!
REMINDER:  
2015  HOA  dues  are  due  by  1/31!  
Dues  not  paid  by  this  date  will  be  
delinquent  and  will  incur  a  late  
fee  and  costs  associated  with  
collecFon!
Sweetwater News
 1st  Quarter  -­‐  2015
Happy
New Year!
I  would  like  to  first  thank  the  dedicated  Board  members  who  have  volunteered  to  serve  as  this  year’s  
Sweetwater  Board  members  (Michael  Jordan-­‐Vice  President,  Terry  Thorne-­‐Secretary,  Jan  Darmody-­‐
Treasurer,  Michael  McElroy-­‐Security,  Michael  Lentz-­‐Architecture,  Jack  Kennedy-­‐Landscaping).  These  
residents  are  taking  their  valuable  Lme  to  conLnue  to  maintain,  enhance  and  improve  our  community  to  
the  highest  standards  as  a  premiere  waterfront  community.  I  am  personally  impressed  with  their  
commitment  to  our  community…they  have  served  as  Board  members  before  and  some  many  Lmes.  
Sweetwater  is  this  type  of  community!  
   
It  is  already  January  and  we  have  had  three  meeLngs  in  order  to  set  our  prioriLes  since  we  want  to  be  
laser  focused  on  accomplishments  as  a  Board  for  Sweetwater.  
   
Our  mission  is  to  improve  and  enhance  Sweetwater  in  order  to  preserve  and  increase  our  home  values.  
We  believe  that  our  community  needs  to  conLnue  to  improve  in  order  to  stay  compeLLve  with  our  
neighboring  waterfront  communiLes  and  the  market.  We  have  all  driven  through  communiLes  that  look  
Lred,  old  and  not  desirable  to  live  in,  we  need  to  make  sure  that  isn’t  Sweetwater!  
   
Pretend  you  are  geQng  your  house  ready  to  sell…what  do  you  need  to  do  to  prepare  it?  Clean,  paint,  fix  
anything  that  is  broken  or  deteriorated,  upgrade  areas  that  aren’t  updated,  generally  improve  curb  
appeal.  The  board  is  looking  at  our  common  areas  the  same  way;  we  always  need  to  be  selling  our  
neighborhood  in  order  to  keep  up  with  the  values  in  the  real  estate  market.
President’s
Report
By: Doug
Rothschild
Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet
!2


Here  are  a  few  of  our  focus  items:  
   
• Maintaining,  improving  and  upgrading  our  front  entrance  (to  include  our  wall,  gate,  landscaping,  lighLng,  
signage,  median,  security,  etc.)  !
• Our  capital  reserve  for  future  maintenance  and  replacement  of  our  infrastructure.  !
• Our  canals  and  intercostal  access  to  our  neighborhood  !
• Encourage  and  promote  our  homeowners  to  maintain  and  enhance  their  homes  (exterior  and  interior)  !
• ConLnue  our  extraordinary  sense  of  community  
   
 We  encourage  you  to  get  involved...we  encourage  you  to  update  and  improve  your  house,  we  encourage  you  
serve  on  the  Board  or  a  CommiZee,  and  we  encourage  your  posiLve  feedback.  Just  let  us  know.  
   
Thank  you,  
   
Doug  Rothschild,  President  Sweetwater  Board
Architectural Updates
By: Michael Lentz
Hello  Neighbors.    I’m  Michael  Lentz  and  on  this  year’s  Board  as  the  Chairperson  of  the  Architecture  
CommiZee.    In  that  role  my  job  is  to  work  with  homeowners  on  their  home  improvement  projects,  review  
and  approve  their  project  approval  forms  (PAF)  and  provide  answers  to  their  quesLons.    PAF  forms  can  be  
found  on  the  Sweetwater  website  at  www.sweetwaterhomes.org  
In  addiLon  to  these  ongoing  acLviLes,  there  are  a  few  other  acLviLes  the  Board  will  focus  on  this  year,  
including,  but  not  limited  to  the  following:  !
-­‐Sidewalk  tripping  hazards  
-­‐The  appearance  of  TECO  transformers  
-­‐The  appearance  of  Brighthouse  juncLon  boxes  
-­‐Repair  or  replacement  of  fences  
-­‐Upgrade  of  street  lights  to  newer  design  light  bulbs  and/or  fixtures  
-­‐Channel  markers  and  water  depth  in  the  Courtney  Campbell  Causeway  channel  
-­‐Encourage  and  promote  mailbox  appearance  and  improvement  !
If  you  are  interested  in  helping  out  with  any  of  the  above  issues  please  let  me  know.    You  may  have  noLced  
that  Hillsborough  County  was  in  the  neighborhood  last  week  and  painted  all  the  fire  hydrants.  
We  thank  everyone  that  has  stepped  up  to  maintain  and  improve  the  appearance  of  their  homes  and  
property.    We  would  like  to  encourage  and  support  others  to  do  the  same.  
Spring  is  just  about  upon  us  and  that  is  a  great  Lme  to  clean  up  yards  and  landscapes,  pressure  wash  
driveways  and  sidewalks,  paint,  clean  roofs,  replace  leaning  and  roZen  wooden  fences,  etc.    Our  goal  is  to  
improve  our  home/neighborhood  values.
Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet
!3


