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posted 13 February 2025
News
Since January planned monthly shut off the boilers on Cabana, 4861 Lago and both Blackbeard buildings were experiencing lukewarm to cold water coming from their hot water faucet. Some experienced only problems with the hot water but no water pressure. As most units affected had the same common issue they were in the same stacks, within two level or three level units, while their neighbors next door to them had NO hot water problems.
Most of the complaints blamed the boilers and the company that services them for the problems while the boilers were working within the temperature parameters. The service company came out here repeatedly on calls from the board or homeowners directly to check on the boilers. On two separate occasions, the board president asked to see how a “crossover” is determined at the boiler. The response was explaining that cold water was coming from the hot water return at both boilers. Further explanation said this is exactly how crossovers are detected within an individual unit, cold water coming from a hot water faucet.
Inspection Findings
On Saturday January 25th an inspection was conducted by three certified plumbers from Partners and a board member each. The boiler on Blackbeard was turned off and a full inspection was conducted on all but four units, which were to be inspected next shut-off. To resolve this issue, the plumbing team focused on inspecting all faucets, checking under kitchen sinks, hydronic heaters, new air conditioning units (because the plumbers would disconnect the hydronic heater wrong), and any new kitchen or bathroom remodels.
In the thirty-six units inspected here is what was noted:
- Eleven pressure balance cartridges had crossovers.
- One old style “push-pull” Moen faucet had crossover.
- Four hydronic heaters improperly shut off preventing return circulation to the boiler (noted above).
Number of units affected:
- Seven out of twenty units had crossover issues and one hydronic heater in 16512 Blackbeard.
- Ten out of twenty units had ten crossovers’ issues and three hydronic heater issues in 16542 Blackbeard.■
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posted 13 February 2025
News
Reference Manuals
A recommendation for each homeowner and landlord, including renters, is to have a copy of the Rules and Regulations, the Architectural Guidelines, and a copy of the Maintenance Responsibility Matrix. This way the homeowners know who is responsible for what; the HOA, the homeowner or BOTH, and do not be afraid to ask a neighbor if they are experiencing something wrong in their unit also.
All this information can be found in the menu option “Plumbing Heating” or the “Information” menu under “Archives” in the newsletter. Lots of good information under archives.
Maintenance Recommendations
Every homeowner, landlords, and renters should be doing:
- Change out the pressure balance valve in your showers every two to three years. Always keep a record of when they were first installed and when they were last changed out as it could help diagnose issues.
- Inspect showers when cold water is out of your faucets when you turn on the hot water not to the HOA board or the boilers.
- If for low water pressure, which happens most often just after a boiler is serviced. Residue and sand often settle in the pipes are picked back up and sent through the hot water line and find its way to the filter screens on your faucets. Simply unscrew the screen on the faucet and clean it out.
- After a boiler is turned back on from the maintenance you may experience air and again debris and “Dirty” or “Brown” colored water, let the water run for 20 to 30 minutes to clear the line.
- All kitchen or bathroom remodels will need to go through the Architectural Committee for approval. Final inspection to be coordinated and conducted with Partners Plumbers, because they know our unique plumbing systems.
- All new air conditioning units need to be approved by the Architectural Committee. Final inspection to be coordinated and conducted with Partners Plumbers as they know our unique plumbing systems.
We all suffer from this. These problems affect everyone and mostly the lack of hot water for a stack, a group of stacks and even a building or group of buildings that use the same boiler. ■ |
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posted 18 August 2025
Editorial
As of this writing, homeowners have received their ballots for the upcoming elections in September 9. On the ballot, there are four candidates for five positions. All the candidates are incumbents. The ballot allowa members to submit write-ins. This open seat will either be filled by a write-in candidate or a Board appointment.
Call for Candidates
In June, the HOA announced the call for candidates, but only the current Board members submitted an intention to run. I’ve heard that one owner wanted to run but missed the deadline. He even contacted the Board to express his interest, and the Board suggested that he could be appointed after the election.
Feeble
 Elections at Harbour Vista are becoming feeble. The same people are the only ones and always get elected. Our membership has little or no interest in participation in the HOA with the same people actually drafted because there is nobody else. Some members liken the HOA to an apartment complex, thinking the HOA is just the management.
Stop Supporting Apathy!
All members say they want the HOA improved. All members own the unit. They pay assessments and property taxes. The letters “co” in condo means Common Ownership. The priorities, funding, and the assessments to maintain Harbour Vista are decided by the owners through their representatives - known as the Board. If members want things improved, they need to participate and stop supporting apathy.
Land Lease Assumption
Many members have assumed that the HOA is doing something with a land lease, where, at the end 2041, owners will be evicted from their unit with no compensation. But the HOA secretary at an HOA meeting stated that the HOA has nothing to do with the land lease. Hence, nobody is working on it!! Hey, if owners want something done, then these owners should be on the Board. If not, they should sell their unit and move to an apartment, as their interest aligns better with that environment.
Can Still Be On The Board
OK, even if an owner now wants to be elected to the Board, isn’t it too late as the ballots have already been printed? That is not true! Our ballots support write-in candidates and there is one open seat  with four candidates for five positions. If a member writes themselves in five times on their ballot, they have a high likelihood to get elected even though they did not submit a candidate statement or campaign. They also would not be beholden to the Board for appointing them. The former Board member, the late John Briscoe, would do this as he owned four units. He would submit no candidate statement and would cast 20 write-in votes for himself. He would easily get on the Board and would bypass any appointment process.
The Caveats
There are two caveats to do this. First,the member must be publicly nominated at the Election meeting September 9, either by themselves or someone else. Second, they must accept the nomination.
New Blood
My opinion is that the HOA needs new blood – preferably, young and energetic with new and innovative ideas. But if the members do not step  forward, then HOA will go nowhere. The HOA is what the current membership has made of it. And right now it seems we really prefer to live in an apartment and not want to accept any responsibility for common ownership. Very sad!!!! ■
Editor Note: By the way, if you have little interest, you probably see no reason to even mail in your ballot. When the election meeting is held on September 9, the HOA pays for an election inspector to attend. If the  quorum isn’t met with 91 submitted ballots, the election meeting will be rescheduled, and there’ll be an additional expense for the election inspector attending that meeting. Even if you don’t care about voting, sending in your ballot could reduce the HOA election expenses that come out of your assessments. If you don’t want to vote, mail your ballot as unmarked, as it will still count for quorum. |
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