March 2024

March 2024 Community Trends

®

PETS & ANIMALS

In This Issue

• Are Your Pets Causing a Pest Infestation in Your Home? • Deterring Deer Damage to Deciduous Trees • Three Things You Can Do to Be a Responsible Dog Owner • Structural Integrity/Reserve Study/Funding Legislation: What Do You Do Now? ....and more

bazilfoto/ JackF/ 101cats/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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The Community Associations Institute New Jersey chapter would like to thank its 2024 Ultimate Partners below. For more information on our sponsorships, please contact CAI-NJ at 609-588-0030 or info@cainj.org.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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MARCH 2024

THE CAI-NJ COMMUNITY TRENDS ® MAGAZINE CONTENTS 18 Are Your Pets Causing a Pest Infestation in Your Home? By Chris Dattoli Cowleys Pest Services 22 Deterring Deer Damage to Deciduous Trees By Cory Piskorski Princeton Tree Care 28 Structural Integrity/Reserve Study/Funding Legislation: What Do Your Do Now? By Mitchell H. Frumkin, PE, RS, Kipcon, Inc., J. David Ramsey, Esq., Becker, and Edward San George, MPA, PCAM, INTEGRA Management Corp., AAMC 36 Three Things You Can Do to Be a Responsible Dog Owner By Damon Kress, Esq. McGovern Legal Services, LLC 40 Management Trends — Bears Aren’t Unbearable By Erin Spiliotopoulos, CMCA, AMS Matrix Property Management Group, LLC 22 18

EXTRAS President’s Corner

28

5 6 7 8

Looking Ahead

CAI-NJ Upcoming Events

Legislative Update

Your Voice is Key with NJ-LAC & CA-PAC

11 13

Chapter Trends

Joint Best Practice Roundtable — For Homeowner Leaders, Managers and Business Partners — Save the Date

36

13 14 25 27 31 37 39 41 44 45 51 52

Jules C. Frankel Manager Assistance Program

Dennis R. Casale Memorial Golf Outing — Save the Date Proactive Prevention Against Fraud & Theft Registration

Conquer + Connect Registration PAC the Haus — Save the Date

CA-PAC Top Golf Registration

40

Request for 2024 Education Proposals

New Members

2024 CAI-NJ Conference & Expo — Save the Date

Write for Community Trends ® 2024 Ultimate Partner Listings

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MARCH 2024

CAI-NJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

VICE PRESIDENT RYAN FLEMING, CIRMS, EBP JGS INSURANCE, A BALDWIN RISK PARTNER

PRESIDENT ELECT STEVEN MLENAK, ESQ. GREENBAUM, ROWE, SMITH & DAVIS, LLP

PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER NICOSIA, CMCA, AMS, PCAM RCP MANAGEMENT COMPANY, AAMC, AMO

SECRETARY MARY BARRETT, ESQ. STARK & STARK, ATTORNEYS AT LAW

TREASURER JOSEPH CHORBA, CPA WilkinGuttenplan

BOARD MEMBERS

Michael Flippin, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Integra Management Corp., AAMC Community Association Manager Charles Lavine Homeowner Leader Tony Nardone, MBA, PCAM Corner Property Management, LLC, AAMC Community Association Manager

Carol Nickerson, CMCA FirstService Residential, AAMC Community Association Manager Cheryl Rhine, CIC, CIRMS, EBP USI Insurance Services Business Partner Robert Travis, CIRMS Long Beach Commons Condominium Association Homeowner Leader

GENERAL COUNSEL Jason Orlando, Esq. Orlando Murphy LLP

GENERAL COUNSEL EMERITUS Wendell A. Smith, Esq., CCAL Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis, LLP

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Tony Nardone, MBA, PCAM Corner Property Management, LLC, AAMC

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MARCH 2024

PRESIDENT’S CORNER Christopher Nicosia, CMCA, AMS, PCAM 2024 CAI-NJ PRESIDENT RCP MANAGEMENT COMPANY, AAMC, AMO

CAI-NJ TEAM

G reetings, CAI-NJ Members! If you are a little superstitious and enjoy nicer weather, Punxsutawney Phil gave us some great news back on February 2nd! The famous marmot from Pennsylvania did not see his shadow…a tell-tale sign that Spring is around the corner (at least according to tradition). The official first day of Spring is March 19th (Vernal equinox), so even though we are seeing more winter precipitation this year than we have in the last several years, Spring is on the way! This month’s issue of Community Trends ® is themed around pets and animals. Please take a little time to peruse the interesting and informative articles written by this month’s authors.

ANGELA KAVANAUGH CHAPTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANGELA@CAINJ.ORG JACLYN OSKIERKO DIRECTOR, CONFERENCE & EVENTS JACLYN@CAINJ.ORG ROBIN SURGENT DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ROBIN@CAINJ.ORG BROOKE STOPPIELLO-NEVINS COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER BROOKE@CAINJ.ORG

“Community associations represent just over 10% of the impacted entities... and nearly all will have to comply with this new law.”

