Official Publication of the Wood Glen Property Owners Association March 2012 - Volume 6, Issue 3
(Continued on Page 3)
GREETINGS WOOD GLEN NEIGHBORS!I’m sure that most of you have noticed the new fence along the
north end of Plantation Dr. is complete. As this is being written the contractor hired to apply the stain and seal is playing a bit of cat and mouse with the rainy weather. He is testing the moisture content of the wood weekly and waiting for a little dry weather to complete the job.
The construction of the fence did bring up a subject and outcome that caught me by surprise: A resident whose property was affected by the fence construction had a short section of side fence fall down when a corner post broke off during windy conditions. He notified us and mentioned that the new fence and his existing fences were not “tied” together which contributed to the damage he experienced. Naturally, we asked the contractor to repair their fence and they did so.
When I asked the contractor why the fences weren’t “tied” together (connected at the corners to strengthen the fence) he informed me that they never “tie” Association owned fences to privately owned fences. The primary reason this is done is to keep damage isolated; component failure occurring to a private fence won’t hurt the Association fence and vice versa. The Association fences are built using steel posts between masonry columns and are designed as “stand alone” fences while the majority of private fences simply use wooden posts and simply aren’t as strongly built.
Some folks have added 2” x 4” “ties” to the rails between the two fences to strengthen the sections but those ties typically don’t provide much in the way of additional strength and won’t support the weight of a section of fence that would otherwise fall down.
The lesson I learned from this exercise is that residents who are replacing/or repairing fences should consider installing steel corner posts on side and back fences to insure “stand alone” strength and not rely on the Association owned fences for additional strength. It is likely that the precedent of not “tying” the two fence types together will continue for the reasons stated above. Residents who share Association owned fences on their property are advised to plan their fence repairs accordingly.
The Board has recently had discussions regarding our policy for notifications of residents, particularly around what we call “eblasts” type email. These are emails typically sent to all residents on a wide range of subjects. The concern is that we have a lot of requests from outside the neighborhood for disseminating information to our
residents and that information doesn’t always directly affect (or is of interest to) the majority of our owners. The result is sometimes borderline “spam” committed by us.
In the interest of maintaining some sort of guidelines around “electronic privacy” we have developed the following criteria to define what subjects warrant legitimate electronic notifications. They are as follows:
• Hazard or warning messages from city and county• Zoning or rezoning information that could impact Wood Glen• Information regarding our schools (Cactus Ranch Elementary, Old
Town Elementary, Walsh Middle School and Round Rock HS)• Lost/found pet messages• Notifications regarding work projects for neighborhood• Neighborhood functions• News from board president and committee chairs• Any release of information deemed appropriate by the board president
I think we’ve figured out the majority of categories based on what we’ve seen in the past, however, one or two more are bound to pop up. When we get something that doesn’t fit the guidelines we’ll discuss it as a Board and make the decision to send or not send and simply define a new category to add to the stated guidelines if necessary.
As I stated in last month’s column, the best notification guidelines are personalized guidelines enabling residents to choose subjects/categories that are important to them. Since we don’t currently have a customized database of residents structured for these kinds of choices the guidelines above are the next best thing.
As always, if you have an opinion or suggestion for additional guidelines we’ll be more than happy to listen. Simply notify me or your section representative and we’ll put it on the table for discussion.
BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDSRELAX MATTRESS: Your fellow Round Rock neighbor has opened a NEW Mattress Store in Round Rock! Relax Mattress is located next to Gatti-land off I35 and Sam Bass Rd. Teacher, Military, EMS, Fire and Police discount! www.relaxmattress.net Call Ryan Christian @ 512-388-3000 Locally Owned and Operated.
Wood GlenGreetings Wood Glen...(Continued From Cover Page)
Let us make sure yourbiggest investment is structurally sound.
TUCKERENGINEERING1311 Chisholm Trail, Suite 303
Round Rock, TX 78681Phone (512) 255-7477Fax (512) 244-3366
www.tuckerengineering.net
STRUCTURAL REPORTSStructural reports can be furnished in any of the following areas:
• Structural design of houses and apartments including superstructure, foundation and drainage.
• Structural inspections of houses and apartments including drainage, foundation, superstructure, as well as decks, pools and other structures.
• Identification of problems• Recommended Solutions• Estimated Costs• Inspection and Certification for structural repairs
Our reports are concise, easy to read.
We keep your information confidential.
Fees for services are based on the type of structure to be inspected and where it is locatedSPECIALIZING IN
RESIDENTIALAND COMMERCIAL
STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS
Serving Central Texas Since 1979
Jeffrey L. Tucker, P.E., a registered professional engineer in Texas, has been involved in structural design, inspection and repair of houses and apart-ments since 1965. He is uniquely qualified to perform structural analyses of wood frame structures and slab foundations; to inspect and offer assurance of structural integrity and/or repair recommendations and details.
