A PUBLICATION OF THE SILVER RIDGE HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC. ORLANDO, FLORIDA

SILVER RIDGE - A DEED RESTRICTED COMMUNITY

ANNUAL MEETING HELD APRIL 22, 1999

The Association successfully held its annual meeting and election on Thursday evening April 22, 1999, at the Oasis Community Church. A quorum of the Association’s members was established at the meeting, in person and by proxy. This meeting was long overdue and made it possible for the HOA to resolve many of the items that were beginning to backlog the Board’s agenda.

To ensure that we would indeed have a quorum at the meeting, the board of directors authorized a door prize drawing, to be held at the meeting. To be eligible for the drawing you had to either: attend the meeting in person, or send in your proxy in advance of the meeting. The drawing was for a single prize -- a $50.00 Home Depot gift certificate. Mr. Joseph Francis, whose name was randomly drawn from all eligible entries, was the winner. Included in this newsletter are the other pertinent results of our meeting.

The second quarter of 1999 has proven to be a very busy time for your HOA and the Board of Directors. There have been many issues facing our community that had to be dealt with during this time. I will attempt to summarize the most important issues here.

One of the most important issues was the election of members to the Board of Directors. During our annual meeting, we voted on the two openings on the board, and I am pleased to announce the results of this election. Mr. Sam Branch decided to extend his tenure and was voted in for another 3-year term. Sam will continue as the Board’s Vice President and defacto "Sergeant-at-arms". Mr. Eric Oelschlager has returned to the Board of Directors for another 1-year term. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Homeowners of Silver Ridge I would like to applaud these two gentlemen for their continued commitment to community service. We are all lucky to be able to benefit from their experience.

In our last newsletter, we said that Silver Star Road is slated to be widened to four lanes (in addition to turn lanes). The Silver Ridge Home Owners Association (HOA) is involved to the extent that the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) has moved to take a portion of our common property under the eminent domain laws. This "taking" consists of a strip of land that will bring Silver Star road very close to our front wall. Unfortunately, this will also mean that about 45% of our beautiful entrance island will be affected. We are still, at press time, working with the Association’s Lawyers and representatives of the state to come up with a solution that is fair for all parties involved.

On a much sadder note, the Silver Ridge HOA Board of Directors was recently forced to initiate and complete a foreclosure action on a house in our community. This decision was regrettable but was deemed the best possible course of action in terms of the good of the community.

The board has been actively searching for a way to engage the youth of our community. To that end we have two initiatives that we hope will help solve the question that many of the youth of Silver Ridge ask, "What is there to do?" We are working with Orange County government to obtain a community enhancement grant (see related story) and we also plan to hold a pizza party for the youth of the neighborhood to get their ideas on some of the activities in which they would like to participate.

Community Enhancement Grant

As mentioned previously, the Silver Ridge Homeowners’ Association has been working with Orange County government to obtain a Community Enhancement Grant.

The Orange County Community Enhancement Grant Program is in its fifth year of operation. Its intent has always been to provide support for projects involving people in a way that promotes the development of community and builds neighborhood connections. It provides funds to groups that want to make physical and tangible improvements to their community. Examples of community based projects include entranceway improvements, the creation of neighborhood parks and playgrounds, and the planting of trees.

Prior to the annual Community Conference, neighborhood, community and homeowner organizations submit their applications along with their project proposals to the Orange County Planning Division. After the Planning Division checks the applications for guideline accuracy, a panel of judges made up of Orange County residents reviews them. Once the applications are thoroughly reviewed, including site checks, the panel makes their recommendations to the Chairman and Commissioners.

On the day of the Conference, August 28, 1999, two $6,000 Chairman's Grants and twelve $3,000 Commissioners' Grants will be awarded to those neighborhood, community and homeowner organizations that were selected.

Our proposal involves converting the Danforth retention pond into a "dual-use" facility. It will retain its primary function as a retention pond but we also hope to use it as a recreation area. What we on the board envision is using the bottom of the retention area for a soccer field and the upper deck as a walking track. We desperately need to hear from the residents on this proposal. All comments/suggestions are welcome. If we are to bring an idea such as this to fruition we will also need some volunteers who will be willing to help with the physical improvements to the site. If all goes well we hope to also put out a call for Soccer coaches, players and moms!

Orange County PAL

PAL is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week information service for citizens and guests of Orange County. This is an automated system that offers you the convenience of information when you want it. To access PAL, simply dial 407-836-9700 and enter a 4-digit code at any time. You may access up to four messages per phone call.

Upcoming Monthly Board Meetings

The monthly Board meetings are now being held at the meeting room at the Orange County Public library, 7210 W. Colonial Drive (near Olive Garden, and the new Office Depot store.)

Any member is welcome to listen in on the Board meetings. The Board meeting schedule for the upcoming months: Thur. Sept. 16, 7:00pm.

%&#*!# Shopping Carts!!

I wonder how many times over the past year I have cussed out loud at the sight of shopping carts in the neighborhood? Is it just me, or do you want to scream too when you see these things abandoned in our neighborhood?

