Congratulations
Congratulations to incumbent Celestine Grimes on her recent re-election to the Board.
November 2009 Newsletter
The Riverbend At Hidden Lake Homeowner’s Association Newsletter appears to contain no copyright or other restrictions which would prevent the reproduction of its content on this site as a community service.
This is the November 2009 (Year End) edition.
Preface
Board Election
Budget
Capital Improvements
Landscaping and Plantings
Future Issues Being Considered
Communication
Preface – Year End Newsletter
The Annual Meeting was held at the North Brunswick Township Center on the evening of November 4. The primary intention of the Annual Meeting is to elect candidates for the Riverbend Board, present the annual budget, discuss activities and accomplishments of the past year and present projects that are being considered and planned for the next year.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Board Election
The incumbent, Celestine Grimes was seeking re-election. Rick Plavnicky, a long time resident also looked to join the Board. Each candidate presented their credentials and their reasons for seeking election to the position.
There were not enough attendees present to ensure a quorum. However, the absentee ballots received from the subsequent mailing that was sent out resulted in the re-election of Celestine Grimes. The Board thanks Rick for running for election, and hopes that he will remain a strong contributor and advisor as we move to make our communications more community accessible by instituting an official website for our community. As we progress more information will be forthcoming.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Budget
The proposed budget was presented at the meeting. Although certain elements have changed slightly from last year, the most important factor is that the monthly fee will remain at $185. We have benefitted from a mild winter and a reduced number of water line breaks. Hopefully we continue to have good luck with the weather and the pipes during the rest of the year. Whenever we spend less than budgeted, any unspent funds are added to the Long Term Reserve.
One critical thing that continues to impact Riverbend significantly is our Bad Debt and Delinquency issue. We have a number of abandoned units within Riverbend. There several others that are occupied but the owners are in bankruptcy proceedings. In addition to the units continued deterioration, the owners have not been paying their monthly assessments. The Association has accrued nearly $45,000 in unpaid assessments at this point.
We are pressing our lawyers to try and recover as much of these unpaid assessments as quickly as they can. Such actions also increase our legal bills. If this continues much longer, we will need to increase the monthly assessment. At this time, roughly ninety per cent of the homeowners are paying one hundred per cent of the bills.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Capital Improvements
Within the past several weeks, a number of sidewalks were replaced. Our property management company, EPM and the contractor walked the community and marked the sections that were seriously cracked/raised and were clearly “trip hazards”. To reduce our liability and keep the walkways safe, we quickly moved to repair the sections.
The biggest project completed during the past year was the replacement of the entrance signage, installation of retaining walls and new plantings. Our Long Term Capital Budget included funds for that purpose and that is what we used, so no additional assessment was required. With the current economic situation, we were able to negotiate very favorable costs on labor and the materials used on the project.
The railroad ties were rotting and termite infested. Installing stone walls eliminates that issue entirely. The signs were also deteriorating and required continuous upkeep. The materials used in the new signs will also eliminate such extensive maintenance. The Board looked at several designs and approved something with a brighter, cleaner appearance that highlighted the Riverbend logo.
The Hidden Lake entrance was reworked to better accommodate the school bus stop. We looked to reduce the stones in the erosion and stones in the street. Hopefully the new set up will accomplish that without any damage to the walls, plantings, mulch, etc. If not, we will ask the School Board about changing the location of the bus stop.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Landscaping and Plantings
There will be a continued effort to bring our plantings into a manageable condition. Most of our efforts will be on cutting and removal of tress/bushes that are overgrown and beyond trimming. The Board has been working closely with Growing Concern, Inc., our landscaper, to prioritize the worst walkways and clean them out first.
Some homeowners can expect a letter from the Board in the very near future requesting that the yard areas be cleaned up and cleaned out. The plantings are out of control. The trees and bushes are contacting and damaging the buildings themselves. Rotting and weathering are accelerated. Getting air and sunlight into the spaces are the best ways to deal with the situation.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Future Issues Being Considered
You will notice some changes in Riverbend in the future as new materials and products are being introduced and our original materials are no longer available.
