Big Thank You to our Creekside Neighbors!

The Creekside Board of Directors would like to give a very big "Thank You" to Diane Darrow and Joyce Nabors for the time and effort in decorating the new Creekside Entrance Monument. Both neighbors decorated the sign in holiday spirit and of their own expense. Its great to live in a neighborhood full of such wonderful, giving people. Thanks again.

Also, this is a good time to ask for community volunteers to step forward for 2009. Both Creekside and the Creekwood Master Board will need residents who are interested in running for seats as directors and/or officers. Please contact us at CreeksideNews@yahoo.com for any additional information.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting Tomorrow

Compliments of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit:

The public is invited to attend a Neighborhood Coalition meeting tomorrow Dec. 18 at 1:30 pm. Guest speaker will be Frank Brunner with Manatee County Crime Stoppers to explain how you can leave an anonymous crime tip to receive a cash reward.

Meeting will be held at 600 US 301 Blvd. W. in the Crime Prevention Office.

View Larger Map

Manatee County Sheriff's Warning

Compliments of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit:

DOOR KNOCK NIGHTMARES

KNOCK, Knock… Who’s there?... The BAD GUY!... If only it was that easy to see them coming. When someone knocks on your door, are they there soliciting for good reasons or for bad? If you don’t know, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:

- If you don’t know who it is, don’t open the door
o Talk to them through the door
o If they won’t leave, call 911
- Don’t ever show them any money, your wallet or your purse
- Don’t allow them to enter your home
- Don’t give out any personal information
o Don’t assume they know you if they use your name
- If they use your neighbor’s name, call your neighbor to confirm they sent them
o Some neighbors put their name on the exterior of their home
o They can also get a neighbor’s or even your name from the mail
- Use common sense and good judgment before you unlock and open your door to someone you don’t know

Remember, if you open the door, you have just jeopardized your and your family’s safety. Beware of suspicious people who solicit by knocking on your door. If they act suspicious or get demanding, call 911 immediately! Don’t ever hesitate to report any suspicious people or activity: It could make the difference between preventing/stopping a crime or becoming a victim.

December CMB Mtg Dec. 17th

The December Creekwood Master Board Meeting has been moved forward to Wednesday, Dec. 17th at 5:30 pm. This is to allow for the late Dec. holidays. As always these meeting are open to all Creekwood home owners to attend and make comments. It is held at the AMI office, 9031 Town Center Parkway, Bradenton, FL.

Creekwood Town Hall & Monthly Meeting Summary

On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Creekwood Town Hall was held at Braden River Library. It was very poorly attended and little was discussed. The main focus was the status of lawn maintenance for foreclosed homes. The CMB stated that they intend to do their best and work with the violation representative from each subdivision and AMI to try to insure that the proper procedures are followed and homes are maintained in a timely manner.

On the following Monday, Nov. 24, the regularly scheduled November CMB meeting was held. The first decision made was to leave the recently vacated seat open and have Mr. Michael Walley, Vice President, to act as chairperson until the Creekwood Annual Meeting during the first quarter of 2009. The remainder of the meeting focused on the 2009 Creekwood Budget. The budget was finalized and approved. AMI will be mailing a copy to each household next month. Please click here to view it now.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting Tomorrow!!!

Just received from the Manatee County E-Watch system:

The public is invited to a Neighborhood Watch Coalition meeting tomorrow, Thursday November 20th at 1:30pm. Come join in discussing issues that occurring around the county. Manatee County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Office. 600 Hwy 301 Blvd. W. across from DeSoto Square Mall.

Recent Security Notices from eWatch

The following postings are from the Manatee County Sheriff's eWatch e-mail notifications. If you aren't currently receiving e-mails, please sign up at the Manatee County Sheriff's website:

1.
Please read the following. It applies to FedEx as well. Thanks.
================================================
The newest virus circulating is the UPS Delivery Failure. You will receive an email from UPS Packet Service along with a packet number. NOTE: The word packet is mis-spelled on this line as Paket. It will say that they were un-able to deliver a package sent to you on such and such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached. DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of dollars in damage in the past few days.

Snopes confirms that it is real and is up to date (11/11/08):
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp


2.
We just received a call from a lady who received a telephone solicitation. The person stated that they were calling from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and were asking for donations to buy toys for needy children. When she stated that she only had $20 dollars, the caller said that would be fine and asked for her home address so he could bring her the information.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office NEVER solicits donations over the phone. If you should receive a call like this, check your caller ID and get the number that is calling. If you get a number please call 747-3011 ext. 2589 with the information.


3.
It's that time of the year!! Shopping season is upon us and with that comes the crimes. This weekend a victim was walking to her car from the Macy's store at DeSoto Square. A faded green Honda style car pulled along side of her and grabbed her purse then sped off. The victim held on to her purse and was pulled to the ground.

A good tip while out shopping this season is to take only what you will need to shop into the store with you. In other words if you don't need your purse lock it in your trunk and take only a credit card in your pocket into the store. And more importantly, if someone grabs your purse, Let GO of it. Your life is more important that what is in your purse.

