A Message from HOA President Frank DeSteno
When the HOA Board met on December 8, 2021, we chose new officers. As the New President of Meadow Walk’s HOA I’d like send this message and introduce myself to everyone in our community:
My name is Frank DeSteno and I was recently chosen to be President and Treasurer of the Meadow Walk HOA. I’ve served on the board for two years, since 2019, as its Treasurer. My wife, Patricia, and I moved to 7302 Dear Crossing Ct. in 2016 and have enjoyed our unique neighborhood ever since. The first time we walked out of the front door and heard lions roaring, peacocks calling, and parrots squawking, we knew that we had chosen wisely.
I look forward to working with both the board and residents to maintain and enhance the quality of our community. The board has projects in the works that include entry improvements, HOA document updates, and the establishment of a social committee. I’d like to recognize the work of past volunteer boards who have done excellent work in not only keeping our community a desirable place to live but also keeping the HOA dues as low as possible, our current increase notwithstanding.
Other members of the current board include Joe Stewart, Mary Lynn Endter, David Johnson, as well as Nick Stine, and Nancy Woodrow, our newest members. The best way to contact me is by email: frankmwhoa@yahoo.com. I look forward to meeting all my neighbors in the weeks and months to come.
Happy Holidays to all, stay safe, and be well.
Frank
Minutes of HOA Annual Meeting 12/08/2021
Location: Fruitville Public Library, 6:00 PM
Call to Order: Joe Stewart called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.
Quorum of board members was met: Joe Stewart, Frank De Steno, David Johnson, and Mary Lynn Endter. A quorum of homeowners was not met: twenty HOA members were present, with 6 proxies.
Tribute to Gary Walsh: Gary Walsh, the president of the Association, recently died very suddenly. Gary served as president of the HOA for about 13 years. Gary was responsible for getting us back into the black by participating actively in the foreclosures of homes in the Association during the 2008 housing crisis. Gary cared very much for our community, and while we knew a lot of what he did, none of us knows everything he did. Gary’s memorial service will be on January 1, 2022, at St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church. The membership observed a moment of silence in tribute to Gary.
Financial Report: Joe reported we are in good financial shape. However, with the rising costs of operating, specifically the landscaping costs which went from $15,600 to $18,480, it was necessary to raise the annual dues from $600 to $660, an increase of $5.00 per month. Joe has arranged for a proposal to have the entrance to Meadow Walk redesigned, including the removal of the dead tree. The specifics of the project will be discussed at the next meeting. Joe will email plans to anyone who wants them. Vivia Martin and Nancy Woodrow voiced concerns that the project is done well and reasonably priced. Sue Shkrab and LaNae Duchesneau mentioned that the south pond is collapsing in places and does not appear to be getting regular service. The service to the ponds is under warranty. Once Joe has the addresses of the affected homes, he will contact the landscaping service. Joel Di Liberti said that the pond water seems cloudy. Frank said the small ponds have a problem with algae blooms, a natural process because of yard fertilizer flowing into them.
Budget Report: Diane Treharne explained that we have $4,000 in the operating account, enough to cover December expenses. The reserves have $43,000 which is in line with the budget set by Gary and the board at the last budget meeting. We have $13,000 in deferred maintenance; $5,000 for the well pump; and, $20,000 in wall maintenance. The budget includes a new item called “infrastructure” to be funded with $3,500 over the next 2 years. As of now, 3 homeowners have paid no dues or only partial dues. Finally, the HOA governing documents need to be redone over the next 2 years.
Old Business: The wreaths were hung at the entrance but need to be plugged in. The wreaths will be replaced next year. The new wreaths will be kept in storage to better preserve them.
Homeowners Comments: LaNae said that at one time the HOA kept a booklet of the membership names, phone numbers, etc. She would like to see the booklet done again. LaNae also said it would be nice to bring back the yearly picnic. Joel asked if the due date for the annual dues could be changed. Diane said that would require the legal process of amending the governing documents. Frank asked that the members pay their dues in a lump sum, as multiple payments cause a lot of extra work for the treasurer and Diane. Al and Denise West introduced themselves as new to the neighborhood. Each member then introduced themselves.
New Business: LaNae will head a Social Committee to work on the membership booklet and the annual picnic. She will find members to help her. Frank and Mary Lynn will form a committee to revise the governing documents. Anyone interested in helping should let one of them know.
Election to the Board of Directors: Nick Stine sent his written request to be appointed to the board. Nick was appointed to the board. Nancy Woodrow and Vivia Martin also volunteered to be on the board. The board appointed Nancy, and provisionally appointed Vivia, *depending on the maximum number of directors allowed by the governing documents.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 6:45. [The next meeting date: March 9, 2022.]