Each month, I try to focus on an important or interesting topic related to our industry. This month, I would like to dis cuss the Federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The Corporate Transparency

Contact CAI-NJ

ADDRESS CAI-NJ

500 HARDING ROAD FREEHOLD, NJ 07728 PHONE 609-588-0030 FAX 609-588-0040 WEB WWW.CAINJ.ORG EMAIL INFO@CAINJ.ORG

Act (CTA) requires all “beneficial owners” of various corporations and limited liabil ity companies (with very limited exceptions) to register with FinCEN (the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network — a bureau within the US Department of Treasury). The CTA states that all beneficial owners of financial assets (including corporate officers in charge of assets and/or those having decision-making authority over said assets, such as board members of community associations) register with FinCEN and provide the following information through a secure government portal: Name, address, date of birth, and current government photo identification (driver’s license, passport, etc.). This federal regulation requires that all board members as well as reporting entities (which may include management company executives and/or law firms/attorneys/accountants) comply with the CTA or face significant civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties of $500.00 per day ($182,500/year) may be assessed against both the beneficial owner and the corporate entity. Additionally, potential criminal penalties of up to $10,000.00 and two (2) years imprisonment may be levied for non-compliance. Compliance is currently mandated by December 31, 2024. Nearly 33 million small businesses in the U.S. are impacted by this legislation. Community associations represent just over 10% of the impacted entities (approx imately 350,000 in the U.S.) and nearly all will have to comply with this new law. The Community Associations Institute (CAI National) is actively seeking an extension for associations to comply with the Act. An extension would also pro-

CAI-NJ on Social Media

www.facebook.com/ CAINJCHAPTER

Community Associations Institute - New Jersey Chapter

@cainewjersey

CONTINUES ON PAGE 54

CAI-NJ

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MARCH 2024

LOOKING AHEAD ANGELA KAVANAUGH | CAI-NJ CHAPTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” — Leo Tolstoy

Hello Spring! Looking forward to your arrival on March 19th. It’s the season of planning. If you reset your goals earlier in the year, don’t wait any longer to act on them. Now is the time to strategize and ensure that your objectives come to fruition. Everyone benefits when plans come together, and many useful tools to assist you can be found on the CAI-NJ website, www.cainj.org . Legislative Advocacy According to CAI, there are an estimated 1.4 million New Jersey residents living in over 7,000 common interest communities (CICs) within our state. These residents are for tunate to have the New Jersey Legislative Action Committee (NJ-LAC) working with state legislatures and advocating on issues affecting them and their communities. • Structural Integrity Reserve Resources to inform you how to navigate the new law for Structural Integrity and Reserve Funding including the full webinar presented by the NJ LAC Structural Integrity Task Force. • Bill Subscription Service and the CAI Legislative Tracking Map allow you to track the New Jersey Legislative bills that you are interested in, throughout the legislative session. Community Manager Resources CAI-NJ provides the tools needed for community asso ciation manages to achieve success in becoming leading professional in the industry. • Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program. All New Jersey CAI Manager members are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards any 100, 200 or 300 CAI course. Application deadline is March 29th so don’t miss out. • Professional Community Manager Briefcase contains information on the tools and resources provided by CAI to assist community managers to excel in their field. • Designation Highway is a roadmap to navigate the certi fications and designations offered.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Too often, disputes evolve within Common Interest Communities (CICs). The CAI-NJ ADR program offers a cost-effective alternative to the traditional justice system to resolve housing related disputes between unit owners or unit owners and the association. Online Service Directory CAI-NJ offers a quick reference to member professionals specializing in common interest communities (CICs). Job Bank This is a free service for our members looking to fill vacant positions within their company. Spring into Events this Season! • Board Leadership Development Workshop. A two-day workshop enforcing the required foundations for an effective community association board member. • Proactive Protection Against Fraud & Theft. The sem inar will discuss the ways associations can become victims of fraud and proper insurance coverage to protect them. • ADR Mediation Training. Become a certified mediator for CAI-NJ by attending this full day seminar. • Conquer + Connect. Join leading women in our industry for a full day of professional development. • CA-PAC Top Golf Event. Network with your peers while supporting your Community Association Political Action Committee (CA-PAC). For further information and to register for all our upcoming programs, please visit, https://cainj.org/network-events/ for networking events and for education programs visit, https://cainj.org/education-events/. Now that the Spring Season is finally here, I hope that you take the time to benefit from all that the chapter and the season offers! n

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MARCH 2024

CALENDAR 2024 Events & Education

MARCH

AUGUST

14 19 20 21 28

7 15

Proactive Protection Against Fraud & Theft Canal Walk Homeowners Association, Somerset

Community Conversations Live Virtual

Board Leadership Development Workshop CAI-NJ Headquarters, Freehold

Ultimate Event - Jersey Shore BlueClaws ShoreTown Ballpark, Lakewood

CA-PAC Top Golf Top Golf, Edison

SEPTEMBER Beach Party

12 25

Homeowner Huddle Virtual

Martell’s Tiki Bar, Pt. Pleasant

APRIL

Wednesday Webinar - Complying with Radburn Practically & Realistically Virtual

9 16

Mediation (ADR) Training Taylor Management Company, AAMC, AMO, Whippany

26

F.A.S.T. Kickball Tournament Mercer County Park, Princeton Junction

Conquer + Connect The Imperia, Somerset

OCTOBER

MAY

16 17

Conference Kick-Off Location TBD, Edison

2 15

Best Practices Roundtable Discussion Location TBD

Annual Conference & Expo New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center, Edison

PAC the Haus Beach Haus Brewery, Belmar

NOVEMBER

JUNE

6

Community Conversations Live Virtual

12 18

Community Conversations Live Virtual

Dennis R. Casale Memorial Golf Outing Forsgate Country Club, Monroe Twp.

