Bermuda Bay Condominium Newsletter

Juliet Mee, a native of Springfield, boasts over two decades of experience in management and commercial business development. As the general contractor for several buildings in a federal historic district, Juliet contributed to the area's economic development over 19 years. She secured various funding sources, such as community economic development funds, historic tax credits, and Brownfield redevelopment funds, and helped the district’s success, with some buildings of the buildings receiving community beautification awards.

Apart from her business development background, Juliet has contributed to legislation regulating professional licensure and has a comprehensive understanding of risk management from her time as a facility manager. As an Open Book Management practitioner council member, she has applied her knowledge across all the companies she has owned. Juliet's love of business is evident in her successful establishment of five businesses, including an HR business that managed all employees and a contractor using federal funds for education. Juliet holds a CAM license and brings a wealth of organizational skills and practice to our community.

As a member of the Bermuda Bay Condominium Association team, Juliet's perspective encompasses the concerns of owners, developers, and investors. Juliet and her partner Tracy have lived in St. Petersburg since 2019, and she is grateful for the opportunity to serve!

Current Contact information for the Board:

President - Tori Elvir - bermudabaypresident@gmail.com

Vice- President - Adriana Lein- bermudabayvicepresident@gmail.com

Treasurer - Mike Martin - bermudabaytreasurer@gmail.com

Secretary - Chris Boyd - bermudabaysecretary@gmail.com

Director-at-Large - Vivi Iglesias - bermudabaydirectoratlarge@gmail.com

Property Manager: - bermudabaymgr@condominiumassociates.com

Administrative Assistant: Christine Dickey - bbboffice@condominiumassociates.com

Bermuda Bay Security Phone Number: 727-902-7219

If you have an after hours emergency, please call Condominium Associates at 727-573-9300 or reach out to a board member for assistance.

Bermuda Bay Clubhouse WiFi: Username: Bermudabayclubhouse (it should pop up)

Password: bbclubhouse

NEW OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Contact the chairperson of the committee(s) you are interested in volunteering for and they will give you more details on meetings and purpose. Contact information below:

Environmental Committee - Vic Vena bigvic01@icloud.com

Review Committee- Patti Brazil brazil.patty@gmail.com

Social Committee: Currently no chair

Beach Restoration Committee - Kerry Morrison Imzchef@comcast.net

Stair Committee - Tori Elvir and Adriana Lein: bermudabaypresident@gmail.com and bermudabayvicepresident@gmail.com

bermudabaymgr@condominiumassociates.com

Courts and Sports Committee - Robin Ward - Rifkasema@gmail.com

Kayak/Trailer and Boat Committee - Barbi Martinson boutfintime101@gmail.com

Security Committee: Peg Daisley- MDaisley@msn.com

Landscaping Committee- Barbi Martinson boutfintime101@gmail.com

ARC COMMITTEE - Roger Daisley hrdaisley@gmail.com

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE - Meredith Borden mrkbdn@yahoo.com

Hello Neighbors,

This has been a busy month as the season is winding down. We have had some great community events and some informational Town Hall meetings. The board is working extremely hard to get all the communication out to the ownership in many forms to reach everyone.

Our monthly newsletter is a plethora of information and links to every aspect of detail you can imagine. If you have a question, please go to the newsletter first and it will link you to the owner's website where you will be able to find just about anything to do with the community.

I get calls and texts every day asking for office email, phone number, hours, and questions like, “when is the next stair meeting?” All of that is emailed to everyone repeatedly in email blasts, monthly newsletter and from board members. I personally keep a link to the latest newsletter and the CA BB website right on my desktop for easy access. This is the CA website for us: Home - Bermuda Bay Beach Condominium Association, Inc. 299 - Clearwater, FL (cincwebaxis.com) https://condo.cincwebaxis.com/

Have you met Juliet? This lovely woman is working overtime as our newly named manager to try to beat the huge learning curve that is Bermuda Bay, but boy, is she making a dent in all of it. I’ve had incredibly positive feedback from those of you who have met her, and she has some progressive ideas on how to bring our community into this modern age with organization, technology and systems. I believe all the past and current board members would agree this is long overdue. Even our contractors are responding well to her instructions/suggestions. We are currently working on the process of making her an offer for our permanent position but there is always a process. Take the time to meet her if you get a chance!

