Sun, Sand & Sea
The Belmont
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The Belmont
One Belmont Road * West Harwich, MA* 02671 * Phone: -432-8028 * Fax: -432-6212
Email: belmontmanager@comcast.net
5/21/20
Hello all,
I want to welcome you all to a muted summer at the Belmont. Regardless of what is open and not open; I will be happy to see all of you as you return to your stunning property by the sea.
In my last email, I mentioned that I would be inspecting cabanas and painting those that needed it. In my review, I discovered that 90% of them needed attention. We were going to bill the cabana owners $150.00 per set of doors. I brought my findings to the Board and suggested that we paint every cabana in order to maintain uniformity. Even those that were painted by owners are a different shade of white than others. The Board voted to move ahead with my plan and I was able to renegotiate a price down to $125.00 per set of cabanas and half that for anyone that has a single door, which is just one on the property. We will repeat this process every two or three years, so our property continues to look great. You will receive an invoice once this is completed. There is no opting out. We apologize to anyone that has recently painted their doors. We also have several units with badly deteriorated louvers. I have a limited number of newly reconditioned louvers that will be onsite shortly. The louvers are $185.00 per louver, plus installation and are available on a first come/first served basis. I’ll email a list of bad louvers shortly.
I wanted to remind everyone that there are no events scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend. The pool is not open and the restaurant is closed. We ask residents and guests to wear face masks when you are unable to social distance and at all times when inside buildings. I’ve set up the restaurant deck to allow for social distancing, so please do not move tables of chairs or tables from their present location. Depending on what transpires over the next month, we will hold either an onsite Board Meeting or a Zoom meeting, so residents may weigh in on the Boards agenda.
Building cleaning remains a priority for my staff. It does help if you are able to wipe your own doorknobs, as we are not touching those. Our staff is not permitted inside any unit that is occupied or has been occupied in the last month.
We are happy to welcome Roy back at the gate and the gate will be closed again from this point forward. If you need new Belmont stickers, please contact me in the office by email. No one is allowed in the management office or the Business Office. If you need your car programmed for homelink, I’m happy to do that but I will ask you to exit the vehicle while its being programmed.
It’s time for publication of the Belmont Telephone Directory. If anyone wants to make changes; now is the time. Its normally published and distributed for this weekend but we were unable to do that due to Covid-19. There will be no Welcome to Summer package distributed to the units this year. Instead; I’ll put together a PDF file and email it to everyone.
I think you’ll be very happy with some of the property improvements this year and I look forward to your feedback.
See you all soon!
Jay
3/24/20
Hello all,
Yesterday, I attended a teleconference webinar with an attorney from MEEB (our legal counsel), a representative of CAI (Community Associations Institute) and a representative of Service Master. They had several suggestions, most of which we have already implemented. There was some new information that I’ll share with you here.
I’ve posted a notice on all elevators asking that only one person ride in the cab at a time unless you are members of the same family and living together. This will effectively allow social distancing.
If any of you have self-quarantined or have a confirmed positive test result, we ask that you share that with the office. It will remain completely confidential and no one will know who you are. This does allow us to offer you some help. We can arrange to deliver your packages or mail to the front door of your unit, so that you’re not transiting common areas. We can also inform other residents in the building that there is a suspected or known case of Corona Virus in the building. It also will allow my staff to concentrate even more heavily on cleaning in that area. There is absolutely no mandate to do this but please consider it you should become ill.
As mentioned by counsel and CAI in the webinar; we also suggest that you avoid inviting friends or family to the Belmont to avoid any further potential exposure.
Please do not flush any disinfecting wipes down your toilet. This will create a huge problem for the entire building and our septic systems. This applies to all 175 units on the property.
Please DO NOT close any common area door that has been propped open. This is for your health and safety.
As of today at noon; the governor has advised that everyone stay home, if possible. He has also ordered all non-essential businesses to close. Our staff would not fall under this order, as its currently written but as you all know, this is a fluid situation and thing are changing by the hour.
At this time; we still plan on letting the HVAC technicians into your unit to service your AC but this may change. I can’t guarantee entrance but will let you know as the time gets closer.
On a very sad note; one of our long-time owners has passed. Mort Geller lived in unit 635. Condolences may be sent to Laurel Geller * 310 Hammond Pond Parkway Unit 303 * Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Thank you for reading these messages and helping all of us to remain safe.
