Harmony Life - November 2017

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FLORIDA’S PREMIER COMMUNITY November 2017

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS,

THE BARTLETTS

A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC

Photo by Jen Dwyer

Barbara Corcoran Recommends Harmony’s fastest growing Real Estate company The Corcoran Connection - 1426 S Narcoosee Rd, St. Cloud, FL 34771 407-953-9118 - office | TheCorcoranConnection.com



FROM THE PUBLISHER, BILL BOKUNIC PUBLISHER & CEO Hi Everyone and welcome to the November 2017 edition of Harmony Life Magazine! To keep improving the magazine and provide the most relevant content, this month we’ve included the Champions Grill calendar. So now, and in the future, you will have a quick resource guide that is mailed to your home each month that has the Social Committee and Champions Grill calendars, as well as important community information.

Bill Bokunic Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC 321.331.6398 Bill@QMCWorld.com www.QMCWorld.com Harmony Life Magazine

Here are some important website and Facebook pages for harmony residents. If you haven’t already, please sign up for the Harmony Resident’s Forum on Facebook. You will be asked to provide your street address to confirm your residency status. Please bear with us as we attempt to clean up and remove non-residents. • Harmony Residents Forum - Facebook Forum • MyHarmonyFL.com - A community website owned by a local business that has the Social Committee calendar, Harmony Community School events, Residents/Business video’s and information plus a whole lot more. It’s a work in progress so check back often for updates. • http://www.harmonycdd.org - Official site for the Harmony CDD Please welcome a new Harmony Life supporter and Harmony resident Dr. Richard Takanen, owner of Living Well Chiropractic in St Cloud! Both Jeanine and I have used his services and highly recommend. That’s all for now, see you in December! Bill Bokunic Bill@QMCWorld.com

Contact Info for Residents CDD HarmonyCDD.org, 407-566-1935 Steve, Ray, Bill, Kerul or Dave@HarmonyCDD.org SHERIFF, NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222 HROA

First Services Residential 866-378-1099 or FSResidential.com

CONDOS HOA

Sentry Management, 407-846-6323

TOWNHOMES HOA HARMONY DEVELOPER OFFICE

TITAN Management, 407-705-2190 407-891-8358, HarmonyFL.com

SPECTRUM CABLE / INTERNET

877-892-3279

CENTURY LINK CABLE / INTERNET

866-314-4148

OUC ELECTRIC

407-957-7373

WASTE MANAGEMENT Monday: Recycling pick up Wednesday: Yard Debris pick up Friday: Trash pick up

866-724-2989

OSCEOLA COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONER FRED HAWKINS

Osceola.org “Citizen Action Center” fhaw@osceola.org

November 2017 | Harmony Life Magazine 1


MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS: THE BARTLETTS

Where did you move from? Coconut Creek, FL.

What is… Your name? Marcela Bartlett. Your spouse’s name? Michael Bartlett. Your children’s names? Lucas Michael and Penelope Reese Bartlett. Your pet’s name? Bella. When did you move to Harmony? October, 2017— exactly one year ago. What street do you live on? Cordgrass. What do you love most about Harmony? Everything really. I love all of the amenities the community offers families like ours. We take the kids to the park and splash-pad. They love town square and going to the Market. We love the fact that we have a social community who is constantly planning amazing get-togethers and fun activities for us to enjoy right here in our backyard—it is such a treat.

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What do you miss most? Not much. Maybe being so close to the rest of our family and close friends. Luckily, they make it a point to come up and stay with us very regularly. Another great thing is some of our nearest and dearest have already relocated to Harmony themselves. My brother is an Osceola County Sherriff and he lives here (on Dark Sky). We have Michael’s parents who live in The Lakes and my (Marcela’s) aunt who will also be closing on a property in The Lakes in November. We are hopeful my mom will soon join us here, as well. What is your background? Well, I am a Litigation Paralegal. I work for the Mineo Salcedo Law Firm, P.A., located in Davie. We handle mostly property claims throughout the entire state of Florida. I travel down two days a week and work remotely the rest. Michal’s background has been mostly in management and directing operations within the automotive industry What is a good story about Harmony? I don’t know if I have just one great story here. The other night, a couple of us from our block just gathered together in the street after work and just hung out. It was unplanned, but we got to catch up and chit-

chat a bit. Mostly, about the upcoming holidays— it was wonderful. Everyone seemed really engaged and just interested in getting to know one another. We are now planning a “Friendsgiving” for our street. To be honest, it felt like we had known each other for years, yet it was the first time I was meeting quite a few of them. Looking forward to many more of these get-togethers. What is unusual or unique about Harmony, in comparison to your previous home? It has everything you could possibly want in one place. There is the golf course, hiking trails, parks, a market, salon—everything right here in your back yard. What do you do for fun? I have a three- and four-year-old, so fun to me would be getting to binge-watch television and not have to do laundry on a Sunday. But outside of that, we also enjoy traveling, the movies and good food. What is the last movie that you have seen in the theatre? Cars 3–twice. Who is your role model and why? My brother Gabriel is pretty much the most amazing human being I know. He’s so kind and thoughtful and anyone who knows him would agree. What is your favorite TV Show? I’ve recently gotten into Billions. I’m probably a bigger fan of Paul Giamatti then I care to admit. Michael is very much into music and sports, so if we get a chance to turn off SpongeBob, you’ll probably catch him watching ESPN or a music channel. n

PHOTO: JEN DWYER

What are your kids’ favorite things about Harmony? They love being able to play outside and walk to the park. They are constantly running to and from our neighbors’ house. There is so much freedom for them here. It’s a safe place for them and they get to just enjoy being kids. Everyone looks out for one another.