UPDATES FROM THE JANUARY 24TH BOARD MEETING INCLUDE
Confirmation of new Section 2 member to the Board. Big thanks to Sean Copeland for volunteering his time to represent the folks in “The Park”. This is the first time in a long time that we’ve actually had all Board positions filled. Also, thanks go out to Gloria Gomez and Darlene Snow who have volunteered to Co-Chair the Social Committee. Their contact information is in the process of being added to the Wood Glen web site.
Those of you who are signed up to receive email updates already know that our switch to a different electrical provider through Kilowatt Partners should save the Association approximately $6000 this fiscal year. This is just one of many steps being taken to make our dues money stretch a bit further. Those of you who have still not signed up for email notifications are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. It’s the medium we’ll be using for Board meeting notifications and other critical information going forward. Right now we’ve got postal expenses down individual communications with residents. Don’t be left out!
Finally, a quick word on the cardboard signs that seem to pop up at the neighborhood entrance periodically. The short version is that they are simply not permitted. To make matters worse people are putting signs out there and are not picking them up when their event is over. We need everyone’s help to keep the neighborhood clean and neat. If you have information that meets the guidelines for eblasts, send to me or the Communication Chair Donna Tucker. 0020
I hope everyone has a great March! Spring seems to have come early this year.Gee, I can’t wait to start mowing grass again! :( - Eric
SEND US YOUR Event
Pictures!! Do you have a picture of an event that you would like to run in this newsletter? Send it to us and we will publish it in the next issue. Email the picture to [email protected]. Be sure to include the text that you would like to have as the caption. Pictures will a p p e a r i n color online a t w w w .P E E L i n c .com.
We Care Calendar for Wood Glen. What is it: The Care Calendar is an online calendar. If you have a special need (for example, you have a new baby and few meals would be very helpful) you would contact me either by phone (671-8467) or my email [email protected]. I would then set up the calendar with your needs (meals) and the times/dates that the meals would be needed. Families in our neighborhood would be made aware of your need. Families who are able to help would then go online, pull up the calendar and fill in the date and the meal they would be providing. Or you could call me with the information and I would be happy to fill in the calendar with the information. Very easy! If you have any questions please call me.
Denise Ferguson
Our family had a fascinating experience recently when, on our way home through the neighborhood after sunset, we passed what looked like an owl sitting in the middle of the street. It appeared to be stunned and did not resist being picked up so we brought him home, wrapped him in a towel, and named him Costello (you know, Whoooo’s on first?)
Thanks to the internet we quickly determined that it was an adult screech owl. Screech owls are small, just six to ten inches long and weighing only six to ten ounces. These little guys are apparently very common around here, living not just in our green belt but in the trees in our yards, where their camouflage helps them disappear.
Since owls can’t move their eyes from side to side and don’t have much peripheral vision it is not uncommon for them to chase a bug to the street and then not be able to see an oncoming car. Fortunately, there is a great organization that rehabilitates wildlife: Austin Area Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. The next morning we were headed to Cedar Park to meet Ed Sones and see what he could do for our owl. Ed quickly determined that Costello had been hit by a car and sustained a broken wing; a splint and some tlc and our owl would be ready to return to the wild (our neighborhood).
Ed graciously gave us a tour of his large back yard, which is home and hospital to a brood of native animals. Taking care of these animals is a full time job for this retired gentleman; he doesn’t even get to go out of town—it is definitely a 24/7 commitment.
Eight days later, Costello had flown and it was time to return him to his home. We met Ed at the amenity center for the event and while Costello flew a little, it was obvious he was not feeling up to the job yet. He let Ed pick him back up so we have plans for a second release soon.
If you have opportunity to rescue a wildlife animal, you can contact Ed Sones at (512) 259-5689. AAWR receives no funding from State, City or Federal agencies and relies solely on the community’s tax-deductible donations. If you would like to help, please go to http://austinareawildliferehab.org/financialsupport.html.
PICK UP THE PILEHappy New Year to all! As we embark on 2012’s journey, some will
think of ways to improve upon themselves. I’d like to offer an idea to those that still think dog poop is fertilizer, let’s try picking up after our dogs. In case you were not aware, scientists have established the fact that the dog's gut harbors a particular type of bacteria known as the coli form bacteria. This bacterium includes the dreaded E. coli bacteria and also contains strains of salmonella and giardia. Now, since the rains have finally come, all the piles that have been left behind will be washed into our storm drains and contaminate our water supply. Not only is our water supply affected but perhaps even the air we breathe...I came across this article:
Please join us for the 4th annualColin’s Hope Classic charity golf tournament
and help prevent childhood drownings.
Colin’s Hope envisions a world where children do not drown
Honorary ChairsOlympic Swimmers:
Brendan Hansen and Garrett Weber-GaleCity of Lakeway Chief of Police: Todd Radford
15 THINGS TO DO TODAY TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
By Karin Flagg, Organize With Purpose!
