January 21, 2013 - MondaySan Marco Board President Bob Carlson has sent an email to residents proposing a San Marco Newsletter which would contain items of interest to residents. He has asked that you respond to him my email by Friday, January 25, 2013 so that he can determine the level of interest and to get approval to add your email address to the newsletter distribution list.If you did not receive an email from Bob on the subject but would like to add your email address (to be kept confidential) to the subscriber list, call or email Bob and let him know of your interest and that you approve his limited use of your email address when he distributes the San Marco Newsletter.

September 29, 2012 - Saturday North Trail planning has been moving along, and there is an informative article about roundabouts being planned for locations on Tamiami Trail in proximity to San Marco HERE.Bids are being received for an upgrade to the building security system (cameras, DVR). Bids are also being solicited to waterproof, reseal, and paint the building. 

August 12, 2012 - SundayThe security code for the keypads located outside the garage doors has been changed as a security update. If you have not been informed of the new code by email and have occasion to use the keypads (your vehicle garage door remote control will continue to work), please contact the Manager or another unit owner who can give the garage door code to you.

July 2, 2012 - Monday  Patio Umbrellas - New umbrellas have been purchased for the Plaza Deck. The original umbrellas have become faded and mechanical problems cannot be repaired. The new umbrellas will be installed after the Pool and Plaza Decks have been pressure washed and sealed. This may be delayed because of the heavy rains and winds that have affected the Sarasota area.   Installation of the Entry Control System continues. Since the system does not have an internal battery backup (but all memory contents and settings are preserved during power failures), the Association has purchased an Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) for the Entry Control System, enabling it to operate during short power outages. The UPS has a rechargeable battery that gets continuously charged, and if power fails the system automatically generates 115 VAC power to sustain the Entry System for as long at the backup battery has sufficient charge. This UPS unit is similar to the one recently installed for the Pool Heater (see June 9, 2012 item "New Pool Heater Fail-Safe") 

June 9, 2012 - Saturday    New Pool Heater Fail-Safe - The pool heater was damaged severely during an area power failure a couple of months ago and it had to be replaced. The problem was that when the power failed, the pool pump and the water heater shut down immediately, stopping the flow of water through the heater heat exchanger core. The exchanger is heated by natural gas and raises the temperature of the pool water as it returns to the pool. With the super-hot water stuck inside the heat exchanger core when the pool pump stopped, there was a temperature-related failure of important system components, putting the heater out of operation.     There is a cooling fan inside the heater that cools the internal electronics and the heat exchanger if the pool pump stops while the heater is running. Thankfully, there is a automatic system that turns off the natural gas if water stops flowing through the heater. But with a total power failure, the cooling fan will have also stopped running, resulting in a unacceptable heat problem inside the heater, causing it to fail.    We have a new heater now, but to guard against another power failure we have been considering the use of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) (typically used to provide immediate sustaining power to a

computer to allow it to shut down gracefully) to give the pool heater a fighting chance if and when the power goes out.    Maintenance Manager Sean McDonald researched the matter and has installed a low cost (under $100) UPS Unit in the pool equipment room so that in the event of a power failure it will continue to provide AC power to the heater, enabling the fan to continue to cool the heat exchanger coils, preventing a meltdown. The UPS has an internal storage battery that is kept charged by AC power when the UPS is not needed to take over. If power fails, within microseconds the UPS senses the lack of AC power and immediately generates substitute AC power to the heater until the power is restored, or until the UPS internal battery is discharged. Since the fan is able to cool the heater interior in less than 10 minutes, and the battery has a greater capacity, the UPS should significantly reduce the likelihood of another pool heater meltdown. 

April 19, 2012 - ThursdaySan Marco Association Board Secretary Bob Carlson attended a public meeting yesterday to learn of the proposed plans to modify Tamiami Trail between 10th and 14th Streets, to include roundabouts. Here is his informative summary:

Yesterday at the City Hall Annex, a cabal of highway technicians shared with us an overall image of the conceptual plans to build traffic circles at 10th and 14th Streets and road modifications in between.  Also attending this meeting was two reps from Broadway Promenade and five from SM.  It was basically a Q&A session.  We observed a large map of the corridor with proposed modifications.  A couple of observations worth noting:1.       It is estimated that it will take 4 years to complete the planning process before construction.2.       Construction will take 2 years.3.       The City Commission meets June 4th to discuss this project and we are welcome to attend and express our views.4.       For more info on this project visit: www.us41roundabouts.com. 5.       Estimated daily traffic flow on 41 is 36,000-40,000 vehicles.6.       It appears the extra land needed to widen 41 to accommodate bike lanes and roundabouts will come from the Westside of 41 will not reduce the sidewalk space in front of SM.7.       Traffic should be slowed to 40 mph or less (less more likely) and 22 mph around the roundabouts.8.       Pedestrian crossings at roundabouts will have traffic lights for stopping traffic and permitting a safe crossing by walkers and bikers. If you have additional questions, let me know but the website helps visualize the landscaping and general layout. Bob Carlson

March 25, 2012 - Sunday    Several months ago there was an incident involving graffiti on the rear of the trash corral fence in the Visitor Lot. It was quickly obliterated and there has not been a repeat. However, the dense vegetation behind the trash corral and the area along the pathway in Pioneer Park is probably a draw to "urban campers" who might see it as a pleasant and safe place to rest or bed down.   To prevent further problems, the Association has installed an inexpensive tracking flood light on an elevated pole attached to the rear of the corral. It senses motion in the area behind the corral and turns on a flood light, and then automatically turns the light to follow the source of the motion as it moves, keeping it illuminated. In most cases, this is enough to dissuade an interloper, vandal, or tagger to move on.   We also plan to test a revised version of the tracking light along the garage fence line. This inexpensive unit will illuminate and capture video of any source of motion detected along the outside of the fence. If this proves successful, two or three lights could keep watch over the entire fence at night. 

