Number 1 - Floating Homes Association

ISSUE
FLOATING HOMES ASSOCIATION
NEWLSETTER
FloatingTimes
01
2015
Annual Meeting and Party Feb. 28
By Larry Clinton
Join your neighbors at the Bay
Model on Saturday evening,
February 28 to
learn more
about our community. After
updates from
FHA officers
and committee
Supervisor Sears at a previous
chairs, the meetannual meeting
Photo by Larry Clinton
ing will close with
an ever-popular
drawing for door prizes. Registration Opens at
5PM, and the Annual Meeting begins at 5:30.
All members of the community are invited to
attend our annual meeting .and enjoy great
food and fun!
Featured speakers are County Supervisor
Kate Sears and State Assemblymember Mark
Levine. Our state Senator, Mike McGuire,
might join us as well. The party starts at:
7:00PM, with a delicious buffet by Whole
Foods, plus music for dancing by Pacifico Samante and friends.
The party is free for two members of each
FHA household and children under 14. Guests
of FHA members pay $10 each. Memberships
will be accepted during registration.
Announcing Your FHA Officers
By Katherine Boschetto
Leading your Floating Homes Association for
the 2015-2016 term:
Flo Hoylman continues as our Vice President.
We’d like to honor Flo’s dedication as this is
her third term as VP, and for heading our
Emergency Preparedness Project.
Linda Sempliner was elected our new Secretary. Linda has resided in our community
many years, always helping with the Annual
Tour, most recently handling Ticket Sales and
Registration very efficiently. Her eagle eye
focus on details will be embraced and appreciated.
Ron Moreland continues gifting the FHA with
many more hours of hard work as our Treasurer. His staying power is remarkable — a bonus for us.
Many of you already know Suki Sunnett, who
is taking on our Government Relations post.
With her involvement in local government
and the Waldo Point Reconfiguration, she is
well known and respected throughout the
county. Suki will represent the FHA and communicate to us the issues that affect our community.
Continued on next page
New Officers continued from previous page
We wholeheartedly thank Hillair Bell for her insights and diligence as Secretary over the past
four years. She will be missed.
Thank you doesn’t seem sufficient for Stan Barbarich’s many hours of time and effort dedicated
to the FHA over numerous years serving the FHA.
He moves to a Director at Large position, which
we are grateful for as the FHA will continue to
benefit from his expertise.
Henry Baer continues as Director at Large, always
providing a different perspective at our meetings.
Many thanks to the Nominating Committee of
Hillair Bell and Felicity Kirsch and Court Mast, too,
for his input.
Yours truly remains as your President, I am honored and humbled to do so.
2015 is going to be a brilliant year. Looking forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting and
Party.
Property Tax Relief for Seniors Selling Floating Homes
By Ron Moreland
The voters of California passed prop 60 in
1986. Prop 60 allows homeowners who are
55 years of age or older to sell their primary
residence and transfer the base-year value
of the original property to a replacement
residence. If you sell your home and purchase a replacement home of equal or lesser
value, and meet all the qualifying conditions,
you might qualify for this one time transfer.
This provides property tax relief for seniors
by preventing a tax increase if they sell their
existing home and buy another home of
equal or lesser value. You have 2 years from
the date that you sell your original residence
to purchase or construct a replacement residence. There are also some important qualifications.
You must be 55 or older (or in the case of
couples one spouse must be 55).
The cost of the new dwelling must be equal
to or less than the sales price of the old
one.
This is a one time only exemption.
Originally Prop 60 only applied to dwellings
sold and bought in the same county. And, as
we all know, selling a floating home and
purchasing a lesser value single family home
in Marin County is very difficult, although
buying a condo might work. Fortunately
several counties in California have agreed to
allow Prop 60 to apply even if the original
dwelling was sold in Marin. These counties
are: Alameda, Contra Costa, Inyo, Kern, Los
Angeles, Modoc, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Mateo and Santa Clara. There are
other qualifications, and you should contact
the County Assessor's Office for more details.
So how do we know Prop 60 applies to
floating homes? We contacted Rich Benson,
the Marin County Assessor, and he was extremely helpful. He told us that the Revenue
& Taxation Code (69.5), which implements
Prop 60, defines the original and replacement as real or personal property. The Revenue & Taxation Code also states that floating homes are to be taxed as real property.
In Rich's opinion all of this leaves no doubt
that Prop 60 applies to us.
Prop 60 can be a major financial benefit to
many of us. Keep in mind that the base-year
(assessed) value of your floating home will
probably be a fraction of the purchase price
of a new home. This could mean significant
savings in property taxes when you move to
a dwelling in Marin or one of the above
counties.
