Sea Pines Tidings
Vera Fields, Editor
OCTOBER, 1982 - BREWSTER, MASSACHUSSETS - VOLUME VIII
"Jetzts gehts los" - translated that means "now here goes" - Page 1. The highlight of my summer was my bicycle trip through parts of Germany, Switzerland and the Alsac region of France back to Heidelberg and "trink, trink, bruderlein trink!" It was a huge first for me, and to my amazement, 30-40 miles a day was done with ease in spite of the 90 degree heat (but no rain), 5 mile uphill climbs sweating all the way but oh those cooling downhills whizzing along hoping your brakes don't fade or the wheels get too hot. The trip was an exhilarating experience, a challenge, a never-to-be forgotten chance to meet folks. How easy it is to chat with people when in their country on a bicycle! Folks were so eager to stop and chat and share their wine (even though the tongue was hanging out for a plain glass of tap water. By noon the water in the carafe tasted like dried rubber). What fun to sample the wine in the French wineries and then clink down the mountain road with wine bottles in the bike bag. Oh! Those Konditeries (bakeries) - they sure do your diet in, but what a disappointment when five miles down the road the lovely fruity cake concoction has dissipated into a juicy mess all over the bike bag! Tasted good anyway. Shopping for lunch in small town Lebensmittelschafts (grocery stores) - 4 slices of "kase" (cheese) and "ein stuck schinken bitte und ein brotchen." Then to find a cool spot in the middle of the town near a fountain (each town has one plus a church). After a long ride up that challenging mountain - the castle built in 800 A.D. (and. we think we have antique houses here?) The accompanying view just takes the breath away (what's left of it after cycling up that darn mountain). What a disappointment going uphill and you find, you are in the lowest gear and there just ain't no more so you just pedal harder or walk (just as painful to the calf muscles). But! What a glorious feeling to jump in the local town pool for a cold (and I mean cold) swim. How the beer and song flowed at the Schloss fests (castle festivals) with the town bedecked in flags.
Back to earth - Sea Pines is quiet now the fall colors are just coming into their own on the Cape. Soon it will be winter again with cold winds from the northwest and the accompanying frigid beauty. Folks are leaving for Florida and the holidays are coming. Golly! Where did summer go?
Time to think of holiday cards - $5.25 for 25 cards. They are the picture taken by our own Deane Keuch of our beach stairs during a dilly of a snowstorm. Please call me if you want your cards - keep trying. Have a healthy winter and a happy one! See you New Year's Eve?!
Vera Fields, Editor
John Lobingier, Chairman
Facilities Management Board
A quick review on how Sea Pines runs: Thanks to a developer's wisdom, our 151 homes are divided into four autonomous condominiums (Phases). Each condominium has its own board of 7 members, elected by owners, customarily at the annual meeting the end of May. Last year, by near-unanimous vote of owners in each condominium, it was voted to work together in a form of confederation, with a common budget for maintenance and governance of the whole. This simply formalized the way the Phases had been working together from the beginning. An overall Facilities Management Board was authorized with 12 members-three appointed by the Board of each condominium.
Now for some current issues to consider. During the course of summer, owners (informally and otherwise) raised pertinent questions about the quality of operations at Sea Pines. Here are two questions which may be of special interest to "Tiding" readers:
Question 1: How come permanent residents dominate all Boards? There are more second-homers here by far - how can their concerns be heard and represented?
Comment: Yes - Sea Pines is a second home for 75% of owners. And yes, second-homers hold 40% of seats on the four Phase Boards. Only one member of the Facilities Management Board is a second-homer.
It is not hard to see how this comes about. Voting owners tend to elect individuals who are at Sea Pines most of the time. I suppose this is because those individuals are, most likely, able to attend monthly meetings and accept assignments. From the standpoint of Board operations: No Board can function effectively if there are frequent doubts as to whether a quorum will be present.
All this notwithstanding, interested owners of all stripes will always be welcome additions to our governing Boards - and to our working committees. (It is significant that six of our key Committee Chairman this year are second- homers). The door swings open at the individual phase level. If you are interested in serving on your Phase board, or on a working committee, or if you wish to put someone else in nomination - LET YOUR PHASE PRESIDENT KNOW! This is the best way to help nominating committees identify concerned homeowners (second or first!) who may be willing to serve Sea Pines.