We know that you have many choices when purchasing, servicing or maintaining your vehicle. Please know that we sincerely appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Thank you.

Bobby Kisselback 1. A 3-day exchange. If you buy a vehicle and you are not completely satisfied, bring it back and exchange it. 2. The first service is on us. All vehicles we sell, your first oil change and tire rotation is free. 3. Pre-owned Piece of Mind. Our Kiss Certified pre-owned vehicles are prepared for sale with a 172-point inspection process and each vehicle carries a 3-month / 3000-mile pre-owned limited warranty. 4. A full tank of gas. Every vehicle sold, new or used, is delivered with a full tank of gas. 5. Kiss & Tell Referral Rewards. Our referral rewards program pays you or your favorite charity. (Sales & Service) 6. Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center on site. Open 6 days a week, maintenance services and tire sales for almost all makes and models. 7. Kisselback Insurance Agency. Located in our main showroom, our Auto and Home insurance agents will perform a courtesy review of your existing insurance policy. Whether you purchased your vehicle here or not, let us see if we can save you some money. 8. Car Rental Location on site. If you need a rental car for any reason, we have a rental car office on site. Special Discounts apply for Kisselback Ford and Kisselback Insurance customers. 9. “The Works”, $39.95 including tax and fees. (Synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, multi-point inspection, battery test, filter check, belts and hoses check. Most makes and models. Gas engines only. Diesel Oil changes are available at a discount) 10. Complimentary local shuttle service. 11. Customer Lounge with free Wi-Fi 12. We will shop for you. If we don’t have what you are looking for, we are confident that we can find it for you. No additional charge. New or used vehicle. For all the details of our Kiss Advantage, please contact one of our sales or service team members. 407-892- KISS (5477)

407-892-2141 • KISSELBACKFORD.COM 1118 13TH STREET • ST.CLOUD, FL 34769


FACING OUR FEARS By Interim Pastor Dr. Danny Purvis Harmony Community Church

M

y folks did a pretty good job of raising me I think. They taught me all of the regular parent stuff that I now teach to my kids. Paramount among them was to never, ever take candy from strangers. Then for some odd reason every October 31st they would allow me to dress up in cheap plastic costumes, grab a bag…and go take candy from strangers. The irony of the whole thing never really occurred to me at the time mainly because I spent the remainder of the evening having convulsions on the floor from a massive overdose of sugar. Ahh…the good old days. We also didn’t have to worry about those silly safety rules that costume manufacturers have to worry about now. The masks were of some sort of pre-industrial revolution plastic that would fit rather snugly across your face being held there by what felt like high grade fishing line strapped across the back of your head. And the eye holes left plenty of room for seeing…if by plenty, you mean none. Which is exactly what you want when walking at night on the side of the road. Then there were these two little holes drilled out for the nostrils that allowed just enough air in so that you would pass out every seventh house. The styles of the costumes were great too. Johnny Combat with working M-14 and bayonet; Indian Brave with real bow and arrow which of course was safety tagged with

4 Harmony Life Magazine | November 2017

a message that simply read, “Do not aim at skull.”; and my favorite… Invisible Pedestrian, where you were dressed up to look just like the road to oncoming traffic. My point is that there seemed to be a little less fear back then. We don’t make a big deal about Halloween around my house mostly because I don’t like the idea of my kids taking candy from strangers. It seems more dangerous today than it was when I was a kid, though it may not be. Fear can be a paralyzing factor in our lives when it keeps us from doing the things we know we need to do. In fact it is easy to become a slave to fear. We should be wary of things that could do us or our families harm. We cannot simply throw caution to the wind. But there are some things we do in life where we have to face the fear. And if we are enslaved to it, we will never overcome it. Being a child of God makes that a moot point. His love, grace and mercy mitigates the effect fear has in our life and allows us to be they very best in Him that we can be. That is why Paul wrote in Romans 8:15… “but you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear.” Not that we would not experience fear—we all will. But if we trust in Him, we need never be a slave to the fear that could keep us from doing our jobs and being the best we can be. n


7 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE BECOMING A LANDLORD By Jeanine Corcoran

A

re you thinking of renting out your home or investment property and becoming a landlord? Though it may sound simple, it is anything but. Take a moment and consider what’s really involved. Here are seven questions to ask yourself before becoming a landlord. 1. Do you have a lease? Finding a lease isn’t as easy as purchasing one in Staples. You’ll need to have a lease specific to Florida and one option is to hire an attorney to write the lease for you. 2. Where will you hold your tenant’s security deposit? There are specific laws regarding the holding of other people’s money. It’s important to know these laws. 3. How will you handle tenant repairs? Landlord and Tenant laws require that you make serious repairs quickly. Will you be available when the tenant call comes in at 2am? 4. How will you collect the rent? Will you collect in person, by mail or are you set up to collect rent electronically? Collecting the rent is an important part of being a landlord as that is how you get paid. With today’s technology, most tenants expect to have the option to pay online. 5. How will you respond if a tenant doesn’t pay? There are certain steps to be taken when a tenant stops paying rent. Following these steps is critical to the eviction process.