Open office hours are M-F from 10-4 and by appointment beginning on May 1st. Just remember, our manager must be out on-site taking care of maintenance issues, getting vendor quotes and seeing what areas of the community need attention so she won’t always be sitting in the office during those hours. Making an appointment or sending an email is a fantastic way to get what you need.

It looks like we will finally be getting some much-needed rain! I am super excited to be trapped inside for a few days to catch up on some organizing and book work. If you get bored, here are some great suggestions for rainy days in St. Pete. What to Do on a Rainy Day in St. Pete, FL (tripshock.com). https://www.tripshock.com/blog/what-to-do-on-a-rainy-day-in-st-pete-fl/

As always, reach out to me if you come across a question or issue you can’t look up yourself through our many resources.

Cheers,

Tori Elvir

Kentucky Derby Party May 6th 2-7PM. Dress to impress! Prizes for best dressed couple, best Derby hat & sharp dressed man. Drawing for a Maker's Mark bar/gift set.. Get a raffle ticket at the door, no purchase necessary! Please bring an appetizer to share for a large group of people and BYOD. Live racing to watch on our 45" TV in the clubhouse. Several races between 2:30-7PM, there may be some side betting going on so feel free to bring cash to this event to play with. Good Luck, hope your horse wins, and see you at the Bermuda Bay Derby party.

UPDATE: OWNERS WHO HAVE COVERED CARS or MOTORCYCLES

Recently, the HOA instituted a new rule regarding vehicles with covers, and the need to display a parking decal on the outside of the covering, in addition to the one on the windshield. There is no charge for the additional decal. However, though most of these owners were quick to comply, there has also been some confusion in the process. For instance –

How best to apply the decals to a vehicle cover?

We discovered that one owner stapled their decal to the covering. [photo of decal applied with tape] Others used clear tape.

If you want a better solution, check with the office. Juliet and Christine have come up a very nice solution that they will provide for any owner of a covered vehicle. They have a laminating machine and a box full of laminated pouches. The decal is sealed inside. The pouch can then be “locked” to the zipper of the covering, or as Juliet suggests the rearview mirror, driver’s side, because then there will be “metal piece (safety pin, paperclip) holding the permit so that it doesn’t scratch the paint or provide a direct hole that lets rain get in.”

[photo of decal applied using this method}

Contact the office

So, if you are interested in having a laminated parking decal made for your covered vehicle, contact Christine at the bbboffice@condominiumassociates.com for more information.

At this time it is quite apparent that there are many animals on the property who are not properly registered and/or do not have a Bermuda Bay tag as evidence of their registration. We are asking all owners with pets to ensure that their pets are properly registered with all required information. In the coming months the Board and Security Committee will be attempting to verify that each animal on site is properly registered and meets the limitations as outlined in the attached “Pet Rules and Regulations.” This document with accompanying forms is available on our website under “Documents/Forms” on https://condo.cincwebaxis.com/cinc/home. These are the documents:

· Pet Rules and Regulations

· Owners Dog/Cat Registration Form

· Request for Accommodation Form (specific to Service and Emotional Support Animals).

SOME OF THE KEY RULES & REGULATIONS TO REMEMBER:

· Pets are limited to cats and dogs, weighing no more than 20 pounds.

· Each owner may have no more than two pets.

· Renters are not permitted to have a pet.

· Pets are to be leashed, have a Bermuda Bay pet tag on their collar or leash, and under the control of the owner at all times when outside of the unit.

· Pets who pose a nuisance or danger may cause the owner to be fined or required to remove the animal from the property.

SERVICE ANIMALS and EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS must be registered with a certification from a qualified practitioner per Florida Statute and the American Disabilities Act. Please note that online and/or mail certification or medical letters are NOT recognized. Please refer to that registration form attached to this email.

IF YOU RENT/LEASE your property you are required to notify any potential renter IN ADVANCE of the “no pet” policy for renters. You may rent your unit to someone with a certified Service or Emotional Support Animal. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that proper documentation regarding the animal meets Florida Statute and Americans with Disabilities Act PRIOR to allow the renter to move into Bermuda Bay. We are aware of numerous instances of renters obtaining Emotional Support Animal certification AFTER moving onto the property.