Never leave your purchases visible in your car. This is only a temptation for thieves to break into your car. Put all purchases in your trunk out of sight.

If at all possible shop only in the day time or shop with friends. If you are suspicious about someone in the parking lot, ask a mall security person to escort you to your car.

Creekside Board of Directors Meeting Tonight

The regular meeting of the Creekside Board of Directors was rescheduled to tonight, Mon., Nov 17th, at 7:00 pm at the home of Creekside president, Sami Bisharat. There will be a discussion of progress on questions raised at the Creekside Town Hall meeting, schedule of meetings and financial budgets for next year, collections progress of 2008 dues and planning for the latest quarterly newsletter. This meeting is open to all Creekside residents.

Public Hearing to discuss I-75 Construction

Attached is the notice for the public hearing on the I-75 Improvement Project. The project will affect I-75 North of University Ave., which includes the SR-70 off/on ramps for Creekwood. The hearing will be on Tuesday Nov. 18 at Woodland Community Church with an informal open house at 6 pm and the formal hearing at 7pm. Please click on the image for additional details.

Creekwood Master Board President Resigns

The President of the Creekwood Master Board, Mr. Dave Bartush, formally resigned this week. Therefore it is expected that Mr. Michael Walley, the Vice-President, will call to order the Creekwood Town Hall Meeting on Sat., Nov. 22nd. In addition, the Creekwood Board will most likely appoint a new board member to the Board at the regularly scheduled Board Meeting for November on Mon., Nov. 24th. Creekside News will attempt to keep you posted on any further related news.

Lost Dog! - FOUND!!!

We found Shelbee tonight at 6:00pm in the woods at the front of Creekside and she is safely home. I wanted to thank all the residents of Creekside who vigilantly kept watch for Shelbee and called us with updated spottings of her. We would have never found her if it wasn't for the help of the caring people who called us.

Thank you very much!

The Lanham Family

Lost Dog

Female - Small Sheltie/Pom mix approx. 12 lbs.

3 years old

Black with white chest and paws

"Shelbee" Very shy - may come to food

Please call any hour of the day or night if seen.

941-758-5770

Our family lives in Lakeside I (77th Street E) near the community pool. On Sunday one of our dogs got under the fence and is still missing. 2 Creekside residents have called us today with sightings of our dog. She was seen Monday night at midnight and Tuesday at 8:00pm.

Thank you so much for your help. Our daughter is heartbroken about her missing dog. Please help us find her.

The Lanham Family

Creekwood Planning Commission Meeting Tomorrow

Based on this letter, there is a Manatee County Planning Commission public hearing tomorrow on requested changes to the original Development Plan that includes Creekwood. This hearing will take place tomorrow, Nov. 13th at 9 AM. Please click on the image for more details.

GET OUT & VOTE TODAY!!!

Today is the day to Vote. Polls are open from 7 a.m to 7 p.m. The polling center for Creekside residents is

Precinct 100
Braden River United Methodist Church
5858 44th Avenue E. Bradenton, FL

Creekside Directory Available Now!

At the Creekside Town Hall/Potluck, the Creekside Directory was distributed to all attendees. The Creekside Board of Directors would like to thank Diane Darrow for her hard work and great effort in bringing this together. She nearly single-handedly created the entire directory - from concept to printing to photos to advertising. This is available only to Creekside residents and therefore is not on the Creekside website. If you would like to receive your copy please contact us at CreeksideNews@yahoo.com This will be continued on an annual basis and possibly bi-annually depending on funding.

Town Hall Discussion Cont.

Mailboxes were discussed at the Town Hall Meeting as well. The "New" mailbox design that was presented earlier this year has been tabled by the CMB to discuss at a later date. However some mailboxes are damaged and need to be replaced. The current supplier went out of business a few months ago and alternative suppliers have been approved by the CMB. The ACC will review both products this week. (No Images Available at this time.) The following statement was issued by Sharon Fannin, the chairperson of the ACC, regarding the alternatives:

Below are two approved suppliers of Creekwood mailboxes, who will construct and deliver mailboxes built to Creekwood specifications:

Robert Bond, At the Top of the Post/The Mailbox Man, phone 747-2266.

Mr. Bond's mailbox assembly (post and arms) is constructed completely of PVC with vinyl numbers and white aluminum box with red flag. Single costs $388 + tax, double costs $393 + tax. Installation of new and disposal of old is included in the price.

Paul Yarusso, Creekwood resident, phone 756-3069

Mr. Yarusso's mailbox assembly is constructed completely of wood with vinyl numbers and white aluminum box with red flag. Single and doubles cost $150 without post, $175 with new post. Installation of new and disposal of old is included in the price.

Also, the approved standard paint colors for Creekwood mailbox logos available from Scott Paint is Water Fountain Blue 5001-10A and Tropical Rainforest Green 6002-10Cs.

Sharon Fannin

Creekwood ACC Chair

Results of Creekside's 1st Annual Pot Luck!

On Sat. Oct. 11th, Creekside held its 1st Annual Pot Luck and Town Hall Meeting. There was a strong turnout with lots of fun activities for kids that included face painting and games. Many desserts were shared and a good time was had by all who attended. Pictures will be posted soon on the Creekside Website.