I used to think that kids were the bringing the carts into the neighborhood. Instead, I’ve seen adults – people who should know better – bringing groceries home in the carts, and then ditching the carts along the streets or retention ponds of Silver Ridge and Kensington, instead of returning them to the stores where they belong. Once I saw nicely dressed lady abandon a cart after carrying just two or three plastic bags of groceries into the neighborhood!

This problem angers me for several reasons. First, it looks terrible. Shopping carts don’t belong here – they make the neighborhood look like a junkyard. What does it say about us that we leave shopping carts lying around our neighborhood? It says that we’re lazy, and that we don’t care what the neighborhood looks like.

Secondly, it is wrong. The carts belong to the stores we shop. Taking carts from the stores is stealing. What does that say about our neighborhood? Every time the store loses a cart, it loses more than $100. And that means we all have to pay higher prices at the store.

I personally have hauled dozens of shopping carts back to the store over the past years. Recently, Association President Johnny Greene and I took back about 8 carts in a single day. Johnny has repeatedly expressed his displeasure to the store managers for not collecting their carts from our neighborhood. But the problem won’t be solved until people stop bringing the carts into the neighborhood in the first place.

We understand that not everyone has access to a car at all times to shop for food, etc. But we can’t tolerate shopping carts sitting around, trashing up the neighborhood. Please, if you must borrow a cart, return it to the store when you are finished with it. Yes, it’s a bother, but it’s just something that must be done. A more convenient option is to buy your own personal pull-behind shopping cart. They’re available for about $20 at local stores. That’s a small price to pay to keep your conscience clear, our streets clear of abandoned shopping carts, and the air clear of a lot of foul language!

An Update on our Rotted Siding Problems

As mentioned in our last newsletter, the hardboard siding on many of our homes is decaying. Many houses built by General Homes contain Masoniteâ brand hardboard siding. (Pulte Homes may have used other brands of siding.) There is a settlement agreement from the class action lawsuit against Masonite. The Masonite settlement appears to compensate approximately $3 per square foot for each rotted board or panel. (If any part of a board or panel is rotted, the entire piece is considered rotted.) A typical house might have 400 sq. ft. of hardboard siding, so the house’s owner might be paid as much as $1200 in damages. While this may not cover the entire cost of replacement, it is a big help. The HOA expects each homeowner to replace their rotted siding as soon as they receive their settlement payment.

What’s the Buzz???

Florida was once described as a "land of swamps, quagmires, frogs, alligators and mosquitoes, It was once stated that Florida would never be a fit place to live. In 1824, Mosquito Country, which included land lying between the St. Johns river and the coastal lagoons north of Cape Canaveral had its name changed to Mosquito County and is now known as Orange County!! Mosquito is Spanish for "little fly". There are 73 species found in Florida and around 40 in Orange County. They can fly up to 10mph, dart between raindrops and even fly backward.

Only female mosquitoes bite. They require a blood meal in order to develop eggs to make more mosquitoes. When she bites, the female injects a bit of saliva that inhibits blood coagulation so the blood flows freely. The welt and itch that follows are your body's allergic reaction to the saliva.

The bite of a mosquito can be more than annoying; it can be a prologue to one of several diseases. Yellow fever, malaria, dog & cat heartworm and encephalitis are among the diseases carried by mosquitoes. In the eastern United States, eastern equine encephalitis is the most common one affecting humans. Outbreaks frequently follow a surge in the mosquito population brought on by warm, wet weather.

Look for places where rainwater collects and stands. Fill all holes and depressions. Drain flower pots,' children's' wading pools and toys. Flush birdbaths and fountains weekly. Clean clogged gutters and drains and cover cesspools. Remove debris like cans, bottles and old car tires. BY ELIMINATING THESE WATER SOURCES YOU WILL ELIMINATE THE LARVAE BEFORE THEY BECOME ADULTS!

DEET has long been known as the best insect repellant. Repellants containing DEET are available as pump sprays, lotions, creams and sticks. There are at least 40 products containing 5% to 95% DEET, the more DEET, the more expensive the product. However, more is not necessarily better. In tests done by the Army, repellents with 30-40% DEET worked twice as well as repellents with 75% DEET! If you are sensitive to DEET, apply a product that has citronella or eucalyptus oil. These can be found in health food and/or outdoor/camping stores. Avoid being outside during peak mosquito biting times, dusk and dawn. Avoid shady, humid areas. Wear long sleeves and pants, light colored clothes make you less attractive. If mosquitoes are a problem throughout your entire neighborhood contact Orange County Arthropod Control at 352-4370. "Mosquito Trucks" can be sent out to spray for adult mosquitoes.

THE LOST ART…

I was recently approached by several women in my neighborhood because a dog had gotten loose from a screened enclosure several days in a row; it had "pooped" in a yard and frightened one of the neighbors. I understood their concern but was momentarily perplexed about why they were coming to me with the problem since they live much closer to the owner of the dog than I. I asked if they had talked to the dog's owner and they said they hadn't. Instead, they explained, they were bringing the problem to me because I was on the board and our documents require that all animals be leashed.