Meanwhile - are the concerns of second-homers really much different from the concerns of first-homers? As residents of a "town-in-miniature" - aren't we all concerned with making this a top-notch place to live for all generations and families of all sizes? To this end, I assure every homeowner that members of the present Facilities Management Board will continue to make decisions based - not on the whims of parochial constituencies - but on what Board members believe to be in the best interests of the Sea Pines community as a whole.
Question 2: Of course it is a big job to maintain all of the grounds and amenities throughout Sea Pines, especially during the summer. But, how come there are so many little things poorly or seldom maintained - for example, weeding, pruning, care of courtyards and out of the way areas, sweeping walks, keeping our Clubhouse clean?
Comment: Your hardworking Grounds Committee and Managing Agent would be the first to admit we have not yet achieved perfection in the care of common areas. On their behalf, however, I must express an opinion voiced by many homeowners that summer 1982 saw the best level to date of grounds maintenance overall. But - is this level yet good enough?
This summer there were 3 members on our grounds crew. Also a lifeguard who doubled as daily cleaner of the clubhouse. From now until next spring, we will try to maintain Sea Pines with 2 men on the job. Time-consuming mowing and watering are out of the way, so there will be opportunity to rake, prune, and handle countless jobs for which there never seems to be time in the summer. Incidentally, one of the big time-consumers for maintenance people in summer is responding to requests of owners. This is fine, as long as requests are reasonable. But attending to each and every one takes time away from regular maintenance.
Perhaps our questioners are thinking about "the finishing touches". Granted, the basic work is being done, but there are precious few extras. If owners really want these finishing touches, here are two choices: (1) Encourage more owner participation in work around units and at focal points in the common area (2) hire a fourth groundskeeper next summer. It comes down to what level of maintenance owners desire and are willing to pay for.
OWNER COMMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED ON POINTS DISCUSSED HERE OR ON OTHER MATTERS OF COMMON CONCERN.
REMINDER: The Facilities Management Board will continue to conduct "office hours" into the Fall. For owners who may have matters to discuss with Board members, here are the dates: Saturdays: September 18, October 16, November 20, Time: 11am to Noon. CLUBHOUSE CARDROOM.
A thousand hurrahs to our Social Hour Committee - Alice MacDonald and Marg Lobingier - something new was added this summer. In order for summer folk to also enjoy our parties, they hosted 2 parties during the summer - the end of June and the end of July. Of course, the summer ended with our annual "Hello-Goodbye" party on Labor Day weekend!
It's that time again to seek and search for hosts and hostesses for our weekly Social Hour, so if you can handle a weekend - don't hesitate to sign up on the calendar on the Bulletin Board. Remember - if no one is entered on a particular weekend as host - come anyway with your own munchies and of course BYOB. Thanks again Marg and Alice - and we look forward to a convivial winter!
...not to be forgotten for Auld Lang Syne...it's that time again to think about New Year's Eve and who can host/hostess. As you know, everyone brings a snack or dessert. There is a "procedure book" to assist you - and just a reminder - there will be chairs strategically placed so it won't be a 3 hour "standing marathon"! Volunteers anybody???
- Saturday, October 9 - Thank you party for retiring President George Malone
- Saturday, October 30 - FMB Board meeting 8:30am
- Saturday, October 30 - Social Hour - HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY 5:30pm
- Saturday, November 27 - FMB Board meeting - Budget 8:30am
- Saturday, December 11 - Annual Holiday Party - Clubhouse & tree decorating
- Friday, December 31 - NEW YEAR'S EVE 9pm
Reminder: Time again to purchase Sea Pines holiday greeting cards - see page 4
FIRE!! The Brewster Fire Department has advised us that smoke detectors must be installed in all cluster homes. We will have a survey made of Clusters 1 through 9 and will obtain prices on the work required. The homes in Phases 3 and 4 were constructed at a time when smoke detectors were required by law and thus require no change. A home cannot be sold today unless it is equipped with a smoke detector on each level (basement to attic). Some units in Cluster 1-9 have already been equipped with smoke detectors. After the survey is completed, we will advise those owners needing to comply with this law.
Painting: We have already painted 32 homes this summer and now intend to begin painting the front doors and storm doors of these units. Your Facilities Management Board has approved a new contract to paint 59 units in Phase 4 this fall, taking advantage of the tight labor market and material costs that should save thousands of dollars by having the work done this fall instead of in the spring. The plan is to begin work at the water front and work back from this weather-sensitive area toward the more sheltered areas. Dunes, Bluff, Overlook and Knoll are included in this group of 59 units.