NOTE: Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation allows the number of board members to not be more than nine.
Obituary: Raymond ‘Gary’ Walsh
Raymond ‘Gary’ Walsh
JANUARY 1, 1944 – OCTOBER 24, 2021
Raymond “Gary” Walsh, died on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. He was the son of Raymond J. and Emma (Jorgensen) Walsh, born and raised in Roselle, NJ. Gary had a successful career in the insurance industry until his retirement. In 2000 Gary moved from Macon, GA to Sarasota, Florida to spend his golden years and marry the love of his life, Penelope (Opdyke) Walsh.
Gary was an outgoing and caring person who brought these qualities to all he did. He loved to engage in conversation and be enthusiastically involved in his community and neighborhood. Gary was a long-time member of St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church, Sarasota, FL – a dedicated parishioner, always ready to serve God and his church in many capacities. One of his greatest achievements was completing the Education for Ministry study under the guidance of The University of the South School of Theology. Gary had a love for playing golf and learning to fly a plane, but his fondest moments were spending time with his wife and his family, especially his grandchildren.
Gary is survived by his wife of 21 years, Penelope “Penny” J. (Opdyke) Walsh. He is also survived by his children: daughter, Sheri Ventura (Marty) of SC; his son, Kenneth Walsh (Lainie) of VA; his daughter, Linda Dame (Todd) of PA; his son, Daniel Walsh (Amanda) of GA; his (step) daughter, Kimberley Payne (Steve) of FL; and his (step) son, Ian Gray (Hillary) of SC; and his twelve grandchildren: Emily, Aaron, Mason, Abigail (Abby), Jessica, Sarah, Allison, Rowan, Larken, Jackson, Gunnar and Ansel.
A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church, 8700 Clark Road (State Road 72), Sarasota, FL on January 1, 2022 at 11:00 AM with a reception to follow at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association or to the St Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church Music Endowment Fund or to the St Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church General Endowment Fund. Funeral arrangements are made through Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home, 170 Honore Avenue, Sarasota, FL
Special Assessment: Your Questions Answered
In February 2019, a Notice of Special Assessment was sent to each lot owner in Meadow Walk. Each lot is being assessed $1,000 on a one-time basis.
Update: The Notice indicated that a representative would be in attendance at our next meeting of the Board of Directors on March 26th. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the representative is unable to be present at that meeting; however, the Board of Directors will be available to answer questions from members of the Homeowners Association who attend.
Contact Information
The vendor that we have contracted with is Crosscreek Environmental. Any homeowners whose properties back up to the affected waterway that wish to connect their drainage to the system that is being installed are invited to contact the company for a quote. Their phone number is (941) 479-7811.
Why is there a special assessment?
The Meadow Walk Homeowners Association is faced with an urgent need to address a problem with our community’s stormwater management system before costs escalate even higher. Funds which have been set aside in previous years and held in reserve have proven to be insufficient to cover the cost of the needed repairs.
How did the problem arise?
An ongoing problem with erosion has been developing over many years now. This issue affects a critical stormwater drainage area along the west side of the southern border of our community.
Why are repairs needed?
At different times, various experts, engineers, County officials, and others have been brought in to evaluate the situation. The problem has now become severe enough that it must be addressed before the cost to repair it becomes even greater.
How much will repairs cost?
After evaluating a number of options, the Board of Directors ultimately selected a firm that specializes in this type of repair and negotiated significant reductions in the proposed fees. The final fee for this project is approximately $120,000.
Who decided to assess this fee?
During the most recent meeting in December, the Board of Directors voted to proceed with the repairs. Since reserves were insufficient to cover the cost of the repair, it was decided that each lot would be assessed $1,000. This was preferable to raising the annual dues each homeowner is required to pay every year.
My lot is not affected. Why am I required to pay?
The erosion problem affects a portion of the stormwater management system for our neighborhood, which is one component of the “Common Areas” that the Meadow Walk Homeowners Association owns and is required to maintain. Every homeowner in Meadow Walk shares in the responsibility to maintain the Common Areas, regardless of the location of any individual lot.
(c) Each assessment shall be the personal obligation of each Owner. If the assessment is not paid within thirty (30) days after the delinquency date, the Association may, in addition to any other remedies it may have, bring an action against the Owner to collect the amount due. The Association shall be entitled to recover, in addition to the assessment any interest, all costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in collecting the assessment.
–Section 3.5 (c) Declaration Of Maintenance and Land Use Provisions of the Meadow Walk Homeowners Association
Why is this not covered by the annual dues that I pay?