Here are 15 simple things you can do immediately to take youfrom overwhelmed to back in control in just minutes.
1. CREATE AN ‘IN-OUT’ OR ‘LANDING PAD’AREA BY YOUR ENTRANCE DOOR
Whether you use your front door or garage, use this area to collect the things you use every day like keys, a charging station for phones, and a bulletin or whiteboard to jot down reminders and tack papers you need the next day. You’ll eliminate last-minute frantic hunting and actually start your day stress-free.
2. DECLUTTER, JUST MINUTES AT A TIME
You may not have time to thoroughly declutter a room, but you can at least start small every day. Go through a room with a laundry basket and pick up any items that don’t belong there. When the basket is full, put those things back where they should go.
3. SORT YOUR INCOMING MAIL IMMEDIATELY
Instead of piling up that stack of mail, sort it over a trash can and immediately toss junk mail making sure to shred sensitive items. (If you don’t have a shredder use a pair of ‘shredding scissors’). Open the rest of the mail throwing away all envelopes. Now sort this small pile into bills to pay, things to read, items to keep and file.
4. LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF MAIL YOUHAVE TO SORT THROUGH EVERY DAY
Stop wasting precious time sorting through your crammed mailbox filled with unsolicited mail. Opt-out of receiving credit card offers, fliers and catalogs you don’t want or need by registering at the Direct Marketing Association website: www.DMAchoice.org.
5. GO PAPERLESS
Whenever possible, opt for paperless statements. Most banks, utility and service companies offer online statements instead of having them mailed to you. That means less paper for you to sort and file – not to mention saving trees.
6. SWITCH TO ONLINE & AUTOMATIC BILL-PAY
Sign up with your bank for online bill-pay to ensure you never miss a payment again. As soon as you get a new bill enter the amount to pay and the due date in the bill-pay section. That’s it! Your bank makes sure it’s sent and delivered on-time so you don’t have to. And think about signing up for automatic recurring payments for things like your mortgage and car payment – then won’t even have to remember to remember to pay them! No more hunting for stamps and running to the post office.
7. EMBRACE THE ‘ONE-IN ONE-OUT’ RULE
This is a great system for almost any area of your life. Whether it’s a new item of clothing or a book, decide that for every new item you bring home one will be removed. This will help keep you from being overwhelmed by all your stuff. (Continued on page 7)
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DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser.* The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising.* Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction.* Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.
8. CREATE A MAGAZINE & CATALOG BASKET
Have a container, like a basket or box, to hold all your magazines and catalogs. When it gets full, that’s your cue to recycle the old ones.
9. MULTI-TASKING IS A MYTH
Studies show that trying to do 2 or more things at once that require your complete attention just doesn’t work. Instead, block out chunks of time to focus on one project at a time. You’ll be amazed how much more you’ll actually get done working this way.
10. CLEAR OUT MENTAL CLUTTER
It’s exhausting trying to keep all those thoughts, ideas, projects and to-do lists in your head – instead, get them out of your head and out where you can see them. Whether you use technology or paper, it’s a quick way to make lists of all those mental thoughts swirling in your head. Then divide those lists into categories like Work and Personal.
11. HAVE A WAY TO CAPTUREYOUR THOUGHTS& IDEAS
Throughout the day, have some way to capture all your ‘to-do’s’ and ‘must-remembers’. It might be high-tech like your Smartphone or as simple as a notepad. The key is to make a note of them somewhere whenever they pop up.
12. TURN OFF YOUR EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
Are you distracted every time you see and hear “You’ve got mail?” Those reminders can be a big distraction so take back control by turning off the email icon and sound. Instead either set it up so YOU have to go retrieve them when you’re ready, or change the settings so that it doesn’t notify you for every email but rather in batchs every 30 or 60 minutes instead.
13. BE THE RULER OF YOUR EMAILS
Did you know that programs like MS Outlook let you set up ‘rules’ for your emails? Instead of clogging your inbox set up a rule for things like newsletters that you want to read at a later date, when you have time. It will go into a folder and be there when you’re ready. Think of ‘Rules’ as like having your very own personal assistant for email!
14. PLAN YOUR TOMORROW – TODAY
At the end the day take a few moments to plan the key things you need to accomplish tomorrow. By following a plan you’ll be productive first thing - instead of wasting time with emails or Facebook. And pull tomorrow’s outfit together the night before, down to all the accessories and shoes. A few moments of planning today will make your tomorrow easier.
15. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY
I’m not a techie but I’ve come to realize that many apps and features of your phone help make life easier and many are free. Use the calendar to set reminders to yourself throughout the day, or use the voice recorder app to record messages to yourself while you’re running around. Or check out notes and to-do list apps. There’s even a voice-to-text app that turns your message into an email. Once you start looking you’ll be amazed what’s available.
