Gas Fireplace Maintenance

Superior Model DR-500CMN

[Please note that co-owners are responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of the gas fireplace that was supplied with their unit.  The following information is provided as a courtesy to the co-owners of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association.]

Most of the units here in the Manors have a Model DR-500CMN direct-vented gas fireplace that was manufactured by the Superior Fireplace Company.  This model has been discontinued and Superior is now a unit of Lennox Hearth Products.  The DR-500CMN Homeowner's Care and Operation Manual is still available here for viewing and download.

Some of the newer Manors units have a Model VCD36RN direct-vented gas fireplace that was manufactured by Desa Heating LLC.  Desa filed for bankruptcy in December of 2008 and is no longer in business.  However the VCD36RN Owner's Operation and Installation Manual is still available here for viewing and download.

Both of these models are similar in design and operation.  The Superior fireplace is rated at 23,000 BTUs per hour input while the Desa has an input rating of 21,000 BTUs per hour (as a reference, the input ratings for the forced air gas furnaces here in the Manors are 75,000 BTUs per hour and up).  Even though your fireplace is probably operated using a conventional 110 volt wall switch, both fireplace models use millivolt gas controls, meaning that if the pilot flame is burning, the fireplace burner can be turned on and off even during a power failure (however the optional blower will not be functional).   During an extended cold-weather power failure, your gas fireplace should be able to provide enough heat to keep your plumbing from freezing, even without the warm air circulation normally provided by the blower.

Here's some advice on how to keep your gas fireplace working and looking good:

Smoke Alarm Maintenance

Are your smoke alarms "chirping"?  If so, they are trying to tell you that their back-up battery needs to be replaced!

Slide open the Battery Door to remove and replace the 9 volt battery (the thin plastic was removed at initial installation)

[Please note that co-owners are responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the smoke alarms that were supplied with their unit.  The following information is provided as a courtesy to the co-owners of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association.]

Most of the units at the Manors came equipped with FIREX Model FADC smoke alarms.  They run on 110 volt alternating current (house current) and and use a 9 volt "transistor" battery for back-up in case there is a power failure.

The FIREX Model FADC features two Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that shine through a single clear light guide that is located next to the test button in the center of the device. The green and red LEDs provide the important following information about the status of your smoke alarms and any actions you must take to stay protected:

All roadways now open to traffic

Watling Ave. before and after Phase 2.

As of about 5:00 PM today, all roads and the access drive are now open to traffic.  Phases 1 and 2 of the paving project are now complete (refer to this post which describes the three phases of this project).

Those receiving their US mail at the mailboxes on Lexington West near North Central Park received their Friday and Saturday mail at about 3:30 PM today.

Regarding the completion of Phase 3, I will let everyone know as soon as I have a "tentative" date from the contractor about the crack filling and sealcoating of Lexington South near West Broadway and the access drive closest to West Broadway (these areas are in front of Units 16-22 and 166-167).  It may happen sometime next week but it requires dry weather.   We ran out of warm weather so it will not happen until sometime next spring.

Mike Grobbel
President - Board of Directors, Manors at Central Park Condo Association

Most roads are now open to traffic

All streets are now open to traffic except for Lexington West and the private access drive along North Central Park in front of Units 16-32.

The reason the contractor could not finish the job before dusk today is that the asphalt plant had a breakdown around noon-time that caused them to be unable to do any paving for  more than 1.5 hours.

The contractor will return tomorrow morning to finish the job.  They estimate that they should be finished around noon and we should be able to open the remaining roadways to traffic shortly thereafter.

The unfinished roadways will remain closed overnight so that  the contractors can gain immediate access in the morning.

If you need a ride to or from your car, please call me and I will come and get you in the golf cart. 

The Board thanks you for your cooperation today and for those on Lexington West and North Central Park, the Board asks for your understanding about the delay (which was the fault of their asphalt supplier, not the paving contractor).

Mike Grobbel
President - Board of Directors, Manors at Central Park Condo Association

Paving is a "GO" for Friday Nov. 9th

I just confirmed with our contractor that Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 is the firm date for our paving project.

Beginning at 1:00 PM today, Larry Cybulski and I will be placing a copy of this written notice on each front door in the Manors. Please read it carefully and save it for future reference. 

The golf cart will be delivered at around 11:00 AM on Thursday morning.  Therefore, if you wish to park your vehicle off-site Thursday afternoon/evening, you can call the listed number and request a ride back to your condo.  I will provide shuttle service until 11:00 PM Thursday evening and from 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM on Friday. 

The Board of Directors will re-open the streets and access drive to traffic as soon as the new pavement has cooled and the re-opening does not interfere with any remaining paving and clean-up.  The contractor assures us that all sections of newly-paved roadways will be able to be driven on by 7:00 PM Friday evening. However, the Board asks that you wait until 7:00 AM Saturday morning before parking any vehicles on the new asphalt . 

Please note that on Friday there will be no US Mail delivery to mail boxes in the affected paving areas.  Mail delivery will resume on Saturday at which time you will also receive your delayed mail.

In the unlikely event that a 911 response call must be made to a Manors condo on Friday, the contractor assures me that they will be able to route them around their paving trucks and equipment so they will not be delayed. 

Thank you for your cooperation as we complete this major project,

Mike Grobbel
President - Board of Directors, Manors at Central Park Condo Association

Paving Update - November 5th

Duane at Florence Cement has informed me that our new "tentative" date for the final paving is this coming Friday, Nov. 9th. 

He and I will confirm that date during a phone conversation on Wednesday afternoon.  Duane says that barring a breakdown at the asphalt plant, a machinery failure, or a change in the current weather forecast between now and the Wednesday afternoon call, he is confident that it will still be a "go" for Friday.  Assuming that our phone conversation confirms that it is still a "go" for Friday, the Board will then place a notice on every front door in the Manors announcing Friday as the firm paving date (and for those who are in my e-mail address book, I will also put out another e-mail blast and make a post here on the Manors Blog announcing Friday as the firm paving date) 

The only firm date for the final paving is the one that will be shown on the forthcoming notice that will be placed on every front door in the Manors.  That notice will also include parking and courtesy shuttle information.  Click here to read the contents of the forthcoming notice.