JULY

F.A.S.T. Olympics Thompson Park, Monroe Twp. 10

Register for these and other events at www.cainj.org All events are subject to change .

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

MATTHEW Z. EARLE, ESQ. KATES, NUSSMAN, ELLIS, FARHI & EARLE, LLP LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE CHAIR

T he legislative session that began in January 2022 ended on January 8, 2024. I would like to take a moment to reflect on important legislative and regula tory changes that occurred during that time period: 1. S2760 Structural Integrity – As you all must have heard by now, we were successful in passing critical safety legislation that will hopefully prevent a Surfside like tragedy from happening in New Jersey. As we have detailed in other articles and webinars, the bill requires periodic structural inspections for certain types of con struction and mandates reserve studies and reserve funding. This was our primary effort for the last two years, and the successful passage of this bill makes New Jersey a nationwide leader in building safety. 2. A1755 Automatic Rain Sensor – This bill, which the LAC did not oppose for various reasons, will require associations that had lawn sprinkler irrigation installed prior to September 8, 2000, to install a rain sensor. 3. Update to Radburn Regulations – Several minor updates to the Radburn Regulations were proposed and adopted by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in response to CAI’s petition challenging the regulations. The most impactful of which provides that upon the presentation of a petition signed by 51% of association members, directors can be removed from the board with no further process. 4. S3516 Smoke Dampers – Requires periodic test ing of smoke damper systems.

“...we expect movement on bills related to board member training and manager licensing...” 6. S2662 Police Car Parking – Association’s cannot prohibit the parking of police vehicles on association prop erty merely because they are marked police vehicles. 7. The DCA has proposed amendments to the fire code that would, among other things, prohibit combustible mulch or plants within 18 inches of a combustible structure. Looking forward to this legislation session, the New Jersey Legislative Action Committee (NJ-LAC)’s major ini tiatives have not fully crystallized. However, we expect movement on bills related to board member training and manager licensing, and we are carefully monitoring legis lation related to “accessory dwelling units” that may impact associations. In addition, we hope to gain traction on hav ing fire hydrant maintenance covered under the Municipal Services Act or the equivalent. Keep monitoring this space for updates! n 5. S2389 Employee Protection – In residential multi-family buildings with more than 50 units, when changing staffing companies, or when outsourcing or going in-house with building staff, the existing staff must be offered a probationary 60-day term of employment with the new staffing provider/association.

Stay up-to-date on legislative issues at www.cainj.org.

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MARCH 2024

2024 CAI-NJ COMMITTEES

AWARDS Lila Khiry Cirillo — Chair Kim Dempsey — Vice Chair Liz Bonafide Jeanine Clark, Esq. Drew Cowley Lindsay Cupples, EBP Michelle Gadaleta Kristin Guinan Nick Haralambopoulous, CPA Christine Maldonado Matthew Manley Newlin Peng Kari Prout, CMCA Eileen Szelewicki, CMCA Mary Visco Board Liaisons: Steve Mlenak, Esq. Chris Nicosia, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko BUSINESS PARTNER Mike Luzzi, CPIA, EBP — Chair Theresa Beckett, EBP — Vice Chair Jack Benson Jason Ciavarro

EDITORIAL Drew Podolski, Esq. — Chair Casey Noon — Vice Chair Robert Arnone, MSRE, CMCA, AMS Ben Basch, EBP David Cerqueira, Esq. David Dockery, Esq. Damon Kress, Esq. Nicole Martone, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Michael Mezzo, CPA Steven Morris, RS Andrew Newman, CMCA, AMS Board Liaisons: Mary Barrett, Esq. Carol Nickerson, CMCA Staff Liaison: Brooke Stoppiello-Nevins EVENTS Diane Cody, CMCA, PCAM — Chair Randy Vogel — Vice Chair

GOLF OUTING Lisa Komitor — Chair Jasmin Shelton — Vice Chair Doug Andersen Chris Belkot Harold Berlowe, CMCA Lorenzo Cullari, AICP Marty Ehrlich Chris Fernandes Donna Fiore, CMCA Keith Giliberti, PE, RS, EBP Fred Hodge, EBP Sal Iozzia Hank Johns, EBP Cathy Mango, EBP Karl Meth, Esq. Paul Migliore Matt Pfister Mike Polulak, Esq. David Shahrabani, EBP Jodi Smallwood Michael Sturchio Ryan Weiner Charles Witczak, III, PE, PP, PLS Paul Wojciechowski Board Liaisons: Michael Flippin, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Tony Nardone, MBA, PCAM Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko HOMEOWNER LEADER Lois Gerber — Chair Bruce Blum — Vice Chair Sandra Bonet Joseph Branciforte Roslyn Brodsky Barbara Finn, CMCA Charles Fredericks Carl Kentzel Thomas Krieger