The Town Hall meeting was held and many community issues in Creekside & Creekwood were discussed constructively. A major topic was the maintenance for the foreclosed & abandoned homes in Creekside. It was determined that if Creekwood Master does not begin maintaining these homes, then Creekside will use its own funds and issue a formal statement to the Master Board requesting reimbursement. However, a few days following the meeting, Bloomings mowed the few Creekside properties in a free sample of the service they are offering to Creekwood for $10 per home for all the foreclosed & abandoned properties throughout Creekwood (approx. 19 at this time).

Another issue was the opinion of the new Creekside sign. A formal inquiry was made to the Master Board regarding irrigation and lighting based on the discussion at the following CMB meeting on Oct. 27th. The CMB states that irrigation will not be an issue as to the drought resistant plantings put in place and the CMB is still reviewing lighting. If no action is taken soon on lighting residents recommended Creekside to fund solar lighting ourselves.

Other issues were discussed and we will post more on those in the next few days. Thank you again to all who attended and are involved in helping Creekside become the model for all of Creekwood.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Have a Happy and safe Halloween to everyone in Creekwood. Please drive slowly and watch for trick or treaters.


Regular Creekside updates (and there are many) will begin again tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.

From: Sami
Creekside President

Creekside Directory FINAL NOTICE

Tonight at Midnight is the deadline for the Creekside Directory submission forms.
All Creekside residents should have received the Submission form sometime over the last 2 week, but if you can not find it, it is available below and on the Creekside website.

2008 Creekside Directory Submission Form

Please return this form to Dianne Darrow tonight. Her contact info is on the bottom of the Submission form. We need your form to finish the Directory for distribution at this Saturday's Creekside Potluck & Town Hall meeting (4 pm in the cul-de-sac on 46th Ave. Cir. E.).
See you Saturday!

Regarding the Abandoned Homes in Creekside

Obviously we have an issue with a few properties in Creekside that have been abandoned either due to foreclosure or an impending foreclosure. As can be seen in the picture, maintenance is being neglected at these homes and it is becoming an eyesore.

The Creekside Board would like to ask for your patience in dealing with these properties. There is a formal violations process that is being followed that gives Creekwood the right to remedy the properties. It takes about a month and a half to complete. A home on 72nd Ct. E. recently completed the full process and your Creekside President is pushing the Creekwood Master Board to take action in addressing this situation. Other properties are currently in process as well. Simultaneously in August, AMI contacted the Manatee County Code Enforcement division to look at these homes. The latest word from County Code is they were added to a 6 page long list of homes in the county needing mowing due to the foreclosure crisis.

If we do not have some action soon, Creekside may have to absorb the cost of periodic maintenance of the properties. There is a possibility of reimbursement of such expenses, but that has a slim likelihood. Before we take such steps, the Creekside Board would like to hear from Creekside homeowners. Please come to the Creekside Town Hall & Pot Luck on Oct. 11th to share your opinion or post a comment now on the Creekside Message Board.

Creekside Dues, Pot Luck & Directory

All Creekside residents should have received the following notifications this week:

2008 Annual Creekside Regular Assessment

2008 Creekside Directory Submission Form & Advertising Sheet

Town Hall/Pot Luck Notification Flyer

All of these forms are available for download on the Creekside website. You can also pay your 2008 Assessment by Credit Card on the website through PayPal. If you have any questions regarding any of these items please contact us at CreeksideNews@yahoo.com and we will try to responde in a timely manner.

Drug Warning from Sheriff's E-Watch Program

for those with young children and/or for those who know of someone with school-age children:

This is a new drug known as 'strawberry quick '.

There is a very scary thing going on in some schools right now across the nation that we all need to be aware of.

There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry pop rocks (the candy that sizzles and 'pops' in your mouth). It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. They are calling it strawberry meth or strawberry quick.

Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition. It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape and orange.

Please instruct your children not to accept candy from strangers and even not to accept candy that looks like this from a friend (who may have been given it and believed it is candy) and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc. immediately.

Pass this email on to as many people as you can (even if they don't have kids) so that we can raise awareness and hopefully prevent any tragedies from occurring.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/02/health/main2752266.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_2752266

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271215,00.html

New Recycling Pick Up starting in October

According the Manatee County Website, the Recycling Pick-Up date for Creekwood is changing in October from Tuesday Morning to Wednesday Morning. Please read below for additional info and to view the new Recycling Pick-Up Map. The Trash Pick-Up is NOT changing.

From the Manatee County Website:

Important Information Regarding Changes to your
Garbage, Recycling and Yard Waste Services

Beginning Wednesday, October 1, 2008, two waste haulers (Waste Pro and Waste Management) will be picking up garbage, recycling and yard waste in unincorporated Manatee County. As a result, many residents will experience changes to their pick-up days for these services.

The new routes have been finalized and the pick-up days are now available for residents to view and determine whether their service days have changed. Please click on the following links to view maps that define the pick-up days:

* Residential Garbage pick-up days
* Residential Recycling pick-up days

All changes will go into effect on Wednesday, October 1, 2008. Wednesday is yard waste pick-up day for all unincorporated Manatee County residents. There will be no more Saturday yard waste pick-up.

