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.

Creekwood Newsletter Distributed

The Creekwood Master Association Newsletter for April 2008 was distributed this weekend. Included is the name of all the Presidents & Delegate voters for each sub association as well as a summary of the 2008 Creekwood Reserve Study. If you would like to view the Reserve study it is available on the Creekside Website under the Publications section. It is 4 parts and includes 5 Exhibits which include color photos, an estimated expense timeline charts and graphs and credential info. You can also discuss your opinions of the study on the message boards.

Creekwood Amendments Approved by CMB

On Monday April 14th the Creekwood Master Board approved 2 amendments to be presented to the Delegate Voters for a vote, 1 to the Creekwood Declaration and 1 to the Creekwood By Laws. These amendments specify eligibility requirements for Creekwood Board Members. They will be voted on by the Delegate Voters at the Creekwood Annual Meeting to be held next Saturday, April 26th. Here are the amendments to be voted on:

Creekwood Amendments

Feel free to discuss your opinion of the Amendments on the Creekside Message Board
.

Mail Theft Update

This is an update to a previous post regarding Mail Theft in Creekside.

A Bank of America location in St. Petersburg has reported multiple checks attempting to be cashed in their branch all originating in Bradenton. The perpetrators are refusing to provide ID when requested and license plates of some, but not all, have been caught on tape.

It is still up to us to be vigilante about monitoring our account info and our neighborhood. Please keep an eye on your bank accounts and try not to use your mailbox for outgoing bills. Alternatives include using the Post Office drop off inside the Creekwood Crossing BP gas station at the entrance to Creekwood or to use online banking to pay bills. If you see any suspicious vehicles or activity with your mailbox please contact the Sheriffs office.

New Chain & Lock for the Culvert Gate

It finally got replaced! A new, high grade commercial chain and lock that should stand up to the abuse better than the previous set up was installed today on the gate at the culvert. Hopefully this will reduce access to the FPL easement area from those seeking to ride off-road vehicles.

New Items on Creekside Website

This weekend 2 new items were added to the Creekside Community Website's Publications section. The first item added is the full PDF version of the Creekside at Creekwood Articles of Incorporation, CCR's and By-laws.

The second item is the Creekwood Master Association 2008 Reserve Study. This is a multiple part document including the Report and corresponding Exhibits. Take a look at the recommendations from Reserve Advisors on the reserve fund and expected expenses over the next 30 years. A summary of the report will be found in the next Creekwood Newsletter. You can also post your comments or thoughts about the report in the Creekside Message Boards.

Check it out!
www.creeksideatcreekwood.com

Community Yard Sale This Weekend

This Saturday and Sunday is the Spring Creekwood Community Yard Sale. As always we expect a lot of traffic during this event. Its highly advised to drive slowly when on Creekwood streets.

Creekside tends to have a smaller turnout than the rest of Creekwood, but its still a worthwhile and fun event. If you get the opportunity it is highly encouraged to visit some of your neighbors homes for some good deals or just to say "Hi!".

Here's a little advice for an enjoyable day:
1. Most serious Yard Sale shoppers come out early, so the sooner you get your goods on your driveways the better.
2. Its highly advised to have small bills available for change.
3. Negotiating is part of the fun.
4. Some extra cash can be made on selling refreshments and its a fun way to keep the kids involved...lemonade stand anyone!

Have fun and be safe! See you there.

Reported Mail Theft in Creekside!

The following was reported by a Creekside Board Member on Tuesday, April 8th. Please be aware:

"On Monday morning, April 7th, at approximately 10 AM a red Dodge truck with 2 African-American females were observed stopping and removing mail from curbside mailboxes that had the red flag up in Creekside. This incident was reported to the local sheriff as well as the post office. The sheriff indicated that there has been recent incidents of mail theft reported in Tara and surrounding neighborhoods. The sheriff strongly recommended that residents do not place any mail for pickup that have checks enclosed or credit card information.

Also, be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles when the IRS rebate checks start to be mailed. Any suspicious activity regarding mail theft should be reported immediately to the Sheriff's Department as well as the local postmaster."

Pool Closed Today due to Trash!

The Creekwood Community Pool was closed this morning due to Trash in the Pool including diapers. The initial assessment is the trash was intentionally thrown into the pool. The pool will have to be cleaned before it can be used again.
Again we reiterate our call for volunteers for the Security Committee. We need help to implement the things to help deter such vandalism such as Security cameras and additionally lighting. Please contact Elizabeth Sullivan at baywaves2@aol.com to volunteer. We need your help to improve Creekwood.