox.

Association management offices will be closed Monday, September 6. Maintenance personnel will not be available from the close of business on Friday, September 3, until Tuesday morning, September 7, unless there is an emergency. The customary front desk coverage will be here for the full period of the long holiday weekend.

A public hearing was held on August 11, 2004 to renew the building permit for the planned Holiday Inn Express for the "hotel site" adjacent to the south side of the Renaissance building. At the meeting it was revealed that the original owner sold the hotel site to a developer who now proposes a Hampton Inn for the property.

The design of the hotel remains the same - only the name will change. The hotel design plans are available for review in the Manager's office. A chronology of the off-again, on-again hotel project is covered on the resident web site at www.RenCondo.com.

Please remember to check with the staff person at the Reception desk before you use the Gas Grill area. The Receptionist or Security Guard has access to the reservation calendar and knows if another resident has reserved the grill for that time. If no one else has reserved it, they will note your name so that you have priority.

As a courtesy, once you have used the Gas Grill for your food, use the brush that is provided to clean the grill so that it is ready for the next resident.

Residents who arrive in the parking garage late at night might be concerned about their personal security when walking between their cars and the building entry door. While the garage is well lit and under constant video surveillance, if you have a concern about the garage after dark, do not hesitate to contact the Security Officer, who will be happy to escort you to or from your car.

Late-night arrivals may use their mobile phone to call security at 957.1956, or can press the intercom button at the garage door entrance (next to the proximity reader box) to let the on-duty officer know your name and your parking space number. Stay in your parked car until the Security Officer escort arrives.

Because of the extremely wet weather in August, the garage and ramp repair warranty work has been delayed until some time in September. Residents will be notified when the work is scheduled to begin so that vehicles can be moved out of the affected work areas for the duration of the project.

The Association has been investigating an alternative to the existing security proximity key cards. The photo to the left depicts what the new key fob looks like when compared with the size of an existing proximity card.

The new fobs are currently being tested, and we anticipate they will prove to be as reliable as the original proximity cards. When testing is complete by the end of September, the Association will probably order an inventory of key fobs, which residents can then purchase for $15.00 by contacting the front desk or the Building Manager. Existing door entry proximity cards will continue to function, so there is no need to purchase a key fob unless you prefer the smaller size.

Ron Menda, from U.S. Security, is shown with Richard L. Downer and Stormy Sexton after he awarded them certificates of recognition for the commendable job they perform each workday for the residents of Renaissance I. Stormy's stint is the security shift from 4 pm until midnight and Richard takes over from midnight until 8 am.

In recent instances residents who wanted cross-ventilation in their apartments have propped open their front doors, to allow a "fresh-air" breeze from their open balcony door to flow through their apartment and out into the hallway. Unfortunately, this situation introduces a large volume of humid outside air into the air-conditioned hallway, disrupts the balance of the air conditioning system and significantly raises the hallway temperature and humidity.

Of more serious concern, the moisture-laden outside air has been condensing on the relatively cold hallway air supply vents, causing water to form on the vents and to drip down the nearby walls. Over a period of time, constant moisture can facilitate the formation of mold on the wall and in the vents.

2. Do not leave trash or recyclables on the floor of the trash chute rooms - instead bring it to the first floor recycle area, accessed by using the service elevator.

There is one more "trash chute" issue that we would like to call to your attention. With consideration for residents with apartments adjacent to the trash rooms, please try to refrain from using the chutes in the late evening or early morning hours to avoid noise from falling trash. Your neighbors would sincerely appreciate others refraining from using the chute during the "quiet hours" after 11 pm and before 7 am.

In early August, the Association purchased an upgraded computer-based digital recorder for the video surveillance system. The new system does away with traditional VHS surveillance videotapes and produces digital recordings of all security camera events that can be retrieved from an event archive and analyzed much more quickly and efficiently.

The new system alerts the Security Officer when motion is detected in any area covered by a security camera. When necessary, compact discs (CDs) of specific videos can be generated and provided as evidence to the Sarasota Police Department, who also employs similar digital storage and video analysis equipment.