As additional information becomes available, it will be posted to this web page. If you would like to be notified when the website is updated, please send an e-mail message to garbageinfo@mymanatee.org. You may also obtain more information by reviewing Frequently Asked Questions.

Following are additional methods that will be utilized to inform residents of the changes:

* Maps showing pick-up days for residential recycling and garbage will be mailed to all premises the week of September 15.
* Maps will also be placed in the lobbies of various Manatee County office buildings and in most libraries.
* Door hangers with scheduled pick-up days for garbage and recycling will be distributed to all customers during the month of September.
* Customers will be notified of their recycling pick-up day with stickers placed on recycling bins.
* Public Service Announcements will run on the following channels: Bright House channel 622, Comcast channel 20, Verizon channel 30 and Universal channel 2.
* There will be a full page newspaper ad, including the maps, in the Sunday, September 28 editions of the Bradenton Herald and the Herald Tribune.
* Garbage Hot Line - 941-798-6742: Residents may call this number with questions about the changes to garbage service.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

* Items should be placed in containers no larger than 32 gallons.
* There is a 50 lb. weight limit for each can, bag or bundle.
* All items should be placed at the curb before 6 a.m. on your pick-up day.
* Yard waste must be properly bundled.

Upcoming Meetings

Just a reminder on some upcoming meetings:

Tomorrow Sept 19th - Creekwood Security Committee
at Bob Evan's at 7 pm.

Monday Sept 22nd - Creekwood Violations Hearings
at AMI office at 9 am.

Monday Sept 22nd - Creekwood Master Board Meeting
at AMI office at 5:30 pm

All meetings are open to homeowners.

2 Bank Robberies on Friday 9/12 in East Manatee County

Bank Robbery #1
The Bank of America at 5315 39th Street East ( 39th Street East & SR 70) just got robbed at 5:10 PM. Description is a White/Male with a White T-shirt, Blue Jean Pants or Long Blue Jean Shorts, and a Camouflage or Khaki Hat with some type of logo on the front. He had a tattoo by his left ankle on the inside of the calf. No facial hair, 5’ 8” tall, thin build. Last seen running east on foot through field to the east of CVS Pharmacy. The suspect did get into a truck at CVS Pharmacy, just east of the bank. However, the truck was blue in color. It was an older work type truck with some black writing on it. Unknown if it was a small or large size pickup truck. The only further description on the suspect: He was in his mid 30’s in age. Also, the truck fled south on 45 Street East ( Lockwood Ridge Road ) and the suspect got into the passenger’s seat, which means there was a second suspect in the robbery.

Bank Robbery #2
Here is a picture of the suspect from the bank robbery at RBC Bank, located at 3275 University Parkway , from Friday (9/12/08) around 3:00 PM. The suspect is described as a White/Male in his 30’s, 5'10" to 6'00" tall, white button up short sleeve shirt, blue jeans, light colored fishing type hat, and sunglasses. He fled the scene in a 90’s model blue Toyota Corolla, that he backed into a parking space out front, west towards the Albertson’s parking lot.

If you can help, please contact the sheriff’s office at 747-3011. If you want to remain anonymous and/or possibly collect a cash reward, call Crimestoppers at 1-888-634-TIPS (8477). If you do not call Crimestoppers, you will not be eligible for a reward so call them first if you want a reward.

Creekside Monument Sign Installed

In case you haven't already noticed, the Creekside Monument sign was installed Sept. 4th. The Creekside Board will continue to follow up with the Creekwood Master Board for the approved landscaping to match the other entrance signs. Let us know what you think about the new sign on the Creekside Message board here. Or you can e-mail any questions about Creekside to CreeksideNews@yahoo.com.

A Word About Pets

A number of Creekside homeowner's have pets as an important part of our families. However, your neighbors may not feel quite the same attachment to your pet and may even be offended by certain behaviors. In order to help avoid conflicts with fellow homeowners, Creekside News would like to offer the following reminders regarding pet ownership based on State and County regulations as well as our Creekside/Creekwood Documents:

1. Our pets are subject to Ordinance 06-18 known as the Manatee County Animal Ordinance. Below is a paraphrase of some of the included requirement:

• that all dogs, cats & ferrets be licensed with the Division of Animal Services and have either a tag or micro-chip
• that all dogs, cats & ferrets be vaccinated for rabies
• dogs & cats should not be "at-large" i.e. freely roaming to public property or other properties without permission
• dogs & cats must be under direct control of the owner at all times ("leash law"), however cats, when outdoors, may be exempt if sterilized
  
• any dog or cat feces must be immediately removed by owner from public walkways, public property or private property of others
• repetitive noise i.e. barking, howling, meowing for more than 10 minutes is considered a nuisance

2. No livestock or poultry are to be raised or kept in Creekwood.
3. Homeowners are allowed up to 6 pets greater than 1 year old at a residence.
4. Under Florida state law, pet owners are responsible for the actions of their pets including fighting with other animals, harming people, destroying private property of others, etc.

So please as a courtesy to your fellow Creekside homeowners take care of your pets and respect the pets of others.

