LIVING
toscana
KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW
SUMMER LOVIN' (PART 2) JULY 2021
Our Staff. Community Manager Nicole Careaga ncareaga@toscanaliving.net Assistant Community Manager John Raabe jraabe@toscanaliving.net Lifestyle Director Mark Gatchell mgatchell@toscanaliving.net Concierge Director Katie Lucas klucas@toscanaliving.net Administrative Assistant Wade Longworth wlongworth@toscanaliving.net Maintenance Supervisor Daniel Renteria drenteria@toscanaliving.net Maintenance Staff Tyler Driscoll, Chris Ehrlich Night Managers Jackie Hernandez, Saffron Caudle 480.861.0875 Gate House Staff Chet Sanders, Joshua Oakley, Laura Taylor, MaryJane Vital, Emerson Glasgow 480.513.0602
ASSOCIATION OFFICE 5450 E Deer Valley Drive Building 2 Phoenix, AZ 85054 480.585.0808
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 602.234.9288
toscanaliving.net
Nicole's Noteables by Nicole Careaga
Toscana Hot Topics This month, I thought I would address a few concerns that have been brought to me either via email, or from our June Fireside Chat. As you know, I enjoy providing all of you with education about Association Law, and information about the goings-on at Toscana. So, bear with me as I jump around on a few topics. Board Member Duties: As we move closer and closer to transition, I have been asked to inform everyone what we are looking for in our future Board Members. We are looking for those residents who have a desire to learn and to lead. It is also imperative that we find members who are interested in assisting the Association with moving into our next phase, as we age and need to complete the necessary upgrades. I have also been asked to remind residents that Board Members take on a significant amount of information to make these decisions. A large amount of information they are given is confidential and not able to be shared within the community. Please be kind and respect the fact that, while they are here to serve the community and you as residents, they also must be held to these certain procedures.
Board Members are technically only Board Members during the scheduled Board Meetings. While in these meetings, the Board will be voting on all decisions that affect Toscana, the Budget and how we conduct projects and future planning. While the Board may not vote unanimously on a decision, the Board will all uphold that decision and is expected to respect it and move forward toward completion. PAGE 3
Community Concerns: With over 600 current residents there is bound to be a resident or two with questions about landscaping, the events calendar, project happenings, and other concerns. If you find yourself wondering about something within the community, I urge you to reach out to the management team, not your resident Board members. As a reminder, your resident Board are only Board Members at sanctioned Board Meetings. During other times, they are residents, just like the rest of you. In order to avoid legal consequences for your Board - and you, by extension - it is important to avoid having "Board" conversations outside of these meetings, especially when addressing multiple members of the Board. You and your Board members could, inadvertently, violate open meeting laws, as well as open the community up to various accusations of unethical operations.
The team within the Palazzo Centro office are all part of a professional management company team; our company is contracted by you to understand and operate under the various, nuanced, laws that govern HOAs in Arizona. We are here to assist you with all of your needs, including facilitating Association-related communication between the Board and residents outside of regular meetings. Our phone number and email addresses are listed within the front cover of this newsletter.
This is also encouraged should you have concern with a community vendor. We ask that residents do not provide any type of direction to the landscape, pool or janitorial vendors. Contract Negotiations: As we move through transition, your new Board of Directors will be working with the Finance Committee to assess the current contracts for Toscana. This is a normal and welcome part of transition. Many of the contracts will automatically renew from year to year; however, as we are entering our next phase, it will be imperative, that we create and sign new contracts with our community vendors. Should you be interested in the process, I would suggest that you attend the upcoming Finance Committee and Board Meetings as they discuss these plans in their open session meetings. 2022 Budget Planning: The Finance Committee will be reviewing preliminary budget amounts at their July 9 meeting as we begin planning the budget for 2022. This year, we will not only be reviewing one budget, but two, as we anticipate the new residents of the Luxe joining us.
Next year we are anticipating potential increases in landscaping, janitorial, and water costs, just to name a few. We are not yet sure how your assessments and other budget items will be impacted. We highly recommend that residents join the upcoming Finance Committee and Board meetings to stay up to date as we move through this lengthy process. Should you have any questions about these or any other topics, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or any member of the team. We are here for you for any of your questions.