Upcoming
Holidays and
Events
Gasparilla
January 31 !
Super Bowl Sunday
February 1 !
Valentine’s Day
February 14
!
Hi  everyone.  I’m  Jack  Kennedy  and  this  Lme  around  my  role  is  the  chairperson  for  our  Landscape  acLviLes.  
“Landscape  acLviLes”,  what  is  he  talking  about?    The  only  real  acLvity  we’ve  had  to  date  is  a  TECO  power  pole  
installaLon  along  Memorial  Highway  in  early  January.  TECO  did  their  customary  good  job  which  also  included  some  
damage  to  our  landscape  terrain.    I’m  happy  to  report  that  they  performed  an  equally  good  job  in  repairing  the  
landscape.  I  like  to  think  that  it  may  have  had  something  to  do  with  Mike  Lentz  &  I  being  on-­‐scene  and  pestering  them  
with  many  quesLons.    My  follow-­‐up  located  a  sprinkler  system  issue  that  they  failed  to  handle  and  rather  than  asking  
an  electric  company  to  repair  an  irrigaLon  issue,  I  asked  our  “lawn  guys”,  Southern  Florida,  to  handle  it  and  we’re  all  
good  now.  Actually  our  lawn  care  contractor  contacted  me  and  volunteered  to  examine,  test  &  repair  for  possible  
sprinkler  problems  and  do  so  at  no  charge.  
   
We  thank  all  of  our  neighbors  who  conLnue  to  take  care  in  maintaining  aZracLve  landscapes.  Earlier  in  this  
newsleZer  you  may  have  read  where  we  stated  that  we  have  a  mission  to  improve  our  community’s  appearance.    A  
commiZee  has  been  assembled  to  work  on  beauLficaLon  ideas  for  our  common  areas.  As  homeowners,  in  addiLon  
to  our  normal  mowing,  edging,  ferLlizing,  controlling  weeds,  etc.  there  are  a  few  other  easy  ways  to  approve  curb  
appearances.    A  good  way  to  describe  them  is  to  share  pieces  taken  from  our  deed  restricLons    …….  All  garbage  or  
trash  containers,    bo1le  gas  tanks  ……  shall  be  placed  under  the  surface  of  the  ground  or  in  walled-­‐in  areas  so  as  to  
not  be  visible  from  a  street  or  any  other  plot.  
   
…..  No  sign  of  any  kind  shall  be  displayed  on  any  lot  or  plot  except  a  sign  adver@sing  said  plot  for  sale  (a  specific  sign  
approved  by  SCPOA)  ….  
   
Sprinkler  System  Reminders  -­‐  All  watering  must  be  done  before  8  a.m.  or  ager  6  p.m.  It  is  worth  taking  a  few  minutes  
to  check  your  Lmer  of  your  automaLc  sprinkler  system.  (Several  years  ago  I  messed  up  &  received    fine.)    The  current  
Schedule  for  Watering  established  lawns  &  landscaping  is  listed  below.    For  info  on  water  restricLons  visit  
www.HillsboroughCounty.org/Water.  
•Addresses  ending  in  0,  1,  2  or  3  -­‐  Mondays  &  Thursdays  
•Addresses  ending  in  4,  5  or  6  -­‐  Tuesdays  &  Fridays  
•Addresses  ending  in  7,  8  or  9  -­‐  Wednesdays  &  Saturdays  
•LocaLons  with  no  address  (common  areas)  and  locaLons  with  mixed  addresses  (such  as  office  complexes  and  
shopping  centers)  -­‐  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  
Landscape Update
By: Jack Kennedy
Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet
!4