More Vandalism in the Culvert

Posted by Sami Bisharat, Creekside President.

This past Labor Day Weekend someone felt the need to break the FPL Easement gate at the culvert. Good news - the Security chain and lock stayed strong, but unfortunately the fence is quite damaged and broke from the hinges. I took the first photo and then set the fence back up for the second photo. It is not secured and can fall over again at the slightest touch. I have informed AMI and they will begin the process to get bids and present to the Master Board for Repairs. Hopefully this will be completed soon. If you saw or heard anything please let somebody know. It will take all our eyes working together to catch the perpetrators.

Some More August News

1st
AMI confirmed today that at the August 25th Monthly Creekwood Master Board Meeting the Master Board accepted the study from the Pool Subcommittee of the Ways & Means Committee regarding the options of the pool as a Creekwood amenity. The Master Board voted to keep the pool and to plan for the appropriate maintenance as recommended by the Reserve Study in future budgets subject to available funds.

2nd
A proposal from the Creekwood Communications Committee to create a Creekwood Directory of homeowners was rejected by the Master Board. However, the Creekside Board of Directors at their August 7th meeting received a similar request for just Creekside from a resident and voted to create a Creekside Directory. In the coming weeks you should receive your form for inclusion along with the 2008 Creekside Dues Collection Notice. We would like to have the Directory prepared for Distribution by the Creekside Town Hall meeting & Potlock on Sat. Oct. 11th at 4 pm in Creekside.

August Security Update

Much has happened in Creekwood in August. The Creekwood Security Committee met at Bob Evans Restaurant on Friday Aug. 8th to discuss a plan for improving Security in Creekwood and the Neighborhood watch program. The request for additional Neighborhood Watch signs were approved at the Creekwood Master Board Meeting on Monday Aug. 26th.

The following article is from:
BradentonHerald.com

Greenbrook (a community on SR-70, slightly east of I-75) can legally put up surveillance cameras to digitally capture license plates of exiting vehicles, but the community must also post signs alerting motorists.
"Four cameras would capture license plates at the intersection of Greenbrook Boulevard and State Road 70, and four would do the same at Greenbrook Boulevard and Lorraine Road, said Ann Fischer, a member of the District 4 camera committee."

The Creekwood security committee has also been developing a plan for surveillance cameras at the recreation center. They are yet to present their findings to the Master Board.


The following article is from:
www.newsmanatee.com

This Week's 1st Stupid Criminal:
Young Man Burglarizes Two Cars
Across Street From His House;
Witness Knew, Saw Burglar

MANATEE COUNTY, Florida [NMT] -- It takes all kinds of people to make up this crazy planet. This kid wasn't too bright.

Dylan Reed Wallace

On Saturday, August 23, 2008, at about midnight, Dylan Reed Wallace, 18, of 7928 50th Place East, in the Creekwood subdivision in East Manatee County, went to a residence at 5025 79th Street East -- across the street from his home -- and began opening the doors on two vehicles.

However, the victim and a witness were standing on the north side of the house when they heard the door open on their Ford Explorer.

They walked toward the vehicle and saw Wallace look through the console of the Explorer, close the door, light a cigarette and walk to the other vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, and open the driver's door.

The witness walked up to Wallace, who was inside the jeep and asked him what he was doing. Wallace turned around quickly and said he wasn't doing anything, the report said.

Then the witness and victim watched Wallace walk toward his home.

The witness and the victim, presumably boyfriend and girlfriend, went inside the home on 79th Street East and woke up another victim, presumably the girl's father.

About 10 minutes later, the sheriff's office was called.

The witness told Dep. Bryce Meade that he has lived in the Creekwood subdivision for 12 years and knows Wallace by face as Dylan Wallace, who lives at 7928 50th Place East.

One of the victims told Dep. Meade that $20 dollars had been taken from the Explorer's passenger seat.

Wallace was arrested and charged with two counts of Burglary to a Conveyance. He is being held at the Manatee County Jail on a $2,500 dollar bond for each count.

Creekside Entrance Monument Update

The Creekside Monument Sign is complete. However Future Forms stated they will attempt to install the sign on Tuesday Sept. 2nd. Due to the size and weight of the sign it will take a large amount of manpower to make this happen. Thanks go out to Alex Quesen at Future Forms, a fellow Creekwood neighbor, for all his hard work in making this happen.

Upcoming Committee Meetings for next week

Various Creekwood community committees have scheduled meetings for the next weeks. Below is a short listing. These meetings are in addition to the regularly scheduled monthly meetings for the ACC and the Ways & Means Committee. The full schedule of meetings can be found on the Creekside Calendar . For maps to the locations please click on the address.

Communication Committee
When: Monday, Aug. 4th at 7 pm
Where: 4668 72nd Ct. E., Bradenton, FL

Swimming Pool SubCommittee
When: Tuesday, Aug. 5th at 6 pm.
Where: Argosy University, Classroom A10
5250 17th St., Sarasota, FL

Security Committee
When: Friday, Aug. 8th at 7 pm
Where: Bob Evans Restaurant in the Creekwood Shopping Plaza
7393 SR-70, Bradenton, FL

Security in Creekside

At the Manatee County Sheriff's Eastside County residents meeting last night, Creekwood was recognized for the positive impact that the efforts of the Security Committee, led by Liz Sullivan, have made in reducing crime in the neighborhood. Creekside News would specifically like to thank the volunteers to the Security Committee and the Neighborhood Watch from Creekside for their efforts to help improve our community.

