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Correspondence regarding the BOCA DEL MAR IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. October 20, 2009 Commissioner Steve Abrams Dear Commissioner Abrams: On Wednesday Oct. 14, 2009, the Board of Directors of the Boca Del Mar Improvement The board of Boca Del Mar believes our community would be adversely affected from a traffic safety and congestion standpoint if Florida's Turnpike Enterprise builds the exit as proposed. We question whether the project, with an estimated $100 million plus price tag, would actually "relieve" traffic at the Glades Road-Turnpike exit. The initiative to build a new interchange in south Palm Beach County was created several years ago by a safety problem at the Glades Turnpike exit. At the time, during rush hours, northbound Turnpike traffic exiting at Glades backed up from the tollbooths on to the far right lane We are encouraged that our state representative, Kelly Skidmore, the public official who lives closest to and knows the area best where the interchange would go, has written a letter of opposition. Rep. Skidmore lives in Boca Del Mar and knows what we do: Palmetto Park Road, from U.S. 441 to Interstate 95, is largely residential. It connects local residents to local schools (public and private), shopping, and houses of worship. Residents west of Interstate 95-who use Palmetto Park to get to 1-95 or Downtown Boca Raton don't need a Turnpike exit. And if you were living in Broward County and wanted to visit Mizner Park or any business entity in the downtown Boca Raton area, the logical route would be Interstate 95, which is several miles east of the Turnpike and costs nothing to drive. Conversely, we are hard-pressed to see how individuals who use the Glades Turnpike exit to go to higher educational facilities, businesses, malls or hospitals on or between Glades Road or Yamato Roads, would exit further south from their destination to traverse north Thank you for taking our position into consideration on this Sincerely, Paul McDermott, Pm/Ir THE FLORIDA SENATE SENATOR DAVE ARONBERG October 20. 2009 James L. Ely DPA Dear Mr. Ely: I am writing about the proposed interchange on the Florida Turnpike at Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton. Some of my constituents have complained that a new interchange at this location will disrupt the surrounding neighborhoods and cause a burden on those living in the nearby areas – pedestrians in particular. From what I have been told, the Florida Department of Transportation conducted studies for a two year period on this proposed improvement and the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to move forward with this recommendation. The constituents have said that there is a significant pedestrian population in the immediate areas of the Turnpike. They are concerned that building a new interchange would create an unnecessary increase in traffic volume for those living in the area. Although I realize other proposed locations for an interchange have been considered and later dismissed as possibilities. It is my hope we can reconsider other alternatives that are safe for both our drivers and our neighborhoods. I respectfully ask you to consider the voices of the public at the public hearing on October 29th to see if we can find a solution that everyone can live with. Sincerely,
District Office: Capitol Office: October 3, 2009 James L. Ely, DPA Dear Mr. Ely: It is my understanding that the initiative to build a turnpike interchange in South Palm Beach Count), was proposed to specifically address a safety issue at the Glades Road exit in Boca Raton. Although many hours of research, study and outreach have taken place through collaborative efforts, it was recently brought to our attention that this project is not slated to go forward due to a lack of funding for any further planning or development, in addition to the overlying assessment that the traffic congestion at the root of the safety issue has dissipated. I have a serious concern that the recommendations included in your report due out later this month will strongly suggest that Palmetto Park Road will be the optimal location in South Palm Beach County for an interchange, should the funding, become available in the future and/or the Glades Road safety issue resurface. I respectfully request that the results of this report be deemed inconclusive as to where a turnpike interchange should be located when or if it becomes necessary at a later date. As we discussed with a group of representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Turnpike Enterprise several months ago, the communities It was expressed to us that other locations were deemed unsuitable after similar discoveries were made as to the impact on surrounding homes and communities. To I appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this request and look forward to your reply. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions. All the best, Kelly Skidmore KS/ed Subj: Re: Note from Steve Nichol to Gordon Gordon, Please place any and all letters, E-mails, communications, etc. opposing the turnpike interchange at PPR on our web site. --Original Message-- Attached Message From: SNichol1123@ao1.com Moments before your e mail I received an e-mail from state Sen. Dave Aronberg's office with a copy of a letter he sent to the CEO of the Turnpike citing our concerns of "unnecessary traffic volumes" and pedestrian safety should a Turnpike interchange be built at Palmetto Park Road. Aronberg urged the Turnpike officials to "rec6nsider other alternatives that are safe for both our drivers and our neighborhoods," and to listen closely to what we have to say at the public hearing on Oct. 29 to, quote, "see if we can find a solution that everyone can live with." The letter is significant in that it joins a growing chorus of opposition to the Palmetto Park exchange led by residents in the Boca Del Mar communities between Powerline and Turnpike, our state Rep. Kelly Skidmore, and of course the Boca Del Mar Improvement Association. Please forward to Paul my e mail and the letter from Sen. Aronberg, attached. I hope Paul approves placement of the BDMIA letter on the association web site. I received an e mail last night from our county commissioner, Steven Abrams, indicating he was going to meet with Paul. If Paul thinks I can be of any assistance, be Thank you. Sincerely, Steve Nichol -Original Message I will check with Paul for his thoughts. Subj: Fwd: Palmetto Park Road-Turnpike Date: 10/19/2009 2:30:16 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time From: SNichol1123@ao1.com To: BDMIA3@aol.com Gordon, Here is what I sent Friday.... Please confirm receipt. Thank you. Steve-Nichol --Original Message---- Gordon Marts Gordon, Good seeing you again at the meeting on Wednesday. Per the board vote and Paul McDermott's suggestion, I have ghostwritten