Jay
This is the page where you will find all breaking and special event news
that is occurring at the Belmont
4/24/20
Hello all,
First of all, I hope that you are all safe and well and your family and friends are fine too. I’m writing to give you a status update regarding progression to summer and the Covid-19 restrictions at the Belmont.
We are currently sanitizing and disinfecting all high touch area, multiple times per day. These areas include door handles, elevator buttons, railings, entry pedestals and any other areas that are regularly used by residents, guests and contractors.
Belmont staff are required to wear masks and gloves while inside the buildings to protect residents and themselves.
No staff member will enter any unit that’s occupied or has been occupied since this pandemic started, unless it’s an absolute emergency.
In a revision to the letter sent out by Chairman Hilliard; we still require owners/residents to war face masks and protective gloves inside the buildings but you may choose to not wear them while outside. If you are within close proximity to other residents; we’d ask that you wear the masks at that time.
Elevators are restricted to one person at a time unless you are a family member or roommate and are currently living together.
Please be prepared to self-quarantine for 14 days if you are coming to the Belmont from outside of Massachusetts.
I’m preparing the property for summer season as if all was normal. We’ll have to wait and see what restrictions are lifted or left in place.
The Cabanas are uncovered and boardwalks are in place or will be fully in place by Tuesday.
Water at the car was is turned on. We will not be providing a nozzle as that would require multiple people touching it but the hose will be in place next week. Please wear gloves while coiling the hose.
The Tennis Courts are open but the Bocce Courts and Pickleball equipment will not be available due to multiple users needing to touch the equipment.
The Restaurant will be open this season for pickup and delivery until regulations allow for sit down dining. The hours and details still need to be worked out but we anticipate that you’ll be able to order four or five days a week.
Social distancing at the Cabanas will most likely be required. Details on our plan to achieve that will be forthcoming, if necessary.
The pool may be open to sun bathing while appropriately social distancing. We will follow state and local guidelines, if we are allowed to open.
As of right now, short-term rentals for pleasure are not allowed by the State of Massachusetts. Of course, we hope that this restriction is lifted before season is over so that those of you that rent may do so! Please click the hyperlink below for a copy of the order.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/march-31-2020-hotel-motel-guidance/download
I’ll continue to update you on any changes that will affect our residents and hope to put this all behind us as the summer approaches. As a reminder, there will be no events on Memorial Day weekend. This includes the onsite Board Meeting and the Welcome to Summer party.
Please stay safe and enjoy your weekend with your family.
Warmest regards,
Jay
4/10/20 MEMORANDUM
TO: Residents of the Belmont
FR: Jim Hilliard, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
RE: Trying Times for Us All
We are all undergoing an experience that no one could ever imagine occurring within the last 3 months. Those of you who live at the Belmont for part of the year and will be returning soon, and those of you who are full-time residents, have all had to undergo restraints on travel, social gatherings and even work.
Recognizing the seriousness of the COVID-19 spread and the dire consequences it could have for all of us, the Trustees have given great thought to how we can protect our residents and insure a safe and healthy environment. To that end we are strongly recommending the following until such time as there are clinical reasons announced by the Governor and the President that we return to some normalcy.
If you or a family member have or has had the virus, do not return to the Belmont until you have been virus free for at least 14 days.
Please do not invite guests who have the Corona Virus or have symptoms of the virus unless it has been 14 days since the virus or symptoms have ceased.
All residents are asked to wear nose and mouth masks when in common areas both outside and inside the building. (this does not include while in your unit)
Avoid socializing or congregating in common areas with groups of 6 or more.
If you or any person living or visiting you at the Belmont have any symptoms or are diagnosed with the virus, you must immediately notify the Belmont Manager.
Finally you should know that the trustees are reviewing every safety measure available to us for the coming summer. Although not in our current plans, we may have to consider the effects the Corona Virus will have on the use of our pool and restaurant. Only time will tell whether we will have to take any safety precautions. We will be communicating any extraordinary measures required a soon as known to us.
I realize these steps that we are asking all of you to take what may seem somewhat confining as compared to your usual habits, but please understand that from all indications and evidence to date, this virus has no treatment nor does it have a vaccine. It can spread in ways we still do not understand thus our only defense to date is to practice safe and smart habits.
