Jockey Beach Club N E W S

October 2010

Currently only 35 owners have not given us an email address and are still receiving a printed copy of the newsletter. If you are one of these, and have email, please send us your address to get added to the database.

A REMINDER, or two

***Please remember that as a condo owner there are several different categories of our property. The Common Elements are those that are shared by all. The parking lot, pool, "boardwalk" and anything on the exterior of the buildings are some examples of items that fall into this category. Our decks are legally categorized as Limited Common Elements and, as such, fall under guidelines established by the Board of Directors even though they are thought of as a part of your unit. All owners need to be aware that if they plan to make any alteration or improvement to the exterior of their unit [on their decks, etc] they need to, first, obtain permission from the Board of Directors. A few of the guidelines established by the Board are:

Any replacement windows or sliders MUST be similar in appearance and color to the original ones – BROWN
All portable storage cabinets on 3rd floor decks must be located against the wall of the building and not at the exterior edge of the deck.
For safety reasons, the installation of any satellite dish must not extend beyond the outer edge of the deck railing.
This also applies to flower pots and planters, too.
Built-in storage cabinets on 1st and 2nd floor decks MUST be painted white or with siding similar to that on the building. Several types have been approved and can serve as models for new ones.
For 1st and 2nd floor units in the Belmont Building ONLY - there are 2 types of deck enclosures that have been approved.

September Owner's Meeting

On September 25th an owner's meeting was held on the parking lot to review the 2010 Summer season and to inform owners of projects completed and planned for the future. Approximately 50 people attended. Among the items discussed were:

A report for the Financial Secretary explaining the status of the Association's accounts. Including a report that the Association is in the process of referring several unit owners to our attorneys for non-payment of condo fees
A summary of the repairs and improvements made since the spring-see "Maintenance & Grounds" summary below
A recommendation from the owners that the Board consider going to a keyed entry system for the pool.

After the meeting those in attendance enjoyed the hot dogs, hamburgers and turkey burgers provided by the association and the numerous salads and desserts prepared by the owners in attendance. To be honest, the picnic lasts a lot longer than the meeting and is enjoyed by all.

Mortgage Holders

With the numerous banking changes that have occurred during the last year or so, many of us now have new companies holding our mortgages. Please make sure that the Association has up-to-date information so that the proper Master Policy Insurance information can be sent to your mortgage holder when our policy renews and prevent numerous "headaches" for all

.
O.C. Water Tax on Fixtures

In late August you received the increased water tax bills from the city. This bill came with an explanation giving the reasons for the increase. In that letter there was mention that additional billings are sent to the condo associations for the actual water usage. Most condo associations will pass on to unit owners a portion of this bill. Jockey Beach Club does not do so. The water usage bills are paid by the JBCCA out of the condo fees.

Board of Directors Budget Meeting - December 4th

In preparation for the Budget Meeting the Long-Range Planning Committee met on October 23rd, surveyed the property and assessed the needs for 2011. They then made the necessary adjustments to our 10 year strategic plan.

The full Board of Directors will meet at 10:00 AM on Saturday, December 5th to discuss issues/concerns facing Jockey Beach, hear proposals for projects and establish an Operating Budget for the upcoming year. If you have concerns or issues that you would like the Board to consider, please inform your Building Rep. so that they can have this included on the agenda. Once adopted, a copy of the 2011 Budget will be included in an upcoming newsletter.

Maintenance & Grounds Report

A new shed was purchased in June.
The annual termite inspection was conducted in late August. No evidence was found.
The semi-annual spraying for ants is scheduled for late-October
Repairs have been made to the fence/parking lot along the north side of the property.
The poles of the 2nd floor of the Derby have been scraped and repainted.
Repairs to the parking lot [grinding out and sealing the cracks] began in late-September
The roof vents an all three buildings have been resealed to prevent possible leaks.
Minor adjustments/repairs were made to the 3rd floor decks – replacing the few warped boards and spindles.

TENTATIVE SPRING PROJECTS: [To be determined at Budget Meeting]

Stack water valves replacement, condensation line relocation, crawl space hatch replacement for Preakness
Parking lot resealing and re-striping
3rd floor hallway carpet replacement – Derby & Preakness

A Few Seasonal Reminders

Don't forget that Comcast offers "winter rates" for their service. With no change in service you may be able to reduce your bill for the 4 winter months. Call them to determine eligibility
No Boats are to be stored on the parking lot for the winter.
Secure all deck furniture, etc. that may become a problem during one of the winter wind storms.
When the unit is not in use:
- Water should be turned OFF at the main valve. PLEASE NOTE: when your water is "off" you should also turn off the breaker for the Hot Water Heater
- Heat should be ON and set at a minimum of 50 degrees [breaker ON too!]
- Once again owners are being reminded that our insurance company strongly recommends that the washing machine hoses be metal [braided] hoses to help prevent leaks.

A Special Request- - - 3rd Floor Unit Owners

Several members of the Board have been approached by unit owners asking that we put out a request / plea to other owners – especially those on the 3rd floor. Please take a few minutes to clean the threshold to your unit. A few minutes of work will greatly improve the appearance.

Winter "Heat Checks"

Each Winter, on at least three occasions, the Board of Directors attempt to enter every unit to verify that the heat is on and set as defined in the by-laws. In the past this policy has helped to prevent some serious water damage problems caused by freezing pipes due to "bad" thermostats, open windows, etc. If you have changed your locks you will need to provide a new set of keys to the Board. Send keys to the address listed below.

As in the past, signs will be posted throughout the property 24 hours prior to each of the "heat checks".

The schedule for this year's Heat-Checks is as follows: [All dates are Saturdays]

Dates: Subject to change as needed.

December 4, 2010---- 1:00 PM
January 8, 2011 -----11:00 AM
February 5, 2011--- 11:00 AM
March 5, 2011-------11:00 AM – if necessary

Notes will be left in unit and owner notified via email or phone if there is a problem.

HEAT-CHECK POLICY ENFORCEMENT

For individuals who are found in violation of the policy – unit found without heat [heat and/or power not on].
- 1st Offense – Heat-Check slip left with notification at the time of inspection. Heat turned ON by Board.
- 2nd Offense – Unit owner informed via phone call and/or letter of repeat violation with a warning about a fine for 3rd consecutive offense
- 3rd Offense - [and beyond]- $50.00 fine for each
For individuals who have not provided working keys for the Heat-Checks:
- 1st Offense – Letter sent by Vice President in charge of coordinating the Heat-Checks to the owner(s) reminding them of by-law requirement and requesting keys be sent to the Association with 21 days. [Letter to include an explanation of the Fine Policy].
- 2nd Offense – Certified Letter mailed to owner with warning that they have 14 days to provide the needed keys for the next Heat-Check.
- 3rd Offense- [and beyond]- $100.00 fine for each

J. Douglas Eisenhauer
President, JBCCA
19 Northwood Drive
Timonium, MD 21093

410-274-1011-office
410-252-1189-fax
jockeybeachclub@juno.com-email