Volunteering Cures Depression

Recent articles have appeared on the internet extolling the virtues of helping others as a means of curing depression.  And as everyone knows, everything written on the internet is true and factual.

Pacific Tower Board of Directors is eager to assist anyone wishing to turn their dismal lives around!  We are in the unique position of needing more helpers to assist in various duties in the building.  If you’re not depressed, that’s okay too.  Our jobs are always changing: Are you available to sometimes put a notice on each door?  Can you look up something on the internet and forward the links to the board?  Can you canvass the building and report what needs to be cleaned?  Right now, almost every job is done by two or three members of the board, mostly one, Carol Foreman.  You do not have to be a member of the board to volunteer to help the board.  You don’t have to go to a boring Board Meeting.  All you have to do is tell the office downstairs that you are available and leave your phone number and email. A board member will lovingly contact you.  Thanks in advance!

A Day at the Office

OR: Nutty HOA Prez Walks a Mile in John McLean’s Shoes OR Going from Zero to 60 after age 60.

Fact # 1 John was out with a bad foot

Fact # 2 Marvin was on vacation

Fact # 3 Every time I have looked into our Maintenance Office, I have cringed.  Why?  I can’t stand the sight of cardboard boxes in an office.  I also can’t stand an office that can’t go in Architectural Digest, so I admit my standards are probably too high.  I’m a certified neat freak.

Monday, with John and Marvin conveniently out of the way, I seized the opportunity to organize the office.  And the first thing I was gonna do was GET RID OF THE goddamn CARDBOARD BOXES!  

That’s When the Fun Began.  I enlisted our new employee Andy Noel for my partner in crime.  Our Mission, which we accepted, was to find space in already overstuffed cupboards, to store the stupid boxes.  It only took three days but we are proud of tackling this daunting task.  Office looks neater.  We pray John will forgive us our trespassing.

But here’s what I learned while cleaning: John’s office is a beehive of epic proportion!  And John is the incredible ringmaster of this buzzing circus!  If you don’t believe me, here’s a list of one day

• Movers asked to have elevator padded and shut down
• A very guilty resident broke a hallway light while demo-ing his tennis swing  – glass everywhere
• GYPSY the dog needed a hug
• Elevator company comes for monthly inspection, wants to shut down the OTHER elevator
• A friend of the Board collects the meeting minutes to distribute
• BENDER the dog needs a head scratch
• Somebody’s mailbox won’t lock
• A vendor needs to be walked around to make proposal on a repair
• TAZZIE the dog needed loving reassurance
• Someone’s cleaning lady needed a key that was left for her
• The office printer ran out of ink - no spares on hand
• BUBBA the dog needed help making snorting noises
• Somebody jammed the entire trash chute with bubble wrap
• Signs needed to be printed and posted for Board Announcement
• LANA the dog needed a smooch right on the kisser
• Fed Ex man reported a dead bird on somebody’s doorway
• A listing Realtor called with 50 short questions
• A contractor tried to get an 8 foot mirror in a 9 foot elevator
• BISQUIT the dog needed an emergency back scratching
• Somebody stole somebody else’s parking spot – but who?
• Somebody wanted to borrow the hand truck
• RUSTY the dog needed his ears rubbed
• Somebody got locked out, sans cell phone – needed a locksmith
• Somebody ELSE got locked out.  What are the odds?
• LUCY the dog alone in lobby, leash caught in the elevator doors (owner going UP) – and needed to be unleashed, Pronto!
• Somebody going out of town wanted to give office her key
• A balcony needed to be cleared for the spalling scaffolding
• Contractors left a trail of dry wall dust footprints  
• Truck blocking dumpster room, garbage men threaten to leave w/o garbage
• Complete strangers introduced themselves, said nice things about the Board.  I didn’t disagree.

There was so much more, but you get the idea.  It was fun, but I’m tired just talking about it! 

Karyl Miller

Game of Thrones Man Cave?

Dear Boardie,

I’m planning on remodeling my condo into a Game of Thrones Man Cave. I own it so I can do whatever I want, right?

Signed, Homie

Boardie: Thankyouforasking and nooooo, you cannot do whatever you want.  You have to follow our HOA Architectural Guidelines.

Homie: “Architectural Guidelines?!  I have to conform?!  Bleech!  I’ll have you know Game of Thrones is considered visual candy of the highest order!

Boardie: Will there be a moat?

Homie:  Don’t worry, the alligators will be battery operated!  Why do you have to have so many rules?

Boardie: We have rules to protect everybody in the building from everybody else in the building.  What if your upstairs neighbor installed a wood or worse, a tile floor without the required regulation thickness of cork or cork-like lining under it and you started hearing them clopping around 24/7?  What if, even barefoot, their calluses sounded like the Russian Army was doing the Mambo on your noggin?

Homie: Filling out forms is bor-ing!  What if I just go ahead and do what I want and your rules be damned?

Boardie: The Board will and its lawyers could demand and possibly make you remove any unauthorized improvements at your expense.

All because the owner didn’t get architectural 1.  Guidance and 2.  Permission.

Homie: How can I protect myself and still make home improvements?

