Each year in Sabal Springs, after the board elections, committees are chosen to oversee a variety of activities and issues of importance to residents. Community members are encouraged to sign up to volunteer each March for any committee they may be interested in. Caveat, signing up does not guarantee participation as the various chairs choose the members.
On February 20, the Communications Committee held an informational session, providing a lot of information about the various opportunities available.
Below is a description of the different committees and what they do.
Architectural Review Committee (ARC) – Mary Zitek has been chair of this committee for a few years now. Their job is to approve any outside work to your homes. There are currently eight members of the committee who oversee zones within Sabal Springs. When an ARC form is submitted to the office, whoever has your zone, will come to your home and make sure all improvements follow our rules and regulations as well as Lee County regulations. They meet once a month to review all ARCs that have been submitted.
Building Maintenance – Gary Ravin is the chair, he did not attend the meeting. This committee helps oversee maintenance of our facilities.
Common Area Maintenance – The chair is Bill Jurocko, he was not able to attend the meeting.
Communications Committee – Linn Campbell serves as chair of this committee. Their goal is to get information out to residents. They have organized several informational sessions in the last year and hope to do even more in 2025. Topics have included EPC information and how to navigate our resident portal.
Compliance Committee/Fining Committee – both of these are currently chaired by Patsy Clark. Every two weeks, members drive around the community to write up any violations of the rules in our deed restricted community. Residents have 30 days to correct any violations. If they are not done, recommendations are sent to the board to recommend any fines or additional violations. In 2024, approximately six to eight fines were discussed and sent to the board for further discussion.
Contracts Committee – Randy Lockhart currently chairs this committee of four. Their job is to review and negotiate vendor contracts and offer opinions and recommendations to the board before contracts are signed. In 2024, this committee saved homeowners $18,000 on the golf cart lease contract. They also helped in reviewing contracts for the new landscaping company and for the two new air conditioners at the Clubhouse. They were able to add value to these contracts with additional services not originally offered.
Decorating Committee – Carol Duncan has chaired this committee since 2024. They decorate the common areas of Sabal Springs for seasons and holidays. Each year they take inventory of all decorations and they test each string of Christmas Lights in anticipation of Christmas decorating. There are currently five people on the committee, and are always looking for more help, especially tall people who are unafraid to climb ladders.
Documents Committee – Earl Russell is the current chair. He could not attend the meeting so fellow member Scott Clark presented. This committee recommends and makes changes to our documents based on changes in 720 laws or issues they believe need updating. They also review documents/contracts to ensure there are no conflicts between our bylaws, rules and regulations, and our covenants and restrictions.
Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) – Linn Campbell is also the chair of the EPC. The EPC helps prepare for emergencies. They offer classes on what to do during a hurricane as well as CPR and AED training. They manage the communications center at the clubhouse during emergencies and they organize the block captains for the various sections of Sabal Springs. They also run the annual toy drive in conjunction with the North Fort Myers Fire Department.
Entertainment Committee – Emily Ravin is the chair. Members are selected by invitation only. They plan entertainment events in Sabal Springs. No members presented at the meeting.
Finance Committee – Bill Hare has been chair of this committee for a year. There are four members. All members are required to sign a code of conduct. The committee provides oversight to the treasurer of the association by reviewing the budget and any financial statements. They meet monthly.
Golf Committee – currently chaired by Scott Clark and Donna Ireland. The purpose of this committee is to enhance the golf experience at Sabal Springs. This committee organized golf course tours in November that were very well received. They have plans for another one in March or April. They also hope to increase business and are currently discussing ideas on ways to do that. The flags out front have increased business so far this season, and they hope to do more.
Library Committee – The Library committee manages the library in the clubhouse. Dee Dunphy is chair, she did not attend the meeting.
Pool Committee – Cheryl Taylor is chair of the pool committee. Lauri Mansky presented in her absence. The committee is currently working on getting the pool deck resurfaced. They are also looking into redoing the fences and gates, adding shade structures, and re-strapping the pool furniture.
The Sabal Springs Breeze Newsletter – There are currently five members of the editorial staff. Donna Milbee presented at the meeting. As of April 1, the Breeze will be completely on line. This will allow for more vibrant content. The Breeze is currently seeking volunteers to write occasional articles and to cover various events in Sabal Springs.
Signage Committee – This committee updates signs throughout the development as needed. No representatives attended the meeting.
Tennis/Pickleball Committee – The chair is Bill Rokosz, he did not attend the meeting. This committee furthers discussions on how to move forward with tennis and pickleball in Sabal Springs.
Visionary Committee – Sabal Springs used to have a visionary committee, it has not existed for several years. The board wants to bring it back in 2025. The goals of the committee are to look ahead and help us plan for the future.
Welcome Committee – The Welcome Committee welcomes new residents to the community and provides information on rules, regulations, etc. They hold occasional orientations for new residents. Jeanine Clapp and Lanier Gray are co-chairs. Neither attended this meeting.
Thanks to the committee chairs and residents who were able to attend this informative session. The Breeze will provide ongoing information from each of these committees during the year.
Board President Jeff Duncan ended the meeting by describing how these committees are actually the lifeblood of this community. He specifically recognized the contracts committee for all the work they have done and for how much he has personally learned from them. He encouraged everyone in attendance to sign up and get involved.
Each month, committee membership is published in the Sabal Springs Breeze. If you have an interest or talent and want to get involved, please reach out to the committee chairperson.