Paving Update - Nov. 1, 2012

Florence Cement is on-site today to complete the last of the repairs in preparation for the final paving.   Their scheduling people are reassessing their workload due to all of the recent wet weather that has caused delays to their work in progress.

Once this repair work is complete, I expect to receive a new tentative date for the final paving that will be later than this coming Monday. As soon as I have the new tentative date, I will post it here on the Manors Blog.

After enough days of good weather to wrap up their other asphalt projects that are ahead of us, they will be ready to finish our project and I will be given a firm date for the final paving (this firm date may or may not be the same as the new tentative date).  The Board will then immediately distribute a notice to each front door in the Manors that informs you of that date (and its "rain date") along with the parking details.  The notice will read like this:

2013 Budget

At their meeting on Oct. 26, 2012 the Board of Directors adopted the 2013 Budget, which sets the 2013 monthly condo association fees at $225 for Units 16 through 167 and $80 for Units 1 through 14 (there is no Unit 15). The new monthly fees will go into effect with the January 2013 payment. 

Rather than wait until we formally notify you by mail in November, the Board felt it was important to also give you a "heads-up" as soon as possible about the condo fee increase via the flyer that was placed on your door earlier today and to also provide additional information about the 2013 Budget via this blog post.
 

What follows is some historical background along with the rationale behind the Board's decision to raise the 2013 monthly condo association fees. It focuses on Units 16 through 167 since those represent the majority of our units and that is where most of our expenses are incurred. Similar information for Units 1 through 14 (site condos) would be based on their assigned percent of value and therefore would be proportionally and significantly lower.

Tentative date for final paving

Florence Cement Co. has informed the Board of Directors that they have identified Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 as their tentative date for the paving of the final layer of asphalt on our roadways. This tentative date could be moved earlier if they experience a non-weather related delay on a different paving project but it is more likely to be moved later because of rain delays caused this week by the effects of Hurricane Sandy.  Florence Cement has assured the Board that our final paving will be completed before the end of the 2012 asphalt paving season.

Approved Minutes of Sept. 28, 2012 Board Meeting

Minutes of the September 28, 2012
Meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Manors at Central Park Condominium Association

1.      Meeting was held at the offices of Kramer-Triad Management Group, L.L.C.,

      320 East Big Beaver Road, Ste 190, Troy, MI 48083.

2.      Meeting began at 10:05 AM EDT; Quorum was established with all three Board Members being present.  Board Members present: President Mike Grobbel, Treasurer Larry Cybulski, and Secretary Bhartan Amin.  Also present: Ryan Dorner (Kramer-Triad property management).

3.      Approved the agenda for this meeting.

4.      The Board formally approved the 18 June 2012, meeting minutes.

5.      Management Report presented by Ryan Dorner.

Tree-planting activity along our berm

As I'm sure you are aware, there are many gaps in the tree line atop the berm that runs along the north and west perimeter of our property.  The gaps are where dead trees have been removed in past years and not replaced because of budget constraints. The Board is also aware that more trees will be dying in the coming years.  That is because some of the original trees did not have the supporting tree ties and stakes removed a year or two after being planted and the ties have recently begun strangling the upper half of the trees to the point where they cannot be saved.  Also, some of the Blue Spruce trees here at the Manors have been infected with rhizosphaera needle cast and phomopsis canker.  Our budget can only support the cost of fungicide treatments to the Blue Spruce trees in our side yards, so the ones on the berm will have to remain "at-risk".

Therefore, at their Sept. 28, 2012 meeting, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase and installation of 100 young evergreen trees along the top of the berm, provided we could get volunteer labor to plant them. We were able to purchase (50) Norway Spruce and (50) White Spruce trees at a total cost of $280, including fertilizer tablet and root dip.  These are bare-root, 4 year old trees with a minimum height of 2 feet.

Packard Proving Grounds Open House

The Packard Proving Grounds is holding an Open House on Sunday, October 21, 2012. This is a rain or shine event and starts at 1:00 PM – wrapping up at 5:00 PM. Admission is FREE.

Packards and other collector cars will be on display. The Open House will include food service, activities for the kids, and a chance to tour the buildings. Also, the Johnny Trudell Band will be playing their big-band sounds.

Power outage

Wednesday night at about 10:05 PM, an electrical power failure affected all of the units on Watling as well as those on the west side of Lexington East and the east side of Regent.   All of the other units in the Manors had uninterrupted service.  When I called to report our outage, I was given an automated estimate that the power would be restored by sometime between 2 and 4 AM Thursday morning.

Three DTE trucks arrived at around 11:00 PM and a few minutes later I walked down to where they were parked on Lexington West near Lexington South and spoke to one of the workers. He said they were aware of the isolated outage within the Manors and mentioned that there were also a group of homes without power in the Meadows sub to our south.

Power to the affected units in the Manors was restored at 2:38 AM.

Here is a link to DTE's Outage Center, from which you can use your computer or smart phone to report an outage on-line and also view an interactive map of reported outages.  Electrical power outages and downed lines can also be reported by calling (800) 477-4747.

Crosswalk Striping

The pedestrian crosswalk striping work will take place during the coming week of Oct. 1 (weather permitting).  Please be prepared to make temporary detours while the striping paint dries. These marked crosswalks will be located at both entrances to Central Park and at various points along the Central Park ring road. This work is the final phase of the asphalt seal-coating project that began in July.

Residents are reminded that, by law:
a) vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an intersection or crosswalk
b) pedestrians may not walk in the roadway if there are sidewalks present. If there are no sidewalks, they must walk on the left side, facing traffic. 

Furthermore, the speed limit is 25 MPH on all roadways within the Central Park planned unit development - including the Manors. If you are driving faster than that, you may not be able to stop in time if you come to a crosswalk with a pedestrian already in it.  We have already had one child hit by a car this year while within a crosswalk and we do not need to have a repeat.