Boardie: John’s office is just itching to give away free copies of the newest Architectural Guidelines (only 2 pages!) plus a king’s ransom of blank Architectural Forms for owners to fill out and submit for board approval.

OR

Download the Architectural Guidelines now at  PacificTowerHOA.org

Remember that old saying …

‘Tis better to seek permission than to seek a jackhammer.

Hey Board, What Have You Done Lately?

That’s a fair question.  So, here’s a short list (just the Highlights) of what your Board did from June 2015 to June 2016:

Approved all spending including: employee’s salaries, all maintenance, all repairs, upkeep and renovation of the common areas, purchasing of office equipment and supplies - ALL for $400 a month.  Yay!

The Board reviewed all Architectural Plans and Violation Reports

Hired our new employee, Jeff Jacobs-Levardo

Created a new Excel database of owners/renters, their cell #, emails

Wrote and edited your monthly Newsletter

Added to our BLOG: PacificTowerHOA.org, posted all Newsletter articles and our Rules and Regulations

Repaired spalling (concrete cracks) on every stack and balcony, pool deck, and garage

Remodeled both Gym bathrooms

Upgraded to new pool furniture and umbrellas

Upgraded to a new Rec Room fridge

Upgraded to new light fixtures for catwalk and all balconies (plus 200 lightbulbs)

Upgraded to a new cigarette disposal system for the front entry

Upgraded to a new doggie poop disposal station for the front entry

We thank our Board Members: Tom Ward, Carol Foreman, Kathleen Morgan, Bob Weber, Trish Mylet and Antoinette Hamilton

We also thank our Menas Manager Kristine Bermudaz

Thanks to all!

Karyl Miller

Boardie's Imaginary Suggestion Box

(A few neighborly ideas Pacific Tower-ers might want to try.)

Laundry Room – what if everybody marked their baskets so if you forgot to collect your laundry from the washer or dryer, your neighbor could knock on your door to remind you in the nicest way possible, that OTHERS ARE WAITING!  Believe me, they will thank you for not having to rifle through your laundry, searching for clues and wondering if those tiger-printed Calvin’s belong to you or the dude down the hall!

Lobby – What if puppy owners carried a roll of paper towels under their arm on their way to their walk?  It’s not unusual for happy puppies (who are being gushed over), to make it inside BEFORE they make it outside.  Totally understandable.  But leaving a puddle in front of the elevators while you race Fido out to make #2, creates a slippery slope of yellow.  Papering over that puddle and cleaning it up when you get back will win you one guaranteed ticket in Doggie Heaven (after you die, of course)!  

Pool Umbrellas – What if the last person leaving the pool area cranked down the umbrella and tied it shut so it doesn’t take off in the wind and poke somebody in the eye?  Wouldn’t you be nice?

Gym Men’s Room Toilet seat is ALWAYS UP.  Why? Q. What’s the first thing you see when you walk into our lovely redecorated Rec Room?  A. The Men’s Room door wide open and the bare-naked toilet seat up for all to see.  This image of an open toilet is beautiful only to a dog, and ironically, dogs aren’t allowed in the Rec Room.  So how about it, macho men?  

Wet Wetsuit.  Dear Boardie, if the Rules and Regs say I can’t hang my wet wetsuit over the railing of my balcony or on the catwalk railing, how the heck am I supposed to dry the damn thing?! A. Hang it on a hanger in your shower, then wait.  Haven’t you ever heard the saying time is the great dryer?  Important Reminder: Don’t shower during the drying process or you will set yourself back AND no doubt, be mad at yourself squeezing into a damp/cold/clammy wetsuit tomorrow.

Ka 

Rules and Regulations

Official listing of all the Pac Tower Rules and Regulations
click here Rules and Regulations

I'm So Board!

Your seven HOA board members are volunteers dedicated to this building and the residents for which it stands.  The board supervises our maintenance staff, oversees each and every dollar going out of this building (be it regular maintenance, repairs and upgrades), all while holding our assessments at $400 a month.  Board members also head and serve on various committees (you’re invited, by the way!) like Architectural, Executive, Building, Human Resources, Landscaping, Leasing, Legal, Repair and Remodeling Committees. If you’re interested in being a board member, you’re welcome to nominate yourself when you get your ballot in the mail.  Four board positions are up for grabs in June.

Speaking of repairs and upgrades, remember our stained, rusty, dark and creepy-looking gym bathrooms?  The ones you wanted to shower with your boots on?  Gone!  Banished.  Finito! They have been upgraded to gorgeous new light and bright!  It almost made me want to work up a sweat -- just to take a shower!  I said ALMOST.  But feel free to avail yourself after your workout. Singin’ allowed and encouraged!

This was a long way around to thank a board member who pulled the entire bathrooms remodel all together – Carol Foreman.  Carol has been a devoted building volunteer for years.  She is also a past president of our Homeowners Association and has worked tirelessly for our benefit.  Do you love the new snazzy pool furniture and umbrellas?  Thank Carol - she picked everything out and made it happen.  She was a leader in the remodeling of the entire building hallways and rec room two years ago. The list of her contributions goes on and on!

