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

September 16, 2009

Important Dates:

Next Regular Board Meeting: Tues. October 13, 7 pm

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

General Membership Meeting October 27, 7:30 PM

Hospitality Activities:

Saturday Morning Social: October 10, 10:30 am
By-the-Brook Book Group: Wed, October 14, 2 pm

Contents:

Acting President's Message
Association News
Board Minutes: September 8, 2009
Reports: Grounds; Buildings; Website; Pool
Monthly Banking Activities
Emergency Form

FYI Info:

Editor: Dave Compton
Next Deadline: October 12

Acting President's Message

These are just a few of the things I have done in addition to the chairman of the grounds committee report since I returned from the Oregon Coast July 6th.

1. Open clubhouse every morning.
2. Remind board members of meetings.
3. Handled loan forms and talk to Bank officials.
4. Handled several homeowner rental questions, repeatedly.
5. Communicate with ETA Director at least four times a week.
6. Meet with our book keeper at least twice a month, sign checks, and hand deliver employees checks in person.
7. Make sure that all dog excrement and pool garbage gets to the Sani Pac service.
8. Change light bulbs at night when out.
9. Help buildings director adjust lighting system according to change of season.

Due to this overload on top of grounds committee chairman duties, I will no longer be opening the clubhouse as of September 11th, and no longer be acting President or a Board Member as of October 31st. I will continue to chair the grounds committee until my obligations are finished.

 

Association News


ETA Emergency Form
Attached to this FYI is a new version of the Emergency Form which many of us filled out when we first moved into ETA. Much of that information may be outdated by now. The Emergency Form is strictly voluntary, but for your own safety, we urge you to complete it and place it in the Clubhouse slot. These forms are kept in a red binder in the Clubhouse.

Clubhouse volunteers
To allow us to keep our community clubhouse open, we need volunteers to unlock the clubhouse each morning.

A volunteer can take on responsibility for opening the clubhouse on one or more of the seven weekdays. The job consists of unlocking the clubhouse door and the doors to the two bathrooms in the clubhouse on the morning(s) of your choice. If you are interested in taking on this task, contact Toni Horodysky ( ), Chair Building Committee.

Update: So far we have volunteers for 5 mornings. This will not be a permanent need, since Frank Gaddini plans to "automate" the clubhouse. We do need a clubhouse Committee and chairperson whose duties are:
Clubhouse Committee Meets several times each year and advises the Board of special needs at the Clubhouse, e.g., new equipment, or concerns about Clubhouse use. Is not concerned with regular maintenance and repair. Chair submits annual budget request to budget committee in May and reports concerns and recommendations to ETA President in writing or orally at regular Board meetings. Takes care of reservations for Clubhouse use.


EDGEWOOD TOWNEHOUSE ASSOCIATION
Meeting of the Board of Directors
September 8, 2009

The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. by Acting President Bruce Trafton. Those present included Board Members Bruce Trafton, Doug Cone, Gwen Acker, Jon Joseph and Toni Horodysky. Board members Russ Fryburg, Susan Klein and Eaton Conant were not present. Also in attendance were Gloria Gehrman, Frank Gaddini, Bev Behrman, Michael Landes and Clara Nistler.

Acting President Bruce Trafton read a statement relating some of the tasks he has been performing as Acting President in addition to his responsibilities as Grounds Chairman. As of September 11 he will no longer be opening the clubhouse each morning; therefore a volunteer is needed to fulfill this responsibility. He will resign his board position and acting president as of October 31, 2009. Someone in the community is needed to step up to assume those positions as well.

Election of new Board members will be at the next regularly scheduled general meeting, which will held at 7:30 p.m.. October 27, 2009.

Minutes of the August 11, 2009 meeting: Upon motion of Jon Joseph and second by Toni Horodysky, the minutes were approved as previously published. It is noted that a synopsis of the work session held September 1, 2009 is posted in the clubhouse.

Residents Forum: Gloria Gehrman commented on the pleasure she is receiving from the painting of her unit. Clara Nistler asked when her patio walls will be refurbished and plantings replaced along her unit.

Grounds Committee: Bruce reported that Trevor Stephens will be here for one more week. A copy of the full report is attached.

Building Committee: Toni Horodysky reported that #50 BB will need a new foundation for the patio. This will be the responsibility of the homeowner. The Association will be responsible for patio walls and a new chimney. The new chimney will be metal with a wood surround, as has been used on other units. See copy of full report attached.