MANAGER Chuck Graziano, PCAM — Chair Mariaellen Varelis — Vice Chair Antoinette Hutchinson Tarak Kadia Richard Mattalian, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Erin O'Reilly, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Dan Penix, CMCA Christopher Popoli Vince Rapolla, AMS, PCAM Christopher Spagnuolo Erin Spiliotopoulos, CMCA, AMS Barbara Strubel, CMCA Elaine Warga-Murray, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Board Liaisons: Michael Flippin, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Carol Nickerson, CMCA

Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko Robin Surgent MEMBERSHIP Tara Baldwin, CPA — Chair Ken Shah — Vice Chair Lysa Bergenfeld, Esq. Jeffrey Cuevas Megan Brazil, EBP Nichole Gist Melissa Lloyd, CMCA, AMS

Nicole Ancona Michael Blaney Stacey Bishara, CMCA, AMS Tim Bruchez

Dean Catanzarite Justine DelVecchio

Mary DeNone Frank Fasolo

Joe Cunningham Glenn Fedale, Sr. Carrie Fusella Dave Kiessling, RS, EBP Richard Lang, EBP Jim Laurie Toni Licciardi, EBP Christopher Lugara Fran McGovern, Esq. David McNamara Chris Merkler Donna Meyer, EBP Jonathan Moscou John Prisco, Esq., EBP

Anthony Gjergji Maria Mikowski Debbie Pasquariello, CIC, CIRMS, EBP Alexandra Pollera Lyly Ton Melissa Volet, Esq. Jill Zulin Board Liaisons: Charles Lavine Tony Nardone, MBA, PCAM Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko F.A.S.T. Jessica Long — Chair Eric Eggert, CIC, CIRMS, EBP — Vice Chair Adara Azeez Chelsea Brodmerkel Rebecca Gavin Steven Kuhnert Mary Ellen Liberatore Will Meola Marian Miawad, Esq. Nicole Miller, Esq. Kristina Munson, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CPM Jose Romero, EBP Dharmi Shah Peter Shine, EBP Jimmy Stovall Lauren Vadenais, EBP Michael Vargetto Kristy Winchock, EBP CJ Witczak Board Liaisons: Michael Flippin, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Cheryl Rhine, CIC, CIRMS, EBP Staff Liaisons: Brooke Stoppiello-Nevins Robin Surgent Jonathan Cairone Melanie Donnoli Kristi Evans Shelby Evans, CPA, EBP

Kim Manicone, EBP Francisco Marcucci

Mark Mojares Brian Prinsell Kathleen Radler

Brent Rivenburgh, AAI Steve Roderick, EBP

Mark Ruggio Michael Ryan Larry Sauer, CPM, CMCA, PCAM

Denise Schiera Ryan Trembley Michael Willner, Esq.

Ross Rutman, EBP Herman Shaugger David Velasco, EBP Gregory Vinogradsky, Esq., EBP

Richard Lans Cheryl Palent Board Liaisons: Charles Lavine Bob Travis

Marc Wolfskehl Board Liaisons: Joe Chorba, CPA

Board Liaisons: Joe Chorba, CPA Ryan Fleming, EBP

Charles Lavine Staff Liaisons: Robin Surgent WOMENS LEADERSHIP

Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko Robin Surgent LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE (LAC)/PAC Matthew Z. Earle, Esq. — Chair Edward San George, PCAM — Vice Chair Jackie Thermidor, CMCA, AMS, PCAM — Secretary Mohammed Salyani, CPA — Treasurer Elizabeth Comando, CMCA, PCAM — PAC President Andrew Podolski, Esq. — PAC Vice President James Rademacher, EBP — PAC Committee Jennifer Alexander, Esq. Roslyn Brodsky Barbara Drummond, CMCA, PCAM

Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko Robin Surgent CONFERENCE & EXPO Shelia Adams, CMCA, AMS — Chair John Echelmeier — Vice Chair Tom Anzalone Brian Aubrey, PCAM

Jamie Cullen-DeVries, CMCA, AMS — Chair Linda Courain, CMCA, AMS — Vice Chair Jennifer Carr Alexis Dairman, Esq. Beth Duffy, CMCA Kimberly Finno Patricia Foltanski Jessica Kizmann, CPA Lirelle Klein Elizabeth Maltais Jessica Marvel, EBP Kristin Marzarella-Amato Shannon McCormick

Martin Bahner Michael Blaney Joe Bonafede Jay Burak Jordan Burkhalter, CPA John Desien Ellen Comiski, CMCA Marty Conway