6. Do you have an eviction attorney? The eviction process is an arduous task and can be costly to the landlord. Having an attorney who specializes in evictions is key to the proper eviction. 7. Do you have the proper paperwork filed with the county? A lot of landlords rent out their property without giving any thought to what paperwork needs to be filed to make their property a rental. Consider hiring a property management company. A property manager will be able to help guide you through this entire process. They can manage the financial components, arrange for repairs, and should the need arise help direct you to reputable attorneys. The money spent is well worth it for the peace of mind you will have renting out your home or investment property. Being a Landlord comes with a lot of responsibility starting with having the proper lease, knowing where to hold the tenant’s security, to handling of repairs, to collecting the rent, to having an eviction attorney and to filing the proper paperwork. By hiring a reputable property management company, you will be relieved of the worry and the responsibility of being a landlord. n Jeanine Corcoran is the Broker and Owner of The Corcoran Connection, LLC – A Real Estate and Property Management Company. Jeanine has been helping families with their Real Estate needs since 2005. Jeanine is Barbara Corcoran’s sister from ABC’s SHARK TANK. Jeanine can be reached at 407.922.3308, email her at Jeanine@TheCorcoranConnection.com, or visit TheCorcoranConnection.com

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SOLD

$749,900

$265,000

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3506 Sebastian Bridge 3524 Sebastian Bridge

FOR SALE FOR LEASE

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3301 Schoolhouse 6975 Maverick Tr 6812 Goldflower Ave 3303 Cat Brier Trl 7011 Bluestem Rd 7 Bed | 5.5 Bath 3 Bed | 2 Bath 5 Bed / 4 Bath / 4.5 Bath 3 Bed / 2 Bath Announcing the4 Bed Corcoran Buyer Program. 7665 sq ft POOL | 1580 sq ft 3519 sq ft 3092 sq ft 1798 sq ft AvailableTowe only through The Corcoran by Jeanine Corcoran by Jeanine Corcoran by Kimberly by Jeanine Corcoran by Connection. Jeanine & Monique

Contact us before visiting a builder for more information! $345,000 $2,300 $199,000 Jeanine Corcoran - Broker | Owner | The Corcoran Connection 407-953-9118 - office | Jeanine@TheCorcoranConnection.com TheCorcoranConnection.com Serving your Real Estate and Property Management Needs Connect with us on Social Media!


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6 Harmony Life Magazine | November 2017


HROA HAPPENINGS By Steve Berube President, Harmony Residential Owners Association

T

he recent HROA Election brought out many suggestions and requests for change in the way the HROA operates. Your new owner-controlled Board is committed to having the HROA function in the manner that owners expect it to. But first, some introductions are in order: I serve as President of the Association; Jeanine Corcoran is the Vice-President; Jason Meisel is Treasurer; Nick Shoopman is a Developer-appointed Director and Mark Hills is also a Developer-appointed Director who also happens to live here. The term of this Board is 2 years. So far, we have negotiated a $22,000 annual savings in management costs while retaining an on-site manager from First Services Residential; have commissioned a full financial audit and Jeanine has taken the lead in establishing a Resident Advisory Committee. This RAC will consist of 5-7 owners and is intended to be the “eyes and ears” of the community; hopefully, its members will filter and shape ideas/needs/ wishes of owners and advance them to the Board for further consideration. Should you want to be involved, please contact Jeanine or tim.quinlan@fsresidential.com for more information. This has shown signs of being very popular; please don’t feel slighted if you don’t get selected on this first pass. Jeanine has also begun work on a community website which might become the goto site for exchanging information. It is a working site and much data is still being added to it so keep your eyes open. Jason has taken the lead on gathering information for publishing and posting a monthly activities calendar. They will be posted in the display cases around town. If you have something that you’d like added to the monthly calendar, please contact Jason for inclusion. This calendar will likely get posted on the site mentioned above first—and if we can get the timing worked out, might become an integral part of this magazine as well.

We have asked Tim to step up violations enforcement without becoming onerous. This is a fine line to walk but we have confidence that he’ll do well. We also instructed him to turn over to the Attorney most of the past due accounts. What does “most” mean? In general, any account that it makes sense to attempt collection on. Keep in mind that our over-90-days old accounts have stayed stubbornly at over $60,000 for some time now. We WILL get that under control and take steps to prevent a re-occurrence mainly because that amount represents nearly half of a full years’ dues collection. We thought that adding a paid Activities Director might be helpful to our Social Committee. But, after some discussion with those great ladies, they decided to continue doing all the hard work themselves. Can’t argue that their events are successful so that idea got shelved. For the first time ever, the two entrances will be decorated for Christmas with lights and other decorations. There were a few electrical concerns, but the new Developer immediately stepped up and authorized the needed upgrades to their towers which enabled the HROA to authorize the professional decorations. Based on your reaction, we can add (or subtract) from the display for next year’s holiday season. Lastly, there have been requests for regular meetings on some sort of consistent schedule. So, when there is enough business to have a meeting, we will and they will generally be on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30 P.M. in the Ballroom. This schedule follows the CDD meeting schedule of the last Thursday of each month. The next HROA meeting is likely to take place on November 29th. Thanks for reading. n

