Fairway Residents,

After last night’s FECA Board meeting, we thought it best to relay some important information regarding issues brought up at the Annual Meeting in February.

Regarding the street flooding on the corner of Mangrum and Hagen, Ed Kelb reached out to the City of Dunedin and has been in communication with Bruce Wirth. Based on the latest correspondence, the City has acknowledged the problem and will address it during the next budget cycle (which we think begins in January). While this is a bit of speculation on our part, it appears as if the City will install a “drop gutter” that will help drain the water across Hagen so it can flow North down Mangrum.

Regarding traffic safety, Don Lemmon took over this concern and has been working very closely with Lt. Kelly from the PCSO. There are two important points to bring up. During the latest survey conducted by PCSO, they passively monitored 6,288 vehicles traveling down Fairway (between Sarazen and Palm Blvd). Of those, 1,273 were exceeding the speed limit by an enforceable amount (meaning they would have received a warning or a ticket had an officer witnessed the event). The maximum speed observed was 54 mph! Based on this data alone, PCSO has upgraded our neighborhood to a medium risk area meaning they will start assigning officers to patrol Fairway Estates. They are also going to listen to the Board and passively monitor other areas of concern within our neighborhood.

Also based on the above data, PCSO started actively monitoring vehicles failing to stop at the intersection of Middlecoff and Fairway. During their limited patrols, they issued over 30 citations for failing to stop (if you live nearby, you probably heard the blaring of sirens and/or saw the flashing of blue and red lights). Based on data they accumulated, 50% of the citations were issued to residents and 50% were non-residents. I think it safe to assume had tickets been issued for speeding, their data would have reflected the same trend.

As a Board, we are hopeful you see this message and know we took your concerns to heart and started working on solutions. Traffic enforcement will increase during the next few months and we are hoping to target the “cut-through/non-resident offenders”. As a Board, we would like your support and help. If you are driving in the neighborhood, please slow down and please come to complete stops. This will both impact your bank accounts (your hard-earned money will still be yours) and reduce cut-through traffic (as nothing is more frustrating to someone “cutting through” than following someone who obeys all of the traffic laws, or so I have been told). This should be a win-win for everyone in the community!!!

If you have any questions regarding these matters (or anything else), please feel free to reach out to me at President@FairwayEstates.org

Thanks for trusting your FECA Board with important matters and thank you for doing your part in making Fairway Estates the pre-eminent community in Dunedin (or Pinellas County or Florida for that matter!!!)!

Yours in service,
Todd Brooks, President & The FECA Board of Directors

Update to the city roadwork project in Fairway Estates Here’s a recent msg from the City Communications Director – “As we always say all project schedules are subject to change. Engineering has provided us with an update on the Milling/Paving Project in Fairway estates. The information is on our website: https://www.dunedingov.com/city-departments/utilities/engineering-division/improvements I have also provided the map and updated schedule below. Let me know if there are any questions. Thank you for sharing with your Fairway Estates neighbors.”

Ford Lane (from Burke Avenue to Watrous Drive

Watrous Drive (from Burke Drive to Fairway Drive

Jones Drive (from Demaret Drive to Watrous Drive

Middlecoff Drive (all)

Harrison Drive(all)

Curb work began on January 9 and will tentatively continue through January 27.

Pavement milling will begin approximately January 30 through February 3.

Paving is tentatively scheduled for February 2 through February 10.

All schedules are tentative and subject to change due to inclement weather.

Questions and updates on the City’s Pavement Management Program can be found at: https://www.dunedingov.com/improvements

1 – Construction HAS STARTED on curb work on various streets

2 – Major road construction is being surveyed and will begin soon

Please help spread the word, and I urge you to take extra precautions while driving, riding or walking. Our City Liaison is contacting the city to get more details, and we’ll post any updates we receive.

