May 2010 Newsletter of Edgewood Townehouse Association, Eugene, Oregon

Next Regular Board Meeting: Tuesday, June 8, 6:30 PM

By-the-Brook Book Group: Wed. June 9, 2 PM
Tuesday Afternoon Teatime: June 15, 3 PM in the Clubhouse

Message From The Board
Association Notes
Sugar Ant Advice
Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes: Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Reports: Grounds; Website; Welcome Committee, Director's
ETA Meeting Notes Archives: 1978
Pool Rules
Monthly Banking Activities [omitted]

It is nearing Memorial Day; Monday at 9:00, May 31, 2010. That is the date that Edgewood Townehouse Association will re-open the POOL.

The Board would like to thank the Pool Committee and its Chair for the fine job it has done in updating the Swimming Pool Rules and designing a new Pool Use Form. If you plan on using the pool this summer, please follow the following process:

Updating of the Swimming Pool Rules was a thoughtful, systematic, and labor-intense process that included the Swimming Pool Committee and the Board.

The Board discussed the proposed revised rules and form at its regular Board meeting, made changes, and decided we needed further research. We wanted to be in complete compliance with State and Federal law and additionally reviewed other local and regional townhouses and apartment pool rules, organized this information, and then called a Special Meeting.

At the Special Meeting the Board and the Pool Committee Chair, Bev Behrman, reviewed all the information and point by point revised the 2010 Swimming Pool Rules in a final draft. This revised document in this month’s F.Y.I. is the result of many hours of research and discussion. Please read carefully every point before you sign off on the Pool Use Form. Thank you.

The Board’s review of Pets and Parking has been tabled temporarily to focus on opening of the Pool.

As we approach the half way mark in the 2010 Fiscal Year, it becomes increasingly clear that we will be needing small adjustments in our dues for the year 2011 to accomplish facility maintenance and repairs.

Tuesday Afternoon Tea
The first Tuesday Afternoon Tea was held on May 18 in the Clubhouse. A large turnout enjoyed tea, coffee and cookies while they engaged in conversation. Please join your neighbors next month: mark your calendar for the third Tuesday in June at 3 PM.

Ride Source Tickets
Julie Ann Marquardt has a $20.00 book of Ride Source Tickets available. They are free for the asking. Just phone her at [ ].

Has the invasion in your home started like it has in mine? All the research I did a few years ago netted in the irrefutable reality that millions of them live below our townhouses and unless every unit in the building in which you live is willing to kill them from the outside, they will continue to invade the slightest crack, whenever they can.

Since I cannot find the crack through which they are entering, otherwise I would seal it, I turned to Terro traps, which eventually do the job, for a few weeks, until a new army appears. I also found a formula for mixing what I call “Ant Doom” with household materials that works as well as the Terro traps.

But I just got new advice from a relative in the northeast. Spray Windex on the ants and around where they gather. It dissuades them from coming, if any get away unscathed. Try it! You might find it as helpful a hint as I have. It doesn’t kill the nests forever, but it sure helps control the waves of ants as they come.

Call to Order at Six-Thirty (6:30) PM: The meeting was called to order by Bruce Trafton at Six-Thirty (6:30) PM. Present were board members Bruce Trafton, Suzy Wojcik, Jon Joseph, Linda Johnson, Russ Fryburg, Excused were Toni Horodysky, Susan Klein, Eaton Conant and Doug Cone. Also present was Frank Gaddini.

Approval of Minutes of the April 2010 Board of Directors Meeting: Jon Joseph moved to pass the minutes with Russ Fryburg seconding. Motion passed.

Budget Report: Bruce Trafton presented the report. The asphalt project will proceed starting in June in stages so that we will stay within our budget. Four people are in arrears with the association dues by one month.

Architectural/Building Committee -- Simone D’Aubigne is the new chair of this committee. Mike Landis, Mike Metzler, and Doug Cone are on the committee. Frank Gaddini will work with the group.

Grounds Committee -- Report submitted. The committee will focus on the irrigation problems in the near future.

Swimming Pool Committee -- Frank Gaddini gave a preliminary report. Samples need to be taken two times daily and some custodial work needs to be done when the pool opens. Frank is looking at hiring a person to do that work.

Reserve Study Update -- (Tabled until August)
Reserve Fund Investment Strategies -- (Tabled until December)
Rules/Policies Reviews -- Pets & Parking: The possibility was discussed that we should submit a survey to the homeowners with the old rules and the proposed new rules to get a better consensus of the homeowners. The rules for Pets and Parking will be tabled until the June board meeting.