Even though these are all private roads within the Central Park planned unit development, the Board of Directors has the ability to ask the Shelby Township Police Department to enforce our speed limits and traffic control devices.  Given the almost blatant disregard some of our residents display for the 25 MPH speed limit and our STOP signs, expect to see a lot of flashing blue and red lights around here in the very near future - just don't let them be seen flashing in your rear view mirror!

Curb repair work planned for Oct 1st

Florence Cement is going to have a crew here on Monday, Oct. 1st  to finish the curb and gutter repairs (weather permitting). 

UPDATE: the cracked concrete curbing was removed and the new concrete was poured on Oct. 1st;  the concrete forms were removed the following day.

 

Saw cutting work on curbs and bad pavement

Florence Cement will have a worker on-site tomorrow beginning at around 9:30 AM.  They will be saw cutting the broken curbs and deteriorated pavement that needs to be removed and replaced prior to final paving.  Please do not park on the street in the vicinity of the marked curbs and pavement.

Phase 1 of the paving project is set to begin

Florence Cement is our paving contractor and they were on-site today to place paint markings at the locations of all work that must be performed prior to the paving of the final layer of asphalt.  This Phase 1 work includes the removal and replacement of cracked concrete curbs, the removal and resetting of selected catch basin covers and cutting out damaged areas of the base layer of asphalt and replacing it with new asphalt.

They will be on-site again this coming Saturday, Sept. 22nd (weather permitting) to video tape the Phase 1 work locations and the existing pavement.

The Phase 1 work is tentatively planned to begin during the week of Sept. 24th (weather permitting).    This work will only involve localized traffic restrictions for short periods of time.  However, to allow the workers sufficient access the areas to be repaired, please do not park your vehicle in the street near or across from any of the paint markings until after the work is completed.

Once all of the Phase 1 work is completed, Florence Cement will enter our final asphalt layer paving project (Phase 2) into their schedule, which is always subject to change due to the weather.  They will give us a "heads up" and we will share the Phase 2 scheduling information as it becomes available.  However the actual date for Phase 2 paving will be announced 24 to 48 hours in advance, at which time the Board will place a notice on every door informing you of the paving date and parking requirements for that day. All of our Phase 2 paving will take place during a single day.  In case of rain, the Phase 2 paving will be delayed by one day.

Phase 3 involves crack filling and seal coating the short stretches of pavement on Lexington South and the access drive on North Central Park (near where the sales models had been) that received its final layer back in 2005.  The Phase 3 work can be performed independently of the other two phases.

If the weather cooperates, we should have Phases 1, 2 and 3 completed by the second or third week of October.

Construction equipment south of Genisys Credit Union

You may have noticed the construction equipment that has recently been moved onto the vacant parcel on Van Dyke south of the Genisys Credit Union.  I have learned that this vacant parcel is being used as a staging site for the equipment and materials that will be used to construct the new sanitary sewer that will be installed along the west side of Van Dyke from 22 Mile Road south to a point about 1,000 feet past 21 Mile Road (approximately here).  The sewer project is expected to take six months to complete.  More information about the sewer project can be found in this article from the July 28, 2012 edition of the Source & Advisor.

How to guarantee Board of Director turnover

How to guarantee Board of Director turnover:

• wait until you see that a board member is outside their condo or out on the common elements to communicate your concern or complaint - after all, it is so much more convenient than picking up the telephone or sending an e-mail
• better yet, stop them while they are in the middle of performing a voluntary task for the association that is above and beyond the role of a board member - if they've got that much time on their hands, surely they won't mind the interruption
• even better is to wait until another co-owner has already stopped them and add your complaint to the conversation - and if it's already two on one, why not make it three on one?
• another way is to track a board member down while they are on their knees working to repair a broken sprinkler head and threaten a lawsuit in response to having received a violation notice in the mail - just because the board took the time and effort to communicate in writing doesn't mean that you have to do the same

The Manors at Central Park will need to find one or more co-owners who are willing to run for election to the Manors spot on the board of directors of the Central Park Master Association.  I will not accept nomination to that post when my current term expires in April 2013.  However, I do intend to run again for the Manors board when my current term expires in January 2013.

Lawn watering schedule changes

Depending on the settings, our lawn irrigation system uses between $300 and $400 worth of municipal water every night it runs. This has been an unusually hot and dry summer - through September 1st, Detroit has had 30 days with high temperatures at or above 90 degrees (compared to the annual average of 11 days) while Detroit's year-to-date precipitation is 3.58 inches below normal.  Here at the Manors, our monthly rainfall totals have been 3.45 inches in May, 1.05 inches in June, 6.30 inches in July and 4.70 inches in August for a four-month total of 15.50 inches.

However, as you can see from the chart (click it to enlarge), more than half of that rainfall (8.05 inches) came from just three separate storms.  With our sand, a two or three inch rainfall drains away very quickly and is of no greater benefit to the lawn than a half-inch of rain.

Because of the heavy watering schedule necessitated by this summer's weather (usually at the $400 per night setting), I've been reading our water meters regularly and it is clear that we are rapidly approaching the point where we will have used all of the $37,500 we have in our 2012 budget for watering the lawns. As of yesterday, we had only enough money left to water the landscaping for 12 more nights.  Therefore as of last night, I reprogrammed the automatic timers to run every other night beginning tonight.

I have been manually reprogramming the automatic sprinklers throughout the summer to stretch our budget dollars.  By my records, my reprogramming efforts have saved more than $4,000 worth of water so far this summer.  When there have been forecasts for a high chance of rain, I have turned the system off the night before to keep them from running unnecessarily.  Also, after the occasional good soakings, I have also stretched our dollars by reprogramming them to run every other night for a few days.  The last time I tried this I discovered that after dusk on the evening of Aug. 22nd, someone decided to manually operate a zone valve to provide "extra" water to the lawns in front of their units.  This is unacceptable behavior and it has caused me to decide that in 2013 I will no longer "bust my hump" by reprogramming the irrigation system every time there is an opportunity to save this association some budget money by not watering.