We are currently updating our record system for updated rabies vaccinations, that must be obtained yearly. (Section 828.30, Florida Statutes, “Cruelty to Animals” requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian against rabies with a vaccine that is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in those species.) We are trying to keep our records for insurance accurate and timely.

Invasive plants can create havoc in our yards by displacing native vegetation. Their population explodes with harmful effects. When our native and nonnative adaptive plants are destroyed and replaced by invasive species, we encounter significant consequences. These include an aggressively hostile plant takeover, ecological problems, such as habitat degradation or biodiversity loss, high management costs, and significant impacts to recreational areas, which result in economic losses.

https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/

This online resource provides information about invasive plants and invasive plant potential

around the state and those under caution in other areas. This assessment uses science-based tools to evaluate the risk of invasion by non-native species, new species that might arrive here and novel agricultural and horticultural varieties. This can help provide you with information you need to make appropriate plant selections.

Remember before planting, to contact the Landscaping Committee for approval. Anything

outside of your unit is common element and therefore needs permission to have something added to the landscape We are ALL about the beautification of our property – you just need to go through the proper channels to make sure what you are planting is acceptable. Below is the No Plant list supplied by the Landscaping committee and of course the online link above is the best resource ever for our area.

Oyster plants

Mexican Petunia

Bamboo

Any plant that vines (vines grow on the buildings, and cover things when they should not be

covered like air conditioners).

Thorny cactus

Sprengeri fern or Asparagus fern

Pampas grass

Fruit trees

Philodendron of any kind

Ivy

Schefflera

Palm trees with thorns on the stems or leaves.

Plants that grow tall and bush out should not be planted at entrance ways, close to the building, next to railings or windows. Plants have to be kept off the buildings, people’s windows and Bermuda Shutters. Especially where the new ramps are narrow and low, no maintenance plants should be planted there. It is important that some plants (especially with thorns) need to be maintained and trimmed appropriately so they are not a threat to passers-by. The landscapers cannot be trimming next to the railings it will nick them and that is not fair to them.

Excerpt from Tampa Bay Times article: Barber, Lynn. April 9, 2023. UF/IFAS helps identify and avoid invasive plants.

It was a beautiful evening for a Bermuda Bay wedding. It has been ages, since our beach hosted a wedding, and it did not disappoint. Just another reason why "home" is the paradise that people want to share when happy events come into their lives. They graciously invited the entire community to join in the reception festivities. We thank Beth and Alan for a memorable evening and we wish them all the happiness that life has to offer.

(Photos provided by Mary French 2023)

We have on-going concerns about the potable water distribution in the community and the billing for this service. In about 2010 the community paid to increase the diameter of the basic service line to 4” diameter, however in 2018, St. Petersburg downsized the line to 2”. Subsequently we began to have extra charges for tapping into the fire service line.

In the most recent billings there was a surcharge of $2718.85 per month. When our previous property management company was here, they reported that they were aware of other communities with similar problems, although it is likely that they didn’t have the same situation with having their service line downgraded. We believe that if we had the 4” service line we might avoid this extra charge. Paul has been reviewing the historic billing, although there are some gaps in the records. He shared a graph of this review indicating a recent increase in our usage. In February the city sent a letter to Bermuda Bay noting a higher than expected meter reading which they suggested might indicate a leak in our

system.

Paul joined with Mike Martin (BB Treasurer) to meet with the city to discuss our situation. They were interested in our situation and helpful, but this is only a first step and there is more work to be done. At least we now have the right contacts and we hope to continue our pursuit of answers.

Other possible explanations for increased water use were related to draining and filling the pool (which Josh had indicated occurred prior to the increased meter reading) or irrigation. While we have a reclaimed water irrigation system, that system has not been functioning properly due to damage from construction activities, and some residents are using hoses with our potable water to sustain vegetation.

The Tampa area is currently experiencing drought conditions. While we don’t know of any active leaks in our water distribution, it is an old system and the community has been

planning to replace piping for a number of years. There was a town hall prior to the board meeting with a presentation by FPS that has provided a proposal to upgrade our system.

