Harmony Life - March 2023

Photo: Abbey Evans

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome to the March 2023 edition of Harmony Life Magazine

On the cover this month is the current staff for Phyre Harmony. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful restaurant in Harmony and are very thankful that Jim Schreck, the owner, made the decision to open here.

Please support our advertisers, they help bring this monthly publication to the community

Did you know that my wife, Jeanine Corcoran, puts out a weekly video and email for all the Harmony events? Send me your email address and I will add you to the list. You can always opt out at any time: Bill@QMCWorld.com

Harmony Life Magazine is produced by residents for residents, please feel free to message me directly with content and pictures. Bill@QMCWorld.com

Remember to join the Facebook Harmony Residents Forum. AND THE NEW, ADDITIONAL, HARMONY RESIDENTS FORUM, DRAMA FREE.

See you in April!

Bill Bokunic Publisher

Bill@QMCWorld.com

CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS

HarmonyCDD.org, 407-566-1935

Teresa, Dan, Mike, or Kerul@HarmonyCDD.org

NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222

Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com

CONDOS HOA Sentry Management, 407-846-6323

TOWNHOMES HOA Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com

HARMONY DEVELOPER OFFICE 407-891-8358, HarmonyFL.com

MARCH 2023

A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC

www.QMCWorld.com

PUBLISHER & CEO

Bill Bokunic

321.331.6398

Bill@QMCWorld.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Renée Blair

Blair Creative Group, Inc.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Abbey Evans

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeanine Corcoran Corcoran Connect

Kerul Kassel PHD

Hamony CDD Board Member

Teresa Kramer

Chair, Hamony CDD

The opinions expressed in the Harmony Life Magazine articles are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Quantum Marketing Communications, Harmony Life Magazine or the Publisher.

Harmony Life Magazine, Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC and the Publisher can, in no way whatsoever, be held responsible for the content of such views, nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views.

All rights reserved. No part of any Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

SPECTRUM CABLE / INTERNET 877-892-3279

CENTURY LINK CABLE / INTERNET 866-314-4148

OUC ELECTRIC 407-957-7373

ADVANCED DISPOSAL – OSCEOLA 407-605-3892

HARMONY RESIDENTIAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Now is a Great Time to Spruce Up Our Neighborhood!

Florida is wonderful in the winter, with the cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and little rain, which makes it a great time to get out and do some landscaping and cleaning. It is the intent of the HROA and Architectural Review Board (ARB) to maintain a high standard of exterior architectural appearance throughout the Harmony Community. Due to the rains and the high humidity levels in the summer, sidewalks, driveways, fences, gutters, roofs, and houses can get mildew on them. Also, the pollen can leave yellow dust all over our homes, cars, and porches. Pressure washing can wash away the mildew and pollen dust and leave your house and driveway nice and sparkling clean. Violation letters may be sent out for fences, driveways, and houses with excess mildew on them, so it never hurts to stay ahead of that letter by getting out there and cleaning.

In Florida, our yards need to be maintained year-round. Yards should be mowed and edged year-round as needed. Keep an eye out for the grass runners that like to grow into the driveway and sidewalks. Winter is a great time to add mulch to flower, shrub, and tree beds. Mulch breaks down and washes away over time. If you prefer to use rock instead of mulch, you will need ARB approval. Trees and shrubs should be maintained, trimmed, fertilized, and watered, except for the street trees, which the CDD trims yearly. Dead plants and sod should be removed and replaced. Be sure to put out all yard waste at the curb for Monday's yard waste pickup. Fertilization, insect, and disease control is encouraged to keep plants and sod looking healthy and also as to not spread to neighboring properties. Per the Community Standards, bare ground or the removal of front flower beds is not allowed and any major modifications of existing flower beds will require ARB approval. Replacement of existing plants is allowed without approval. All plant beds and driveway joints should be weed-free. Violation letters can be sent out for dead sod, bare yards, overgrown trees and shrubs, and weeds.

Edging such as metal, concrete, brick, rock, or rubber is allowed, but please submit it for ARB approval.

Landscape lighting is permitted and must be maintained. Only Dark Sky lighting is permitted for landscaping and exterior home lights. Up-lighting of the landscape, fences, or homes is not allowed. All landscape lighting requires approval from the ARB.

Winter is the dry season in Central Florida and it is a great time to check and make sure your irrigation system is working correctly, running on the permitted days, and overspray onto driveways, sidewalks, and streets is minimized.