March 1, 2012 - Thursday

   The Association has amicably ended its association with Liliana's Cleaning Service, who has performed janitorial services for San Marco since the building was opened. Starting today janitorial is being performed by Centaurus Services. We wish Guido Giron all the best in his next assignment.

February 3, 2012 - Friday     New Pool Heater - The new pool heater has been installed, and a new and more efficient exhaust system was also installed by our Maintenance Manager to speed the removal of chemical fumes and moisture in the pool equipment room, both of which tend to corrode the heater parts.    Concrete Repair - Next week one of the raised concrete entry pads in front of a commercial office along Tamiami Trail will be demolished and replaced. The pad had shifted and was preventing the door from operating properly.    Garage Painting and Sealing - The Board will consider adding an item to the Capital Improvements list that involves sealing and painting the inside walls of the garage. The raw concrete block tends to collect dirt and dust and harbor insects. In addition, the sealing would smooth out the surface, and the tinted sealer and finish coat would produce a more easily maintained, appealing, and practical surface. The new initiative would be in competition with other anticipated Capital Improvements, and based on its priority for funding, may not be approved or implemented immediately.    Service Elevator  -  Some residents with dogs who use the Service Elevator to exit the building and walk their pets after dark have been concerned about waiting for the Service Elevator to return to the ground level after they press the Call button. Since the Service Elevator is adjacent to the Visitor Parking Lot and to Pioneer Park, it is desirable that the wait time for that elevator, particularly after dark, be kept to a minimum.     As a result, the Service elevator program has been modified by Otis Elevator so that the car automatically returns to the ground floor after each trip to an upper floor, similar to the procedure followed by the Passenger Elevator. Now returning owners and their pets will be able to enter the elevator car immediately, without waiting for the elevator in an exposed area after dark.

January 18, 2012 - Wednesday   At yesterday's meeting the Board of Directors approved the purchase of a new pool heater. The existing heater has been chronically unreliable and is no longer operational. The new unit will be a more reliable design and better suited for the confines of the enclosed pool heater room.    The Manager will arrange a session with vendors who submitted proposals for the replacement of the existing DVR/Camera and Entry Control systems. Board members and interested owners can interact with the vendors and hear their proposals for the new systems. Both systems are in need of upgrade, and the new entry control system will probably use small proximity key fobs rather than digital keypads to unlock common area entry doors. The date and place of the session will be posted when it has been arranged.

January 2, 2012 - Monday   Mark Your Calendar: Artist Reception -  "With an Eye on Art "      San Marco's own professional mixed media artist in residence, Jill Krasner, will be holding a "meet the artist" reception on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 7 PM at the Players Theatre, 838 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.      This will be a great opportunity see examples of Jill's work and to show support for one of our talented San Marco neighbors. 

November 18, 2011 - Friday    New Quarterly Assessments - The Board of Directors approved the 2012 condominium budget, which means that your quarterly maintenance obligation will have changed slightly from this year's amount.    If you have an automatic debit program set up with your bank, please be sure to change the amount that gets debited before the payment is automatically made in late December. Otherwise, if you continue

to pay the 2011 quarterly assessment fee your account will be in arrears and subject to the usual mandatory administrative machinations that can involve fines and interest.    If you pay your quarterly assessment by check, using the payment coupon booklet you will receive from Florida Shores Bank in December, the correct amount for your apartment will be indicated on each of the four 2012 quarterly invoices.    New owners are encouraged to check with their bank if they have recently set up an automatic debit program for the payment of their quarterly assessments to make sure that the payment will actually be made within the first ten days of each quarter. Checking with the Manager a few days after the start of a quarter the first time a new debit program has been initiated to make sure the Association has received your payment on time is highly recommended.

November 12, 2011  Saturday       Pioneer Park Sewer Line Repairs  Several months ago, a sewer line just outside the San Marco property line in Pioneer Park became clogged, and sewage backed up into the storm drain near the South garage entrance. Sarasota sewer department workers were called, and they opened the blockage in the sewer line. What actually happened was that the sewer pipe had been damaged, probably during original site construction, so that it eventually caved in and caused the backup. While the rubble was cleared from within the pipe and flow was restored, there was still a need to permanently repair the pipe at the spot where it had been crushed.     The other night at about 9, an army of large  equipment trucks arrived unexpectedly in the parking lot, and along Tamiami Trail.      City contractors began working on a permanent fix, which involved internal repair of the broken pipe section, probably with a stent-like sheath so  the original dimensions of the pipe were restored. Their work completed, they were gone in a couple of hours.

November 4, 2011 - FridayRoof Walkway Pads - Work has begun on installation of the roof walkway pads that were not installed when the building was constructed. The pads were the subject of a defect claim, and when it was settled this year, funds were allocated to purchase and install the missing pads. The roof surface tends to become abraded from heavy foot traffic, and since air conditioning technicians need to service apartment compressors, heavily trafficked areas on the roof have lost much of the granular material that helps to prevent abrasive damage. The new pads are being installed in natural traffic areas, particularly adjacent to air conditioner compressors and the two roof access doors.

November 2, 2011 - Wednesday   Exercise Room Cable Television  - Today Comcast installed a digital converter box on the exercise room TV so that it can again receive basic news and information channels like CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Discover, etc. With the changeover to all digital in Sarasota, the TV could no longer display most of the desired channels and needed a service level upgrade and the installation of a new digital converter box.

