Pocono Farms Weathervane

October 2016

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in this iss u e O u r Comm u nit y Carnival Night Thank You

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Thoughts from the Manager

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Crime Watch

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In the Farms

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Women’s Club News

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Ca lenda r of E v ents BOD Meeting Schedule October Calendar

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Sports 8th Annual Turkey Bash Fit Tips Recreation News

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Fall Golf Adventure

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SAVE THE DATE Italian Night Buffet Friday, October 7th

Movie Night Friday, October 7th

Women’s Club Lunch Wednesday, October 12th

Oktoberfest Saturday, October 15th

Pick a Pumpkin Saturday, October 15th

Turkey Bash Golf Outing Saturday, October 22nd

Murder Mystery Night Saturday, October 29th

Children’s Halloween Party Sunday, October 30th

Trunk or Treat Sunday, October 30th

POCONO FARMS COUNTRY CLUB FROM

182 Lake Road, Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania 18466

SPECIAL DELIVERY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Director Director Director Director Director

Neil Carlson Harry Hamill Collette Houston-Ong Rick McCormick Brian Cavanaugh Frank DeBrincat Frank Milano Peter Volpe Steve Bunker

Committee Liaison Assignments: A & B/Environmental Rich McCormick Communications Steve Bunker Crime Watch Peter Volpe Elections/Nominations Rich McCormick Finance Collette Ong Fitness Frank Milano Golf Harry Hamill Long Range Planning Frank DeBrincat Pool Peter Volpe Recreation/Tennis Brian Cavanaugh Ad-Hocs Community Garden New Member Welcoming Committee

Th a nk You

Thank you to everyone that helped make Carnival Night a huge success. From the Recreation Committee to the Lifeguards, the Food & Beverage staff, and Maintenance who built a great Plinko game, everyone came together to create a Carnival Night greater than we ever imagined. We can’t forget Mike Elbert “the clown,” who helped make a great night come together.

Brian Cavanaugh Steve Bunker

DEPARTMENT HEADS General Manager 894-4435 ext. 100

David Timko dtimko@poconofarms.com

Accounting/Office Manager 894-4435 ext. 103

Lorraine Daviduk ldaviduk@poconofarms.com

Golf Pro 894-4435 ext. 110

Kyle Monahan golfshop@poconofarms.com

Greens Superintendent Adam Herman 894-4435 adamh@poconofarms.com Chef pfchef@poconofarms.com 894-4435 ext. 130 Food & Beverage Director 894-4435 ext. 132

Katrina Weithman katrinaw@poconofarms.com

Activities Director 894-4435 ext. 113

Joe Sprovkin recdir@poconofarms.com

Director of Security 894-4435 ext. 105

Artie Furman afurman@poconofarms.com

Building Coordinator & Compliance Director 894-4435 ext. 104 MAINTENANCE 894-4435 ext. 160 (voicemail only) POCONO FARMS REALTY - Lex Colon 894-0300 lex.colon.realtor@gmail.com

182 Lake Road • Tobyhanna, PA 18466 www.poconofarms.com admin@poconofarms.com

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Thoughts from the Manager

By Dave Timko

After most of the summer amenities close for the season, it begins another season for the management staff and Board of Directors – budget season. The budget process starts right after Labor Day and ends at the December Board of Directors meeting where the budget is officially accepted.

The process takes a series of presentations, reviews, and comment periods before it is accepted. This year will be no different. A lot of things are taken into consideration as the budget gets developed. What are the trends in expenses and revenue? Where have we been? Where do we want to go? What do our members want to see? What programs worked? Which ones did not? What’s new that our members may like? All of these questions and more need answers before the management staff present their budgets to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors.

Another aspect of the budget process is to look at what capital and replacement reserve items that may need to be replaced or purchased in the upcoming year. As many of you are aware, our capital fund is funded when a property changes ownership within the Pocono Farms. There is a capital improvement fee that is its own line item within the budget and is specifically allocated to this fund and can only be used for capital purchases.

The official publication of the Pocono Farms Country Club AssocIation, Inc. PUBLISHED BY NIKI JONES AGENCY, INC.

39 Front Street Port Jervis, New York 12771 P: 845.856.1266 E: info@nikijones.com

The replacement reserve fund is funded through your yearly dues payment. Each year, $125.00 of your operation assessment dues is allocated to this fund. This fund is used for the replacement of major items owned by the Association and has a useful life expectancy. Meaning for example, a typical shingled roof has a useful life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. In this case, one would expect to fund the reserves enough so that when the roof reaches its typical useful life, there are enough funds to replace it.

In its simplest form, a healthy replacement reserve fund usually can avoid a “special assessment” if something major were to break or need replaced. All major items are not going to need to be replaced all at once. Therefore a plan should be in place. Roads/cul de sacs, HVAC units, vehicles, major kitchen appliances, chairs, tables, even windows and doors are examples of items that should be reserved for.

Every 3 to 5 years the Association updates its reserve study. This study is completed by professional engineers. This study serves as a road map of when the Association should look at replacement of major assets, the current value of those items, and the future replacement cost of those items.