Harmony Social Committee UPCOMING EVENTS

Social Committee Meeting November 6 - 6:30pm -7100 Indian Grass

November

1 - Bite Nite @ Buck Lake Park - 5-8pm Food trucks - picnic style (bring chairs and blankets)

17 - Casino Night - 21+ event - Ballroom at Champions

6:30-7:30 - food 7:30-10 game play 10pm raffle prizes 18 - Turkey Trot Fun Run - Estates - 8am December

6 - Bite Nite @ Buck Lake Park - 5-8pm Food trucks - picnic style (bring chairs and blankets)

9 - Holly Jolly Festival - Town Square - 11am-4pm Live entertainment, food, vendors/crafters, kids area and more Harmony Community Activities

@harmonysocial

November 2017 | Harmony Life Magazine 7


FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK

E

ffective Wednesday, November 1st, the Information Center will be open for walk-in traffic Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Dora and I are still in the office until 4:00 PM but you will have to call us to come to the door to let you in. A few comments on violations: Dogs: Owners failing to pick up after their dogs is the most common pet related complaint I receive. A distant second is dogs not being on a leash. So please, when walking your dog, pick up the droppings. Your neighbors will love you for it. Also, dogs must be on a leash when outside your home, except within the confines of your fencedin back yard. While you may have a well-behaved pet that would never hurt a soul, people encountering them don’t know that and it causes needless fright. Violations: I tour the community every week on the lookout for violations. Below are some of the most common culprits: By far, the most common violation I encounter is related to landscaping. That could include dead sod, weed-infested turf and/ or shrub beds. Another common violation is a home in need of exterior cleaning and/or painting. If you have green mold on the outside of your house, please clean it. If you wipe your fingers across the paint on your house and it leaves a chalky residue, it’s time to paint. Take a look at your mailbox. If it’s faded, rusty, broken, missing its door, etc., replace it. Remember, replace like-for-like. The new mailbox must be the same design and color as the one it’s replacing. Sidewalks and driveways: Generally speaking, you are responsible for cleaning the sidewalks on your property. If they are black or green with mold/mildew, it’s time to clean them. As well as looking bad, they can also be very slippery when wet. Cleaning them keeps them pretty and safe. One caveat for non-professional

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cleanings: I often-time find what I refer to as the “tiger-stripe” appearance when cleaning is done by narrow, high-pressure cleaners. You will see alternating dark and light stripes from the use of such equipment. I’ve also seen the smooth surface of a sidewalk blasted away by too much pressure being used. Once the paved surface is damaged like this, it will get dirty faster. Parking: Commercial vehicles, RV’s, boats, trailers and nonrunning or vehicles in disrepair cannot be parked in your driveway or on the street. A commercial vehicle or moving truck can be parked for up to 4 hours as part of work being done on your property or loading/unloading but, beyond that, they must be stored elsewhere. Garbage and recycling bins: They must be stored out of sight (i.e. inside your garage) or blocked from view from the street except on collection days. Closing comments on violations: The letters I send are the means with which we try to maintain a high standard of appearance in the community. They are not meant to harass you, as they have occasionally been characterized. The first letter allows two weeks to cure the violation. If you find that you need a bit more time, contact me in writing with a request for additional time. I’m happy to accommodate reasonable requests. The Board’s desire is to keep the community looking nice, not to bludgeon you with continuing notices. Please note also that the photo included with the notice may not show all areas needing attention. It may have a picture of dead sod between the sidewalk and the street whereas there may be other areas in the yard that also have dead sod. Look beyond just the photo in the letter; read the verbiage that accompanies the photo. It’s fairly descriptive in what needs to be done. Final note: I’ve included a copy of a Harmony Design Committee Application. Should you need to repaint your house (or make any other architectural changes), you must submit this form. I highlight painting as perhaps my comments above may spur someone to action. You may ask if you’re painting the house the same color, why is approval necessary. It has happened in the past that a house has been painted without approval and in an unapproved color. The Committee does not want to perpetuate the problem color so therefore requires proposed colors to be submitted and approved. Be sure to include photos of the houses on both sides of your house as approval will not be granted that would have two houses of the identical color side-by-side. Be sure to plan well in advance of when you wish to paint. I suggest you not lock in a date for your painting contractor to begin work until you receive formal approval from the committee. Finally, when making an application to paint you must submit actual paint chips. The committee will not accept scanned copies of the colors as oftentimes the colors do not scan accurately.


HARMONY RESIDENTIAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC HARMONY DESIGN COMMITTEE (HDC) APPLICATION

MAIL APPLICATION TO: 3500 Harmony Square Drive West, Harmony, Florida 34773 Name ______________________________________________________ Subdivision _________________________________ Lot #___________ Property Address ________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________ Mailing Address ________________________________________ City ________________________ State _______________ Zip ______________ Phone(s) Home ___________________________ Work _________________________ Cell _______________________ Fax ___________________ In accordance with the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions and the Association’s Rules and Regulations, installation must conform to this approval and the Association’s guidelines. I hereby request your consent to make the following changes, alterations, renovations and/or additions to my property.

