F.Y.I. The Newsletter of Edgewood Townehouse Association
PO Box 5424, Eugene, OR 97405

March 2015

Next Regular Board Meeting: April 14, 2015

Next HOA Quarter  Meeting:April 28, 2015

(Notices of any special board meetings are posted in the Clubhouse 3 days before date of meeting per Bylaws)

By-The-Brook Book Group: Wednesday, April 8

Tuesday Afternoon Teatime:Cancelled for April

Contents:
Message from the Board
Board Meeting Minutes for March

Reports

Website
Treasurer
Announcements
Hospitality
Facilities Report
Monthly Banking Activities (Omitted)

Editor: Vera Entwistle

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
MARCH 2015
Preserve, Restore, and Maintain

The new 2015 Board of Directors has had a very ambitious months’ worth of activity.  The first and foremost task on our agenda was the development of a reliable, timely, and fair process to manage architectural changes following requests by homeowners to install new windows where none existed, and homeowners wanting to permanently remove their air conditioners leaving a hole in the exterior and interior wall of their townhome.  Notwithstanding, this task was also identified as one of our three goals for Fiscal Year 2015.

With the help of our attorney, our Director of Facilities and Operations and the wisdom of our veteran and freshmen Board members, we systematically reviewed the past requests for architectural changes, assessed what went right and what went wrong, and compared our actions to the actions of successful businesses/operations entrusted to manage similar decisions.  The details of the processes can be found in the March Board Business Meeting Minutes within this month’s F.Y.I.

As we move forward, I want to invite all homeowners to join the Board in expressing our appreciation to Jolene Baron, who has served as Board Secretary, for her three years of volunteerism in the role of Secretary.  Jolene will remain on the Board as a Director at Large.  JoAnn Wilson will be serving as the interim Board Secretary.  Also, I invite all homeowners to express their appreciation and gratitude for Suzy Wojcik’s six years as a Board member.  Suzy has served with honor and will now be pursuing personal new adventures.

One of the most invaluable and appreciated traditions at Edgewood is the spirit of volunteerism. One, not often recognized enough, reason for the success of non-profit homeowner organizations is the contributions of our homeowners’ expertise, experience, and volunteer service in positions that serve the day-to-day business of operating our Association.  The success of Edgewood Townehouse Association is founded on volunteer leadership that has steered the course of our community for over forty-five years.

Thanks to everyone presently serving in leadership positions and to those who have served in the past for contributing to our success.

Bruce Trafton
President, Edgewood Townehouse Association ( )

EDGEWOOD TOWNHOUSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BUSINESS MEETING
Preserve – Restore – Maintain
March 10, 2015

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were: Bruce Trafton, Jolene Baron, Michele Coney, Brian Entwistle, Linda Johnson, Don Pasquali, Jennifer Smith and JoAnn Wilson. Also present was Frank Gaddini, ETA Director of Operations and Facilities.

Opening Announcement: Jolene Baron has resigned as Board Secretary. The Board approved JoAnn Wilson as Interim Board Secretary.

The Board approved and accepted the minutes of the February 10, 2015.

Standing Reports:

  1. Facility Report: Written report submitted
  2. Treasurers Report: Written report submitted
  3. Website Coordinator: Written report submitted
  4. Clubhouse Coordinator: No report submitted
  5. Swimming Pool: Closed
  6. Welcome Coordinator: No report submitted
  7. Hospitality Coordinator: Written report submitted

Old Business:

  1. Electronic Recording of Meetings: The Board decided not to pursue.
  2. Additional Tool Shed: The Board decided not to pursue.
  3. Update on Signage: Driveway #7 directional signs (ascending and descending unit numbers) are complete. They were designed to help emergency responders quickly locate a unit
  4. Buyer-Seller Pamphlet: Completed and in use.

New Business:

  1. Waivers: Requests to install a bathroom window where no window currently exists were conditionally approved for 185 Westbrook Way and 190 Brae Burn Drive, subject to Board specifications (e.g., dimensions, color, glass, style, trim, paint, installation).
  2. FY 2015 Goal: Model of Processing Air-Conditioner Removals: Upon attorney’s advice, the “hole” left when an air conditioner is removed belongs to the Edgewood Townehouse Association and the air conditioner itself belongs to the homeowner. Therefore, if a homeowner wishes to remove an air conditioner and not replace it with a new heating/cooling appliance, Edgewood Townehouse Association will replace the exterior siding and the homeowner is responsible for repairing the interior wall. If the homeowner wishes to install a window in the space instead, the established process for installing a window where no window currently exists will be followed.
    1. Process for Installing a Window Where No Window Currently Exists: The homeowner will submit a formal request (“Request for General Exterior Building Improvement Form,” available upon request) to the Board that fully details the plans and specifications for the proposed window. The homeowner will work with the Edgewood Townehouse Association Director of Operations and Facilities to identify all required information for the request. Once the request is submitted to the Board, a public notice detailing the project will be prepared and posted. The notice will be given to the membership not less than 30 days prior to the Board’s initiating action. After the 30-day period, the Board will hold an open-forum hearing to consider the request, at which time association members will have the opportunity to comment, ask questions, and submit written comments. The hearing is to gather information only. The Board will render its decision at its next regularly scheduled Board meeting.
    2. The Board will act as the Architecture Committee except under special circumstances when the Board may decide, instead, to name an Architecture Committee of three members. Upon attorney’s advice, the Board may either (1) act as the Architecture Committee or (2) it may chose to appoint an Architecture Committee.
  3. WiFi for Clubhouse: The Clubhouse computer, printer, and monitor are being replaced. WiFi will also be available for use by all homeowners and their guests while in the Clubhouse or the Pool area. There will be a password to access the WiFi. The password will be distributed to interested homeowners by the ETA President and/or the ETA Director of Operations and Facilities.
  4. Executive Session

Announcements:

  1. Suzy Wojcik retired from the Board effective after the meeting of March 3, 2015.
  2. Proceeding with the new security/safety fence for the swimming pool
  3. Proceeding with the stabilization of garage foundation: 40 Brae Burn Drive
  4. The next Board of Directors Business Meeting: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at the Clubhouse at 6:30 PM
  5. The next Quarterly Open Forum Business Meeting: Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at the Clubhouse at 7:00 PM.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM

Interim Secretary,
JoAnn Wilson 

Edgewood Townehouse Association Website, March 2015
Toni Horodysky, ( )

Our website, www.edgewoodhoa.org, had 83 visitors who looked at 167 pages during the period February 8 to March 10, 2015.

