Congratulations
Congratulations to incumbent Celestine Grimes on her recent re-election to the Board.
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.
Announcing My Candidacy
I’ve just now FAXed my resume to the Riverbend Nominating Committee announcing my candidacy for the Board up for election at this year’s Annual Meeting. So I guess it’s official: I’m running again.
Some may recall my late announcement last year. (You can refresh your memory here, here and here.) When I learned that only one had announced candidacy I went into full reactionary mode and announced myself – after the deadline. Due to lateness my resume was not distributed. That is, until the election stalled for lack of homeowner participation!
Mark your calendar and attend the meeting Wednesday, November 4. Hear for yourself what’s going on around Riverbend, meet the Board and your neighbors, speak up and take a more active role in your community.
Look for my resume – along with those of any other candidates – in your mail in the coming weeks.
I hope that you’ll consider supporting me with your vote!
Tonight’s Board Meeting
Lately I’ve been attending the Board meetings. I’ve not got the time to make a more comprehensive report right now but I do have some news to share.
It was mentioned by the Board that the monthly Homeowners’ Fee will remain unchanged through the next fiscal year.
I find it kind of astounding that while the cost of nearly everything else has risen dramatically, our fees have remained flat for this long. You may recall that the last increase was announced way back in November 2006.
Board Meeting
The Riverbend Board met Tuesday, July 21 at the EPM office. I strode into the meeting room a few minutes late but as it turned out it didn’t matter; I was turned away. There was apparently some business being discussed – the lawyer was present – that wasn’t for the ears of mere homeowners. I returned some time later to find two representatives from Growing Concern, our contracted landscaper, in the waiting area. The Board, behind now-closed doors, was keeping them waiting as well. At around 7pm, a full hour past the scheduled start time (and a half-hour late for Growing Concern’s appointment) the lawyer left and we filed in. It’s worth noting that Harrison left at that point, begging off for another appointment. I didn’t see Toni at all. The remaining three Board members were present, as was Janice (EPM). There were no homeowners besides myself.
Discussion began with the folks from Growing Concern.
- Concerns were expressed about the shrub pruning schedule. The problems apparently went back to June when pruning activities kicked off on the opposite side of the community than is usual. It was pointed out that the weather was a big factor - we had an awful lot of rain in June.
- Problems with light sensors were noted. Some are obscured, causing the lights to trigger at inappropriate times. They’ll be looked at and corrected.
- The irrigation system was enabled at the start of the season, as usual. Following complaints and subsequent investigation, Growing Concern found the system shut down. It’s been corrected.
- The Board suggested to Growing Concern that they contact individual homeowners regarding needed work within their private property boundaries (i.e. not common property). Growing Concern requested permission to use homeowner contact information for this purpose, and the Board agreed to supply it. It’s worth noting Growing Concerns’ terms for this kind of work. They will expect full payment in advance of starting the work. They cited that they cannot afford to chase delinquent payments. Finally, work performed for individuals in this manner (if any) will be carried out by alternate staff so that homeowners will not be able to claim that association fees are being used to benefit individual homeowners. (Ah, the ancient and honored business art of covering one’s ass lives on!)
- The Board notes that they’ve observed that some homeowners have taken on some cleanup and pruning for themselves – both in common areas and on their own property – and in some cases are leaving their trimmings for Growing Concern to pick up.
- The Board cautioned Growing Concern about snow removal, citing the need to care for our new plantings by the entrances.
- The Board will be requesting bids for additional irrigation to be installed to support those new plantings. Current irrigation is manual.
- One year remains in Growing Concern’s current contract.
- The Board brought a number of homeowner concerns, as expressed in letters written to the Board, to Growing Concern’s attention. I don’t see the need mention individuals in this forum.
By then Mike (I missed his last name and company), who performed the work on our new entrances, was present. Growing Concern left.
- The shale content of the soil, worse than anticipated, contributed to time and cost overruns. The company is absorbing the cost and the Association will not be charged.
- Mike observed that the old work (those wooden ties) had not been set properly at the outset, likely because of the construction difficulties posed by the shale content. The new walls have correct footings as well as at least two buried courses. In some cases the walls have been relocated slightly from the original plan so as to construct them properly.
- About 80 cubic yards of material was removed as part of this project.
- There was some discussion of the buried irrigation discovered during the course of the project, and some is still the subject of investigation (working/not working/salvageable).