Cost of the new recorder system was covered by budgeted Association funds. Without going into too much detail about the Renaissance video or security surveillance capabilities, installing the new recorder is the first phase in a gradual upgrade of the Renaissance security and video surveillance system. Anticipated future upgrades may include two more door proximity readers (thereby doing away with key locks on all entry doors), new cameras and lenses, redesigned and enhanced camera coverage areas, and additional garage and peripheral area surveillance.

The September movie will be "Out Of Time", starring two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington. The movie is an inventive, exciting and spellbinding thriller, with a Florida location.

Co-stars are Eva Mendes, Sanaa Lathan and Dean Cain. The story takes place in Banyan Key, a small Florida town surrounded by clear azure seas and expert at holding sultry secrets. Washington portrays Chief of Police Whitlock, who finds himself caught in the eye of the storm and about to get blown away. He is investigating the murder of a woman he was secretly seeing, racing to uncover a murky trail of stolen money, drugs and deceit, all the while staying two steps ahead of his own detectives, which is necessary because all of the evidence points to him.

The movie will be shown in the Media Room on Thursday, September 2, at 7:30 pm. Popcorn and sodas will be provided.

All resident's vehicles must be registered with the Association so that the information is available in our database. That is the primary record we consult to ensure that vehicles are properly parked.

If you purchase a new vehicle, please make sure to register it with the Association office as soon as possible. The Security Guards use the vehicle information in the Association database when they perform their parking lot inspections. As you know, vehicles parked in parking spaces that are not assigned to that unit are subject to being towed. To make registration of new vehicles easier, you may request a copy of the Vehicle Information Form at any time.

To aid residents who witness a pet infraction and are unable to identify the pet in sufficient detail to permit the Association to follow up with the owner, the Board of Directors approved the preparation of a book with photos of every dog and cat in the building. Each picture will include the name, age and breed of the pet, apartment number of its owner, and some additional explanatory or other identifying information.

A few pet owners have voiced concerns that this procedure somehow invades the privacy of their pet, and they prefer that the photo program not be mandatory. Pets do not have inherent privacy rights. The photos can also be used to assist in locating or identifying a lost or strayed pet. Therefore, the Association will require the staff to photograph each dog and cat in the administrative area at an agreed-upon time.

Participation in the pet photo program is not an option. We solicit the cooperation of all our pet owners, who may choose to be photographed with their pet. The album will be maintained in the administrative office. The photos will be available to any resident who needs help identifying a pet, for whatever reason.

The shower stalls and adjacent flooring in the men's and women's locker/shower rooms near the Fitness Center will soon be treated with a non-slip coating. Work will take about one day in each area, with minimal disruption to normal restroom and shower use.

No-slip strips, shower mats, and other applied anti-slip materials are not permitted in public shower and pool facilities.

The approved anti-slip process that will be applied will allow the Association to comply with safety and health codes, while still providing a safe no-slip surface on wet interior tile floors.

The Maintenance Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 1 at 4:00 pm, in the Conference Room. If you have questions or comments, please contact the chairperson, Jeanne Sheldon at 951.6027.

As this is written the Association is in the final stages of negotiation to resolve all claims against the Developer resulting from the Association-sponsored Engineering Turnover Study performed in 2003.

The Developer or his subcontractors have resolved the majority of the more than 100 defect claims in a business-like manner. The amount of compensation that the Developer will pay the Association for remediation-related wear and damage to the hallway carpeting is in final negotiation. Within the next few weeks work should finally begin on the repair or replacement of damaged carpeting throughout the common element hallways.

Management is relieved that Hurricane Charley missed us. We want to express our thanks to the staff members who secured the building prior to the approaching hurricane. Special thanks to Board Members Bruce Van Duyne, who helped remove furniture from balconies, and Gina Wagner along with Rich DiBello, who assisted Management with answering telephones. A number of other residents offered their help. It's good to know that we can count on you!