The town hall was at 4:30 on April 19 in the clubhouse. Copies of their PowerPoints in PDF format, are attached below and available for downloading. In addition to that process, Patty has contact info for another firm (Marcos Garcia: 863-585-6255 or 640-333-06880) which has a similar approach, putting a lining inside the existing piping. Paul mentioned that he had heard of issues with toxic vapors in the system when installing a lining, but it is not clear if the approach Patty shared has that issue. We expect that any of these methods will involve a substantial cost, but it is possible we could schedule replacement of different sections to spread out the costs over time.

Environmental Committee 4/18/2023

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2023

AT THE CLUBHOUSE FROM 6:30PM-8:00PM

Ranger Andrea Anderson from Boyd Hill will be sharing information on

SHORE BIRDS/GRASS WRACKLINE

Specific dates and times will follow:

NOVEMBER: FANTASTIC FUNGI - OUR WORLD AND MUSHROOMS

DECEMBER: BIRDS OF PREY - NATIVE OWLS, OSPREY, EAGLES, KESTRELS, AND HAWKS

JANUARY: MANATEE - YES, THEY DWELL IN OUR BAY GOPHER TORTOISE

MARCH: SPRING MIGRATION OF BIRDS (an additional field trip t Fort DeSoto area)

APRIL: POLLINATORS - BEES, BUTTERFLIES, ETC. (an activity will include making patio pollinator pots)

MAY 2024: MORE SHORELINE/BEACH

The roots of this tree were causing all sorts of problems to the foundation of the building, so it had to come down. Rinker Crane Experts were quick to respond and their professional crew had everything cleaned up within a couple of hours. The stumps behind 58 were also scheduled to be removed.

PROCESS

As specified in the Rules, vehicle owners, including renters, must get a parking permit from the office. (Fill out a form; pay $10 check or money order.) Owners get a permanent permit. Renters get a temporary permit.

Once a week, the Security Guard checks vehicles as they make their rounds. They place a violation notice on vehicles with no valid parking permit. That vehicle gets a first notice, a second notice, and the third notice will notify the owner that we are preparing to tow their car. In other words, 3 strikes and you're out.

When a car has reached the 3rd citation level, it needs to be towed. The security committee, which currently keeps the records of Violation Notices will send photos, and the record of citations the vehicle has received, in an email to the board and the property manager. The board has to give permission for that vehicle to be towed and will instruct the manager to do so.

Once permission is given, the property manager calls our current towing company - Alpha Towing -1727-320-3004 - be called to tow the vehicle. Someone) needs to make sure the car is there on the date and at the time the tow is planned. (Alpha is the company used in 2023. See “contract” with Alpha on the CA web site.) Alpha will usually ask for the property manager to text a picture of the car so that they have the correct information. Note that apparently in the past, according to some, when the car is obviously very valuable, they ask if they can tag it for 24 hours prior to towing because of insurance responsibilities related to an expensive car.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Residents and visitors have a new way to get around downtown St. Petersburg.

The city launched its new electric bike share program Wednesday, as Lime, an e-bike and scooter company that’s partnered with Uber, debuted its fleet of 260 Gen4 e-bikes throughout downtown, a news release said.

"Getting around downtown St. Petersburg should be safe, affordable, easy and convenient for our residents and visitors," Mayor Kenneth T. Welch said. "Lime's Gen4 e-bikes are smooth, eco-friendly, and comfortable. We're pleased to add this amenity as another green complement to the other modes of transit enjoyed by our residents and visitors like walking, e-scooters, the Downtown Looper and Central Avenue Trolley, and the SunRunner."

Riders can access the e-bikes using the Lime app and Uber app platforms. Those who qualify for discounted rides may opt in for Lime Access, Lime's affordability program.

“With environment, infrastructure and resilience being one of the (Welch) administration’s Pillars for Progress, Lime’s shared e-bike program is an example of the city’s commitment to investing in environmental technology,” according to the news release.

Learn more about the city’s electric bike share program at www.stpete.org/bikeshare.

Email: bermudabaymgr@condominiumassociates.com
Website: https://condo.cincwebaxis.com/
Location: Bermuda Bay Beach and Racquet Club, 4201 38th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA
Phone: 727-864-0735
Twitter: @BermudaBayStP