Pool Committee: The pool will be closed for the winter on September 14, 2009. See copy of full report attached.

Old Business:
As requested at the earlier work session, Frank Gaddini presented the Board with a proposed policy regarding new satellite dishes. Toni Horodysky moved and Jon Joseph seconded the motion that with the change of insertion of neighboring for adjoining homeowners in #6, which discusses where a satellite may be placed. The motion carried. A copy of the statement will be available to homeowners as soon as changes have been made and the policy copied.

Toni Horodysky moved and Jon Joseph seconded the motion that 87 Westbrook Way be rented to a qualified tenant for one year, with review at the end of that year. The motion carried. It is noted that work is being done in that unit as painting and general maintenance have not been done for several years. Mold has been found in one wall. The mold will be treated and then replaced.

Next, Frank Gaddini furnished a proposed check list and rental agreement for 87 Westbrook Way, the unit owned by the Association.

Jon Joseph moved and Toni Hordysky seconded a motion that pets not be allowed to renters. The motion carried. Gwen Acker moved and Jon Joseph seconded the motion that the Rental Agreement include Association parking rules. The motion carried. These changes will be incorporated in the Agreement and a copy e-mailed to Board members. Frank Gaddini will begin the rental process as soon as the unit is ready for rental.

Frank Gaddini provided a similar rental agreement for units which are rented by ETA homeowners. This agreement will be discussed at a work session at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2009.

Adjournment was at 8:45 p.m.

Respectively submitted,
Gwen Acker ( )
Secretary


GROUNDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR AUGUST 2009

Fall is coming and the leaves are not far behind.

In August we finished washing the giant light globes above the address directions and hopefully we will be repainting the signs and posts in the near future. So far pest management services have exterminated four more yellow jacket nests bringing the total to nine. If you see a yellow jacket nest, let the grounds committee know as soon as possible.

Before the guarantee on the new plants in the cemetery expired, we were able to get two new Rhodies to replace two dead ones. The bucket watering system near the cemetery has proven more than adequate in watering plants that the sprinklers have failed to reach, the new planting is ready for winter. Currently we are watering all plants around the grounds deeply as directed by Duckworth's Nursery.

A giant maple tree in front of the corner of WW and Willamette was removed this month by a licensed bonded tree professional arborist. The stump was ground down and sprinklers around it replaced. The impact will be very little.

Clearview was here on the 30th. They did one big flame tree by the cemetery, several Rhodies at through 57-61 WW. They also worked on the cove around 140-150 WW. To be continued...

Future:
New plantings to come in Oct-Nov.

Another application of Greer Nursery's Special Azalea and Rhodie fertilizer will be applied Oct.

A handing over through Frank Gaddini will lead to the hiring of a Landscape Company or several small Landscape Companies.

Just when all hope was lost of EWEB coming to do an irrigation audit, Jeff Peterson spent two and half days with a crew of four and Trevor. The following is a report written by Trevor on the EWEB audit:

On the 17th of August EWEB brought in a crew to do an audit on our sprinkler systems. We began by putting data loggers on all five of the meters around the complex. Once that was finished we turned each watering station on one at a time and flagged each individual sprinkler head. Once flagged a group of us read off the size of each and every sprinkler head to the recorder who wrote down the data. During the process we looked for problems in the sprinkler systems. We found sprinklers spraying under decks watering only the foundation and bare dirt, we adjusted each and every sprinkler head to the position of most efficiency, we reduced the spray on many sprinklers due to excess misting, we also found one major leak and two minor leaks.

Once all the data was collected and the leaks identified the EWEB crew went back to headquarters and began crunching data. They will be calculating the amount of water we are suppose to be using due to all of the sprinkler heads we have on the grounds and running that data up against the amount of water we have actually been using. This will tell us if we have any major underground leaks that are unidentifiable from ground level. The week after they left all of the major identified leaks were fixed. Some sprinkler heads were replaced in strategic locations and one was capped off. While the EWEB crew was inspecting every sprinkler they took pictures of problem sprinklers and will provide us with a report at a date not yet specified.