Make your
Mark by Mark Gatchell
What Day is Today? Have you ever wondered where all the fun national holidays come from? For instance, July 1st is international joke day, but it is also Canada Day, National Postal Worker Day, and National Gingersnap Day Many of these national holidays come from around the world and several different sources, but one person has created over 1900 National Holidays. "America's Premier Eventologist" Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith is the undisputed champ. Koopersmith started creating holidays or "holidates" about 30 years ago after a traumatic event in the lobby of her apartment complex. Koopersmith said, "This was an event, in and of itself, that would change the entire course of my life." She started writing and creating cartoons, which she merged with her love of holidays. She thumbed through a book that listed holidays and thought a lot of them were dull and irrelevant. She thought, "why not do events that are fun and whimsical?" Over the years, she has created Hug a G.I. Day, which is March 4th or Lost Penny Day which is February 6th, and of course, Ant Appreciation Month, which is August. Thomas Roy also loves creating national holidays. He has invented and copyrighted more than 90 holidays in the past 30 years, including some of his most famous holidays like Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day on February 20th and No Sock Day, which of course, is May 8th. Don't let these two have all the fun! Did you know PAGE 5
even you can create a national holiday? Yes, you can, and it is not as hard as you might think! Many people create national holidays just for fun or to promote a cause or group. But you can also create a national holiday as a gift to honor someone special. Many websites will help you create your very own national holiday! I have found that www.nationaldayarchives.com is a great place to start! Create your national holiday and share it with the world! Who knows, it could just be the next big day we celebrate at Toscana! In honor of so many national holidays, we are celebrating National Hot Dog Day here at Toscana on July 21st! What could be better than a hotdog off the grill with all the fixings your heart desires! Be sure to check out the Tuesday Lifestyle eBlast for all the details, and if you create a National Holiday, please share it with your Lifestyle Director, and we will pass it along to all of Toscana!
07 J U L Y SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU 1
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM
Association
FRI
SAT
2
3
9
10
FOOD TRUCK AT TOSCANA 5-7:30PM
Events Clubs/Classes
HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM 4
5
6
7
OFFICE CLOSED
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM
MAH JONG PG 12PM
HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM
*AFTERNOON BINGO* 2-3PM
8
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM
FINANCE COMMITTEE 9:30AM
*JINDO* 6:30-7:30PM 11
12
13
MAH JONG PG 12PM
B14/26 PARKADE CLEANING
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM
14
*AFTERNOON BINGO* 2-3PM
HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM *JINDO* 6:30-7:30PM 18
19
20
MAH JONG PG 12PM
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM *ICE CREAM DAY* PC 10AM-6PM
LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE 2PM HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM *JINDO* 6:30-7:30PM
25
26
*TOSCANA POOL KIT PICK-UP* PC 10AM MAH JONG PG 12PM
21
*NATIONAL HOT DOG DAY LUNCH* PG 12PM
27
28
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM
*AFTERNOON BINGO* 2-3PM
HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM *JINDO* 6:30-7:30PM
15
16
17
22
23
24
29 COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM BOARD OF DIRECTORS 10AM FOOD TRUCK AT TOSCANA 5-7:30PM HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM
30
31
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM FOOD TRUCK AT TOSCANA 5-7:30PM HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM
COFFEE CLUB PG 9AM HAND AND FOOT PG 6PM
*REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED*
GOT AN ACTIVE CLUB OPEN TO ALL TOSCANA RESIDENTS?
LET YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW BY ADDING IT TO THE TOSCANA COMMUNITY CALENDAR
EMAIL MGATCHELL@TOSCANALIVING.NET TO GET SET UP ALL ADVERTISED CLUBS MUST ADHERE TO COMMUNITY CLUB GUIDELINES AND POLICIES.
MISSING Are You Seeing All Your Emails? Many of our residents are missing out on important information due to emails being "trapped" in their Spam/Junk clutter email folders. As different community updates are emailed out from different individuals (i.e. lifestyle updates from Mark, concierge communication from Katie, maintenance updates from Daniel and community news from Nicole and John), your email provider may filter some emails but not others, based on who is "sending" it. If you haven't consistently opened emails from any of these senders in the past, your email provider may be automatically filtering their communication into an unseen folder. Be sure to regularly check your Spam/Junk/Clutter folders and mark these important updates as "Not Spam" or move them into your inbox to help prevent your email provider from incorrectly filtering them in the future.