a potential letter to forward to elected officials regarding BDMIA's opposition to a Turnpike exchange at Palmetto Park Road. I have also attached the letter of opposition that our state Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a BDM resident, wrote to the CEO of the Turnpike Enterprise. I am copying Paul on this correspondence so he may review it and give you direction as to what he wants communicated since it would be under his name as president of Boca Del Mar. It is important that this letter be sent to all of our state and local officials whom Paul may have contacts with based on his years of leadership with Boca Del Mar. The list should include Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams, Rep. Skidmore, Sen. Ted Deutch, County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, Boca Raton Vice Chair Susan Haynie, Please let me know what else I can do. Sincerely, Steve Nichol Subj: Re: Palmetto Park Road-Turnpike Great! Please send me a copy of the letter Paul chooses to write on behalf of our community. If Paul wants to call me he can reach me on my cell phone, 561.756.5520. --Original Message--- Steve, Got it, Gordon BE FAIR: PAY TIMELY Your neighbors correctly remark that it is unfair to those who pay Boca Del Mar assessments on time to subsidize owners who are delinquent. No one can argue with that thought. We read daily about the nationwide financial crisis. Every owner has been effected. Each of us must make difficult choices; thus, it is not in any of our roles to comment on how one owner may have had different priorities than another owner. Nevertheless, to be fair, owners who do not pay assessments must be sent to the association's attorney. When a unit owner fails to pay assessments, and fails to heed warnings, the Association has no choice but to refer the matter to the attorney and then the owner may have to pay thousands of dollars because of late association assessment payments! An owner who ignores the warning will have their home liened and foreclosed. How smart is it to skip a payment? There is nearly always some source of money to protect your home, and avoid a small debt from becoming a mountain of debt. Any loan or credit card advance is usually cheaper than the payment for the lien! One owner's problem cannot become the community's problem. In response to your requests and to ensure orderly and efficient collections, the Association is implementing an assessment collection policy. Every owner is obligated to timely pay their assessment. Each delinquency debilitates the Association's cash flow. Without cash, the Association is unable to attend to the maintenance including trash pickup, landscaping, signage, water retention area maintenance and signage. Certainly you have read or heard reports of a development quickly going to seed" because assessments were not collected. The assessment collection policy is intended to be practical. When an owner is delinquent, the owner forces management to automatically refer the matter to legal counsel. If a matter is sent to counsel, then the owner is responsible for attorney's fees and costs. It is much cheaper for an owner to timely pay then being sent to counsel. At this time the schedule that owners must pay for the initial attorney's letter is $75.00, plus costs, and for a lien $200.00, plus costs. You can see that by the time a matter reaches the lien stage an owner must pay over three times as much as originally due! If the amounts due are not immediately paid, then to be fair to paying owners, a foreclosure action is filed against the delinquent owner and that owner will be responsible for thousands of dollars in attorney's fees and costs. Be fair to your neighbors. There are no "grace" periods. Assessments are due on the first day of the year. They are delinquent on the second day of the year. Pay your debts when due. Do not require your matter to be sent to the attorney.
NOTICE: To all Boca Del Mar Residents At the height of the unit close to 400 patrol car hours were recorded monthly using two patrol cars supplied by the Sheriff’s Office. The hours recorded at this point is less than 80 hours per month using only one patrol car. The membership in the nit has fluctuated from nearly 60 members to the present less than 10 members. The service provided by the unit is of immeasurable value to the community of Boca Del Mar; it is a proven fact that the crime level falls due to the exposure of the Sheriff’s Citizen Community patrols. Boca Del Mar consists of a total of 90 individual communities. The goal of the Citizens Patrol is to have one (1) member from each community represented among its membership. With the present economic situation there is a possibility that the entire nation will see a rise in the levels of crime. Without significant presence of patrols within the communities it is likely, that crime levels will increase in communities where few or no patrols are being conducted. The situation within the Boca Del Mar Citizens Observer Patrol is dire at the moment, due to lack of active participation from the community. This is caused in part because of natural departure from the unit by members moving, health issues and others. We are at a point where unless the membership increases to at least 40 members, the effectiveness of the unit is compromised and the assets provided by the Sheriff’s Office could be utilized better in other communities where the members are more actively engaged in the safety and security of their own communities. It is our goal to keep the Boca Del Mar Citizens Observer Patrol alive and active. However, as all its members are volunteers, the future of the unit lies in the involvement of people living in the community.
NOTICE TO HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION
NOTICE Since 1993, residents of Palm Beach County have realized nearly $80 million in savings for solid waste and recycling collection services through a competitive bid process. The most recent bid process for the contract beginning October 1, 2008 has been completed with bids being opened on December 20, 2007. As Florida market trends have indicated in recent years, Palm Beach County will also experience an increase in collection rates. Even though we made contractual changes to minimize the expected increases, there were may variables over which SWA had no control such as fuel, insurance and other cost of living factors. We will be notifying each resident of the rate increase in March 2008 however, we always welcome the opportunity to speak with your association directly to answer any questions or concerns immediately. Should you wish our presence at one of your meetings in advance of our mailing, please feel free to contact SWA Customer Information Services at (561) 697-2700 or 1-866-792-4636 toll-free to schedule a representative. You can e-mail us at: |
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