Officers &
Board of Directors
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| Fred Nesbitt |
President |
Unit 2115 |
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| Ray Garcia |
Vice President |
Unit 902 |
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| Carolyn Kervin |
Secretary |
Unit 2604 |
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| Lynda Napolitano |
Treasurer |
Unit 2812 |
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| Andrew Becker |
Director |
Unit 516 |
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| Kenneth Handler |
Director |
Unit 1003 |
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| Michael Hickman |
Director |
Unit 1816 |
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Management &
Office Staff
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Beach Restoration Delayed Again?
 | | District 4 Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca |
Last spring the Galt Mile Advisory Board was told that beach restoration for the Galt would begin November 1. In September the association was told that the start date was changed to January 2014. Now, at the October meeting we were told that the start date could be February 2014 – perhaps. With turtle season beginning in March 2014 – that leaves us with only four weeks of work until next November when turtle season ends.
 | | Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Bruce Roberts |
Broward county is coordinating the project with various federal, state and local agencies – but our county commissioner Chip LaMarca was absent at our October meeting so details are not known. Our Fort Lauderdale city commissioner Bruce Roberts did attend. Although Fort Lauderdale has a minor role, the city just received its paperwork for permits on October 7. Roberts also said the Army Corps of Engineers has not yet filed their work plans. From this official plan Playa Del Mar would know when our beach would not be available for our use.
  Also adding to the delay at this late date is additional paperwork required by the state from Broward County. Commissioner Roberts said the county is blaming the Washington shut down for this new delay. However, many of the attendees at the Galt meeting did not buy this excuse.
At press time, we are awaiting word regarding the official start date. Check the Galt Association website for updates: galtmile.com.
Galt Ocean Drive Traffic Could Become Nightmare
 The Galt Association was presented with a new plan to change the traffic pattern so that there will be no exit from the Galt except at either end – south by Oakland Park Blvd and A1A and north by 41st Street north of MacDonald’s – with that street being about 2 car lengths long. The plan changes the traffic pattern on 35th and 36th Street to one way only, east toward the Galt. The change in traffic pattern is supposed to be phase 2 of the redesign of A1A area adjacent to the Galt Ocean Mile. Many of the attendees at the meeting considered this proposed plan a disaster for those who live on the Galt.
 | | Trapped on Galt Ocean Drive |
Under this proposed plan, all of the commercial parking spaces on the Galt south of 36th Street will not be accessible from the Galt Ocean Drive. You will have to drive south to the end of the Galt and turn up A1A then bear right on to a service road to access 35th or 36th Street.
 | | A1A to Galt Ocean Drive |
Adding to our driving grief, a new lane of traffic will be added on A1A northbound as a service road with the entrance only by the Greek Isle just north of Oakland only for a right turn onto 35th Street. This service road will be separated by a traffic island (cement divide). This service road is also where limited parking in front of stores on A1A south of 36th Street will be provided. And when you are in this separate lane you must turn right on 35th or 36th Street. This requires all vehicles in those retail store spaces to turn onto the Galt even though that may not be the destination. And think of all the extra traffic which will be at each end of the Galt.
  With the plan, buses will no longer be able to turn onto A1A at 36th Street. They will have to go south to where the Galt meets A1A near Oakland as well…leaving people at the Coral Ridge bus stops without close service. Or the bus stops on the Galt will be eliminated.
 | | A1A Roundabout or Rotary |
And that isn’t all they planned for us folks on the Galt. On A1A just where Fort Lauderdale and Lauderdale by the Sea meet they plan to build a traffic circle (also called a rotary or roundabout). For those of you who remember these old fashioned bottle neck rotaries, all lanes of traffic from north south east and west merge into 2 lanes. There are some traffic circles in Fort Lauderdale on quiet side streets but not on major roads such as A1A.
 | | Galt Mile A1A Meeting |
About four years ago many residents on the Galt voted by ballot at our community house for a new plan for A1A. The intention of the state of Florida and Broward was to reduce the size of A1A adjacent to the Galt from six lanes of traffic to four providing a safer crossing for pedestrians and vehicles. The other purpose was to make A1A look more like a park setting – something looking like A1A south of Oakland Park Blvd. So far, the work done on A1A - called phase 1 – does not look like anything we voted for. And, this new traffic plan has nothing to do with our vote back then either. It looks like there will be three northbound lanes of traffic once again, not much greenery, and trapped Galt residents with only two ways on or off the Galt.
Seaweed on the Beach
 | | PDM Rakes the Galt Mile Beach |
Until the end of turtle season, November 1, seaweed must be plowed back into the ocean - instead of buried on the beach. This is true for all beaches here in south Florida, which our contractor maintains because of new turtle protection rules. This will be the procedure again when turtle season begins in March 2014.
 | | Galt Mile Beach Maintenance |
PDM was penalized for raking our beach before Nova University students performed their daily inspection of the beach for turtle eggs one morning. They were late, but our staff assumed they had performed the inspection when they raked. We were told we could not rake (clean) our beach for 65 days; that penalty will now end November 1.
 For much more news about the Galt, check out the Galt Mile official site at www.galtmile.com.
By PDM  Newsletter Staff
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TIDBITS
NEW KEY FOBS BIG HIT
 The new security system that uses key fobs to electronically open the outside doors is a big hit with owners and residents. The key fob system is fully operational – and dom keys that have been exchanged for a key fob can be discarded. If you have been away for the season – you can exchange your dom key for a key fob upon arrival. If you arrive when the office is not open, the security guard at the front desk can give you a temporary entrance card that will open all the doors. When the office opens, then you can exchange your dom key for a key fob. Remember, December 31, 2013 is the last date to request a refund for dom keys not traded for a key fob.
One resident was overheard saying, “The new key system if ‘fob-ulous’!” He is so right.
NEW CABLE LINE-UP ADDED
 As a result of the new Comcast contract negotiated by the board this spring, the new cable line-up will begin in November. Owners and residents have received letters from Xfinity (Comcast) with details about the new service and a date to exchange your old cable boxes for new ones. The date: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 from 3-7 pm in the Ocean Lounge. If you currently have a high definition box (that gives you high definition television) there is no need to make an exchange. Comcast will credit your monthly bill.
 | | Digital Set-Top Box |
Each unit is entitled to one high definition box free of charge. Renters need to obtain the box in their name – as charges for pay-for-view movies will be made to the owner of the box. This high definition box will enable residents to get the HD Digital Starter Channel Lineup: all HD channels, 6 HBO channels, OnDemand TV, and 45 music channels. Again, if you are paying for these services, you will receive a credit. If you cannot participate on November 6 – you will be able to call Comcast and set up a time to pick up your box or have it installed.
 | | Digital Adaptor (DTA) |
If you want a second HD box, you will have to pay for it. Otherwise, the Digital Adapter will work on your second set – which is a reduced lineup and no HD or HBO.
PETS OF PDM
 | | Janet Reclining |
Meow. My name is Janet and I came to Playa del Mar almost 6 years ago to live in my forever home. I was adopted from the Broward County Humane Society – after being found wondering around Plantation. My favorite daily activities are eating, sleeping and taking naps. I’m a stay-at-home cat who enjoys all the comforts of my apartment.
WHEN THE FIRE ALARM SOUNDS
 Fire alarms sound at PDM. Fortunately, most of these alarms are not real emergencies – although sometimes a fire is detected in an apartment (fire on a stove top) or a section of the building (an elevator motor smoking). Many times, the alarm is triggered by contractors. Each time there is a false alarm, the building is fined $400 – and the cost is passed onto whomever caused the false alarm.
 So how do you know? The answer is you don’t know until the fire department responds, checks the alarm location, verifies there is or is not an emergency, and they turn off the alarm. PDM is not permitted by law to turn off the alarm – only the fire department can do that. When the alarm is turned off – the potential emergency is over.
 PLEASE do not call the front desk when you hear the fire alarm. Our security staff is trained to determine the source of the alarm, handle the situation, and assist the firefighters responding. They do not have time to chat with everyone who calls to ask, “What’s going on?” This staff also must deal with people coming into the building and leaving the building.
 If it is a “False Alarm,” a sign will be posted at the front desk and can be seen on the in-house channel. Security will post the sign as soon as it is confirmed there is a false alarm. All residents should treat every fire alarm seriously, and take appropriate actions to protect themselves in case of a real emergency.
PDM Sales
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 $435,000 - Unit 607
- $425,000 - Unit 1212
- $275,000 - Unit 2004
Information from the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office (November 2012 – February 2013)
PHOTO GALLERY
Concrete Restoration at PDM
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 | | Cracked Column Repair |
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 | | Damaged Door Threshhold |
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 | | Vertical Frame Crack |
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 | | Horizontal Frame Crack |
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PLAYA DEL MAR ASSOCIATION, INC.
By PDM  Newsletter Staff
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--Building Report--
FROM THE PROPERTY MANAGER’S DESK
By Tania Gonzalez, CAM
 | PDM Manager
Tania Gonzalez |
We have been busy this summer with our preventive maintenance projects and upgrading some areas in our building.
 | | Crack at Window Frame |
The concrete restoration project started in June and the areas with major water intrusion have been addressed first. Most of the garage areas are done. Stacks 01, 17 and the East wall windows took longer than anticipated due to the extent of damage; the rest of the building should move along at a quicker pace. I want to thank all the residents for their cooperation and patience especially stacks 01 and 17 while not being allowed use of their balconies.
 | | Damaged Door Under Repair |
We will be completing the crack repairs and painting of the stairwells soon. The East elevator interior door frames are being rust proofed and painted, especially the higher floors where the problem seems to be worse. The ocean lounge kitchen was re-tiled because the old tiles buckled and cracked. The security receiving area floor was also tiled.
 | | Coating on Balcony Railing |
Our next project will be addressing the balcony railings bubbling and peeling. We will start with the units that have had the concrete restoration work completed to avoid any damage being caused by the swing stages as they move up and down the stacks.
The dom keys have been replaced with our new key fob system and is working very well.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me by phone or email or stop by the office anytime: 954-561-0990 or [email protected]. Also you may join us at the COFFEE WITH THE MANAGER monthly meetings posted in the mailroom.
  The Coffee with the Manager meetings will continue every month as it is a great way for us to meet and discuss any issues and ideas you may have. Notices will be posted in the mailroom with date and time monthly. You may also come by the office anytime or contact me by phone or email.
Tania Gonzalez, CAM
 From the Playa del Mar October 2013 Newsletter. To access the entire October edition, Click Here. To read about Coffee with the Manager, Click Here.
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October 2013
President’s
Corner
 | | Board President Arnulfo “Ray” Garcia |
Our summer has been quite busy here at PDM. It has been warmer than usual – and we’ve had more rain than average. That’s the easy part.
 | | Load Bearing Column Repair |
Our concrete restoration continues. We have completed work on stacks 01 and 17 (along with the East wall) and are moving to other parts of the building. Most of the remaining work will focus on columns and an expansion joint. We encountered more work on the East end of our building than anticipated. I personally appreciate the patience, support and cooperation of those in the 01 and 17 stacks – who lost the use of their balconies for four months. We needed to do the concrete work – and we wanted to do it right.
 | | New PDM Gym Equipment |
We have replaced some pieces of equipment in the fitness centers. After 11 years of use, four of our treadmills needed replaced as well one elliptical. These exercise machines were starting to wear and repairs were starting to cost too much. We purchased three new treadmills and two new ellipticals. Because we purchased commercial grade equipment and maintained it, we were able to get a $2,300 credit toward the new purchase. The new pieces of equipment are already getting good usage – and everyone is pleased with the new equipment.
 PDM was able to have an audit done of our past utility bills and found that the utility companies overcharged us by $1,753 – and we were able to recoup most of those overcharges (we had to pay a fee to the company who did the work). The board continues to work to keep our utilities costs low. We also purchased 125 new chairs bronze frame/tan cushions for the Ocean Lounge. We will continue to use the old chairs for outdoor events. We also replaced the cover to the generator – the original cover was rusted and allowing water to the inside area, slowly destroying the generator. The new aluminum cover will not rust.
 The finance committee held an open meeting and presented to the board a proposed budget for 2014. The budget is being mailed to all owners – and the board will hold a public meeting to discuss and vote on the 2014 budget. The budget keeps maintenance fees the same as 2013 – there is no increase in fees or a special assessment. While some costs have gone up, the board has been able to reduce other costs to keep our budget balanced. I want to personally thank the members of the committee: Joe Ernest, Beverly James, and Fred Nesbitt, PDM treasurer for their work.
 | | Plans to Rehab PDM Pool Deck |
We are moving along with our plans to renovate the pool deck. We have completed phase one – a structural evaluation of the pool and pool deck. The findings were good – the amount of repairs needed is minor and there are no major structural repairs needed. The protective covering of the pool deck has deteriorated to the point it no longer provides protection to the cement slab below. Unless it is replaced, there could be structural damage occur over the next couple years. The landscape designer is working on plans for the top of the pool deck (pavers, lighting, landscaping) and all the details will be pulled together with the engineer’s recommendations. At this point, two or three proposals will be submitted to the owners for a vote – showing the design, costs of the proposals, and methods of payment. Owners will be asked to vote on their preference.