The chimney contractor was selected because the Dry-vit manufacturing company will guarantee their product as applied by him. His work will be completed when Cluster #4 has been done and the two worst chimneys in Cluster #8 are finished. Capping is done by a separate contractor.
This season we have had far more repair work going on and more sub-contractors working simultaneously than in previous years. We regret the inconvenience and disruption caused by having to tackle so many much-needed projects at one time.
Nothing seemed to cooperate with our efforts this year! (Murphy's Law). We had breakdown after breakdown of equipment; days off for illness; new manpower and weather - all conspiring against the achievement of the level of operation we would expect to deliver! Catch-up and adjustments are in process - hopefully to improve that level of operation.
Scott Jordan, CMA Managing Agent
It's that time of year again when some of us close up shop. Don't forget all the good precautions you took last year to secure your unit:
- Are windows and doors secured with metal or wooden dowels? Are screws in place to prevent windows and sliders from being lifted out?
- If valuables (bicycles) are stored in your garage, are the windows, if any, curtained?
The single most important safety item, besides smoke detectors, that you can own is a FIRE EXTINGUISHER. Every unit should have one. The best place to store your fire extinguisher is in the kitchen area since that is where 90% of all fires start. If you presently own one, be sure to check the gauge to see if it is maintaining the proper pressure.
Shortly, your Facilities Management Board will be working on the 1983 budget, and one thing that will be discussed is an appropriation for outside guards at Sea Pines. Areas for consideration are: (1) Front Gate house control (2) Beach path (3) Roving guards. It will help if you would make your wishes known to your Phase President and Board members. Remember - everything costs money.
New auto decals will be issued at the annual May meeting in 1983. These decals will be of a different color and should be affixed to the front LEFT SIDE BUMPER (driver's side) in preparation for possible front gate checking. More about this later on.
Bob Sheils, Security
A Super Sailing Sunday in 1982! The annual Fourth of July Boat races were held on schedule in spite of a blustery northwest wind, and we now have a new champion. Grant Wilson won all 3 heats to earn the first place prizes provided by the Sea Pines Yacht Club Commodore and Race Committee. Second and third place prizes were won by the Kane-Wolfe boat and Bob Grogan. Other contestants who braved the mighty north winds on this challenging day were: Jack Cartier, Judge Goldblatt and Deane Keuch. Our thanks to Peter and Beth Hayes for motoring back and forth over the bay making our race course, starting each heat and controlling the finish line.
The combination of the colorful sails in the background, and the mingling of good friends and neighbors made this another wonderful day. We think this is what Sea Pines is all about!
Captain Jack Cartier
It didn't rain on our parade - an idea borne at the Angelo checkout counter on Friday night as the Stukas' and Lynn Malone paid for groceries resulted in another first at Sea Pines. July 4th Sea Pines had its own Fourth of July parade - the only requirement being for entry was a decorated bicycle. Two groups participated - 6 months to 12 years and 12 1/2 to 21+. The flotilla started at the Clubhouse and rode through each Phase, cheered on by friends lining the lanes, to the melody of Stars and Stripes Forever!
Back at the Clubhouse, Fran and George Malone cut and served watermelon to thirsty participants of the parade, and Judges Liz Antonez, Nancy Donnelly and Rosemarie Stukas awarded prizes to the best. Everyone won! Prizes consisted of gift certificates for ice cream and pizza! As this probably will be an annual event - start thinking for decoration for next year's parade.
- Eloise and Proctor Houghton, Newton, Massachusetts (B6)
- Gordon and Prances Shaver, Valley View, Pennsylvania, renting K12
REMINDER The weather is turning cold - when you leave your garage door open, it's an open invitation to little furry critters who are looking for a warm home for the long cold winter. These little guys are also hungry critters, so be sure trash shed doors are closed tight.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST- welcome to Charles and Betty Phillips who are now permanent year residents. Yahoo! Texas' loss is our gain!
CHRISTMAS GLOW Our Christmas tree will be aglow again - The Friday after Thanksgiving is the big day and again Joe Stukas is to be thanked ... plus his elves! It will be nice to come home each evening and see its merry twinkling lights - a warm welcome to the weary wanderer, worker and wayfarer.
MORE GLOW Sea Pines will hold its fifth annual Christmas Tree Decorating A party on December 11 weekend. Thanks again to Ed and Marjorie Fearns for the use of their lovely tree. It's fun to see the home-made decorations reappear as well as old and new friends. A hearty party!
