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Rules & Regulations: New Resolutions

New resolutions adopted at the August open meeting include rules on residents' dogs, grills, and satellite dish installation. Highlights of these rules are as follows:

If you own a dog, you must register it with the Association in the next 14 days by filling out a form you'll receive in the mail. You must also provide the association with a certificate of insurance. All dogs must be registered, and must be leashed when outside your home.

Gas grills are not allowed in the community. Only electric and charcoal grills may be used, subject to the storage and other rules detailed in the resolution.

A Property Modification Request form must be filed with the Association prior to installation of satellite dishes. Dishes already installed will be exempted, but they must comply with the community's rules on location.

For more details on these resolutions, please see the Rules & Regulations section of the newsletter.

Association Fees: Fine for Late Payment

Residents who fail to pay association fees on time will now incur a fine of $10 for the first 30 days, and $25 thereafter.

Proposal for Child-Friendly Area

The board considered an informal request for a child-friendly area at the August meeting, but given the space requirements, insurance and other costs, voted not to move forward with the proposal. No residents interested in having a child-friendly area attended the meeting.

2005 Landscape Proposal

The board has received two proposals for landscaping, but postponed selection of a landscaper until the September board meeting, pending further discussions with the firms bidding on our business.

2004/2005 Budget Approved

Owing to increases in basic expenses, our association fees have increased to $159 beginning in September. Insurance costs increased considerably, but we were able to keep the monthly fee increase to a relatively small amount by reducing expenses for some line items.

While the board appreciates the importance of keeping the monthly fees low – financial manageability for residents and attractiveness of the community at resale – steadily rising expenses may bring about another adjustment later as we complete a full year’s cycle of budgeting.

A copy of the budget will be sent to residents later in September.

Community Services welcomes residents to set up an appointment with the accounting department for those who would like to go over the details of the financials.

August / September Maintenance & Inspection Report

Here's an update on the status of maintenance issues currently or recently under review.

If you would like to draw attention to a common element problem that hasn't been noted above, please contact our property manager, Candice Bladt, or come to the open board meeting on September 23.

Resident Directory Sign-Up

Would you like to look up your neighbors' names, so you don't have to ask them for a third time? Or do you need to call a neighbor to let them know their alarm is going off? Well, we would – and so we're starting a Morris Place phone and address directory.

The directory will be available in print only – not online – to prevent misuse of contact information by Internet ne'er do wells. If you'd like to be part of the directory, please complete the following online form.

Information will be amassed in a printed list which will be disseminated only to those who submit their contact details.

To receive and have your name added to the print Morris Place community directory, go to www.morrisplace.net/forms/signup/directory.

Neighborhood Watch

You can help reduce potential break-ins by keeping your cars locked, by parking in your garage, driveway, or other well-lit areas, and by being on the lookout for suspicious activity.

Morris Place Community Events / Activities

Many residents are interested in participating in Morris Place events and activities (e.g., block parties, barbeques, community meet & greet, local bike-rides, local walking trips etc.) We think it's a great way to foster a positive community, and look forward to receiving proposals for events.

If you'd like to organize or help run a Morris Place event or activity, please let us know: www.morrisplace.net/forms/contact

September Open Board Meeting

Place: Rm 201, Morristown Town Hall (200 South St.)
Date: Fourth Thursday of every month
Time: 7:00 pm

Important topics to be discussed at this month's open board meeting include:

• Snow removal proposals
• Landscaping proposals
• Churned up pavement in front of 2/4/6/8 Taft
• Refinement of parking rules and regulations; vehicle registration
• Enforcement of community rules and regulations

Important: Although we encourage you to express your thoughts via the newsletter and web site, the best way to voice your ideas for the community and to weigh in on community decisions is by attending Morris Place open board meetings.

We look forward to seeing you at the Thursday, September 23 meeting.

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Barbeque Grills - Use, Maintenance, and Storage

At the August board meeting, the trustees discussed the use and storage of grills in our community, and adopted a resolution expanding upon the rules in your public offering statement.

The resolution conforms to New Jersey state law (see summary of that law immediately following this article) and is designed for the safety and comfort of the community as a whole. The rules of the resolution include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. No gas grills are allowed at Morris Place. If you have a propane tank, it must be removed from the property immediately.
2. Only charcoal or electric grills may be used and stored within the community.
3. Grills may be stored only:
a. In your garage
b. On your ground-floor patio, if you live in a Jefferson unit.
4. Grills may not be stored on balconies in any unit.
5. Grills may only be used in your driveway. By law, grills must be at least five feet away from any building wall when in use.
6. Grills may not be used in common areas such as the green or in unventilated areas such as your garage. The latter is a fire hazard, and you may be subject to fines.
7. All grill owners are required to keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

These rules will be strictly enforced by both the board and the State of New Jersey. The state can and does dispatch fire inspectors for unscheduled inspections – which can result in steep fines. Such fines are your responsibility, not the Association's. Note that owners will be held responsible for tenants who fail to adhere to the grill resolution rules and regulations.