- Lighting fixtures – The original sidewalk lighting is wood and subject to rotting so we are looking at new fixtures that are longer lasting. The light bulbs themselves will no longer be manufactured because of environmental laws, so we are considering substitutes.
- Paints – Manufacturers have introduced oil based latex paints that have greater durability than what we’ve been using. The Board is looking at substitutes that are the same color, but with a slightly different base.
- Doors – Residents have asked about replacing front and garage doors. The Board has been looking at expanding the selection, including doors with glass panels.
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Communication
There is always a clamor to increase the communication ease between homeowners and the Board and management company. In the very near future, web site developers will be presenting suggestions to the Board regarding the origination of an official Riverbend web site. There is an “unauthorized” Riverbend web site now in existence, and with the help of the web master, we want to put something together that will allow residents to have instant access to newsletters, announcements, etc. and general notes on Riverbend and what is going on in our community.
Enjoy the Year End!
Enclosure: Homeowner Census Form – 2010
November 2009 Newsletter Contents
Winter Maintenance and Snow Removal Update
Executive Property Management
As we approach the winter season we would like to take a moment to briefly explain the snow clearing service, preventative maintenance/safety measures and cooperation needed from you during this season to make the upcoming winter as trouble free as possible.
A. SNOW CLEARING SERVICE
The service provides for clearance of roads, empty parking stalls and sidewalks in the priority sequence listed above. Except under extreme conditions, the roads will be reasonably cleared by 6:30 a.m. to allow for people to go to work.
A common problem we are always faced with, is the fact that cars are not moved from roadways and parking stalls at the time the contractor is performing the snow clearance. This not only hinders and limits the contractor from performing an effective clean-up, but also exposes the vehicles to potential damage. We urge you to anticipate snowfalls by taking the following precautionary measures:
- Keep cars parked off the main roadways, park in parking stalls. Use your garage to park your car in.
- Park cars facing front forward to ensure easy getaway.
- Move cars from parking stalls as soon as roadways have been cleared, to an area which least obstructs the snow contractor’s performance.
- Do not go out in the severe winter weather unless you absolutely have to. Wait until the clearing has been done in your area. Take some responsibility for your own safety by being cautious during the winter weather.
Any cars that are not moved at the time the contractor is clearing an area, will not be cleared after-the-fact by the contractor. If there are areas which may have been overlooked by the contractor, we would appreciate your immediately calling Executive Property Management’s main office number at (732) 821-3224 to report this information. Please remember that the contractor starts at one end of the community and ends at the other. Someone has to be first and someone has to be last. The contractor will alternate the starting position. Please do not direct the contractor, they cannot leave an area to assist someone else in the complex. They will get to you.
B. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE/SAFETY MEASURES
- All outside spigots should be winterized by shutting off the inside valve and draining all the remaining water from the outside in order to prevent freezing during the winter. The outside valves should then be left open during the winter. You may want to have the line blown out with air pressure.Homeowners are responsible for any damage caused by their own individual plumbing. Even though the faucet is located outside, it is still the homeowner’s responsibility.
- Heating systems should be checked by a qualified serviceman. Replace heating filters and check the condition of your hot water heaters. If rusted, it could leak and cause a lot of damage.
- Have your fireplace and chimneys checked and cleaned by a qualified chimneysweeper.
- Check the charge of fire extinguishers and the operation of smoke detectors. Remember to replace the batteries at least twice a year.
- Review family fire prevention and escape plans.
- Remember to leave your heat on, if you plan to go away for any length of time, to prevent frozen pipes and water damage. The heat should be left at 60 degrees.
- Always turn off the water supplies to your washing machine when not being used. Check your washing machine hoses for signs of wear.
- You should have a carbon monoxide detector installed on each floor of your home.
C. SHOWERS AND BATH TUBS
Homeowners may notice leaks evident in their first floor ceilings which could be coming from their shower stalls and bath tubs. As water can travel down or across a beam, the leak does not always show up directly under your bathroom areas. Standard maintenance for all homeowners (whether you live in a single family home or condo) requires annual caulking and re-grouting of bath tubs and tile walls and/or floors in your bathroom areas. This is a simple maintenance procedure and very inexpensive as the materials needed can be purchased at any local home improvement store.