Please do not tamper with the sprinkler system to use extra water or I will be forced to shut the entire system down at the water meters and lock the covers.  I will not allow this association to overspend its budget for municipal water.

Water Line Protection Program mailing

You may have recently received this mail offer from American Water Resources of Michigan.  They sell insurance for $5 per month that will cover up to $5,000 in water line repairs.

The Manors Board of Directors strongly urges you to ignore this offer.  Your Condo Association owns the water line between the Shelby Twp. water main and your unit, not you.   Therefore, if this water line needs to be repaired, the cost will be paid for by the Association using funds from the general budget.

UPDATE, Aug. 16, 2012

Earlier today I received the following e-mail from American Water Resounces:

From: Chelsea Mcfadden
Subject: AWR Mailing to Manor's Homeowners
To: Mike Grobbel
Date: Thursday, August 16, 2012, 9:34 AM

Good morning, Mike,

I came across your Condo Association blog this morning regarding our recent mailing. Is it possible for you to give me an idea of the addresses included in your association so that we do not mail your homeowners in the future and avoid any confusion for service line ownership?

Thanks in advance,

Chelsea McFadden
Assistant Marketing Manager
American Water Resources, Inc.
330 Fellowship Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

I replied with a list of the street names and addresses within the Manors at Central Park and within minutes I received the following reply:

Thanks, Mike.

This is very helpful! Sorry for any confusion our mailing may have caused this month. We will be sure to remove these addresses moving forward.

Chelsea McFadden

95 gal. green recycling carts

I believe that yesterday everyone in the Manors received a new, 95 gal. green recycling cart.  Note that this cart is not to be used for trash, only recyclables (a list of accepted items for recycling can be found here).

I spoke with a customer service rep at Rizzo this morning and here is what Manors residents need to know.

• Even though we are a multi-family sub and the Association pays the bill quarterly for all the addresses, all residents at our individual addresses qualify to receive a 95 gal. green recycling cart.  If you did not receive a cart and want one, call Rizzo Customer Care at 1-866-772-8900.
• if a resident at one of our addresses doesn't want to make room in their garage and use the 95 gal. recycling cart, they may call Rizzo Customer Care at 1-866-772-8900 and ask to have it picked up.  Rizzo will still allow them to use the 18 gal. blue bins for their recyclables.
• even though individual residents do not have a billing account with Rizzo, their street address is on-line at www.rizzorewards.com and they may register at that web site to become eligible for recycling incentives.  Once they have activated their rewards account, a RFID chip embedded in their cart will cause their account to be updated with the date each time the Rizzo truck empties their cart.  This incentive program rewards consistent and frequent recycling efforts with ongoing access to local offers of value.
• The Board asks that all trash and recycling containers be stored inside your garage except on collection day (exceptions made during the next week or two if you are returning the cart and leaving it outside your garage for Rizzo to retrieve)  

From more information, click here to visit the Shelby Twp. Waste Service web site.

Notice of road closures

Last Updated on Aug. 3rd:

The seal coating portion of this project is now complete.  The only remaining work to be performed is the striping of the pedestrian crosswalks, which will not require any street closures or parking inconveniences.   Thank you for your cooperation.

 The Central Park Master Association is having a seal coat applied to the asphalt road surfaces of North, East, South and West Central Park Avenues during the week of July 16, 2012.  Sections of these roads and intersections will be closed while the work is performed. This work does not include the Manors private access drives that are parallel with North Central Park. On certain days the Van Dyke entrance to Central Park will be closed and on other days, the 22 Mile Rd. entrance will be closed. It will take six Work Days to complete this project.

Here is the full project plan along with an updated map, scheduled Work Days and locations of the road closures. A hard copy of the original plan was delivered to each home prior to Monday, July 16th.

If rain is forecast, the contractor will cancel that Work Day and move it to the next scheduled date, with the remaining schedule delayed accordingly. Below is the latest  Work Day schedule, which was revised to add Work Day 6 (to do the northerly portion of what had been planned for Work Day 2).  Check back here regularly to see the latest schedule.

• Work Day 1 was completed on Monday, July 16, 2012.
• Work Day 2 was completed on Friday, July 20th
• Work Day 3 was completed on Wednesday, July 25th
• Work Day 4 was completed on  Monday, July 30th - everyone must enter and leave via Van Dyke
• No seal coat work planned for Tuesday to avoid interference with the trash collection. 
• Work Day 5  was completed on  Wednesday, August 1st - everyone must enter and leave via 22 Mile Rd.
• Work Day 6  was completed on  Thursday, August 2nd.

This seal coating project is separate from the Manors asphalt paving project, which is being funded by the Special Assessment that was approved in April.  The Manors paving project will not begin until the Board knows that we will be able to pay the project invoice, which is due 30 days after the paving is complete. Since about half of the Special Assessment money will have been received as of Aug. 1st,  the paving will probably begin around Sept. 1st and the Board will pay the invoice by borrowing the remainder from our replacement reserve account.  The Board will repay the "loan" as the October and November Special Assessment payments are received.

A dry June

According to the National Weather Service, 1.31 inches of rain fell at Metro Airport during the month of June 2012, compared to the normal average of 3.52 inches.

Here at the Manors, my rain gauge collected only 1.05 inches of rain during June, which is 2.5 inches below normal for the month. [UPDATE: we received 3.8 inches of rain on Tuesday, July 3rd]

Daily rainfall here at the Manors - May & June 2012

Since the sprinkler system was made operational six weeks ago on May 18th, we have only received a total of 1.25 inches of rain. Basically, it is our sprinkler system that is keeping our lawns green and preventing them from going totally dormant.

I read each of our water meters yesterday and again today.  Using the Township's billing rate of $3.431 per hundred cubic feet of water,  it cost us $397 to water all of the lawns last night.

According to the experts, proper turf management involves watering the lawn with 1" of water per week. This water can come from either rainfall or the sprinkler system.  However a lawn could need more, depending on factors such as soil type, sun exposure, large tree root systems, etc.  For example, a lawn in sandy soil such as ours may need as much as 2" of water per week, whereas a lawn area that is in shade for most of the day may only need one-half inch of water per week.