Should you have any questions about these rules, please contact Candice Bladt of Community Management, or email the board at board@morrisplace.net.

Important: The summary above highlights the key points of the Use, Maintenance, and Storage of Barbeque Grills policy resolution for your convenience. Be sure to follow the regulations as stated in the official resolution if you have, or intend to purchase, a grill.

Propane Gas Grills

According to NJ state law (Fire Code N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2(a)4,F-402.4):

Portable LP-gas cooking equipment such as barbeque grills shall not be stored or used:

1. On any porch, balcony or any other portion of a building;
2. Within any room or space of a building;
3. Within five feet of any combustible exterior wall;
4. Within five feet, vertically or horizontally, of an opening in any wall; or
5. Under any building overhang.

Since propane gas tanks cannot be stored in common areas of multiple dwelling associations, this law effectively prohibits the use and storage of propane gas grills in the Morris Place community.

Paragraph 11.01 of the Morris Place Condominium Master Deed (Exhibit 1 of the Public Offering Statement) thus stands without exception to propane gas grills: "Electric barbeque grills are the only type of grills permitted, except if other types of grills are allowed by the Rules and Regulations."

Cigarette Butts

Do not dispose of cigarette butts in front of your driveway or other common areas. The wind blows them into other residents' driveways and entranceways.

Owners who fail to comply with the Cigarette Butt rule will be fined. Note that owners will be held responsible for guests and/or tenants who fail to adhere to the rule.

Dogs

At the August board meeting, a dog resolution was passed for Morris Place. The rules of the resolution include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Owners are limited to keeping a maximum of two pets within a unit.
2. Dogs kept within Morris Place must be licensed by Morristown Township and the dogs must wear a collar that displays the tag containing the dog's Morristown license information.
3. Dogs must be registered with the Association within 14 days of receiving the resolution. Dogs must be registered with the Association each year.
4. Dogs must be covered by insurance in the amount of $500,000 for damages that would result from the dog attacking or biting someone or something. Dog owners (including tenants of rented units) must provide the Association with a certificate of insurance.
5. All dogs must be on leashes controlled by an adult when they are outside. The leash must not be longer than 6 feet. No child under 12 years old is permitted to walk a dog in the neighborhood.
6. All dog feces must be removed and properly disposed of immediately. Feces may not be disposed of in neighborhood storm drains. Receptacles for dog feces may not be kept in driveways or in common entryways or patios.
7. Please be considerate when walking your dog. Dog urine kills plants and your Association fees pay for replacement plants. Dogs may not be walked near other unit owners' porches, patios or vehicles.
8. All owners are subject to following the dog rules for Morristown. To review these rules, please contact Candice Bladt at Community Management.

Dog owners who fail to comply with the dog rules and regulations will be fined. Note that owners will be held responsible for tenants who fail to adhere to the dog resolution rules and regulations.

Important: The summary above highlights the key points of the Dogs policy resolution for your convenience. Be sure to follow the regulations as stated in the official resolution if you have, or intend to get, a dog.

Parking

The Public Offering Statement has very specific parking regulations for all of us to follow. Abiding by these regulations makes our streets safe for traffic flow, gives trash collectors and the postal service room to do their jobs, and helps maintain the good image and reputation of our community. The community's parking regulations are as follows:

1. Each unit has 2 designated parking spaces: one in the garage, one in the driveway.
2. Curbside parallel parking is not permitted.
3. Parallel parking in front of a unit's driveway is not permitted.
4. Commercial or recreational vehicles cannot be parked overnight on the streets or driveways.
5. There are approximately 34 unassigned parking spaces for guests. If you must use the parking areas, please park with consideration (i.e., do not take up 2 spaces). Only three parking spaces are located between buildings 1, 2, 3, and 4. Again, please do not use these spaces if you have a garage or driveway in which to park your car.
6. Parking in front of mailboxes is prohibited.

Over the past several months, these rules have been violated regularly. Such violations not only make the community look bad, but inconvenience those who as a result cannot navigate the street – including emergency personnel, residents, and those who deliver mail and packages.