Articles appearing in The Weathervane are presented as a community service. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or of the Pocono Farms Country Club Association, Inc. The publisher and the PFCCA disclaim any liability for any advertisements published herein, in no way endorse or guarantee these ads and reserve the right to reject any ads submitted. Position of advertising in the newspaper is not guaranteed.

With that, the Management, Finance Committee, and Board of Directors spend a fair amount of time developing a budget for Pocono Farms.

We all want to do our due diligence in planning and implementing a budget that will provide opportunities to enjoy community living, while being fiscally responsible, and do our best to preserve property values into the future.

TO ADVERTISE

CALL 845-754-2356

OR EMAIL POCONOFARMS@NIKIJONES.COM

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Crime Watch Activity Report

In the Farms

BY RUSS KELLY

Schools are back in session. At this time we generally ask all parents to speak to their children about being safe to and from the bus stops. Children should always walk in groups and of course not speak to anyone trying to start a conversation while in their vehicle. We ask our drivers to try to be around the bus stops during pickup and drop off hours whenever possible. We ask that parents waiting to drop off or pick up their child not to crowd the cross street. This makes it harder for buses to make a turn and difficult for drivers to see into oncoming traffic.

PFCCA Office Hours Monday - Saturday 8:30am - 12:30pm & 1:00pm - 4:30pm

ID Badge Picture Hours:

8:30am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm Capital Improvement Fees on transfer of property: House: $1,302 Lot: $651

Recently I was sent some of the things that have happened to people while doing activities we all do without incident.

Building Regulations: Permits are required from the township and from PFCCA. Please check with the office (894-4435) as to your specific needs.

One person left his car in a long term parking lot, while away. Someone broke into the car and got the address from the car registration, which most of us keep in the glove compartment. Though the keys were not in the car, the garage door opener did the trick; needless to say when he arrived home, the burglars had their way. Apparently this home did not have an alarm system.

• Building permit required from respective township and PFCCA before construction begins • Construction permitted from 7am - 7pm Monday- Saturday – excluding major holidays • Resale certificates are required. Fee is $300.00.

Resale and other related documents can be obtained at www.homewisedocs.com

A woman left her purse in the cart while shopping; someone lifted the purse while she was busy. She reported the incident to the store manager, when she got home she received a call from the store saying the purse along with her wallet had been found. While there was no money in the wallet everything else seemed to be there. She left her home, drove to the store, only to find the manager had not called her; when she returned home, she had been robbed.

Refuse Collection: Curbside pick-up on household trash and recycling is done on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning at 6:00am

by County Waste 570-382-3304. Please refer to the pickup list on our website www.poconofarms.com to determine your pickup day. County Waste will only pick up household trash and accepted recycling. If you have any other items to discard, please call them at 570382-3304 to set up arrangements.

As reported before, the police say most break-ins take place in the morning when people have gone to work and the children are at school. We can’t have too many eyes on the ground.

This past month, thirteen drivers spent eighty-four hours patrolling the community. We continue to look for more drivers to fill the holes in our schedule. If you are interested contact the Administration office or Ed Aalbue at 570-894-8071 or Russ Kelly at 570-894-4034.

Major Holidays that will affect your collection days are: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Christmas. When those holidays fall on a Monday or Tuesday, garbage collection will shift by one day.

Animals: Dogs must be leashed or on owner’s property at all times. Wildlife, such as deer and black bear, are common at Pocono Farms. We ask that you NOT FEED any wild animals.

Emergencies: For ALL emergencies including medical or fire please contact 911 first, then contact Public Safety at 570894-4435 x105.

Weathervane DEADLINE NOTICE In order to produce a better newspaper for the Community, a Weathervane submission deadline has been established.

All articles, announcements, classified ads, etc. must be submitted to the Newsletter Coordinator on or before the 5th of each month for publication in the next issue of The Weathervane. Submissions made after this date will not be considered until the following month.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

Publication of articles is subject to the approval of the Communication Committee.

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Women’s Club News BY patricia torregrossa

Notes from A&B

The July luncheon of the Pocono Farms Women’s Club was held on July 13th. Joan Schipper thanked the hostesses, Anne Holland and Marie Bergantino. New members and guests were recognized as were birthdays and anniversaries. Lorraine Piel led us in our luncheon prayer.

By A. Furman

Reports were given: Patricia Torregrossa read the minutes of last meeting. Jane Colors gave the treasurer’s report and June Centzone gave a report on the recent Tricky Tray which was a huge success. She especially thanked Lucille Dever, Joan Ludwig and Joan Schipper for all their work. Joan mentioned that Dorothy Sirolly is our nominating committee chairperson and will be calling the membership for their input for the coming year’s officers.

We had a lovely lunch, followed by Lourie Sigreto from Head First Design from Pocono Summit who was very helpful with suggestions for makeup and other beauty tips. Her model was Margo Walsh. We had our 50/50 drawing and the hostesses for next month are Ginny Day and Mary Savage.