( ) Fence

( ) Swimming Pool

( ) Lawn Ornament

( ) Patio

( ) Screen Enclosure

( ) Exterior Color

( ) Landscaping

( ) Lawn Replacement

( ) Other ___________________________________

Description ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I HEREBY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9)

No work will begin until written approval is received from the Association. I have 6 months from the approval date to complete the work. If not, then I must reapply for the approval. Attach a copy of the property survey that shows the locations of the proposed change, alteration, renovation or addition. Attach a drawing of the color sample, if applicable. Paint color swatches must be attached to the HDC Application with photos of homes on BOTH sides of the subject home. All work will be done expeditiously once commenced and will be done in a professional manner by a licensed contractor or myself. All work will be performed timely and in a manner that will minimize interference and inconvenience to other residents. I assume all liability and will be responsible for all damages to other lots and/or common areas, which may result from performance of this work. I will be responsible for the conduct of all persons, agents, contractors, subcontractors and employees who are connected with this work. I am responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations and requirements relating to this work. I will obtain any necessary governmental permits and approval for the work. Upon receipt, FirstService Residential, Inc. will be forwarding the ARC Application to the Association. A decision by the Association may take up to 30 days. I will be notified in writing when the application is either approved or denied.

ALL HOMEOWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOLLOWING THE RULES AND GUIDELINES OF THEIR ASSOCIATION WHEN MAKING ANY EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS. Signature of Owner(s): ________________________________________________ Date: ________________________________ DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE This Application is hereby:

( ) Approved

( ) Approved With Conditions

( ) Disapproved

Date ________________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ Comments: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Date Application Was Received: _____________________________ November 2017 | Harmony Life Magazine 9


DID YOU KNOW? By Kerul Kassel PHD Hamony CDD Board Member

D

ID 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. Among Harmony’s many wonderful features are the amenities for dog owners. With miles of walking trails, three dog parks (Central Bark near the Town Center, and the Small and Large Dog Parks), and many doggy-pots conveniently located around the community, Harmony is a dog-lover’s dream. At the dog

10 Harmony Life Magazine | November 2017

parks, there is some general etiquette: even though the parks off Primrose Willow are called the Large and Small Dog Parks, there are no size restrictions. The name is about the size of the park, not the size of the dog. Large dogs can and do go in the Small Park and play with smaller dogs. Small dogs can go in the Large Park. That said, be considerate, especially if your dog is large (if the park is occupied by small dogs), or rather active or boisterous, as not all dogs, or people, welcome that level of activity and curiosity. Before entering a park, always ask any owners of dogs you aren’t familiar with whether their dog is friendly to other dogs. If the answer is no, it is best to wait until the dog using the park leaves. The owner should be kind enough to not make you wait too

long. Even dogs that are not good with other dogs have a right to use the dog parks. If you are in the park with your dog, when a dog is entering make sure that your dog is not near the gate. Entering the dog park can be a tense moment for many dogs, not only those entering, but those already in the park. Letting your dog hang out by the entrance when other dogs are entering can invite a dog fight. Did you know that Osceola County issues stiff fines to owners of loose dogs and owners that do not pick up after their dogs? Nobody wants to step in or smell dog waste, or find a “present” on their lawns or in their flower beds. Thank goodness we have so many doggy pots to make it convenient to clean up after our dogs. n


November 2017 | Harmony Life Magazine 11


CASUALTY LOSSES By Jason Flowers CPA, CFA, CFP, EA, CTFA

H

XUULFDQH ,50$ PD\ KDYH FDXVHG VLJQLÂżFDQW GDPDJH WR \RXU home and household furnishings. IRS Form 4684 “Casualties and Theftsâ€? may be a possible option to consider relative to taking the loss as an itemized deduction on your 2017 tax return, or 2016 tax return if you choose to claim the loss in the prior tax year as the state of Florida was deemed a Presidentially Declared Disaster Area. This article will review an illustration on how the Casualty Loss Deduction is calculated.

Overview:

land) was $300,000. The FMV of your home immediately prior to the hurricane was $350,000 and its FMV immediately after the hurricane was $250,000. Your household furnishings were also damaged. The illustration does not detail the calculation of the loss on household IXUQLVKLQJV DV \RX PXVW ÂżJXUH WKH ORVV RQ HDFK LWHP VHSDUDWHO\ 7KLV LOOXVWUDWLRQ VLPSOLÂżHV WKH WRWDO ORVV RQ KRXVHKROG IXUQLVKLQJV WR WRWDO $5,000. You collected $50,000 from your insurance company relative to damage to your home, but did not have coverage on your personal property. Lastly, an assumption is made that your AGI is $50,000.