Thankfully, the Renaissance building and residents sustained very little damage during Hurricane Charley as it came through our area on August 13, 2004. Because it made a last moment jog to the East, the main part of the storm missed Sarasota, which was then positioned in the more benign Northwest sector of the track line, where the threat of storm surge, flooding and very strong winds was greatly lessened.

Three of the canvas awnings on the third deck of the parking garage were ripped along some seams. However, with better seam stitch design and stronger thread (a clear problem with the original awning manufacturer), we hope the awnings can be repaired to be more wind-tolerant.

Based on the Association's recent experiences in preparing for this hurricane, we are sorry to report that some residents still do not take seriously the critical importance of removing all items (furniture, plants, everything) from their balconies before a storm. Residents who are absent during the summer hurricane season must remember to remove any and all items from their balcony before they leave. The Association employees do not have time to assist with removal of balcony furniture and plants as a storm approaches.

This year, many absent seasonal residents neglected to remove and store items from their balcony before they left the Sarasota area. To avoid the possibility of items on the balconies becoming flying objects that could do serious damage to property or people, the Association was forced to enlist resident volunteers to assist our staff personnel in entering apartments and removing balcony items within hours of when the hurricane was scheduled to hit the Sarasota area.

Some renters also chose not to remove balcony items, apparently under the mistaken assumption that their landlords would arrange for the removal when a storm was imminent.

Before the start of each future hurricane season, the Association will once again remind residents that it is mandatory to remove all items from balconies before leaving the area and when a major storm is approaching.

Apartment balcony furniture removal is not a service that is provided by the condominium association. It is an individual responsibility that must be initiated by the apartment owner or lessee.

See the resident web site at www.RenCondo.com for some storm-related Renaissance photos and additional information.

Gregg Feagans, Incident Commander for Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center, wrote a letter to the Editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune, which was published on August 20. In his letter, portions of which are excerpted here, he stated that "the county's Emergency Operations Center issued the evacuation order with grave concerns for the safety of our citizens -- and they responded. The orderliness and timeliness of their response was textbook, and we could not be more proud of Sarasota County residents."

Feagans estimated that "about 12,000 county residents and visitors sought protection in the county's six shelters. This did not include people with special needs -- people with medical conditions that require specialized care."

In the case of this hurricane, said Feagans, "the criteria for this particular evacuation order for people with special needs not only pertained to those who were on barrier islands, in mobile-home parks and adjacent waterways, but to those who required supplemental oxygen and were in Flood Zones 3, 4 and 5."

One important lesson is that anyone with a medical condition should be registered on the Sarasota County's Special Needs Evacuation Registration List. According to the information provided by Feagans, this countywide list includes people living in Sarasota, Longboat Key, Venice and North Port and the unincorporated areas of the county. As a reminder, Feagans noted "residents who qualify to be included on the list can obtain forms from home health care professionals, oxygen providers, physicians and Sarasota County Emergency Management."

Feagans included the contact information for several volunteer centers to contact for anyone can spend some time assisting victims of the hurricane:

§ If you're a health-care worker, the Red Cross needs you. Call the Red Cross at 941.379.9300 or go to the Red Cross at 2001 Cantu Court in Sarasota.