Not Signed Up for Emails? Reach Out to MGatchell@ToscanaLiving.net
CONNECTION
community
by Katie Lucas
July 15 is National Give Something Away Day, so I thought I would share some great, local charities with you all to donate your unused items to! St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the poor and less fortunate in communities all over the world. St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix, Arizona runs programs that serve the homeless and working poor in and around Phoenix such as dental and medical care facilities, thrift stores, and transitional housing. St. Vincent de Paul runs 17 thrift stores in the central and northern AZ areas, that are stocked with clothing donations and household item donations. You can help the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix by scheduling a donation pick up for St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores. Your donations will be sold to raise money to help the poor!
Arizona Humane Society Since 1957, the Arizona Humane Society (AHS) has fostered the belief that every pet deserves a good life. Their mission is to save the most vulnerable animals and enrich the lives of pets and people. What once began as a small shelter established by a compassionate group of volunteers has since grown to become the state’s largest animal welfare and protection agency, as well as the state’s designated responder for animals in distress during natural disasters. Throughout the years, a commitment to thinking differently about animal welfare has led to countless first-of-their-kind programs, services, education and communication techniques that have been emulated by organizations all over the world.
St. Mary's Food Bank A hungry, young mother. A man with a mission. And a new goal. These were the beginnings of the world’s first food bank. John van Hengel founded St. Mary’s Food Bank in 1967. He had been volunteering at a local soup kitchen, serving dinner to those in need when a young mother told him that she depended on soup kitchens and food from grocery store dumpsters to feed her children. Van Hengel’s heart was broken. His conversation with the young woman ignited a desire to help hungry families like hers, so he came up with the idea of a “Food Bank,” where individuals and companies with excess food could “deposit” it, and those in need could “withdraw” it. His local parish, St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix, gave him $3,000 and an abandoned building where he was able to turn his dream into reality, and in gratitude, he named his food bank “St. Mary’s.”
PAGE 10
offering house-sitting, travel arrangements, cleaning services, and mobile notary services
Giving You Peace of Mind full-service, family owned and operated, since 2006
Available 24/7 no answering services, no after hours we’re even here on holidays Call today to experience first-hand the "White Glove Service" you deserve: 623-337-1036
JOHN'S JOURNAL
by John Raabe
FLAG CODE REMINDERS With the 4th of July being this month I thought it would be a good idea to talk about our U.S. Flag, why we celebrate it, and proper ways to display it. Being someone who has fought for the flag, and lost some of my brothers who were fighting alongside me, I have great respect for the flag and what it stands for and like to see it celebrated correctly and not dishonored. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag act; "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." The flag that resembled the one that George Washington ordered to be flown above his base at Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776. Since then, the flag has been changed several times to get to the flag we know today with thirteen stripes for the 13 original colonies, 50 stars for the 50 states of the union, and the colors red for hardiness and valor, white for purity and innocence and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. There are some rules and customs to follow when displaying the U.S. Flag that should be followed, to make sure you are showing it proper respect, I have selected a few that might pertain to displaying the flag here at Toscana. It is Custom to fly the flag from sunrise to sunset, it can be flow 24 hours a day, only if it is properly illuminated during hours of darkness. The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, unless it is an all-weather flag. The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise. The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free. The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way. The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything. No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning Here at Toscana our CC&R's state that: Flags displayed by an individual Unit Owners may only be hung and/or displayed in an area that is under the exclusive control of the individual Unit Owner, and not on Common Elements or the Restricted Common Elements. All flags must be displayed in accordance with the Federal Flag Code and Arizona Law. This means you cannot hang the flag from a railing or off the side of the building. So, in parting, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, celebrates responsibly and if displaying the flag for the holiday or any time, does it with respect to the country and the men and women who fought under it and for it.
PAGE 12
WADE'S WORLD by Wade Longworth
In honor of National Hemp Month I thought it would be nice to write about some of the benefits of a fairly new product on the market. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural substance found in cannabis, also known as marijuana, and does not contain THC. Thanks to its various helpful qualities, the CBD boom is in full effect – with applications ranging from tinctures and patches to topicals and cocktails. So far, we know that CBD is a proven treatment when it comes to epilepsy, and early research is showing promise in a variety of different ailments. CBD oil is widely regarded as an effective product to treat and manage pain. The endocannabinoid system is a specialized system in the human body that aids in the regulation of sleep, appetite, the immune system and pain response. These naturally produced endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in the body’s nervous system. CBD can help to reduce chronic pain by impacting this receptor activity, thus reducing inflammation and interacting with neurotransmitters. Currently, research is underway to determine the extent to which CBD can help with conditions such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis. CBD may be able to help you manage anxiety. It may change the way your brain’s receptors respond to serotonin, a chemical linked to mental health, which helps reduce stress. Receptors are tiny proteins attached to your cells that receive chemical messages and help your cells respond to different stimuli. One study found that a 600mg dose of CBD helped people with social anxiety give a speech. Other early studies done with animals have shown that CBD may help relieve anxiety by: decreasing physiological effects of anxiety, such as an increased heart rate, improving symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and inducing sleep in cases of insomnia. Although this article only talks about the most common PAGE 13
reasons that people choose to use CBD, there are many studies out there looking into other benefits. Everything from nerve pain to seizures and heart health is currently being studied. This is also another option for your pet if they are having issues with separation anxiety, sleeping through the night, or uncontrollable energy. Furthermore this is also a great alternative for people needing over the counter prescriptions to manage pain. Many athletes are switching to this product to cope with injuries and are choosing to pass on the habitforming prescription pain pills in favor of the natural product CBD.