Last nights meeting was well attended by Creekwood and Creekside Residents with 12 homeowners in a crowd of about 40-50 attendees. The Manatee County Sheriffs also encouraged Creekwood continue our efforts to improve security in Creekwood through improved Homeowner awareness, improved lighting and encouraging the addition of security cameras.

Home Improvements? Submit your ACC Form!

If you are planning on doing any home improvements this summer (new landscaping, a fresh coat of paint, a new fence, etc.) please remember to submit an ACC Application Form first. The last thing you want is to spend money to improve your home only to find out that you must spend more money to remove an unauthorized change that may violate Creekwood CCRs. Please do not look at this as a nuisance, but rather the price of living in a deed restricted community. The goal of the ACC is to keep some continuity of appearance in our community to maintain our property values as a whole. If you would like to learn more, the Architecural Control Committee (ACC) holds a regular monthly meeting on the 2nd Wednesday every month from 11 am to noon at 7307 52nd Drive E, Bradenton, FL. They review all applications as well as discuss the efforts of Violations enforcement in Creekwood.

Light Games in Creekwood

After noticing that the lights at 73rd St. E. & Creekwood Blvd. stayed on through out the day, a volunteer on the Ways & Means Committee inspected the well pump area behind the wall and took the picture to the left. The optical sensor for the street light is clearly seen covered with black electrical tape to keep the light on all day and night.

This is the second time this year that electrical tape has been found over an optical sensors for lights. Apparently someone is attempting to drive up Creekwood electrical expenses through this minor alteration. If you see a light on during the daytime in Creekwood please contact one of the following so we can investigate and hopefully end this silly game:

Dorian at AMI - 941-359-1134
Melva, Ways & Means Chairperson - 941-753-7698
Any of your sub association board of directors.

Recent Security News

First item comes from the FloridaOffenderAlert.com website:

The following updated address information was reported to the Florida Sexual Offender Registry and falls within the specified radius:

Offender Name: HORACE L PARKER SR

DOB: 08/14/1968

Reported Offender Address: 5111 76TH ST E, BRADENTON, FL

View Offender Flyer

Second is an event with Manatee County Sheriff's E-watch program:

An Eastside Communities meeting which will be held on Tuesday July 29^th, 2008 at 7:00 pm at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Office, located at 600 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton, FL 34205 Suite 176. Sheriff Brad Steube will be in attendance as well as deputies who patrol within Eastside Communities to discuss any concerns you may have. This event will be hosted by Chick-fil-A of Creekwood who will provide food and drinks for all who attend.
Please plan to attend this important meeting. If you have any questions, please call the number below.

Also, please check out the updated Sheriff's website at www.manateesheriff.com

Manatee County Sheriff's Office
Crime Prevention
941-747-3011 ext. 2500

Finally, a new online virus is going around:

This has been verified through SNOPES as an actual Virus

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Attention Virus Warning We have become aware there is a fraudulent e-mail being sent that says it is coming from UPS and leads the reader to believe that a UPS shipment could not be delivered. The reader is advised to open an attachment reportedly containing a waybill for the shipment to be picked up. This e-mail attachment contains a virus. We recommend that you do not open the attachment, but delete the e-mail immediately. UPS may send official notification messages on occasion, but they rarely include attachments. If you receive a notification message that includes an attachment and are in doubt about its authenticity, please contact customerservice@ups.com. Please note that UPS takes its customer relationships very seriously, but cannot take responsibility for the unauthorized actions of third parties. Thank you for your attention. © 2008 United Parcel Service of America , Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark, and the color brown are trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Click here to unsubscribe the UPS Brown Bulletin. If you would like to be added to the UPS Brown Bulletin distribution, click here. For information on UPS's privacy practices refer to the UPS Privacy Policy. Please do not reply to this e-mail.

Swimming Pool Committee Mtg Tonight

Tonight is the second meeting of the Swimming pool committee. Master Board Member Kathleen Cornett will be hosting the meeting at her home, 4647 73rd Street East, at 6:30 p.m. Please contact her if you plan to attend at drkcornett@msn.com.

Pool Sub Committee Meeting Tuesday

At the last board meeting it was decided a subcommittee of the Ways & Means called the "pool committee" would be formed to conduct a swimming pool study and to complete the process initiated by the previous board as to whether we should keep or remove the swimming pool.
Master Board Member Kathleen Cornett will be hosting the initial "pool committee" meeting July 8 (Tuesday) at her home, 4647 73rd Street East, at 6:30 p.m. Please contact her if you plan to attend at drkcornett@msn.com.

Creekside Sign Permitting Complete

Received word today from Alex with Future Forms that we have completed the permitting process for the Creekside Entrance Monunment. Future Forms will begin the fabrication process immediately. Hopefully we will see installation before the end of this summer.