	Renaissance Times September, 2004 LABOR DAY Labor Day is Monday, September 6. It is a holiday for the Association staff. This holiday has long marked the time-honored end of the Summer season as well as a day for the fashion-conscious to store away their white shoes. This year Fall actually begins on September 22, with the Autumnal Equinox. Association management offices will be closed Monday, September 6. Maintenance personnel will not be available from the close of business on Friday, September 3, until Tuesday morning, September 7, unless there is an emergency. The customary front desk coverage will be here for the full period of the long holiday weekend. GOODBYE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, HELLO HAMPTON INN A public hearing was held on August 11, 2004 to renew the building permit for the planned Holiday Inn Express for the "hotel site" adjacent to the south side of the Renaissance building. At the meeting it was revealed that the original owner sold the hotel site to a developer who now proposes a Hampton Inn for the property. The design of the hotel remains the same - only the name will change. The hotel design plans are available for review in the Manager's office. A chronology of the off-again, on-again hotel project is covered on the resident web site at www.RenCondo.com. GAS GRILL AREA Please remember to check with the staff person at the Reception desk before you use the Gas Grill area. The Receptionist or Security Guard has access to the reservation calendar and knows if another resident has reserved the grill for that time. If no one else has reserved it, they will note your name so that you have priority. As a courtesy, once you have used the Gas Grill for your food, use the brush that is provided to clean the grill so that it is ready for the next resident. LATE-NIGHT GARAGE SECURITY Residents who arrive in the parking garage late at night might be concerned about their personal security when walking between their cars and the building entry door. While the garage is well lit and under constant video surveillance, if you have a concern about the garage after dark, do not hesitate to contact the Security Officer, who will be happy to escort you to or from your car. Late-night arrivals may use their mobile phone to call security at 957.1956, or can press the intercom button at the garage door entrance (next to the proximity reader box) to let the on-duty officer know your name and your parking space number. Stay in your parked car until the Security Officer escort arrives. WORK IN PROGRESS Because of the extremely wet weather in August, the garage and ramp repair warranty work has been delayed until some time in September. Residents will be notified when the work is scheduled to begin so that vehicles can be moved out of the affected work areas for the duration of the project. ENTRY SECURITY KEY FOBS The Association has been investigating an alternative to the existing security proximity key cards. The photo to the left depicts what the new key fob looks like when compared with the size of an existing proximity card. The new fobs are currently being tested, and we anticipate they will prove to be as reliable as the original proximity cards. When testing is complete by the end of September, the Association will probably order an inventory of key fobs, which residents can then purchase for $15.00 by contacting the front desk or the Building Manager. Existing door entry proximity cards will continue to function, so there is no need to purchase a key fob unless you prefer the smaller size. RECOGNITION CEREMONY Ron Menda, from U.S. Security, is shown with Richard L. Downer and Stormy Sexton after he awarded them certificates of recognition for the commendable job they perform each workday for the residents of Renaissance I. Stormy's stint is the security shift from 4 pm until midnight and Richard takes over from midnight until 8 am. HALLWAY HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE In recent instances residents who wanted cross-ventilation in their apartments have propped open their front doors, to allow a "fresh-air" breeze from their open balcony door to flow through their apartment and out into the hallway. Unfortunately, this situation introduces a large volume of humid outside air into the air-conditioned hallway, disrupts the balance of the air conditioning system and significantly raises the hallway temperature and humidity. Of more serious concern, the moisture-laden outside air has been condensing on the relatively cold hallway air supply vents, causing water to form on the vents and to drip down the nearby walls. Over a period of time, constant moisture can facilitate the formation of mold on the wall and in the vents. Please, never prop your apartment door open: § Doing so will cause unacceptable hallway moisture and temperature conditions. § It's also just not good personal security practice to leave your apartment door ajar, or unlocked. TRASH CHUTE NOISE The Renaissance has two trash chute rules: 1. Secure your trash in closed plastic bags 2. Do not leave trash or recyclables on the floor of the trash chute rooms - instead bring it to the first floor recycle area, accessed by using the service elevator. There is one more "trash chute" issue that we would like to call to your attention. With consideration for residents with apartments adjacent to the trash rooms, please try to refrain from using the chutes in the late evening or early morning