It is suggested, all homeowners re-caulk their bath tubs where the tile wall meets the top of the tub once per year. This prevents water from getting between the tub and tile and seeping through the wall board.
Loose or deteriorating grout is another opportunity for water to soak through the wall board. When the shower is running for 10-20 minutes and beating against an open area in the grout, leaks are inevitable. The toilet seal should also be checked annually.
D. SAFETY TIPS FOR FIREPLACE USE
Local fire departments encourage the following common sense guidelines:
- Before you light your fireplace for the first time, particularly in a house that is new to you, be sure your chimney is operational. If you’re not sure, have it inspected by a professional.
- Always open the damper before starting a fire and leave it open while the fire is burning or embers are still hot.
- Pre-heat your chimney by holding two or three lit pages of rolled up newspaper in the damper region for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Never try to build a large fire in a fireplace that is new to you. Start with one or two small logs and add more logs if desired once the fire is burning adequately.
- Burn only hardwood – fruit trees (cherry, apple, etc.) hickory oak or maple. All wood should be seasoned for one year. Do not burn soft woods as they are loaded with tars and resins that can cause a chimney fire. Use commercial fireplace logs sparingly. It is a good rule of thumb not to burn pine, fir, treated wood or trash.
- Always use a metal grate to support the fire and allow ashes to build up one or two inches below. Ashes will create a bed of hot embers that will reflect back on the wood.
- Never throw Christmas wreaths, fancy wrapping paper or pizza boxes into the fire. The impact can create a surge of fire that will leap out or up and cause a chimney fire.
- When burning a fire, try to keep the wood close to the rear wall but not against it. An air space should be left on all sides of wood.
- Never skimp on kindling when building a fire. You need a small amount of paper to set off the kindling, but you need a large amount of kindling to achieve a good fire.
- Always keep the fireplace screen closed while a fire is burning.
- When stacking wood for fireplace use, it should always be stacked to provide air circulation. Place in a hoop or on a pallet and stack the wood away from the building.
- The damper must be closed when the fire is out and embers are cold. This will prevent heat loss from the home.
- A fireplace receiving regular use should be inspected and cleaned annually.
E. PREPARING HOMES FOR WINTER
- Be sure to shut off and drain all outside spigots.
- If your home is left unoccupied with the water on, please maintain adequate heat to prevent pipes from freezing. This is especially true if you are on vacation, while back in New Jersey, the temperature hovers around zero. It is helpful to leave doors between rooms open, as well as doors to cabinets and closets that house pipes, so the interior air can circulate freely. It is also suggested that a faucet be left open to drip slowly – this will prevent your pipes from freezing.
- If vacating your home for the season, it is recommended that it be winterized to protect plumbing from freezing. This involves shutting off your home’s main water valve, draining the pipes and water heater (turn off the gas to the heater, too) and the toilets and dishwasher as well as leaving faucets open, and pouring some antifreeze into waste traps and toilet bowls. A plumber can perform this service for you.
- Whether winterized or not, homes must keep a low setting of heat on 60 degrees since the water main for a building can pass through each unit in that building. Either set your heat to a reasonable temperature, while you are away or winterize your home. Burst pipes caused by lack of heat are not the responsibility of the association. It is each homeowner’s responsibility to maintain their heat to prevent such occurrences.
F. GOING ON A TRIP? – SNOWBIRDS
If you are planning to be away from your home for longer than a couple of days, we recommend that you arrange for someone to have a key to your home so that it can be checked regularly – once a week is a good idea. That way, any problems that develop – water leaks, burst pipes, heating system malfunction, pilot light out, etc. – will be discovered as quickly as possible and the damage will be minimized.
Do not turn your heat off! Even if you don’t expect to be away during the coldest part of the winter, unexpected cold spells do occur. Leaving your heat on, with the thermostat turned to a low setting of 60 degrees, will help avoid frozen pipes and the resultant water damage.