Mitchell Frumkin, RS Vincent Hager, CIRMS Karyn Kennedy-Branco, Esq. Terry Kessler, Esq. J. David Ramsey, Esq. Lisa Rayca, CMCA, AMS John Reichart Alexander Scheffer, CMCA Board Liaisons: Richard Milder Cheryl Palent

Rachel Neves Anita Rothery Nikki Schillaci, EBP Board Liaisons: Mary Barrett, Esq. Cheryl Rhine, CIC, CIRMS, EBP

Anthony Dellanno Saher Gouda, EBP James Kiernan George Caso Martinez Jerome Quagliozzi Holly Teufel, CMCA, AMS Board Liaisons: Ryan Fleming, EBP Chris Nicosia, CMCA, AMS, PCAM

Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko Robin Surgent

Steven Mlenak, Esq. Robert Travis, CIRMS Staff Liaisons: Angela Kavanaugh Robin Surgent

Staff Liaisons: Jaclyn Oskierko

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MARCH 2024

CAI-NJ 2024 PARTNERS

Alliance Association Bank Ansell Grimm & Aaron, PC Associa Community Management Corp., AAMC Becker BELFOR Property Restoration Brown & Brown Insurance of Lehigh Valley Clearview Washing, LLC Corner Property Management, LLC, AAMC Denali Property Management, Inc. The Falcon Group FWH Associates, P.A.

GAF Hill Wallack LLP Kipcon Inc. McGovern Legal Services, LLC PS&S, LLC Professional Restoration Services, LLC DBA PuroClean of Hoboken Rezkom Enterprises, Inc. Sweeping Corp. of America (SCA) Taylor Management Company, AAMC, AMO Technocality, Inc. USI Insurance Services WilkinGuttenplan

Accent Group Access Property Management, AAMC, AMO Acrisure Adamas Building Services All County Exteriors Amco Pest Solutions, Inc. Anchor Pest Control Apex Air Duct Cleaning & Chimney Services Becht Engineering BT, Inc. Buckalew Frizzell & Crevina LLP Capital One CCA, Construction Consulting Associates, LLC CertaPro Painters of Central & Lower Bucks

FirstService Residential, AAMC Garden State Pavement Solutions Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla Homestead Management Services, Inc. Hueston McNulty, P.C. L.N. Rothberg & Son, Inc. Landscape Maintenance Services, Inc. Lemus Construction, Inc. Cowleys Pest Services Cutolo Barros, LLC Environmental Designers Irrigation, Inc First Onsite FloodCo USA Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Griffin Alexander, P.C. Guardian Service Industries, Inc. Innovative Pressure Cleaning IronRock Security The Jesan Companies JGS Insurance, a Baldwin Risk Partner KPI2 Enterprises, Inc. Mackoul Risk Solutions, LLC Morris Engineering, LLC

National Contractors, Inc. National Cooperative Bank O & S Associates, Inc. Parallel Architectural Group Pardini R. Construction Corporation

Popular Association Banking Quality 1st Contracting, Inc. Rainbow G & J Painting, LLC Regal Restoration USA

Preferred Community Management Services, Inc., AAMC Radom & Wetter Renda Roads, Inc. Servpro Team Fox Snowscapes South Shore Construction, LLC STAR Building Services Towne & Country Management Republic Services of New Jersey, LLC Servpro of Howell, Wall, Spring Lake, Asbury Park Stark & Stark Attorneys at Law Valley Bank Wilkin Management Group, Inc. Witczak Engineering

Accurate Reconstruction APC Hospitality, LLC AR Management Company Association Advisors NJ Association Reserves BlueSky Restoration Contractors LLC Core Maintenance Construction Down to Earrth Landscaping, Inc. Felsen Insurance Services First Citizens Bank

MyPropertyBilling.com Pacific Western Bank

YOUR NJ-LAC & CA-PAC WORKING HARD PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

Walk the halls of our capitol in Trenton and you see a lot of doors… doors to legislator’s offices… doors to committee rooms… doors to the Assembly and Senate chambers. It takes a lot to get through those doors. You’re not just invited in. You need a key. With a key you’re taken seriously. With a key, you get things done. THAT’S WHY CAI-NJ CARRIES THREE KEYS: • Your Legislative Action Committee (NJ-LAC): Your key eyes, ears, legs and voice in the legislative process. • Your Political Action Committee (CA-PAC): Your key contributions to support elected officials who aim to strengthen your community. • Your Professional Lobbyists: Your key, full-time pros retained by the LAC who know government’s ins and outs, advise us on who to see and when, and how to connect . WHAT CAN YOU DO?: • Take Action – Your voice is key! After meeting with elected officials and clarifying our position on pending legislation, we will alert you to the most crucial actions you can take. By calling or writing your officials, you ensure that your voice, and our agenda, is heard. • Give – Your donations are key! Supporting the PAC with your donations shows legislators that you’re serious, and that our cause counts. • Promote – Your personal influence is key! Talk about CAI-NJ’s legislative engagement in your community and business. Let fellow residents know that we’re fighting for them and their communities!

The keys only work with your support.

Make your gift to the CA-PAC today!

