Official Publication of the Wood Glen Property Owners Association May 2015 - Volume 9, Issue 5
For the first time I find myself right up against the deadline for submitting the President’s Letter. There is a review process that requires a couple of days for the board to read and voice concerns that I’m robbing them of so I’ll try to not make broad commitments. That’s not to say I’m not going to bring up controversial subjects (how can I not?) but to make clear that I am speaking for myself, not the board.
DUESThis is a topic that no board or president wants to bring up.
No one wants to be the “bad guy” and raise dues, which is often viewed as a sign of failure.
However, I ask this simple question: Can the association operate indefinitely without ever raising dues?
I believe the obvious answer is ‘no’. For instance, successive boards over the years can find the cheapest alternatives and strong-arm vendors into giving us the best rates in order to keep dues flat with the accumulative effect being reduced quality of service and poor vendor relationships. Inflation is a fact of life and eventually even this approach will require raising dues. By that point it’s simply an attempt to maintain the resultant lower standards.
So the question is, What principle should guide dues levels? It is my belief (remember, I’m speaking for myself ) that the wisest approach is to try to maintain a constant dollar value of dues. In other words, our dues ought to go up periodically simply to offset the effect of inflation which has been running at a moderate 2% per year for over a decade now. Since 1996 the accumulated loss in value of a US Dollar has been 33% (Google “CPI Calculator”). In other words, a dollar now buys only 2/3’s of what it did when our neighborhood was founded. We have raised dues by about 10% over the years so we’ve only lost 23% in purchasing power.
We’ve been managing our finances well. In 2014 we were able to accomplish several maintenance projects while contributing more and spending less from our reserves than planned for in the reserve
study. But our reserves are only 46% of fully funded which is considered “fair”. We’ve also lost $20,000 in annual interest income since the 2007 economic downturn and I don’t see that coming back any time soon.
We have on our website, w o o d g l e n . o r g , E x c e l spreadsheets for each year since 2002 detailing the income and expenditures of the association if you would like to review them. However, we are losing flexibility and our documents limit the board to a maximum 8% per year increases. If we don’t proactively keep our income at optimum levels a future board may be faced with having to attempt a special assessment which is subject to the same high threshold as changes to the CC&R’s which means it is very difficult. This would be bad for Wood Glen.
So, at some point in the very near future I’m going to propose to the board that we have an 8% dues increase for 2016. That would add $31.60 to our current dues rate of $395 for a total of $426.60. It works out to $2.67 per homeowner per month.
This would raise an additional $16,685 in revenue which would go towards shoring up reserves and improving the quality and responsiveness of services.
As I said, this is just me speaking. I’m only one vote on the seven member board so if you are strongly opposed to the idea or it will cause an extreme hardship for you, please contact the board members or myself with your concerns and objections.
EXTERIOR Mildew is a black stain that appears on the exterior of your
home, particularly those with limestone veneer. This is a valid maintenance item that needs to be addressed. There are several DIY options for removal that are cheap and effective. Search NextDoor.com for “mildew.” Courtesy notices will start going out in June.
LAWNS Water restrictions are in effect but you still have an
obligation to maintain a green and healthy lawn. Each homeowner is required to have an operational sprinkler system in their front yards which require periodic maintenance to operate efficiently. Please check your sprinkler heads and ensure they are not broken or pointing in a direction that wastes water. There are hints online on watering schedules to minimize water usage and maximize effect. If you start seeing brown patches, you need to make some adjustments.
BUSHES AND TREES Some bushes in the neighborhood have never been
trimmed. Once they get too large they cannot be trimmed back into a bush. However, removing the lower branches and shaping the canopies make a surprisingly attractive ornamental. If you have one of these monsters, please give it a little TLC. We also have numerous trees with branches hanging down into the sidewalk. The clearance must be 8 feet in these locations. Trees CAN be trimmed in the summer months as long as the equipment is sterilized and the wounds immediately treated. Please fix these nuisance areas or you will receive a notice.
GARAGES Yes, I’m sounding like a broken record. Please make any
and all efforts to clear your garages and utilize them for parking as required by the CC&Rs.
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MOSQUITOESMosquitoes can be very irritating and disrupt outdoor activities. They also
are able to transmit various diseases to humans and animals. Mosquitoes are known to transmit heartworm in dogs and cats, and they can spread encephalitis (including West Nile Virus), Chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, malaria and filariasis among humans.
Most female mosquitoes require a blood meal for egg production whereas males feed on nectar and do not bite. Eggs can be laid on the surface of water or in dry locations that are occasionally flooded by water. Some eggs are able to remain dormant under dry conditions for several months. Eggs hatch into larvae, or wigglers. Mosquito larvae live in water and feed on organic debris or microscopic plants and animals. Larvae molt into pupae which do not feed. Mosquito pupae spend the majority of their time at the surface of the water, only moving when disturbed.