October 29, 2011 - Saturday   New Chaise Lounge Slings   The chaise lounges on the pool and plaza decks have become faded, and in some cases, ripped and worn. The Association is installing new slings on the twelve chaise lounges. The sling material was ordered from a third-party vendor at considerable savings over replacement slings offered by Tropitone, the manufacturer of the pool furniture. Installation of the new slings is being handled by our Maintenance Manager.   The new covers (see photo) have a color and pattern that is slightly darker and more dramatic than the originals, but consistent with the general colors of the pool and plaza deck areas.

August 17, 2011 - Wednesday Maintenance - Pressure washing of the building has been completed. The exterior facade, all patios and balconies, walkways, the pool and Plaza decks, garage, stairways, parking lot, and sidewalks have all been given a good high pressure cleaning. The next step is to caulk some voids found in decorative

elements on the front facade, to touch-up stucco walls and trim on patios and balconies, and to repaint the SprayCrete residential patio and balcony decks, and the Common Element walkways.     Normally, the cleaning of residential patios and balconies is the responsibility of the unit owner, since they are Limited Common Elements. Because the facade of the building was to be pressure washed, the Board of Directors reasoned that it was best to also clean patios and balconies so that eventual rain runoff would not stain the cleaned building facade. Owners are still responsible for maintaining their patios and balconies by sweeping and light periodic cleaning (with no water overflow onto the facade).     To prevent accumulation of road grime, rainwater that puddles on balconies and patios should be swept and squeeged so that it can dry quickly without becoming a dirt-magnet that captures dirt and road grime from vehicle traffic on Tamiami Trail.      In addition, the landscaping is being extensively upgraded, including removal of the unsightly grass from the planter strip adjacent to 12th St, and replacing it with low-growing decorative ground cover. Additional work is also being devoted to shrubbery along the building foundation. Palm trees will be pruned and an arborist will examine the Date Palm trees to make sure they are thriving, particularly those adjacent to the visitor lot, where pavement may restrict natural irrigation of root the structures. 

February 24, 2011  - Thursday  At last month's meeting the Board of Directors approved the purchase of a new swimming pool heater because of chronic failures and inability of past efforts to solve the problem. In the process of obtaining bids for the replacement, one vendor discovered that the problem was with system switches that were failing, and suggested that rather than replace the unit, he could repair it for a fraction of the cost of a new heater. Yesterday he made the repairs, and the heater is reportedly working as it should.

  A flat-panel TV has been installed in the Exercise Room. The Manager has requested that Comcast do the activation.

November 23, 2010 - Tuesday   -   2011 Condominium Budget ApprovedAt their meeting on November 16, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2011 Condominium Budget, which results in a very small reduction in the quarterly assessments each owner will be asked to pay next year. The budget was put together by the Manager and the Budget Committee, and we thank them for their hard work in anticipating expected expenses in 2011, while being sensitive to the realities of current economic conditions. 

October 20, 2010  Wednesday   A new floor fan has been added to the Exercise Room. There is also a new thermostat, so residents can adjust the thermostat for their comfort during workouts, and set it to a higher energy-saving temperature when they leave.    Our Housekeeper Guido will be leaving on Friday for one month to visit relatives in Venezuela, his country of origin. Guido will train his temporary replacement so we should continue to get the same level of common area care. This will be the first time Guido has traveled to Venezuela in seven years. Guido's nephew Diego will be filling in for Guido while he is away.   Owners will soon receive copies of the proposed 2011 Condo budget. The Board of Directors will approve next year's budget at their meeting on 16 November, 2010, immediately following the Annual Owner Meeting.     Our Maintenance Manager, Sean McDonald, is conducting a review to determine if the walkway fluorescent lights can be replaced with less complex fixtures that will accommodate standard, screw-in compact fluorescent bulbs that do not require an external ballast. Ballasts have been burning out at a high rate, and we would like to find a solution that provides more reliable common area lighting while still using low-energy, low cost, compact fluorescent lamps. 

September 9, 2010 - Thursday

   Toilet Valve Leaks - During the recent pest control contractor visit to all units at San Marco, the Maintenance Manager conducted tests in unoccupied units to determine if their toilet flapper valve was leaking. A leaking toilet valve can waste up to 200 gallons of water each day. Four units were found to have leaking valves, and a letter is being sent to the owners asking them to have the valves replaced as soon as possible. The Condo Manager can make arrangements for the repair if absent owners are interested. If the repair is not completed within a reasonable time, the Association will have the work done and invoice the unit owner. Residential toilet leaks can significantly increase the general water consumption, which is a cost paid by the Association as a common expense.

   Fire System Jockey Pump - On September 8, 2010 (yesterday) the fire control system jockey pump failed. The jockey pump keeps the building fire sprinkler system at the proper pressure, permitting sprinklers to operate on all floors of the building. Without an assist from the jockey pump, city water pressure would not permit water to reach sprinklers on the upper floors during a fire.     Until the pump can be replaced (undetermined at this time), the Fire Department requires that the Association post a fire monitor in the building from 8 PM until 7 AM each day that the sprinkler system is not operational, with half-hourly check logs faxed to the Sarasota Fire Department first thing each morning.;    The Association Fire system maintenance contractor is preparing a proposal for the replacement. Until the pump can be returned to operation, the Association must continue to hire a contract guard service to perform fire watch checks throughout the building during nighttime hours.