Yes, I’d like to support CA-PAC with a pledge!

PLEASE NOTE: Sorry, CA-PAC cannot accept credit cards. Please make your CORPORATE or PERSONAL CHECK payable and mail to: CA-PAC, 500 Harding Road, Freehold, NJ 07728

I AM A...

____ Community Association Manager. You represent a company or association who manages CAI-NJ communities.

____ Community Supporter. You represent a business that supports CAI-NJ communities with services or products.

____ Community Resident. You live in a CAI-NJ community and want to see it grow strong.

My Association/Management company is making a PAC gift of:

___ $250 ___ $500 ___ $1000 or $________

___ $100 ___ $250 ___ $500 or $________

My supporting business is making a PAC gift of:

I am personally making a PAC gift of:

___ $50 ___ $100 ___ $250 or $________

Community/Company: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Individual Name:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address:______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP:______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________________________________________Fax: ________________________________________________ Email:________________________________ Occupation:______________________ Employer:_____________________________________ Employer Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP:______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sorry, CA-PAC cannot accept credit cards. Please make your CORPORATE or PERSONAL CHECK payable and mail to: CA-PAC, 500 Harding Road, Freehold, NJ 07728

Management Company Name: _________________________________________ (Community Association’s Only)

DO NOT INCLUDE MY NAME OR COMPANY ON THE LIST OF CA-PAC CONTRIBUTORS

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission requires us to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of the employer of contributors whose contribution exceeds $300 in a calendar year. Contributions to CA-PAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions are not limited to suggested amounts. CA-PAC will not favor nor disadvantage anyone based upon the amounts or failure to make PAC Contributions. Voluntary political contributions are subject to limitations of ELEC regulations. CA-PAC contributions are not considered payment of CAI dues. TO DONATE TO CA-PAC, SEND CONTRIBUTIONS TO : CA-PAC, 500 Harding Road, Freehold, NJ 07728

CHAPTER TRENDS

Innovative Pressure Cleaning Joins with Kept Companies, Inc. Conner Byrne is very excited that his compa ny — Innovative Pressure Cleaning — joined up with Kept Companies, Inc. in November of 2022. He started this new chapter with Kept Companies as Business Development Manager for their location, along with other sites nationwide.

• All submissions must come from and be about: - A member of CAI-NJ (Manager, Management Company, Board Member, Business Partner or Business Partner Employee) in good standing. • Companies/Communities are permitted four (4) announcements per calendar year. • Submissions are limited to 150 words. - Members are responsible to condense the information appropriately, as CAI-NJ will not do so. Any submissions over 150 words will not be published. • Submissions may include (1) image. • Submissions should not be advertorial in nature. Please note, CAI-NJ reserves the right to edit any submissions. The chapter reserves the right to omit information as necessary. CAI-NJ has the exclusive right to refuse to publish any submissions for any reason. For questions regarding the Chapter Trends section of Community Trends ® , please contact brooke@cainj. org or 609-588-0030. Chapter Trends Editorial Guidelines

Conner Byrne

BEST PRACTICES ROUNDTABLE FOR HOMEOWNER LEADERS, MANAGERS & BUSINESS PARTNERS JOINT He is thrilled to be able to promote and sell the same services that they always have, along with even more with their nationwide footprint. Conner has been part of this industry for 14 years, with sales and busi ness development being his focus for the last 9 years. He feels that it is an exciting journey as he grows and learns with this company. You can still find them with their Innovative Pressure Cleaning info, as they will still using that branding at this time until they fully transition to Kept Companies, Inc. n

THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2024

BREAKFAST 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDUCATION 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM

MANAGERS CAN RECEIVE 2 CREDIT HOURS. MUST BE PRESENT FOR THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

FOR DETAILS & TO REGISTER VISIT HTTPS://WWW.CAI-NJ.ORG/EVENT-5585377

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MARCH 2024

Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program Community Associations Institute NJ Chapter 2024 PROGRAM

Jules C. Frankel was a long time member of CAI and was a key figure in the success and growth of our chapter. Jules was President of the New Jersey chapter in 2000. Jules also received the follow ing awards from CAI-NJ: Speaker of the Year in 2003, Author of the Year in 2004 and the Jerry Fien Distinguished Service Award in 2015. Jules was inducted in the CAI-NJ Hall of Fame in 2003. Jules was a staunch advocate for manager education and training and was always willing to help with seminars and industry educational programs. The Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program (MAP) was developed to assist New Jersey managers in the common interest community industry in furthering their educational and professional development goals. The MAP provides the opportunity to any CAI-NJ manager member in good standing to apply for a scholarship.

CAI-NJ will provide a fifty percent (50%) reimbursement per course to selected managers for any of the 100, 200, or 300 courses offered by CAI. More than one award may be given per applicant.

To view available virtual courses, utilize the QR Code or visit the link below to schedule:

https://www.caionline.org/LearningCenter/Education-for-Managers/Pages/default.aspx

All awards must be approved by the CAI-NJ Board of Directors. Accordingly, a submission does not guarantee any applicant assistance. Awards are at the sole discretion of the CAI-NJ Board of Directors.

