January 2016 The Newsletter of Smithy Glen Vol. 18 No. 1
The Smithy Glen Board of Directors would like to wish all of our residents a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. We would also like to thank everyone who was able to decorate their homes for the holidays. The homes were beautiful with angels, packages waiting to be opened, blow-up Santas and they all just shined with the lights decorating them. While each of these homeowners was hoping to be considered the Best in SG for the Annual Lighting contest there could only be one winner and that award went to Jodi of 114 Andover Court. Congratulations! To all homeowners who decorated either with or without lights, the Board sends a big Thank you. Your homes look lovely and cheerful.
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RESOLUTION 2015-2
In April 2015, Resolution 2015-2 was signed and sent to every homeowner in the May SG Annual meeting envelope. The Resolution was changing the color of the fence sealant from clear to a color. The reason for this, as anyone can see, was because of the large variety of colors that are on our fences. In an effort to bring back some uniformity to the community, the board thought this would be a good place to start. We completely understand that all the fences will not look exactly alike but hopefully they will blend much better than what we have now. As you can see by the fences that have been completed, the new look is amazing. The Board would like to thank all the homeowners who have completed this project and we would like to remind everyone that the Resolution stated that fences need to be compliant by December 31, 2015.
If you are not compliant, you will be hearing from the Board.
The Stain and Sealant is Olympic Elite Semi-Solid “Canyon Sunset”. It is available at Lowes.
MORE ABOUT TREES
On Oct. 23, 2014 the Daily Press printed an article regarding trees. Actually, it wasn’t so much about the trees as the roots. The article stated; “Roots will expand well beyond the range of the canopy space. Depending on their eventual size, trees should be planted 15 to 30 feet from a house and 10 feet from a sidewalk or other pavement”. This article was so timely because in September 2014 while doing inspections, board members found evidence of tree root damage at two homes. On the first, tree roots were causing the bricks on the side of the house to crack and bulge. A lot of digging went into that repair. On the second, the roots had travelled a good 10 feet and gone under the porch causing damage to the side and front walkway. The trees had to be cut down, the roots had to be dug out, all the walkway and porch had to be broken up and repaired. It took several weeks to complete and cost the homeowner $1,600.00. The moral of this information is: all trees in your patio areas need to be taken down and all homeowners need to seriously check any root system that is even close to the house or cement patio. This was the reason for the 2014-1 Resolution regarding “Nothing visible above the fence”. An update on this is that many people have done nothing with the growth in their patio areas. A light in Andover Ct. was recently reported to be out and when our electrician was digging, can you guess? A tree root from a patio headed under the fence to the walkway broke the electric wire. (Picture available at meeting)
These are YOUR homes. The Board cannot be everywhere and see every problems for all 315 homes here in Smithy Glen. We each have our own home to care for BUT what we can do is report to homeowners via this newsletter and violation letters what problems we are having in our community and on your properties and ASSUME that you will take a look to see if your property is among any of concerns that the board has written about.
Mark Your January Calendar
Smithy Glen Board of Directors meets every other month on the 4th Tuesday at 7PM at the Clubhouse. The next meeting is January 26, 2016.
We look forward to seeing you there. All are welcome!!!!
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This authorized publication of the Smithy Glen Board of Directors is published to convey official and unofficial information to all residents of Smithy Glen.
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
On January 7, the Coventry Neighborhood Watch group held a very well attended Crime Prevention meeting. A York County Deputy gave a very interesting talk and our residents had some interesting questions. This came about because of some trouble we have had in Coventry. The Deputy also talked about other ways to try to keep your property safe from intruders.
#1- Replace burned out lights at doors and leave lights on all night.
#2- Make sure bushes near windows and doors are trimmed low so prowlers do not have a place to hide.
#3- Lock your vehicle doors at all times when parked in the Court. (Day and night)
#4- If you see any strange cars or people lurking in your Court, don’t be afraid to call the Sheriff. Better safe than sorry!!!
EMERGENCY = 911
Non emergency = 890-3621
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FOG ALERT
(Fats, Oils and Greases).
This is a constant problem for the Smithy Glen Board. We have had numerous drain clogs and 99% are due to things going down the drains that shouldn’t. While speaking with the plumber who agrees with all of the following, he also suggested; buy a bottle of Dawn dish detergent and each month go to a downstairs bathroom closest to the street. Squirt 4-5 squirts of Dawn into the toilet bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, then flush. Dawn is a great degreaser. It’s worth a try and better than a sewer back up, which is really ugly!!!
Also------
Can the Grease: Pour used cooking grease into an empty container. Store in freezer. Once solidified, toss into your trash.
Scrape your Plate: Wipe all pots, pans, dishes and cooking utensils with a paper towel prior to washing to absorb the grease.
Catch the Scraps: Eliminate using the garbage disposal. Catch food scraps in your sink with a basket or strainer and toss them into the trash.
We are responsible for keeping our waterways clear of pollution and our home drains clear of built up grease.
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OUR MILITARY
The Smithy Glen Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our dedicated military members and their families. No matter what your rank, whether you are stationed here at home or abroad, your service is important to our country. We salute you and thank you!!
PETS___
Pets are wonderful creatures. They give comfort when we are not well. They cheer us up with their antics and they make us have to get up and out to walk them which means exercise for us. And the one thing we can all agree on is that animals POOP!!! If you own a dog or cat and it poops in Smithy Glen, Coventry or anywhere in the county, you are required by law to pick it up and dispose of it properly. The Association buys Mutt Mitts for your convenience. PLEASE, USE THEM!! There is nothing worse than walking along our pathways and seeing large clumps of POOP in the grass. There is nothing worse than having a neighbor who does not clean up after their pet in their yards. The smell does not just stay in their yard, it travels. Please abide by the rules. We have had many homeowners complain about this and they definitely have a good reason.