The board strongly encourage you to follow these parking rules and will institute stiffer penalties for breaking the rules if compliance doesn't improve. Such penalties may include fines, enlisting the local police to enforce town parking regulations, and towing at a car owner's expense.

Owners who fail to comply with the parking rules and regulations will be fined. Note that owners will be held responsible for guests and/or tenants who fail to adhere to the parking rules and regulations.

Note: The possibility of restricting guest parking spaces to guests only will be discussed at the September 23 open board meeting. Also to be discussed is a proposal for the mandatory registration of resident vehicles.

Satellite Dish Installation

Also at the August board meeting, a resolution regarding installation of satellite dishes was refined and approved. The rules include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. At least 14 days before installing a satellite dish, residents must submit a Modification Notice form to the board. Only one dish per unit may be installed.
2. Dishes may be installed only on the unit's patio or deck. A typical installation may involve the antenna post being installed in a bucket or planter with cement or other material for weight. Limited common area installation is allowed on the three foot wide planting bed directly appurtenant to the unit.
3. Within five days of dish installation, residents must submit a Post Installation Notice form to the board.
4. The board agreed not to penalize those who installed dishes prior to adoption of this resolution; however, removal and restoration of limited common elements to which such satellite dishes were attached will be the sole responsibility of unit owners. (Those who have more than one dish must
   remove additional dishes to avoid penalties.)

Owners who fail to comply with this resolution going forward will be held responsible for removal and restoration of the property to its original state. Noncompliant owners may also be subject to fines, as outlined in the resolution. Note that owners will be held responsible for tenants who fail to adhere to the satellite dish resolution rules and regulations.

Important: This summary highlights the key points of the Satellite Dish Installation policy resolution for your convenience. Be sure to follow the regulations as stated in the official resolution if you have installed, or intend to install, a satellite dish.

Trash Removal and Recycling

To protect the reputation and image of our community, and thus to protect our individual investments, please be sure to:

1. Place household garbage at your curbside after 5 pm the day before pickup.
2. Refer to the sanitation and recycling collection schedule (shown below). Only put out trash that is scheduled to be collected; for example, flattened cardboard boxes will only be collected on Saturdays.
3. Ensure that trash is kept in containers with secure lids or in strong, securely tied garbage bags or containers with secure lids; avoid putting trash out in plastic grocery bags that can open or break easily.
4. Keep trash cans and recycle bins in your garage on non-collection days; do not leave them on your driveways.

Owners who fail to comply with the Trash Removal and Recycling regulations will be subject to fines. Note that owners will be held responsible for tenants who fail to adhere to the the trash removal and recycling rules and regulations.

The sanitation and recycling service schedule for Morris Place is below. If you have any questions, please call the Morristown Department of Public Works directly at 973-292-6670.

Notes

1. Large trash includes non-metal furniture, wood, and mattresses. Processed wood must be tied in bundles no more than 4-foot in length or 1-foot in diameter.
2. (a) Recycling containers must be either metal or plastic, and must have handles. Cardboard boxes or milk crates are not acceptable as recycling containers.
   (b) Recycling containers must be clearly labeled as such.
   (c) All recyclables must be emptied and rinsed.
3. (a) Cardboard boxes must be neatly flattened and tied into a bundle with string or they will not be collected.
   (b) Newspapers must be bundled with string and must not exceed 1-foot in length.
   (c) Magazines and mixed paper must be bundled with string or placed in a cardboard box or paper bag that can be taken away.
4. Large appliances and tires must have an official town sticker to be picked-up. These can be purchased at the Tax Collectors Office at Morristown Town Hall. Cost: large appliances $5; car tires $2. Tires must be removed from rims.

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No new FAQs added this month. Go to www.morrisplace.net/main/faqs/index.htm for existing FAQs:

1. Who do we contact if there is a problem that affects the whole community?
2. What should I do if my, or a neighbor's, carbon monoxide detector sounds?
3. Why is my smoke detector chirping?

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Alison & Eric Bozzo

Where: 8 Taft

From: Eric and Elizabeth came to Morris Place from within NJ (Eric from Elizabeth, Alison from Middlesex).

What they do: Alison is an interior designer, and Eric is a general contractor who owns a construction company.

About: Alison and Eric got engaged on May 22, 2003 and were married on May 22, 2004. Planning for the wedding and buying, moving into, and renovating their new home in Morris Place made 2003-2004 a hectic but exciting time for the couple. Alison and Eric are now settling into Morristown as well married life, and are enjoying their new community.