Please review the attached guidelines and application. If you have any questions, please contact the CAI-NJ office at 609-588-0030 or info@cainj.org

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MARCH 2024

Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program Community Associations Institute NJ Chapter GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION PROCESS

AWARD: • The MAP awards a deserving candidate $250 per course (100, 200 and 300 level courses) towards the PMDP course of his/her choice. More than one award may be given during a calendar year. • The Scholarship Review Group will award scholarships once per year no later than April 26 th , 2024. • Scholarships must be used for PMDP courses offered by any CAI Chapter or CAI National. All courses may be in person or online. ELIGIBILITY: • At the time of the application and the reimbursement, you must be a member in good standing with the Community Associations Institute and the New Jersey chapter of CAI. • You must have attended at least two (2) CAI-NJ events during the last 12 months. (in-person or virtual) • You may be asked to provide a follow up piece that will be printed in the Community Trends ® magazine that summarizes your experience with the MAP and the ways that it has allowed you to advance your professional goals. CAI-NJ reserves the right to modify any content prior to print. DEADLINES: • All applicants must submit entry no later than March 29 th , 2024 in order to be considered for a scholar ship award. Selections will be made no later than April 26 th , 2024. PROCESS: • Interested candidates must fill out the attached application and answer the questions for review prior to dates. All entries must be typed and complete to avoid disqualification. Entries must be mailed to the chapter office or printed to PDF and emailed to info@cainj.org. • Anonymous essays are evaluated and award recipients will be selected by the Scholarship Review Group. Should there be a conflict on the committee (meaning that a company representative is evaluating an entry for the same company), that committee member will remove themselves from the process and not participate in the review/selection of the candidates. Since this is an anonymous process, the Chapter Executive Director will inform the Scholarship Review Group members of the conflict. • Selected managers must submit verification of course completion to the CAI-NJ office within 30 days of conclusion of the course to receive the scholarship reimbursement. • All course reimbursement requests must be submitted by December 31 st , 2024. To apply, fill out the application on the following pages. Community Associations Institute, New Jersey chapter

500 Harding Road, Freehold, NJ 07728 Tel: 609-588-0030 | Fax: 609-588-0040 Email: info@cainj.org

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MARCH 2024

Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program Community Associations Institute NJ Chapter

MANAGER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION - 2024 The information provided on this page will remain confidential until recipients are selected. Please complete the application and contact the chapter office if you have any questions. APPLICANT INFORMATION Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Work Street Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City/ State/ Zip: ____________________________________________________________________________ Mobile Phone No: _________________________________________________________________________ Email Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION Current Employer: __________________________________________________________________________ Number of Years in the Industry: _____________________ CAI Member Since: __________________________ Current CAI Certification/ Designations: ____ CMCA ____ AMS ____ PCAM ____ LSM To ensure confidential and anonymous selection, please provide a confidential four-digit code that will be printed on your entry. ____ ____ ____ ____ (Please avoid something like “1234” to avoid duplicating another entrant’s code)

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MARCH 2024

Jules C. Frankel Manager Education Assistance Program Community Associations Institute NJ Chapter

MANAGER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION - 2024

Please provide your four-digit code here (from previous page) ____ ____ ____ ____ I am applying for the following PMDP class (or classes): Course Name and Number Location (or online) Date __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Please provide answers to the following questions in essay form. Each answer should be 500 words or less. Please number your answers, and attach the separate page(s) to this page. 1. What personal and professional attributes make for a solid and effective community association manager? 2. The community association management field is constantly evolving. Please provide an example of a lesson-learned that has enabled you to grow professionally in the field and how that has allowed you to become more effective in your role. 3. Briefly explain why you make a good candidate to receive the manager scholarship and explain how the scholarship will foster the development of your career as a community association manager. 4. (Prior recipients only) How does applying for this scholarship benefit you and what would you tell others who would be interested in advancing their careers? Please list all of the CAI events (in-person or virtual) that you have attended in the twelve months prior to this application. Also list any other CAI involvement during the last 3 years (committees, etc.) 1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________________________

6. _______________________________________________________________________________________

7. _______________________________________________________________________________________

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MARCH 2024

Are Your Pets Causing a Pest Infestation in Your Home? By Chris Dattoli, Cowleys Pest Services

MediaProduction/E+/Getty Images

T here have been plenty of scientific studies that show the benefits of owning a pet. Even anec dotally, people will tell you that their dog helps keep them active or petting their cat allows them to truly feel calm. Pets bring us joy, but unfortunately, the way we care for our pets and pet products can create or exacerbate a rodent infestation. Don’t worry, you don’t need to send your furry family members away, but you might need to adjust how you take care of them. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are a pet owner. The first item you need to examine is your pet’s food. Canned dog and cat food are pretty rodent-proof, but dry food comes in bags that are easy for mice to chew through. It is a good idea to invest in a sturdy storage container for your pet’s food. There are products on the market specifically for this purpose. If you want to save a little money you can purchase a new trash can with a tight-fitting lid. Remember, mice are good climbers so an open container will only slow a mouse from getting to your pet’s food, it won’t stop them.