August 12, 2010 - ThursdayAnnual Unit Pest Control Treatment Scheduled for Tuesday, August 31, 2010  Massey Services, our pest control contractor, will be servicing the common areas and the residential and commercial units on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, starting on the top floor at about 10:30 AM (note change of start time from 9:00 to 10:30). Each unit must be treated. If you will not be at home, or if you are an absent owner, the Association representative will accompany the Massey technician while in your apartment. Each treatment usually takes no longer than 10 or 15 minutes to complete. If your apartment has an intrusion alarm and you will not be at home at the time of the visit, please contact the Property Manager (941 342-6444) to make the necessary arrangements.

Delinquent Owners - As of July 1, 2010, Florida has offered new legal remedies to condominium associations with owners who do not pay their periodic maintenance assessments. Delinquent owners can be deprived of their right to vote in association elections. If they have renters, the Association can demand that the rent be paid to the Association until the indebtedness has been satisfied. Also, renters of delinquent owners can be deprived of the use of common element facilities like the pool and the exercise room. However, they can still use the common elevators, parking and continue to have access to their units. Previously, only owners could be fined for rules infractions, but as of July 1, renters can also be fined and are legally obligated to pay after an optional appeal hearing affirms the fine.

PLP Interactive, the computer support and graphics startup that occupied a San Marco commercial unit earlier this year, have vacated their office. There is no word whether the company is still viable and has relocated to another office.

June 21, 2010 - Monday   Yet another business is locating to San Marco. Commercial Unit 104 will become a Hair Salon in August or September. The business is owned by Mr. Paul Marquis.

    Elevator Outage Early Warning - The Passenger elevator has a history of shutting down every six months or so, probably because of a sensitivity to power fluctuations. It turns out that when the elevator does not work (and it usually fails late at night), the morning newspaper delivery people can't get to the residential floors, so they leave the newspapers in the lobby. The Herald Tribune paper people are so reliable that if we notice no morning paper by our door at the expected time, we instinctively check

whether the elevator is working. In most instances. no newspaper apartment delivery means a non-working elevator.     We can then usually do a quick reset of the system without having to summon Otis to come out on a service call.     These occasional elevator shutdowns do not mean that the Passenger elevator has a serious unresolved problem. It shuts down about once or twice in a year, probably as a result of a power glitch. Except for a couple of months ago, when the outage was caused by a failed part that Otis had to replace, we are usually able to bring it back to life by a simple self-help reset procedure.        

May 23, 2010 - Sunday

      Guido Update - The return to work of Guido, our janitorial person, has been delayed by one week, with his return now scheduled for Monday, May 31, 2010. Al from Liliana's reports that Guido needs an additional week to get back in fighting form after falling from the roof of his house a few weeks ago. In the interim, Alex will continue to keep the building in top shape.     Main Door Unlock Delay - The period during which the main entry door stays unlocked after a resident presses the "6": key on their apartment telephone to allow a visitor to enter the building has been extended to give visitors time to open the door before it automatically locks again. Some visitors were having difficulty opening the door before time expired a relatively short five (5) seconds after the resident remotely unlocked it, leaving them stranded at the main door.     The time the door can be opened after a resident remotely unlocks it for a visitor has now been extended to fifteen (15) seconds. Visitors should be told on the Speakerphone that there will not be a distinctive loud "buzz" indicating that the door has been unlocked, and they should immediately unlatch the door and enter the building. As discussed in the past, the door can only be unlocked by the resident if they have been called from the main door Speakerphone Entry panel. The remote unlocking mechanism does not work if a visitor uses a mobile or cellular phone to call the resident to request entry. The call must be made only from the Speakerphone Entry Panel, where the visitor enters the three digit unit number they want to visit and are then automatically connected by Speakerphone with the resident.

     Prokop P.A. Moving - The unofficial word is that Prokop P.A., our condo management company, will be moving from their San Marco offices to another location in Sarasota at the end of June* when their lease ends. Additional details will be provided when available, but we expect little change in the level or quality of support the Association will be receiving. However, it has been very convenient for our management company to be located in the San Marco building since last summer. *CORRECTION: Prokop will be moving on or about August 1, rather than the end of June as incorrectly indicated above.

May 19, 2010 - Thursday  -    Three weeks ago Guido, our janitorial person from Liliana's Cleaning Service, fell from the roof of his house and injured his back. He was put on house rest to heal the problem (reportedly a small back fracture), and in the interim, Alex has been doing an excellent job filling in for Guido.

     Alex tells us that Guido will be returning to work next Monday, May 24. We wish Guido  continued speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him again starting on Monday.

April 22. 2010 - Thursday

     The Association has engaged a contractor to provide service to the potable water pump system that pressurizes and distributes water throughout the building. A check valve has been replaced because it

was failing. Two years ago another check valve had to be replaced. It was sticking because of corrosion. The service contractor will visit San Marco every quarter to inspect and clean all valves and water system components. He has also recommended that the building install a water softener to help offset the problems of corrosion and scale buildup in the water lines and valves. At their meeting on April 20, 2010 the Board of Directors decided to postpone consideration of a water softener system until we see how the new preventive maintenance program is going. A water softener would cost about twelve thousand dollars, plus the cost of periodic salt deliveries. Since this would be an unfunded initiative, and is not considered urgent, the Board decided on watchful waiting at this time.    The Smart Pump system enclosures by the North garage door have been repaired and repainted (from the former white, to a less visible gray). The cabinets are also locked now to prevent any tampering or vandalism. Rain water had gotten inside the cabinets over time, causing a great deal of rust. New weather stripping along the door edges should resolve that problem. 

 New Commercial Tenant - A new graphics company, PLPinteractive, has leased commercial suite 105 (formerly occupied by Stakenborg Fine Art). This is a new venture started by former Ringling School of Art and Design students, and we wish them all the best. 