And speaking of rules, all four legged pets must be leashed for their own protection!
Dogs must not be left outside to bark for hours. Please be courteous to your neighbors!
SMITHY GLEN YARD OF THE MONTH
Each month we will present the sign below to a deserving homeowner who has gone out of their way to make their home look warm and appealing. November award went to Miss Doris, of
100 Crescent Ct. Her shrubs should be on TV, always perfect. Thanks, Doris!
SPEED LIMITS & TRAFFIC SIGNS
We know they are there because we just updated them yet residents continue to go over 15MPH and are still going out of Kensington Place the wrong way. These signs are for your safety. We had an unfortunate accident last year in Linden Ct. A vehicle came speeding into Linden at the same time a dog decided to chase a bunny. It was dark and the vehicle hit and killed the dog. Yes, the dog owner admits the dog was off leash but what if it had been a child running after a ball? We are a small but very populated community and you MUST be aware at all times. Please check your speed and obey the traffic signs!!!
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NATIONAL EXTERMINATORS was in SG on December 31 doing visual inspections. We are waiting for their report and will let homeowners know if there are any problems on their property.
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BITS & PIECES
Here are some important things that accidently got left out of previous newsletters.
BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:
Noah and Ava of Kingston Ct celebrated their birthdays on Oct. 27th. They are 9 years old.
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Alex E. of Hamlet Ct. celebrated her birthday on Nov. 30th. Alex, along with Mom delivered this newsletter for many years. And for those of you who remember that cute little red haired girl, she is now all grown up and turned 21. WOW!!! Where did that time go?
In December, Victoria S. of Kensington Place celebrated her 18th birthday.
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On July 7, 2015 Ryan Anderton Hurst was welcomed into our world by his Mom, Delainy and Dad, A.J. Ryan weighed 5lbs 15oz. Grandma Jennifer and Grandpa Tom of Kingston Ct. are delighted.
On Oct. 31 Coventry hosted the annual Halloween breakfast party. SG residents who attended were: Katelyn of Linden Ct. dressed as Princess Sofia and Brielle of Durham Ct. dressed as a witch. Both were adorable. Pictured above is Mr. Bones with helper, June of Kensington Pl.. Also helping was Teiko S. of Linden Ct. A good time was had by all.
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Congratulations to Grafton HS cheerleaders on winning the 2015 Conference & Regional competitions. They took a very respectable 3rd place at the State Championships.
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HOLIDAY LIGHTING
All holiday lights must be totally removed by
January 22, 2016. ______
THOUGHT OF THE DAY…….
Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go!
THE 2016 SMITHY GLEN BUDGET
The budget for 2016 was sent to every homeowner in early December and the immediate question was; “Why did our dues go up so much?” We will try to explain! Every five years it is state mandated that every Homeowner Association have a Reserve Study prepared by a firm that specializes in this field. The State wants to make sure that Associations don’t go under water because they do not have the funds in an account to pay for all replacement items. This past summer Smithy Glen, Finch Terrace, Ferguson Glade and the Master association contracted to have the study done. We each paid for our own study ($4,400.00 for SG) and gave them a list of all of the components that we are responsible to have enough money to replace when the time comes. They are: siding, roofs, streets, sidewalks to name a few. In the study they gave a dollar amount needed each year to be deposited to reach the long term goals. They suggested we raise our dues $9.50 for each home per month to increase the annual Reserve Fund by $35, 916.00. To be supportive of our homeowners, we felt we had an obligation to reread the report and find places where it would be okay for us to tweak and still provide the necessary services to our community. And we did. We were able to rework our painting schedule. This saves us between $15,000 to $19,000 per year. That money will be deposited into the Reserve Fund at the end of the year and saving the homeowners approximately $5.50 per month. That brings the SG increase to $4.00. Please remember that you belong to two associations and the Master raised the dues by $11.00.
Below are fixed monthly expenses that we must pay even if all our dues money has not come in.
Monthly dues @ $138.00 per mo x 315 homes = $43,470.00 per month.
Master Association $55.00 @ 315= $17,325.00
S.G. Reserves $38.00 @ 315= $11,970.00
Waste Management $18.42 @ 315= $ 5,802.30
Exterior Termite $ 2.05 @ 315= $ 645.75
Lawn Maintenance $ 5.38 @ 315= $ 1,694.70
Total fixed expenses each month: $37,437.75
Amount remaining ***** $ 6,032.25 or $19.15 per house (up $.30) +
What is the $6,032.25 or $19.15 per house per month used for? Wood repairs and painting (both on repairs and regular Court painting), lawyer fees (when homeowners don’t pay their dues, we have a lawyer that collects for us) street light repairs ( in 2015 the first bill we paid was for $1,428.00 for repairs to lights) plumbing repairs (the most recent was $725.00) road repairs (repair on WIB at Hamlet Ct cost $600.00), auditing and tax preparation expenses, office supplies for printing mail outs and this newsletter, postage, state and federal taxes and sometimes one of the board needs to take a course offered by the Community Association Institute.
Dues comparisons to Finch Terrace and Ferguson Glade:
Finch Terrace- $151.00 per month. They do not provide lawn maintenance. Owners are responsible.
Ferguson Glade-$127.00 per month. They do not provide lawn maintenance, Termite inspection or trash collection. Owners must pay out of pocket for these services.
Smithy Glen- $138.00 per month. SG Association does provide Lawn maintenance, Termite inspections and trash collection.
Our pledge to our residents is that we will do everything we can to work with and use our dues efficiently.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, Jan 26, 2016. Bring your questions!!