Pool Repaired & CMB Meeting Tonight

Repairs to the Creekwood Pool were completed. There were multiple leaks in the plumbing system surrounding the pool. Initially 1 leak was found, but during repairs 2 more leaks were discovered and corrected.

Tonight is the regularly scheduled monthly CMB meeting for June at the AMI office, 9031 Town Center Parkway, Bradenton, FL 34202. As always these meetings are open to the Creekwood Community to attend.

Ways & Means Committee Meeting Tonight

Tonight is the Ways & Means committee meeting. Anyone interested in serving on the Recreation Area Committee should attend as this will be a sub-committee of the Ways & Means. Click on the image to view the agenda.

POOL CLOSED TODAY!!!

The below announcement was sent via e-mail from AMI

Date: June 12, 2008
Subject: Broadcast Notice - Pool Closed

The Swimming Pool is CLOSED for leak repairs. We expect it to be reopened by the weekend. We apoloizise for any inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation.

Thank you,
The Creekwood Master Association, Inc. BOD
and Advanced Management Inc.

New Website Feature

A Calendar of Events was added today to the Creekside at Creekwood Website as well as to the Creekside News blog . This will be updated with information for any meetings and events in the Creekside and Creekwood communities. If you would like to add any events to this calendar please e-mail creeksidenews@yahoo.com

Driveway Information from the ACC

A message from the ACC to Creekwood Homeowners:
We have been traveling the area looking at a variety of toppings that contractors put on driveways, and so far, have found nothing suitable to repair Creekwood driveways. To cover the cracks and uneven surfaces contractors are using diagonal tile patterns, designs and three color mottle processes. All are costly and all need to be resealed every couple years. We hope the article below will explain the situation to owners and reduce the number of calls we receive.
Thank you,
Sharon Fannin
Chairman/Creekwood ACC

Driveways

In response to requests from homeowners, the Architectural Control Committee continues to research the market to find a product that will conceal cracks on driveways, will not chip, flake, bubble or peel and looks like concrete. So far we have not found that product, so we must continue to warn owners DO NOT PAINT OR STAIN DRIVEWAYS. Paint or stain on driveways has never been permitted in Creekwood. If an owner paints or stains a driveway (even one that was previously painted), he/she will be required to remove the paint with a grinder or sandblast process which costs approximately $1,200. And, if that process doesn't solve the problem, the owner may be required to replace the driveway. NOTE: All changes to the exterior of the home require ACC approval.

Special CMB meeting this Friday

A Special Meeting of the Creekwood Master Board has been called to resolve a problem with the selected bid for the extension of the Creekwood Blvd. fence. This meeting will be held Friday, June 6th at AMI's office at 5:30 pm. Please click on the image for AMI's address.

RBC Bank Robbed Today!!

The RBC Centura Bank at the entrance to Creekwood was robbed this afternoon. Please click below to read more.

RBC Bank Robbed Today

Recreation Area Committee being Formed

The Recreation Area Committee is seeking volunteers. The committee is being formed to handle all the issues related to the recreation area that includes the pool, basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, grills, etc. The first priority that has been identified by the Creekwood Master Board for this committee is to resolve the Pool issue from last summer. The Committee will discuss and attempt to quantify as many aspects of the options available to deal with the pool including, but not limited to ongoing maintenance and repairs to the pool area, improving the pool area, or removal of the pool area. Options will require looking at Creekwood Document requirements, County codes, estimated expenses to maintain or remove/replace, estimates of alternatives, estimates of impact on home values and the opinion of Creekwood homeowner's. If you would like to participate please contact Sami Bisharat in Creekside via e-mail or at home (941)727-9878. A chairperson has not been selected, Sami is only coordinating the volunteers.

Tables, Benches & Trash Cans for the Recreation Area

Due to repeated Vandalism of the concrete benches, tables and trash cans, the Security committee and the Ways & Means committee worked together to provide a recommendation for replacement of those items with a Thermo Plastic Coated metal style that are more resistant to breakage and graffiti removal, but are still aesthetically appealing. The CMB voted to order 2 6ft. picnic tables, 2 6ft. players benches and 2 trash cans. These recommended replacement items are also less expensive than the repeatedly vandalised concrete versions. All items are to be color coordinated as well. When the ordered replacements arrive, the last of the broken concrete benches and tables should be removed from the area.

New Mailbox Proposal

Due to issues such as uniformity of repaired mailboxes, the expense to repair any broken mailboxes and the maintenance of dirty, moldy mailboxes the ACC created a subcommitted dedicated to reviewing options for replacement mailboxes. At the May 29th CMB meeting the Mailbox subcommittee presented 2 options to replace the current mailboxes in Creekwood. Below are images of the 2 presented boxes. The CMB board is seeking input from the community regarding the style of these mailboxes. Issues regarding the expense, the timeline, etc. are still being discussed and are not set at this time. Again, this is simply an opportunity to discuss if the Creekside and the Creekwood community are in agreement with this style of mailbox. You can comment by e-mailing your sub Association members or by posting a comment on the message board of the Creekside Website.