                                      

Designing the bathroom upgrade and supervising it to its completion was a very time consuming and often frustrating task.  Millions of decisions had to be made.  Teams of tradesmen had to be coordinated and supervised.  Thanks to Carol from everybody! Your efforts are appreciated! 

Karyl Miller

Pac Tower Going to the Dogs?!

Fido may be really cute and fun for the owner, 

but we’ve noticed lately quite a few dogs going naked and BORN FREE – in other words, going leash-less on the elevator, lobby and hallways. Most people don’t like strange dogs jumping up on them and sniffing them.

At Pac Tower it’s against the rules to have a loose dog anywhere in the common area. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE POOL area where dogs are NEVER allowed at any time. One man’s Best Friend, may not be another’s. ‘Nuff said.

Swimming in Winter?!

We’re so blessed to have El Nino bringing us these summer-like days where we get to have a pool party in the middle of winter.

BUT the rules seem to have been forgotten. There are lots of pool rules which are listed on the South wall of the pool. Here are the three biggies:

· No glass bottles
· No dogs
· No loud music

If you live here it’s your responsibility to know the rules and to keep your guests in line. If you violate the rules, you can be brought before the HOA board and possibly fined $250 for the first offense, so learn the rules. Your neighbors will appreciate it.

Tap Dancing on Wooden Floors

Everybody wants wood floors nowadays. Even though
The Pac Tower Architectural Guidelines insist a layer of cork
goes under the wood, wood floors can still be noisy. If you love your
neighbor as you love yourself, and you have wood floors, think
about removing your shoes and doing a sock dance.

Love Your Plumbing

Thanks to longtime resident Azita Aparicio, here are some handy Internet tips on caring for your plumbing.

Clean your drains once a month. However, some drains will need to be checked on more regularly, particularly bathtub or shower and bathroom sink drains because that's usually where hair becomes a problem. Hair loss while shampooing or shaving is a natural everyday occurrence, but it doesn't take much to block a drain pipe. When you add to that all of the soap and toothpaste you're using, it's easy to see why clogs can happen so quickly and be so stubborn.

About Once A Week
Lift up pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink, remove any debris and put it in the trash, then rinse the stopper off and put it back in the drain.
Remove the drain cover from your shower or bathtub drain and use a bent wire or a hair catching brush to clear out any debris that has accumulated there.

About Once a Month
Clean your garbage disposal with a sturdy disposer brush or grind up a few cups of ice and some table salt. This helps to cut the grease and slime off the sides of the disposer. Then flush it out with cold water followed by half of a lemon or lime to deodorize.




The Big Giant List of All the Stuff You SHOULDN'T Put Down Your Drains...
Grease, fats, or oils from cooking - they congeal and cause other items to get stuck, creating clogs and massive blockages. This is a really broad category that includes meat fats, lard, vegetable oils, shortening, butter, margarine, and many dairy products.
Coffee grounds - they pretty much do the same thing grease does.
Meat, poultry, and fish bones, as well as egg shells - garbage disposals aren't meant to grind bones or egg shells, so the shards often go down the drain to form clumps with other items. The fat from any meat left on the bones only makes the clog worse.
Pasta, rice, and breads will expand with water causing blockages. And even if the water eventually drains, these foods are most likely still stuck to the inside of your pipes to cause another blockage next time.
Gum…it seems fairly obvious that something that is basically a sticky ball will get hung up somewhere.
Stickers - often people will pull the label stickers off fruits and veggies and simply toss them down the drain during washing. These can clump up with other things to cause clogs.
Hair. Human, pet, doll, fuzzy pillow, or stuffed animal hair - it doesn't matter - just try to keep it out of your drains.
Baby wipes, napkins, paper towels, and other paper products. Even some toilet papers just don't dissolve quickly or thoroughly enough to be handled by septic or sewage lines.
Tampons, maxi pads, other feminine hygiene products, including the packaging they come in.
Cotton balls, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, fabric softener/dryer sheets, or similar fibrous materials - including fibrous foods like celery, carrots, and potato peels which your garbage disposal cannot chew up.

Cat litter, even the flushable kind.

Other "flushable" products - including toddler wipes and sanitary products. Most often these things don't break down as well as the manufacturer claims, especially if you have a septic system.
Band-aids and dental floss – these both tangle up with small clogs to turn them into big clogs.
Razors, blades, syringes, needles, etc. – these can cause serious injury to municipal sewage/wastewater workers and to wildlife. Contact your local pharmacy or public health authority for safe ways to dispose of this type of item.
Condoms, balloons, or rubber gloves will inflate and can be a fairly destructive obstruction.
Prescription medications, lotions, and cosmetics. While anything that goes in or on your body might seem safe, these items can be potentially toxic to wildlife and/or leech into our drinking water. Many pharmacies will “take back” leftover medications, or check with your doctor or local public health authority for similar disposal programs.
Glue. Do we really need to explain why this is a bad idea?
Bottle caps, whether metal or plastic, will not only ruin your garbage disposal but can also get stuck in smaller pipes.
Toys are a common culprit of toilet clogs. Teach kids about what is and isn't okay to flush, and make sure they understand the toilet isn't a jacuzzi for Barbie and G.I. Joe.
Soap can clog drains faster than you might think - mostly when the residue builds up and catches other things. Try using less detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. when you can, and from personal experience we recommend trying to keep the kids from dropping a bar of it down the toilet...
Paint, paint solvents, nail polish, or nail polish remover harm our groundwater and in many places are illegal to put down drains. Check with your local paint or hardware store for information about how to dispose of these items properly.
Motor oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze, etc. Your local auto parts store can tell you how and where to dispose of these substances, and some even have programs to dispose of them for you.
Bleach and other anti-bacterial cleaners. This one is mostly for those who have a septic system since anti-bacterial agents can kill off the good bacteria that are keeping your septic system functioning, although there is mounting evidence that these cleaners are detrimental to municipal sewage systems as well.

