Trash & recycling containers

The recent changes to the rules and regulations regarding trash and recycling containers are now in effect and will be enforced beginning on Nov. 1, 2014.

All trash placed at the curb must be inside a rigid container that is between 32 and 96 gallons in size.  The container must have a lid and the lid must be in place when the trash container is placed at the curb for pick up.  Plastic bags of trash placed at the curb cannot be handled by the trash truck's lift arm.

Recycling symbol

All recycling items must be in a container that is clearly marked with the recycling symbol.  You may use the 96 gallon recycling cart provided by Rizzo back in 2012 or you may continue to use the 18 gallon tote bins previously provided.  However the new regulation requires that when using a tote bin, all recycling items must be enclosed within a clear plastic bag that is securely tied and placed within the bin. 

The Board of Directors is requiring that the tote bin items be securely enclosed in a plastic bag so that they are not blown away by the wind or spilled onto the pavement when the lift arm dumps the tote bin contents into the truck. Rizzo requires the use of a clear bag so the operator can visually confirm that it contains only recycling items.

How to obtain a Certificate of Insurance

How to obtain a Certificate of Insurance

UPDATED: As of April 2015, the condo association has a new insurance agency and coverage is now provided by the Maris-Brown Agency.  Therefore there are new procedures for requesting a certificate of insurance that you or your lending institution may use.
 

• E-mail:  send your request to certs@mbrinsurance.com and include your Unit number and street address, the banks name, fax and bank account numbers
• Telephone:  call them at 1-855-266-3646.

Monthly Rainfall totals

It may seem that this is the wettest summer we have had in a long time, but according to my rain gauge, we have yet to surpass last summer's total rainfall.

The chart below shows the May through September monthly totals I have recorded since 2009.  Through September 10, 2014, we have received 1.45 less inches of rain than fell during May through Sept. 2013.

UPDATE: With the one-quarter inch of rain we received early on the morning of Sept. 30th, we finally surpassed the 2013 summer rainfall total.  Here is the updated chart including all of the rain that fell after the 10th:

Soil sampling - continued

Crews from a  McDowell and Associates subcontractor are on-site today and tomorrow to take soil samples at various empty lots throughout the condominium.

Revisions to the Rules and Regulations

At their Aug. 15, 2014 meeting, the Board of Directors adopted revisions to the Association's rules and regulations, which were originally created and adopted in 2008.  A complete copy of these Rules and Regulations will be mailed to each co-owner within the next few weeks.  Enforcement of additions and revisions will begin on Nov. 1, 2014.

The major changes to the rules and regulations are in the following sections:

• Article 1 "Parking Regulations", where Paragraph 5 has been added to address “Snow Emergencies” and where Paragraph 7 has been revised to add the enforcement provision allowing for the towing of “unauthorized vehicles” without the owner’s consent. 
• Article II, Paragraph 2 has been revised to include new regulations requiring the use of covered trash and recycling containers.
• Article III: Paragraph 1 has been modified to address antennas that extend beyond the outer perimeter of the deck to which they are mounted;  Paragraph 4 has been added to address antennas that have been installed on the roof by co-owners. Roof-mounted antennas are expressly prohibited on Units 16 through 167.

Rizzo 96 gal. trash cart

If you need to purchase a trash and/or recycling container, Rizzo Services will sell and deliver to your door a "Shelby Twp." 96 gal. wheeled Trash cart with an attached, hinged lid. The cart dimensions are 28" w x 33" d x 45" h. (this is the same size as the green "Shelby Twp." Recycling carts here in the Manors). It can be purchased for $75 over the phone by calling Rizzo at (866) 772-8900; Visa, MasterCard and American Express accepted.

"HuskyLite" 96 gal. trash cart

Sam's Club currently sells a "HuskyLite" 96 gallon trash cart for $69.62, plus tax, for a total cost of $73.80.  It's dimensions are practically identical to the Rizzo cart (both are made by the Rehrig Pacific Co.), but if you factor in the membership and delivery costs, the Rizzo trash cart is still a better deal.