The August luncheon of the Pocono Farms Women’s Club was held on August 10th. Joan Schipper thanked the hostesses Ginny Day and Mary Savage. This luncheon was the 43rd Anniversary of the group. There was special mention of the past presidents and a flower for those in attendance. Birthdays and anniversaries were mentioned, then reports were read. Secretary Patricia Torregrossa read the minutes from the last meeting and, they were accepted. Treasurer Jane Cilurso read her report; there is currently $4,241.14 in the account showing $2,211 from the Tricky Tray. June Centzone mentioned the Blood Drive that will take place in two weeks at Pocono Farms.

It was again mentioned that Dorothy Sirolly is the nominating chairperson and if anyone is interested in a position on the Board, they should contact her. June Centzone and Jane Cilurso will be staying on in their positions and Mary Lou Preus has come forward for the President position; Lynn Fardella volunteered for Vice President.

Hostesses for next month are Daisy Arenda and Barbara Zimmerman. Also next month is our membership renewal.

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When I was young the hands on the clock never seemed to move.

Now those same clock hands are moving so fast I use it for a fan.

Alas, summer has come and gone.

Before long all the snowbirds will be headed south. Which means this is the perfect time to go over some preventative measures to keep your homes safe until you return. If you have a newspaper delivered, suspend deliveries until you return, same thing with your mail, or have that forwarded to your other address. The grass will slow its growth, but should still be mowed a few times. It will give the impression there is someone there. Same thing with the snow (that 4 letter word) you should have your driveway and walks plowed and shoveled while you’re away. Nothing says I’m not home like accumulating snow. Put a timer on a few of your room lights. This way they go on and off daily. These small inexpensive things, although no guarantee, will go a long way to ensure you find your home exactly as you left it.

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Pocono Farms Events

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Pocono Farms Events 2016-17 Board of directors meeting schedule all meeting times are 7pm unless otherwise noted

• Thursday, June 22, 2017

• Friday, November 18, 2016

• Friday, Februrary 24, 2017 (work session)

• Friday, December 16, 2016

• Friday, March 24, 2017

• Saturday, July 15, 2017

• Friday, January 27, 2017

• Friday, April 21, 2017

• Thursday, October 27, 2016

• Friday, July 14, 2017 (10am annual meeting)

• Friday, May 19, 2017

October Sun

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Pocono Farms Events

Thirsty Thursdays

6:00—8:00pm

Each Thursday we have a different beer special!

Ask your bartender or server for details

Featured Beer of the Month: Flying Fish OCTOBER 6th Chicken Marsala $10.95 With cheddar and chive mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, garden salad and fresh baked rolls

OCTOBER 13th Chicken & Beef Fajitas $8.95 With assorted toppings, chips, salsa, corn bread and mexican corn chowder

OCTOBER 20th Pot Roast $10.95 With gravy, roasted red potatoes, Brussel sprouts and cream of mushroom soup and fresh baked rolls

OCTOBER 27th Shepherd’s Pie $9.95 Served with garden salad, chefs selection of soup and fresh baked rolls

To reserve a table contact Katrina 570-894-4435, ext 132 katrinaw@poconofarms.com

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Fit Tips

TO ADVERTISE

By Caty Davalos

CALL 845-754-2356

A F it Tips Fa re w ell I am sad to announce that August 30, 2016, was my last day at Pocono Farms. I will be starting my field placement for my Master’s program this semester and unfortunately the time commitment for the field placement will be too much to also keep my position at Pocono Farms. Over the past year that I have been here, I have had the opportunity to meet many of the residents and it has been a pleasure. I appreciated the patience and kindness that I received during my transition into the position, as well as getting to know not only the fitness members, but all the members of this wonderful community. I will miss being part of this community and will definitely be poking my head in every now and then to say “hi!” This Fitness Center is an amazing facility, and I hope the current members continue to enjoy the benefits of pursuing a healthier lifestyle, and I urge those of you who are not a member to check it out!

OR EMAIL POCONOFARMS@NIKIJONES.COM

Thank you Pocono Farms for giving me this opportunity and thank you to the residents for welcoming me into your community!

Recreation News By. Joe Sprovkin

Pocono Farms Community, Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall! The summer season went by too quick, however we have so many fun events to remember! I want to take the time to thank all of the Pocono Farms staff and community members for all of your support throughout the summer! A special thanks to the recreation/tennis committee that took the time to help with every event and made sure it was a success! Just to name a few great events we had this season: family campout, movie on the beach, fireworks show, bocce league, tennis workshops, kid’s camp, and a kid’s tennis workshop. Your participation was greatly appreciated!

With the help of the committee, we tried something new for our Friday night Labor Day weekend event.

The Family Carnival Night was new, and a huge success with over 200 members in attendance! We had all hands on deck from the maintenance staff building the Plinko board to the food and beverage staff providing all types of new carnival foods.

For the fall season, we will have Wednesday night bowling League. This runs from October to January at Summit Lanes. We also have a Sunday afternoon dart league, located in the Grill Room which runs from January to April. We will have a few trips coming up as well. All of our events and activities for the fall season are listed in the weathervane or keep your eye out for our weekly fliers. I want to thank everyone again and will see you at the next event!

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