How's Your Plumbing?

Here's a New Year's Resolution for 2016 you may have not thought of:

BE KIND TO YOUR SINK, YOUR TUB AND YOUR TOILET!

Thanks to longtime resident Azita Aparicio, here's a list of links to make your pipes sing!

- how to keep plumbing free of buildup with proper and regular maintenance (kitchen and bathroom):
https://www.plumbingsupply.com/how-to-prevent-clogged-drains.html

http://www.lnsturnkey.com/blog/plumbing-tip-keep-your-pipes-and-drains-clean.html

http://www.applewoodfixit.com/blog/2012/11/5-tips-for-keeping-kitchen-and-bathroom-sinks-clean-clear.html

- commercial plumbing cleaners that should NEVER be used (despite their claims of opening clogged drains):

http://www.thorntonandgrooms.com/media/entry/the-effects-of-caustic-drain-cleaners

This concludes Part One of your lesson for today. Part Two will include these topics:

- a list of items that are NOT allowed to be flushed down the toilet
- recommended detergents to use for laundry and bathtubs that are low sudsing
- actions to take and contact information if unit is flooded or if you have plumbing issues (both during and after business hours)

Christmas Elves Caught on Security Cam!

By now you have all seen the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in our lobby. Were you wondering who decorated it? The tree was selected from Green Gardens by our staff. John McLean and Marvin Mendez added the lights. Elves, caught by our security cam did the trimming while humming Christmas Carols. Here’s the photo from our security cam.

Giving Thanks

At year’s end we thank our staff John McLean, Marvin Mendez and Gerry Gutierrez for keeping our building clean and repaired, for giving out forms, getting quotes, emailing vendors, and the myriad tasks they undertake throughout the year. This is John’s 15^th year at Pacific Tower and Marvin’s 11th!

We also thank our Board of Governors who meets monthly to discuss and vote on all issues having to do with the building, as well as exchanging untold numbers of emails every day.  Thanks to VP Kathleen Morgan, Treasurer Tom Ward, Carol Foreman, Trish Mylet, Bob Weber Antoinette Hamilton and little ole me. Lastly, we thank our Menas Manager Kristine Bermudez for all she does for our building.

Dead Christmas Tree?

                         Dear Boardie,

Q. Now that Christmas is over, what do I do with my dead Christmas tree?

A. Thanks for asking.  1. Please wrap your tree in an old sheet before you take it out of your unit to minimize the horror of a bazillion dry pine needles piling up in our hallways and elevator.  2. Drop it off at Kate Sessions Memorial Park (corner of Soledad and Loring), which is accepting old trees for disposal. 

PASSING PARADE Passes by Pac Tower

12.11.15, 100 Santas walked by and you missed it? You’re welcome.

CORRECTION

Homeowners who received their November newsletter in the mail got a typo that stated the opposite of our intention:

WRONG
"RULES FOR RENTERS
Owners must supply their renters with a copy of our Pacific Tower Rules and Regulations. If your renters know the rules then they know the pool is closed at 9 PM, not to throw towels over their balcony railings, etc. etc and YOU, the owner will not be fined when your renters disobey the rules.

RIGHT
CORRECTION: Owners WILL be fined when your renters disobey the rules.

The Scourge of the Pizza Box

Is there anybody who doesn’t like Papa Johns?  Of course not!

Okay, maybe you’re a Dominos person because they give you extra fattening brownies in case your pizza isn’t caloric enough. Fine. No crime committed.

But the point is - that on any given evening, somebody in Pacific Tower is getting a pizza delivered. Is that a problem? Well, the pizza isn’t a prob, but the box is.

Q. WHAT do I DO with my pizza box after I eat my pizza?

A. Empty all the crumbs and cheese bits out and then put the box in recycling bin

Q. WHAT should I NOT do with my pizza box after I eat my pizza?

A.Do NOT throw it in the garbage chute! Even though the box may seem smaller than the chute, once it starts its downward spiral, it can become wedged in the chute.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?  People start throwing their garbage down the chute and it starts to pile up on top of YOUR wedged Pizza box. 

Next thing you know, when you open the chute, there’s garbage jammed in and backed up all the way to the 12^th floor. Not a pretty picture, especially if it happens on a Saturday night when Maintenance isn’t on site to unblock it.  ‘Nuf said. Now enjoy your pizza.