- There was some discussion of the need for some additional plantings and/or ground cover. It’s agreed by all that it looks a bit sparse on top. Something will be done, but additional irrigation will also be needed in those areas to support it.
- Mike found evidence of the water feature that was at the west entrance when the community was built. (Almost no one but me remembers when it was operational, and I didn’t live here at the time.)
- In consideration of our budget, Janice recommends deferring additional investment at this time.
- The Board mentioned that they’ve observed kids using the new walls as recreational equipment (skaters, boarders), and they’ve been chased off several times.
- The Board told Mike that all feedback on the project has been positive. I agree – it looks great and really adds value to the community.
Mike left after being paid, followed by some regular business. Some of that was discussion coming out of letters sent to the Board by homeowners but, again, I see no need to mention individuals in this report.
- The ballast in the mini-playground has settled some and there was a proposal to fill it. Discussion ensued as to whether or not the settling is normal (it is), whether there’s a legal need to replace or augment it (there isn’t) or whether it’s okay as is for now (it is). No further action will be taken at this time.
- The evergreen trimming, which takes place every two years, will be due. The proposal to retain the usual company to do it is accepted. It’s noted that their work on our trees has been commended by other experts and their prices have not increased in many years.
- The Board discussed the performance of the company that maintains our sidewalk lighting (by the name of Caveman?). Lately performance has been sub-par, and the Board is wondering whether the company is losing interest in our business. This matter is flagged for follow-up.
- The Board discussed sidewalk maintenance. The original estimate was high (yet was about half of the next-higher estimate), but called for much work that Janice felt was unnecessary (nice-to-have rather than needed to limit liability). The revised estimate, while less than the original, wasn’t enough less – it didn’t agree with the revised square footage estimates. This led to some discussion of basic math, which everyone agreed appeared flawed. Janice was granted authorization to go back to the contractor to renegotiate the cost (downward) on behalf of the Board.
- Janice told the Board that they need to find a solution to making their meetings handicapped-accessible. Meetings are currently held in the EPM office – the second floor with (apparently) no such access. (To me, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act seems vague about how the Act applies to a business like a property management agency, but I believe that it could reasonably apply to the public meetings of a homeowners’ board. I think it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. It sounds expensive. Please note that this is just my opinion; I’m not a lawyer and don’t even play one on TV.) Some discussion ensued but no conclusions were reached.
- The Annual Meeting date was set for November 4, 2009 in the usual place, at the Municipal Complex.
The meeting adjourned.
Please take note that this report is not an official report. I’m merely a homeowner – just like you. I decided one day to take a more active role rather than just complaining. I showed up for the meeting. This report is from my scribbled notes and foggy memory and both are subject to my interpretations.
Nevertheless, unless you show up for yourself, it’s about the best you’re likely to get!
Found!
Found: stone
Yesterday evening I found a large, round stone in front of my home! This no ordinary stone, not by any means. It’s about a foot across, weighing maybe 20 pounds, very symmetrical and very smooth.
I don’t know where it came from, but I have a pretty good idea how it got here. You see, I was out watering plants a bit earlier and I know it wasn’t there then. After the watering, I had been inside for a short time when a small group of youths sauntered by on Riverbend Drive, heading east. Yes, I can identify at least one of the group by their voice. That was approximately 7:30 in the evening. At about 7:40 I spotted the stone.
My guess: these kids stole someone’s decorative stone, got tired of carrying it and deposited it in front of my home. Of course, another explanation is that a dog owner left it there for their dog to pee on, since they seem to love to pee here. But somehow that seems less likely.
I walk the community regularly and I’ve never seen another like it, or else I’d have knocked on your door by now.
Sheesh, and it was just the other night at the board meeting when we all agreed that it seemed as though there was less foot traffic through the community this year. If you know what I mean.
Board Meeting
I attended the Board meeting of May 19th and I saw the renderings for the entrance project mentioned in a recent mailing. Wow, the entrances are going to look very nice indeed! I can’t wait to see the work completed.
There weren’t any other homeowners in attendance.
Recent Repaving Damaged By Cold Weather
Brrr… This winter’s been pretty darned cold. But besides the discomfort, now it’s taking a toll on our community infrastructure as well.
Repaving Heaved
A new bump greeted me as I pulled in the other night. As you can see in the first image the recently repaved surface has heaved up above the level of Riverbend Drive, stretching and breaking the seam seal along with it. My guess is that the seam seal lost its integrity (maybe from the recent plowing?) and allowed water from the last snow/rain event to get between the paving and the ground underneath. When the temperatures plummeted the water froze.