The starting point for the casualty loss deduction calculation requires you to know the adjusted basis of your home. The adjusted basis is typically the purchase price you paid to acquire your home plus any costs incurred to make improvements to the property. Improvements DUH VXFK LWHPV DV D QHZ URRI QHZ ÀRRULQJ DQG QHZ $ & V\VWHP The Fair Market Value (FMV) of the home before the hurricane is simply the price at which you could sell the property prior to the hurricane in a normal arm’s length transaction. The FMV after the hurricane is the price you could sell the property in the unrepaired condition after the hurricane damage. Insurance reimbursements are subtracted from the loss as money you received from an insurance claim is not deemed a loss per the IRS. The IRS also requires you to subtract $100 from the loss, as well as, 10% of your Adjusted Gross Income. The two subtractions by the IRS are to minimize claims for the casualty loss deduction by taxpayers with small losses relative to their AGI. Lastly, the casualty loss deduction is an itemized deduction. If you do not have enough deductions to itemize (i.e. your standard deduction is higher) then this deduction will not provide DQ\ EHQH¿W WR \RX

1. Adjusted basis of real estate:

$300,000

2. Fair Market Value of real estate before hurricane:

$350,000

Key Assumptions of the Illustration:

If you need assistance in claiming a Casualty Loss Deduction for losses incurred during IRMA, please call Larry Herring CPAs and Consultants at 407-647-7777 or visit us online at www.herringcpa.com to arrange a free consultation.

Hurricane IRMA damaged your home. The cost of your home (including

3. Fair Market Value of real estate after hurricane:

250,000

4. Decrease in FMV of real estate (Line 2 – Line 3):

$100,000

5. Loss of real property (smaller of Line 1 or Line 4):

$100,000

6. Subtract insurance reimbursement for real estate:

50,000

7. Loss on real estate after insurance reimbursement:

$50,000

8. Loss on household furnishings:

$5,000

9. Subtract insurance reimbursement relative to personal property:

$0

10. Loss on household furnishings after insurance reimbursement: 11. Total Loss (Line 7 plus Line 10):

$5,000 $55,000

12. Subtract $100:

$100

13. Loss after $100 rule:

$54,900

14. Subtract 10% of $50,000 AGI:

$5,000

15. Casualty loss deduction:

$49,900

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12 Harmony Life Magazine | November 2017