Rules for Renters 'n Owners

RULES FOR RENTERS

Owners must supply their renters with a copy of our Pacific Tower Rules and Regulations.  If your renters know the rules then they know the pool is closed at 9 PM, not to throw towels over their balcony railings, etc. etc and YOU, the owner will not be fined when your renters obey the rules.  A copy of the rules can be obtained in our Maintenance office or from Menas Realty (hard copy of download) for a small fee.

RULES FOR OWNERS

Speaking of renters, Pacific Tower does NOT allow short-term vacation rentals such as Airbnb, VRBO and other internet establishments.  The shortest rental we allow is 90 days and a copy of that lease must be turned in to our or Menas Realty office.  Your Board monitors the web for anyone advertising a short-term rental in our building and does not take this kind of violation lightly.

SICK BAY

Our trusty Maintenance Manager John McLean is currently convalescing at home from surgery and should be back by the end of October. John has been a best friend to this building for 15 years and the feeling is mutual. If you want to leave a Get Well Card or write a personal note for John,  Marvin Mendez will collect and forward your cards in a bunch. We're sure John would love to hear from you.

BORED MEMBERS?

Dear Boardie,

Q. What does an HOA board member do, exactly?

A.  Approves All Spending, such as (but not limited to):

Employee salaries, insurance, repairs, maintenance, upkeep of the common areas, purchasing of all new items like our new Exercycle, new floors for the elevators (on order), WiFi in Rec Room/Gym etc. 

ALL WHILE KEEPING IT AT $400 per month

B. Supervises our Maintenance staff of three

C. Reviews Architectural Requests and approves/not approve them

D. Evaluates all Violation Reports for compliance

E. Writes or re-writes rules like The New(ish) Animal rules and Rec Room Rules (available in the Maintenance Office)

F. Happily answers any and all questions about the building 

ANOTHER CAT-ASTROPHE

So sorry to report that Pacific Tower has lost its second cat this year due to falling off the balcony. Even Plexiglas surrounding your balcony railing will not stop a curious cat from leaping onto or trying to leap onto the top of the railing and slipping. Our hearts go out to the owners of the beloved deceased cats.

TOO MANY RULES?

Dear Boardie, why are you so strict in enforcing every rule - even the most trivial?

A.    Whatever rule you’re breaking, ask yourself, what if everybody did it?

     Say A hangs their wet, sandy beach towel over their balcony railing. 

           B sees it, assumes it’s an okay thing to do and drapes his wet suit over his balcony. C sees the towel and wet suit and strings up a laundry line with baby diapers. D decides to air-dry sheets she’s tie-dying for her Etsy shop. E hangs out a duck he’s drying for Chinese cooking class etc. etc. Well, you get the idea.

Behind Closed Doors

Q. Have you ever noticed how some floors have their Laundry Doors Open 24/7 and others NEVER have their Laundry Room Doors open?

A. There's no way to sugar-coat it: The Floors with the Closed Laundry Doors are the Nice Floors.
And the Floors with the Open Laundry Doors are the Naughty Floors.

Q. What's the big wup about Laundry Room doors? 

A. The Fire Department requires them shut FOR SAFETY REASONS.  It's just a guess but -The laundry rooms are the only rooms in our building that have a natural gas line. If (heaven forbid) a fire started in the laundry room and the door was open, the fire could travel through the building. If the door was closed it would hopefully be confined to the laundry room behind the fire-rated door.

Q. But I gotta fold my shirts and it's a steambath in there. What's a dude supposed to do? 
A. A dude could prop the door open while he fluffs 'n folds and remember to shut it when he's done.

ACTION ON THIS ISSUE: The Maintenance Staff has been instructed by the Board to shut every Laundry Room door whenever they spot one open...and we applaud our good citizen neighbors for doing the same. It's for our own good!

Water, Water Everywhere?

If you've been loving under a rock, you might not know that our gorgeous, perfectly sunny, beautiful state is in the midst of a devastating drought. We all have to do our part in saving water.
To begin doing our part, Pacific Tower is having
1. Our landscaper/gardeners install low spray sprinkler heads that are designed not to waste water by wetting the sidewalks.
2. Our maintenance crew is now washing the catwalks with a mop and pail, swabbing the decks like in the Navy, instead of hosing them clean using a garden hose and lots and lots of water.
What can you do?  Wash dishes by filling the sink with water FIRST. Shower with a friend. (Yes, it's an old standby, but it works.) Google "save water" and see what you get. Try not to cry. If you must cry, especially if something really bad happens, then cry into a Tupperware container and freeze those tears for a NOT rainy day.

Below is Government info on the water crisis copied from NextDoor.com.

Q&A on San Diego's State-Mandated Water Use Reductions1d ago

Public Information Officer Robyn Bullard from San Diegans Waste No Water

Beginning Monday, June 1, the City of San Diego will be mandated by the state to reduce its aggregate water usage by a total of 16%, and the City must report those numbers on a monthly basis back to the state. You may have heard other numbers in the news, and here's an explanation: the state must reduce by an overall total of 25%, but each water district was assigned a different percentage, based on several variables, to help achieve that 25%. The City of San Diego's reduction target was finalized at 16%.