New Business:
Proposed pool rules - These rules were reviewed by the board and will be continued during the ad hoc pool meeting on May 17th.
Pool Policies Review -- Under review
Pool Management -- Under review
Pool Facility Assessment -- Under review

On its April visit, the Sperry Tree Care, our pruning contractors, cleared branches away from a chimney that was scheduled for moss cleaning, and pruned along the walkway between #147 and #149 from the creek sidewalk to the parking lot, and all of the flower beds west to Brookside from #149 to #159. They will be on site again on May 21.

Marlon and Son, the grounds maintenance contractor, has been on site every Thursday, mowing and edging lawns, blowing sidewalk and driveways, and maintaining weed-free beds.

The Brae Burn project was completed with the use of a weed suppressant, followed by a thick layer of bark blown on all non-ground-cover areas from Willamette Ave. to Brookside Dr., in some places over 10-feet from the sidewalk, by Lane Forest Products. The Lane Forest employees who did the work said that such a dense layer of bark would keep weeds out of those areas for several years.

The Grounds Committee is working to determine what bare areas along the Brae Burn corridor need plantings and, if so, what plants are viable in terms of irrigation, sun and/or shade, and maintenance.

The grounds are abloom with azalea and rhododendron blossoms in every shade of red, purple, and blue, with more to come. There’s even a rare yellow rhody and a lilac on Westbrook Way.

May 7, 2010Edgewood Townehouse Association Website, May 2010
Toni Horodysky ( ), Webmistress

Edgewoodhoa.org had 122 visitors who looked at 190 total pages during the time period April 9 to May 6.

The Welcome Committee has two new homeowners to greet into our community. Robert and Jolene are our new residents at [ ] Westbrook Way. Robert and Jolene have been in the process of renovating their new “Bermuda-style” townhome and are still in the process of settling in. Robert and Jolene have not yet received their Welcome to Edgewood Townehouse Association Basket, but one has been prepared and waiting to be delivered.

Lois Anderson is our newest homeowner. Lois has just moved into [ ] Westbrook Way which is an “Acupulco-style” townhome. A Welcome to Edgewood Townehouse Association Basket, has also been prepared for Lois and waiting to be delivered once she settles in.

You may be wondering what the references to Acupulco and Bermuda style townhomes is all about…? Did you know that there are seven different styles or models of townhouses at Edgewood. All of the models have very tropical names. They are the Acapulco, the Bahama, the Bermuda, the Hawaii, the Jamaica, the Tahiti, and the Samoa. Interested in knowing what your model is…? Send me an email at [ ] and I will tell you.

April has been a productive month for our maintenance and restoration activities at the Edgewood Townehouses. We began the month by seeing our Lawn Contractor come onboard focus efforts on our Brea Burn and Brookside corridors especially. All but a few of our rhododendrons and azaleas have been fertilized too. We also applied eight (8) bags of moss abatement to our lawns. As the month ensued, we undertook and completed thirty (30) maintenance and capital improvement projects.

We completed our chimney maintenance projects for the year and saw nine (9) of our eighty-two (82) brick chimneys pressured washed and sealed with a crystal water-proof sealer. Two (2) more of our garage passageway doors were replaced during the month, and we restored one (1) of our wood front entryway doors. The gutters and downspouts at six (6) townhomes were replaced during April too, as well as one (1) townhome had all of its roof vents and roof pipe jacks replaced because of leakage. April also saw the complete restoration and rebuild of two (2) of our patio fences. In the Clubhouse, we completed the replacement of the last few electric receptacles and light switches, and installed new water saving shower heads in our men’s and women’s bathroom. And last, we began the repainting of our exterior electric light trees.

April was also a very active month in regards to our business activities. We conducted our first quarterly budget review. We formed two committees of homeowner volunteers. The first is a committee to review the updating of our entry sign at Westbrook Way and began to research the possibility of a new sign at the corner of Brea Burn and Brookside. The other committee that was formed is the Architecture Committee which will hold its first meeting in May. We also held three association meetings in April. We held our regular business meeting, a special ad hoc meeting to review parking and pet rules, and held our first quarterly Townhall-style Meeting of this year. Even though our Townhall Meeting was sparsely attended, it proved productive as those homeowners in attendance shared their ideas and opinions on current issues and the management of our association.

We are on sound financial grounds at this time and proceeding towards completing our most of our approved and planned 2010 maintenance and capital improvement projects. Upcoming major projects this year include the first, of a four (4) year cycle, to repave all of our asphalt surfaces, and replace uneven, disjointed, and deteriorated sidewalks. Our never-ending cycle of repainting will also creep ahead. As this year ensues, however, we may need to adjust our facility improvement plans to ensure that we do not exceed our expected revenue, despite the relentless and widespread need for maintenance and repair to our facilities.

