ABOUT HIDDEN VILLAGE CONDOMINIUMS
For Emergency, Health or Maintenance ONLY!
Sentry Management 2180 W SR 434 Suite 5000 Longwood, FL 32779
(407) 788-6700 ext: 298. NON-WEB ONLY
This page NOT authorized or affiliated with Sentry Mgmt. or Hidden Village Condo. Assoc. Inc.
General Information by Andrew Lerner, and Nancy Aubel, Crossings
A key is required to gain access to the pool area and REST-rooms. A beverage vending machine, sink, and counter are available.
This same key will also provide access to the Racquetball Court at the back of Forest Ridge Court near the pet walk area. If you need a KEY, call (407) 788-6700 ext: 298 or E-mail tnaylon@sentrymgt.com
Bulletin board items removed weekly or often.
Pets are to be on a leash and are to use the pet walk areas. DO NOT allow your pet to eliminate on the lawns around the buildings. Be a courteous neighbor.
If you see animals on the property without a leash, call Animal Control at (407) 665-5201.
Facilities and Services by Andrew Lerner, and Nancy Aubel, Crossings
The end of each street has a blue dumpster for household refuse. A larger dumpster is located at the end of Pebble Creek Dr. This is to be used for large and unusual items. Please do not place this type of refuse in the smaller dumpsters. We drive over to the Recycling center twice per month. Contact Us to recycle your newspapers and containers for you , at 1950 State Road 419 Longwood, Florida 32750 swcustomerservice@seminolecountyfl.gov
The pool and spa area is open from 7:00am to 11:00PM daily. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to use the spa. Children under the age of 16 MUST be accompanied by an adult resident 18 years of age or older. If you need a KEY, E-mail tnaylon@sentrymgt.com If you see anyone using these facilities after 11:00PM please call 911 to report trespassing.
Pressure washing of sidewalks and painting of parking spaces is being done on an as needed basis. Please email Tim Naylon at tnaylon@sentrymgt.com and submit a work order if you have a need for this service.
If someone is parked illegally please call Athens Towing, 407-321-2948. The vehicle will be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense.
For repairs on or around your building that are the responsibility of the association, Please only contact Tim Naylon to initiate a work order. (407) 788-6700 ext: 298 or email tnaylon@sentrymgt.com Juan Calderon performs the daily maintenance from his location at 960 Newcastle Circle, by the pool.
Monthly Board Meetings (HVCA: Hidden Village Condo Ass.)
by Andrew Lerner, and Nancy Aubel, Crossings Board Director
You are welcome to attend and participate in the monthly meetings held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00PM in the pool cabana. This is 960 Newcastle Circle. If you have a concern to discuss with the board, please email Tim at tnaylon@sentrymgt.com and request it to be added to the agenda. Below are recent actions taken as a result of your board’s decisions in the past few months:
A green lighted button has been installed in the pool cabana that will unlock the gate from inside.
Video cameras have been installed in the pool area which will record activity in and around the pool. This has been done to improve security for all residents.
Security personnel will be patrolling our community during at various times during the day and night for your safety.
A new lamp post has replaced the broken one at the front entrance.
Staircases and mailbox fixtures are being repaired and secured.
Landscapers have been responding to resident’s concerns regarding leaf accumulations.
Plantings and clean-up have taken place at the front entrance.
The association has retained a new attorney to handle legal matters as necessary.
Aggressive collection of unpaid HOA fees has been instituted.
If you care about your community and your property values, attend the board meetings. Learn the issues facing all of us and participate in the discussion. The board is trying to represent you but they can’t guess what you’re thinking. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and to voice your concerns. The board is made up of homeowners just like you who care about our community. All are welcome.
The next meeting of the Association's Board of Directors will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at the pool cabana, 960 Newcastle Circle. please note this correct address.
HOA Fees, Our Budget and the Economy by Ron Prevost, Hidden Village Board President
Near the end of each year, your board of directors prepares a budget for the upcoming year. This budget determines what our monthly HOA fee will be for the upcoming year and a copy is mailed to each unit owner for their information.
Our annual budget is based on the assumption that all 216 unit owners are able to pay their HOA fees faithfully each month. With the downturn in the economy, lost jobs, foreclosures, etc. some families can’t keep up and fall into arrears. When this happens the board has no choice but to file a lien against the property for monies owed to your association for the upkeep and maintenance of your community.
Through our lawyers, we aggressively try to collect these monies through payment plans or by whatever means are available to us. In some cases, a payment plan is worked out. But in other situations this is not possible and the unit goes into foreclosure and we have to wait until the unit is resold before any collection can be made. This can be a long process given the current state of the real estate market.
Take for example a property with $10,000 lien against it. You would assume that once the property is resold Hidden Village would collect all monies owed to us. Unfortunately, that is NOT how the law is written. The law allows us the lesser amount of two options on the outstanding debt. One, we are paid HOA fees going back no more than six months or $295.00 times 6 or $1770.00; or two, one percent of the resale value of the property. So for example, a unit that resells for say $100,000.00 dollars we can only collect one percent of the sale amount or in this example $1000.00 dollars, which is the lesser amount of the two options. Obviously, this is a far cry from the $10,000.00 dollars owed as stated in this example.