My suggestion for the future of Edgewood would be this; a full update of the sprinkler system to one brand of sprinklers. In Edgewood we have several different types of sprinklers, Toro's and Rain Bird's being the most modern and efficient and many old brass heads that are obsolete. They are less efficient and harder to adjust. It is my suggestion that all of the sprinkler systems be updated to Rain Bird sprinkler heads which is what most of the sprinklers already are. This serves two purposes: One, it allows the grounds keepers to have a ready supply of materials on hand that will work for sprinklers all over the grounds. Two, it will cut Edgewood's water usage significantly. Also in many places sprinklers have been overcome by earth and need to be dug out. Some have shifted with the Earth and are now crooked spraying straight into the ground or straight into the air. Many of the sprinkler heads are old and cracked and spraying out the sides. If a full tune-up took place everything would be standard, up to date, and efficient. That being said, the plants are all getting sufficient water and the sprinklers system that is in place now is working but not necessarily efficiently.

Thank You,
Trevor Stephens

Respectively submitted,
Bruce Trafton ( )
Ground Committee Chairman

Building Committee Report, September 2009
Toni Horodysky ( ), Chair

Painting is underway at 161 to 171 WW and patio walls at 118 to 152 BB. The first siding projects of the Gaddini era are due to start shortly at 183 and 185 WW.

Some of our uneven sidewalks were ground down this month and we plan to have some sections of sidewalk replaced this year.

Bev Behrman, Frank Gaddini, and I inspected the interior of 87 WW. The unit needed painting throughout, due to normal wear and tear during the past two years. Sometime in the past, two paneled walls were covered with wallpaper and then painted over and various trim pieces normally attached to the paneling were missing, leaving unsightly gaps. The carpet needs cleaning and one window blind needs replacing.
I visited several units which reported problems. Frank and I looked at the chimney and patio foundation at 50 BB and agreed that the cracks in the foundation can be attributed to the three trees growing in the patio. We will ask the Board to discuss this.

I spoke with the caretaker of unit 1 WW about the front door which had been treated by the homeowner without permission. I cannot repeat the response I got.

During our inspections we’ve noticed that some homeowners store firewood inside their garages immediately adjacent to studs and siding. In one stack of firewood we saw evidence of insect activity: small holes in the wood and little piles of sawdust. Firewood is often infested with wood eating insects, and they can and will attack the building. Firewood should be kept at least 12 inches from any wall and 12 inches above ground (to keep mice from nesting). If you cannot place the firewood at such a distance, at least try to protect your property with a tarpaulin between firewood and wall.

I answered several questions posed by the real estate agent regarding unit 183 WW.


Edgewood Townehouse Association Website, September 2009
Toni Horodysky ( ), Webmistress

Edgewoodhoa.org had 33 visitors who looked at 72 total pages during the time period August 3 through September 6.


POOL REPORT
SEPTMEBER 8, 2009

Normally we close the pool on or around Labor Day. But last year we closed it earlier than Labor Day and we had some hot days after it closed, when people regretted not having it open. So this year, we are going to leave it open until September 14th, when we lose our pool tenders, Andrea and Trevor. Haven’t they done a great job of keeping the pool and area clean and the water just the right balance? If you agree, please tell them of your appreciation.

Thomas Pool Service will close the pool for us and maintain the water balance over the winter, so we are not met with the problems with Mustard type algae, which we had to be overcome this spring when we opened. White tissue mold is a new and pesky, hard to deal with problem in local pools, which is also avoided by maintaining the water balance throughout the winter.

We have had a lot of traffic at the pool this summer. Of our 89 units, 45 units signed the pool use forms. Since we opened the pool on May 21, there have been 270 sign-ins at the pool. Each signature represents at least 2 people and often many more than 2, so we can safely assume that 550 people have used the pool between Memorial Day and Labor Day. I think this is an increase in usage from prior years, although that is just an eyeballing guess, not backed up by statistics.

Recently the steamer flap was repaired, probably broken when someone cannonballed into the pool, we are told. The wheels on the vacuum were worn and hardly working, so Thomas’s has replaced them with good used wheels, until new wheels arrive. And the fountain was fixed again after last month’s clogging.
Over the winter we will look to revise the Pool Rules, making them more relevant to our current usage needs. We will advise you of changes, as they are suggested. We will also be considering any changes that need to be made to the physical facilities, so that they are made before we reopen next year.

Please remember to turn the lights off in the bathrooms after you use them.

We passed our annual inspection by the Oregon Department of Human Services recently and were told that ours is one of the cleanest, best kept pools in the city. We are in complete compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (2007), having attended to meeting the federal guidelines for the main drain entrapment protection at the beginning of the season.

Thanks, everyone, for you cooperation in keeping this the fine pool area that it is.

Submitted by Bev Behrman ( )

 


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