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Setalker January2019
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HOA Board Information and News
The Board of Directors would like to wish all residents a Happy and Healthy New Year as we begin 2019 (Yikes!). As a community, we look forward to another year with friends and neighbors as we enjoy the social events and activities in our beautiful complex and comfortable living environment. The location in the Three Village area, the beautiful architecture and landscaping, and the ease of condominium living along with the very low TAXES continue to attract new residents to our community. Though the prices averaged from $575,000 to $600,000 this past year, the units are being sold within a month or two and many of them just by word of mouth. Be sure to welcome the new residents at one of our many social events. Some of you missed the wonderful Holiday Party that was held in our beautifully decorated clubhouse. The event was sponsored by the Social Committee, chaired by Eileen Duffy, Donna Heller and Josephine Brandine and catered by Mario Caravetta. We ate, we laughed, we sang, we chatted with our neighbors, old and new. It was an event in our own backyard and enjoyed by all! As you all know, safety and security are of prime concern in a condo community. Toward this end, the Board made a decision recently to have all the dryer vents cleaned. This did not involve the homeowner being home as 144 units could be accessed from the outside while 6 units (whose vents are under the deck) had to be cleaned from the inside. If the homeowner was interested in additional cleaning by Dryer Vent for the dryer itself, they could call John Ryley at 516 263 5712. The question has come up especially in the Poquott units about whose responsibility it is to change the batteries in the smoke alarms. The answer is- It is the homeowners responsibility to have the smoke alarm batteries changed! The present security company only checks the heat sensors, not the smoke alarms (The Board is looking into this). The same holds true for the CO detectors. The Setauket fire Dept. was here recently on two occasions because of faulty detectors. They said the detectors only have a life of 7-10 years. If you need the batteries or detectors changed, call a Board member, an electrician or a friend for a recommendation. Recently, you probably saw and heard the sound of the trees in the community being trimmed. This is a budget item ($13,000.00) and is done about every three years. Did you know (I didn’t) that the company we use, Aronica, is very well known and is responsible for the tree each year in Rockefeller Center! In fact, they pick out a tree almost seven years in advance and cultivate its growth before removal! We know that it gets tiresome hearing about the Beautification project year after year. George Rice, our resident lawyer, has been working with the town to get the Relief of Covenant for the buffer zone. At the last meeting with the expediter, he was given the good news that we are very near to finalization. When Enrico Scardo thru Setauket in the Woods erects the estate fence (Spring 2019?), we will be ready to do our part. 2019! Wow! Setauket Meadows is the place to be! We again wish all a very Happy, very Healthy New Year! Social Committee Update
by Ellen Silverman The reviews are in! It’s no surprise to me that the Setauket Meadows Holiday Cocktail party proved to be a huge success. The combination of delicious food, thanks to our own Mario Carravetta with the invaluable help of Raphaela, the singing of holiday songs with piano accompaniment by Greg, and of course, the camaraderie of Setauket Meadows Neighbors, synergistically created a wonderful get together. Special thanks to Donna Heller, who skillfully chaired this event, and to her committee: Eileen Duffy, Josephine Brandine, Sherry Azuolay Klein. We also want to acknowledge the decorating committee for making our clubhouse even more beautiful. Thanks to Deb and Joe Schade, Doranne Metz, Pat Dawson, and Janice Cerullo. On behalf of your Social Committee, let me wish you a 2019 that overflows with happiness, good health, and peace. Below are pictures of our Clubhouse Party of December 16, 2018 Ellen Silverman Real Estate News
by Phyllis Colby 3 Things to Consider Before Listing Your Home as a Short-Term Rental The Age of Sharing is here, and it’s a phenomenon that’s expected to grow from $15 billion in 2014 to $335 billion by 2025, with services such as home-sharing and maintenance platforms being a big part of that equation. Many homeowners have seen big economic benefits over the years from home-sharing platforms like Airbnb, but if you’re thinking about jumping in to get a piece of that pie, there are a few things you should consider first. Know Your Regulations Not all cities see the home-sharing phenomenon as a win-win. Many municipalities are passing new regulations that are often designed to curb its growth. Before signing up for a service like Airbnb, you should find out a few things. Does your city have a framework for short-term rentals? Are there any legal restrictions? How expensive is licensing? This is critically important, because ignoring licensing regulations can be very costly. In Portland, Oregon for example, the city implemented fines of $1,000-$5,000 per violation for home-sharing operators. In 2017, it collected over $70,000 in fines and fees from a single operator who was found to be in violation of the city’s regulations. Know Where You Live Cities are made up of distinct neighborhoods, and people are proud of where they live, so, you'll want to think carefully about the impact of a short-term rental on your neighbors before moving forward with your plans. Will the locals have to compete with guests for on-street parking? Will they feel less secure with strangers coming in and out? You don't need to get permission before renting rooms, but as a courtesy, you'll want to let anyone impacted by your decision in on your plans. You'll also want to establish clear house rules and expectations, especially about noise or late-night outdoor socializing, for your guests. Know Your Coverage You’ll hear horror stories in the news regularly about a home-sharing rental gone bad. In London, a short-term renter threw a party for 100 people, unbeknownst to the homeowner, during which floorboards were ripped and a television pulled off a wall. In another widely-reported example, a short-term rental unit was used as a pop-up brothel. Stories about experiences as bad as these are extremely rare; however, they serve to remind us about the financial and legal risks for hosts who allow strangers into their home. It's important to make sure you have the appropriate coverage if you don't already have it. Home-sharing companies such as Airbnb or HomeAway offer basic insurance coverage, but what they offer may not be enough, or could be severely limited by exclusions. Your best option is to ask your insurance provider about the nature of the protection, liability coverage and deductible. For example, if you're renting out rooms at your primary residence, short-term, on a regular basis, it may be considered a home-based business, and you could be denied coverage. 