Since the downturn in the economy, some four years ago, our unpaid receivables (monies owed us for late HOA fees) have exploded from a low of $40,000 dollars to approximately $225,000 dollars where it stands today. Obviously, this results in an annual shortfall in our annual budget. Remember our annual budget is based on full payment of HOA fees by all 216 owners.
In closing, understand that just because you see a line item in the budget with monies allotted for mulch, new shrubs, flowers etc., it doesn’t mean we should spend our limited resources for those kinds of items. What monies that are coming in must be used for payment of our most critical expenses. Certain items like sprucing up the grounds must be postponed until things improve. It’s unfortunate, its not what any of us would like, but that is just the way it’s right now.
Hidden Village 2012 Budget 11/3/11 by Ron Prevost, President
As we approach the New Year, many of you may be wondering where the monthly HOA fee is heading for 2012. We are facing cost increases in 2012 that so far we’ve been able to absorb by making adjustments in discretionary expenditures within the 2012 budget. Some of these increases were an 11% percent increase in our water bills, along with increases in our electric bills for street lighting and a 5% increase in the premiums we pay to insure the buildings, to name a few. On the positive side, we’ve contained cost increases for waste disposal by contracting with a different waste disposal company.
Given the continued bad job market and the foreclosure situation within the complex, there are still enough of you keeping up with your fees to allow us to keep up with our most pressing operating expenditures.
So I’m happy to report that HOA fees for calendar year 2012 will remain at $___ dollars a month. How much longer we’ll be able to do this without improvements in the economy and/or filling our empty units with paying owners remains a question. But for 2012, the news is good.
Ron Prevost may have another article about parking spaces. I have not received it yet. If it is not sent directly to me here, I can not access it, and It can not be published here. I look forward to receiving submissions.
BBQ Grill Rules by Tim Naylon, Sentry Management
Gas and charcoal grills are not permitted to be kept or stored on patios, balconies, inside units or on the Associations property. The Association’s Security Officer required several residents to remove their barbecue grills from the pool area due to the grills proximity, less than 10 ft, to the cabana- restroom building. Grills may be used out side of the fenced in pool area, provided that the grills are removed from the Association’s property immediately after use.
NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code (2006 FL ed.), 10.11.7 For other than one- and two- family dwellings, no hibachi, gas-fired grill, charcoal grill, or other similar devices used for cooking, heating, or any other purpose, shall be used or kindled on any balcony or under any overhanging portion or within 10 ft (3m) of any structure. Listed electric ranges, grills, or similar electrical apparatus shall be permitted.
10.19.7 Fueled equipment, including but not limited to motorcycles, mopeds, lawn care equipment, and portable cooking equipment, shall not be stored, operated, or repaired within a building, except that the building or room has been constructed for such use in accordance with the building code.
Crossings Master Association
by Nancy Aubel, Crossings Board Director
Hidden Village is a member of The Crossings Master Association. Other members include Canterbury, Colony Cove, Greenwood Lakes, Highlands, Lakeview Village, Lakewood, Pebble Creek, Regency Park, Remington Oaks, Reserve, Silver Lake, Sheffield, Sun Lake, Wyngate, and Wynwood. Board meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00PM at the 780 Creekwater Terrace Clubhouse. Learn more about the association by visiting their website at www.thecrossingsmaster.com.
Your Security by Nancy Aubel, Crossings Board Director 10/13/11, 11/23/11
The Master Association provides extra security to The Crossings by employing Seminole County Sheriff Officers, in uniform and in their patrol cars to patrol the developments within our master association. These uniformed officers drive through Hidden Villageas part of their patrol. The extra security provided by your Crossings Master Association allows the resi-dents to ask for more specific attention to be given to any issues that arise. The president of the Crossings Master Association, Mr. Bud Trueblood, regularly attends and is a member of The Neighbor Police Council, and reports any issues which need specific attention from the Sheriff’s Department i.e. drug trade, speeders, habitual traffic offenders, juvenile vandalism, and any other illegal activities. One of the services provided to The Crossings Master Associa-tion is House Watch. Residents who are vacationing or simply have a need for extra attention during a specific time frame, i.e. vacant rental units, can con-tact Stacie Bishop at 407-665-1450 to request a House Watch service. The service is free.
The Crossings Master Association receives monthly reports of the daily patrols and those reports con-cerning Hidden Village are given to your Hidden Vill-age Board. The 2011 budget for the service, $25,430? The Crossings Master Association yearly dues, $159.00? Your safety, priceless.
Energy Savings by Nancy Aubel, Crossings Board Director
If you notice that your dryer is not drying your clothing as efficiently as it once did it may not be the fault of your dryer; this happened to me. Turn your dryer on, and let us check the vent on the outside of the building (should be located over or around your outside utility door). If there is no air coming from the vent it may be one of three problems. It may be due to clogged ducts or your duct work is not attached to your dryer or possibly not attached to the outside vent (as in my case). Any one of these issues will increase your electric bill and may create a fire hazard. It only takes a few minutes to check, and will save a lot of headaches down the road.
loletia.haws@gmail.com