December 1, 2009    Don't forget to plan for the new maintenance assessments starting in January 2010. The amount has changed from your current 2009 assessments. You will be receiving coupon books in the mail that show your new quarterly assessment. If you pay your assessments by a bank transfer you can find your new quarterly assessment amount in the coupon book or on the next to last page of the Annual Condominium Budget you received in the mail. Assessment payments may also be mailed directly to Prokop P.A., 1188 N. Tamiami Trail, Unit 108, Sarasota, FL 34236. Don't forget to indicate your apartment number on your remittance.You will note from the 2010 coupon books that we now have a new bank to handle Association accounts: Florida Shores Bank. An Association committee did an extensive review and interview of area banks. They recommended Florida Shores, who is financially sound and has a strong reputation for quality condominium association service and customer support. 

November 4, 2009 - Wednesday      Janitorial - The janitorial person (Adriana) will no longer be working at San Marco, and Liliana's Cleaning Service has assigned a new person, Guido (Spanish pronunciation is Gee Doh, accent on first syllable). Guido speaks English and appears to be a very motivated and pleasant person. Al, owner of Lilians's, has been working with Guido over the past two weeks to familiarize him with our janitorial routine, and initial impression is that things are looking up, and that cleanliness of the premises will be much improved.     Courtesy Carts - The two Big Yellow Wagons that have been used as courtesy carts by residents have been a mixed blessing. They are capable of hauling large loads, but also tend to scretch and bump the walls, door jams and elevator walls. This week we purchased a new Grocery Cart that will become the primary Courtesy Cart. It is made of plastic and is the size of a medium cart as seen in grocery stores. Because it does not rust or corrode, the cart has a reported life expectancy of over ten years in normal service as a condo courtesy cart. The unit we purchased is favored by many condo associations in Florida because it is easily cleand with a quick hose-down, won't scratch walls and doors, and survives the damp outdoor environment well.      The Big Yellow Wagons will still be available for extra heavy loads, preferably carried on the South Elevator, but the new unit is expected to assume primary duties as our Courtesy Cart.  

September 8, 2009 - Tuesday   --    Changes to Community Cable TV Channel Coming Soon  Within a week Comcast plans to make changes to the San Marco condo "community channel", relocating the security camera views now on cable Channel 57, to new, higher cable channels.   Televisions which do not use a digital cable box will tune to channel 117 for the camera displays.   Televisions connected to a digital cable box will tune to channel 795 to view the camera displays.

    There may be a slight delay in implementing cable channel 795, and in the interim, residents can view the camera displays (including the camera at the main entry door that can be used to screen visitors calling from the entry Speakerphone panel and requesting entry into the building. As before, when called, press "6" on your phone to unlock the front door; press # to end the phone call without unlocking the door.

August 10, 2009 - MondayNew Safety Railings - A contractor will soon be installing a new railing along the ramp leading to the main residential entry door. In addition, handrails will also be installed on the steps leading up to the entry door of one of the offices suites (the former Darlene Williams Insurance agency). These railings are being installed out of concern for safety, since there have been reports of visitors having difficulty in navigating the ramp and stairs, and the Board decided to address the matter to avoid future problems.Stucco Repair - A leak in the pool equipment room caused some failure of the stucco and paint on the West wall above the garage. The Association is in the process of repairing the area.Elevator Doors and Frames - Some elevator doors and frames have weathered and are in need of repair and repainting. The pool landing door has been painted by a contractor as a test, and we are getting bids to have the South (service) elevator, and perhaps the Passenger elevator doors and frames refinished. Garage Windows - To make the contents of the garage less tempting to passers-by on 12th St., we have frosted two window panels to see if the technique will effectively obscure the garage contents from the outside, but allow light into the garage while maintaining a pleasant appearance. Initial indications are that window frosting will do the job.

August 7, 2009 - Friday   Pressure Washing - The residential walkways will be pressure washed on Wednesday, August 12,  2009. If you park your vehicle in an outside uncovered location that might be affected by overspray or runoff from the walkways, you will probably want to locate to another spot on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.  Please also remove all personal items from the walkways (doormats, plants, etc.) so the cleaners have a clear area in which to work and do not have to take time to remove adrift resident personal property.

August 3, 2009 - Monday  Darlene Williams Insurance Agency Closes - In a note to clients, and announced by a notice on the door of her San Marco office, Darlene Williams announced that she has sold her insurance business to another agency located on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. The office is now closed.

Cable TV Woes - Over the past month, San Marco residents have been experiencing unreliable cable TV service, particularly on High Definition channels. Efforts by Comcast service technicians were not completely successful, and they had various interpretations as to why signal strength was not optimized, particularly for the upper channels where the Hi Def program material was located, but were unable to solve the problem.Yesterday, after finally determining that the signal was being degraded before it entered the San Marco property, technicians found a flaw in the underground cable between Cocoanut Avenue and San Marco. They rigged a temporary line which bypassed the flawed cable and service was restored to its original quality. A work order has also been initiated to dig a new trench from Cocoanut Avenue so the line can be properly buried. That could take up to one month.

July 22, 2009 - Wednesday

   Pool Safety - Recent national news about individuals being trapped and held underwater against swimming pool and spa drains has prompted some residents to ask if the San Marco swimming pool is safe. The answer is Yes. Our pool was retrofitted with the necessary hardware several months ago, and the pool drain is in compliance with all safety and governmental guidelines.   Owner Survey - Owners will soon receive a short survey form that asks about low spots on patios and balconies. During the Turnover Study conducted in 2007, Association engineering consultants determined, among other things, that common element walkway surfaces had low spots that trap water and leave small puddles which can affect the longevity of surface coatings.    Some limited common element patios and balconies also have low spots that accumulate water in small surface ponds that do not flow away normally after a rain. While some low spots may not be of sufficient depth or size to require leveling and resurfacing, it is necessary for owners to advise the Association of any surface irregularities that cause standing water on balconies or terraces so the matter can be addressed when a final settlement agreement is reached with the General Contractor and Developer.    The Association attorney is in the final stage of negotiating a settlement agreement that will lead to the warranty repair of common element defects identified and documented by our engineering consultants, and he would like to make sure that all surface defects located on limited common element patios and balconies are also considered when surface repair work is addressed. Survey forms can be mailed or faxed to the Manager. Early attention to this matter would be appreciated.