Based on questions and comments from earlier posts here at Nextdoor, we wanted to provide some additional information related to this challenge.

Q: "Will you be tracking my bill to inform me if I’m meeting my 16% target reduction?"

A: The requirement from the state is that the City, as a whole, reduce its water consumption by 16%. The City does not currently have plans to track individual water usage by each customer, but rather to step up its outreach and enforcement of water waste in an effort to meet that 16% reduction overall.

Q: "I’ve already done everything I can do –- there’s no way I can reduce my usage by another 16%. How can the City lump me in with everyone else?"

A: To be clear, the 16% mandatory reduction was set by the state, not by the City. That being said, it IS the City’s responsibility to communicate that mandate to its customers, as well as enforce the City’s mandatory water use restrictions that are in place, in a serious effort to achieve that target. We know that many residents have taken big steps in the past years toward conservation, and we thank and applaud them. However, we also know that there are those people (you probably know who you are) who are able to do more. Either way, what may seem like harmless privileges such as 20-minute showers, irrigating freely outdoors and other practices now become--in the midst of our historic drought--areas where we can cut back and recognize immediate savings.

Q: "I’ve heard that the San Diego region is asking residents to reduce their irrigation to two times a week. Does this include City of San Diego residents?"

A: Yes. More than 50% of residential water use can be attributed to outdoor irrigation, so this is where we stand to gain the most ground quickly. The City of San Diego is asking that residents please cut back their outdoor irrigation to two days per week, 5 minutes per day (NOTE: this time limit applies to standard sprinkler systems, but does not apply to landscape irrigation systems using water-efficient devices, including drip and micro-irrigation systems and stream rotor sprinklers). The following is a schedule you can follow to help make that goal easier to remember:

Odd-numbered addresses - water Sundays and Thursdays, for no more than 5 minutes per day.
Even-numbered addresses – water Saturdays and Wednesdays, for no more than 5 minutes per day.
Apartments, condos and businesses – water Mondays and Fridays, for no more than 5 minutes per day.

Also, beginning Monday, June 1, watering times are no earlier than 6 pm and no later than 10 am.

For more information and resources, visit our website here:http://www.sandiego.gov/water/. As always, we appreciate your engagement and feedback and will work to provide you with the information we all need to succeed.

Edited 1d ago • Shared with San Diegans Waste No Water in General

Nip That Problem Neighbor in the Bud

Dear Boardie,

 Q. My neighbor smokes on his balcony which I know is against the Rules and Regs. I’ve asked him to stop but he continues. What should I do?

A. Owners can fill out a Violation Report (available in our lobby Maintenance office, at Menas Realty, or download from Menas Web Portal). Fill it out as instructed. Return it to Samantha Emig at Menas or send a digital copy to Samantha at semig@Menas.com.

Q. I’m worried my neighbor will shun me if I report him.

A. He’s not exactly your best friend now anyway. Ask your closest other neighbor if he too, has noticed and was bothered by the smoke and if so, if you can include his observations in your report. That’ll take some of the heat off you. While your complaint is confidential, the Violator has the right to know who his accusers are – if he asks, but they seldom do.

Q. What happens after I turn in my Violation Report?

A. Menas sends the smokers a warning letter to stop smoking on the balcony. If they ignore it and continue smoking, the Board will ask them to come to a Hearing at our monthly board meeting and explain themselves. Afterwords the board will vote to dismiss the issue with a warning or to fine the Violator $250 for noncompliance.

Q. What happens if I’m a renter?

A. You would have to get the owner of your unit to complain about the smoker in your behalf.

Q. What happens if the smoker is a renter?

A. The Owner of the rented unit would get the violation warning letter and/or be asked to appear before the Board. Renters have no voice whatsoever at Homeowner Meetings.

Flying Saucers?

Got a balcony lined with glorious geraniums or a cute dwarf palm tree? That’s all fine and dandy until you over water and/or forget to have a non-porous saucer under each and every plant.  You do not want have water pooling on the concrete. If the cement becomes soaked over and over, it can contribute to spalling, which is when the water gets inside and the concrete separates from the rebar inside. It’s not just unsightly, it’s bad for the structure. So be nice to the building. Get yourself over to Green Gardens right next door and grab some plastic saucers from the array of saucers they offer in their shed area. 'Nuf said.

 

Patti O'Donnel newspaper obit

Patricia Lang O'Donnell(1926 - 2015)

O'Donnell, Patricia Lang 07/05/1926 ~ 04/03/2015 SAN DIEGO -- Patty O'Donnell, wife of the late LtGen Andrew W. O'Donnell USMC, died on Good Friday surrounded by her children. She is survived by Kerry and Rick Kruger of Katy, TX, Jody O'Donnell of San Diego, Barby and Frank Harvey of Houston and MajGen Andrew W. O'Donnell Jr. USMC and wife Kelly of Quantico, VA. She had eight loving grandchildren to whom she was known as Tutu; Tricia Kruger Gittemeier and husband Joel, Andre Kruger, Blake Hayter, Katie and Allie Satterwhite, the late Drew Satterwhite, and Andy and Isabelle O'Donnell. She was also proud of her two great-grandchildren, Campbell and Carter Gittemeier. Patty was of the "old school" where women were the matriarchs of the family. As a Marine Corps wife of 39 years and a Marine Corps mother of 35 years, she was Always Faithful. She had been a resident of San Diego for 21 years but her heart remained in Hawaii where she and her husband Andy had enjoyed retirement. Today we wish her...Much Aloha. Services to be held April 27th at 1:00pm at Pacific Beach Presbyterian followed by a reception at White Sands of La Jolla. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Assistance League of San Diego or The Semper Fi Fund.

