Fall Renovations at the Retreat

Spring and summer are gone, but The Retreat is making sure that we look good for winter! The fall flower planting is finished up today at the clubhouse, fountain and front gate. The new flowers should grow and look beautiful throughout the winter.

Also, Bob just completed a project to add some additional storage space at the clubhouse area by closing off a small area across from the pool restrooms. The work turned out great and will provide a some much needed storage for the community. THANKS BOB! 

Please make sure to have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. If you plan on traveling during the holidays, do not leave packages at your door and have a neighbor check your condo for you and change the lighting routinely.

As a side note, if there is any information about the damage to one of the walking trail benches, please contact CMG.

Alligator on the Fence

Nancy S. spotted one of our not-so-friendly alligators hanging out on the other side of the fence...literally on the fence. He seemed to be having a bad day and was hissing when approached. Please remember that alligators and other animals were upset by the recent flooding and could be in areas unexpected, so stay alert! 

Rethink Folly Road Repot Has Been Released!

The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) commissioned a firm to identify areas for improvement of the Folly Road Corridor (think Ashley River/Maybank Highway to Folly Beach). A draft summary report, as well as appendix of analysis materials, has now been released for public review.

http://bit.ly/rethinkfolly

http://bit.ly/rethinkfollyappendix

There are a lot of lofty ideas proposed throughout. One of particular interest to The Retreat is a road connecting the parking lot of the Food-Lion to Riverland Woods Place. This proposed road would be between The Screen Door Restaurant and the main strip mall stores. 

There will be an open house for residents to discuss the report next Wednesday from 5-8 at the Senior center. 

Wednesday, August 26, 2015 | 5:00 pm 8:00 pm

Lowcountry Senior Center, 865 Riverland Drive, Charleston, SC

Please take a few moments (well closer to 30 minutes) to review all of the report, and voice your opinion about these proposed changes at the meeting! Let's make sure The Retreat is well represented and our need are addressed in the future Folly Road. Remember curb appeal is key, and we want to make sure The Retreat is appealing to future owners both within our gates and outside!

Tidbit Tuesdays - Don't Paint That Sprinkler!

Did you know that according to the building code you cannot have any paint, even over-spray, on the fire sprinkler heads in your condo unit?

The fire sprinkler system is made to distribute water throughout the open area it is located to suppress a fire. According to the national codes (NFPA 25), all sprinkler heads with any foreign material on their surface (paint, caulk, texture coating, etc.) are not up to code and must be replaced. So if you are considering painting your unit, especially your ceiling, may sure the painters know to not paint those sprinklers!

Do you have any helpful reminders that other owners should be aware about? Let us know and we can post them to the blog!

Living up to the name...owner

Own - Adj. of, relating to, or belonging to oneself or itself (usually used after a possessive to emphasize the idea of ownership, interest, or relation conveyed by the possessive);Verb. to have or hold as one's own; possess: 

Apathy-Noun. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. (Dictionary.com)

Many times around The Retreat, owners describe things that the HOA is not doing right for the community, but they do not invest any more time than to make that complaint. Some might think that a HOA fee gives owners a right to be apathetic since they are "paying someone else to deal with everything". However, as an owner, you should be the exact opposite. 

The leadership of your community (the Board) is not being paid from your HOA fees to "deal with everything". CMG is paid to support the HOA Board and to minimize the day-to-day operations handled by the Board. However, the HOA is what maintains your investment, your property, and hopefully works to improve your investment. The HOA fee should be thought of as the costs to maintain and protect your investment, that you would have even in a single family home.

Apathy is toxic to a community. We have 264 units at The Retreat. We average less than 40 people at the quarterly HOA meetings. That is 15% of the community, IF each person was from a different unit. 15% of the community is voicing their opinions about the state and future of this community. If things are not going in the direction that you wish to see in The Retreat, is it because your voice is not part of that 15%? Imagine the amount of input we could get if we had 85% of the community represented at the meeting or calling in, rather than 15%...

GET INVOLVED! Make a conscious effort to set a good example for your guests and neighbors by following the Rules and Regulations of the community. See a new neighbor? Welcome them to the community and let your building rep know as well! Or simply, the next time you see litter in the community, rather than say that the janitor will take care of it, throw it away yourself!

Don't wait until October to make yourself known. Now is the time of the year that the Board is planning projects for the next financial year. Have an idea that could help improve the community, investigate it, find out if it feasible and present it as a viable concept rather than a theoretical idea to the board. The board will always listen to proposals to improve the commmunity.