Over time the Florida sun fades the paint color. This is also a great time to paint your house and repair any stucco cracks if needed. We now have 77 color schemes in our color book to choose from. Please submit an application with one color scheme when painting your house. If using the same colors you currently have you will still need to submit approval.

If you are not a DIYer, there are many landscaping, irrigation, and power-washing business right here in Harmony.

UPCOMING HROA SOCIAL EVENTS

March 19 – Harmony Sunday Market: 10am-2pm, Town Square

March 25 – Community Yard Sale: 8am-3pm

March 29 – HROA Board Meeting: 6pm, Harmony Ballroom

April 1 – Easter Eggstravaganza: 3pm–5pm, Town Square; Harmony Main Residents Only; RSVP Required.

April 16 – Harmony Sunday Market: 10am–2pm, Town Square

To stay on top of meeting notices, social events and other correspondences please provide Association Solutions your email address. You will stay informed and save the HROA money! n

Contact information for the HROA:

https://myhoasolution.com

407-847-2280

info@myhoasolution.com

https://portal.topssoft.com/login

TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ELIAS MOUZAYAK

• Originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela

• Elias is a self-proclaimed food enthusiast, enjoying many types of cuisine especially Middle Eastern.

• Has been with Kisselback Ford for 2 years and 9 months

• Speaks 4 languages: English, Spanish, Arabic and French

What Do People Have to Say About Elias and Kisselback Ford?

Excellent Experience! HHHHH

“My experience at Kisselback Ford was more than excellent, it was exemplary of what customer service should be. My sales advisor Elias Kouz was the best in assessing me in my purchase. He was very diligent because I called him on Friday afternoon at 4pm with the intention of buying a car, and he told me that everything was ready to make the purchase on Saturday, just a day after I called! I totally recommend Kisselback Ford, and of course, sales advisor Elias Kouz, to buy your car fast and to be treated the best way!” — Jackeline M.

Fast & Simple, Yet Still Personalized! HHHHH

“We are so impressed with Elias and the rest of the staff at Kisselback Ford! They made our car buying experience fast and simple yet still personalized.” — Helen R.

Very Professional! HHHHH

“We feel very comfortable. Elias, the salesman, was very professional. The process was fast and easy. He answered and explained all about options for our new vehicle. Justin, the finance manager, was also very good. It is the first time that the process of buying a vehicle doesn’t stress you and take all day long. We will recommend this agency to all our friends and relatives.” — Rosalinda P.

100% Recomendado! HHHHH

“Muy complacido con la atención de Elias; me dio toda la asesoría necesaria para obtener el mejor negocio en mi 2022 Ford Explorer. Agradecido con Elias y todo el equipo de Kisselback Ford. 100% Recomendado.” — Miguel C.

NOTES FROM the CHAIR

By Teresa Kramer Chair, Harmony Community Development District

Schools, Swimming, and More

Osceola County School District Addresses CDD Board

Dr. Debra Pace and School Board member

Erica Booth addressed the Harmony CDD Board at the last meeting to describe the rapid growth on the east side of Osceola County and the impact that growth is having on the Harmony Community School (K-5). This growth has caused the student population to outgrow the classroom space that the Community School has available. Dr. Pace explained that the School District will have to place “relocatable cottages” (previously know as portables) on the school campus while additional area schools are designed and constructed. These structures will be used primarily for the higher grades and are expected to be in place for approximately five years while new elementary schools in Sunbridge, off Narcoossee Road, and in Roan Bridge, off Hickory Tree Road, are constructed. Portables were used at the Community school from 2016 until 2019 to relieve overcrowding while the Middle School was being built, so minimal construction will be required this time as the hook-ups are already in place. The issue of traffic problems caused by school pick up and drop off was brought forward by residents and Dr, Pace promised to look into how to minimize the impact of additional traffic once the portables are in use. Dr. Pace indicated that she will be scheduling a Town Hall to be held at the Harmony Community School to address this issue with residents and parents.

Harmony Community School to Conduct a Learn to Swim Program for Kindergarten Students

The School Board has restarted its Learn to Swim Program for their kindergarten students and will be conducting these lessons at Harmony’s Swim Club pool (next to Phyre). The lessons will occur on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from April 10th–April 21st. This pool will be closed on those days during the hours of 9am to noon to ensure that the children have a good learning en-

vironment with no distractions. If you want to use a pool during those times, please use the Ashley Park pool which is located at 7124 Harmony Square Dr. South.