1/4 Joe & Roseanne Falcone
1/7 Joyce and Tom Needham 1/8 Rocco & Lenore Ilardi 1/9 Richard and Emily Lester 1/18 Fred & Fran Gross 1/21 Ken & Linda Hasenmeyer 1/25 Al & Angela Cipollina |
Speaking of Sports
by Joe Polizzi Injury or conspiracy, what is going on in Setauket Meadows? Everywhere you turn or at many informal or formal gatherings residents are talking about their current prosthetic. On the tennis or pickleball court participants are wearing the latest, new and improved titanium infused back, ankle or wrist brace. Discussions revolve around hip, knee, shoulder or back surgery. We have become a community of orthopedic experts. We know the doctors and hospitals that are tops in the field. We have researched and understand the medical terminology better than some professionals and yet is all this really needed? We are an aging community. I’ve been here 13 years and where has the time gone. I understand that a “slip and fall” could lead to a major operation. That with wear and tear, parts may have to be replaced. That the many years of athletic prowess can lead to pain in critical joints, which must then be repaired. Thus, we can pursue our athletic journey to enjoyable participation. But there is a part of me that feels that the medical profession is steering us in the direction of more and more surgeries. For example; Alice was diagnosed with a torn meniscus. The well-known StonyBrook orthopedic specialist, who will remain nameless, set up a plan of action: cortisone shot, physical therapy and then the inevitable knee replacement surgery followed by weeks of rehab. Sound familiar. Alice was very diligent. She took her shot and did her PT and so far so good. She will never run a marathon or swim the English Channel but she will continue to have strolls with me and her grandchildren and “shop till she drops”. And isn’t that’s what we really want? We want a quality of life that is fun before the walker or cane become a necessity. Pardon my skepticism but every case is different and everyone should do what is best for themselves but beware. Do we really need that rotator cup clean-up or is there an alternative to cutting? With Setauket Meadows entering its 15th year of existence, what do we have to look forward to in 2019? Let’s welcome an influx of new residents to keep the community vibrant. Let’s continue our weekly “Happy Hour”, so that we can sustain worthwhile socialization. Let’s frequent the tennis and pickleball court, Mah Jong and card games, keep the billiard balls rolling, the golf balls flying, the walkers strolling and the exercisers keeping fit, enjoy as many social events as possible and read that new novel for discussion at “The Book Club”. All this will keep our bodies agile, our minds alert and provide a priceless camaraderie Thus there is plenty to look forward to in 2019 but remember as always stay healthy and hitt’em straight.....Joe Polizzi Recipe Of The Month
by Pat Dawson SWEET ONION BRISKET Ingredients:
Computer Tip Of The Month
by Ray Dawson Someday you are going to buy a new computer. It's inevitable! Get used to it. But, did you ever ask yourself, "How the heck am I going to get all of my precious files, programs, applications, settings, data and all of the rest of my "stuff" on to the new computer?" This is exactly what I had to face several weeks ago when I bought a new Apple iMac. My old Apple iMac was 11 years old and it didn't owe me anything. It performed well for all of those years. This column has always been written on my beloved iMac. But, it was so old that I could no longer update it with the latest and greatest Apple software and security updates. And that's one thing I learned a long time ago..........keep your security updates up to date. If you can't do that then you might as well publicize all of your personal information on the web because without updated security that Apple provides, hackers will find you. I have been researching the process of transferring my old iMac's information to the new iMac. I talked to the experts at the Apple store. I talked to friends who have already accomplished this feat. It's funny that when you talk to the "kids" at the Apple store and ask how to do this, or anything else, they describe the process in a flash. The people at the Apple store are well trained in how to do things but maybe they need a little refresher course in dealing with senior citizens who stand in front of them with their mouth open as they try to follow what is being said!!! Yes, I'm in that boat. As I dutiful listened to the young man (he was 1/3 my age) explain the transfer of data from the old iMac to the new iMac I began to actually understand him even though he spoke in millennium language and I speak doo wop language with a Brooklyn accent. After our multi-language conversation was done, I went home and decided to try this amazing feat by myself. I remember something the Apple guy said about connecting my new iMac to my Time Capsule, follow the on screen directions and walk away to let the Time Capsule load all of it's information on to the new iMac. At the risk of losing my 6000 pictures, 2000 songs, my entire financial life, the history of the Setalker and everything else I use my computer for, I walked away. Six hours later I came back to my new iMac. It was loaded with all of my data, files, applications, software that I purchased from Microsoft, pictures, music and the rest of my "stuff". Amazing! My new iMac is super fast, has more gigabits than I'll ever need and it's pretty too, just like Steve Jobs intended it to be. If you ever need to buy a new computer, don't ask me for help because I don't know what I'm doing. :-) 
1/2 MaryAnn Trombetta
1/5 Rosemarie Primavera 1/8 Dianne Muratore 1/9 Frances Miller 1/10 Mary Bordanaro 1/10 Ron Dreyfus 1/12 Chris Stabile 1/16 Leonore Ilardi 1/18 Debi Pereira 1/22 Raymond Dawson 1/23 Robert Hansen 1/30 Michael Goralski 1/30 Alice Polizzi |
Clubhouse Party December 16 2018
Click on any picture to make it larger.
Click on any picture to make it larger.