1117 Pennsylvania Ave. Downtown St. Cloud


November 2017 | Harmony Life Magazine 13


HARMONY INCIDENT REPORT — October 2017 DATE

INCIDENT

NATURE

LOCATION

CODE

10/01/2017.....................17I098982..................................DISABLED VEH 12................................................ FIVE OAKS DR & E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY.....................................................................................V 10/02/2017.....................17I099407..................................911 DISCONNECT................................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL..................................................................COM 10/03/2017.....................17I099746..................................DIST 22I............................................................... BUTTONBUSH LOOP.............................................................................................................................F 10/03/2017.....................17I099818..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................R 10/03/2017.....................17I099919..................................SUSP INC 13I....................................................... PRIMROSE WILLOW DR........................................................................................................................F 10/04/2017.....................17I100003..................................SUSP VEH 13V..................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR WEST..............................................................................................................E 10/04/2017.....................17I100138..................................DIST 22I............................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO................................................................................................F 10/04/2017.....................17I100144..................................HARASSMENT 63R.............................................. SCHOOLHOUSE RD...............................................................................................................................R 10/05/2017.....................17I100374..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................X 10/05/2017.....................17I100465..................................LOST/FOUND PROP............................................. CLAY BRICK RD.....................................................................................................................................R 10/06/2017.....................17I100706..................................SUSP INC 13I....................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO................................................................................................R 10/06/2017.....................17I100717..................................ROUTINE CHCK 38............................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY ; SUNOCO.............................................................................................TOT 10/06/2017.....................17I100859..................................BURG CONVEYANCE............................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; HARMONY HS.......................................................................................R 10/07/2017.....................17I101090..................................RECKLESS OP 29I................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & HARMONY SQUARE DR.......................................................................F 10/07/2017.....................17I101390..................................BURG RESIDENCE................................................ SAGEBRUSH ST....................................................................................................................................R 10/07/2017.....................17I101426..................................DIST 22I............................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR SOUTH........................................................................................................... W 10/08/2017.....................17I101651..................................SUPPLEMENT...................................................... SAGEBRUSH ST....................................................................................................................................S 10/09/2017.....................17I102106..................................DISABLED VEH 12................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................P 10/10/2017.....................17I102243..................................NOISE COMPL 74I................................................ DARK SKY DR.......................................................................................................................................F 10/10/2017.....................17I102397..................................DRUNK DRIVER 1................................................. E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................U 10/11/2017.....................17I102834..................................911 CALL............................................................. GRANDE HERON DR & DARK SKY DR...................................................................................................V 10/11/2017.....................17I102882..................................SUSP INC 13I....................................................... SUNDROP ST........................................................................................................................................F 10/11/2017.....................17I102893..................................ROUTINE CHCK 38............................................... SUNDROP ST 10/11/2017.....................17I102934..................................TRAFFIC STOP..................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & HARMONY SQUARE DR.......................................................................A 10/12/2017.....................17I103029..................................DRUG CASE 31I................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR & E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY......................................................................AR 10/12/2017.....................17I103220..................................MISC SERVICE 18................................................ SCHOOLHOUSE RD; HARMONY COMMUNITY.......................................................................................F 10/12/2017.....................17I103340..................................DISABLED VEH 12................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & WILD TURKEY LN................................................................................P 10/12/2017.....................17I103344..................................DRUNK DRIVER 1................................................. E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & WILD TURKEY LN...............................................................................AR 10/13/2017.....................17I103489..................................SUSP INC 13I....................................................... BEARGRASS RD....................................................................................................................................F 10/15/2017.....................17I104373..................................DIST 22I............................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO................................................................................................F 10/17/2017.....................17I104804..................................ACCIDENT UNK IN................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................U 10/17/2017.....................17I104927..................................TRESPASS 51I..................................................... BEARGRASS RD....................................................................................................................................F 10/17/2017.....................17I105120..................................ATT TO CONTACT................................................. DARK SKY DR.......................................................................................................................................F 10/17/2017.....................17I105133..................................MISSING PER 8.................................................... DARK SKY DR.......................................................................................................................................R 10/18/2017.....................17I105165..................................RECKLESS OP 29I................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................V 10/19/2017.....................17I105535..................................ABANDON VEH 11................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & WILD TURKEY LN................................................................................H 10/20/2017.....................17I105970..................................SUSP VEH 13V..................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & HARMONY SQUARE DR; TUNNEL AREA..............................................V 10/21/2017.....................17I106503..................................CIVIL MATTE 66R................................................. DARK SKY DR.......................................................................................................................................F 10/21/2017.....................17I106582..................................RETAIL THEF 65I.................................................. E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO................................................................................................R 10/22/2017.....................17I106695..................................DRUNK DRIVER 1................................................. E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & HARMONY SQUARE DR.......................................................................A 10/22/2017.....................17I106838..................................SUSP INC 13I....................................................... CORDGRASS PL....................................................................................................................................F 10/23/2017.....................17I107051..................................JUV COMPL 57I................................................... FIVE OAKS DR & E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY.....................................................................................U 10/23/2017.....................17I107097..................................ABANDON VEH 11................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & WILD TURKEY LN................................................................................R 10/23/2017.....................17I107130..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ DARK SKY DR.......................................................................................................................................U 10/23/2017.....................17I107209..................................JUV COMPL 57I................................................... SCHOOLHOUSE RD; HARMONY COMMUNITY SCHOOL........................................................................ I 10/23/2017.....................17I107308..................................WANTED PERSON................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; E/OF ARTHU.......................................AR 10/23/2017.....................17I107313..................................DIST 22I............................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO................................................................................................F 10/24/2017.....................17I107377..................................SUSP VEH 13V..................................................... FIVE OAKS DR & CLAY BRICK RD..........................................................................................................V 10/24/2017.....................17I107625..................................ATT TO CONTACT................................................. HARMONY SQUARE DR SOUTH............................................................................................................X 10/25/2017.....................17I107838..................................911 DISCONNECT................................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL.................................................................... W 10/25/2017.....................17I107878..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL.....................................................................R 10/26/2017.....................17I108092..................................SUSP VEH 13V..................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR SOUTH; HARMONY MARKET........................................................................... I 10/26/2017.....................17I108326..................................FRAUD 39R.......................................................... CUPSEED LN.........................................................................................................................................F 10/26/2017.....................17I108415..................................TRAFFIC STOP..................................................... E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & HARMONY SQUARE DR.....................................................................WW 10/27/2017.....................17I108589..................................MISC SERVICE 18................................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL.....................................................................R 10/28/2017.....................17I109064..................................ACCIDENT UNK IN................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD..............................................................U 10/28/2017.....................17I109068..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD & E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY.............................................................U 10/28/2017.....................17I109089..................................ACCIDENT NO INJ................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD............................................................TOT 10/29/2017.....................17I109479..................................SUSP VEH 13V..................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR.........................................................................................................................F 10/30/2017.....................17I109554..................................BACK UP.............................................................. ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD................................................................................................................N 10/30/2017.....................17I109615..................................MISC SERVICE 18................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY; SUNOCO GAS........................................................................................F 10/30/2017.....................17I109693..................................LOST/FOUND PROP............................................. FIVE OAKS DR.......................................................................................................................................X 10/30/2017.....................17I109800..................................OPEN DOOR 48.................................................... HARMONY SQUARE DR SOUTH............................................................................................................F 10/30/2017.....................17I109848..................................CIVIL MATTE 66I.................................................. FIVE OAKS DR.......................................................................................................................................Q 10/31/2017.....................17I110000..................................AFA COMMERCIAL............................................... SCHOOLHOUSE RD; HARMONY COMMUNITY SCHOOL........................................................................U 10/31/2017.....................17I110231..................................DISABLED VEH 12................................................ E IRLO BRONSON MEM HWY & ARTHUR J GALLAGHER BLVD; IFO SUNOCO.......................................P

DISPOSITION CODES A - ARREST B - VERBAL WARNING C - CITATION ISSUED D - NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED E - FI CARD ISSUED F - COMPL CONTACTED G - COMPL GONE ON ARRIVAL H - GREEN TAG ISSUED

I - SUSP CONTACTED J - SUSP GONE ON ARRIVAL K - UNFOUNDED L - PROPERTY SECURE M - FALSE ALARM N - ASSIST OTHER AGENCY O - TRAFFIC CONTROL P - MOTORIST ASSIST

Q - CIVIL MATTER R - REPORT S - SUPPLEMENT T - TRESPASS WARNING ISSUED U - REFERRED TO OTHER AGENCY V - AREA CHECKED UNABLE TO LOCATE W - PX CHECK/ALL IN ORDER

X - NO POLICE ACTION Z - PARKING TICKET WW - WRITTEN WARNING DUP - DUPLICATE CALL TOT - TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER AGENCY COM - HANDLED BY DISPATCH



QUICK REFERENCE DIRECTORY ACCOUNTANTS Herring Certified Public Accountants & Consultants Larry J. Herring, CPA, PA 611 North Wymore Road, Ste 100, Winter Park, FL 32789 407-647-7777 HerringCPA.com ACUPUNCTURE Catherine Coudray 1716 East Irlo Bronson Hwy. CoudrayAcupuncture.com 321-303-5240 ADVERTISING & MAGAZINES Harmony Life, Nona Woman and Twin Lakes Magazines Bill Bokunic 321-331-6398 Bill@QMCWorld.com QMCWorld.com AIR-CONDITION SERVICES Access Air Eric Farnsworth *Harmony Resident* 407-921-0760 ELFarnsworth@live.com ATTORNEYS Overstreet, Miles, Cumbie & Finkenbinder, P.A. 100 Church St., Kissimmee, FL 34741 407-847-5151 OMCFLaw.com BANK Trustco Bank 1525 E. Osceola Pkwy. 407-932-0398 CARS & TRUCKS Kisselback Ford 1118 13th St., Saint Cloud 407-892-2141 KisselbackFord.com CHURCHS Harmony Community Church Meeting 10am Sundays at Harmony High School (844) 444-FBCH HarmonyCommunity.church CHIROPRACTOR Living Well Chiropractic 4041 13th St. St. Cloud 34768 407-957-1337 LivingWellCFL.com COMPUTER REPAIR I Repair PCS Efrain Rodriguez 773-865-2697 IRepairPCS.net efraincfd@gmail.com GARAGE DOORS & OPENERS D.S.I. Sales / Service / Repairs 407-970-5847 dsigaragedoor@yahoo.com dsigaragedoorandopener.com

16 Harmony Life Magazine | November 2017

HANDYMAN The Good News Handyman Rick Wade 407-468-1352 HAIR Victor Russell Salon *Harmony Resident* 105 East 13th Street Saint Cloud, FL 407-892-1005 VictorRussell.com HOME BUILDERS Jones Homes USATM Twin Lakes 4910 Twin Lakes Blvd., St. Cloud, FL 34772 407-988-3222 TwinLakesFL.com HOME EMERGENCY SERVICES ServPro of Osceola County 407-933-0707 HOSPITAL Health First-Holmes Regional Health Care 1350 South Hickory St. Melbourne, FL 32901 321-434-7000 HOUSE CLEANING Molly Maid of Kissimmee, St. Cloud & Lakeland 407-498-2256 MollyMaid.com INSURANCE Brightway Insurance, The Sterner Agency 407-891-9361 Humana Joseph Quezada 407-462-7199 jquezada@humana.com Kocher Insurance, LLC 1312 Illinois Ave., Suite H Saint Cloud, FL 37769 407-957-1918 KocherInsurance.com LAWN CARE Triple Palm Lawns *Harmony Resident* 407-957-3489 TriplePalmLawn@aim.com MORTGAGE Trustco Bank Sarah Near - Branch Manager Gateway Commons 1525 E Osceola Pkwy., Ste.120 Kissimmee, FL 34744 407-932-0398

MUSIC LESSONS Music in Harmony Piano Lessons and Vocal Coaching by Dawn Korzen *Harmony Resident* 7130 Indiangrass Rd. Harmony, FL 34773 MusicInHarmony2013@gmail.com

407-301-4561 for interview PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING Champions Property Maintenance *Harmony Resident* Joe Murray, 407-766-5051 PEST CONTROL Luv-A-Lawn & Pest Control 407-908-9139 PHYSICIANS St. Cloud Medical Group 1700 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., St Cloud, FL 407-891-2965 StCloudPhysicians.com PHOTOGRAPHY Harmony Imaging Drone & Photography Services 321-474-8396 Facebook.com/HarmonyImaging HarmonyImaging1@gmail.com PRINTERS Creative Printing Services 1115 Pennsylvania Ave. Saint Cloud, FL 34769 407-891-9797 Lucky Dog Printing *Harmony Resident* 1404 Hamlin Ave., Ste. F St. Cloud, FL 34771 407-593-6984 REAL ESTATE The Corcoran Connection, LLC *Harmony Resident* Jeanine Corcoran Owner/Broker Buy/Sell/Rent/Property Mgmt. 407-953-9118 TheCorcoranConnection.com RESTAURANT Champions Grill 7251 Five Oaks Dr. Harmony, FL 34773 407-891-8525 TENNIS MECHANIC Jessica Pociask 954-816-9501 Jess.Pociask@ thetennismechanic.com

TRAVEL Meisner Cruise and Travel MOVIE THEATERS *Harmony Resident* Cinema World 407-738-7088 East of 95 on 192 next to Sam’s Club tvlwithlinda@gmail.com Melbourne, FL Facebook: Harmony Get Aways CWTheaters.com With Meissner Travel WATER SYSTEMS Dependable Water Treatment 407-242-7150



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