The fact that we have a leash policy is indisputable. The fact that I am on the board is indisputable. The fact that the board could enforce the leash policy is indisputable. But still I wondered what ever happened to the days when a neighbor walked next door and said, "Your dog got loose today, growled at me and left its calling card in my yard. Would you please make sure that it doesn't happen again." It seemed to me that approach would have been far more effective than some letter from the association. So later that day, I walked over to the dog owner's house and talked to her, not as a board member, but as a neighbor. What a foreign thought!

Don't misunderstand; I'm not suggesting that homeowners’ association board members should disregard their responsibility to enforce covenants and restrictions but I am suggesting that there are times when a simple conversation between two neighbors is still the best approach to solving problems.

In these days of arbitration, mediation, and confrontation, it wouldn't hurt for all of us to practice the lost art of communication.

MILDEW... The Fungus Among Us

Almost everyone living in Florida has encountered mildew at one time or another. It thrives on warmth and moisture. It appears on wood, metal, leather, plastics and even glass. When it appears it usually signals trouble.

Mildew is a fungus that spreads by microscopic spores, which travel through the air. When the mildew lands on an appropriate surface it feeds either on the surface itself or on organic dirt that has accumulated on the surface. This explains why mildew appears on metal; it does not feed on the metal itself, but rather on the thin film of organic material that has accumulated on the metal.

Mildew sometimes appears to be dirt and heavy rains can even cause mildew to streak down roofs and the sides of a home. To distinguish between dirt and mildew, put a few drops of household chlorine bleaching solution on the discolored surface, mildew will be bleached in few minutes, dirt will not bleach. Stains on the exterior surface of buildings that appear below the shade line are usually algae rather than mildew. However, algae often responds to the same types of removal treatments used for mildew.

Since mildew spores are almost always present, the three best ways to control mildew growth are to eliminate the source of food, deprive mildew of sufficient moisture, and/or keep the temperature too low for fast mildew growth.

Keep Things Clean: Inside your home, the organic residue left from soap left on shower stalls, tiles and grout provide the proper nutrients for mildew growth. Smoke and volatile cooking oils also settle on walls and furnishings to provide a soil upon which mildew can grow. Outside your home, hose down sidewalks, roofs, screen enclosures, and exterior walls to remove dirt. Make sure sprinklers are not spraying the sides of your home, make sure landscaping mulch and soil are packed up against exterior walls of your home (this will also aid in pest control!)

There is no true mildewcide: No product will kill mildew and guarantee it will not return. Cleaning agents that claim to remove mildew have a chlorine component. Chlorine both kills mildew and bleaches the darkened mildew filament. However, scrubbing and rinsing are required to remove the mildew and soil residue. Otherwise as soon as humidity and temperature conditions are right, mildew will use the residue as host to grow again. Water repellant and soil-resistant spray treatments inhibit mildew growth by reducing moisture or food available.

Manage Moisture: Inside your home, air conditioners remove moisture from the air. Mildew thrives at temperatures between 77 and 86 degrees. Where no air conditioning is available a dehumidifier can be used. Make sure moisture collection pans are cleaned periodically as they can become a breeding ground for mildew. In closets or enclosed areas Desiccants can be used. Desiccants are material such as silica gels, alumina and calcium chloride to remove excess moisture from the air.

The two most effective methods of avoiding mildew problems are keeping things CLEAN and DRY. A new supply of mildew spores is always floating in the air waiting for the right conditions to grow! Once mildew appears it should be removed as soon as possible!

The HOA Means Business!

In case you haven’t heard, the Association has been very active in the past few months. We’ve been leaning on many of your neighbors to replace dead lawns, and have the mildew cleaned off their roofs. We hope you’ve noticed the improvements!

If any of these apply to you, make plans to take care of these problems now.

• Annual dues must be paid. You can lose your house by not paying your dues. This happened to one of our neighbors just recently.
• Mildew-stained roofs, driveways and sidewalks are not acceptable. Contact a professional roof cleaning service, which uses low-pressure cleaning methods. (Note: pressure-washing roof shingles will damage them!)
• Faded, weathered paint is not acceptable
• Leaning and broken fences must be repaired or replaced
• Mailboxes must be in good condition, standing upright and with no visible rust.
• Lawns must be cut and trimmed weekly during the summer growing season.
• Curbs, sidewalks and driveways must be edged neatly. No grass hanging over the curb.
• Lawn mowers and other equipment must not be stored in front of the house or fence.
• All cars must be driveable, and have current license tags. Cars with flat tires are not acceptable.
• Dead trees and shrubs must be removed.
• Broken or badly damaged garage doors must be repaired or replaced.

It is not the intent of the Association to be a burden to the residents of Silver Ridge. However, the Association is committed to ensuring that Silver Ridge is indeed a desirable place to live and that property values continue to increase. The above list represents things that we all must do to ensure that this happens.

Financial Summary – Income and Expenses 1/1/99 – 6/30/99

The 1999 year-to-date income and expense figures are shown in the following table: