May June Newsletter
Manager's Column
By Alice Trunzo, CMCA
A few months ago in February your Board of Directors asked me to help
out for a few weeks as interim property manager. A few \veeks later I
accepted a one year contract so I am now officially un-retired. During
the past twenty four years I have worked for sister communities A
Pocono Country Place, The Hideout, Pocono Farms Community
Association and Pocono Farms Golf and Country Club and lastly
Arrowhead Lake Community Association. Previous to returning to my
home state of Pennsylvania I managed condominiums in the Washington,
D.C. area. Prior to that I was in hotel and restaurant management I'm
glad to be with your association and hope my past experiences might
prove to be beneficial.
Bit and Pieces
A bit different for me is having a construction company provide all
support services on a contracted basis for what I normally accomplished
at other communities through a maintenance department I see the
advantages of your system since you don't have any costs for heavy
equipment purchase, maintenance and replacement, insurance on
equipment or workers compensation insurance for maintenance
employees as well as labor related costs. This has seemed to work well
for you in the past and I have to admit the only difference I've
encountered is I give direction to Mountaintop Construction, your
contracted company, instead of a maintenance foreman. The Escape is
listed as an additional insured on Mountaintop's General Liability
coverage which also represents a substantial savings for you.
Having managed a water company and sewer company in my past in me
Poconos I was interested in reviewing the operations of your sewer and
water facilities. As is the norm for such operations The Escape has the
daily operations of your facilities monitored by certified sewer and water
operator Joseph Williams. Mountaintop Construction provides all daily
requirements and on May 4, 2010 DEP conducted an inspection on the
water facility and I'm pleased to report that there were no violations
noted. Thanks go to Ed Senefelder of Mountaintop Construction and Joe
Williams for this fine inspection report.
From past experience I know that well water in our Pocono plateau area
has a high concentration of earth metals. This is not a condition that is
harmful to health but can show up as residue in your water. For that
reason many people in our area, including me, have chosen to install a
water purification system. If you're experiencing discoloration of your
clothes you might wish to plan on getting your hot water tank flushed
out. Earth metals, while not harmful can build up in your appliances.
Residents receive an annual report on water quality from our certified
water operator based on required samplings from all wells and a
number of households. I expect that this report will be issued during the
month of June.
Your roads need help. The Board has instructed management to bid out
application of oil and chip on roads that have been designated as those
that absolutely need to be done mis year. We are in the process of
doing that. Additionally you will see Mountaintop Construction repairing
potholes on all roadways during the summer as well as addressing
drainage areas where needed. Residents will be notified of any
blockage problems with the culvert they have installed in driveways
going out to association roadways. If the property owner does not
remedy their driveway culvert after notification, it will be repaired by the
association and the property owner will be billed for the repair. We hope
to have oil and chip paving scheduled on a regular basis The Good..The
Bad..& The Ugly
Collections are a fact of life in all communities. You always have "The
Good" property owner who pays his/her share of the financial obligation
to the Association to keep the common properties and facilities in good
condition. Then you have "The Bad" property owner who uses every
excuse (my road wasn't plowed five years ago, there was no water for
two days last year) to get out of paying their financial obligation to the
Association. And you always have a few of "The Ugly" category who
simply ignore any contact regarding paying their financial obligations.
It's not fair to "The Good" property owners that they have to subsidize
what others don't pay. I've begun a comprehensive collection procedure
at The Escape. You receive a first notification from me that your account
is in arrears. If the account is in arrears for more than six monthly
payments you will also receive notification that you water will be
terminated upon failure to bring your account current. A quarterly bill is
generated if your account is in arrears (if your account is not in a
delinquent status you will not receive a quarterly billing). The second
notification letter of delinquency will inform you of my intent to file a civil
complaint at the local magistrate's office for your delinquency. You will
be notified that once we file a complaint with the magistrate we are able
to recover all filing charges and attorney fees which will be added to
your account. A hearing will be scheduled at the magistrate's office and
excuses like those mentioned above will not be accepted to dismiss your
negligence in paying your financial obligations to the association. Thirty
days after receiving a judgment from the magistrate I will file it as a lien
against your property. A lien wiE have a detrimental effect on your credit
rating.
Do not ignore collection letters. If you are having a life crisis contact me
and we may be able to set up a mutually agreeable payment plan. All
payment plans will have a required promissory note that permits me to
file a lien against your property should you default on your agreement
without going through the magistrate process. PLEASE, don't ignore
collection letters from me.
Included with your annual Escape badges (only available to members-in-
good-standing) are two "Guest" hang tags. Instead of coming or calling
the office to obtain guest passes you may use these plastic hang tags
for your guests to place on their rear view mirror. Make sure when your
guests come to your home that they place a "Guest" hang tag before
they go to the pools or Marina area. Our Public Safety personnel will
issue a citation to any person in a vehicle without an Escape car sticker
or "Guest" hang tag visible from the rear view mirror. All persons
entering the pools must have a badge to permit admission. If a property
owner has a need for additional
Guest" hang tags you may purchase them from the office for a small
fee. Your guest passes are coded so that if they are lost we may
identify them and return them to you. If you lose you passes you must
pay for replacement tags. Guest hang tags are not dated and will not
expire from year to year.
Fm looking forward to meeting more property owners during the
upcoming summer season and I'm very glad to be out of retirement and
here at The Escape.
President's Column
The past several months have presented the Board of Directors with
having to make some difficult decisions. The Board has hired Mrs. Alice
Trunzo as the new Property Manager of the EPOA. Mrs. Trunzo brings
many years of experience to the position. Mrs. Trunzo has quickly
become acclimated with our Accounting and Management Procedures.
One of her priorities has been to review our delinquent accounts and
send notices to those Property Owners. I am happy to report that she
has been successful in bringing many of these accounts up to a current
status.
At the present time the Board has nine members with the appointment of
Diana Deloy and Dennis Dougherty to fill the two vacancies.
Although it was a rather cold and snowy winter, the Escape appears to
have weathered it rather well. Mountain Top Construction was kept busy
keeping our roads plowed and cindered. Speaking of the roads, the
Board has sought bids for tarring and chipping our roads. Depending on
the price, the Board might look at doing our perimeter roads this year
and the rest of the roads next year.
The board has leased a Public Safety vehicle which will be used by our
Public Safety Officers to provide security for the Escape. After much
deliberation and comparison of contracting out this service, the Board
felt that this was the most cost effective way of providing security for the
Escape.
I'm sure many of you have seen the new entrance door on the Marina
Building. This door complies with our Insurance Carriers requirement for
the exiting the building in an emergency.
While we haven't had any new updates on our Equalization Tank, we are
still committed to this project. As mentioned before, the purpose of this
tank is to ensure that our Sewage treatment plant does not exceed its'
capacity especially on busy Holiday week-ends. We will keep you
posted on the progress of this project
Our next task is to prepare the Escape for the Summer Season. We
would also like to encourage all property owners to clean-up their
properties so that we can all be proud of our community.
I would like to remind you that the next General Membership meeting will
be held on May 29, 2010 at 10:00 AM in the Marina Building. You can
also get pertinent information by visiting our Website (Office@.theepoa.
com). I hope to see many of you at the meeting on May 29th.
Robert Brennan, EPOA President
Architectural Report
A SPRING REMINDER VC . , - ''-•-- «-
Project permits are no cost.
Any work that changes the appearance of your home,
without a permit will bring a $100.00 fine.
New home construction, without a permit is a $250.00
fine.
Contractors working on Sunday is a $250.00 fine.
Interior work does not require a permit.
Landscape work does not require a permit
Remember to put up your 911 number, which is your
street address, not your lot number. This is not Escape
policy; it is PA/PIKE COUNTY law. It can carry up to
a $300.00 fine if not posted.
Any questions call the office
Respectfully, Len Jardon
Recreation Report
Breakfasts will be offered once every month till the season ends in late
summer. The first one will be a Ziploc omelet on Sat. 22nd May at 8:30
A.M. Cost will be $3.00 each. There will be a variety of ingredients
available.
General meeting & our start of the season picnic will be held on Sat.
29th May starting at 1:00 P.M. Hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks will be
provided and everyone's asked to bring a dish to share.
Greene Twsp. will have their clean-up day on Sat. 22nd May.
Pancake Breakfast is planned for 26th June starting at 8:30 A.M.
Mary will bring 4 clocks for us to use as prizes at this year's events.
Dinner Club will start on Friday 11* June at 6 P.M. at Trio's. Tentative
future dates are Fri 9th July at Capri and 13th Aug. at Chef Anthony's.
Pot Luck Supper will be held on Sat 19th June at the Marina starting at
5:00 P.M. we will supply beverages and everyone will bring a dish to
share.
Golf cart parade and ice cream social will be held on Sat. 3rd. July. Line
up of carts will start at 10:00 A.M. following coffee hour. Ice cream
social will start at 12:00.
Low Country Boil will be served on Aug 23rd. Details to follow.
Next Meeting June 2nd at 10:00 A.M.
THE ESCAPE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
PROFILE
MAY 2010
Annual Membership Dues: $50.00; due January for January 1 through
December 31st.
Maintenance/Utility Fees: $1200.00 annually for developed property
payable in monthly installments of $100.00; $984.00 annually, for
undeveloped property payable in monthly installments of $82.00;
payments are due the first of each month. Note: Maintenance fees
include water and sewer, roads, amenities and administration. A Special
Assessment of $96.00 for 2010 in two payments in January and July of
$48.00 each.
Contact Information:
The Escape Property Owners Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 282
Greentown, PA 18426
(570) 857-9090 - office
(570) 857-0490 - fax
office@theepoa.com - email address
theepoa.com - Website
Alice Trunzo - Property Manager
The Escape is private community in Pike County with approximately half
of the community located in Greene Township (570-676-9325) and the
other half in Palmyra Township (570-226-2230). Please check with the
appropriate township for required permits before starting any building,
improvements or additions. The Escape requires no cost permits for
new home construction, additions or any changes to the appearance of
the outside of your home (roof, color, stone fa9ade, etc.). No
contractors are permitted to work on Sundays. Please call the office if
you have any questions.
Amenities include two outdoor pools, Marina Clubhouse, lake, rights to
Lake Wallenpaupack, privately owned dock slips, boat launching ramp
for property owners only, tennis courts, recreation field with basketball
court.
Our Marina is permitted by PPL Holtwood who controls all areas of
operation including the number of boat slips and Jet Ski ramps we are
permitted. Currently PPL is not issuing any further boat slips to any
community located on Lake Wallenpaupack.
Property Owners selling their Escape property are required by the
Pennsylvania Planned Community Act to obtain a Resale Certificate
containing all information pertaining to the property including delinquent
dues & fees mat must be satisfied at closing. The Resale package also
includes all pertinent budget and financial reports, By-Laws and Rules
and Regulations. The fee for this Resale package is $100.00. Contact
the office for further details. Purchasers of The Escape property are
required to submit at closing a Capital Improvement fee payable to The
Escape. The fee for a developed property is $1200.00 and for an
undeveloped property is $492.00. These fees are also mandated by the
Pennsylvania Uniform Planned Community Act.
NOTICE
Due to the summer-like weather we had this spring The Escape Marina
was ready for registered boats and Jet Skies extra early this year. If
you have submitted your insurance coverage and current water craft
registration and received a 2010 boat sticker your slip is available for
placement of your water craft.
Just a few reminders - as in the past you may not leave any gas
containers on or near the dock area pursuant to PPL Holtwood's
regulations that govern our license to operate The Escape Marina.
Failure to abide by this regulation could result in the loss of our dock
permits with PP&L.
All boats slips are privately owned. All Jet Ski ramps are also privately
owned. Presently we have nine Jet Ski ramps owned by Escape
property owners. These ramps are quite expensive and we purchase
them in lots of five (for those of you doing the math we did have ten
launches but one was transferred by the owner to another location) and
we have had some inquires from property owners for additional Jet Ski
ramps. Each jet ski ramp costs $1400.00 for the ramp itself and
$350.00 for the first year's maintenance fee. It takes a total of $1750.00
for each Jet Ski ramp the first year. Annual maintenance fees are
applicable every year thereafter. If we receive commitments from four
property owners willing to submit half of the cost of the launch of
$700.00 we will order five more ramps. Jet Ski ramps must be
purchased from the Association as our docks are configured to accept
these particular ramps. However, you must understand that this is a
commitment for an additional expense of $1050.00 for However, you
must understand that this is a commitment for an additional expense of
SI050.00 for the first year's use. Please contact the office at 570-857-
9090 for information.
Boats docks are reserved for dock slip owners and their guests only.
There is no swimming from the boat docks, no fishing past the first
finger from the shoreline, no fishing near the Jet Ski Ramps and no
loitering, sunbathing, picnicking on the Boat Docks.
Office Summer Hours:
Money through Saturday - 9 AM to 4 PM.
Sundays - CLOSED,
Enjoy the summer!
Get Well Wishes To: Ben Zlotucha of Spruce Street.