Welcome Lucas Chokanis to the Harmony CDD Board

It was a tough decision for the CDD Board as there were seven well qualified candidates that applied for Seat 4 on the CDD. After interviewing each candidate and considering each of their available time and talents, the Board selected Lucas Chokanis to fill this seat. Supervisor Chokanis will complete the four-year term that ends in November of 2026. He lives in the Waterside neighborhood with his wife and family. Please take a moment to welcome him to the Board. His official CDD email is Lucas@harmonycdd.org

Alley Paving Update

The alley paving project has been delayed due to the unavailability of the trench drains that must be installed before the paving can be done. The revised schedule (as of February 27th) is below. If this schedule is further adjusted by the contractor, the change will be posted on the home page of our website, HarmonyCDD.org, where you can also find a map that shows the alleys to be paved.

The paving company will be making all the arrangements with the post office to ensure that mail delivery is accommodated and will provide access so that garbage, recycling and yard waste pick-up can go forward in the alleys as usual on Mondays and Tuesdays. Inframark has assured the Board that signs will be posted and a flyer explaining the process will be hand delivered to each affected residence prior to construction on each phase.

Again, this schedule is subject to change depending on the availability of needed supplies and equipment and weather conditions.

Phase 1: March 13 – March 29

Alley between Primrose Willow and Cat Brier

Phase 2: April 6 – April 28

Alleys bounded by Primrose Willow, Schoolhouse, Pond Pine and Cupseed

Phase 3: May 1 – May 22

Alleys bounded by Cupseed, Pond Pine, Primrose Willow, and Blustem

Phase 4: May 15 – June 13

Alleys bounded by Beargrass, Pond Pine, Schoolhouse, and Cupseed

Phase 5: June 30 – August 2

Alleys bounded by Beargrass, Pond Pine, Bluestem, and Cupseed

Toho Water Conservation Program

I would like to introduce the Toho Water Authority’s Water Conservation Program to the residents of Harmony. We are working with Toho to spread the news to our residents about ways to conserve water. One joint project being considered is a Demonstration Garden here in Harmony that will showcase Florida Friendly landscaping. This garden will help residents visualize how these plants would look around their home. Below is information from Toho concerning steps you can take to save both water and money.

Tips from Toho:

Harmony Spring Yard Irrigation

As the seasons change and spring begins in Florida, Harmony and Harmony West homeowners should plan to revisit the programming of their home’s irrigation system to water their yard and landscaping efficiently for a healthy lawn.

Toho Water Authority (Toho), the water utility servicing the Harmony area, offers these tips to keep in mind:

1. Check irrigation controller for correct time, date and day.

- Remember: No watering between 10am and 4pm

- Odd house numbers (ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) Wednesday and Saturday

- Even house numbers (ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) Thursday and Sunday

- Non-residential customers (businesses, schools, government, churches, subdivision common areas, recreation areas, medians) Monday and Friday

2. Make sure each zone runs efficiently by turning each on for a test. During this, make sure to check for proper pressure (low pressure indicates a line break or a possible missing sprinkler head). Also, check for proper rotation of rotor sprinkler heads and adjust these to perform efficiently. Avoid watering the road or sidewalk.

3. Make sure your sprinkler heads pop up to irrigate properly. For example: St. Augustine grass should have 6-inch heads and sprays. Some homeowners probably had the system installed with 4-inch emitters. If this is the case, it would be better to replace these for more efficient irrigation practices.

4. Check and clean filters to all rotors and sprays. If you have micro-irrigation then you will want to clean their filters also.

5. Reprogram the controller for the necessary allowance of water per zone. Typically, rotors are set on average for 30 minutes and sprays are set for 15 minutes. This will, of course, vary depending on where the location is, type of soil, and the type of grass you are irrigating.

6. Keep in mind that plants have grown since last year, so watering requirements could be different. Adjust the emitters to efficiently water these areas.

7. Replace the battery backup on your controller. The battery backup does not operate the controller, but keeps run times and start times in the controller in case there is a power outage. This stops the system from reverting back to its default program.

8. Make sure your rain sensor is working properly. This low-cost device is required by law in Florida to avoid excessive irrigation when a healthy amount of rain is falling to irrigate the landscaping naturally.

9. Consider embracing Florida-Friendly TM Landscaping options with your choice of yard plants. A free web tool to find out what works in this area can be found at floridayards.org/fyplants. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) Extension in Osceola County, located conveniently at Osceola Heritage Park, offers free local classes on a variety of topics every month.

Need Help from Toho?

More tips can be found on Toho’s website under “Conservation Tips” at tohowater.com.

The Toho Water Conservation Department is able to conduct free Irrigation Evaluations for residences in the Harmony and Harmony West area. Please take advantage of this service if you feel you have any problems. To set up and appointment or for more information, contact us at waterconservation@tohowater. com or call 407-944-5124. n

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TERESA KRAMER

DID YOU KNOW?

By Kerul Kassel PHD Hamony CDD Board Member

HARMONY'S COMMUNITY GARDEN

DID YOU KNOW that Harmony was designed to promote the peaceful coexistence of human and animal residents within the community while striking a balance between the preservation, use and enjoyment of Harmony’s natural areas? Underlying these objectives are the values of fostering a respect for the land, the protection of wildlife and the sensible use and enjoyment of Harmony's abundant natural and manmade amenities by its residents.

Opportunities to connect with nature abound in Harmony. We are lucky to have our own Community Garden here. Growing your own vegetables, herbs, and flowers can be a rewarding and tasty experience, one that offers low effort but high interactivity. And the Harmony Nature and Animal Committee has initiated a program for kids called Harmony Conservation Café Club, so they can get involved. Check out past and upcoming events at https://www.facebook.com/conservationcafe/.

Our Community Garden is managed by our Garden Coordinator who can be reached at thegardenatharmony@gmail.com. The garden offers three sizes of plots, from 4’ x 8’ to 8’ x 35’, each for a reasonable annual fee. Every plot has water and a spigot for a hose, and the garden shed offers space for your tools, and sprayers. There’s a wheelbarrow for common use, a gazebo for shade and picnics, and even an area where you can plant a fruit tree. The garden isn’t set up for strict organic practices, but the gardeners have agreed to use sustainable/least impactful practices.

Did you know that there are some vegetables and flowers that are best grown in warmer weather, and some that require cooler conditions? Veggies such as peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini work best in the spring and fall months. Ornamental plants such as periwinkle, salvia, and caladium work well over the spring, summer, and fall. Lettuce, peas, broccoli, and cabbage are cool weather plants for the winter growing season (watch out for frosts, though, especially with the more tender plants). Geraniums, petunias, and pansies thrive in cool weather. University of Florida IFAS Extension Service offers some great resources, including a planting calendar: http:// solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/calendar/

While the peacefulness, camaraderie, and knowledge-sharing at the garden are valuable, you don’t necessarily need a plot there, especially if your time is limited. Caring for seedlings purchased from local stores is usually fairly easy, even if you’re a beginner. Starting plants from seed requires more care and attention but brings great rewards (and lower expense) as you can watch the process of germination and growth. You can grow some of these plants in a small backyard plot or in pots or containers on your patio or porch. Even easier may be to try growing some herbs on your window sills. Be sure to closely follow instructions on the seed package or seedling tags, as some plants need more or less light, moisture, and fertilizer than others. There are lots of online resources through UF IFAS Extension Service and many accomplished Harmony gardeners that would be happy to offer some advice. Start small and experiment…and see what grows. n

QUICK REFERENCE DIRECTORY

ADVERTISING & MAGAZINES

Harmony Life

Bill Bokunic

321-331-6398

Bill@QMCWorld.com

www.QMCWorld.com

AIR-CONDITION SERVICES

Access Air

Eric Farnsworth

*Harmony Resident*

407-921-0760

ELFarnsworth@live.com

AUTO DEALER

Kisselback Ford

1118 13th Street

St. Cloud

407-892-2141

www.KisselbackFord.com

CHURCH

Harmony Community Church

Meeting 10am Sundays at Harmony Community School

(844) 444-FBCH

www.HarmonyCommunity.church

CHIROPRACTOR

Living Well Chiropractic

*Harmony Resident*

4041 13th St. St. Cloud 34768

407-957-1337

www.LivingWellCFL.com

FINANICAL SERVICES

Edward Jones

Kerry L. Scott, CRPC

4115 Neptune Rd. St. Cloud 34769

407-498-0147

www.EdwardJones.com

GARAGE DOORS & OPENERS

D.S.I.