If you are going to be away for the winter, we recommend having the plumbing winterized. The management company can give you some suggestions for contractors who can perform this.
G. IN CASE OF A PIPE BREAK OR FLOODING
- Know where your home’s shut-off valve is located. (Most homes can turn off all their water with a valve located under the kitchen sink).
- Contact neighbors who might be the source of the leak or those who might be affected by the leak. Call management.
- If the problem stems from your plumbing, call a plumber.
- Remove contents from the area of flooding.
- Mop up (or wet vac) water on the floor.
- If there is water in the ceiling, pierce a nail hole through the sheetrock to allow the water to escape into a bucket placed below. (To prevent splashing, tack a piece of string next to the hole long enough to reach the bucket; if done properly, the water should “ride” down the string).
Riverbend Snow Removal Service
November 2009
For the benefit of new residents in the community, below is an explanation of the snow removal services that have been contracted by the Board of Trustees for your community. Please note that the contractor is not responsible for clearing snow (digging out cars) from around vehicles that are parked in the court parking spaces. In addition, at the discretion of the contractor, a parking space may not be cleared out if a parked vehicle is in the adjacent space. The contractor does not want to be responsible for damage to a neighbor’s car. For the most effective service to each court, the court should choose a “Court Captain”. The Captain’s responsibility is to alert all neighbors in the court to move their vehicles out of the courts, at the same time, so that the contractor can perform the snow removal in the most effective way.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
- Not to clean the snow off your car, and dump it back on to the cleared streets after the contractor has cleared your court. This is for the safety and well being of the residents in your court.
- Move your vehicles when your court is being cleared.
- No parking will be permitted on Riverbend Drive, by the Township of North Brunswick during a snowstorm. Vehicles normally parked on Riverbend Drive, which is a Township road, can be parked on the playing fields across from the community on Schmidt Lane. Once the Township has cleared Riverbend Drive, you may re-park your vehicle on Riverbend Drive.
Uncertainty
Well, I attended the meeting, talked some and cast my vote. I haven’t heard a single word since.
All I can guess is that it’s the same situation as last time: no quorum, even with proxies, and so no outcome.
I can understand that I haven’t received a new proxy. After all, my household’s vote is in. What I can’t understand not being kept abreast of the status.
2010 Census
Dear Riverbend Homeowner:
Enclosed please find the 2010 census form to be completed and returned to our office by December 15, 2009. It is not voluntary to complete this form as this information is required to be retained by Management in the event of an emergency. This information will be kept on file in the management office for emergency purposes only.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Board of Trustees
Riverbend Townhouse Owners Association
Trick or Treat
Halloween 09
As you can see from our picture., we were all dressed up for Halloween and ready to go trick or treating. We had a great time! There were about 20 kids from the neighborhood that went trick or treating with us. It was pretty great to see so many children ranging from the age of 2-10 that got together with their family. A lot of the residence were surprised to see such a large group of kids/parents out for Halloween. We would love to make this an annual event, and maybe later down the road make a parade for other residence that live in Riverbend (just and idea).
On a bitter note, not everything went according to plan…we left some candy out in some bowls (we have done this for the past three years and never had a problem). And when we came back from trick or treating with the kids, not only was all the candy gone, but so were the bowls they were in. Thank goodness I didn’t spend a lot on those bowls, but it is the fact of the matter that they took it.
We noticed on Friday that there was security around, but on Halloween, we did not see any. We also noticed two teenage boys that were not in costume, with book bags, walking around and taking candy from houses that would leave the candy outside (no big deal) till we noticed that they weren’t from our complex (while heading out for dinner). We don’t have a problem with other kids coming from other neighborhoods (the more the merrier), and we are not saying that they took anything from us, but who is to say that there isn’t vandalism coming from other neighboring kids. Just something we think all residents should be on the look out for this type of behavior (for the future)…..
Official Proxy Due
| 2 November 2009 | ||
| 4:00 pm |
If you can’t make the annual meeting then your proxy is due at the EPM office by close of business today.
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