JUNO ISLES CIVIC ASSOCIATION

June 2, 2008

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

 

The regular monthly meeting of the Juno Isles Civic Association Board of Directors was held on Monday, June 2, 2008, at Holy Spirit Church on Ellison Wilson Road.

 

 

v     Roll Call and Call to Order:

Kathy Greene called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  The following Board members were present: 

Felice Beyer

Present

 

Bob Bittenbinder

Present

 

Blas Contreras

 

Excused

Kathy Greene

Present

 

Wayne Hatten

Present

 

Jim Jackson

Present

 

Dave Mastran

Present

 

Jim Moore

Present

 

Louis Vilardo

Present

 

Dinah Washam

Present

 

Tom Wajdowicz

Present

 

 

 

v     New Business

                                                                                                                 

Presentation by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Dept.

Lt. Dave Kronsperger said he had been contacted by Bob Bittenbinder with some questions about the services the Sheriff’s office could provide for Juno Isles. He said they met and discussed crime prevention for neighborhoods. Lt. Kronsperger reported Juno Isles crime from May 1, 2007 to May 14, 2008 included 1 stolen car, 1 residential burglary, 6 thefts, 3 vehicle burglaries, representing very low crime statistics over the 12-month period. He offered a presentation to the community on bicycle safety, crime prevention, child car seat safety, etc.

 

Lt. Kronsperger explained that there are three types of extra patrol contracts available:

1)      Permit deputy – 3 hour minimum for $105 - A deputy performs whatever tasks he’s asked to do. The officer is not always the same person and could be a deputy, sergeant, or detective, etc. There may be no continuity.

2)      Annual contract - $130,000-$150,000 per year for 40 hours per week – A deputy is assigned full time and gets to know the community very well.

3)      COP (Citizens on Patrol) – No fee. A minimum number of people volunteer to drive, observe and phone the Sheriff’s office of any suspicious activity. Two weeks of training is required. The Sheriff’s office dedicates a vehicle to the community. The community must commit to a minimum number of hours or a minimum number of volunteers per month. The community provides fuel for the vehicle if the patrol is exclusively in their area. If the patrol roves outside the community, the Sheriff’s office provides fuel for the vehicle.

 

Louis Vilardo asked what services the Sheriff’s office provides with no additional fees. Lt. Kronsperger said they respond to calls as needed. He said a motor officer does not get much activity in this area and officers must be placed where there is high activity.

 

Kathy Greene said there was a concern among some of the neighbors that patrol cars were not seen frequently. Lt. Kronsperger said there are many unincorporated areas across the county and that he places older, seasoned officers in the unincorporated areas since they have the experience to know what to look for in neighborhoods. Lt. Kronsperger said he has to place deputies where crime is occurring frequently; he cannot ask them to spend a lot of time where the crime rate is low.

 

Lt. Kronsperger described the crime prevention presentation. Jim Jackson asked Lt. Kronsperger his definition of the Crime Watch System. He replied that it includes getting to know your neighbors, a telephone tree, a network system of watching out for your neighbors. Kathy asked how the House Watch works. Lt. Kronsperger said residents can sign up online. He said the Sheriff does not check houses. It is simply providing contact information should a problem occur at the home. The Sheriff’s office would then know how to get in touch with the homeowner.

 

Bob Bittenbinder asked what the relationship is between the Sheriff’s office and Code Enforcement. Lt. Kronsperger said they work together very closely. He warned that if Code Enforcement is asked to address an issue, they view the neighborhood for violations, not just the issue they were asked to address. Lt. Kronsperger said if Code Enforcement does not respond to a request to address an issue, then the Sheriff’s office may be contacted.

 

Jim Jackson asked what the current policy is for false alarms. Lt. Kronsperger responded that an audible alarm has to be monitored. He said that if fines are not paid, the Sheriff’s office will stop responding. Lt. Kronsperger said burglars are typically in and out of a home in about a minute and a half. He said by the time the Sheriff’s office responds, the burglar is long gone. Therefore, alarms are of low priority.

 

Jim Moore suggested the Association invite the Sheriff’s office to do a presentation at the annual meeting. Bob Bittenbinder suggested the Association should consider spending somewhere between $110 and $130,000 for extra services. Tom Wajdowicz said he didn’t think it was necessary to pay extra each month to have the Sheriff’s officers run radar to detect speeding vehicles on Ellison Wilson Road. Kathy Greene reiterated that the Sheriff places officers where there is the greatest need, higher crime areas.

 

Bob Bittenbinder and Kathy Greene expressed an interest in the COP program. Wayne Hatten and Jim Jackson said there would not be enough volunteers. Jim Jackson pointed out that $110/month represented one third of the amount budgeted and could easily be increased. Wayne Hatten said the main purpose of the expenditure was to lower the speed of the traffic on Ellison Wilson Road. Bob Bittenbinder said presence is important. Jim Jackson suggested Tom Wajdowicz ask officers to spend some time at the beginning and end of their shift patrolling Juno Isles. The Board discussed that the Sheriff’s patrol should be increased from 3 to 6 hours per month.

 

 

v     Approve Minutes:   Kathy Greene

 

May 5, 2008 Regular meeting – Wayne Hatten made a motion to approve the minutes, as amended. Bob Bittenbinder seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

v     Old Business

 

§         Bob Bittenbinder asked if the Board was interested in a presentation by the Fire Department. The Board agreed that a CPR demonstration at the annual picnic would be great.