2
Water You Doing Here? by The Dinghy Dame
Barrie Barnett was born in Baltimore. And
she was reborn on A Dock. To sum up her
feelings about our wonderful community,
she says the first time she walked down Issaquah in 2013— she thought to herself,
“My God, I’ve found my tribe!”
ster Kennel Club dog show at Madison
Square Garden, the super-bowl of dog
shows, where the cream of the crop bring
their prize-winning pups to compete
against the other champions for the coveted ‘Best In Show’ trophy. It is an annual tradition for many of the dog owners to atBy the age of nine, Barrie had started formal art training in Classical Realism, and by tend whatever exhibit is currently at the
William Secord Gallery, and mine was
twenty she was creating high-level porshown that year. These people expect to
traits. She was in a frame
see paintings featuring not
shop when she was
just the popular breeds, but
“discovered” by a womstellar examples of each
an of the FFV. I had to
breedwith perfect conforlook that up, but the first
mation and coloring, so I refamilies of Virginia are
ally had to do my homework
quite a prestigious lot.
and find exquisite examples
Apparently elite Europeof each breed I painted -- a
ans arrived in Colonial
lot of pressure!”
Virginia in the late seventeenth century and
She became known as the
those colonial family
top pastellist in the country,
names remain today in
and taught at the Pastel SociBarrie Barnett at home on A Dock
Photo
by
Bethany
O'Connell
good standing. (Blue
ety of America in New York.
Blood might suffice.) So
Alas, all the pastel particulates
from the beginning of Barrie’s career she
in the air caused health problems and she
worked within their social realm. For fifteen had to switch to another medium. She now
years she primarily painted children for
uses oils exclusively. She will continue to
many families in the southeast. In ’98 she
paint children and animals, but she currentswitched to dogs, and for the next fifteen
ly is doing more portraits of adults after
years she was flown all over the U.S.in an
winning a national award for her rendition
effort to find perfect dogs and paint them. of her own dying mother. You can see that
She was also doing commercial work for
and other examples of her extraordinary
artistry on her website BarrieBarnett.com.
gift products.
You will be impressed.
William Secord is an expert on the dog in
art. His Manhattan gallery is filled with 19th
century canine paintings, prints and sculptures. Barrie was one of three artists he
commissioned. She told me she had to
paint twenty-five perfect dogs in nine
months, which is almost an impossible feat.
“The show of dog paintings in New York
was to coincide with the annual Westmin-
Before I tell you how she got here, I must
let you know that Barrie’s great grand father Edward Emerson Simmons was one of
“The Ten” American Impressionists. One of
his most renowned works was The Carpenter’s Son, which was, in people’s minds, a
Continued on next page
3
Dinghy Dame continued from previous page
representation of Jesus as a young boy. Her great
great grand uncle was Ralph Waldo Emerson.
(Talk about pedigree!) Barrie said, “My great great
grandmother and her brother ‘Waldo’ raised my
great grandfather as his father had died young.”
Apparently of all the progeny only she inherited
the gene of the artist, and she has felt the need
to nurture that talent and
make it her life’s work.
in search of a far off land where they might worship in peace. The blood of those nineteen people who made that voyage flows in my veins, so it
is no wonder I can’t tolerate restraint in any form,
or that I had zero reservations about abandoning
my deep East Coast roots and migrating solo to
Sausalito’s houseboat community. Authenticity,
inclusivity, all our uniqueness --it feels
like the polar opposite of the cookiecutter suburbs where people don’t
know their neighbors.”
In 2007 Barrie was living on
the Chesapeake Bay. By
2012 she found herself fed
Barrie has a studio at the ICB in Sauup with the intense D.C.
salito and participates in the open
mentality and she longed
studios there. She also belongs to the
for a change of scenery.
Rowing Club in Greenbrae where she
She travelled to New Zeacrews three times a week. She particiland with hopes of earning
pated in our last tour, and is becomBarrie at ages 3 and 30
a Masters Degree in Indiging a welcome addition to our life on
enous Studies. Her daughter joined her there and the edge.
they lived together for four months. Upon her re- Barrie has three programs in mind for the future
turn to the states she stopped off at a cousin’s
where her passion and talents can interact. She
house in Fairfax and learned about VRBO
wants to impact how we, as a nation, see our old(something else I had to have explained to me!). er people. She wants to change that and pay
Vacation Rentals By Owners brought Barrie to Is- homage to a concept she gleaned from a favorite
saquah for three months, during which time she
book, “Grandmothers Counsel the World” by Cargot hooked on our lifestyle. She found herself a
ol Schaeffer. She hopes to create a global stewfour hundred square foot studio on “The Alpha” ards pro-bono program and paint our elder leadon A Dock in 2013, and she calls it home. Here is ers (for example, Jane Goodall). She has already
what she had to say: “I realized that New Zealand painted a Maori elder she met in New Zealand.
was just a stepping stone to Marin with even a
She hopes to create a film production company
better lifestyle and career opportunities and it
and to compile a biography of her great grandfawasn’t sixteen thousand miles from my daughter. ther Simmons, as he is the only one of “The Ten”
In my opinion, the houseboat community is the
without one.