Matthew Stevens FECA President

Lake Sandra Park suspicious vehicle – This past week I’ve seen an unmarked white pick up truck parked on the grass at the park later in the night, but it was leaving by the time I saw it. Tonight I saw it pull up, park and saw two people with headlamps by the water. I approached and asked what they were doing, as the park is closed at night. They said they were working for the state and someone called about a nuisance alligator. They produced identification and license. They told me they were contacted because it appeared people had been feeding the alligator and it was starting to lose it’s aversion to humans. I watched as they pulled it from the water, taped the feet, eyes and mouth and put it in the back of the truck. I asked what will happen to it, and they said it will be destroyed (a more palatable term instead of “kill”).

To my neighbors who couldn’t heed the signs we paid for and posted in an attempt to live in some balance with our surroundings, and those that fed the alligator, and whomever feared for their safety and made the call — all contributing to it’s death – sleep well, job well done. One more fragment of Florida wildlife is removed from our neighborhood. Next up…the birds of prey.

Sadly we’ve had some significant damage to our Magnolia tree. I’ve included 2 pictures….the first is the two limbs that were broken, the second is the extent of the limbs that had to be cut due to the damage.

Both limbs were healthy with NO evidence of disease, rot, or natural damage, and both limbs were reachable from the ground. My concern is there are several other limbs that are just as “reachable”. You can go by the tree and see what I’m referring to.

We’re working with the City Arborist to determine the extent of the damage, and also working to clean the area. I remind you the Board works hard to stretch the budget, and the costs of this damage is not in the annual operating budget.

Additionally, I want to remind people of the Common Areas guidelines that are posted on the website.

They include;

“- Please notify the Police Department if you witness damage, vandalism or illegal activity in the park.
– Children are required to be supervised. Parents are liable for any damage incurred by their children.
– The FECA Board reserves the right to bill individuals for expenses directly related to wear and tear from excessive usage, or damage due to their use.
– Do not molest, injure or destroy foliage, plants, shrubs, flowers, trees, birds or bird nests, squirrels, or animals in or on any Fairway Estate’s common areas.”

I ask everyone in our neighborhood – family members and guests, to treat our common areas with the respect it deserves. (I will not be monitoring this post, but I encourage comments and concerned citizens to attend the annual meeting.)

Matthew Stevens President, Fairway Estates Community Association

FECA-Common-Area-Use-Guidelines-Jan-2019.pdf (fairwayestates.org)

This message is in preparation for this year’s annual meeting.

The FECA nomination committee, chaired by Bill Greenwood is providing general information and a call for nominees. The Board of Directors for the Fairway Estates Community Association (FECA) is announcing the intent to fill a board position by vote of the active membership at the February 2023 annual meeting.

In addition to the official notification via this post on our website, to provide wider dissemination this message is also being sent via unofficial channels (Facebook, Nextdoor and e-blast).

General information

There are nine members on the Board of Directors. All Board members are members at large and must be active members of the Association whose dues are paid up to date. Active FECA member is defined as someone who is a Fairway Estates property owner and is current with their FECA annual fee.

Board members are elected at the annual meeting for three-year terms. If a Board member would absent themselves from three consecutive meetings without previous notification to the board, they shall be deemed to have resigned.

Four of the Board members are elected officers with one-year terms.  The bylaws do not limit the number of terms an officer or member at large may serve. A Board member at large serves as a liaison to the general membership of the Association.

While the duties of a member at large are not specified in the bylaws and change as needed to address organizational goals and carry out projects. General responsibilities include:

• Participate in monthly meetings held September – June, and any special meetings that may be needed (these are rare)
• Willing to occasionally participate in, or lead, special projects as voted on by the Board

Qualities/skills sought in FECA Board member:

• Desire to align to FECA by-laws including supporting the interest of FECA members, encouraging friendly relations between members, assisting in protecting the value of members’ properties, and the maintenance and improvement of all common areas in Fairway Estates

Call for nominees Active FECA members who wish to be considered for this three-year Board term should submit their intention to Bill Greenwood, chairman of the Nominating Committee at Volunteer@FairwayEstates.org, by November 15, 2022. The nominee list will be finalized and sent out with the Annual Dues and Meeting Notice in late December. Members can then review the candidate list prior to the annual meeting in February where voting will take place.