I’m  Mike  McElroy,  the  Sweetwater  Security  Chair  for  2015.    Fortunately,  things  are  preZy  quiet  in  
Sweetwater  recently  with  no  reported  crime  or  other  incidents  since  I  took  office  in  November.  
I  did  want  to  remind  everyone  to  remember  to  put  the  liZle  “SW”  sLcker  on  your  car  windshield.    You  got  
them  with  your  dues  noLficaLon  in  December.    Please  put  it  on  the  leg  side  of  your  windshield,  either  top  
or  boZom.    With  the  sLcker,  we  can  quickly  determine  if  the  car  “belongs”  in  Sweetwater.    For  instance,  if  
someone  tries  to  tailgate  you  through  the  resident  gate,  you  can  quickly  see  if  it  is  a  neighbor.    If  you  don’t  
see  the  sLcker,  drive  slowly  through  the  gate  so  the  cameras  get  a  good,  easily  idenLfiable  picture  of  the  
license  plate.    If  you  need  addiLonal  sLckers  for  residents  or  regular  visitors,  please  send  a  note  to  
security@sweetwaterhomes.org  and  I’ll  send  addiLonal  to  you.  !
We  are  currently  gauging  the  interest  in  starLng  a  semi-­‐formal  neighborhood-­‐watch  in  Sweetwater.    I  don’t  
foresee  a  formal  watch,  registered  with  the  sheriff  with  assigned  block-­‐captains,  etc.    I’m  thinking  more  of  
making  use  of  the  scores  of  residents  who  walk,  run  or  bike  for  exercise  and  the  many  folks  who  walk  pets  
regularly.    I  think  we  would  have  coverage  from  around  6am  to  11pm  most  days.    If  enough  folks  are  willing,  
I  would  ask  you  to  let  me  know  when  and  where  you  usually  walk  the  neighborhood  so  I  can  figure  out  our  
normal  coverage.    For  instance,  I  usually  walk  the  enLre  neighborhood  between  8  and  8:30am,  then  I  walk  
with  Marie  between  6  and  7pm  most  days.    I  always  have  my  iPhone  to  take  pictures  and  I  know  both  the  
emergency  (911)  and  non-­‐emergency  (813  247-­‐8200)  numbers  for  the  Sheriff.    If  enough  neighbors  would  
get  into  the  habit  of  being  alert  and  aware  of  non-­‐Sweetwater  cars  or  anything  that  looks  suspicious  or  out-­‐
of-­‐place  and  taking  a  picture  or  making  a  note  of  the  situaLon.    Obviously  for  a  crime  or  any  dangerous  
situaLon,  immediately  call  911.    Less  severe  situaLons  like  an  abandoned  car  or  suspicious  acLvity  you  can  
call  the  non-­‐emergency  number.    For  things  that  “just  don’t  seem  right”,  but  don’t  need  an  immediate  fix,  
send  a  note  or  text  me.  
Security Update
By: Mike McElroy
In  need  of  addiLonal  SW  vehicle  sLckers?  
Send  an  email  to:  
security@sweetwaterhomes.org
Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet
!5

!
Announcements
By: Jan Darmody
Hello  Neighbors!  
   
Work  has  begun  on  the  2015  neighborhood  directory,  and  we  hope  to  have  it  in  your  hands  in  
March.    If  you  have  any  addiLons,  deleLons,  or  other  correcLons,  please  email  
directory@sweetwaterhomes.org.    
   
Also,  as  in  the  past,  we're  having  a  contest  to  select  a  photo  that  will  grace  the  cover  of  the  directory.    
It  should  be  something  that  reflects  the  wonderful  lifestyle  that  we  enjoy  here  at  Sweetwater.    Please  
submit  your  entry  soon!  
   
Just  a  reminder  that  your  Annual  Dues  are  due  by  the  end  of  this  month.    Accounts  not  paid  in  full  by  
Feb.  1st  will  be  delinquent,  and  will  incur  late  fees  plus  other  costs  for  collecLon.  Please  mail  your  
check  payable  to  SCPOA  in  the  amount  of  $800  to  4306  Saltwater  Blvd,  or  drop  it  off  in  the  
Community  mailbox  near  the  front  gate.  
Congratulations to Jenny Cox and James
Taylor on their marriage on January 3,
2015! They live at 4203 Saltwater Blvd.
I  would  like  to  send  out  a  special  thanks  to  Ashley  ChrisLe  for  volunteering  to  help  with  the  NewsleZer.  
Ashley  has  done  the  newsleZer  in  the  past  and  does  an  outstanding  job.  It  has  certainly  made  my  
posiLon  as  the  secretary  much  easier.  Thanks  again,  Ashley!  !
To  all  Residents:  If  anyone  has  a  "Special"  occasion  or  news  they  would  like  to  share  with  the  
neighborhood,  such  as  a  new  birth,  marriage,  etc.  please  send  an  email  to  Ashley  or  me  and  we  will  be  
happy  to  place  it  in  the  NewsleZer.
From the Secretary
By: Terry Thorne