Anti-Stepford. It embraces diversity and individual expression and awesome non-conformism! My Her energy, enthusiasm and talents are endless.
Welcome aboard, Barrie!!
ancestors were the Pilgrims, that first group of
adventurers who embarked upon the Mayflower
ADVERTISE IN THE FLOATING TIMES
Place your (un)classified advertisement in the Floating Times for the low price of $50/year for copy up to 250 characters
or $100 for copy up to 500 characters, 6 issues a year. All ads should have a header no longer than 2 lines and 50
characters (letters & spaces) and no formatting. Contact Cathy Moreland at (415) 332-2429 or
cathy@morelandonline.com
4
Community News
December Flooding
On December 3, a 6.5-inch high tide combined with 4 inches of rain to flood roadways and parking
lots around Gate 6 and Gate 6-1/2. The newly-raised parking areas of Waldo Point Harbor had no
problems, but residents of other Marinas encountered knee deep waters, as the following photos illustrate.
Kappas Green underwater
Photo by Julie Durbin
After the storm, Kappas
Green became a
mushroom farm
Gate 6-1/2 residents waded into
their parking lot to rescue their cars
Photo by Gabrielle Moore-Gordon
Gate 6 Road was inundated in front of
Yellow Ferry Harbor
Photo by Barrie Barnett
Mosquito Abatement
By Joan Sheahan
If mosquitos are a problem on your dock help is
a phone call away!
Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District has been visiting South Forty dock and offering solutions. I have a few pamphlets with in
teresting facts about mosquitoes and their preferences if anyone would like one, contact me at
usc1953@aol.com.
The contact at this company is Teresa ThomasNett and you can reach her at 707 9755
FHA Supports Local Nonprofits
Partial proceeds from our annual Open Homes
Tour were donated to three local nonprofits last
year. Friends of the Marin City Library and Sausalito Village were both recognized for providing
volunteers on Tour day. The Bay Model, which
hosts our annual meeting and party, also received
a donation.
Retiring, But Not Shy
At Issaquah Dock’s annual holiday party, Steve
Sekhon was awarded a
trophy as the Best Dock
Rep ever. Steve, whose
role has been assumed
by Jennifer Gennari,
stepped down after
several years as Dock
Rep.
Steve Sekhon with his trophy
Photo by Emily Riddell
Tour co-chair Mari
Steeno presents a
check to Wyna
Barron, President of
Friends of Marin
City Library.
Photo by Etienne
Douglas
Help Save a Seal
Large numbers of starving sea lion pups have
stranded along California shores this winter, and
the Marine Mammal Center volunteers are working overtime to help these animals.
The Center is actively recruiting short-term volunteers 18 or older to work in the fish kitchen during this crisis. There are three 4-hour volunteer
shifts every day, seven days a week from now
through the end of June.
To sign up, email volunteer@tmmc.org with your
preferred date(s) and shift time.
Gate 6 ½ Getting Ready Together
By Linda Zraik
On Saturday, December 6th, the residents of Gate tions. What’s next is to take the information
6 ½ had a two -hour
gleaned and to specialize it for our specific
meeting with three
dock needs.
members of the Marin
The second hour of the meeting everyone
City Fire Department.
went out on the dock and the fire fighters
Captain Todd Overshiner,
showed us how to use the fire hoses, which
Bjorn Anderson and
are stationed throughout our dock. Because
Gabe Garcia began with
of the training several of the residents are goa slide show, which preing to write up the protocol for using these
Fire fighters demonstrate use
sented what actions
hoses and will laminate these instructions and
of dock hoses
should be taken in the
put them on each fire hose area. Those inPhoto by Linda Zraik
event of a disaster. Capstructions will be offered to other Dock Reps
tain Overshiner headed up the meeting, and gave at upcoming Board Meetings so they’ll be availaeveryone material to use and answered quesble to post everywhere.