Thank you,
3/23/20
Good morning Belmont Owners,
I hope you are all well.
As of today, all public (common area) doors will be propped open. This does not apply to the security doors at the entrance of each building or the exterior garage entrances. We are doing this to keep you healthy. Please DO NOT CLOSE these doors until further notice. We will still continue to sanitize all high touch areas and ask that you disinfect your own doorknobs. If we all work together to minimize the risks of transmission; we’re all better off!
The front entry gate will remain in the open position until further notice so that you don’t need to touch the keypad
If you are not using the trash chutes, please bring your trash to the dumpster in the garage.
I’ve asked all workmen to step back to a distance of six feet, should they encounter any residents.
As a reminder, the management office is locked due to social distancing and we will not be entering any units unless it’s an emergency.
We are coming up on AC maintenance season. These workman will be entering your units to service your systems. If anyone has concerns about these men entering your unit; please contact your company and ask them to reschedule.
The elevator company is onsite currently. I spoke with the foreman mechanic earlier and he stated that he will really try to make the elevator available in the evenings but he can’t guarantee it. Building Six is currently out of service.
I am attending a CAI (Community Association Institute) webinar today for condominium managers detailing how we should respond to the current conditions. If there are any reasonable precautions discussed that we haven’t yet implemented; I’ll let you know.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Warmly,
Jay
Hello all,
Most importantly, I hope that you are all very healthy and well and are able to obtain adequate food and supplies.
The Belmont is responding to the current corona virus in the following ways:
The management office is open for business but the door is locked and a notice is posted. Due to the small size of this office and the fact that social distancing is impossible to maintain, you are asked to call the Belmont office with any of your needs. If you do come to the office and knock, I will come outside and ask that you step back 6 feet. No one will be allowed in the office except employees.
The Business Office (guard shack) is closed for the foreseeable future due to the threat of COVID-19. This is because the computer, keyboard and fax/copier are shared. This office will be closed until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience.
I have directed my staff to stay out of units unless its an emergency. No staff member will go into your unit and this is to protect you and them. We have a large population of at risk individuals and social distancing in imperative. Please do not be offended if my staff politely askes you to step back to the recommended safe distance of 6 feet.
My staff will continuously clean high-touch areas, such the elevator and entry pedestal buttons, door handles, railings and other surfaces that tend to get a lot of use.
Other items you may or not be aware of:
As of today; all gatherings of 25 or more people are prohibited in the State of Massachusetts.
All bars and restaurants are closed to in house patrons. They may stay open to take out and delivery only. Most have decreased hours.
All Town Offices in Harwich are closed to the public. For those of you that are having renovations done, building, gas and plumbing inspections are currently being performed on a business as usual basis; however they may occur on a modifie3d schedule.
Stop & Shop supermarkets have announced special hours for those above 60 years old. The special shopping hours are from 6:00am to 7:30am and will take effect on Thursday. Peapod home delivery is still happening.
Most religious services have ceased.
Schools and colleges are closed in the state.
As of today, the elevator interior renovation is still on track to start this coming Monday.
The future of the summer:
We will follow all public health recommendations.
The Board has not decided about the Welcome Party. I’ll keep you apprised.
We are not sure what the health departments stand will be in common areas such as the pool or restaurant. Its far too early to tell.
I know this is a stressful time for many of you and I assure you that we will do everything that we can to keep you safe. Please feel free to call the office for more in depth information or with any questions. I’ve pasted a link below that details the Massachusetts Covid-19 regulations.
Warmest regards and please stay safe!
Jay
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-guidance-and-directives
5/8/20
Hello all,
I hope you, your families and loved ones are all remaining safe and well. Some seasonal residents have started to return and I’ve talked to others that have decided to stay where they are currently. I remind the residents that are returning to self-quarantine for 14 days if you’ve arrived from a state other than Massachusetts. I wanted to write to keep you all updated about the Belmont and how things are progressing at your property. Photos will be posted on the Belmont Website under the projects section and also on Facebook in the owner’s forum.
We are still doing heavy cleaning in all common high touch areas on a regular basis and multiple times a day.
Governor Baker has directed that face masks are required in all public outdoor spaces unless you are able to achieve social distancing of 6feet from others. Its suggested that you carry a mask in the event that multiple people converge. Face masks are required to be worn inside every business in Massachusetts.