May 13, 2009 - WednesdayNew Condo Management Company Selected -  A Management Review committee has been looking into all aspects of our condominium management and has recommended that the Association end its relationship with Progressive Community Management (PCM) and engage the Prokop P.A. Property Management firm.      The San Marco Association Board of Directors voted at yesterday's meeting to approve the proposed change of management companies. Prokop will assume management responsibility for San Marco on June 15, 2009.     Information about contacts at Prokop, and any changes to procedural matters will be provided to owners, but there should to be a smooth handover of responsibilities and records from PCM to Prokop. 

May 1, 2009 - Friday    Security Camera Moves - Two of our security cameras have been relocated so that they can monitor more important areas involving access to the building. Both of the relocated cameras had been monitoring general areas inside the garage.      Camera 6 was moved closer to the lobby door leading to the garage so that any activity involving that door will be recorded on our digital security storage system. Camera 2 now monitors the South (Service) Elevator door, the adjacent outside mail box, and part of the loading area. 

     Housekeeping - In March the pool and plaza deck paver bricks were pressure washed to remove accumulated grime.  Inaccessible residential and commercial windows located above the ground floor were washed on April 30, 2009. 

     Viewing the Security Cameras - Normally, residents can see a composite display of the outputs from the security cameras by tuning their TV to cable channel 57. However, with the introduction of Comcast digital preferred and High Definition service, some residents have been unable to view the camera outputs on Channel 57, and only see normal programming (Spike TV). If you subscribe to a Comcast service other than basic cable and use a cable box or cable card on your TV, and cannot see the Channel 57 security camera display, call Comcast and ask them to make the necessary code change to your service so you can view your condominium's internal security camera composite display on Channel 57. Depending on which service technician you speak with, it can be done while you are on the phone, or in the case of one resident, the technician was not skilled or familiar enough to make the change. In that case, call again to find another more competent technician. There is no charge. The Comcast phone

number is 1 800 266 2278. You may have to reset your cable box for the change to take place. The phone technician will tell you how to do the reset, or you can just unplug the cable box power cord for about 15 seconds and plug it in again. The cable box will reboot and the boot cycle is complete when you can see the time of day on the cable box display.

March 6, 2009 - Friday       Storage Locker Repairs Finally Completed    As originally installed, the apartment lockers in the storage room on the second floor were not properly reinforced. The installation contractor returned to San Marco and bolted together each of the individual metal "planks" that made up the floor of the upper lockers. In addition, metal cross braces and vertical support beams were installed to add strength and support to the upper locker floors. A cautionary sign was attached to each upper locker, warning that the upper lockers could not support a weight greater than 150 pounds.    Because of a communication breakdown, the contractor had neglected to reinforce several lockers, but Kellogg & Kimsey used their maintenance people to finish the job, which was competed in February.    While strengthened, the upper locker floors are still not designed to carry a heavy load. If you plan to store very large or bulky items please follow the weight limit of 150 pounds. The installation contractor suggested that for storing large items in upper lockers, they should be placed on a sheet of plywood to help distribute the load so that no individual metal floor "plank" bears the full weight.

January 23, 2009 - Friday    Using the South Elevator Operating Controls  -  Some residents are unsure how to use the supplementary keypad that is located above the standard elevator call button outside the South (service) Elevator on the Ground Floor.     The keypad is a security feature that controls the call button during nighttime hours and on weekends. It permits the elevator to be called to the ground floor and the door opened only if the correct security code is first entered on the keypad. Once the keypad code sequence is entered, the call button in enabled and can then be pressed to summon the elevator.    Please note that by pressing the code sequence on the keypad you are not actually calling the elevator, you are just enabling the call button. You must still press the call button to summon the South Elevator.     During daytime, Monday through Friday you do not have to use the security keypad to call the elevator. Just press the elevator call button and the elevator will come to the ground floor and the door will open.  Once your are inside the elevator, regardless of the time of day, or day of the week, you must enter a floor access code by pressing a series of floor number buttons in the proper sequence. These number sequences are different than the keypad security code, and are different for each floor.    If you are unaware of the after-hours keypad security code, or your specific floor number button sequence, please contact the Manager.    Except for the Ground and Second Floors, which do not require a floor button number security sequence, the South Elevator will not move unless you press the required floor number button security sequence.   Security requires that the keypad after-hours security code must NEVER be revealed to non-residents, under any circumstances.

December 14, 2008 - Sunday      Gallery Stuff:   Chris Stakenborg, the proprietor of the former Stakenborg Fine Art at San Marco has opened a new fine art gallery at 1545 Main Street, and is completing the move of his San Marco inventory to the new location.    Chris has now partnered with another art expert. Chris specializes in classical and fine art, and his partner specializes in contemporary art. The new gallery is called Stakenborg & Villet Fine Art. We wish Stakenborg and Villet all the best in their new venture. 