Magnitude of Heave
The second image shows the degree of lift – a little more than an inch – in more detail. Because of the angle, it’s easy to misinterpret the image and think that it’s more. So I’ve added a couple of reference lines. That’s a six-inch ruler, and the wood block only serves to keep it from falling over.
I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the quality of the repaving work done in my driveway/court in the first place. Ruts have appeared under the wheels of some cars where they routinely park. I’m no paving engineer, but I would think that the surface should be sufficient to support parked autos without rutting. Or, if this is a characteristic of the thickness or material type we bought, then I’d expect to see ruts all over the place. Neither is the case.
Anyway, I’d expect that come spring the edges will crumble and we’ll have potholes where the repaving meets the street. The same thing is happening on the other side of Riverbend Drive, too, by the way. How are yours?
Stepping Up (more news)
I FAXed my interest in running for a Board position to EPM on the 10th, and this morning they phoned me with their response.
EPM told me that they wanted to wait until the Board next met before responding, and apologized for the delay. The Board’s decided that there will be no additional mailing – the deadline had clearly passed – but that my nomination would be accepted from the floor at the annual meeting. Voting is to take place at that time.
I also learned that in addition to the earlier-announced incumbent and myself, there are apparently two more candidates. No, I don’t know who they are, but because of the way our conversation went I believe that one of the two is also an incumbent. (If that’s true, I think it’d be interesting to learn how they missed their own deadline…) But the bottom line is that my original disappointment is tempered somewhat by the additional interest from other homeowners.
I hope that you’ll support me with your vote on November 6th. Thanks, and I’ll see you at the meeting!
Stepping Up
I don’t know about you, but when I saw the Board’s meeting announcement and learned that only one candidate had come forward when two Board seats were up for grabs I was quite disappointed. I know from years of observation that community involvement is kind of low, but there are usually enough candidates to go around – even if reaching quorum is sometimes troublesome.
Anyway, after stewing on it for a day I’ve decided to stop griping and try to do something about it. Yesterday morning I put together a cover letter and resume and FAXed them to EPM. I asked them to acknowledge receipt to my email address but thus far I’ve heard nothing back. So I’m uncertain as to whether my candidacy has been accepted. I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see.
I’ll be attending the annual meeting. I hope to see you there and, if my late application is accepted, that I can count on your vote. Thanks!
Sealcoating Completed
The sealcoating is finished, and not a moment too soon. I guess the board – and the contractors – deserve a break for getting the job done before the rain.
Lines being repainted in my court
The image shows those fugly lines being repainted in my court. I don’t know about you, but I really hate those lines. I hate them almost as much as I hate the No Parking signs. Both do much to disturb the beauty of our community.
The story I heard was that the Township was fielding Riverbend resident complaints about parking, both on Riverbend Drive and on Community property. After a while they tired of the complaints and decided to retaliate. Claiming that the Community was inaccessible to emergency traffic, they erected the ugly signs and made us paint the lines, and finished by threatening to step up enforcement of the parking ordinances.
Now I’m not certain whether or not the story’s true, but it sure seems plausible to me.
Remind me to tell you the story I’ve heard concerning why we have a trash pickup on Monday. 
Walking Around
My wife and I were walking aroud the neighborhood this evening, right around nightfall, a little later than usual for us.
There are quite a few sidewalk lights that are out again. They don’t look vandalized, just dark. The playground equipment is holding up better than I would have thought. No graffiti, no vandalism. The mulch is looking a little tired but it’s still contained. Very cool! We though aloud that there could be another bench or two. In the grass adjacent to the equipment I couldn’t help but notice many round spots where the grass had yellowed. Yes, I know what the spots are: dog urine! I have them in front of my home as well and it’s really begun to aggravate me. It’s simple – urine kills grass. If you’re a dog owner, please have the decency to train your animal to pee in the street where it won’t degrade the appearance of our homes.
Spring Walk-Through Activity Noticed
Yesterday (April 15) I noticed members of our board walking around with their clipboards.
Some Original Promotional Material
Are you interested in Riverbend history? I am. When I moved in some years back I was talking about just that to one of my new neighbors, and they passed some promotional material for the Austin and Calais models to me.
Does anyone have any more?
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