We have just completed the resurfacing of the pool, coping and decorative tile.
The new flagpole was installed this winter and just today, we completed the installation of lights to illuminate it. Photos will be posted.
There are no regularly scheduled events on Memorial Day Weekend.
The pool will not be open for swimming. Salt may not be added to the pool for 30 days, as it will cause a chemical reaction and turn the new surface yellow. Additionally; we do not yet have permission from the state or town to open the pool. I am attempting to get permission from the Harwich Health Department to allow sunbathing while properly social distancing from each other as long as we can demonstrate that no one will enter the pool. We can do with barricades or by placing the winter cover back on.
The Welcome Party will not be held this year.
There will be no onsite Board Meeting in May.
The restaurant will be open for service for takeout and delivery four or five days a week. The hours will be somewhat different during restrictions. If we are allowed to reopen this season, it may be at 25% capacity, as this seems to be the trend. I’ll keep everyone apprised.
The Annual Independence Day Cookout is modified. The restaurant will be preparing all the food and will serve it to people. No owners will prepare any side dishes or deserts. This should make everyone comfortable, knowing that only the restaurant operators will be preparing everything.
We know that there are about ten units that are experiencing water penetration. The company that always took care of us became non communicative, even after countless emails and calls. I arranged another waterproofing company to start the work and then Covid-19 halted everything. All water problems will be resolved this summer. We will allow this work to take place as its imperative that you do not suffer damage to your unit.
Elevators are still single person rides unless you’re family or co-habitants in the same unit.
As warmer weather approaches, the cabanas will become more popular. We must maintain social distancing there as well and I will let everyone know how we plan to achieve that in the near future.
There are many cabanas that are badly in need of painting. I have arranged special pricing for this job. If your doors need painting, it will be done and you will be charged $150.00 per set of doors. We will paint the exteriors only and this does not include the louvers. There is no opt-out choice as it’s impossible to get everyone to address the doors within the allotted time frame. I will send out and email with a list of the cabanas that need to be painted and you will be billed by our accountant after the job if fully completed. Thanks for understanding.
Please be reminded that the management office and business office are not currently open, due to social distancing and sharing of equipment.
I know this is a fair amount of information but I believe it’s important! I do look forward to seeing you all in your designer masks and gloves!
Warmest regards always,
Jay
3/27/20
Hello all,
Governor Charlie Baker has just issued a strong statement about visitors to Massachusetts from any other state. I’ve pasted the text and URL to the article bellow. He asks that all travelers to the State of Massachusetts should self-quarantine for 14 days. The Board is strongly urging that owners DO NOT invite people (including family) from out of state to visit their units. If you intend to have people in your unit, then we ask that they self-quarantine and do not venture onto common areas of the property.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/03/27/charlie-baker-asks-all-visitors-to-massachusetts-self-quarantine-amid-covid-19-outbreak/
We are also reminding people that if you are not using the trash chutes, to please bring your trash to the dumpster. We still have trash piling up in the trash rooms.
The tennis court nets are up and you’re welcome to play. We will not be putting the Bocce or Pickleball sets out as they involves high touch sharing of equipment.
On a more happy note; work continues on our elevators and we are proceeding towards the summer season as if all was well. Take a look at Facebook to see the photos of a mostly completed cab. We have made one decision that will impact everyone and that is the Welcome Party that is traditionally held on Memorial Day Weekend will be postponed until later in the season.
I hope you all enjoy your weekend and please stay safe.
Warmest wishes,
Jay
3/20/20
Hello all,
This is to remind you that the elevator interior work will start this coming Monday. Building Six elevator will be out of service between 7:00am and 8:00am and will not be available all day. We hope that they will be available in the evenings if they are safe to operate. We have placed chairs on each landing in the “emergency stairwell” as that is the set of stairs that goes all the way to the parking garage level. I’ve also notified the Fire Department of the elevator situation and they are fine with it.
I understand your concern about touching the trash chute handles If you don’t wish to place your trash down the chute, please take it to the garage and place it in the dumpster. This request will be waived for any building that is having elevator work done.
We are disinfecting all high touch areas; including the trash chutes multiple times a day. I’ve disabled the entrance gates so that no one needs to touch the keypad to gain entrance. They will be lowered when the viral crisis is over.
I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Jay