Patti O'Donnell RIP

So sorry to announce our good friend Patti O'Donnell has died. She lived in Pacific Tower for almost 20 years till she moved 8 months ago into White Sands.  Her daughter Kerry just called me. Patti had been in severe hip pain and walking was becoming a chore. She had hip replacement surgery March 30 and was planning to recover at the V, but they never released her from the hospital because her vital signs were iffy.  She was 89.

Memorial service will be Monday,  April 27 at 1 PM, Pacific Beach Presbyterian followed by a reception at White Sands. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Assistance League of San Diego or The Semper Fi Fund.

Karyl

Recycling VS. Garbage: What's the Diff?

Recycling is good for everybody, but it’s not fair to your neighbors to just toss a cardboard box or a bag with food particles in the laundry room and walk away.

FOOD WRAPPERS with food particles in them or a take-out box with cheese stuck to it or a Starbucks container still containing a drop of coffee are NOT Recycling.  If there’s food on it, it’s considered garbage and it should be put in a plastic bag, tied at the top and dropped down the garbage CHUTE. The reason: Old food smells and attracts bugs and vermin.

BOXES need to be emptied of packing paper and then opened on both ends and flattened: this is the owner’s job. Thanks in advance. Large boxes need to be collapsed and taken by you down to the engine room in the upper garage. Your main house key will open the double doors.

 Thank you for your consideration.

What's That !&*# Noise?!

                              You know how sometimes you’re sound asleep dreaming of tranquil beaches and little birdies tweeting and suddenly there’s a crashing noise like a 747 going through your ears? And your heart is pounding out of your chest and you’re thinking what-the-Hell?! That’s the sound of some jerk tossing glass bottles and who-knows-what down our trash chute.

So be a nice neighbor.Don’t throw glass bottles down the garbage – that’s for recycling. And DON’T use the chute after 9 PM. Thanks!

Pacific Tower, a HOTEL?!

Lots of news articles have been popping up lately about people renting out their condos thru internet websites like Airbnb. The Pacific Tower Homeowner’s Association wants to remind OWNERS that renting out your place for less than 90 days is NOT allowed. In other words, you can only rent out your place four times a year at most,  AND you MUST submit a copy of your lease to the onsite Manager’s Office for logging by the HOA Rental Committee. Owners should note that these rules also apply to your Renters who attempt to sublet a portion of their place.

                                The Reasons Behind our Rules:

We don’t want our building used as a hotel because weekend guests don’t know or even care about our rules. We don’t want strangers who are vacationing and eager to party, smoking, bringing food or glass bottles to the pool, going for a midnight swim, tossing their wet suits over the railings, stuffing banana peels or Drano down our delicate garbage disposals, giving out our entry access codes to their new-found pals and doing all the careless things strangers can do when they’re occupying somebody else’s property.

               

                          If You Rent Out your Condo:

1.    Advertising must state 90 Days as the minimum number of rental days.

2.    Rental agents must be notified of Pacific Towers 90 day rule.

3.    Renters must notify our onsite Manager when moving out.

4.    Owners must give renters a copy of the Rules and Regulations (available for $5 from onsite Manager or Menas Realty).

      What Happens if I Ignore the Rules and rent My place on weekends or other short terms?

                     The Board will find out and has the discretion to fine you for every day you are not in compliance with our rules (thus removing the profit from your rental scheme).

The above is an abbreviated, reader-friendly version of the Rules. Below are the the actual rules.                             

                                                 The Rules

Short term occupancy of units in Pacific Tower is prohibited and the Owner may be held liable for fines arising from violations of any one or all of the following sections of the CC&Rs.

Section 3.3; Section 3.4A; Section 5.10; Section 6.1B; Section 6.1C; Section 8.2 A-B-C-D and F; and Section 9.1. The applicable Rules that may result in penalties for violation by such activities are Rules Section A.2; Section B.1 (a-b-c-and d); Section B.3 and Section H.10.  

The Board has the primary responsibility to protect the Common Areas and the interests of all the members / Owners / residents in Pacific Tower.

Community association living requires the full cooperation of all residents to be a good neighbor. Getting to know and complying with the Governing Documents is a good start. With a little consideration and understanding, all residents within Pacific Tower may enjoy the quality of life provided by living here.

The success of our community is founded on the basic principles of common decency, respect and consideration for the basic rights of all neighbors.  The Board urges all Owners to consider the Governing Documents as a ready reminder of the various obligations residents have to one another in day-to-day living at Pacific Tower.