MAINTENANCE
report by Daniel Renteria
We often get calls from residents to help one of their contractors gain access to various utilities or services associated with their unit. This month I would like to provide some information for residents to utilize while calling out a vendor or contractor. A very common question we get is "where is the air conditioning compressor for my unit?" The air conditioning compressors are located on the roof of all buildings, except for the Casitas. Those would be located in the back of the property on the ground level. In the three story section of all buildings there is a stairwell with a small roof access door where your contractor is able to access the roof. A roof access stairwell for the fourth floor is located on the opposite side.
Electric meters and main breakers can be located in the parkades. These will also have a clip labeled with the condo unit number on it. You are able to find the telephone and television connections in the utility closets, located on each floor and at both ends of the buildings. They will be labeled with the condo unit number for easier identification. To gain access to the closets the service technician can obtain a key from the front gate attendant with the same process as previously mentioned. When it comes to the other utilities, each building is on a master meter for gas and water. Clusters of condos can be isolated for temporary shut off if a gas line repair is needed in a unit. In this case, we ask that the owner contact the HOA office to coordinate that activity, ideally with at least 48 hours notice. Water to the individual unit can be turned off through an access panel located on a wall of the laundry room for all buildings except building 10, where they are in the ceiling. In a situation where you cannot turn the water off in your unit, arrangements will need to be made to have the building shut down so the owner can have repairs made to the unit’s isolation valves. Hot water is supplied to the buildings through a boiler system; therefore, each individual condo units does not have a water heater. For any questions regarding the building utility system feel free to contact the HOA office at 480-585-0808
To gain access, the contractor must stop at the guardhouse, advise them that they need access to the roof, and provide the attendant with an ID. All compressor units will be labeled with the unit number and would be directly above each condo unit. PAGE 14
lay of the land by DLC Resources As we move into the heart of summer, your Bermuda turf is now growing steadily across Toscana’s common areas. DLC will raise mower heights with the consistent growth, and you should see lush Bermuda thriving into summer. However, Bermuda struggles to grow in many sloped and shaded areas, and brown spots may appear. We are pushing growth in these areas through fertilization and irrigation management. Weeds are treated as needed. Our Irrigation Specialists are also continuing to monitor and adjust runtimes across the Community, accounting for rising temperatures. We will track any rainfall that may occur this month, altering the system as necessary to utilize the rainwater best and save your Community money and water. The warm weather continues to bring fresh blooms to many plants and trees around the Community. With these beautiful blooms also comes the less desirable debris as the spent flowers and bean pods fall to the ground. Our maintenance crews are emphasizing the cleanup of plant material within our scheduled cycle work. We are also trimming shrubs according to bloom cycle. A special cleanup of bean pods around the Community will happen soon. An additional crew and the sweeper is coming out to assist the onsite crew in picking up the debris left behind from the beautiful Mesquite and Palo Verde trees. The sweeper is a valuable tool to help our team members
work as efficiently as possible in your Community! In conjunction with Community management, a DLC Special Projects crew is working on enhancing Toscana’s entryways. We recently installed a variety of new plants with irrigation lines (if needed). The work is still ongoing. The result should give your Community a welcoming, refreshed appearance! Looking ahead to monsoon season, we will be preparing our post-storm response. When monsoon storms arrive, our emphasis shifts to clean up and repair. Typically, summer storms occur later in the day after crews have left the property. Please contact your Community Management team for emergency storm response needs, such as damaged trees in the common areas blocking streets or sidewalks. Non-emergency storm cleanup generally begins the following morning. Routine maintenance activities may need to be suspended or reduced in scope while the crew cleans up debris and performs repairs.