hours to avoid noise from falling trash. Your neighbors would sincerely appreciate others refraining from using the chute during the "quiet hours" after 11 pm and before 7 am. SECURITY SYSTEM UPGRADES In early August, the Association purchased an upgraded computer-based digital recorder for the video surveillance system. The new system does away with traditional VHS surveillance videotapes and produces digital recordings of all security camera events that can be retrieved from an event archive and analyzed much more quickly and efficiently. The new system alerts the Security Officer when motion is detected in any area covered by a security camera. When necessary, compact discs (CDs) of specific videos can be generated and provided as evidence to the Sarasota Police Department, who also employs similar digital storage and video analysis equipment. Cost of the new recorder system was covered by budgeted Association funds. Without going into too much detail about the Renaissance video or security surveillance capabilities, installing the new recorder is the first phase in a gradual upgrade of the Renaissance security and video surveillance system. Anticipated future upgrades may include two more door proximity readers (thereby doing away with key locks on all entry doors), new cameras and lenses, redesigned and enhanced camera coverage areas, and additional garage and peripheral area surveillance. Contact Numbers Manager's office 941.957.3957 (phone) Manager's fax 941.957.1256 (fax) Manager's new email address RenCondo@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) Reception Desk 941.957.1956 Reception email RenConcierge@comcast.net Building Security 941.957.1956 Emergency 911 SEPTEMBER MOVIE NIGHT The September movie will be "Out Of Time", starring two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington. The movie is an inventive, exciting and spellbinding thriller, with a Florida location. Co-stars are Eva Mendes, Sanaa Lathan and Dean Cain. The story takes place in Banyan Key, a small Florida town surrounded by clear azure seas and expert at holding sultry secrets. Washington portrays Chief of Police Whitlock, who finds himself caught in the eye of the storm and about to get blown away. He is investigating the murder of a woman he was secretly seeing, racing to uncover a murky trail of stolen money, drugs and deceit, all the while staying two steps ahead of his own detectives, which is necessary because all of the evidence points to him. The movie will be shown in the Media Room on Thursday, September 2, at 7:30 pm. Popcorn and sodas will be provided. VEHICLE VERIFICATIONS All resident's vehicles must be registered with the Association so that the information is available in our database. That is the primary record we consult to ensure that vehicles are properly parked. If you purchase a new vehicle, please make sure to register it with the Association office as soon as possible. The Security Guards use the vehicle information in the Association database when they perform their parking lot inspections. As you know, vehicles parked in parking spaces that are not assigned to that unit are subject to being towed. To make registration of new vehicles easier, you may request a copy of the Vehicle Information Form at any time. THE DREADED PET "MUG BOOK" To aid residents who witness a pet infraction and are unable to identify the pet in sufficient detail to permit the Association to follow up with the owner, the Board of Directors approved the preparation of a book with photos of every dog and cat in the building. Each picture will include the name, age and breed of the pet, apartment number of its owner, and some additional explanatory or other identifying information. A few pet owners have voiced concerns that this procedure somehow invades the privacy of their pet, and they prefer that the photo program not be mandatory. Pets do not have inherent privacy rights. The photos can also be used to assist in locating or identifying a lost or strayed pet. Therefore, the Association will require the staff to photograph each dog and cat in the administrative area at an agreed-upon time. Participation in the pet photo program is not an option. We solicit the cooperation of all our pet owners, who may choose to be photographed with their pet. The album will be maintained in the administrative office. The photos will be available to any resident who needs help identifying a pet, for whatever reason. NO-SLIP FLOOR TREATMENT The shower stalls and adjacent flooring in the men's and women's locker/shower rooms near the Fitness Center will soon be treated with a non-slip coating. Work will take about one day in each area, with minimal disruption to normal restroom and shower use. No-slip strips, shower mats, and other applied anti-slip materials are not permitted in public shower and pool facilities. The approved anti-slip process that will be applied will allow the Association to comply with safety and health codes, while still providing a safe no-slip surface on wet interior tile floors. MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE The Maintenance Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 1 at 4:00 pm, in the Conference Room. If you have questions or comments, please contact the chairperson, Jeanne Sheldon at 951.6027. ENGINEERING CLAIMS STATUS As this is written the Association is in the final stages of negotiation to resolve all claims against the Developer resulting from the