ALARM: Crime Watch Report

The entrance ALARM sign was lowered due to a report received the morning of 12/14/07 of neighborhood vandalism.

Cars parked on the road were hit with eggs sometime around 3:00 AM. An eye-witness reported a black Honda with teen-age boys was spotted driving around the neighborhood without headlights. The witness reported hearing a smashing sound that sounded like eggs.

The incident has been reported to the police and the situation has been logged. A police patrol car will be out to investigate. Any victims should contact the below number to make individual reports.

Please be on the lookout for any suspicious activity and always report it to:

NON-EMERGENCY POLICE # 587-6730 - Make sure to tell them to LOG the situation.

Election Results

2007/2008 VGHA Officers are:

President – Beth Thomas
Vice President – Harold Hawkins
Secretary – remains vacant
Treasurer – Tricia Stanton
5th Board Member - Janet Dygert

Unfortunately, there were no volunteers or accepted nominations other than the previous officers. The Association greatly appreciates the re-commitment made by the re-elected officers.

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

Please, if you notice something odd or creepy, or activity that is simply out of place in the neighborhood, call the non-emergency number. If the officer asks what you want them to do about suspicious activity that is not yet an actual crime, tell them you want them to LOG IT.

A car sitting idling around the corner is not in-and-of-itself a crime, but it looks like it could be one waiting to happen, doesn’t it? If the odd stuff isn’t reported, there will never be a recognized pattern, and crime prevention remains a stab in the dark.

NON-EMERGENCY POLICE # 587-6730

VGHA Board Nominations Being Accepted

October 15, 2007 will be the annual VGHA Election Meeting. It is very important that we have a quorum for the election.

Ways to Vote:

There are two ways an active member* of the Venetian Gardens Homeowners Association can vote:

In person at the Annual Meeting: Any active member can personally come to the annual Association Election meeting and cast a ballot. Only one ballot will be given per active member household.

Proxy: Any active member can use a Proxy Designation Form to designate someone to act as your agent. The agent designated must be present at the election meeting and will be responsible for identifying themselves, where they will be given a ballot to cast on your behalf. Proxy Designation Forms can be dropped off in the Association mailbox or agent may bring the signed form to the meeting.

*An active member is defined as: any Venetian Gardens Homeowner that has paid their 2007 annual Association dues of $24.00. Dues can be paid at election meeting.

All Proxy Designation Forms will be collected from the Association mailbox at 6 PM on October 15, 2007 – the day of the Annual Election Meeting. Any Forms placed in the mailbox after 6 PM will not be counted.

If you are interested in serving in any of the VGHA Officer positions please contact a current Officer today, nominations are still being accepted.

Without volenteers we are unable to operate. We urge you to consider serving.

Curbside Recycling Changes

The City of Largo has decided to replace glass curbside recycling collection with mixed paper. Beginning Monday, October 1, 2007 Largo residents will be able to recycle all of their junk mail, magazines, catalogs, shredded paper, cereal-type food boxes and other mixed paper products in their blue curbside recycling bin. To read more go to www.largorecycles.com

Interim Officer Needed

VGHA Secretary Mary Whitehorn has resigned as Secretary. There is only one more Association meeting left in 2007. If you are interested in serving as an Interim Secretary for the October 15, 2007 Association meeting please contact an Officer as soon as possible. This would be a good way to see if you would like to join the team, or to just help out without a long term commitment.

Get Involved

Support your neighborhood association and become involved in changing your community, while getting to know your neighbors.

Membership is open to all interested residents living within the Venetian Gardens neighborhood. The annual dues are only $24. Please make check out to Venetian Gardens Homeowner Association, and put in neighborhood mailbox or bring to any meeting.

By working together and pulling our resources we can improve OUR neighborhood.

Let your voice be heard - all comments are welcome either posted or in person.

The association operates on volunteer power. Please take this into consideration when deciding if you should get involved. We need your help in order to continue to operate.