Sales / Service / Repairs

407-970-5847

dsigaragedoor@yahoo.com

www.dsigaragedoorandopener.com

GOLF CLUB

Royal St. Cloud Golf Links

5310 Michigan Ave., St. Cloud, FL 34769

407-891-7010

GRAPHIC DESIGN & BRANDING SERVICES

Blair Creative Group, Inc.

Renée Blair Lake Nona

321-972-3669

www.BlairCG.com

HEALTH & FITNESS / GYM

The Workout

407-764-0297

1429 Hamlin Ave., Unit 10 St. Cloud 34771

HOME INSPECTORS

Budget Services

407-892-8811

HOSPITALS

Health First-Holmes

Regional Health Care

1350 South Hickory St. Melbourne, FL 32901

321-434-7000

Orlando Health

St. Cloud Hospital

2906 17th St., St. Cloud 407-892-2135

www.OrlandoHealth.com

INSURANCE

Brightway Insurance, The Sterner Agency 407-891-9361

www.BrightwaySterner.com

Healthcare Solutions Team

Kim Kirsch 407-870-3462

kkirsch@myhst.com

Kisselback Insurance Agency

Ashely Evans 321-316-3360

1118 13th St. St. Cloud 34769

LAWN CARE

Luv-A-Lawn & Pest Control 407-908-9139

www.LuvALawn.com

Triple Palm Lawns

*Harmony Resident* 407-957-3489

TriplePalmLawn@aim.com

MORTGAGE LENDING

Mortgage Studio

Julie Bretz-Swinarksi 407-758-3443

julie@mtgstudio.net

Alyssa Shivmangal

407-408-1413

alyssa@mtgstudio.net

MUSIC LESSONS

Harmony Performance Arts Studio

Amber Lanning & Ellen Short Voice/Piano/Acting

682-936-9551

PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING

Champions Property Maintenance

*Harmony Resident* Joe Murray, 407-766-5051

Performance Soft Wash LLC. Exterior House Cleaning & Paver Sealing 407-729-7567

PARK

Wild Florida

3301 Lake Cypress Rd. Kenansville 407-957-3135

www.WildFL.com

PET GROOMING

Pawfect Cuts of Harmony 407-257-1414

PawfectCutsOfHarmony.com

Serving Harmony & St. Cloud

PHOTOGRAPHY

Abbey Evans Photography Weddings, Families, Newborns, Seniors

www.abbeyevansphoto.com

PLUMBER

Mr. Rooter Plumbing 407-593-3737

www.MrRooter.com

PHYSICIANS

Miriam Carnemolla, APRN AdventHealth Primary Care+ Partin Settlement 2488 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34744

St. Cloud Medical Group 1700 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. St. Cloud 407-891-2965

www.StCloudPhysicians.com

PRINTERS

Creative Printing Services

1115 Pennsylvania Ave. St. Cloud 34769 407-891-9797

Lucky Dog Printing

*Harmony Resident*

1014 New York Ave., St. Cloud 34769 407-593-6984

REAL ESTATE

Corcoran Connect

*Harmony Resident*

Jeanine Corcoran Owner/Broker Buy/Sell/Rent/Property Mgmt. 407-953-9118

www.CorcoranConnect.com

RESTAURANTS

Koffee Kup 1407 13th Street St. Cloud 34769, Under the Water Tower 407-891-81488

www.TheKoffeeKup.com

Phyre at Harmony 7251 Five Oaks Dr. Harmony

TRAVEL

Meisner Cruise and Travel

*Harmony Resident*

407-738-7088 • tvlwithlinda@gmail.com

Facebook: Harmony Get Aways With Meissner Travel

Rock Solid Travel Jeff Rock, CCC 321-805-4124

www.RockSolidTravel.com

WATER SYSTEMS

Dependable Water Treatment 407-242-7150

WINE & SPIRITS

Levee Liquor & Gas

Now Delivering in Harmony! 718 13th St., St. Cloud 407-593-9605

www.LeveeLiquor.com

We provide trusted, quality care in your community. At Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, get access to care from an expert and compassionate clinical team for all of your healthcare needs — from emergency services to heart care, surgical services and more — all close to home. Giving you more reasons to choose well. OrlandoHealth.com/StCloud choose well.

be confident.