Sprinkler System "news"

The National Weather Service's current 7-Day Forecast for Utica, MI is unseasonably cool and damp, so as of today I have re-programmed the sprinkler system controllers to eliminate the afternoon watering cycle (except for the lawn surrounding the models on Lexington West). I have also scaled back the overnight watering times to 90% of normal to conserve water and reduce our bills. If and when the weather returns to warmer and drier conditions, I will scale the watering times back up accordingly.

The well-operated system along the berm will soon be undergoing some long-needed repairs to improve the performance of the two zones along the tree line on the top of the berm. Earlier today, Kramer-Triad authorized our irrigation contractor to proceed with the repairs they have identified and estimated. If they are correct with their diagnosis, the cost to fix the zones will be considerably less than the significantly different diagnosis and estimate we received from a different contractor last summer to correct the problems, which we first noticed upon the completion of the switch-over to the well water.

13 Things a Burglar Won't Tell You

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom—and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door—understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com)


And the other 8:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Reader's Digest Contributing Editor Janice Lieberman shared these and more tips on the Today Show and in her blog.

("Hat tip" to Manors co-owner Jackie Colonnesi)

Street Signs & Dollar Spots

AUGUST 18th UPDATE: The new street sign posts were installed today along with the available sign plates (shown above is the new post and signs at the corner of Lexington West and Regent) . Because of an error on the part of the sign plate printer, some posts are missing one or both sign plates. The job will be finished as soon as the printer makes up the corrected sign plates.

The street signs which were ordered earlier this summer are scheduled for installation sometime during the week of August 10th. They will be installed where Lexington North intersects Regent, Watling and Lexington East. A sign will also be installed at the corner of Regent and Lexington West. Lack of signage has been an on-going problem for visitors and delivery trucks and could become a safety issue if it causes a delay in fire or police response. For whatever reason, the original developer never saw fit to place signage at those corners, so your Association will fund the installations.





With the recent arrival of warmer and humid weather, the dormant Dollar Spot fungus has reared its ugly brown spots (shown above, click to enlarge) in certain areas of the Manors. It is very expensive to apply fungicide, which may also require repeated applications to fully eradicate it, only to find that it has returned the following season. After consulting with our fertilizer contractor, we will try accelerating or adding to the fertilizing schedule to keep the grass roots healthy so they can recover instead of burning out. You can help by avoiding walking through infected areas, since the fungus can be spread by contact.

First Amendments to our Condominium Documents

On Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, representatives of Lombardo Homes hand-delivered to each co-owner's front door a copy of the First Amendment to the Master Deed and Bylaws of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association. The amendments are the result of changes initiated by the developer so that they can market Units 1-14 as "site condos".

Click here to read the post I wrote on April 17, 2009 that explains the practical effects of the Amendments and how the changes to the "Percentage of Value" were determined.

Note that the First Amendments were recorded on April 16, 2009 and that you did not receive your copy of the amendments from Lombardo Homes until 107 days later, despite the fact that Article IX, Paragraph (E) of the Master Deed states, "Co-owners... shall be notified in writing of proposed amendments not less than (10) days before the amendment is recorded...."

Not only did Lombardo Homes fail to provide advance written notification of the amendments, they attempted to pass off the duplication and distribution costs off to our Condominium Association (which would have been a $400+ hit to our budget).

On June 19, 2009, I sent an e-mail to Lombardo Homes asking whether the amendments had been recorded, since we had not yet received copies of them despite the fact they had just installed advertising banners on the Van Dyke entrance announcing the new models for Units 1-14. I received a reply indicating that they had been recorded on April 16th and that a digital copy had been sent to Kramer-Triad for reproduction and distribution to all co-owners.

We responded by pointing out that

• Article IX, Paragraph (K) of the Master Deed states that "A person causing or requesting an amendment to the Condominium Documents shall be responsible for costs and expenses of the amendment...."
• Kramer-Triad would therefore assist Lombardo Homes only by providing them with a set of pre-addressed mailing labels they could use to make an accurate distribution.

The address labels were mailed to Lombardo Homes on June 30, 2009, yet it took them another month to get the amendments copied and distributed to you.

If you compare the "Percentage of Value" numbers in my April 17th post with those contained in the First Amendment documents you received, you will notice that the percentages do not match.

UPDATED Nov. 19, 2009:

This is because in the original Master Deed, Article X, Section 10.1 Central Park Master Community states that, "All assessments levied against the Co-owners and their Unit pursuant to such Master Declaration shall be equal and shall not be apportioned among the Co-Owners in accordance with the percentages of value assigned to the Units owned by them." Therefore, the annual dues for the Central Park Master Association had to be backed out of the percentage of value calculations which resulted in the 0.17422% and 0.64185% values you find in the recorded Amended Master Deed.