You may see your contribution as small, but the Venetian Gardens Homeowner’s Association sees it as priceless.

Meetings are held quarterly - the 3rd Monday of the month:

January
April
July
October

Please leave a comment if you are able to host a meeting?

Thanks for attending: Association Meeting

Held: Monday, July 23rd at 7:00 Pm
Janet & Ed Dygert's home: 2180 Wateroak Dr N 536-9665

*Attention ALL VGHA Committee members*
A brief meeting for all committee members will be held prior to the Association Meeting at 6:30 PM. Committee Chairmen: please be prepared with an update.

Guest Speaker:
We are excited to announce that we will have the following guest speaker:
Brenna Barrett from the City of Largo Solid Waste & Recycling Department will discuss the upcoming changes in the recycling program that will go into effect October 2007. She will also be bringing with her some extra recycling bins.

Accepting nominations for 2008 VGHA board members. (Election at October meeting)

Leave a comment if you have items that you would like added to the agenda.

Please plan to attend.

** Thank you Jan & Ed for hosting!!!!!

Thanks for attending: Board Meeting

VGHA Board Meeting

Monday, July 9, 2007 7:30 Pm
Tricia & Joe Stanton's home: 2176 Wateroak Drive N.

Donations Anyone?

The VGHA is up to good things, but we need your help.

If you have decided not to join the homeowner’s association but you would still like to contribute to the bills and expenses of our neighborhood, we would like to ask for a donation.

The income collected from dues goes towards the operating expenses of the neighborhood and association. The association pays for the electric to run the front lights, the reclaimed water at the neighborhood’s entrance, liability insurance, beautification & maintenance expenses, and various projects throughout the year.

If you are not able to make a cash donation, please consider donating your time.
We are looking for people that can help with:

- Planting or Landscaping
- Internet design or content
- Administrative
- Newsletter Ideas, photos or articles
- Social activities or entertainment
- Kids activities or projects

- Elderly activities or projects

- Bake Sale Donations

The neighborhood committees are looking for ideas for projects. Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or if you would like to make a donation.

MAILBOX

We have a new Mailbox !

Location is directly behind this Welcome sign:

Please use mailbox to drop off dues, proxies & any other VGHA correspondence.

MAILBOX IS LOCKED AND WILL BE CHECKED REGUARLY.

FOR SALE

Are you looking to sell or buy something ?

Leave a comment with price, description and contact information.

The hurricane season runs for six months, from June through November, and can produce more than a dozen named storms in any given year. While most hurricanes either fail to make landfall, hit other areas, or fail to gain significant destructive strength, the lessons learned from hurricanes in Florida show us that we must always be prepared.

Here are some things you can do today to prepare for the hurricane season:


. Pre-Register for a Pet - Friendly Shelter

· Refer to the evacuation maps at Disaster Preparedness Resources and Guides, and locate where you live and your evacuation zone. Determine if and when you would have to evacuate.

· Decide NOW where you would go if ordered to evacuate (friend, relative, hotel, out of the region). Only use shelters as a last resort. If you choose to go to a hotel or travel out of the region, you must leave early.

· Check your preparedness checklist and obtain any items you may need.

· Keep your home in good repair. Tack down loose roofing and siding, and trim dead or broken branches from trees.

· Make the minor improvements needed to increase your home's safety. Contact a licensed engineer, licensed contractor or architect to inspect your home for structural integrity.

· Make plans and purchase materials to protect your home before the threat of a storm (plywood, window protection, plastic sheeting, nails, etc.).

· Purchase a battery-powered weather alert radio.

· Inventory your property and store the list with insurance and title papers in a safe place, or send a copy to a relative out of the area. Using a video tape is an excellent way to inventory your home.

· Make sure your address is clearly marked on your home.

· Review your insurance policies now, whether you rent or own your home.While the strength of a hurricane is measured merely by the sustained wind speed, the dangers that hurricanes present include much more than wind damage. Hurricanes combine storm surge, high winds, heavy rains and tornadoes in a powerful and devastating combination.