 Our home is nearing its 40th birthday. In some areas, it is showing its age. Other areas need attention because of a lack of preventive maintenance in the past. This board is committed to making the needed repairs – doing them right – and maintaining the building. It’s your home, it’s my home, it’s our responsibility to be good owners.
Thank You,
Ray Garcia, President
Playa del Mar Board of Directors
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G GREEN CMMITTEE
 | | Loretta Cronk and Linda Eidinger |
By participating in the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Green Your Routine program, Playa del Mar earned $382.50 for the year ending 09/30/13. This is an increase for us from the previous year. The number one neighborhood was Coral Ridge earning $1755! Linda Eidinger attends the six meetings a year but needs help and PDM could earn much more. Volunteers work in a variety of city projects to earn points that turn into cash. PLEASE BE AN ALTERNATE!
 Green Your Routine director Loretta Cronk has chosen PDM to highlight the City of Fort Lauderdale‘s Multi-Family Property Recycling Program. Letters have been sent to multi-family buildings who do not have a recycling program in place. If you know of any multi-family buildings that are not recycling, please contact Linda Eidinger #110 with information and we can then earn points. The program’s purpose is to incentivize these properties through a series of online tools and resources, hold workshops and webinars, and offer a financial rebate for recycling services. PDM photos will be featured in the information.
 The GO Green Committee did not meet over the summer due to all the other construction continuing at PDM. We are planning to continue to change over to more LED lighting and use our earnings toward that purpose.
 Finally the City of Fort Lauderdale is no longer participating in the Broward County Hazardous waste Center on Powerline Road. PDM will keep you posted on the City’s future plans for these items.
 The Go Green Committee would like to thank all residents who are using the ONE BIN recycle bins in the lower garage. The building has added 4 more bins due to the increase of recyclables.
Reminder: Recycle bins are in the mail room, the Pool, the Beach, and the North and South BBQ areas.
REMEMBER
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
Green Y UR Routine
by PDM Newsletter Staff
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PROPERTY INSURANCE WORKSHOP HELD
 | | District 34 Fla. Senator Maria Sachs |
Our State Senator Maria Sachs conducted four workshops this past August and September on property insurance. The majority of property owners in Senator Sachs district are enrolled in the state-run insurer Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The following are the results of the workshops.
- There needs to be transparency in the process Citizens uses to transfer their policies to private insurers. In Broward and Palm Beach counties alone there are 40,000 policy holders. These 40,000 policy holders will receive “take-out” letters from Citizens telling them a private insurer will automatically take over their policy on November 5, 2013 unless the policy holder declines in writing.
 There must be transparency in the ratings process and vetting of the private insurers that seek to take over policies from Citizens. Despite all the issues with Citizens and its policy holders at least everyone knew it was a not-for-profit, government–run company. New companies that Floridians may not be familiar with will add to the uncertainty of our insurance market.  State Senator Sachs also reported that we must take steps to ensure people understand the “clearinghouse” process which will take effect January 1, 2014. Once in the clearinghouse, any Citizens policy holder up for renewal could be forced into a private policy. If a private company is willing to write the policy below the Citizens rate. Once in the “clearinghouse” policy holders will not have the ability to opt-out. They must go with the lower rate from the private company.
“Uncertainty in the insurance market can be devastating to our economy. People purchase insurance for peace of mind and the current insurance market is falling short. My job as State Senator is to help bring certainty to an already chaotic marketplace,” stated Sen. Sachs.
If you have any questions please contact State Senator Maria Sachs (Tel: 954-762-3757, Email: [email protected])
by PDM  Newsletter Staff
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Newsletter Reminder
Your Newsletter Staff
  We have gone green and paperless. The Newsletter can be viewed on the library computer by clicking on the PDM Newsletter icon displayed on the screen, the posted version in the mail room and on the PDM website at:
www.playadelmar.net
  We also print a handful for those that cannot avail themselves of the above. A copy can be obtained at the front office by signing out for one. If you do not get a copy by email, let the office know so they can put you on the distribution list.
Playa del Mar
Newsletter Staff
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Playa del Mar
3900 Galt Ocean Drive - Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(954) 561-0990 - Fax: (954) 563-9239
 [email protected]
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