Interests: Eric enjoys auto racing and is an avid NASCAR fan. Alison looks forward to spending
those "race days" going to the beach or shopping. Together they enjoy skiing, going out to dinner, and watching movies.

Renovations: Having noted that Alison is an interior designer and that Eric owns a construction company, you're probably wondering, like us, what they've done to their home here in Morris Place. The short answer to that is a lot. Here are some of the things they've done:

• changed standard Formica countertops in kitchen and bath rooms to granite and marble
• added a tile backsplash to the kitchen
• added crown molding to the entire upstairs and downstairs entryway
• added a lot of recessed lighting throughout the house (rather than getting the lights as an upgrade)
• painted pretty much every room
• installed shelves in the shower and bath areas
• installed cabinets in the garage
• installed shelves and storage areas in the walk-in closet
• changed standard gold / bronze door handles with brushed silver handles
• started getting their powder room, hall bath, and kitchen alcove faux finished

Check out some of what they've done to their home! For home improvement photos, go to the Resident Focus section of the newsletter: www.morrisplace.net/main/residents/bozzo.

Wow. What a valuable information resource this couple is for the community!

Go to the Resident Focus section of the Web site to meet the Morris Place board members, who featured in last month's newsletter.

If you'd like to feature in next month's Resident Focus section, let us know! www.morrisplace.net/forms/contact

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Advice Sought

Q. How do you remove calcified water from the dishwasher?

Q. How do you keep tile grout clean in the kitchen? We sealed the grout, but that hasn't stopped the grout from darkening.

Q. Our granite countertop has a fruit juice stain. Is there any way to restore the granite to its natural beauty?

Advice Offered

None yet.

If you have any home improvement/repair questions, referrals, or tips, let us know! www.morrisplace.net/forms/contact

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Home Improvement and Repair Services

As you know if you read the Resident Focus section above, we have a general contractor in our community! Eric Bozzo specializes in home improvement and repair services, including:

• Closets, cabinets, shelves
• Crown molding
• Electrical
• Painting
• Plumbing
• Tiles
• Woodworking

To see some of what Eric has done to his home, go to www.morrisplace.net/main/residents/bozzo.

Contact Eric at 973-984-0388.

Referrals

If Eric doesn't specialize in something you need done, he knows who does.

• Need window blinds? Eric recommends Janice (tel. 973-699-0388).
• Want to install granite countertops? Eric recommends John at the Marble Factory (tel. 908-353-2264).
  
  For first-class service at the best rate, tell them Eric Bozzo sent you.

Looking to buy or sell something? Looking for a service or got one to offer? Let us know! www.morrisplace.net/forms/contact

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Events & Activities in Morristown for September / October

For a comprehensive calendar of events in Morris County, check out Morristown.com's Calendar of Events (www.morristown.com/cgibin/calendar.pl) Note: If this site is down, try again later. The link is correct.

Following is a sampling of events taking place in September / October.

Morristown Festival on the Green

When: Sun, September 26, 2004; noon - 5:00 p.m.

Where: Morristown Green and surrounding areas

Cost: Free

Contact: Morristown Partnership @ 973-455-1133

Notes: Come rain or shine!

Morristown Community Theatre 10th Anniversary Celebration Events

What: Concerts, Plays, Dance, Comedy, and more....

Where: 100 South Street, Morristown

Contact: 973-539-8008

Web site: www.communitytheatrenj.com/

Note: Descriptions are from Community Theatre Web site. Be sure to call the Box Office for ticket availability: 973-539-8008

Please go to the Local Links section of the Web site to learn more about what there is to do in and around Morristown.

Got any local places or events to recommend? Or interested in something in particular? Let us know! www.morrisplace.net/forms/contact

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Community Management Group

Community Management: www.communityservices.com/

Candice L. Bladt, Property Manager
Community Management Corporation
1030 Clifton Avenue
Clifton NJ 07103
973-773-6262 Ext. 161
973-773-4932 (Fax)
bladt@communityservices.com

Emergency Response System: 973-773-6262

Morris Place Condominium Association Board of Trustees

Jeanette Balady, Jack Bartholomew, Jennifer Hua, Pete Pangis, Becky Yeamans: board@morrisplace.net

Newsletter

Jennifer Hua: jennifer.hua@morrisplace.net

Other Contacts

For other contacts, go to: www.morrisplace.net/main/contacts/

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Last Updated September 10, 2004

Copyright © 2004-2005 Jennifer Hrazdil Hua, Morris Place Condominium Association