Once you have the food storage under control you need to turn to a trickier topic, feeding your pet. Some animals are happy to lick their bowl clean the second a morsel is placed in their dish. Others prefer to graze all day. If your pet likes to eat right away you are in luck. If you have a grazer, you could be in trouble. Leaving food out unattend ed all day is an invitation for mice. Remember, even small

“The first item you need to examine is your pet’s food.”

amounts of food are a feast for a mouse so the quicker you can get your pet’s bowl off the floor and washed the better. The installation of a “doggie-door” for your cat or dog can be a great convenience. Your pet can relieve them selves whenever they need to and you don’t need to worry about racing home from work to avoid a pet accident. But, this convenience comes at a price. Most doors have flaps that are made of plastic or another flexible material.

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MARCH 2024

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INFESTATION... from page 18.

It is important that you inspect the flap on a regular basis. The cold New Jersey winters make plastic brittle and can cause it to break. Even a small area that has broken off can create an opening for a mouse. Make sure to immediately fix any broken flap pieces. Lastly, let’s not forget “pocket-pet”owners. Small pets, like hamsters and Guinea pigs, can be wonderful additions to a family. Unfortunately, their paraphernalia

can also encourage mice. Storing their food properly is important, but so too is the proper storing of their bedding. Mice that come into our homes are looking for

“Mice that come into our homes are looking for both food and shelter.”

both food and shelter. The bedding used for your pet is the same bedding an intruding mouse would love to use for their nest. Make sure bedding is stored in a sealed container. The cold months of the year are the worst for rodent issues. You can reduce your chances of rodent issues by taking the steps listed above. If you are already taking these steps and still have a problem, this is a good time to reach out to a trusted pest professional. n

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MARCH 2024

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Deterring Deer Damage to Deciduous Trees By Cory Piskorski, ISA Certified Consulting Arborist, Princeton Tree Care

T aking pride in the beauty and preservation of shared spaces, community association boards and property managers face many challenges. One example is deterring deer damage to deciduous trees. Although these majestic creatures may seem harmless, “buck rub” can cause extensive bark damage and create wounds that make trees more susceptible to disease and pests. What Is Buck Rub? Typically, large multifamily housing developments have clusters of woods nearby or surrounding the residential

area. These spaces are a phenomenal habitat for whitetail deer. Once a year, deer go through their breeding cycle. Doe are situationally in heat from September through October and into November. Leading up to this, male bucks often mark their territorial claim. To show their control of an area they will aggressively nudge, scrape, and rub their antlers on tree trunks. This ritualistic scuffing is called buck rub. Bucks also do this to put their scent on the tree and polish their antlers. One buck could have up to 18 dif ferent rubs that he hits not just once, but sometimes three to five times in the heat of the season. Often times, the scrape CONTINUES ON PAGE 24

Nataliia Nesterenko/ jemastock/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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MARCH 2024

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MARCH 2024

DEER... from page 22.

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can vary from four to twenty inches in length and cause catastrophic dam age to the trees, including cork cam bium, and vascular tissue in that area. Younger trees and adolescent ones don’t typically have many lower limbs yet making them a preferred candi date for a buck rub. As newly planted or adolescent trees begin to establish, buck rub can quickly lead to death or severe decline and will take years to heal and rarely heal completely.

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“For trees that already received this type of damage, only time will tell..."

How to Protect Your Trees To save the tree from this type of damage and prevent it from ever occurring, a great method for preven tion is protective mesh or plastic that is very loosely wrapped around the trunk of the tree. This typically deters the buck from selecting that tree and defends it from the antlers in the event it is tried. Deer trunk protection is the official terminology, and this can be found at your local hardware store, farm center or arborist supply. For trees that already received this type of damage, only time will tell if it can compartmentalize that area.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 26

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MARCH 2024

DEER... from page 24.

Applying any type of prune seal or tar is not recommended. Although this will deter further pest activity to the wound, it is scientifically proven to slow the natural healing and the tree’s ability to compartmentalize the damaged area. Every deciduous tree planted should be planted with deer protection. Even if a community doesn’t see many deer, these animals frequently perform this type of work in the wee hours of the night. In conclusion, the damage deer can cause to trees is a significant concern for community associations. Simply implementing the use of deer trunk protection can help preserve the beauty and vitality of an associ ation’s shared spaces. In this way, communities can coexist harmoniously with these magnificent creatures while safeguarding their cherished trees. n

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ATTENTION ALL CAI-NJ SEMINAR ATTENDEES:

Please remember to keep your seminar completion certificates in a safe place. These certificates are distributed at the end of each CAI-NJ seminar. This is proof that you attended and completed the seminar. You may need to reference the certificate in the future and CAI-NJ does not keep track of each member’s attendance record. Community manag ers will definitely need the certificates to obtain credit for continuing educa tion towards their designations.

Returning families to their homes since 1985 Visit the website of CAI-NJ www.cainj.org

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MARCH 2024