LET'S SPREAD THE GLOW Hopefully everyone has seen the sample holiday card now available for purchase. The scene is Deane Keuch's fantastic photograph of our own beach stairs during the height of a wailing snowstorm. It has reproduced into a lovely holiday card, even more meaningful because it's "our stairs". The cards are packaged 25 to a package and cost $5.25. This is a Special Events function being done as a fun thing - not for profit. If you want your package, please call me, Vera Fields at home (896-7643) or at the office (945-3949). Keep trying!
AND MORE HOLIDAY GLOW Sea Pines New Year's Eve Party, at 9pm at the Clubhouse. Come join us!
Dutch Treat Plan:
- Bring your own bottle.
- If your last name falls "A" thru "K", bring hors d'oeuvres to go with drinks.
- If your last name falls "L" thru "Z", bring a dessert to go with coffee.
HELP WANTED: Needed for New Year's Eve. Host and/or Hostesses. Procedure book available. Plenty of seats will be strategically placed at the Clubhouse on New Years' Eve. HELP! Call Alice MacDonald or Marg Lobingier.
FLOWERS Usually you send flowers to someone to thank them for something, or as a gift or remembrance. But in Sea Pines Helen Childs and Florence Tomlinson are "giving" us flowers - their loving maintenance of the flower beds at our Club house and the entry to Sea Pines are a joy to see each time we drive in! The flower beds around their own homes are wondrous to see and we appreciate their extension of their own pride and beauty to our common areas.
GROUNDS AND MAINTERANCE Those folks who do additional plantings and landscaping are to be thanked for further beautifying our area - but a reminder that if you have done such extra plantings or landscaping (with permission from the FMB), either directly in the area of your unit or in any of the common areas, it is then your responsibility to maintain/weed such area. Because of the large amount of maintenance required and with only 2 men available to do the work (not to mention the many repair jobs that had to be done this summer), every extra pair of hands is greatly appreciated to tackle the small jobs.
Didja know that every time our trash collector removes a large item being discarded (i.e. a mattress), an additional bill for such collection is submitted to our Managing Agent? At the same time - trash sheds are just that - trash sheds, and should not be used at any time for the storage of items (i.e. mattresses, bicycles). How is the trash collector to know which is storage and which is being discarded?? Will you also please be sure there is a plastic liner in the trash can before you toss your trash inside.
ROUND THE PINES
This should be named "Round the World" as Sea Piners continue to traipse all over the place! Taking the places visited alphabetically: Aegean Sea - Doris Welsh enjoyed a cruise; Alaska - Hubie and Barbara Kelley and Frank and Betty Pease toured the other side of our Continent; Chatham - Fred and Jackie Nichols managed to escape Grounds and Maintenance for a day off; Connecticut, Maryland, Georgia and Florida - Jake and Kate Antonez tootled on down to these places to visit their children; England - Traveling via Toronto, Bill and Marion Buchanan toured England; Germany, Switzerland and France saw Vera Fields bicycling up and down the back roads; Madeira off the coast of Lisbon was visited by Yvonne Backus enjoying a music festival; Maine saw our own Judge Goldblatt enjoying a reunion with Marine Corps buddies; New Hampshire and the foliage was thoroughly enjoyed by Lovell and Jan Smith, Rosemarie and Joe Stukas, Vera Fields and Betty and Charles Phillips (not to mention the good eating); New Jersey again revisited by Vera Fields attending the dedication ceremony and awarding of a plaque (to be hung in the River Edge elementary schools) commemorating the completion of extensive renovation work to the schools. Groundwork for the bond issue and planning began while Vera was a member of the Board of Education in River Edge back in 1977. Texas saw our Polly Grohe and Wales was the place where Gene and Emily Goll attended a Parish Exchange. Congratulations to Vera's son Wayne Fields on the attainment of a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Also to Fred and Jackie Nichols on the birth of a new grandson in August and a granddaughter in September. They now have 8 grandchildren!! Ray Pike was the first to swim in the Bay on May 16. Brrrr!!
TENNIS Responding to a consensus for a more social tennis tournament format, the July 4 games this year took the form of a rotating mixed double "Round Robin" competition. Excellent weather allowed for 3 hours of continuous tennis as players changed partners after each round. Margaret Morgan and Deane Keuch individually each won the most games.