Holiday Appreciation Stuff: Lorraine Reed is our U.S.P.S. mail delivery person. Lorraine has been our letter carrier since San Marco opened. Adrianna is our common area janitorial and housekeeping person. Newspapers are delivered by Jose Luis Barajas and family.Condo Stuff: the new Assocation assessment coupon books should be arriving in the mail soon. They will show your new quarterly fee. You can also learn the correct amount by consulting the copy of the proposed 2009 condo budget your received in the mail, where the 2009 quarterly fees for all apartments and commercial units are documented. If you prefer to have your quarterly fees automatically deducted from your bank account you can set up a debit program with Colonial Bank (they manage the Association accounts), who will arrrange for the deduction from any bank account (not necessarily at Colonial).     To print a copy of the application form to set up the automatic payment of your quarterly Association assessments you can click   here . Garage Speeding - We are continuing to see speeding and irresponsible driving inside the garage. If you witness unsafe driving or speeding in excess of 5 MPH in the garage and you can identify the vehicle, please call the Manager so that corrective action can be taken to end this dangerous situation.

November 7, 2008 - Friday    Commercial Marquee Sign - The sign at the entrance to the visitor lot showing the San Marco commercial entities has been redesigned to make room for additional business plaques. The idea for the revised design was developed by Board member Darlene Williams.     By moving the property address numbers vertically to the street side of the sign, there is now more room for two additional business plaques. The colors were also adjusted to be more consistent with the colors of the San Marco building.

October 27, 2008 - Monday    Budget - The Board of Directors has authorized the proposed 2009 Condominium Budget to be mailed to the owners for their information. The budget will be approved by the Board at their organizational meeting on November 25, 2008, one week after the Annual Owner's Meeting and Election.    As soon as you receive them, please be sure to return your election ballots and proxy choices as soon as possible so that the Association can achieve the required quorum at the Owner's meeting. Your vote, and your opinion as to how proxy questions should be handled is very important. If you have any doubt about being able to attend the Owner's Meeting on November 18, please mail in your proxy statement.    The proposed 2009 Budget includes three new Reserves categories that must be funded to comply with the Florida condo Statute. Even with the addition of the new Reserves funding for the elevators, domestic water pump system, and the fire pump and related diesel engine, the Budget for 2009 is  less than the previous budget for 2008, meaning that each owner will have quarterly maintenance assessments during 2009 that are slightly less then they have been in 2008.     Two San Marco residentiual units have been sold.     Board of Director meetings starting in January 2009 will have a time change. Meetings in 2009 will now start at 4 PM rather than at 2 PM in 2008. Meetings will continue to be held in the upstairs conference room of the downtown Selby Library, the Third Tuesday of every month starting at 4 PM.One scheduling exception: the Board Organizational Meeting on November 25 2008 will be held at 2 PM in the offices of Progressive Community Management in downtown Sarasota.     The Line-of-Credit balance will be paid off in November using available 2008 funds.     The lobby waterfall display has had the water feature deactivated because of continuing maintenance problems. A cover has been fabricated over the existing sump, and decorative polished stones will be added soon.     The commercial marquee sign at the entrance to the Visitor Lot has been changed to permit the additon of more business identification plaques.     Because of the problem of many dirty and unwashed windows that face the walkways, the Board has instructed the Manager to amend the current housekeeping contract to have the common elements cleaning people wash limited common area walkway windows every three months. 

September 25, 2008 - Thursday    New Pool Rules Sign -  With the increase in the number of children that live at San Marco, and their active use of the swimming pool, there have been instances where misunderstandings have occurred about the intention and enforcement of our pool rules.     One possible contributing factor was the Pool Rules sign that has been posted by the pool. It was a generic sign which did not address the specific San Marco pool rules as mandated in the Rules and Regulations document. In order to resolve any future misundersandings, a new Pool Rules sign was posted today, replacing the very abbreviated, generic version that was installed by the General Contractor when the pool was first constructed.     The new sign clearly states all the San Marco rules applicable to Pool use, and should help to reduce any confusion or misunderstanding as to pool usage that might have resulted from the inconsistency between our Rules and Regulations, and the former generic Pool Rules sign.    Window Washing - all inaccessible windows will be washed by our contractor on Friday, October 3, 2008. No action is required by residents, since only the outside of inaccessible windows will be washed.

September 19, 2008 - Friday     The recent mailing announcing the annual meeting and election in November contained an error and gave the wrong date. The correct date for the annual owner meeting and board election is November 18, 2008 at 2:00 PM in the 2nd floor conference room of the downtown Selby library.    On Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6 PM the city commissioners will conduct a quasi-judicial public hearing regarding the developent of a yacht club facility six blocks north of San Marco, at 1889 N. Tamiami Trail.The facility will have a 4,041 sq. ft. clubhouse, a 267-slip enclosed dry boat storage facility, and 18 wet slips.    Since this facility could contribute to the beneficial development of the general North Tamiami Trail area, San Marco residents might wish to attend the meeting and testify. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the Sarasota City Commission web site.

September 4, 2008 - Thursday      The San Marco Association needs to perform monthly elevator fire testing, and if a hurricane is imminent, we must deactivate the elevators on an upper floor until the storm is over. Both of these tasks will be normally be performed by San Marco resident volunteers who will have keys to the elevator equipment room and are familiar with the testing and deactivation procedures.     For the information and convenient access by future volunteers, a copy of the suggested testing and deactivation procedures has been added to this web site here and via a button link in the panel on the left.    

     Another unoccupied apartment has been sold at San Marco. Unit 402 is sold and will close in early October. The unit was offered for sale at $399,000, but the final sale price will not be known until closing, when it becomes a matter of public record. The sale was made by Rob Winfrey of Partner's Realty.     Reportedly, an unoccupied 1843 square foot 4th floor unit has also been placed on the market and offered by a bank as a "short sale", with an asking price in the high $300's. 