It is recommended that those wishing to be considered for nomination review information on the website (by laws, recent meeting minutes, Robert’s Rules of Order) and attend the Board meetings to be held monthly September through November – since nominees will be chosen in December. Monthly meetings are at 6:30pm, Dunedin Golf Club. Currently, upcoming meeting dates are September 14, October 12, November 9.

Call out to Fairway Estates Residents.  The Board has some updates that you might find of interest, so we’re posting this update on 3 topics.

1) We have a vacancy of our New Resident’s Chairperson .  If you’re interested in filling the position please email President@FairwayEstates.org with your name and contact info.  Please put “New Resident Chair” in the subject line. Also please plan to attend the next monthly meeting – May 11th at 6:30PM at the Dunedin Golf course Clubhouse.

2) We work to follow Roberts Rules of Order in conducting all of our meetings.  For those interested in attending any of the meetings, a short refresher briefing has been posted on the website: Roberts Rules Of Order For FECA Meetings

3) We’re trying something different this year with our Annual Meeting minutes.  We are in the process of posting the DRAFT version of this year’s (Feb 2022) Annual Meeting Minutes on the website.  Resident’s are encouraged to refer to the info, as well as providing constructive comments that we can take into consideration.  You can find our regular Board Meeting Minutes, Treasurers Reports and Annual Meeting Minutes on this page:  Board Meeting Minutes & Treasurers Reports

Please share this information with other residents

Your President

Matthew Stevens

I am compelled to post this message as President of the Fairway Estates Community Association. This message is based on requests from residents, as well as from the City of Dunedin Code Enforcement Division. While this is a sensitive topic, I ask you read with an open mind, withholding judgement or posturing. This is an apolitical request…not a directive or mandate, but a request.

In the short time I’ve lived here I’ve seen inspiring actions of neighbors helping neighbors. These include; hurricane prep and recovery, financial struggles, family hardship, support for neighbors with health issues, crime awareness, volunteering, social events bringing us together in common celebration, and all the twists and turns of the Covid-19 pandemic where we’ve tried to help each other. There are so many events…big and small and too numerous to count, that makes this a truly special neighborhood. Do we have differences? Absolutely! That’s one of the great things about us. Despite the differences, we still try to help and look out for neighbors, many of whom have different views and beliefs. However, there is a sentiment nudging in that risks eroding this cherished neighborhood trait. As I’ve traveled across the country there is a sentiment where differences are acknowledged, but people are adamant their opinions and views are absolute, regardless of views of others. This approach creates an “us vs. them” environment putting people at odds, rather than a “let’s discuss and agree to disagree”.

Recently City of Dunedin Code Enforcement has stepped up citing violations of the city code. For our neighborhood, they asked if I could raise people’s awareness of the codes. This is not a targeted message, but a renewed effort to provide a general awareness especially as the country prepares for the upcoming election season. Click here for a city provided info sheet, and a link to the city code site. https://www.dunedingov.com/city-departments/community-development/code-enforcement-division I confirmed with the city that this specific policy includes signs and flags. Our country is wrestling with tensions on many fronts. My REQUEST is that you consider your neighbors, our neighborhood and city codes before acting.

All residents of Fairway Estates are required to comply with City of Dunedin codes including election sign codes. Only the City of Dunedin can enforce these codes. Fairway Estates no longer has Deed Restrictions, to include code enforcement. The Fairway Estates Board has no authority to cite code violations. I can’t speak to the city’s past enforcement policies on various code issues. Those questions should be directed to our city officials. I’ve seen message traffic and conversations about apparent past inconsistent enforcement, beliefs that the codes violate civil rights, are a constitutional infringement and others. I have not, nor will I enter any of those conversations. I believe political opinions and views are not for casual conversations but reserved for the privacy of the voting booth and civic involvement. I’m not saying this applies for everyone — but I’m sharing why you won’t see me blogging, texting, tweeting, or being part of an unending email trail that has no end goal. Regarding the codes, please avoid fanning the flames of directionless hostility and animosity with no aim to fix what you may passionately believe to be in our best interest. If you believe these codes are wrong, I encourage you to engage in the local system to change them. My intent is to try to maintain a harmony that this neighborhood is known for.

Thank you for your time.

Matthew Stevens, Fairway Estates President