PORTSMITH NEWS

Update from the President of Portsmith COA

Dear Community Members,

On January 27, 2025, I was appointed as the President of Portsmith COA. And in my introductory letter

that was posted at that time and in the first podcast on the website, I made some commitments to you.

Those commitments are summarized and highlighted below, with updates on what has occurred in the

past two months.

Community Engagement

We are required by Florida state statute to meet as a board at least 4 times per year, but our plan is to meet every month from January to May, and September to December. We are also required to have an annual meeting where we can engage residents who feel led to be active participants. At the annual meeting this year we had over 60 people in attendance. At the first monthly meeting we had 29 people in attendance. And at our March meeting, the number went back to where it is traditionally, around 14 residents. We will be recording the attendance in future meetings so that we can track our progress in attracting more residents to be actively engaged. If we are successful in our endeavor, we hope to see you there, on the third Tuesday of each month. The meetings are held at the 2020 Building, in the North Forum room. My goal is to attract more people to the meetings and to keep them informed through multiple communications. We are considering a monthly newsletter that will be less formal and more informative than your typical monthly meeting minutes. (Although the minutes are where the formal business transactions are documented). The newsletter will have a lighter feel to it, where you can find information about what is going on in the neighborhood. More to come on this in future months. I plan to provide an update to the Presidents letter every other month so that you see and read something new and a have reason to come to the website. Most people see Dave Barrett, our Landscape POC, out and about. And he is our face in the community as he plans, trims, cuts and plants. He is the active voice with our 2025 Landscape contractors, “Down to Earth”. When you see Dave, tell him hello, and let him know what issues most are effecting you, and if possible, give him a hand when he’s working in your area. He goes above and beyond all Landscape POC’s and we are blessed to have him in that position

.

Infrastructure and Maintenance

Our infrastructure consists of mainly irrigation lines, and our common elements. It is essential that these

are functioning adequately to keep our community looking fresh. This year, Gary Brian has taken on the role of Irrigation POC and he will be active in working directly with the Portsmith Master Association irrigation team that is taking over from the contractors who maintained our community previously. But Gary only has two eyes, and he will need active input from our residents who see what directly affects them. If you see something wrong with your irrigation system, you should

contact Gary. He will continue to use the UPKEEP irrigation software to report and track irrigation issues. His contact information and all the board contact information are on the community bulletin board. I continue to be the Building/Architecture POC, and try to keep up with all of the building maintenance issues. We track each project on a spreadsheet and report on those issues logged within our community. Tracking the projects helps us to determine if we are seeing repeat issues that occur so that we can focus on fixing them permanently. As with irrigation, we need extra eyes to help us find and fix the problems. If you have the gift of being able to solve problems related to building issues, feel free to join the BuildingCommittee by contacting me, or better yet, come to the monthly meeting and volunteer. This year, Dennis Douglas is continuing his role of Critter POC. Dennis is the contact person if you are having any issues with Critters such as armadillos, racoons, etc. It is essential for us to track the activity so anytime you have an issue be sure to contact Dennis so he can log the date and time of activity. It is helpful to determine patterns of activity so that we can be more proactive. In past years, the Federation has contracted for restoration companies to be on call during a disaster event or any issue regarding home or community restoration. This year, it is now the responsibility of each individual COA board to develop that relationship with a Restoration Company. We are actively working on that plan now, before the storm season is upon us. We are also in the process, through our Hurricane Committee, of establishing a disaster preparedness plan that will help us to be ready for storms should they come.

Financial Responsibility

Fiscal responsibility is crucial for the sustainability of our community. I am committed to transparent financial practices and prudent management of our resources. By carefully planning and budgeting, we can ensure that our community remains financially stable and able to meet future needs. This year we are blessed in having two financial wizards on our board. Doug Yingling, Treasurer for the past 5 years, is continuing through this year but will be retiring at the end of his term of 2025. Doug has navigated through some tough times including the ability to secure loans for the roof replacements in 2019-2021. In addition, this year, Elaine Curtis, our current Secretary, is agreeing to step up to the plate to work with Doug to learn the financial workings of the Portsmith COA. Elaine has an extensive financial and education background working for a major corporation during her career. If all goes according to plan, Elaine will step into the Treasurer role in 2026. Both directors above are looking into maintaining the financial stability of the COA. I look forward to working with them to meet our goals

.

Safety and Security

Even though we are living in our own condo unit, it is essential that we look out for one another. I encourage everyone to meet your neighbor and talk to them when you are out and about. Join in on our social activities so you get to know more people in your neighborhood. Our latest Rules and Regulations, dated 3/18/2025, have been amended to include guidelines on use of Security devices such as Outdoor light/camera combinations, Doorbell cameras, and Garage Door Opener cameras. Review those guidelines and if you have a device, use it wisely. Along with safety and security, it can affect your privacy. Talk with your neighbor about how you will use your device, and share how you are protecting their privacy, while you are improving your security.

Community Events and Activities

Building a sense of camaraderie and enjoyment through community events and activities is essential. This year to date, we have had the Soup and Chili Social with over 50 participants. The social committee has rescheduled the Happy Hour Social Event. It was rescheduled to a Thursday to allow more folks to be participants. Follow the activities on our website, http://www.portsmithcoa.com. Communication affective communication is key to our success. I will strive to keep all members informed about important updates, meetings, and events through regular newsletters, emails, and our community website (https://portsmithcoa.com/). I am also open to feedback and suggestions for improving our communication channels. Thanks to Gary Brian, our Website and Communications Director, for keeping the COA information flowing in our on-line format. As we embark on this journey together, I am confident that, with your support and cooperation, we can achieve great things. I am here to listen, to lead, and to work alongside you in making our community the best it can be. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President. I look forward to meeting you, working with you, and celebrating our successes together.

Warm regards,

,

John Petruch

President

Portsmith Condominium Owners Association (COA)

Kings Point, Sun City Center, Florida