While a portion of the dues paid by members of the Meadow Walk Homeowners Association has been diligently set aside each year to prepare for large expenses, the cost of this repair substantially exceeds available reserves.
I pay $600 annual dues, but I don’t see anything being done. What happens to that money?
Annual dues paid by each homeowner every year are used to cover all the costs incurred by Meadow Walk Homeowners Association each year. These funds are used to pay for everything from electricity to operate street lights and sprinkler systems to mowing grass and maintaining landscaping in common areas.
Additionally, the Board of Directors sets aside a portion of the dues paid by homeowners each year to hold in reserve for larger expenses, including maintaining the wall along Palmer Boulevard and the stormwater management system.
A detailed budget is available for inspection at the Annual General Meeting, and the Treasurer provides a report at each meeting of the Board of Directors.
When must I pay the Special Assessment?
Under the terms of this Special Assessment, each lot owner is required to pay $1,000. The assessment may be paid in two (2) installments of $500.00 each, with the first installment due April 30, 2019, and the second installment due by September 30, 2019. Alternatively, payment in full may be made effective immediately.
When does the next Board Meeting take place?
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 6:00pm at the Fruitville Library, 100 Coburn Road, Sarasota, FL, 34240
When does work begin on the needed repairs?
Work is scheduled to begin in mid-March, 2019.
2018 Annual General Meeting
Notice of Annual Meeting
To be held:
December 12th, 2018
Fruitville Library
5:30 p.m
TO ALL RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF MEADOW WALK:
Your presence and participation at our Annual Meeting is essential. It is imperative that we have a quorum to conduct business. Please make it a point to be present and to share your concerns and ideas.
If you are attending the meeting, your ballot will be handed to you at sign in. Bring any proxies with you that your neighbors might have given you and they will be exchanged for a ballot at sign in. This will allow for any nominations from the floor.
Board of Directors Vacancies:
We will have two (2) vacancies on our HOA board. Please seriously consider volunteering to serve a two-year term. We need a complete board to continue functioning successfully. Enclosed are Candidate forms. Please fill out the forms and mail them to Meadow Walk HOA, Inc., P.O. Box 51533, Sarasota, FL 34232, or save a stamp and walk them over to Gary Walsh at 1033 Meadow Breeze Lane, or email to meadowwalkhoasrq@gmail.com, by December 10, 2018. Not having a full membership of at least five members on the Board always presents the probability of not having a quorum to conduct official business. Please consider joining our Board of Directors team. This is a volunteer service to our neighborhood and we recognize that the members of the Board also have their personal professions and affairs to attend to. There will be times when one or two members may be unavailable or out of town. A full board will help guarantee a quorum whenever needed. Not having a quorum can result in not being able to meet to officially address our HOA obligations.
Download the Meeting Packet for a Candidate Form
Funds and Budget:
Funds: Current funds available will cover payables and expenses through the end of 2018.
Budget: We have projected our 2019 budget to cover contingencies, increasing costs and any other special project expenses for our community of Meadow Walk; the budget will be discussed at the annual meeting.
Assessment of Homeowners Dues:
The 2018 HOA fee was $600 annually. The Board agreed to revisit whether the fees could be reduced for the 2019 annual fees, which was discussed at the last Board meeting. Since our costs have remained at the same level as our previous year, our projections indicate that the annual dues for 2019 should continue to be $600.00 per Lot. In this way, we will be able to have monies for work on the banks around the lakes and bring the preserve back into compliance.
Collection of Assessment Dues:
Our bylaws specify that the full annual assessment is due and payable every January of the new calendar year.
We ask all of you, our neighbors, to please come to this very important meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.
Your Meadow Walk HOA Board,
Gary Walsh, Diane Treharne, Sharon Stringer, Rita Bennett, Mary Lynn Endter, and David Johnson
Annual Meadow Walk Community Garage Sale: Sat, April 7th, 8am-Noon
Meadow Walk residents will be holding our Annual Community Garage Sale in Sarasota this Saturday from 8am to Noon. Come check out all the goodies from this community of 65 homes, located just east of the beautiful Celery Fields on Palmer Boulevard.
Directions from I-75:
Take Exit #210 for Fruitville Road and head east on Fruitville Road to the light at Coburn Road (you’ll see the Sarasota County Library on the corner). Turn right on Coburn Road (heading south) and follow it as it winds around. You’ll come to a “Stop” sign at Palmer Boulevard. Turn left on Palmer Boulevard (heading east), and follow it past the Celery Fields until you come to a neighborhood (Meadow Walk) on the right-hand side. Turn right onto Meadow Breeze Lane and wander around the neighborhood to pick up all the stuff you can’t live without at bargain prices!