Option 1 - Recommended by the Mailbox Committee
Iron with flat black powder coating electrostatically bonded to prevent chipping.
Address plate below box




















Option 2 - Not Recommended
Iron with black paint.
Address on front of box.

Creekwood Master Board Meeting Last Night

Last night the CMB held their regularly scheduled May meeting. It was very well attended and ran nearly 3 hours long. Many items were voted on and issues were presented.
A short list of items handled include the following:

1. The board has passed resolutions to purchase and install a variety of items around the Recreation area that have been destroyed by vandalism
2. The Mailbox committee has presented 2 options for new mailbox designs and recommended one particular type.
3. A Recreation Area Committee is being established to handle the Pool issue from last year and other necessary repair & maintenance items for that area as deemed necessary. If you would like to join this committee please contact Sami Bisharat at samibisharat@yahoo.com

Other items were discussed and more details and images will follow in subsequent postings

New Credit Card Scam Warning

From Manatee Sheriffs' eWatch Community Newsletter:

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called on Thursday from 'Master Card'. The scam works like this: Caller: 'This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona ?'

When you say 'No', the caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?'

You say 'yes'. The caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.'

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works.

The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession of your card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?' After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. W hat the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a 'Jason Richardson of Master Card' with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Crime Prevention

941-747-3011 ext. 2500

Ways & Means Committee Mtg Tomorrow

The Creekwood Ways & Means Committee is meeting tomorrow. They will be discussing the Creekside Monument sign, Moss on the Trees in Creekside and the Algae in Creekside. Please attend if you would like to contribute to the discussion.

Manatee County Sheriffs Ewatch Updated

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is happy to announce that our Community and Business Ewatch program is back up and running and we will be sending out alerts as they come in. We apologize for this inconvenience and delay. Please tell your friends to send their name and addresses to communityewatch@manateesheriff.com or businessewatch@manateesheriff.com to join in our Ewatch Program.

Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Crime Prevention

941-747-3011 ext. 2500

Violation & Fining Committee Mtg 5-29-08

On Thursday, 5-29-08, the Violation and Fining Committee will hold Hearings for Violations that have not been settled within the 14 day timeline as specified in the initial notification mailed to the homeowner and in our Creekwood Documents. Please click on the image to see which violations will be addressed at this meeting.

If you have received a violation notification and will be unable to address the issue please be proactive in notifying AMI before the 14 day timeline, otherwise you will be subjected to fining and possibly need to appear at a Fining Committee hearing to dispute the fine.

Construction Traffic on Creekwood Blvd.

In April County Commissioner Donna Hayes, who represents the district that includes Creekwood, presented a motion at the last Commissioner meeting to discuss the issue of large Construction vehicle traffic along Creekwood Blvd. Please click the image to read a summary of the events as reported by Diane Darrow, Creekwood Communication Committee Chair.

The next County Commission Meeting is Tuesday, 5-20-08, at 9:00 A.M. at 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205 on the ground floor. You can get more info including the agenda at www.mymanatee.org

New Basketball Hoop

Yesterday a new, commercial-grade basketball hoop was installed at the pool area. The new hoop has a lifetime guarantee and is significantly sturdier than the previous hoop that was broken a few months ago. During the installation it was also determined that the previous hoop was incorrectly installed due to its small size, adding to its short life. The next step is to replace the black electrical tape box outline on the backboard with paint.

Mailbox and Trash Can Vandalism

Last Friday, April 25th, some Creekwood homeowner's woke up to quite a mess. Some mailboxes had been uprooted and trash cans knocked over and dragged down the road with trash strewn out all along the road. Tonight is trash night again, so please keep an eye out and if you see or hear anything contact the Manatee County Sheriff's department at the following:

Manatee County Sheriff’s

Crime Prevention

941-747-3011 ext. 2500

RESULTS of the 2008 Annual Creekwood Meeting

This past Saturday, April 26th, the 2008 Creekwood Annual Meeting was held at the Braden River Library. We had a strong turnout to witness the passing of the 2 proposed Amendments and the election of the 2008 Creekwood Master Board. The image to the right has all the contact information for the 2008 Board as well as Sub Association presidents, Committee chairpersons, AMI and important dates.

Tonight is the first regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the new Creekwood Master Board to be held at AMI's office at 5:30 pm. This meeting is open to all community members to attend and make comments.

Upcoming Creekwood Meetings

On Saturday is the Creekwood 2008 Annual Meeting at 1:00 pm at the Braden River Library. The Creekwood Delegate Voters will vote on the Amendments approved by the CMB and elect the CMB members for 2008.

On Monday morning is the Creekwood Violations Committee meeting at 9:30 am at the AMI offices. The Agenda can be viewed by clicking the image to the left.

On Monday evening is the first meeting of the newly elected CMB at 5:30 pm at the AMI offices. This is the regularly scheduled meeting held on the last Monday of the month. As always this meeting is open to all homeowners in Creekwood.

New AMI Manager for Creekwood

Today AMI distributed the announcement that our current property manager, Pamela Gavette, is leaving and will be replaced by Dorian Danys. Click on the image to see the announcement. You can e-mail her at ddanys@amiwra.com.