Page 11 - November 2025 Cascadian

GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE… continued from cover encourage you to submit an Intent to Run when the
forms are distributed in December. The election will
take place in March 2026.
Please remember to sign up for E-Voting and
E-Notification. These services help the association
reduce mailing costs and simplify participation. For
residents of Districts 2, 4, and 6, E-Voting eliminates
the need to fill out a proxy form which is required to
count you as “present” in order to hold the meeting.
Districts 1, 3, and 7 will not vote this year; therefore, a
paper proxy will be required unless you plan to attend
the meeting in person. I will always encourage a proxy
to be submitted just in case something comes up.
2026 Budget Update
3rd. As part of the demo process, the pole used for night
lighting had to be removed—an inconvenience, but
necessary. Currently, it’s difficult to give a definitive
completion date due to factors like weather, materials,
scheduling, and the ever-reliable Murphy’s Law. I’ll
continue to share updates as progress is made. Finally,
a heartfelt thank you to Sharon Swan and Alex
Monseigneur for being by my side during this project.
Your support means a great deal.
Landscape and Irrigation Update
Let’s talk about landscaping—and the rain!
Our weather in Port St. Lucie tends to swing from
drought to excessive rainfall. As much as we’d like
to control nature, it’s the primary factor in how our
landscaping looks. Irrigation is only a supplement to
rainfall.
By the time this edition of The Cascadian reaches you,
the 2026 Budget will likely have been adopted. The
process reflected thoughtful collaboration between the
Board, Budget & Finance Committee, management,
and our many clubs and committees. The result is a
budget that supports our community’s quality of life
and fiscal health.
•
During dry spells, lawns may burn due to heat and
water restrictions.
•
Right now, we’re facing the opposite: too much
rain.
Cascades is a beautiful and active community, a true
gem offering a unique lifestyle and value. We’re proud
to be an HOA within a POA, I like to say, having
amenities and activities to rival other associations. We
thank you for being part of it.
Juniper, our landscaping contractor, has received a
surge of work orders to check irrigation systems.
However, their contract does not include routine “wet
checks.” Many systems now need to be capped to
prevent overwatering.
One side effect of the rain is pooling, especially in side
yards, which then leads to ruts from mowers. Mowing
wet ground causes damage but skipping mowing
leaves grass overgrown. It’s a lose-lose during rainy
season.
50/50 Raffles – A Legal Note
There’s been some recent discussion around
50/50 raffles, and it’s important to clarify:
The association cannot advertise or sponsor 50/50s;
they are considered a form of gambling and are illegal
for HOA involvement.
Additionally, herbicides lose effectiveness due to rain
runoff, causing increased weed growth. Fungal issues
become more common in saturated conditions.
Bingo, however, is permissible, provided it occurs
no more than twice per week and the jackpots do
not exceed $250.00. We appreciate the vigilance
of residents who raised this issue in the interest of
compliance. We also understand that clubs may need
to adjust ticket pricing for events in the absence of
such games.
It is important for you, the homeowner, to enter work
orders into the Juniper Sync system for appropriate
service and tracking. The new site experienced issues
at the start. We have advised Juniper of the matter and
the need for a smoother transition of this program.
Please know that Nicole, Laura, Corene, and I are
actively addressing the concerns of residents that are
brought to our attention.
Pool Lighting
On another note, the pool lighting project is progressing.
We’re working toward securing a night swim permit.
The permit is in place, and we’ve been waiting several
weeks for the light poles to arrive. Once they’re in,
construction will require a temporary 2-day closure of
the pool and patio for safety and efficiency.
Pickleball
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is courage
to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Diane Blakeman, LCAM
Campbell Management
Cascades of Saint Lucie West
Construction on the pickleball courts began on October
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