Heather Walk News Central

From the Editor-in-Chief: The primary purpose of the Association, through the Board of Directors is to protect and preserve the value of your property and that of the common elements all the while exercising prudent business judgment in making decisions. The Association has the responsibility to repair and maintain common elements of the community, such as painting the buildings or maintaining the roofs. The individual owner at Heather Walk has the opportunity to become involved in the on going affairs of the community, and the responsibility to assure that the associations actions conform to the Heather Walk Declaration of Condominium and By-laws. This can be achieved by understanding that the Declaration provides the means by which the association enforces the members obligations and the By-laws set forth the procedures for running the Association. In furtherance of that goal there are rules and regulations, some of which cause conflict with the desires of individual owners or tenants. It should be remembered these rules exist for the general good of the entire community. If a resident is not complying with the Heather Walk Declaration of Condominium or By-laws, you should point this out expressing the expectation that the matter will be corrected. You should write a letter that is factual, brief and not hostile. Keep copies of any letters that you send, and notes of telephone conversations, date, time, who called whom, and the gist of the discussion. If your problem is one that others are affected by then include them. Concerns delivered in writing are actionable, and if not illegal usually kept anonymous, in this way the problem should be quickly dealt with by management or forwarded to the association attorneys for review. Remember members of the Board of Directors are other owners who are serving without pay and want to resolve problems while keeping peace in the Heather Walk community.
The Editor-in-Chief for HeatherWalk.com

The following items can be purchased at Foster Company.
Price schedule unchanged since October 01, 2009
HW pool key $5.00
HW gate entry cards $10.00
HW remote entry module $65.00

Saver Packs are about saving money. No matter the economic times its always prudent for the association to spend money wisely. The same goes for your own family budget. The following saver packs have proven to save residents money.

Saver Pack 1. During winter months lower the thermostat. When you use your heater, your energy usage is more than likely higher than normal. That's because many of the units here at Heather Walk have inefficient heating systems as do most other homes in south Florida. Generally, the heating elements require more energy to operate than the air conditioner. In fact, heating can cost two and three times more than cooling. It has been estimated that for every two degrees you lower the thermostat, say from 70 degrees to 68 degrees, you can save approximately 20 percent on heating costs.

Saver Pack 2. Keep the Air Conditioner drain pipe clear. Your air conditioner directs collected humidity away from your home via the a/c drain pipe. Over time sludge builds and will create a backup into your unit and since a/c drain lines are not common areas the repair bill is the owners responsibility. To avoid this use pan treatment tablets {product pt-151} available at the local a/c supply store or as a quick fix pour a small amount of bleach directly into the drain pipe, avoiding spills on the drain pan is critical to avoid corrosion to surrounding metal parts. Apply tablets or bleach in spring, summer and fall.

Saver Pack 3. Avoid pouring grease down the drain. Avoid expensive repairs to the condominium sewer pipes. Do not pour cooking grease or oil down your drain. It will build up over time and cause a clog. Eventually it will back up into your unit resulting in an expensive plumbing bill for you. Instead pour the grease into a can, cool it off then toss it into the trash. View what to do with grease.

Saver Pack 4. Control your water usage. Leaving the water on while brushing your teeth wastes water and adds to the water bill and ultimately factors into setting maintenance fees and rent levels. Turn off the faucet and save about 5 gallons of water each time. Conserve water and energy by showering quickly and to prevent burns lower your water heaters thermostat to 120 degrees. It takes 2 seconds to receive third degree burns when exposed to 150 degree water.

Saver Pack 5. Paint the patio fence. Condominium documents require the association to paint the exterior of the fence only. The unit owner is required to paint the interior of the patio fence and if there is one, both sides of the *gate and both sides of the fence that the gate attachs to. When you paint both sides of the fence the paint is free. $40.00 deposit returned with unused portion of paint when both sides of fence are painted. *Installation of gate and attaching fence are optional at the owners expense and requires Board approval for style.

NEW & CURRENT RESIDENTS: Heather Walk Condominium documents do not permit owners or tenants to landscape in common areas. In limited common areas such as a balcony or patio do not plant vines. Vines attach themselves to whatever is close by and must be removed before scheduled maintenance such as painting buildings or fence repairs. It is the removal process that increases the cost of labor to the association, therefore vines found attached to walls, railings or fencing shall be removed. Heather Walk documents require the association to correct violations and bill the unit owner.