TREASURER’S  REPORT

February's receipt of monthly dues ended with 88 of the 90 units either current and/or prepaid for several months ahead.     

We are working with the owners of the two units that are behind in their dues. Expenditures for February are high but not unexpected or abnormal.  The winter and early spring months are when we complete the bulk of our annual capital improvements. As expected, we accessed a portion of the funds in our Capital Reserve account to cover these expenditures. In the summer and autumn months we will build back up the Capital Reserve account.  

Any question, please feel free to contact me. 

 Michele Coney, Treasurer

Hospitality Report:

On Wednesday mornings a group of residents and a guest have been delighted to be back in school. Led by Brian and Vera Entwistle, we are studying Peter Moulton's, (another resident), program for "Brain Agility." I am totally delighted to report this has been a fabulous experience, not only in developing our brains, but in the social companionship. You might notice there is an increased interest in our ping pong table too. It is an excellent brain exercise! Many thank you’s to Peter for his work and the Entwistles for their leadership! 

There has been an indication of interest in future classes in Tai Chi and also in Water Aerobics. Please contact me if either of these is of interest to you.

On another note, the only joint request I received as the new Hospitality Chair is to arrange a pot luck for the opening of the pool. I would love to have some volunteers to help with this project, as well as looking forward to our annual holiday party. I have to admit, I was a little unprepared for what I needed to do for the Holiday Party, but totally delighted by the success. Christine Donahue and Christine Ryan were so kind to help me wrap up the kitchen, plus we had fun.

Please email me at ___ if you would enjoy helping, or leave me a note on my front door at _ Westbrook.

Thanks,
Cindy Conley

February 2015 Facility Report
Frank L. Gaddini

February 2015 was a recording-setting twenty-eight days for the second consecutive year!  Remember last year? It was a record-setter.  Snow blanketed the site with nearly nine (9) inches of powdery snow, and then a few days afterwards, ice coated nearly every surface with almost ½ inch of ice, and one week of sub-freezing temperature devastated many of our trees, and several of our shrubs.

Well, February 2015 was another record-setter.  Unlike the snow and ice of 2014, this was a month of markedly opposite temperatures and moisture.  In fact, February 2015 was extraordinarily drier and warmer than most Pacific North-westerners remember.  It was also a record-setter for the number of jobs we performed.  We recorded and completed one-hundred-twenty-three (123) jobs.

Roof maintenance consumed a significant amount of our attention in February 2015.  In our continuing maintenance goal to clean and treat each roof and gutter in our community, we serviced thirty-six (36) roofs this month, cleaning off all debris, clearing all the gutters, and applying hydro zinc sulfate to retard the growth of moss on these roofs.  We have now completed all ninety-one (91) of our facilities’ roofs.  We also replaced eight (8) overhead garage doors, and we completed the replacement of two (2) new patio walls. 

Distinct from roof maintenance work, roof repairs also consumed a significant amount of attention.  We repaired seven (7) roofs that exhibited small leaks, installed five (5) sets of new gutters and downspouts, and completely rebuilt the chimney crown of our Clubhouse.  Amid all these jobs, our contract workers continued with grounds clean up projects and groundwater management projects.

The only way to describe February 2015 in one word is, Whew!

THINGS TO KNOW AND REMEMBER FOR MARCH: ANTS

As the dawn of spring begins, sunlight and warmer temperatures will ignite growth of flora and fauna.  The cycle of rejuvenation is upon us, and the millions of insects that coexist with us start awake from the long winter.  The first bugs in the season to meet us are usually the little sugar ants. 

Getting rid of ants is never a simple proposition, despite their simple nature. Luckily for you, you’re trying to get rid of sugar ants, and they are probably the most simple-minded ant species. What do they eat? They eat sugar, sweets, and other scraps of food. This is why we call them sugar ants. Of course, the term “sugar ant” is actually a misnomer. The real Sugar Ant is a native of the Australian continent, and exclusive to that part of the world; you won’t find them here. The ants living in our part of the world are Pavement Ants and Pharaoh Ants, and of course we refer to these ants as sugar ants. 

Sugar ant control is very much a matter of daily routine during the months when sugar ants are a problem (March through September), particularly in the kitchen. Below are two things you can do to minimize and prevent a sugar ant infestation in your home.

1.  Keep your kitchen sink clean and dry. Sugar ants love a dirty sink and the water you leave them to help wash down the leftovers.

2.  Wipe down kitchen counter tops with bleach or vinegar each night to get rid of sugar ants. Sugar ants love a dirty countertop almost as much as they love a dirty sink. I can’t count the number of times I’ve spilled a few crystals of sugar (for my morning coffee) from the sugar cup on the counter, only to find I’ve fed an entire colony of ants the next morning. Wiping your countertops with bleach or vinegar will not only help sanitize your kitchen, but bleach and vinegar breaks down the pheromones that ants use to follow each other to sources of food.

[Synthesized from an article posted on the website: www.getridofthings.com ]

[Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and street addresses have been removed for privacy reasons.]

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