Association-sponsored Engineering Turnover Study performed in 2003. The Developer or his subcontractors have resolved the majority of the more than 100 defect claims in a business-like manner. The amount of compensation that the Developer will pay the Association for remediation-related wear and damage to the hallway carpeting is in final negotiation. Within the next few weeks work should finally begin on the repair or replacement of damaged carpeting throughout the common element hallways. THANKS CHARLEY FOR GOING AWAY Management is relieved that Hurricane Charley missed us. We want to express our thanks to the staff members who secured the building prior to the approaching hurricane. Special thanks to Board Members Bruce Van Duyne, who helped remove furniture from balconies, and Gina Wagner along with Rich DiBello, who assisted Management with answering telephones. A number of other residents offered their help. It's good to know that we can count on you! LESSONS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE CHARLEY Thankfully, the Renaissance building and residents sustained very little damage during Hurricane Charley as it came through our area on August 13, 2004. Because it made a last moment jog to the East, the main part of the storm missed Sarasota, which was then positioned in the more benign Northwest sector of the track line, where the threat of storm surge, flooding and very strong winds was greatly lessened. Three of the canvas awnings on the third deck of the parking garage were ripped along some seams. However, with better seam stitch design and stronger thread (a clear problem with the original awning manufacturer), we hope the awnings can be repaired to be more wind-tolerant. Based on the Association's recent experiences in preparing for this hurricane, we are sorry to report that some residents still do not take seriously the critical importance of removing all items (furniture, plants, everything) from their balconies before a storm. Residents who are absent during the summer hurricane season must remember to remove any and all items from their balcony before they leave. The Association employees do not have time to assist with removal of balcony furniture and plants as a storm approaches. This year, many absent seasonal residents neglected to remove and store items from their balcony before they left the Sarasota area. To avoid the possibility of items on the balconies becoming flying objects that could do serious damage to property or people, the Association was forced to enlist resident volunteers to assist our staff personnel in entering apartments and removing balcony items within hours of when the hurricane was scheduled to hit the Sarasota area. Some renters also chose not to remove balcony items, apparently under the mistaken assumption that their landlords would arrange for the removal when a storm was imminent. Before the start of each future hurricane season, the Association will once again remind residents that it is mandatory to remove all items from balconies before leaving the area and when a major storm is approaching. Apartment balcony furniture removal is not a service that is provided by the condominium association. It is an individual responsibility that must be initiated by the apartment owner or lessee. See the resident web site at www.RenCondo.com for some storm-related Renaissance photos and additional information. SARASOTA COUNTY SPECIAL NEEDS EVACUATION LIST Gregg Feagans, Incident Commander for Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center, wrote a letter to the Editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune, which was published on August 20. In his letter, portions of which are excerpted here, he stated that "the county's Emergency Operations Center issued the evacuation order with grave concerns for the safety of our citizens -- and they responded. The orderliness and timeliness of their response was textbook, and we could not be more proud of Sarasota County residents." Feagans estimated that "about 12,000 county residents and visitors sought protection in the county's six shelters. This did not include people with special needs -- people with medical conditions that require specialized care." In the case of this hurricane, said Feagans, "the criteria for this particular evacuation order for people with special needs not only pertained to those who were on barrier islands, in mobile-home parks and adjacent waterways, but to those who required supplemental oxygen and were in Flood Zones 3, 4 and 5." One important lesson is that anyone with a medical condition should be registered on the Sarasota County's Special Needs Evacuation Registration List. According to the information provided by Feagans, this countywide list includes people living in Sarasota, Longboat Key, Venice and North Port and the unincorporated areas of the county. As a reminder, Feagans noted "residents who qualify to be included on the list can obtain forms from home health care professionals, oxygen providers, physicians and Sarasota County Emergency Management." Feagans included the contact information for several volunteer centers to contact for anyone can spend some time assisting victims of the hurricane: § 1301 Cattlemen Road, Building A, in Sarasota or 7810 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. § If you're a health-care worker, the Red Cross needs you. Call the Red Cross at 941.379.9300 or go to the Red Cross at 2001 Cantu Court in Sarasota.