Many things can help to reduce mosquito problems around the home. Eliminate all sources of standing water. Containers such as watering cans,
buckets and bottles can turn into mosquito breeding grounds. Water should be drained from birdbaths, gutters, flowerpots and pet dishes at least once a week. Children’s wading pools should be emptied of water at least once a week and stored so they cannot collect water when not in use. Tree holes should be filled in with sand or mortar, or drained after each rain. Leaky faucets and pipes located outside should be repaired.
Areas that cannot be drained, such as ponds or large rain collection systems, can be stocked with mosquito fish that eat mosquito larvae. Dunks can also be used in these areas. Dunks are a small, donut-shaped product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis var. israeliensis. The donut disrupts the life cycle of the mosquito and is non-toxic to humans, amphibians and fish.
Avoiding peak hours when mosquitoes are active is probably the best method to avoid being bitten. When outside, wear loose-fitting, light colored clothing with long sleeves & long pants. Repellants containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus can be effective to keep mosquitoes from biting when evening activities cannot be rescheduled. Other products such as citronella candles will also repel mosquitoes, but work best in enclosed areas.
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Tennis Court Usage – Please instruct your children not to use roller-blades or skateboards on the tennis court. The surface is a special material that is expensive to maintain and is easily damaged by mis-use.
Vandalism – There has been a lot of vandalism at the amenity center. Please instruct your children not to hang out there. It’s costing your association thousands of dollars per year.
Rattle Snakes – As the weather warms up, these cold-blooded creatures are becoming active. Please be on the lookout for rattle-snakes and be especially mindful if you leave the trails in the greenbelt. If anyone has suggestions on how to find and eliminate snake nests a particular homeowner would be very grateful. Please contact me at [email protected].
Dog-poo Courtesy -- This should go without saying. Please clean up after your pets. It’s your responsibility, not the poor kid or homeowner who discovers these little land-mines.
Real-estate Signage -- The board has asked that all real-estate signage be placed in the yard between the sidewalk and the house and not in the area between the curb and sidewalk. Have your agent place your sign in the proper location or move it yourself if necessary. We appreciate your cooperation.
Speeding – The speed limit is 30 miles per hour in residential areas. Please do not exceed this. It would be tragic for a child to be injured or worse because of a little impatience on your part.
Modifications Committee Submissions -- I cannot over-emphasize the importance of submitting requests to the modification’s committee and getting approval prior to beginning work on improvements. No one likes to be put in the position of having to decline an improvement after you’ve spent thousands of dollars when simply seeking prior approval could have avoided the situation in the first place.
WELL ROUNDED REALTOR®I have helped hundreds of families in our neighborhood experience the joys of home ownership. I want to help you too! Whether you are considering buying, selling, building, or investing in real estate, I am ready to answer all of your questions and lead you through the process of finding your dream home.
512.751.4834EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
MARCH 2015The March, 2015 meeting of the board of directors occurred on the
24th at my home on Becca Teal Place. We approved the selection of Wheeler Asphalt for the sealing and re-striping of the amenity center parking lot. Work will be conducted in the middle of the week on a date yet to be determined. Notice will be sent out via NextDoor and WoodGlen.org notifying you when this will occur. As part of the process the parking lot and fire lanes will be pressure washed, the lot sealed with an asphalt slurry and stripes and lettering will be applied. The purpose is to extend the life of the parking lot and regain the lettering limiting parking near the mailboxes so people swimming in the pool won’t take them up and inconvenience residents picking up their deliveries. The project will cost $2,550 which is fully covered by reserves. This represents a savings of $3,845 from what was forecast in the reserve study.
The board also approved spending more than anticipated on the replacement of pool furniture. The reserve study planned an expenditure of $10,933 but it was difficult for Julie Cowan to find durable commercial grade furniture for that price. With a bit more flexibility in the budget, Julie was able to order 26 lounge chairs,
20 chairs, three dining tables and 10 drink tables for $12,200. The difference is more than offset by the savings on the parking lot re-striping project. Additional funds will come from the sale of the old furniture. The new furniture should be here by the beginning of May.
Also discussed was the placement of signage. The CC&Rs allow the display of one sign with maximum area of six square feet to advertise that a home is for sale or lease. The board determined that placement of these signs in the city right-of-way (the area between the sidewalk and curb, often referred to as the sidewalk or “nuisance” strip), is not appropriate. We ask that you instruct your real estate agent to place your sign in the front yard between the sidewalk and house rather than in the sidewalk strip. We appreciate your cooperation.
FEBRUARY 2015I started a new job recently and didn’t get the update put together.
February’s meeting was not particularly productive as there were several items on the agenda that we lacked sufficient information to take action on and were therefore tabled. One such item was the xeriscape rule and another was a rule stipulating the duration that seasonal decorations can remain up.
-- Wayne
Update from February 2015 and March 2015 Board Meetings
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