Here’s What to Do Afterward
If you’re looking for a great way to spend the afternoon, time your visit to Meadow Walk so that you can head across the street and enjoy the fantastic animals of Big Cat Habitat. They open at Noon, and you’ll have an unforgettable experience seeing the beautiful, exotic animals that they care for. Tell them their neighbors at Meadow Walk sent you!
2017 Annual General Meeting
Notice of Annual Meeting
To be held:
December 13th, 2017
Fruitville Library
7 p.m
TO ALL RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF MEADOW WALK:
Your presence and participation at our Annual Meeting is essential. It is imperative that we have a quorum (33 RESIDENTS) to conduct business. Please make it a point to be present and to share your concerns and ideas.
Board of Directors Vacancies:
Unfortunately, one of our board members needed to resign this year. This means we will again have two (2) vacancies on our HOA board. Please seriously consider volunteering to serve a two-year term. We need a complete board to continue functioning successfully. Click here to download a Candidate form. Please fill out the form and mail them to Meadow Walk HOA, Inc., P.O. Box 51533, Sarasota, FL 34232, or save a stamp and walk them over to Gary Walsh at 1033 Meadow Breeze Lane, or email to meadowwalkhoasrq@gmail.com, by November 22, 2017.
Not having a full membership of at least five members on the Board always presents the probability of not having a quorum to conduct official business. Please consider joining our Board of Directors team. This is a volunteer service to our neighborhood and we recognize that the members of the Board also have their personal professions and affairs to attend to. There will be times when one or two members may be unavailable or out of town. A full board will help guarantee a quorum whenever needed. Not having a quorum can result in not being able to meet to officially address our HOA obligations.
Funds and Budget:
Funds: Current funds available will cover payables and expenses through the end of 2017. This year in addition to the regular monthly maintenance items, we also paid for the removal of the entrance palms that were becoming dangerous and very dirty. We will be replanting in the new year.
Budget: We have projected our 2018 budget to cover contingencies, increasing costs and any other special project expenses for our community of Meadow Walk; the budget will be discussed at the annual meeting.
Assessment of Homeowners Dues:
The 2017 HOA fee was $600 annually. The Board agreed to revisit whether the fees could be reduced for the 2017 annual fees, which was discussed at the last Board meeting. Since our costs have remained at the same level as our previous year, our projections indicate that the annual dues for 2018 should continue to be $600.00 per Lot. In this way, we will be able to have monies for work on the banks around the lakes and bring the preserve back into compliance.
Collection of Assessment Dues:
Our bylaws specify that the full annual assessment is due and payable every January of the new calendar year. Consideration was made to allow for the semi annual payment of dues, however this system was generally unsuccessful.
We ask all of you, our neighbors, to please come to this very important meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.
Your Meadow Walk HOA Board,
Gary Walsh, Diane Treharne, Sharon Stringer, Rita Bennett, David Johnson
Community Garage Sale This Saturday
Note to Meadow Walk residents: Hopefully you spotted our “save the date” email a few weeks ago. If not, please contact us to make sure your contact info is up to date.
It’s time for our annual community-wide garage sale!
As in previous years, we’ve coordinated with Palmer Glen and The Enclaves, so we expect a decent amount of traffic coming through.
The event will run from 8am to 1pm.
It’s a great time to get rid of all the junk that you moved into the garage during your Spring Cleaning!
URGENT: We must ACT to Protect Our Property Values
Update: More Action Required
Tuesday, January 31, 2017: Our community was well represented amid the hundreds who showed up (ABC 7’s estimate) at last night’s “Neighborhood Workshop” to oppose the proposed Recycling Center project near the Celery Fields.
>200 people last night at the Neighborhood Workshop for a proposed Recycling Center @ Palmer Blvd & Apex Road in #SRQ #CeleryFieldsDump pic.twitter.com/o6YAZYvh5K
— David G. Johnson (@TheDavidJohnson) January 31, 2017
But this is only the beginning of the fight to prevent this project from being built. As of last night, the developer, Mr. James Gabbert of TST Ventures, LLC, has not yet formally applied for the property’s rezoning from OUR (“Open Use Rural”) to ILW (“Industrial, Light Manufacturing, Warehouse”), nor for the Special Exception which would be required to develop a Recycling Center on the parcel.
But Mr. Gabbert and his representative, Mr. Bo Medred of Genesis Planning, through their presentation and their responses during the subsequent Q&A session, indicated their commitment to filing the necessary applications and seeing the process through to its conclusion. This process will likely take months, and at some point in the future a hearing will be scheduled before the Sarasota County Planning Commission, at which time a decision will be made about whether or not to recommend that the Sarasota County Commissioners approve the petitions.
