Condo I – October 2025
WELCOME TO OUR NEW NEIGHBORS!
Lisa and Jennifer Cook and Everett – 118 Skyline Dr.
Budget and Commons Charge Booklets – A copy of the budget for the October 2025 – September 2026 fiscal year and the new commons charge coupon booklets were mailed to all homeowners. If you have not received your coupon booklet yet, please contact the HOA office. If you have set up a recurring check with your financial institution, remember to adjust the amount due. As a reminder, Commons Charges are due on the first of the month. Homeowners have until the tenth of the month to submit their payment without penalty. After the tenth, a $50 late fee is charged.
September’s Open Meeting – Thank you to those who attended the Open Meeting in September. The budget was reviewed for the new fiscal year, which starts in October and ends in September. Residents in attendance had a chance to ask questions and make comments.
Parking Plaza 1 Basement Access – The basement located at Parking Plaza 1 will be open for those needing access on Saturday, October 11, at 12:00 noon.
Reminder: All of Bretton Woods has a head-in parking rule. Do not back vehicles into parking spots.
Smoke Complaints – The Condo I Board has received complaints about smoke infiltrating homes from a neighboring unit. Article VIII. HOUSE RULES Section 8 (w) states, “Home Owners shall not cause or permit any unusual or objectionable noise or odors to be produced upon or to emanate from their units. The dangers of secondary smoke and tertiary smoke are well documented. Being that no home is air-tight and that there is a free flow of air between units, no resident should be smoking a substance of any kind inside the unit. Smoke entering other units interferes with the rights and comforts of the neighbors. If you must smoke, go outside.
Did you know that Bretton Woods is located in the westernmost part of the Central Pine Barrens in an area known as the Compatible Growth Area? In addition to all the amenities Bretton Woods has to offer, we live in a nature lover’s paradise. No wonder when greeting newcomers, some say, “Welcome to paradise!”
Prevent Rodents from Coming Inside– As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, furry, warm-blooded critters might be looking to move inside where it is warmer. It is a good idea to rodent-proof your unit now. Did you know mice can slip through a hole the size of a dime? Check for openings behind the stove where the gas line enters, where the plumbing pipes enter your unit, along the molding, and under vent covers. You can insert steel wool, green scouring pads, foam insulation, use caulking, or spackle to seal up cracks and holes inside your unit. Home improvement stores sell various critter repellents that keep mice away. Mice dislike the smell of peppermint oil. Soak a cotton ball and place it in areas you think mice might be entering your home. Or buy an Ultra Sonic Plug-In Device. Mice hate the ultrasonic beeping sound emitted by these electronic devices. Don’t worry, the sound is inaudible to humans.
It is also a good idea to check for cracks and holes on the outside wall and the slab below it. The place where the air conditioning pipe enters the building is a likely place for rodents to enter. You can plug up openings using the same materials as mentioned above, or submit a work order asking maintenance to do it.
Do you have old paint you no longer need? Did you know that liquid paint can be recycled?
1. Liquid paint can be recycled. Liquid paint can be dropped off at the Brookhaven Landfill, Costello’s Ace Hardware, or a Sherwin-Williams store. Call organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Angels of Long Island to see if they can use it. Check paintcare.org for paint recycling locations, hours, and details.
2. If you are not able to get to a paint recycling location, you need to take steps to harden unwanted latex or water-based paint before disposal. Never put liquid paint in with your household trash. Instead, buy a paint hardener at your local hardware store. It is simple to use: open the paint can, add the powdery paint hardener, stir well, and it will turn into a solid in a matter of minutes. Even kitty litter or lots of shredded newspaper will work to absorb liquid paint and eventually harden in an open can. Once hardened, simply throw the open can into the trash. Leave the lid off so the sanitation worker knows the paint is dry. If cans are tossed filled with liquid paint, they explode in the truck when compressed and can leak from the truck onto the road, other vehicles, or property.
3. Oil-based paints are hazardous and are not to be thrown out with household garbage, whether they are solid or not, because of the harm they do to the environment by polluting our soil and water. Instead, oil-based paints must be properly disposed of at the Brookhaven Town Landfill, Sherwin-Williams stores, Costello’s Ace Hardware, or at a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event. Check paintcare.org for other disposal locations.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas / LPG Tanks – are not to be stored in any place on the property, inside or outside. The only LPG tank anyone should have is the one attached to their barbecue grill. Improper storage of an LPG tank as it applies to multiple residence settings is a violation of fire code, TOB Local law 30-9.
Water Leaks – Water Leaks only get worse, and they never repair themselves. Leaking pipes, washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, showers, sinks, and leaking hot water heaters can cause serious damage not only to your own unit but also to neighboring units. It is every homeowner’s responsibility, Article VIII. HOUSE RULES Section 6 (a) to get water leaks repaired immediately, not only to protect one’s own property, but that of the neighbors’ as well as common property. Mold forms very quickly and can be dangerous as well as destructive.
Condo Insurance Discounts – Protect yourselves. All homeowners should have condo homeowner’s insurance covering everything from the sheetrock in. Make sure you have loss assessment coverage and water back-up or water up coverage listed on your policy. All renters should have renters’ insurance covering your personal possessions. You may be able to lower your rates if you qualify for the various discounts offered by your insurance company. Each carrier has different discounts. Find out what your carrier offers.
You live in a gated community. Check with your insurance company to see if you can get a discount under theft protection.
Do you have a security system installed in your unit? You should be able to get an additional discount.
All of our buildings have a fire alarm system. Are you getting credit for it? Every room in each unit has a heat sensor on the ceiling, and every unit has a smoke detector, both of which are wired to the Fire Alarm Control Panel on the outside of the building. If there is a fire, not only will the alarm sound inside the unit, but it will sound outside, too.
If you have not made a claim, you may get a claim-free discount.
If you have been with the company a long time, you may be able to get a loyalty discount.
If you bundle your auto and homeowners with the same company, you can get a multi-policy discount.
Insurance companies do not like fire; you may get a discount if you are a non-smoker.
If you are retired and home during the day, you may qualify for a mature homeowner’s discount. Being home, you might be the first to notice a theft in progress, fire or flood.
Do you have a water leak detector or a natural gas detector? Find out if you can get credit for them, too.
Reflective clothing – It is getting dark earlier. Stay safe when out walking, jogging, or biking at night. Carry a flashlight and wear reflective clothing and footwear.