September 4, 2008 - Thursday      The San Marco Association needs to perform monthly elevator fire testing, and if a hurricane is imminent, we must deactivate the elevators on an upper floor until the storm is over. Both of these tasks will be normally be performed by San Marco resident volunteers who will have keys to the elevator equipment room and are familiar with the testing and deactivation procedures.     For the information and convenient access by future volunteers, a copy of the suggested testing and deactivation procedures has been added to this web site here and via a button link in the panel on the left.    

     Another unoccupied apartment has been sold at San Marco. Unit 402 is sold and will close in early October. The unit was offered for sale at $399,000, but the final sale price will not be known until closing, when it becomes a matter of public record. The sale was made by Rob Winfrey of Partner's Realty.     Reportedly, an unoccupied 1843 square foot 4th floor unit has also been placed on the market and offered by a bank as a "short sale", with an asking price in the high $300's. 

June 27, 2008 - Friday        Historic Crocker Church and Bidwell Wood House Restoration - As many residents know, efforts are being made by the Historical Society of Sarasota to restore Bidwell Wood House and the Crocker Church buildings located in Pioneer Park, just to the East of San Marco. Work has started on restoring the West wall of Crocker Church (the one we can see from San Marco walkways) using mostly volunteer labor. The next Volunteer Saturday will be in July, when volunteers, particularly those with carpentry experience, will continue to work on the restoration and add more siding the the West wall of the church.For more details of the restoration project, or to volunteer your time, call Arnie Berns at 924-5224   Crocker Church and the Bidwell Wood House are two historic Sarasota buildings that were moved from private land to Pioneer Park in October 2006. Photos of the move of the buildings up Tamiami Trail and East on 12th Street can be seen by clicking on this link.

June 18, 2008 - Wednesday      The Lobby Waterfall - At yesterday's Board meeting the Board of Directors voted unanimously to deactivate the water feature of the system bacause it has become a constant maintenance problem and has failed to operate reliably over several months. The closed design of the water delivery system cannot be easily checked, cleaned and maintained, and most of the time there has been a disagreeable chlorene odor in the lobby. The water sump will be closed over, and appropriate artificial plantings will be added.     The lobby air conditioner thermostat has been reset from 74 to 76 degrees.      There has been a slight delay in completion of the revised Rules and Regulations, and the document is now scheduled to be approved at the August Board meeting.      The July 2008 meeting of the Board of Directors has been cancelled. The next scheduled meeting will be on August 19, 2008 at 2:00 PM in the upstairs conference room of the downtown Selby Library.      There have been instancs of toilet flapper valves failing and needing replacement. Owners should be alert to "phantom flushing" of their toilets, indicating that water is slowly escaping from the tank through a failed flapper valve and the water in the tank is being periodically topped off. A quick leak test is to put a few drops of vegetable coloring or a blue leak detector tablet  inside each tank and if blue water shows up in the toilet bowl in a few minutes, the flapper valve is leaking and needs to be replaced.       The Board of Directors has instructed the Manager, during visits inside each unit with our pest control contractor and the fire system inspector, to use leak deterctor tablets so all toilets in San Marco are periodically tested for leaking flapper valves. Since a leaking valve can cause a significant loss of precious and costly water which all owners pay for in their condo maintenance fees, defective valves must be replaced without delay. Thanks to resident Sue S. for finding out that the Sarasota government provides courtesy leak detector tablets upon request. They have ordered a good supply of tablets for San Marco.       During maintenance visits to unoccupied units the thermostat will also be checked to make sure that it is turned ON and set to no greater than 80 degrees, or the humidistat is set to 58 percent relative humidity.       Work has begun on removing overgrown pygmy palm trees and adding replacement shrubs, ground cover, and mulch.         The LED light that illuminates the main entrance sign is being replaced with a more appropriate, inexpensive fluorescent fixture that has a broader field of illumination. It is also more immune than the LED unit to power line surges.

No Longer Functional

December 22, 2007 - Saturday    There are currently ten San Marco residential apartments (43% of the total number of units in the building) listed for sale. Over the past year there has been some fluidity in the number of listings and their asking prices. There are presently no residential apartments being occupied by renters.     The current listings include nine apartments that have never been occupied since the building was completed, and one owner-occupied unit. Asking prices run between a high of $799,000 and a low of $419,000, with price-per-square-foot ranging from a high of $419/sq.ft., to a low of $227/sq.ft.     Here's a general summary of the for-sale units as of December 20, 2007:       Floor      List Price    Square Feet Price per Square Foot          2  $525,000    2093                 $250          3          $798,000   2665                         $299          4          $799,000           2411                         $311          4          $744,000           2093                         $321          4          $685,000           1843                         $371          4          $525,000           1843                         $284          4          $419,000           1843                         $227          5          $693,000           2020                         $343          5          $773,900           1843                         $419          5          $685,000           1843                         $371

TRANSITIONSAs of today (10/16/07) eight San Marco condominium apartments that have never been occupied by their owners are for sale. Here's the inventory, asking prices, and the price per square foot.

Other units may also be for sale, but not listed with a realtor.

   303 - $774,000           2093 sq ft                          $369/sq ft                          305 - $899,999            2578 sq ft                          $387/sq ft          402 - $459,000    1843 sq ft                          $271/sq ft                          403 - $699,999            1843 sq ft                          $379/sq ft                          404 - $775,000            1843 sq ft                          $420/sq ft                          405 - $849,000            2411 sq ft    $352/sq ft                          501 - $749,000            2020 sq ft                          $370/sq ft                          503 - $773,900            1843 sq ft                          $419/sq ft