Restaurant Depot Public Hearing This Thursday, February 2nd, 6:30PM
In the meantime, the Sarasota County Planning Commission will hear conduct a public hearing this Thursday on a separate project which is already much further along in the process: Rezone Petition 16-33, for the proposed “Restaurant Depot” on the northwest corner of Palmer Boulevard & Apex Road.
Since this is a formal public hearing, and not a Neighborhood Workshop, comments from residents who attend will be much more likely to have an impact. Please consider attending this meeting.
You can see all the details of this Rezone Petition here.
Where: Sarasota County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota (Map)
When: Thursday, February 2nd, 6:30pm
What: Public Hearing
The original content of this post appears below:
Your attendance at Monday’s “Neighborhood Workshop” can make a difference!
Where: Church of Hope, 1560 Wendell Kent Rd, Sarasota, FL 34240 (Map)
When: Monday, January 30, 2017, 6pm
What: Public Meeting
In case you aren’t aware, a developer has already begun construction on a “Waste Transfer Station” at the corner of Porter Road & Palmer Boulevard, less than a mile west of Meadow Walk.
In addition, however, they have applied for a “Special Exception” in the zoning of that property and an adjacent chunk of land. This exception, if granted by the Sarasota County Planning Commission, would allow them to construct a 16-acre Recycling Center.
Documents filed with the planning commission indicate that waste will be piled as high as 35 feet, and reports from members of the Meadow Walk HOA Board who were in attendance at a recent similar meeting indicated that the developer plans to build an 8-foot-high wall to obscure the waste from view. Of course, this means that only the bottom 8 feet of the 35-foot high piles of debris will be blocked from view.
In addition to being an eyesore, this project will, if approved, bring with it as many as 75 trucks per day hauling construction waste and other debris to and from this property. You can imagine the traffic from this, as well as the noise, the odors, and the threat to our property values that this project represents.
This includes an undetermined number of dump trucks and landscaping trucks bringing in debris daily, resulting in approximately a dozen semi-trucks hauling away debris every day. They will have dump trucks, loaders/backhoes/tractors with claws and equipment to break up large pieces of concrete, trees limbs, and other debris.
They can call it what they want but it is a dump that will be unsightly, noisy, and will certainly have a negative effect on all of our property values.
Your attendance at this meeting can help our voices be heard!
This meeting takes place tomorrow (Monday, January 30th) at Church of Hope. Please join your fellow Meadow Walk homeowners as we speak up to prevent this project from being approved.
Note: A huge “thank you” to Sharon Stringer & Gary Walsh from the Meadow Walk HOA Board of Directors for representing us at the last neighborhood workshop about this project. Their reports contributed to the substance of this post. We hope you’ll let your voice be heard at this meeting also!
Proposed Changes That May Affect Your Property
Tonight, 2 separate meetings will be held locally to discuss potential zoning changes that may have an impact on your property value and quality of life here in Meadow Walk.
Proposed Recycling Center Scheduled for Monday, Jan., 30th @6:00pm
A developer has proposed a plan to develop a recycling center at the corner of Palmer Boulevard & Porter Road. This is less than one mile away from our community, due west of the Meadow Walk main entrance. Apparently, this parcel is already approved to be developed into a waste transfer station, and the developer, TST Ventures, LLC, hopes to modify the parcel’s zoning so that the recycling center can be developed there as well.
Would a waste transfer station & recycling center be good for our neighborhood?
As you might imagine, a waste transfer station & recycling center may bring with it smells and noise which are guaranteed to not be appealing. Since our community is the one closest to this center, it behooves us to be actively involved in the discussion.
Monday, Jan., 30th meeting takes place at 6pm at the Church of Hope.
The address is 1560 Wendell Kent Rd, Sarasota, FL 34240 (Click here for a Google map)
You can see the information filed by the developer here.
It should be noted that TST Ventures, LLC has previously attempted to develop a similar project on a different parcel at 700 Cattlemen Road, and was unsuccessful.
Proposed Restaurant Depot
The other meeting that takes place this evening is a “Neighborhood Workshop” to discuss a zoning change at Palmer Boulevard and Apex Road. The change is being requested by a developer who proposes to build a “Restaurant Depot” on the northwest corner of that intersection.
This meeting takes place at 6pm at Tatum Ridge Elementary School.
Check out the information filed by the developer here.
If you have questions or comments about these meetings, let’s have a discussion on Facebook.
