[Bogie Shooter]

I don’t know how I have survived my 20+ years as a Villager, getting soaking wet all those times.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I attended the District's Budget Meeting last year.

The amount of money spent on Community Watch, is criminal. The guy that runs it, is a nut bag in my opinion. I had to leave after listening to his nonsense for 10 minutes ... he apparently went on for another 20 minutes after I left. He thinks he's running the NYC Police Department and had more facts and figures than any human could stomach.

Want to know how many homes Community Watch can drive by per minute? He can tell you. Want to know how long it takes to call a homeowner, to tell them their garage door is open? He's got the statistics. It was mind boggling.

I left before I heard how much they spend for those clowns operating the gates & paddles at the gates ... I can only imagine!

Cutting all those guys loose is going to be an issue. It should have been done a long time ago. I'll be curious how this one shakes out.

I wonder if they had the stats for how many homeowners they have to call because the Sunny paper they never subscribed to is piling up on their driveway while they are snowbirding up north?

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by CarlR33

I would vote to get rid of them. The golf carts don’t pay attention with the gate anyhow. I noticed when the fire department came the other night going by Sawgrass they had to completely stop and push the button on the (non attendant) gate. I wonder if my home insurance takes that into account and my rate is higher based on a slower response, LOL. Like another said we will be gone before any change ever happens.

Only some of the gates actually have attendants. Most don't. EMS has to "push the red button" to get into my neighborhood...

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by CarlR33

I wonder if they had the stats for how many homeowners they have to call because the Sunny paper they never subscribed to is piling up on their driveway while they are snowbirding up north?

They have every stat you can imagine and a zillion you can't imagine.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

I feel the gate attendants are an essential part of this community. You don’t see all the people who need help that these people provide. If anything we should provide better training for them.

If that were the case, why are there attendants at only -some- of the gates?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by CarlR33

I wonder if they had the stats for how many homeowners they have to call because the Sunny paper they never subscribed to is piling up on their driveway while they are snowbirding up north?

Being a part timer, I very much like the Daily Fun. I can call and have them turn the paper delivery on and off as we come and go. We pay for a one year subscription and they never charge us for the days they don’t deliver. A one year subscription typically lasts us a little over two years, and I really enjoy reading a real printed paper as opposed to digital. And you can’t beat the price, all the advertising makes the paper very affordable. Plus, I love getting the sports pools schedule that is buried in the recreation news insert in the paper every Thursday.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Community Watch drives around all day and mans the Gates. That's it. They're Mall Cops with automobiles.

Try to get your head around these numbers:

The Community Watch Budget in FY 24 was $11,800,000

Community Watch Budget increased approximately 14% for FY25 ... +/- $13,000,000.

PWAC (South of 466) = +/- 60%
AAC (North of 466) = +/- 40%

I'm fairly certain the PWAC is currently subsidized by the Developer, their % will increase.

PWAC does not pay for Community Watch. Community Watch is an amenity and is paid for with amenity fees. PWAC is funded with maintenance fees.

In what way do you believe PWAC (or RAD or SLAD) is subsidized by the Developer? Which revenue line item captures this subsidy? (The Developer did contribute $3M towards a project in the current year but not in previous years and not in the upcoming year)

The numbers I see in the proposed budgets are different from yours.

RAD (30%):
$3.392M -> $3.638M : 7% increase
SLAD (70%):
$7.065M -> $8.356M : 18% increase
Total:
$10.457M -> $11.994M : 12% increase

I haven't attended any of the workshops to hear why the RAD increase was greater than inflation. The SLAD increase includes coverage for much of the new development over the last year.

EDIT:
Much or all of the 7% increase in RAD might have been due to an increase in the Florida minimum wage. Much of the Community Watch budget goes towards pay and moving from $12/hr to $13/hr is an 8% increase.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Being a part timer, I very much like the Daily Fun. I can call and have them turn the paper delivery on and off as we come and go. We pay for a one year subscription and they never charge us for the days they don’t deliver. A one year subscription typically lasts us a little over two years, and I really enjoy reading a real printed paper as opposed to digital. And you can’t beat the price, all the advertising makes the paper very affordable. Plus, I love getting the sports pools schedule that is buried in the recreation news insert in the paper every Thursday.

The problem is the Super Saturday delivery to all residents and often times they are delivering to residents during the week that do not want it like they were subscribing. I thought I heard the Sunny does not offer digital version (please correct me if I’m wrong)? Either way like the POA you have to call them to unsubscribe.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The gate at Morse and 466 needs gates. I wish they'd provide electronic sensors and stickers for cars, plus red buttons for people who don't have them. Instead of gate guards at that spot. That way, everyone would still have to stop at the gate, which allows golf carts to cross to the MMP if they're coming south on Morse, but residents wouldn't have to open their window or get out of their car to push the button.

[Taltarzac725]

I am in favor of anything that slows illegal speeders down but does not ruin cars and trucks under carriages.

[Angelhug52]

Have ALL gates open automatically. No need to open windows. Maybe decide which entrance is a main entrance and put an attendant there.

[pkfavreau2]

I think the gates are a necessary part of our community. We have almost had accidents where the gates open at the same time letting cars through our gate is broken and cars just one after the other go through. When they’re on a curve to get to the gate even worse cause you can’t seem coming. We depend on the gates coming down to know we can go in the golf cart when it’s safe so I can’t picture not having that. When a gate is broken people drive-through at 20-25 miles an hour sometimes. If you don’t want the gate attendant at least keep the gate and have someone there when the gates are broken. If people are so desperate to save money then change the flowers to twice. That would probably pay for most of the game attendants.

[trevorhewick]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Disagree! I think if any thing we need more Community Watch. Too many unauthorized people taking liberties with TV property. Using swimming pools, using recreation areas, golf courses, trying to get around deed restrictions etc etc. And there is a sense of comfort knowing they drive by my home each day and night. They help keep our place safe and civilized.

I totally agree with you Velvet.

[BillY41]

Interesting post. I am shocked that our emergency personnel have to stop to push the gate button. If I can purchase a gate reader for my mirror, on my car, our First Responders must have a reader on their vehicles.
As far as gates and attendants. How many residents often are too lazy to use their card and rather be waved through by the attendant? There's room for improvement on both sides.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by CarlR33

I wonder if they had the stats for how many homeowners they have to call because the Sunny paper they never subscribed to is piling up on their driveway while they are snowbirding up north?

Since 2007 your paper by the second delivery is picked up by CW taken to front door which in 99% of home is out of sight from road. The second consecutive day a phone call is placed that the paper has been delivered and not retrieved.

It’s just as much a helpful notification for short vacation than snowbirds.

However the best reason for the CW phone call is…….

Non Responsive Resident or a Death of the resident who isn’t picking up DS….

That alone one should be happy that phone call is made, because eventually the smell becomes overwhelming.

Yes….more than a few times the phone call has resulted in well check, with not so positive outcome.

After all it’s a retirement community with some elderly who live alone. Non DS pickup due to Death has happened in 7 times in three of our neighborhoods. Not all residents who live alone take advantage of the daily well check phone calls available in TV