Since the beginning of June, I have been running the sprinkler system zones at 120% of their normal programmed times ($331 per night) and on June 28th I increased it to 140% ($397 per night).  That means that a typical front yard zone that is normally set to run for 20 minutes will run for 24 minutes at 120% and for 28 minutes at 140%.  At 100%, the lawn in that front yard zone would receive about 0.2 inch of water each night, or about 1.4 inches per week, while at 140%, it is receiving about 2.0 inches per week.

Because of the design of the irrigation system, a rear yard zone that runs for 20 minutes will only deliver about about 0.13 inches of water and in some areas it is even less.  Where we have rear yard sprinkler head on the same zone with heads in the front or side yard, I have to set the timer to avoid over-watering the front or side yard, even if it means dry spots will develop in the rear yard.   Where a zone consists of all rear yard sprinkler heads, I set it to run for 30 or 40 minutes at 100%, depending on whether it includes half-circle or full-circle rotary heads. Actually, they should be set to run for about 40 and 65 minutes at 100% to receive the same amount of water as a front yard zone, however with only $37,500  available to spend in our budget for water this year, I have to manage our water usage judiciously.

This year's budget line item for water was set based upon the average amount we have spent on water over the past four years, plus 9% to accommodate the rate increase that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2012.  From May 18th through June 30th, I calculate that we have used $14,573 worth of water and we still have two-thirds of the season to go.  If the hot and dry weather continues for the rest of the summer and we continue at this rate of water usage, we will exhaust our budget line item amount for water sometime just before Sept. 1st.

Ignore the invoice you received from Rizzo Services

We have confirmed that Rizzo Systems mistakenly sent invoices to all co-owners of units at the Manors. Rizzo was given a list of names and addresses by the Township DPW which did not differentiate between individual residences and Condo Associations.  The manager for Rizzo Systems has indicated to Ryan Dorner of Kramer-Triad, that our Association will be able to continue paying the quarterly refuse collection bills for all Manors co-owners, just as we have done in the past with Allied Waste/Republic.  He also confirmed that Manors co-owners should not pay the invoice they received in the mail from Rizzo. Therefore, the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association will make the payment to Rizzo Services on behalf of all co-owners beginning with the bill due July 1, 2012. If you have already paid the invoice, contact Rizzo at 866-772-8900 and ask to have your individual account canceled because your Association is paying the bill.

Invoices from Rizzo Services

(to enlarge image, right-click and
open in a new window)

This newsletter that we all received from Rizzo Services states that, "The billing process has not changed......"  yet for the first time, residents of the Manors at Central Park are now being individually invoiced for solid waste collection.

Previously, the Association received a single invoice from Allied Waste/Republic and paid the quarterly bill for all 118 units.

Kramer-Triad has contacted Rizzo Services to  understand why the billing process was changed for co-owners of the Manors and will try to get it reversed.  According to Ryan Dorner, our community manager at K-T,  the response from the folks at Rizzo's office in Sterling Heights has been, "they have their own query in and will let us know “When they find out”.

As soon as we have an answer, I will post the information here.  The Board will also distribute a flyer to the front door of each unit to confirm whether or not we were successful in getting Rizzo's billing process reversed so that the Association continues paying the solid waste collection fees for all units.

In the meantime, I would check back here and hold off for a few days before sending any payment to Rizzo Services.

Golf and Support the CTF at the same time

What is the CTF?

The Children's Tumor Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non‐profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by Neurofibromatosis (NF).  The CTF supports research that develops treatments for NF and they also support people with NF and their families by providing thorough, accurate, current and readily accessible information about the disorder.

How can you support the CTF?

Manors co-owner Linda Bouford is organizing the "Douglas R. Bouford Memorial Golf Outing" as a fundraiser for the CTF and she is looking for golfers, sponsors and prize donors willing to help make it a success.

Her 3 year old grandson Nicolas Cohoon has NF and this is a cause that is dear to her.  The golf outing will be at Sycamore Hills on Friday afternoon, Aug. 24, 2012 and is named in memory of her recently departed son.

Contact and outing information plus a registration form can all be found here.  You can also register on-line by clicking here.

Changes to our trash pick-up

Right-click on the image and
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to enlarge and read the letter.

A few days ago, every residential address in Shelby Twp. received this letter from the Township Supervisor regarding the fact that on July 1st, Rizzo Services will assume the responsibility of picking up all of the solid waste under the terms of Shelby Township's single waste hauler ordinance.

Per the terms of the single waste hauler ordinance, the selected provider is obligated to pick up solid waste from all single family residences and from those condominiums that consist of detached and duplex units.  However the ordinance does not require them to pick up yard waste from the detached and duplex condominiums since it is expected that the condominium association's landscape contractor handles all landscaping work and the disposal of the yard waste they generate.  That is why the solid waste hauler will not pick up bags of yard waste that Manors residents set out to the curb. 

Multi-unit residential complexes such as apartments and cluster type condominiums (such as Kensington) are not covered under this ordinance and therefore they must contract for their own solid waste hauling, as do all of the commercial and industrial businesses in the Township.

Because a unit in our condo association is not considered a "single family home", we will not be receiving the 95-gallon recycle cart mentioned in the Township's letter that went to all residences.  I am assuming that unless the Association is informed otherwise by Rizzo Services, there will be no changes to the types of containers we can use here at the Manors. Previously, each co-owner had the option to purchase (at their own expense) and use a blue 95-gallon trash cart, plus they were given a small blue bin to use for recycling items.  Our trash will also be picked up if it is placed at the curb in secured plastic trash bags or inside any other kind of covered trash container. 

I have been contacted by several Manors residents asking how they may apply for the senior discount and/or recycling incentives mentioned in the Township's letter.  The answer is that you cannot. You have not been an individual customer of the waste hauler and that does not change as of July 1st.  The Manors Condo Association holds a single account with the Township's single waste hauler and we pay the monthly fee for all 118 sold units directly to the waste hauler on your behalf using funds derived from your monthly Association dues ($60 per month for Units 1-14, $175 per month for all others).  The $1.93 per unit reduction in the monthly rate that begins when Rizzo takes over the contract means that your Association will have $1,366.44 less total expenditures for waste pick-up over the last half of 2012.