6
Classified Adver tisements
PAYNE WHITTINGTON INSURANCE SERVICES
Appointed agent for Red Shield Insurance
Floating Home Insurance Uniquely designed for you. We
understand and cover both marine and residential risks.
Lic#0A96341 Luci Payne, CPCU
paynewh@infoasis.com (415) 884-2930
NELSON PAINTING—YOUR WATERFRONT EXPERTS
www.nelsonpainting.pro
FREE CONSULTATIONS Interior & exterior painting - Dry
rot removal and repair - Industrial deck/roof coatings - Natural wood restoration Dock repair/non-skid coatings - Feng
Shui & Organizing 415-250-4100
786 Waldo Pt Sausalito Lic# 647175
SADLER AND CO., INC. INSURANCE
for Floating Homes. Owner or tenant. Excellent rates. Also
yacht, home, renters, auto, business, life/health.
Call Broker Laura Elliott (415) 457-2400
ENGMAN ARCHITECTURE
Robert Engman AIA - Architect, estb. in Sausalito in 1973.
Multiple experience with Floating Homes, Single Family
Residences, new & remodeling, Kitchens, Baths & site improvements. Completed projects in all Southern Marin cities. Owner/architect of #11 “A” Dock, Waldo Point Harbor.
(415) 383-1606 www.millvalleyarchitect.com
MICHELE AFFRONTE –
The Waterfront Specialist Since 1987
THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO SELL YOUR FLOATING
HOME. We now have 2 lenders doing loans on our homes
and there are very few floating homes for sale. I have
many buyers just waiting for new listings. I have the most
aggressive, innovative marketing plan on the docks. I will
have full color videos & slideshows done for your listing. I
will price & sell your listing in a short amount of time for the
best possible price. Bradley Real Estate Mill Valley
415.798.0236 License #00959293 Maffronte99@gmail.com.
PAUL BERGERON REAL ESTATE
Residential Sales - Vacation Rentals
Try a fresh approach to selling or purchasing a Floating
Home or earn extra income by renting
as a Vacation Rental.
415 332-7539 www.PaulBergeronRealEstate.com
COOPERATIVE CENTER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
In 2004, the National Credit Union Administration approved
the Floating Homes Assoc. as a charter group of Cooperative Center FCU. When you’re shopping for a loan, think of
your credit union first! For 72 years, we have provided our
members with highly competitive rates and terms on ALL
CONCRETE HULL REPAIRS BY MORGAN CONSTRUCloans, from VISA Credit Cards to Auto Loans to Floating
TION
Home Loans. We invite you to learn more by calling our
Repairing hulls for over 30 years. Licensed and bonded.
Loan Dept. at (510) 647-2126 or visit www.coopfcu.org.
State law requires construction workers to be licensed for
HOWARD MYERS, 30 YEARS SELLING
jobs over $500.
OUR FLOATING HOMES
Licence #548554 www.houseboatrepair.com for details.
CALL 415.531.5146
Decker Bullock Sotheby's International Reality
Good loans are available with interest rates that have never
R. HASKELL CONSTRUCTION CA#692399
been so low! Sale prices are higher
Reasonable, reliable handyman, experienced in
than at the previous market peak in 2007! This is the best
remodel, repairs, new construction, carpentry, finish
market environment I have ever seen!
work, baths and kitchens. Local references.
GIVE YOUR HOME AND LIFESTYLE THE INTERNA415-465-1100. Free estimates. Rich Haskell
TIONAL EXPOSURE IT DESERVES
High end full color photography, videos, and slide shows,
RED SHIELD INSURANCE COMPANY®
I sell all price points.
DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS!!!
Howard Myers: consistent, knowledgeable, honest service.
www.redshield.com 800-527-7397
415 378 4526 myehowa@aol.com
Knowledge Commitment Reliability Service
BRE license# 00888402
BANK OF MARIN FLOATING HOME LOANS
Now offering financing for floating homes with competitive
rates & terms with experienced local underwriting & management. Loan amounts up to $1 million. Available for
homes with a concrete hull. Credit approval decision within
48 hours with a completed loan package. Member FDIC.
Equal Housing Lender. NMLSR # 781770.
Call 415-289-8705 or stop by any Bank of Marin branch.
JBL SOLAR — FLOATING HOME WHIZ
Use Money You Are Spending Anyway
Electric bill $125+? Friendly local installer delivers excellent
Return-On-Investment.
Enjoy the 30% Tax Credit, add value to your home.
Financing programs available! Great service,
local references, call today!
