NEWS FLASHES
INFO ABOUT WESTBROOKE’S HOA BOARD MEETINGS…
A QUICK WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT, MARY ANN JOHNSON
~~DATED JUNE 12, 2011~~
Thanks to all who came to the annual meeting on Saturday, June 4. With the breeze and shade, the weather was tolerable. I am looking forward to our next board meeting this Thursday, getting together with all the board members — new and old. We will be making plans for this next year. In case you are not aware, every homeowner is welcome to attend any of the monthly board meetings! All we ask is that you let us know ahead of time so we can make room for you (contact Mary Ann). If you have something you would like to bring before the board, we will make time for you on the agenda. If you have a problem, please come with a possible solution or suggestion, so we can all work together for the better of the community. Thanks again! ~~~Mary Ann
WESTBROOKE’S ANNUAL MEETING ON JUNE 4
~~DATED JUNE 5, 2011~~
A QUICK NOTE FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT ATTEND THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY MEETING… During the annual meeting, each Board member reported on his/ her area’s current status. Since three Board members’ did not have to be re-elected this year, the four other slots were voted upon. Joining Mary Ann Johnson, Mildred Zimmerman, and Donna Riffe for 2011-2012 are re-elected present members Pattie Carrew and Jim Denton, as well as new board members Jake Kreis and Robin Spencer. President Mary Ann Johnson announced the date for the special Board meeting so that the Board members can decide upon each member’s responsibilities. That meeting will be Thursday, June 16. MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW…
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Articles from May 2011 Newsletter:
A Word from HOA President, Mary Ann Johnson {this article was before the June meeting}
Soon it will be time for our annual homeowners’ meeting; all homeowners will receive a letter prior to the meeting set for Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m., at the pool’s pavilion. Please plan on attending. There are several issues that will be discussed as well as project updates. One mandatory task is Board elections, since there are four vacancies (due to ends of terms) that will need to be filled for the Board of Directors. Serving on the Board is not a hard thing to do; the members all work together for this community. Our By-Laws mandate that we need seven people to be on our volunteer Board (The treasurer is not an elected position.). We have a board meeting once a month to discuss projects in the community, problems that have come up during the year, solutions to those problems, and our community’s financial status. We really do need homeowners to volunteer to be on the Board. If you would be willing to serve on the Board, please let me (Mary Ann Johnson) know, so your name can be added to the ballot. If we don’t have a Board of volunteers who will manage the community, our only option would be to hire a management company to take over. Wouldn’t you rather have community residents to be in control of our community rather than having an outside company (which we would have to pay monthly) handling it? Please consider this and if you have questions concerning serving on the Board, please call me; I will be glad to answer any questions. Hope to see you at the Saturday annual gathering on June 4! Bring chairs if you do not want to sit at the picnic tables.
POOL CLEANUP THIS SATURDAY; POOL OPENS MAY 28
What is required for our pool to open? The simple answer is VOLUNTEERS!
When the pool opens on SATURDAY, MAY 28, 8a.m. to 8p.m., residents will see a pool that has received a much-needed “face lift.” For instance, beautiful new tiles (below the inside rim) have replaced the old cracked and broken tiles. Plus, the pool house and pavilion have new roofs! By the opening date, the pool house, pool deck, pool furniture, etc. will have been pressure-washed and the pool / water will be freshly cleaned. The rest of the pool area maintenance requires the help of VOLUNTEERS for about ONE HOUR THIS SATURDAY, MAY 14, 10a.m., to assist Board members on the finishing touches in the pool / pavilion areas, so bring your work gloves, as well as your favorite cleaning and gardening tools! Please contact Bob Broyles ASAP (correct phone number: 387-7017) to sign up for this work detail! In addition, weekly, Bob needs VOLUNTEERS FOR THE DAILY OPENING/ CLOSING OF THE POOL (as well as the daily minor clean-up / maintenance duties). This duty takes 10-20 minutes in the a.m. and in the p.m. Board members have signed up to get the season started, but now the rest of the summer will need to be covered by other residents, so call Bob and sign-up for your week! Bob will also have this sign-up sheet at the annual meeting on June 4. REMEMBER: Without these weekly volunteers, the pool will remain closed. Please note that Westbrooke’s pool gates remain locked at all times (even during “open” hours); any new homeowner (i.e. owners who have never been issued a pool key) should contact Bob for a key to the pool area; other residents — who have misplaced their keys — will need to pay $20 for a replacement key; renters must contact the property owner for keys.
ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL REMINDERS
Residents, please remember that if you want to make ANY exterior changes (including additions) to your unit or your yards, you must FIRST submit to the Architectural Committee your proposed plans IN WRITING prior to even beginning any work on your property. Then, you must still wait until Board member Jim Denton notifies you that your plans are approved, before you begin. If parts of your plan are not approved, do not begin. You are not to proceed until your total plan has been approved. {For clarification, these changes include additions, constructions, satellite dishes, painting, landscaping, patio / porch modifications, and / or door changes/ additions/ replacements.} Contact the committee chair, Jim Denton, if you need the necessary forms, if you any questions, or if he can be of any help to you. When filling out the required form, you must list in detail every change / addition you are planning!
~~~~THANKS TO THIS PAST YEAR’S STREET REPRESENTATIVES
Many thanks to our invaluable Street Representatives (formerly Block Captains) who keep watchful eyes on street happenings as well as delivering our newsletters to your front doors!. Please add your thanks to the Board’s! By streets, our representatives include – Gate Post: Ed Axelrod, Nat Morrell, Carol Kuropatwinski, Barbara Emery, Donna Riffe, Mary Ann Johnson. Greylock: Cathy Thaler, Betty Quarles, Ann Broyles, Marguerite Ruckman. Oak Ledge: now Bob Broyles. Tinsmith: Donna Judd and now Terrilyn Dugger. Thanks also to residents who delivered newsletters as substitutes (Richard / Doris Bianucci, Donna Riffe, Bob / Toni Broyles, Mary Ann Johnson, Terrilyn Dugger, and Lori McNutt). Any resident who could help us out with this kind of volunteer commitment in the future can contact Board member Donna Riffe.
~~~~RV LOT UPDATE
Summer is nearly here, so residents are getting ready for outdoor fun with family and friends on their recreational vehicles. Stay safe and have fun on your adventures, but remember to be courteous to the other residents who also store vehicles in our RV lot. Do not block the entryway or other vehicles! There is still space available in the RV Lot, but residents must contact Board member Pattie Carew to receive procedural information, such as filling out forms, having photos taken of the vehicle, and paying to rent a space. Residents who already have a vehicle in the lot must also contact Patty if they want to rent another space for another vehicle/ trailer.
~~~~ GARBAGE CAN REMINDERS
Since our garbage pick-up day has changed to Thursdays, residents are getting their cans back into their garages or back yards quickly; remember that by Friday evening, the cans should be “out of sight.” “Hidden” garbage cans make our pristine development look very tidy and clean to family, friends and prospective buyers who are driving around in Westbrooke! If your can is damaged (broken / missing wheels or lids, cracked or holey bodies), contact Board member Pattie Carew about how to get a replacement.
~~~~MOWING AND GROUNDS ISSUES
A-1 Landscaping keeps our development looking well-groomed. We have a few reminders for residents now that mowing has resumed; these are especially crucial to our new residents who might not be aware of these issues. When the overall weather improves, Adam will continue on repairing problem areas caused by all the raining this spring. Our regular mowing day is Tuesday, but with all this rainy weather, often mowing is being done at other times when the weather is clear and the ground is not overly-saturated with water. Therefore, please kee p dog chains, rakes, bicycles, etc. out of your yards at all times because any damage caused to the mowers or to the building / siding by such articles left lying in yards will be the responsibility of the homeowner; however, if a mower or weed-eater damages the siding on your home, please contact Board member Donna Riffe ASAP so such damage can be evaluated for repair. If you have trouble with a tree, contact Donna so she can help you rectify the situation. If you have fallen branches after a storm, please put those branches in your garbage cans at the curb on collection days. As far as problems the A-1 crew has mowing some yards, please be aware that if your yard is filled with many flower garden areas, decorative stepping-stones / waterfalls / statuary or with furniture / grills / toys / etc., the crew may not be able to mow the area since they are using large mowers. Also, remember that the landscaping crew does not mow or weed-eat designated garden areas or flowerbeds even if they are overgrown with weeds; such clearly-designated areas are the responsibility of the homeowner. Contact Donna if you have any other comments / complaints / suggestions.
~~~~ROOFING PROJECT
Phase One of our new roofing project was completed at the end of April, in spite of all that rain! We have already scheduled Phase Two for next March. Homeowners, remember that at least one-third of the assessment is due no later than December 31,2011, a mere 7 1/2 months from now. You have many options as to how you pay for this assessment. Whether you pay on the assessment monthly, yearly, or all of it at once, please remember to write a separate check.
~~~~WELCOME TO OUR NEW RESIDENTS
Welcome to our community, Preston Richards on Greylock as well as Don and Marie Moates and their daughter Donna Russell on Tinsmith. Board member Mildred Zimmerman gives the New Residents Packets to all new homeowners; she requests that all new residents who have not returned their packs to do so ASAP. If you have misplaced the pack, contact her for a new packet. That information is crucial for the Board’s development projects’ contact numbers and for emergency situations.