                                                         ###

  

Squeeky Clean

                             

STAIRS: People who take the stairs instead of the elevators will be pleased to notice how clean they are! Yes the Board has taken action and had the stairs AND both garage floors hydrojet washed!

LANDINGS: Our outdoor stair landings on the North side of the building (which get no sun) were getting weathered so rehabbing has begun by the OnSite Manager’s Office and our new helper Gerry Gutierrez will bring them back to life.

                                           #

Hacked!

          Despite having Norton anti-virus protection, Building Superintendent John McLean’s office computer was hacked sometime during the last weeks in January.  Ransomware infected the machine. Cyber criminals captured all the files and encrypted them making them impossible to read. The bad guys were demanding $450 to be paid in internet bitcoins to unencrypt the files and return them to readable condition. Of course, there was no guarantee the criminals would honor the bargain after we paid, because – criminals!  Luckily a board member happened to have a copy of John’s most important file, so PT opted not to pay the ransom or deal with the *&%#  crooks. 

This incident serves as a reminder of how sophisticated and devious these cyber miscreants are and how careful and vigilant we all must be.  With the help of Scott Miyazaki of local computer repair company Geeky Clean PC, John’s entire computer hard drive was cleaned and the vital programs re-installed. We are happy to report everything's up and running once again. 

Ironically, the same day Scott discovered our particular virus, NBC Nightly News featured a story about the newest in cyber crimes -  "Ransomware."  Pacific Tower, always on the cutting edge!   

Oh Baby!

Former Board member Thayne Yungman and his wife Tara Jones are the proud parents of a baby girl, Elizabeth “Ellie” Jean Yungman, born January 30. Thayne and Tara no longer live in PT, but Thayne owns the Land’s End Gallery on the corner of Cass and Loring. Besides making custom frames, the gallery also has many cute gift items, perfect for Valentine’s Day.

New Employee

Pacific Tower is sorry to report that our weekend janitorial helper Forrest Graham has moved away. After putting an ad to replace him on CraigsList, we received 150 replies in 10 hours – many seemed qualified. It's certainly a symptom of our economy that so may good workers are available.

We took down the ad and selected the 12 best. John McLean narrowed the choice to 6 and interviewed the top contenders. We are happy to announce our new weekend and part-time employee is a college student, Gerardo Gutierrez, who prefers to be called Gerry. Please make him welcome.

ELEVATORS AGAIN?

Residents got a rude awakening when our elevators stopped operating around 8 PM New Year’s Eve. Getting stuck in an elevator or climbing up 12 stories in your Spanks ‘n Manolos is nobody’s idea of how to bring in the New Year. Climbing down with a dog who wants to pee pee ASAP on the coldest night of the year – also not fun. There was plenty of unhappiness and inconvenience to go around. Many people called Menas emergency hotline. Two of your board members spent their New Year’s Eve trying to troubleshoot the situation with our emergency elevator repairman and on the phone with our building superintendent John McLean.

At press time we are expecting explicit reports on exactly what happened with the elevators. The board shares your frustration.

RECYCLING

                                                

The rules of recycling are simple: One plastic bin is for cardboard and old newspapers and the other is for cans and bottles that have been washed and dried.

Please, please do not leave food particles on anything. It will smell and draw bugs and vermin.

A cereal box with a little cereal is NOT OK.

A pizza box with cheese stuck to it = NOT OK.

It only takes an extra minute to be a good neighbor.

Thank you!

The Three Stars of Pacific Tower

         Thanksgiving may be over, but it’s important to acknowledge the contributions of our three dedicated Pacific Tower superintendents: John McLean, Marvin Mendez and Forrest Graham. John has served PT for 14 years, Marvin 10 years and Forrest two years (but we’re hoping he’ll stay till his hair turns grey too). Besides the daily cleaning maintenance, garbage and recycling duties, the men are called upon for every event and emergency. They pad the elevator for movers and swab the deck when a keg gets spilled in the lobby – and worse.

       John has the additional duties of getting bids from vendors - from window washers to elevator repairmen. John also coordinates roof access for cell tower repair, and was key in scheduling the many competing vendors for our massive remodel project. He also logs in newbies, updates the Excel census files, passes out mail-box keys, rents out the Rec Room and logs in new canine residents; and when stuff breaks down, he knows how to fix it or who to call. John also does the monthly walk-thru with our Menas Manager – looking for things that might need upkeep or noting Rules and Regulations violations such as balconies being used for storage.

      Both John and Marvin have gone beyond the call of duty, racing back here for occasional after-hours emergencies, and Forrest gives up his weekends for us. Maintaining a building of twelve stories plus two garages requires constant vigilance and upkeep and The Pacific Tower Governing Board is so pleased to have such dedicated men helping us. 

Re-Creating Beauty in our Recreation Room

      If you’re not a regular gym visitor, you may not have noticed our Rec Room has been fantastically upgraded. Thanks to the perseverance of board member Carol Foreman, all the chairs and bar stools have been beautifully reupholstered and the tables whitewashed. John, Marvin and Forrest cleaned the wood part of the chairs and tables. Carol collected bids from vendors, and with fellow board member Pat Nemeth, selected the gorgeous new color combinations. With the recent painting and carpets, the room looks brand new!