Lic #981865 JBLSolarEnergy.com 707-381-2014
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FHA Voice Mail (415) 332-1916
Website: www.floatinghomes..org
FHA OFFICERS
Govt. Relations
Admin. Coordinator
Katherine Boschetto
Flo Hoylman
Linda Sempliner
Ron Moreland
Henry Baer
Stan Barbarich
Suki Sennett
Lewis Shireman
297 6592
332-1043
717-6278
332-2429
331-9220
332-7225
331-6375
331-8325
kbbb@mindspring.com
flohoy@gmail.com
linda@nigelconsulting.com
ron@morelandonline.com
baerdds@aol.com
stan@floatinghouse.net
sennett24@comcast.net
lewisshireman@gmail.com
COMMITTEES
Emergency Prep.
Emergency
Notification System
Environmental
Membership
Newsletter Editor
Submissions
Classifieds
Tour Co-Directors
Public Relations
Flo Hoylman
Joe Novitski
332-1043
786-367-5859
Stan Barbarich
332-7225
Ron Moreland
332-2429
Jenny Stein
244-4201
Dan Genter
650-245-3727
Terri Thomas
650-703-2787
Mari Steeno
713 1117
Michele Affronte
798 0236
Larry Clinton
332-6196
Donna Lunsford
332-5350
Cathy Moreland
332-2429
Mari Steeno
713 1117
Larry Clinton
332-6196
Vacant
flohoy@gmail.com
jwnovitski@gmail.com
stan@floatinghouse.net
ron@morelandonline.com
jennystein@mac.com
danegenter@gmail.com
TL2thomas2@gmail.com
maristeeno@yahoo.com
mgmarin@earthlink.com
click@dipsymusic.com
carlbanjo@comcast.net
cathy@morelandonline.com
maristeeno@yahoo.com
click@dipsymusic.com
bprice@co.marin.ca.us
oldskow@gmail.com
richstim@gmail.com
felicity_kirsch@comcast.net
kiiski@earchlink.net
labateml@netscape.net
ted@nigelconsulting.com
brad@bradhathaway.com
click@dipsymusic.com
lzraik@comcast.net
jengennari@gmail.com
maristeeno@yahoo.com
mgmarin@earthlink.com
nancistarr@gmail.com
peterhuson@att.net
phudson@csassoc.com
guyb@sonic.net
phyllyb@sonic.net
martdengler@yahoo.com
dancerstyles@hotmail.com
court@mastphotography.com
alidalasker@gmail.com
shenmaker@msn.com
District 3 Supervisor Kate Sears
473-7331
Assemblymember Mark Levine
479-4920
San Francisco BCDC
352-3600
FEMA
800-462-9029
Army Corps of Engineers
332-0334
Sausalito Post Office
332-0258
pamafloat@comcast.net
ric@floatinghome.com
ron@morelandonline.com
ISSUE 01
472-0911
289-4143
cell: 971-3919
San Francisco Baykeeper Hot Line 1-800 533-7229
Marin County Fire Dept. Non-emergency
446-4463
Marin County Sheriff Non-emergency
332-5422
Harbor Equity Group
Pam Bousquet
331-3614
WPH Residents (HEG) Liaison Ric Miller
331-6116
Kappas Homeowners
Ron Moreland
332-2429
WildCare
456-7283
24 Hour Nightline 300-6359
The Marine Mammal Center
289-7325
A Dock
Sally Champe
331-1505
Alternate
Rich Stim
887-9748
Commodore
Felicity Kirsch
888-3919
Alternate
Richard Kiiski
717-2470
Co-op
Michael Labate
331-5081
Van Damme Dock Vacant
East Kappas
Ted Sempliner
717-8870
Alternate
Brad Hathaway
299-3382
Gate 6 1/2
Larry Clinton
332-6196
Alternate
Linda Zraik
332-0352
Issaquah
Jennifer Gennari
332-3988
Alternate
Mari Steeno
713-1117
Liberty
Michele Affronte
798 0236
Alternate
Nanci Starr
244-2499
Main Dock
Peter Huson
332-6240
Alternate
Peter Hudson
717-6469
South 40
Guy Biederman 707-292-9040
Phyllis Biederman
707-292-2888
Alternate
Martin Dengler 510-672-2746
Dancer Styles
272-7515
West Kappas
Court Mast
331-1953
Alternate
Alida Lasker
917-822-7601
Yellow Ferry
Richard Pavek
331-3753
Alternate
Vacant
GOVERNMENT
SERVICES
Emergency Line when using cell phones
RBRA Harbor Admin
Bill Price
DOCK REPS and ALTERNATES
FLOATING TIMES
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Directors at Large
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