For additional information, visit http://www.shelbytwp.org/recycle - but keep in mind that a unit at the Manors is not a "single family home" under the Township's waste hauling ordinance and contract.

Remember - you are expected to do your part to keep the Manors looking clean and neat by making sure that your solid waste is placed securely at the curb!  That means that your trash must be placed at the curb inside either a COVERED container or within plastic bags that are tied shut.  The recycling items in your blue bin must also be covered so that they cannot be blown about by the wind  [click here for other important disposal information].  Your solid waste should be at the curb no later than 7 AM of pick-up day and no earlier than 6 PM the night before. Failure to follow these common-sense methods for placing your solid waste at the curb for pick-up can result in a violation and fine from the Board of Directors of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association.

Ask for contractor references

Recently, there have been several different contractors soliciting work within the Manors for things like replacement windows, interior painting, home security systems, deck maintenance, etc.  A favorite line is that "I'm in the vicinity doing a job for (insert name) and ......." or "I'm doing a job over on the next street and ...."

When they come to my door and give me that kind of line, I let them know that "I'm on the Board and I don't recognize that name" or I ask them the name of the street and their response is always, "I can't remember, but it's two streets over."  In most cases, that is the end of their solicitation and they just turn around and leave.

I also hear about other solicitations from co-owners who call me to tip me off about a suspicious salesperson or ask if the salesman's claim that they are recommended by the Board is true, etc.  I also often hear from both satisfied and unsatisfied co-owners about the performance of specific contractors who did work for them.

Please be very careful before you agree to have work done by any contractor.  Always ask for references and check them out. 

You can ask me or another Board member if the contractor has been doing work in here or if we know the name of a contractor that has performed satisfactory work for a Manors co-owner.   We can also put you in contact with a Manors co-owner if the contractor provides an address as a reference.

If you are satisfied with someone who has done a good job for you, let me know and I can add them to a section of this blog.

Lawn appearance

Note the nice, green swath of lawn behind the tree which received enough shade from the tree on May 17 & 18 to avoid getting dried out like the lawn in front of and farther behind the tree (taken at 3 PM, looking north).

The stressed appearance of the lawns is due to the very low humidity (<30%) we had last Thursday and Friday (May 17 & 18) along with those cloudless skies and temps in the upper 80s.  The blazing sun and hot, dry wind turned the shadeless grass into straw.

While we had received about 0.95 inch of rain between May 7th and 12th, only 0.1 inch of rain fell between May 13th and the 18th.  So the lawn was already dried-out when it got hammered on the 17th and 18th.

The stressed-out areas of lawn will slowly recover now that we are watering it nightly, which began last Friday night (May 18th) after the water meters were installed earlier that day.

BoD Meeting Minutes - March 30, 2012

Approved Minutes of the 30 March 2012

Meeting of the Board of Directors of the

Manors at Central Park Condominium Association

1.      Meeting was held at the offices of Kramer-Triad Management Group, L.L.C.,

      320 East Big Beaver Road, Ste 190, Troy, MI 48083.

2.      Meeting began at 10:08 AM EDT; Quorum was established with three Board Members being present.  Board Members present: President Mike Grobbel, Treasurer Larry Cybulski, and Secretary Bhartan Amin.  Also present: Ryan Dorner (Kramer-Triad property management).

3.      Approved the agenda for this meeting.

4.      The Board formally approved the 22 February 2012, meeting minutes.

5.      Management Report presented by Ryan Dorner.

a.       The Board approved to get the Association’s FHA approval, not to exceed $1,000.  Authorize Wegner and Associates to file for the recertification.

b.      According to the Detroit Free Press, Shelby Township’s water rates can increase by 5% for the 2012-13 fiscal year that begins in July.

c.       There is an issue with the 550 style vents and interior leaks in the unit.  The Board asked Ryan to obtain bids to replace these vents with snow-proof vents.

d.      Ryan to obtain updated lawn repair estimate from Grant Meldrum (GM Prolawn).

e.       Due to damage caused by vehicles at the corners of private access drives, the Board approved to install 3 boulders per corner, for the total of 18 at the cost of $450.  Will not use the crushed limestone.

f.        The Board reviewed an Alteration / Modification Request for a satellite dish installation in the non-approved location.  The request was denied.

g.       The Board reviewed the updated Renters’ report.

h.       The Board reviewed the Violation report.

i.         The Board reviewed the Open and Closed Work Order reports for the month of February 2012.

6.      Discussion

a.       A special election for the final layer of asphalt paving will take place on 14 April 2012.  There are no updates from the Shelby Township.

                      i.      Update:  The election was held on 14^th of April and the measure for the special assessment passed.  Approved by 74.97% of the members in value, with 119 ballots cast in favor and 4 ballots opposed.

b.      The GM Prolawn will repair garage doors in the second week of April.  The notices will be sent out by the 6^th of April.

c.       Need to amend Bylaws to permit recovery of attorney fees.

d.      Radon detector loan policy and use agreement was reviewed and approved.

e.       Window issues at units on Lexington Ave East and Watling.  The co-owners are unable to locate any window repair facility for just one window.  Ryan to get bids from a window repair facility.

                      i.      Update: Ryan obtained a bid from Independent Window Repair, Inc.  The Board has forwarded the bid to co-owners.

7.      The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for Friday, 8 June 2012, at 10:00 AM EDT, at the Kramer-Triad office on Big Beaver Road, Troy.

a.       Update: Meeting is rescheduled for Monday, 18 June 2012, 7:00 PM EDT at the residence of the President Mike Grobbel.

8.      Meeting was adjourned at 12:22 PM EDT.

Visteon demolition update thru May 10. 2012

UPDATED:
Click here for photos showing the demolition progress through July 12, 2012, along with the air monitoring report.

Columbia Technologies appears to have finished their underground soil mapping project for the Ford Motor Company that took place on the vacant parcel to the north of the Manors and Kensington condos.

Your Special Assessment coupon book is in the mail

You should have received your Special Assessment coupon book in today's mail.  This is the Special Assessment that was approved at the election held on April 14, 2012 to pay for the paving of the final layer of asphalt paving on our roadways.

Your first payment is due on June 1, 2012 and a late fee is added if it is not received by the 10th.  You may make your payments in up to six separate installments, with the final payment being due on Nov. 1, 2012.   If you would prefer, you may also make your payments earlier by paying some or all of the installments in advance.  To do so, just include a single coupon with your check and indicate upon the coupon the check number and the total amount it is made out for.

The Board of Directors anticipates that the paving will be finished sometime between August 15th and November 15th of this year.  We will post more paving information on this blog as it becomes available.

Demolition started on former Visteon Plant

East side of Building #16, May 3, 2012.

Demolition of the former Ford/Visteon/ACH automotive trim plant located just to the west of the Manors began on Saturday, April 28, 2012.  Building #16 is the first structure on the property to fall to the demolition crew.  Their work hours are from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.  Building demolition should be completed by around September 1st after which work will continue on the removal of underground utilities, concrete slabs and building foundations.  The last phase of the project will involve remediation of contaminated soil, final grading and grass seeding.

I have attended several meetings at the Shelby Twp. Municipal building that have been held about this project to make sure that potential issues with noise, air and water contamination have been adequately addressed. Everything I have learned has been documented on this web page which also includes some recent photographs.  Over the coming weeks, I will be adding weekly air quality testing results and photos to track the demolition progress, so you might want to bookmark that page for future reference.

You may have noticed recent contractor activity on the vacant parcel to the north of the Manors and Kensington.  That crew was drilling additional water monitoring test wells that will be used to check the underground water quality and verify that it has not been polluted by the contaminated soil on the Visteon parcel.

Protect yourself!

Sgt. Cazabon of the Shelby Township Police Department was unable to attend the annual meeting of the Central Park Master Community Association on April 18th.

Click here to learn what he had planned to present that evening.

"Thanks" to our Clean-up Day volunteers

I'd like to publicly thank our Manors volunteers who helped pick up trash off of the Central Park Community Areas on Saturday, April 28, 2012:

• Darlene Sobieski
• Bhartin Amin
• Donna Lombus
• Steve Kozlowski
• Bruce Bouford
• Larry Cybulski
• Kathy Grobbel
• Rita Bonanni

More Clean-up Day information and photos can be found here on the Central Park Master Community Association blog.

Final Paving Special Assessment Election Results

The Special Assessment to complete the final paving was approved by 74.97% of the members in value, with 119 ballots cast in favor and 4 ballots opposed.  For the Special Assessment to be approved it had to receive approval from more than two-thirds (66.67%) of the members in value.

Below is the spreadsheet showing the number of YES and NO ballots cast and how the "percent value of YES ballots" was calculated (click on image to enlarge it).  A payment coupon booklet will be mailed to you describing the amount and due dates of each payment.  The first payment will probably be due June 1st, since it is unlikely that we can process the printing and mailing of the payment books in time for a May 1st due date.  More information will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

Approved Minutes of Feb. 22, 2012 Board Meeting

Minutes of the 22 February 2012
Meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Manors at Central Park Condominium Association

1.      Meeting was held at the residence of Mike Grobbel, 49997 Lexington Ave. East, Shelby Township, MI 48317.

2.      Meeting began at 7:00 PM EST; Quorum was established with three Board Members being present.  Board Members present: President Mike Grobbel, Treasurer Larry Cybulski, and Secretary Bhartan Amin.  Also present: Ryan Dorner (Kramer-Triad property management)

3.      Approved the agenda for this meeting.

4.      The Board formally approved the 25 January 2012, meeting minutes.

5.      Management Report presented by Ryan Dorner.

a.       The Board reviewed and approved 2 year management agreement beginning January 2012 through 31 December 2013.  The agreement reflects no increase in the per unit management fee.

b.      Ryan provided a copy of the signed and dated release agreement document by the Titanium Real Estate Advisors on behalf of the Carpenters Pension Trust Fund.  They have indicated that the $10,000 check will be mailed to the Association on 17 February 2012.

                                                   i.      Follow-up:  The check was received by Kramer-Triad on 29 February 2012.

c.       The Board received a copy of the approval notice sent to a co-owner to install an AT&T iNID cable box.

d.      The Board reviewed the Violation report.

e.       The Board reviewed the updated Renters’ report.

f.        The Board reviewed the Open and Closed Work Order reports for the month of January 2012.

6.      Discussion

a.       The snow removal company will begin repair of 23 garage doors before the end of March 2012.

b.      The AT&T’s iNID cable box for U-Verse is 12” x 12” x 4”.  Co-owners need a Board approval prior to installation.

c.       The Board approved to get the brick work done on 23 units at the cost of $11,745.  This amount was budgeted in 2012 budget.  The Board will review three additional units and additional associated cost.

                                                   i.      Follow-up:  On 1 March 2012, the President Grobbel and the Treasurer Cybulski physically looked at three units and agreed to get the work done this year for the additional cost of $1,305.  The total cost of the project is 26 units at the cost of $13,050.

7.      There are no additional service contracts for discussion or approval.

8.      The Master Homeowners Association meeting will take place on Wednesday, 18 April 2012, in the Board Room of the Shelby Township Municipal building.  Sign-in begins at 6:00 PM, with the meeting beginning at 7:00 PM.

9.      Old Business

a.       President Grobbel and Treasurer Cybulski made a presentation to the Township Board of Trustees on 7 February 2012, regarding the issue of final asphalt paving.  The Board of Trustees replied that they will respond within 30 days.

b.      A lengthy discussion took place on our roads and special assessment.  If the co-owners do not approve the special assessment, we are looking at a much higher repair cost in the future.  A special meeting of the membership is planned for 14 April 2012 to hold a Special Assessment election that if approved, would fund the cost of final paving on our roadways and allow co-owners to make their payment in six equal, monthly installments.

10.  Open discussion

a.       There was open discussion among the Board members regarding Radon gas mitigation.  Macomb County Health Services is offering a one time use kit for free.  Need to follow specific instructions and mail in for results.  President Grobbel has found a unit that continuously monitors for the Radon gas.  The unit costs approximately $130.  The Board is considering to purchase one unit for the co-owners to share on a rotating basis.

b.      There was open discussion on Consumer Energy’s AC program.  From individuals’ prior experiences, it was not worth participating in the program.

11.  The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for Friday, 30 March 2012, at 10:00 AM EDT, at the Kramer-Triad office on Big Beaver Road, Troy.

12.  Meeting was adjourned at 10:14 PM EST.

Central Park Master Association Annual Meeting

The Central Park Master Association is holding the Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday night, April 18, 2012 at the Shelby Twp. Municipal Building, beginning at 7:00 PM.

The purpose of this meeting will be to elect a representative from each of the Gardens and Meadows sub-associations to a new, two-year term on the Board of Directors.  The meeting notice letter you received incorrectly stated in the second paragraph that you could nominate a fellow co-owner for either the Manors or Kensington sub-associations. It should have read that members of the Gardens and Meadows sub-associations may nominate a fellow co-owner to run for a two-year term on the Board.  The enclosed nominating ballot correctly identifies the sub-associations which have the right to nominate their co-owners for this election.

At the annual meeting, members of all four sub-associations (Gardens, Meadows, Manors and Kensington) will be able to cast their vote to elect a representative from each of the Gardens and Meadows.  If you will be unable to attend the meeting, please fill out the General Proxy form you received with the mailing and either mail it in per the instructions or give it to a neighbor or Board member.  This will enable us to achieve a meeting quorum and also allow your designated proxy to vote on your behalf.

Please note that Sgt. Ken Cazabon of the Shelby Twp. Police Department will give a presentation on property crime prevention at the very beginning of the annual meeting.  He says that he will also present some crime statistics comparing the Central Park community with other areas of the Township.

Special Assessment Election Scheduled for April 14th

At their Feb. 22, 2012 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association voted to conduct a second attempt to gain approval for a Special Assessment to finish the asphalt paving on our roadways.

Co-owners should have by now received an envelope in the mail that includes the Special Assessment meeting notice and a blank General Proxy form.

As explained in this meeting notice letter, the Board has made some changes in response to some of the constructive criticism offered following the failure of the Special Assessment election at our annual meeting in January.  One of those changes is to make it easier for all to participate in the election.

(54) of the (117) co-owners of completed units did not participate in the last Special Assessment election because they failed to attend and did not submit a completed General Proxy.

The Board expects that most, if not all, of the  (117) co-owners should be able to participate in this Special Assessment meeting and election, since it will be held on-site and on a Saturday morning.

Please discuss this meeting with all of your neighbors and encourage them to either attend in person or give your their General Proxy so that you can cast their vote for them.  The Board feels that it is vitally important that we get a true reading of the total membership's opinion on this matter.

For those who claimed back in January that our roadways looked fine to them, I offer this photographic evidence to the contrary.

Brick repair work on 23 Units

Typical cracking in
mortar and bricks
(click to enlarge)

At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Manors at Central Park Condominium Association, I mentioned that funds had been included in the 2012 Annual Budget to make repairs on cracked and failing brickwork above the garage door openings on 23 of our Units. A previous attempt in 2010 to fix this problem on Unit 80 by simply tuck-pointing failed to stop further cracking. 

In April 2011, the Board brought in a different contractor, Joe's Quality Home Improvements, to inspect the failing brickwork and offer their recommendations. They identified the root cause of these failures to be improperly-located flashing, which has caused weakening of the mortar bond between the adjacent courses of bricks, thus allowing stress cracks to be induced in both the mortar and the bricks themselves. The Board then asked the contractor to provide a cost estimate to repair the brickwork on those Units that they judged to be in the worst shape.

Rather than immediately perform the repairs on all 24 Units that were identified, the Board authorized them to repair one of the worst, which happened to be Unit 72.  They made the recommended repairs later that month and 10 months later there has been no further cracking observed on that Unit. Therefore, at the Feb. 22, 2012 meeting of the Association's Board of Directors, the Board authorized Joe's Quality Home Improvements to make repairs to the remaining 23 Units using their recommended methods.

UPDATE: On March 1, 2012, the Board authorized the addition of three more units to this project, which are indicated below with an asterisk (*).

Co-owners  of each affected Unit will receive a letter from our contractor with the next day or two, indicating whether the repairs on their Unit's brick work will take place during the week of March 5th or March 12th.  Until the repairs are completed on your Unit, please have your vehicles parked on the street by 7:00 AM each morning of your assigned week.

The Board realizes that this repair work will pose a temporary inconvenience and we appreciate your cooperation while our contractor makes these necessary repairs.

Below is a list of the Units that are scheduled to be repaired over the next two weeks. They were judged by the contractor to be those in the most immediate need of repair and they tend to be those with the arched sill. Please note that when the contractor is finished with this list, we will have repaired slightly more than half of all our garages with brick walls over the garage door.

Hopefully, next year we will be able to budget enough money to make the brick repairs on the remaining units.

Lexington Ave East
50098 - Unit 71
50078 - Unit 73
50030 - Unit 76
49966 - Unit 80 *
49950 - Unit 81
49981 - Unit 84
50109 - Unit 92
50125 - Unit 93
50141 - Unit 94

Lexington Ave North
6731 - Unit 61
6749 - Unit 62
6807 - Unit 65
6829 - Unit 66

North Central Park
6755 - Unit 32
6883 - Unit 24
6947 - Unit 20
6979 - Unit 18

Regent
49979 - Unit 139 *
50043 - Unit 143
50059 - Unit 144
50107 - Unit 147

Lexington Ave South
6980 - Unit 167
6892 - Unit 163
6876 - Unit 162
6828 - Unit 159

Watling
49960 - Unit 107 *