Since serving in my position as Facility and Operations Director over the past eight months, I have been impressed by the spirit of volunteerism and the talent that so many of our fellow homeowners have to share with our association. Indeed, we have a rich pool of artisans, professionals, and creative thinkers who serve in volunteer positions in the management of our association. I value and respect all those serving on the various committees and Board of the Edgewood Townehouse Association. I feel fortunate and humbled to serve in the role of Facility and Operations Director for such a gifted group of individuals. I hope, in turn, the Association has seen a markedly improved community through this relationship of professional management and my efforts of organization and planning.

Frank L Gaddini
Facilities and Operations Director for Edgewood Townehouse Association [ ]

Jan 10, 1978
Pets are a nuisance.
"Back gates" on Brae Burn are not uniform - no requests for approval.
Patio coverings must be approved.
Private audit of books found to be to expensive.
Newsletter discussed - no interest.
Letter to owner re unauthorized house modification.

Jan 20, 1978
Special meeting.
More on the unauthorized mod.
Discussed registering with state as a corporation.
Question of votes needed to pass a motion.
Duties of manager discussed. Should be in writing.
Architect committee to give immediate written notice of violations.

Feb 14, 1978
More on the house mod.
Replacement of broken lights.
Committee formed to draw up contract for manager for duties.
Liability insurance raised from $250m/$500m to $500m/$1,000m.

Feb 28, 1978
Special meeting
Job description for manager presented - not complete enough.

March 1978
Special meeting
Signatures on checks discussed - required by-laws change.
Owner who made unauthorized mod ignoring letter from Board.
Property supervisor job description accepted.

March 14, 1978
Two members asked to be bonded - determined a bonded person must be an
employee. Board agreed to bond 5 people for $10,000 and pay them $1.00/year.
Pet owners met with board - no solution to pet problem. Agreed offended
homeowners will forward complaint to pet owner.
Agreed no change in assessment.
Basketball hoop becoming a problem and will be removed.

May 9. 1978
Owner with unauthorized mod will comply.
Interest on overdue accounts set at 10%.

June 13, 1978
$5.00 registration fee for corporation paid.
RV rent set at $7.50 plus $2.50 electricity.

Sept 22, 1978
Letter from city on storm water flow through channel - Assn is responsible - just a reminder.

Oct 10, 1978
RV parking a problem
Decided not to enforce 16' limit until general meeting.
Report of people eating and sleeping in RV area.
President will send letters to delinquent account holders.
Agreed to pay $100 for bookkeeper.
Decided to buy book "The Condo Community".
Agreed to put up "No thoroughfare" signs.

Nov 7, 1978
Agreed no vehicles over 25' and 10.5' high in RV parking.
All parking area expenses to be paid from RV fees.
Insurance will cost $50/person/year

Dec 12, 1978
Letters to/from Hubbard Insurance.
Notice of mail theft.
Christmas bonus for manager $200.
VISA card ordered for manager.
Owner has boat over 25’ in RV area - notified to remove by June 1979.

The following rules have been adopted by the Board of Directors in the interest of safety for the residents and their guests; they are also required by the State of Oregon. Following the rules will insure everyone's enjoyment. Failure to follow these rules could result in exclusion from pool privileges.

2. The pool and deck area are for the exclusive use of Edgewood Townhouse owners and their guests.

3. No lifeguard is on duty. Each swimmer is responsible and liable for their personal safety.

5. Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older.

6. Dangerous practices are prohibited. No running or rough play is allowed in the pool or deck area.

8. Diving must be made with consideration for the safety and comfort of others using the pool and deck area. No reckless or indiscriminate diving is permitted.

9. While there is no designated time for lap swim, it is expected that swimmers will be accommodating to those who want to swim laps.

10. The rope must remain across the pool when there are young children present who are unable to swim
without assistance. If you remove the rope, please replace it upon leaving.

12. Inflatable objects may be used in the pool, insofar as they do not interfere with other swimmers ability to easily navigate the pool.

14. All food items are prohibited in the pool and on the pool deck. Consuming food items is permitted in the fenced in Eating Area only.

17. No person with a communicable disease, open wound, or wearing a bandage is allowed to use the pool.

19. Persons with wet attire or with wet bare feet may not use or enter the Clubhouse.

20. Access to the pool, deck, and the dressing rooms is through the Pool Entrance Door only.

22. Only swimming attire is allowed in the pool. Un-hemmed shorts are not permitted in the pool. No street shoes are allowed on the pool deck.

27. Resident planning to use the pool must acknowledge, with their signature, that they have read and understand the pool rules, and ensure that their guests read the rules before swimming. The Pool Use Form and Pool Rules are published in the FYI and copies are also available in the Club House.

28. Every resident in the community is authorized and encouraged to enforce the pool rules and to report violators to the Board.

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