Rizzo Services requires that all trash containers have a minimum 32 gallon capacity. If you prefer to purchase a trash container smaller than 96 gallons, keep in mind that it will be picked up and squeezed by the truck's mechanical arm while it is being emptied.   Therefore, a sturdier container will last longer.  Here is a sampling of what is available from Home Depot and other retailers (these cannot be used for recycling waste pickup):

• "Roughneck" 45 gal. Black Wheeled Trash Cart with hinged lid, 22.0" w x 26.4" d x 36.6" h - $24.97
• "Roughneck" 32 gal. Black Wheeled Trash Can with detached lid, 22.3" w x 25.5" d x 32.5" h - $19.97
• "Toter" 32 gal. Green Wheeled Trash Cart with hinged lid, 19.8" w x 24.3" d x 37.5" h - $59.98 (this is a smaller and more compact version of the Rizzo trash cart; it's also more sturdier than the "Roughneck" trash carts, which will deform when gripped by the Rizzo trash truck's mechanical arm and may not empty completely)

Toter 32 gal. trash cart

Click here to read the complete set of revised Rules and Regulations.

15 Aug 2014 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the 15 August 2014
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 9:55 AM EDT; Quorum was established with three Board Members being present.  Board Members present: President Mike Grobbel, Treasurer Larry Cybulski, and Secretary Bhartan Amin. 

3.     Approved the agenda for this meeting.

4.     The Board formally approved the 25 April 2014, meeting minutes.

5.     Management Report from Brandi Lane was reviewed.

a.     Awaiting quotes from two contractors, one to finish the tree trimming project and the other to make repairs to damaged lawn areas. Quotes are expected from one contractor later today and from the other early next week.

b.     Delinquency report was reviewed.  One account will be referred to an attorney for further action.

6.     Updates from President Grobbel

a.     Proposed revisions to Rules & Regulations.  Lengthy discussion took place on parking and trash.  With minor corrections, revised Rules and Regulations dated August 15, 2014 were unanimously approved [link]. Copies will be mailed to all co-owners and residents along with the Fall 2014 newsletter.

Heavy Weather

Looking west from my deck at 8:00 PM this evening.  As of 11:00 PM, the "frogs" say we have received 5.1 inches of rain today!  3.6 inches of that total fell between 6 and 9 PM.

At 9:00 PM the pond between the Manors and Kensington was filled all the way to the south end.

Condos destroyed by fire

 

Courtesy WDIV

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. -
Firefighters battled flames at a condo complex Tuesday evening on Oakmonte Boulevard, just south of Silverbell Road and west of Adams Road in Oakland Township.
The flames spread to several units, but no serious injuries have been reported.
It's not known how this fire started.  Firefighters from Rochester and Rochester Hills were helping fight the flames.

Link to WDIV video.

Loose dog

A dog similar in appearance to the one above has been repeatedly observed roaming the grounds in the vicinity of Regent and Lexington West Avenues.  Does anyone know who this dog belongs to?

Only indoor pets are allowed at the Manors and when they are outdoors they must always be kept under control by their master.

Soil Sampling

Beginning on June 25, 2014, crews from McDowell and Associates will be occasionally on-site to perform soil analysis to confirm the limits of the previously-detected groundwater contamination near the northwest corner of our property.  They will be sampling at four different locations along the berm at points north of 49943 Lexington Ave. West and west of 6829 Lexington Ave. North.  Their work should be completed within two weeks. 

Condo market is starting a comeback

From the June 8, 2014 Detroit Free Press: 

"After booming and crashing, Detroit's condo market is starting a comeback"

Key information from the article for Manors co-owners:

Local development experts say the reason most large banks haven’t sold mortgages for new Detroit condos is that the buildings are considered nonwarrantable, meaning Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA are unwilling to buy loans on the secondary market that originated in such buildings.

This situation makes the mortgages riskier for lenders, who must keep the loans on their books rather than sell them off.

In 2012, Detroit-based First Independence Bank became one of the first lenders since the recession to write mortgages for new Detroit condo buildings with 10% to 20% down payments.

At least five other local banks and credit unions have since followed suit.

• First Independence Bank
• Quicken Loans
• Ross Mortgage
• Lake Michigan Credit Union
• Talmer Bank and Trust
• Huntington
• Level One Bank

Minutes - BoD meeting of April 25, 2014

Click here to read the minutes of the Board of Directors meeting held on April 25, 2014.