 

§         Island Holiday Lights – Dinah Washam and Lou Vilardo

Dinah distributed a proposal via email. Wayne Hatten offered to put the lights up, rather than spending the Association’s money to do so. Two residents immediately volunteered to help. Kathy Greene pointed out that it was a 3-year contract and Juno Isles Civic Association was responsible for vandalism, acts of nature, etc. Dinah said she thought professional holiday lighting would be an improvement. Kathy Greene suggested the budgeted money could be spent to improve the lighting, reduce the number of electrical trips, and boost the November picnic. Other Board members agreed.

 

§         Dave Mastran asked the status of the shed at 2141 Ascott Road, if the engineer’s report was submitted, if the covenants would be enforced since the tin roof was not in compliance. Jim Jackson said there was a variance request and he would follow up on the status of the roof. Dave Mastran said a tin roof would devalue property.

 

 

v     Secretary’s Report – Bob Bittenbinder

 

Bob reported there is now a Juno Isles Civic Association phone. Kathy Greene said one of the messages received was from a homeowner that wanted to place an ad in the newsletter. She said the message was received as an email, including an attached wav file the recipient could listen to. Bob said he could forward each message to as many as 5 people. He said he would create an article about the new phone for the next newsletter.

 

 

v     Treasurer’s Report – Wayne Hatten


Wayne reported the Association’s taxes had been paid for 2006 and 2007. 2006 taxes were $988, including $200 in penalties. 2007 taxes were $738, including a $20 late penalty. Wayne reported the current bank balance was $82,616.57. He said approximately 40% of 2008 assessments were yet unpaid. Wayne said the 2007 financial statement had been received from the accountant and forwarded to Jim Jackson to be published on the website.

 

Kathy Greene said 15 letters and invoices were sent to the attorney for collection notices. She said 4 were new homeowners and 5 were new addresses. Kathy Greene said the attorney said to be cautious about billing new homeowners. Dave Mastran questioned how homes were changing owners without clear title, why JICA balance was not at the closing table. Board members explained that ownership can change hands without title searches.

 

Kathy Greene gave Wayne Hatten, the Treasurer, a check for $222 from 2051 Ascott Circle for 2006-2007 assessments and a money order for $90 for 12719 Ellison Wilson Road for 2008 assessments. Kathy Greene said she spent many hours tracking down the correct addresses for the returned notices and asked Wayne Hatten to work closely with Bob Bittenbinder, the Secretary, to prevent addresses in error in the future.

 

Jim Jackson said he used an outdated list to mail the newsletter and asked Bob Bittenbinder if there were newsletters returned. Bob Bittenbinder said he would email a current homeowner mailing list to Jim Jackson and that most of the undeliverable, returned newsletters were from seasonal residents.

 

Jim Jackson asked who invoiced the businesses for the ads in the newsletter. Wayne Hatten said he did, but that he could not bill businesses that had not approved their ad before the newsletters were printed. Jim Jackson said he did not know he was expected to contact ad owners before the newsletter was printed. Jim Jackson said he would phone the ad owners, and submit the list of businesses to be invoiced to Wayne Hatten.

 

 

v     Committee Reports

 

  • Architectural Committee – Jim Jackson
    Jim reported the resident at 1930 Juno Isles Blvd. submitted drawings for a pool, but it did not include measurements, so the resident will resubmit.

 

§         Covenants Committee – Blas Contreras
Kathy Greene reported an email from Blas. Bob Bittenbinder reported that he and Bob Kilday had pictures of the violations, but did not know what to do with them. They will communicate with Blas.

 

  • Crime Watch – Tom Wajdowicz

Tom reported that last Friday the Sherriff’s office issued 11 tickets on Ellison Wilson Road, with the highest speed 51 mph. He reported 8 alarm calls, 4 domestic calls, 1 verbal threat, 2 noise calls, 3 thefts, 5 suspicious incidents, 4 suspicious persons, 1 missing person, 2 suicide attempts, 1 death, 2 obscene/harassing calls, and 1 repossessed car.

 

Kim Sillence at 1830 Juno Isles Blvd. phoned Tom and volunteered to be Block Captain of Neighborhood Crime Watch.

 

Wayne Hatten reported a tremendous amount of traffic on Juno Isles Blvd. late at night at the second house from the U.S. 1 entrance. He said there was suspicious activity with a lot of cars and a lot of activity at 1526 Juno Isles Blvd.

 

Dave Mastran left at 8:53.

 

  • Social Committee – Dinah Washam

Dinah confirmed that the 4th of July parade would be on Friday, the 4th. Wayne Hatten asked if she had talked to the fire department. Dinah said it was not necessary to contact them a month in advance last year and that she plans to contact them.

 

  • Landscape Committee - Louis Vilardo

Lou reported that he had 3 proposals from attorneys and asked how the Board would like to proceed. Kathy Greene suggested a committee of 3 or 4 Board members review and compare the proposals and present a summary to the Board. Wayne Hatten, Jim Jackson, Jim Moore and Louis Vilardo volunteered.

 

Kathy Greene asked if there was any response to the newsletter solicitation for a Board member. Jim Jackson made a motion to offer Linda Lindquest a position on the Board. Bob Bittenbinder seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

v     Adjournment

 

Wayne Hatten made a motion to adjourn. Bob Bittenbinder seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:59 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Rhonda Thomas