NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG UPDATES COMING SOON!

We are in the process of finding a new host for the website. It will be back online at the islandterrace.info URL.

A message from your neighbor, Larry Lopes

Hi folks,

YEA!!! Spring is here. Signing up for the Maine Lung Association’s Trek Across Maine in the dead of winter was one thing but now, I’ve got new tires on my bike and I have been out riding the last few weekends. I rode 13.8 miles from Saco along Old Orchard Beach, Ocean Park, and Camp Ellis Saturday and felt pretty strong. It looks like I’m really going to do this. I was stuck setting up my pledge page for a time but I finally put it together and you can access it here:

Larryz Trek Across Maine Fundraising Page

Check out my pledge page and pledge whatever you are comfortable with but don’t feel obligated.

Feel free to share this appeal with anyone you think would be interested in supporting my effort.

Thanks for allowing me this opportunity to promote this effort on behalf of the Maine Lung Association.

Help Protect Yourself and the Condo Association

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/billpdfs/HP066301.pdf

Right now in the Maine Legislature they are discussing LD 961. The way the law is written now, if someone goes into foreclosure the town is first in line to collect back taxes. Then the first mortgage holder is next to receive money and after that is the Condo association followed by the second mortgagee.

That means that if a unit owner owes the association money and goes into foreclosure that the association is very likely to be out the money owed.

(In example...a unit owner owes the association a years condo dues. Around $2400. In trying to collect that money the owner goes into foreclosure. The mortgage balance is $120,000 and at auction the price is $70,000.) The town is owed nothing, $70,000 goes to the mortgage holder and there is no money for the ITOA. Worse still, any legal fees or heating fees are also at our expense. If the Condo Association needs to recover those monies the result can be higher monthly fees.)

This bill will give the Condo association a priority. And its possible that it will result in the Association collecting monies owed without the unit owner losing their home.

PLEASE, Contact State Reps Don Pilon and Linda Valentino as well as State Senator Barry Hobbins to tell them that as a Condo owner you support LD 961.

Thanks!

Grant Money for Saco Island

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=61751

The state gave a decent chunk of change to Mattson deveopment and the city of Saco to build the riverwalk.

They're also going to demolish the steam pipe that connects Saco Island to Biddeford. I will actually be sad to see it go just because of the cool birds I have seen perch on it.

Snow Removal Policy

(Originally posted 12/15/07, modified March 08)

The day after the storm, Saco Island LP will plow our lot (and theirs) at 9AM. If that day is:

Monday through Friday:

By 9AM all of our vehicles must be removed from our parking lot and Saco Island LP's lot at the top of the hill (which they let us use at their leisure, but are not obligated to give us space in.) Our vehicles may return to these lots at Noon.

On weekends:

Construction vehicles and Saco Island LP tenants will not be on site, and we will be permitted to move our vehicles to the lower lot, behind our building on the Biddeford side of the island. To quote an e-mail from Saco Island LP:

"The parking that is available in the lower lot is marked. We have closed the areas under construction. People should not try to park there. In terms of available weekend parking: residents can park in the lower lot during the hours of 9 to noon, but no longer than that."

Any vehicle left in ITOA's lot will be subject to fines and or towing and may be plowed around. Vehicles in Saco Island LP's lot will be handled as follows: (Quoting from their e-mail)

"We have made arrangements with our contractor to clear the ITA lot and the lot at the top of the hill between the hours of 9a.m. and noon. ITA residents must move their cars from these lots and may not park in any lot on the island with the exception of Saturday and Sunday. The lower parking lot may be available on those days, assuming it has been cleared. If it has not, ITA residents must find their own parking off of the island. They must be out of the lower parking lot after the ITA lot is plowed. If there are cars left in the lower parking lot that impede snow removal, they will be towed. We are not responsible for any damage to vehicles."

Annual Meeting - Results

At this morning's annual meeting the budget for 2009 was approved by the association. Bob Martin and Paul Culloton retained their positions on the board and Larry Lopes was voted in to replace Vin White. The board would like to thank Vin for all of his hard work and dedication in service to the association as a board member and for his pledge to continue to help.

Condo Meetings

We will no longer be meeting on the first floor of the building in the office next to the hair salon. The meetings will still be held in the same building, however, at the same time, just upstairs. Find us at 6:30PM on the Second Wednesday of the month at 110 Main Street Suite 1508, on the 5th floor.